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Why pursue global studies at Missouri State?
- You will have opportunities to participate in a variety of academic activities that will help you learn about the global community, including study away exchange programs.
- We encourage you to participate in international conferences, where you will meet government officials, scholars and other students from around the world.
- Missouri State's broad selection of foreign languages allows you to pick the language that will assist you in reaching your professional goals.
- Our small class sizes contribute to an individualized experience.


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'Ghouls' just wanna have fun
Lisette Fee
If there isn't a more appropriate time to bust out talon and crow claw jewelry?! The Autumn/Halloween season!
I've already got my decorations out and I'm getting my most sinister and daring jewelry out as well. Though many of you wear Eilisain Jewelry year round, some of you love to really deck it out this time of year. It seems more and more, people are reveling in the joy of the dark and magical aspects of autumn. I do think it's because we keep it stashed throughout the year and there is something about the colors and fun of Halloween.
So I wanted to share with you some of the best combinations I've seen bloggers and the media share of Eilisain Jewelry and their 'ghoulish' inspired posts.
Now, these outfit inspirations should really get YOU in the spooky mood - add a bit of fierce and magic to your outfit - SHOP our jewelry today!

subset: commoncrawl


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Here, at Star Auto Authority, we want our customers to be in the know about how to properly care for their car or truck. We want you to understand why and how your tires wear; how to get the best gas mileage; and overall how to get the most out of your tires. Hopefully, with these helpful tips you will be able to improve gas mileage and reduce tire wear when driving in and around Vernon Hills, IL and Libertyville, IL. We understand how important your vehicle is and why your car needs to be serviced by a Vernon Hills, Illinois auto repair shop. So give us a call at (847) 816-0011 today to schedule your next maintenance appointment.
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The city of Bisbee, Arizona, last night passed the revised civil unions ordinance. The Arizona Daily Sun reports:
The council voted 5-2 Tuesday night to formally propose a scaled-back version of the ordinance. That sets the stage for a June 4 vote by the council on whether to approve the measure. Council members on April 2 approved an earlier version of the measure that sought to give people in civil unions the same benefits as those in marriages.
Under the new version, people entered into civil unions recognized only within the city of Bisbee could file contractual statements spelling out their agreed-upon "rights, obligations and expectations" in matters such as inheritances, property ownership and children. Some of those agreements "may require additional documentation and other formalities" to make them effective under state law, the revised ordinance states, adding that "the city of Bisbee makes no warranty or guarantee regarding the legality or enforceability of any agreements or nominations of the parties."
Well, it's a start. Other Arizona cities may follow suit.
Find more articles and gay wedding resources in Arizona.


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Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego
Another non-flattering article, in fact quite harsh. Just another subjective viewpoint.
http://www.latimes.com/classified/automotive/highway1/la-hy-neil8- - - dec08,0,390104.story?coll=la-class-autos-highway10
rcf8000 Posts: 619That's got to be the funniest car review I've ever read. Maybe it's not accurate or objective, but I really appreciate the author's writing skills. Maybe he's an out-of-work screen writer or sitcom writer!0
riker2 Posts: 36Actually, Dan Neil won the Pulitzer Prize for criticism this year. He's really a pretty amazing writer, even if he's not a fan of the Five Hundred.0
I don't know about his not being a fan of the Five Hundred but he certainly is not constrained about the Montego in his profile of the car. I thought his humorus quip, "The seat itself feels like one of those extra-high hospital toilets. Where is the nurse call button?", was funny.0
explorerx4 Central CTPosts: 13,748"it's about as sexy as going through your mother's underwear drawer." to me, that says a lot about the reviewer. they actually thought they could make a point with that. i guess i would like to see a favorable review from that writer, too.
'superb redesign of the focus?' huh?
just saw the 'criticism' post. maybe it should have been for sarcasm.2017 Ford Fusion SE 2017 Ford F-150 Limited0
my only gripe with the car is - it's underpowered. Not that I can not live with that. A little power and insulation would be great. But, if incentives will lower price to 19-20G's i'll go for it. I still would prefer Zephyr, though.0
jsylvester Posts: 572While the 500/Montego looks great on paper, the Grand Marquis has a long, impressive track record of comfort, reliability, and durability, all at an impressively affordable price. There is nothing else like it on the road. At this point, I'd have to go with a GM over a Montego, but my 94 Grand Marquis just keeps on truckin' along, neraly as good as new - it could be a long time before that decision would have to be made. They kill the Grand Marquis, and there is nothing really unique that Ford offers, so I will have to shop around.
I used to own a 92 Taurus, and I learned the hard way Ford doesn't design the automobile platforms like they used to. I hope the new 500 proves me wrong, and turns out to be an excellent, durable product, but it doesn't have a 25 year record like the Grand Marquis.0
fsmmcsi Posts: 792Since the Freestyle is the heaviest of the group, a Five Hundred or Montego should be able to do better than the 8.2 seconds to sixty listed in the full review of the Freestyle published by Car & Driver in their January issue. I know that Car & Driver tends to obtain the fastest acceleration results of the major testing companies, but they published 8.1 seconds to sixty for the '94 V8 Thunderbird we once owned, and it was fast enough .
I wonder if C&D is waiting until the new Avalon is out to do a full test report on the Five Hundred/Montego?
I have had a few minutes to read some car discussions and post a few comments and questions, but December has turned out to be a very busy month, so will not be able to drive a Montego again until January. Has anyone else been successful in finding a dealer who will allow a longer test drive (maybe 60 - 80 miles round trip)?
I have crossed off of my list the Chrysler 300C (trunk too small, ugly, popular with gangsters), the Dodge Magnum (ditto, plus I don't want another wagon/SUV).
The big trunk, good looks, good visibility, safety features, and feature content the same as my Mountaineer still give me reason to keep considering the Montego. The only other vehicles still on my list are the new Toyota Avalon and Honda Ridgeline.0
FLASH: Factory installed in vehicle navigation systems are OBOSOLETE i feel sorry for any sucker that recently spent at least $1500 to over $2000 for the same thing you can get on your Nextel phone...
E911 regs require all cell phones built after 2002 to be GPS so I'm sure other carriers will be providing this service in the futre.
OH and the Ford Nav system on the Expedition is PAIN I'm glad I don't have to give many lessons on how to use it.
I think people really need to keep in mind the whole purpose of the 500 when they are talking about it.
This car is all about getting alot of car for you money and I think it more than delivers in the value catagory ESPECIALLY as an SE or SEL.
People keep bashing on Ford but as you read this, Ford is on the way to becoming the LARGEST producer of AWD passenger cars. This is the AUDI of the masses.
Yes there are some glaring oversites I can't for the life of me figure out why there is no AdvancTrac espeically after the recent study about how stabilty control can cut accidents by over 50% in SUVs...NOTE that AdvanceTrac with RSC is STANDARD in Explorer.
But if you look at the Taurus then look at the cars the Five Hundred goes head to head against (the Impala, the 300 touring, etc), I think this is a great entry.
In the final analysis though, Ford is all about trucks and SUVs.
At my dealership, we have no 2005 Mustangs (sell the same day they arrive) 4 Crown Vics (not counting CVPIs), 8 2004 Mustangs, 12 Five Hundreds and about 20 Focuses.
We then have over 30 Escapes, 50 F-150s and over 80 Explorers.
Yeah we have Freestars but there isn't much interested there.
Why no Advance Trac? Simple. Ford can only get the parts to build so many right now. Those parts, understandably, are going first to SUV's and trucks...
Ford still remembers, no doubt with some bitterness, how many Focii they sold with the stability system you could get at the time. I think the number was more than four but less than pleasing...
Yes, the Five Hundred is in a different class. And the time will come when you can get Advance Trac. It ain't now, though.0
n144g Posts: 7I have been driving the Montego Premier AWD for about a month ( i just posted about my very pleasant buying experience on the "prices paid" forum). Anyway, I have to laugh when I read some of the comments and reviews out there. If someone is looking for a sports car then buy a sports car. If they are looking for a family sedan then this is a terrific car. We have absolutely no acceleration problems, plenty of merging and passing power, lots of room for the kids items, and (what sold us on the car) great visibility compared to other models we test drove. Sometimes I wonder if car designers are so involved in "looks" they forget that a driver has to see out in ALL directions to drive. Anyway, all in all, I feel i made a good choice and the car is terrific
My only complaints are the small touches that cost the auto maker next to nothing but creates a much nicer feeling for the customer instead of a "why is the manufacterer so stupid" feeling.
Those improvements would be lights in the glove box and under the hood, optional navigation system, optional stability control, and lighted controls for radio,etc. Small complaints but it would leave the driver with a much nicer feeling about the manufacturer. Well, hope my review helps some people out there.0
what mpg city/highway do you get on your GM?0
nedc2 Posts: 192I've been driving a Crown Vic for several years, they ceratinly are extremely durable, reasonably comfortable, and surprisingly economical. But they don't use space very efficiently -- for that reason alone I'd go with the Montego. I do mostly urban driving, the CV/GM are a real pain to park, they're wider and longer than almost any other cars on the market, I can't even fit one into my garage and get out the door! The GM/CV trunk is huge, it's fine for luggage or shoeboxes, but its awkward depth and lack of a fold down rear seat or even a pass-through make it real pain if you make a trip to the home centre to pick up building or maintenance supplies. Not to mention that I can't even fit my dad's wheelchair in the CV's trunk! Add to that the Montego's better handling, superior rear seat room and more comfortable seating position along with excellent crash scores that promise good structural integrity and it seems like a much better car for most people.0
GM/CV has proven build quality. Montego's predecessor, Tauras was a problem (some of you might know it's cozy Jewish nickname - Tsures - what loosely could be translated from Yiddish as 'disaster'). What reliability Montego, with it's 6 speed or CVT trannies, AWD, etc. will have, still remains to be found out. Also, none of the above sound like inexpensive to fix problems. CV/GM, on the other hand, is not bullet-proof, but reasonably reliable and cheap to fix & maintain. I just wonder what mileage it get per gallon and how I can convince my wife to get one for her. So far she fights tooth and nail, says about "Driving Miss Daisy", etc.0
badgerfan Posts: 1,565Not all Tauri have been disasters. I'm on my second, and admittedly do not put high miles on in a short time,I do about 10K per year. But my 1990 Taurus was an excellent car for the ten years and 98K miles I had it, and my 2000 Taurus is going great at 4+ years and 43K miles. Unlike some of the Camcords reports of recent vintage, I have not had a single rattle or squeak develop in either of my Tauri.
Yes, I missed some of the Taurus intermediate years where Ford had head gasket issues (only the 3.8 L engine) and had some transmission problems. But, by and large Taurus has been a very good car for a lot of people. I wish they kept the name and tacked it onto the new Fusion due for release next fall, but with Ford's corporate decision to start all Sedans with "F", the name is going away.
Taurus simply blew away the competition in innovations, features, handling, and performance, back when it was introduced.
I won't be in the market for 5-6 years, so by then I will have a choice of a Fusion or Five Hundred, which will have had several years history under their belt by then.
I expect Five Hundred will prove to be a very reliable vehicle, even from the first model year.0
...and Taurus is NOT the Five Hundred/Montego's predecessor. Taurus/Sable will be replaced by the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan. Five Hundred/Montego were most probably originally slated to replace the CV/GM, back in Jack Nasser's day. Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed, Nasser is gone, and the Panthers live on to be sold to the faithful, all at a tidy profit for the Ford Motor Company.0
I wonder if Ford would ever consider putting a front bench seat and column shifter in the 500? This would be a huge selling point with my wife.
I know... some would be offended, but it is a family-hauling sedan.0
I doubt it seriously. Airbag configurations and safety concerns are rapidly making bench seats a thing of the past. The coming Toyota Avalon will not have a bench seat available either. The center position is almost impossible to protect to the same degree as the outboard positions, not to mention there are safety concerns about interference with the driver....0
That is correct, airbag configurations are making bench seating harder to integrate. Ironically, at a few car shows, all the Buick LaCrosse' were displayed with the bench seats.... THEN they are wondering why the average customer age keeps increasing, and THIS for a car they wish to target younger buyer's with.
And no the 500 will not have bench seating...This because of some structural reinforcements running through the mid-section of the vehicle that would simply make it quite difficult to do.0
and still driving...with the help of my cane of course. Too bad about the bench, as an option it would certainly be attractive to some older customers.
Thanks for the info.
I swapped my truck for a friends 500 for a day. Really did not feel a lack of power at all with only one person in the car. I almost think that the seating makes you feel like the car is going slower than it actually is. SEL with 6 speed was not a tire burner but seemed to go very well from about 30mph on. This without winding the motor up at all.
I am sure a Lincoln model would easily satisfy those that want all the extra gadgets.0
There will be 2 Lincoln versions... Or more like, the platform will be used to make 2 different vehicles.0
frizz2112 Posts: 84ANT, I hope that Lincoln isn't going to do a couple of large front drive cars. Do you think these will be AWD only? I assume it's not feasible to adapt this platform to RWD. IMO, Lincoln really needs RWD in their higher end vehicles. I thought a stretched LS platform would have made more sense, but of course I have no information about the economics involved.
I suppose an AWD V8 (Yamaha?) version of the 500 with heavy styling changes could be an appealing car...0
nvbanker Posts: 7,285Detractors here seem to diss the 500/Montego because it's bland (like the Camry/Accord/Avalon), utilitarian (same thing), slower than a Mustang GT (same thing), so let's see..... It's moderately styled, just like the best selling cars in America, it's underpowered and economical, just like the best selling cars in America, but it's larger inside, it's actually faster, since the CamCords come with 4bangers standard, and it's far more comfortable with the high seating position, and has a much larger trunk than the largest selling cars in America. Where's the beef folks? Seems like Ford has hit a home run to me....
I think Ford has a real winner here myself. Once again, as Ford usually does, I think Ford has revolutionalized and redesigned the Sedan. Soon, everybody will be building tall, efficient sedans. Just you watch. What else has Ford invented, redesigned? The Pony car, (Mustang), the SUV (66 Bronco, although I'll get arguments from Jeepsters about this one, but with the success of the Explorer, I can debate it). The Thunderbird, Ford has been the undisputed Wagon King forever, until Wagons just died altogether, then there's the Pick-up truck. The F-150 is the truck everybody copies, including Toyota and Nissan. The Lincoln Navigator invented the Luxury SUV segment and everyone laughed their butts off for about a year.....oops..... I could go on but I'm boring even myself. I would bet the 500 will soon become the standard by which all future Sedan designs become measured by. Toyota may build a better copy of it someday, that's what they tend to do - but they have a winner here, IMO. It's an incredible design. Were I in the market for a mainstream Sedan, I'd buy it right now. And I will look at the Lincoln offspring very closely.0
ehaase Posts: 328I have read on other message boards that salesmen are saying that potential customers are turned off by the CVT in these cars. People aren't usd to them and think that the transmission is slipping.0
Theres not very many people at Ford who really feel the Lacrosse is competitive. They really dropped the ball interior wise and I think their marketing departments really to blame for that and the design department as well.
As for the Five Hundred im not tottaly satisifed with the end result. Dont get me wrong I love the car, but we could of done better interior wise and i think youll see that in the next generation as well as the update in 07'.
The lincoln model wont look like the Five Hundred itll be riding on the same platform to reduce use scale of economies, but itll project luxury and elegance. The current lincolns dont really reflect the 08-11M.Y lincolns. Thats about all Im going to say for right now at least. Make sure to check out the coming Detroit Auto Show youll like the lincoln motorcycle.0
the customers who buy the CVTs really like them, but the ones that dont are really turned off by them. The good thing is that from initial observations theyre now going to demand a CVT in their next vehicle.0
Like, for instance, me.
Of course, that assumes reliability is proven by then. If not, all bets are off!0
Stretched LS = Jag XJ, that alternative couldn't be implemented. The new Lincoln sedans will be AWD, and no it wouldn't make much sense to make them RWD, when AWD is better. All depends on the AWD that is used. As for the V8 engine, that's still being worked out. Currently the details are being placed together, the engineering begins. Wait another year and more information will be shared.
The new entry sedan, the Zephyr (NOT a replacement for the LS though), will also have the option of AWD as well. You will soon start seeing AWD being implemented into many of Ford's sedans.0
(including, I hope, the Fusion...mutter, mutter)0
This discussion has been closed.


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Statement of Purpose
Our purpose is to gather together to celebrate God and His love for us, to celebrate the family that embraces us, to celebrate the diversity that strengthens us and to celebrate the community that unites us.
Psalm 145:7 describes our purpose in saying; "They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness." (NIV) Who is it that we sing joyfully about? Why do we celebrate Him? To read the entire chapter of Psalm 145, click here
"The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made."
Psalm 145:8-9 (NIV)
"...God always does what He says, and is gracious in everything He does. God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit."
Psalm 145:8-9 (Message Version)
"So now you... are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. We are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the Cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord."
Ephesians 2:19-21 (NLT).
"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands."
Revelation 7:9 (NIV).
"Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people."
Acts 2:46, 47 (NIV).


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Behind the Design - Life 03.18.13
Well I just gotta do a little dance because the 31 Days of Branding are OVER! ...Don't get me wrong - I loved the chance to geek out and talk design and business, but staying on one topic for that long was hard! Trying to post every day was a challenge for me too so I am beyond excited to have a little more freedom! You might see some changes around here in the next few weeks as I try to take my own advice from the series. But for now, I'm just going to get back into the normal routine of posting whatever creative projects and fun adventures I have going on!
Here's just a quick peek into what's been going on behind the designs lately...
I don't think I've shared much about my little guy and his language delays before. For the last six months or so, our silly-sweet toddler boy has been in early intervention (speech therapy) because he wasn't talking and interacting with us like a typical 2 year old. In more recent weeks we've come to the conclusion with the speech teachers that Micah is most likely on the autism spectrum.
Obviously this changes nothing about the way we see him and love him. Micah absolutely lights up our home with his contagious joy and playful energy. But he processes things differently and it's been really difficult to teach him or get him to pay attention to us sometimes. It's not just that he doesn't talk. He has trouble understanding our words and gets overwhelmed by a lot of social situations, including just everyday playing with us. So this has been the #1 thing on our minds lately - researching all hours of the night what we can do to love on him more and teach him in a way that he understands. The main reason I wanted to share this today was because I found this amazing resource for parents specifically for speech and social skills. I hope you'll pass it on if you happen to know someone whose little one is in a similar situation with autism or even just a "late talker."
The name of the website is Teach Me To Talk with blog posts and products by Laura Mize, a pediatric speech-language pathologist. We have the dvd set and liked those but what really helped me were these books... I bought the Teach Me To Play With You book which is full of ideas, games, songs, etc. for getting my little guy to pay attention to me during playtime. This was really hard for us before because we wanted to play with Micah and teach him things but he didn't attend to us or was just happy doing his own thing. So this book has been awesome with teaching us how to be more fun and gain his attention. The other one by her that I love was the Building Verbal Imitation in Toddlers with SO much info about how to work with your kids at home during everyday life. There are different levels of speech, so I liked knowing exactly where Micah fit and what to work on, what to say, different games to try, etc. I'll definitely keep researching and even trying out different diets and things but as for his language delays, these books have been so encouraging. They were well worth the cost so I just had to pass them on.
My little Ari girl is getting huge! She's doing the full out army crawl and she is FAST! It's been really interesting watching her do things that her brother still doesn't do - pointing, waving, looking at our faces to check our expressions, showing us things that she finds interesting. She is a quick little learner! It's so fun to see her and Micah finally playing together. We're essentially working with them on a lot of the same things even though they are 22 months apart:)
Like my new ampersand pillow? I've been getting my craft on and doing some really fun DIY projects lately for the blog New Nostalgia! I've recently become a new monthly contributor there and am so excited to be a part of the team. You can see my first project here and learn how to make this fun type pillow. It makes me smile whenever I see it in my living room.
So that's the basics of what we're up to right now. How about you? What's been up at your house lately? Share in the comments!


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Join us for Make a Difference Day 2015 as we build beds for toddlers in need and fulfill a basic need that most of us take for granted—a bed.
Children without beds can have lowered self-esteem, ability to learn, and a reduced likelihood of graduating from high school. Beds are distributed through agency partners to families with children transitioning out of homelessness and foster care.
Boston Cares has worked with skilled furniture makers to develop a simple bed design and assembly process that allows volunteers with minimal training or experience to produce beds that are attractive, sturdy, and easy to assemble. Volunteers love it!
Register for one of the following Bed Builds at two locations over four days:
Huntington Avenue YMCA, Boston:
Shift 1: 10/23 9 am – 12:00 pm (Boston)
Shift 2: 10/23 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Boston)
Shift 3: 10/24 9 am – 12:00 pm (Boston)
Shift 4: 10/24 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Boston)
New England Carpenters Training Center, Millbury (outside Worchester, right off the Mass Pike):
Friday, Oct. 30
Shift 5: 10/30 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Millbury)
Saturday, Oct. 31
Shift 6: 10/31 10 am – 2:00 pm (Millbury)
Registration deadline: Oct. 19, 2015
For additional sponsor opportunities and media inquiries, please contact Kirsten Alexander at email@example.com or 617.422.0910 x210
For all other Make a Difference Day questions including group registrations, please contact
Rick Wallwork, Director of Corporate Programs
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A5 Landscape
The gorgeous A5 books are are perfect for gifts. Use our layouts with our simple software or create your own.
The quality digital images are produced on our HP Indigo 5000. Following the printing, each page is creased within the book block at a precise position enabling easy page turn on this 170gsm paper stock. This reduces 'bounce' when the book is laid open and pages turned. The block is then glued and clamped before being hand finished using our trade secret method. The books boast full panoramic 'across the spread' capabilities.
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Extra pages 42p each
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Floyd Mayweather on Potential Comeback: 'If I Do Fight, It's Only Against Conor McGregor'
Floyd Mayweather is retired, but he's open to speculation on a potential comeback fight. But there's a catch: the only person he's willing to fight is currently contracted to UFC.
In an interview with ESNEWS, Mayweather stated he would only come out of retirement to fight UFC Featherweight champion Conor McGregor.
"If I do fight, it's only against Conor McGregor. That's gonna be my only fight and not against nobody else because this matchup is just so intriguing. You have a fighter against an MMA fighter, one of the best MMA fighters to do combat and stand up and do it. He's a strong fighter and when I look at him fight he's a little faster than I thought he was so if the fight happens I can't overlook the guy. I'm pretty sure – if we make the fight happen – I'm pretty sure he's gonna push me to the limit."
Of course, making that fight happen will be easier said than done, since McGregor is still under contract to UFC, meaning any fight between the two would have to be through UFC, or at least co-promoted by the organization. Still, Mayweather seems anxious to get the fight going — particularly if his usual asking price is met.
"I'm pretty sure we're gonna have a master plan to make that fight happen. It hasn't happened yet, but we locked down some dates. Me and my team, me and Al Haymon, me and Leonard Ellerbe we locked down some dates in different countries, in different cities in the United States. And you already know what my number is, 100 million [dollars]. That's just the guarantee. We don't talk about my number on the back end."
Honestly, I'm not sure this fight is a great idea, if for no other reason than because McGregor, despite having fast hands and striking power, isn't technically a pro boxer. By the same token, Mayweather isn't an MMA fighter, so whether it's a boxing match or an MMA fight, one person will be at a killer disadvantage. The respective organizations promoting the fight will also have to find a way to get this fight past sanctioning bodies, which will likely be harder than anticipated. But hey, the fight would make a TON of money, so maybe profit outweighs all? I guess we'll see. If nothing else, Mayweather is intent on seeing this fight happen.
But what do you think about a fight between Mayweather and McGregor? Sound off in the comments!
And for more UFC news, find out what UFC president Dana White had to say about a possible fight between the two stars!


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text:
Israel / Cities and Towns
Rishon LeZion
Other spellings: Rishon Le Ziyon; Rishon Le Ziyyon
The main economic activities of Rishon Lezion are wine making, construction, services and commerce. The Carmel Winery, located to Rishon, represents alone about half of Israel's total wine production.
A desalination plant is under development, aiming at providing Rishon LeZion with all water needed. Rishon LeZion's water reserves has always been unpredictable.
There is a municipal zoo, an amusement park called Superland, and a grand amphitheatre that can host large concerts.


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Please scroll down and click on the photos to view further details and/or make a purchase. You can also look for a product by clicking the search box and entering keywords. Postage and packing is free worldwide. This site accepts Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards.
A Vision of Heaven
A Vision of Heaven
Track Listing:
[1] Four Meditations for Soprano, Violin and Piano [2] A Vision of Heaven for Soprano and Piano [3] Four East Coast Sketches for Harp [4] Lyric Movement for Flute and Harp [5] Soliloquy (Darkness to Light) for Alto Flute [6] Pastorale for Violin and Piano
Performed by Lesley-Jane Rogers (soprano); Helena Ruinard (violin); Danielle Perrett (harp); Simon Lepper (piano); Tim Kipling (alto flute)
Recorded at Alpheton Mill. Suffolk, 5 September 2006; St Mary's Parish Church, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 29-30 October 2006.
The English composer Christopher Wright studied with Richard Arnell at the Colchester Institute.
This Merlin disc surveys a selection of his works of chamber proportions. As such it complements the orchestral disc just released by Dutton.
The CD insert offers a good compact profile of the composer. All the usual context is provided for the music and the recording project including the sung texts. The Four Meditations are touchingly sung by the soprano Lesley-Jane Rogers. These four songs and the three comprising A Vision of Heaven - which lends its name to the disc - are in an idiom that I can best, if rather inadequately, approximate to that of Rubbra in his mystical and chastely devotional song-cycles. There are also echoes of Holst in his twelve Humbert Wolfe Songs and the Four Medieval Songs for soprano and violin. The piano part is adeptly turned by Simon Lepper. Lepper responds with starry stillness and one moment and impetuosity at the next. Some of it uncannily recalls the piano line in the later Finzi-Hardy songs. The rhetoric and drama of Vision of Heaven reminded me of Alan Bush's Voices of the Prophets. Its repetition of words recalls Britten and there's a touch Aaron Copland also. I say this only to help the reader get his bearings; not in any way to impugn the freshness of Wright's invention. The most impressive song is bound up in the most impressive words - Hardy's Why Do I? In its cold reflection it reminded me of the more desolate Hardy settings by Gerald Finzi. Christopher Wright lays convincing claim to being a very significant composer writing in a recognised idiom. I wondered whether A Vision of Heaven was originally intended for voice and orchestra; it certainly has that feel. We know Danielle Perrett from her ineffably beautiful ASV CD of the Rubbra harp music. She is in similarly atmospheric and lyrical vein in Four East Coast Sketches. The music catches the arching grey skies and the sparsely peopled landscape. Performance and music convey a certain loneliness. Wright has perhaps garnered this and the quintessence of spirit of place through early morning walks. The Sketches amount to a substantial four movement suite playing for approaching seventeen minutes. In Sunrise the music stretches instrument and player with many effects as if to evoke fauna in motion just before the first rays. Cross Currents interlaces singing lines in beatific and delicately dancing interaction. The sequence of four tone poems ends with The Coastal Path - a haltingly thoughtful essay written as if in a dream of a walk rather than the walk itself. Perrett is joined by Timothy Kipling for Lyric Movement - music of skeletally limned suggestion of song often waylaid by thoughts that come unbidden. Soliloquy takes us further into the maze. The inscape psychological dimensions of this music are to the fore. Wright in this case does not lean towards the pictorial - place is referenced by its sense. Ths is what is captured rather than anything literal of landscape or building except perhaps in the first movement of the Sketches and also in the classically countryside delights of Pastorale for violin and piano - a lovely piece though not quite as innocent as it might first seem.
Wright the reflective pastoral visionary.


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Over 150 Students from local high schools celebrated their success recently at an awards ceremony for students participating on the School Partnerships' Programme (SPP) at Southern Regional College, Newry Campus.
Southern Regional College welcomed Year 12 students from Kilkeel High School, Newry High School, Newtownhamilton High School, Rathore School Newry, Sacred Heart Grammar School, St Joseph's High School Crossmaglen, St Joseph's Boys High School Newry, St Mark's High School Warrenpoint and St Paul's High School Bessbrook to celebrate their achievements at this special awards ceremony.
The School Partnership Programme enables Year 11 and 12 students in the school sector to sample areas including, digital imaging, joinery, beauty, hospitality, hairdressing and motor mechanics, in order to make a more informed career decision. The students on the SPP programme attend SRC one day per week for two years and achieve recognised qualifications on completion of their studies.
Student speaker at the event was Aimee Pearson from Kilkeel High School who kindly outlined her experience of the SPP programme at SRC.
SPP top student of the year went to Gareth Knight from Newtownhamilton High School and the Endeavour award went to Krystian Rosiak from Newry High School.
Brian Doran, Chief Executive, Southern Regional College, commenting on the close partnership working between local schools and SRC said: "The partnership between Southern Regional College and the schools in the Newry and Mourne Area Learning Community provides opportunities to pupils to benefit from a wider curriculum by undertaking a range of courses not available to them in school. The various courses lead to nationally-recognised qualifications that will not only help pupils make better career choices but will also help them get employment in the continuing challenging economic environment."


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2018 PNWR 1A Preview
What's good everyone! Colin here. This weekend, the Pacific Northwest Regional Championships will be taking place in Seattle. This regional is one of the biggest contests in the US, consistently bringing in high competitor numbers and amazing talent from all over the nation and even international talent. This year will be nothing shy of a stacked event, and I'm here to keep you covered with what to expect at the Seattle Armory.
In 1A, it seems as though the newer generation will have a large presence. With popular players like Gentry Stein and Michael Ferdico not competing this year, it seems as though we will see some newer faces on the podium this year.
The 2017 National Champion Evan Nagao will be competing at PNWR, and this will be his first contest since he was crowed with the US title. Evan has been killing it with making great videos and posting amazing tricks on Instagram as of recent, and I am looking forward to see what he has planned for this weekend.
Nate Dailey is a frontrunner for 2018, coming off of a stellar improvement in 2017 by taking 1st at last year's event, and 5th at Nationals with an unfortunate string snap costing him a podium finish. We haven't seen much from Nate since October, so him having newer content should be expected.
Next up is Daniel Flaherty, who placed 3rd at PNWR in 2017. Daniel has always been under everyone's radar due to not competing/releasing content often, and he surprised a lot of people by placing top 3 last year and having an amazing top 10 finish at BAC. If Daniel can manage to hit a clean routine this year, his likelihood of retaining a top 3 finish is very strong.
The fan favorite Keiran Cooper is another strong contender for winning this year. Keiran has been due of a title for a long time, and similarly to Daniel, if he can manage to hit his freestyle with solid cleanliness, I have no doubts in him winning in at least the technical category (which could be enough for him to solidify 1st). Keiran will also be representing his new sponsor SF Yoyos for the first time at the event!
2014 champion Michael Nakamura may be this year's sleeper pick. Although 1A is not his main style, Michael has proven himself to be extremely proficient in it, especially in 2017 by surprising everyone at Worlds by placing 2nd in the stacked 1A preliminary round and 4th at PNWR. Could Michael earn his second 1A title in Seattle?
Don't worry, I didn't forget to include the other amazing Michael – Michael Kurti! Kurti is one of the best in the game with his unique energy that he brings to the stage. Having placed 2nd at his last PNWR in 2016 and having a strong showing at Virginia States last month, I would not be surprised to see Michael take the title.
Remember that one freestyle in Iceland that made the crowd go crazy? The guy that defied all odds, going into the event barely qualifying for prelims to making it all the way to finals and placing top 10 in all 3 rounds? Ethan Cheung will be making his return to competition in Seattle this weekend, and you should be hyped to see. I personally am super excited to see Ethan compete this weekend and flex on everyone in evaluations again.
Going internationally, Ayumu Harada will be representing Japan and Caribou Lodge in the 1A division! This is not Ayumu's first time infiltrating the US regional system, as he placed 7th at BAC last year. Having a pretty successful 2017 with placing 1st at his regional and 6th at Japan Nationals, Ayumu has a chance of earning a podium finish at the event.
From Canada, the wonder-boy Harrison Lee will also be competing! Harrison has been lowkey in recent times, and I have a feeling that he will be one of the most slept freestyles of the event.
Other notable players that I'm looking forward to (and you should as well) are Remy Baskin, Hunter Feuerstein, Angelo Aguirre, Luke Trautwein, Paul Harness, and Daniel Kim. In my eyes, they are the next generation!
Lastly, Scales Podcast will be represented in Patrick Canny and yours truly. Wish us luck!
** Writeup information is based off of competitor list/what I have been told. I am probably forgetting some great freestyles, which is honestly one of the best surprises for me at contests.
Check out the event here.


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Call for Grain Magazine Advisory Committee/
The SWG Board invites applications from members who have experience in a managerial or editorial capacity in a literary magazine to serve on the Grain Magazine Advisory Committee. The Board is also seeking that expertise from people outside of Saskatchewan in order to cast as wide a net as possible. The Board is looking for at least four members from the community with experience managing or editing a literary magazine to join the three Board members who have signed on to the Advisory Committee.
The role of the Grain Advisory Committee will be as outlined in the Terms of Reference, which the Board reviewed, revised, and ratified at its November 21, 2015, meeting. The primary responsibilities of the committee will be to hire the Grain managing editor and to work with him or her on a strategic and business plan for the magazine.
Please submit a brief relevant bio, along with a statement of interest in being on the committee.
Deadline: January 15, 2016
Send to: firstname.lastname@example.com
The Board will review and make the selection at the next Board Meeting.
For more information on Grain Magazine visit: grainmagazine.ca


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Today, law firms face serious pressures to transform the way they evaluate and engage new business. Remaining competitive requires a simplified, refined and innovative approach to new business inception. This innovation must address not only how intake processes are designed and executed, but also how they are updated and adapted over time in response to changing needs, how individuals interact with the software used to administer them, and how the entire system enables management of the complete client engagement and matter lifecycle. In short, inception must evolve.
- "We looked at several software options to improve the way our firm evaluates and accepts new clients and matters before deciding to partner closely with IntApp," said Paul Caris, Chief Information Officer, Eversheds LLP. "We have been very impressed with the scope of functionality and product design IntApp delivers, and have found them to be a most responsive and straightforward vendor to work with."
IntApp Open leverages input from an advisory group comprising law firms, insurance providers and other industry experts. This collaboration resulted in unique features, including a flexible business rules engine that enables effective management of practice-specific matter evaluation procedures as well as conflicts clearance practices that may be centralized, distributed among lawyers and practice heads, or both, depending on firm preferences.
The product also includes an integrated question library that provides visibility into the practices, standards and insights developed by industry peers. And it delivers unique value for IT, with an architecture that simplifies change management, data integration and system automation.
- "We've been working closely with IntApp for many years to successfully address a variety of risk management challenges at our firm," said Ann Ostrander, Sr. Director of Loss Prevention, Kirkland & Ellis LLP. "We were pleased to expand that partnership and help support the evolution of IntApp Open because new business acceptance continues to top the list of law firm risk management concerns, and IntApp brings the right mix of experience, technology and skill to tackle this important challenge."


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In a technology-driven age, sometimes it can seem nearly impossible to function and survive without a cell phone. Being without a cell phone can make you feel as if you have been cut off from your friends and family, and from other events happening around the world and your life. Despite the cons to being without a cell phone (such as the inability to call someone in case of an emergency), there are many pros to not having constant access to a cell phone, including having more time to focus on goals and activities you enjoy, and complete freedom from individuals who can contact you at a moment's notice. Continue reading this article to learn all about how you can survive productively and happily without a cell phone.
Method One of Two:
Prepare Yourself for Survival without a Cell Phone
1Stop using the extra features of your cell phone. Activities such as instant messaging or text messaging, email, and browsing the Internet are extra features that you can stop using on your cell phone and perform elsewhere, such as on a computer.
2Use your cell phone to make phone calls when needed. For example, use the phone to make doctor's or business appointments, or use the phone to make plans with friends and family to spend time with them in person.
3Wean yourself off your cell phone. By gradually reducing the amount of time you spend on your cell phone, the sooner you may be able to acclimate to life without a cell phone.
- Begin by turning off your cell phone, or putting it aside for 1 or 2 days at a time, then gradually increase time spent away from your cell phone to a few weeks, then months, and so on.
4Establish a back-up plan for emergencies. There are several ways to make telephone calls or connect with others without a cell phone; such as using a landline telephone from your home or office, or using digital phone service on the Internet.
- Keep a cell phone in your car for emergencies. By law, most regions allow cell phones to dial emergency services free of charge even if the cell phone does not currently have service with a wireless provider.
- Sign up for an Internet phone service such as Skype, Vonage, or Google Voice, which are applications that allow you to make phone calls using the Internet.
Method Two of Two:
Survive and Cope without a Cell Phone
1Replace your cell phone with other physical objects. This can be helpful if you are familiar with the weight or feel of the cell phone in your purse or pocket, or if you used your cell phone for purposes such as taking notes.
- Carry a portable music player, notepad, book, or similar object to take the place of your cell phone.
2Make detailed plans ahead of time with friends and family. With a cell phone, you may have had the ability to make plans on the road, or call your friends to arrange a meeting place after arriving at your destination. Without a cell phone, you will need to make more specific plans in advance.
- Determine the exact times and meeting places for appointments, get-togethers, and meetings when you have plans to meet friends, family members, or business colleagues.
3Inform your contacts about your new system for getting in touch. This can prevent your acquaintances from becoming frustrated, angry, or perplexed when they are unable to reach you, and can also prevent your loved ones from worrying about your well-being.
- Provide your acquaintances with information regarding the best methods for reaching you, whether it be at your email address, or during specific times at a landline telephone. Some landline service providers allow text messages to delivered in voice format to their landlines, your friends can use that if you are unreachable.
4Replace extracurricular cell phone time with other activities. For example, if your daily ritual was playing games on your phone or texting during your lunch hour, then read a book or magazine, or listen to music instead.
5Dedicate the time you spent on your cell phone to activities that improve your self-worth. This practice can be an ideal way to mentally cope without a cell phone in a positive manner. For example, apply the time you normally spent on a cell phone to going to the gym, educating yourself, or spending more time with your family.Advertisement
Community Q&A
QuestionHow can I stay off my phone if I get loads of messages from friends?
QuestionHow can I convince my parents to get me a phone?Community Answer
- Bring it up with them every once in a while, but don't nag them about it. Go out of your way to get good grades, do your chores without asking, and generally try to make life easier for them. If you keep this up, they'll be looking for a way to reward you. Bring up the phone again.
QuestionHow can I stay in touch with my boyfriend, as he doesn't have a phone and can't send letters?Community Answer
- If you both have internet access, then you can stay in touch over the internet. You can email each other, chat on an instant messenger, talk on Skype, etc. If one or both of you doesn't have internet at home, you should be able to visit a library and use a computer there.
QuestionAre there still old-fashioned landlines available that don't require WiFi?Community Answer
- They have been gradually phasing out for the past couple of decades in favor of VOIP, and old-fashioned landline service is not available in all regions. Your best bet would be to call AT&T, the largest carrier of remaining traditional landlines, and find out if a carrier in your area provides the service. If not, try other local carriers.
Are there still old-fashioned landline phones available that don't require WiFi?
Are old-fashion landlines still available?
- If you don't feel as if you can commit to surviving without a cell phone, start a journal that tracks the amount of time you spend performing all activities on your cell phone. After reviewing the journal, you can start planning how you can apply that block of time to doing other fun activities you enjoy.
- Remember, people used to live their entire lives without technology. You can do it for a couple hours a day!


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09 Mar 2015 QEP Spring 2015 Committee Meeting
Dr. Shonda Gibson, executive director of Global Learning and the university's Quality Enhancement Plan hosted a meeting for QEP committee members and mentors on Thursday February 19, 2015. The goal of the meeting was to welcome Tabetha Adkins as a co-chair of the committee, discuss the roles and expectations of the committee members and mentors, discuss the progress of our university's QEP, share results about the Global Competence Aptitude Assessment GCAA (baseline to fall 2014) and talk about upcoming assessments for traveling students in 2015. During the meeting Dr. Gibson also stressed the importance of ongoing commitment to improve students' educational experience at A&M-Commerce by enhancing their global competence and preparing them for an interconnected world. It is in the hands of all global educators and the mentors at A&M-Commerce to keep the momentum of QEP going, spread the word about QEP and keep us informed about global events and activities that can enhance students' learning outcome on campus!
To learn more about QEP please visit: www.tamuc.edu/QEP


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We woke up to rain, with a forecast of 60 degrees and continued heavy rain all day. Ate breakfast at the hotel together, then we split for the day. The Engineer went to Churchill War Rooms and the RAF Museum while I went to the studio where they filmed Harry Potter. Finished the day my meeting up for dinner and dessert at Harrod's, the ultra luxurious department store in London which has an amazing food hall.
Slept in a bit this morning but got up in time to enjoy continental breakfast at the hotel. It's truly continental with breads, meats, cheeses, yogurt, fruit, toast, and The Engineer's favorite - croissants with jam.
After breakfast and a miserable shower with no water pressure, we headed out. I asked the front desk how to turn on the towel warmer, and during the conversation he warned me not to turn off the water pump switch nearby or there would be no water pressure. I ran straight back to the room and sure enough the pump was off, hence why the showers had been miserable this morning! Got it fixed now and so we will enjoy warm towels and strong showers for the rest of our time here.
I took off on the tube for Victoria Station where I was to meet my tour bus to the studio tour at noon. Stopped in a Boots (like a British CVS but better) to see if I could find some products that my sister had asked me to bring back. Unfortunately the train station Boots had minimal stock but I will find a proper branch tomorrow.
I took a tour bus from London out to the Warner Bros. film studio lot, about an hour north of London, for the Harry Potter Studio Tour. They take you in a livery bus, which looks awesome from the outside but you can't see out when you are in the bus because of the film on the windows! I loved the actual studio tour, but there was too much waiting around because the company made us get to the pickup too early and we got to the studio too early as well. During the tour you get to see all the costumes, props, sets, and more from all the films. The attention to detail was outstanding! For example, in the Potions classroom, they actually filled 1000 vials, vases, and jars with various liquids and bones and whatnot to make them all look real. I also got to try butter beer, the kids drink of choice in Harry Potter. It tasted like cream soda with a thick head of butterscotch foam. The foam was the best part for sure. The tour included an iPod touch with narration and videos for more info about each of the displays. Overall a great visit! I hopped on the next bus back to London and met The Engineer at Harrod's for dinner.
The Engineer spent the day at the Churchill War Rooms and the Royal Air Force Museum. The war rooms were excellent and The Engineer would highly recommend it. It covers both his operations during the war and his life. The Engineer warns that it wouldn't be engaging enough for kids, but great for adults. The RAF museum had lots of planes and military history, but wasn't worth the hassle of the trek out there since due to metro closures, he had to take several detours.
He explored Harrod's before I arrived - particularly enjoyed the electronics section. We made our way through the mobs of people wandering aimlessly around the store and settled on the bistro in the food halls for dinner. We enjoy pumpkin and Parmesan soup, endive salad with walnut and Stilton, duck confit, and veal pot pie. After dinner we stopped in the confectionary section and chose some macaroons and chocolates to bring back to the hotel for dessert.
The forecast called for rain, which was not surprising for London, but apparently it was heavier than usual because none of the stores or the tube stations were equipped to handle the water tracked in from shoes and umbrellas - there was flooding and people seemed shocked and confused. I guess the Brits are used to mild rain, not the downpours we get in the Southern USA. We had no problems thanks to our raincoats and umbrellas and boots. More rain tomorrow, but should be lighter and more scattered. It's been a second long day of walking for both of us so we laid down to plan the morning activities. Still working on the final plan but we know we are doing afternoon tea and then a tour of Buckingham Palace.
Christina and The Engineer


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The Allure of Private Spaces: Love Slaves of Helen Hadley Hall by James Magruder
In this age of selfies, tweets, posts, and profiles, where the private details of a person's life, and private moments that are suddenly, and sometimes without consent, made public, it is easy to forget that there was a time when private really was private. A time when people, and especially young people, could close a door to a room, and select who would share space and experience with them.
There is a powerful sense, throughout Love Slaves of Helen Hadley Hall, that the reader has been invited into those rooms, and is allowed to see the formation of people. Yes, these people are mostly young, and certainly privileged to have the space and time to explore while graduate students at Yale in the early 1980's, but even in this rarified space, the issues that they confront, and the discoveries that they make, are personal, and messy, and vulnerable. These characters occasionally make fools of themselves in these rooms, and occasionally are self-absorbed and over-indulgent in the way that only young, intelligent, privileged people can be, but throughout the piece, Magruder never makes the reader feel like an interloper, or an unwelcome guest. Yes, there are moments of voyeurism, particularly since sexuality, sexual identity, and lust are fertile fields of exploration for all of the characters, but somehow, even in the most revealing and explicit of moments, Magruder manages to stop short of puerile titillation or exploitation. We sit in these young people's bedrooms, or stand in the dark corners of dance clubs, and we watch them become who they think they want to be. Behind those doors, in those corners, and with those selected confidants, a person can explore who they are , what they want, and what they think. There is a sense, in James Magruder's novel, that we have been invited into a room that we would not have expected to be in at the beginning of the night to see the forming of these characters, to hear them say what they think, and then think again, or to see them discover who they are or what they want.
As one reads the novel, there is also the sense of layered peril along with the jubilation and enthusiasm. There are the obvious and expected fights and betrayals that always occur in stories of young love, but it is the history of the work that strikes deepest, bringing a deep sense of dramatic irony to the book as a whole. The setting of the piece, New Haven, Connecticut at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, hangs over it like a cloud. Silas Huth, one of two central characters in the novel, and the one for whom I developed the greatest fondness, has come to Yale looking forward to fully exploring his homosexuality now that, in his mind, he has escaped the morass of middle America that had previously hemmed him in. There is such an innocence and joy to his conquests, and he delights so thoroughly in the machinations and perturbations of his love life, that as a visitor to his world, a visitor from 2016, one wants to reach into the book and tell him to take care, to be cautious, and to guard himself. With each interlude, and each conquest, the reader fears that Silas might be a victim in the terrible tragedy of HIV in the 1980's, where a diagnosis was almost always a death sentence, and America looked on while a whole generation of bright, passionate, amazing young people were struck down.
If the reader is an invited guest into these private spaces, the plague of HIV is a night stalker, a murderer slipping into bedrooms and dancehalls and toilet stalls and striking down young people for being young, and doing what young people do. In this way, Magruder illustrates a surprising, and rarely explored consequence of this terrible disease. At just the time when our characters should be able to feel invulnerable, at the point in their lives where they should be taking risks and cataloguing experiences, the disease has the effect of requiring the young to become old. Abandon, and joy, and physicality become a potential death sentence, and the reader waits with dread to see who will be claimed, and who will, as if by a miracle, survive.
Another character for whom the reader fears is Randall Flinn, a bookish and devout young man who comes to New Haven looking to prepare for a monastic life, a life of study, prayer, and praise. Although he tries his best to cloister himself, and to create his own cell in Helen Hadley's Hall, Randall is quickly identified as a source of fun for Silas. Struggling with questions of his own sexuality and its relation to his faith, Randall suffers many blushings at the hands of Silas, and for a portion of the text, the reader is unsure whether these two will become friends, enemies, or lovers. But with a deft skill and well-weighted sense of dramatic timing, Magruder reveals to the reader that these young men, on the face of it so different and incompatible, are on the same quest. Additionally, Magruder shows us that these quests, even though they are taking place at a temporal, geographic, and circumstantial remove from the reader, are shared by all young people. Silas and Randall, and all of the other characters of the novel, are trying to figure out who they are. We have been invited to quest with them.


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From hardluckhotel.co.uk On 25th June Rickie Josen hosted the first Birmingham Vintage Fair at the AE Harris buildings in Birmingham's historic Jewellery Quarter. My partner Madeline had a stall there so it was a great opportunity to photograph some of the other exhibitors.
The building was filled with an incredible collection of vintage clothes, accessories, handmade crafts, food and some excellent coffee care of Urban Coffee Co. There was live music throughout the day and I was lucky enough to see Dakesis perform in the afternoon.
Read more


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There was an article by David Kocieniewski in the on-line version of The New York Times last Monday titled "After $12,000, There's Even Room to Park the Car". While this article was an interesting read for me as an Organizing Consultant, I could not help but think there are a lot of people out there that might be contemplating spending thousands of dollars to get their garages in order.
Once again, I must say that it is not necessary to buy more "stuff" in order to get organized. This is merely treating the symptoms of a problem and not addressing the root causes.
According to the article, in 2005 $800 Million (yes, Million!) was spent on garage organizing products. This is double the amount spent in the year 2000 and is expected to rise by 10%/year for the next decade!
Organizing products can be good tools but without an understanding of the root causes of disorganization, purchasing these products can be a waste of money. A good professional organizer or organizing consultant (that is not affiliated with any product lines) can help you get to the root cause of your disorganization and maybe save you thousands of dollars in the process.


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We are thrilled to announce that interior designer Barbara Westbrook will be at SummerHouse signing her brand new book Gracious Rooms on September 17th from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.!
Barbara is extremely talented, so we look forward to picking her design brain while she's here! 😉
Lisa says, "Barbara has a very unique take on Southern style which I relate to. She mixes modern with antique furnishings beautifully. What I love about her is that she designs for her client. And that is something that we stress at SummerHouse emphatically. We are over the moon that Barbara decided to make a stop here at SummerHouse on her book tour. We are honored and look forward to having her here!"
Stay tuned as we share more of Barbara's beautiful work and a little bit more about her in the coming weeks!
We hope you'll make plans to be here and help us welcome her to Mississippi!


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Opening reception: November 13, 4-6 p.m.
Exhibit dates: Nov. 13 – Jan. 31
The Office of the Arts presents the second annual Arts@Tech Faculty and Staff Art Exhibit. This exhibit serves as a unique opportunity for Georgia Tech faculty and staff to display their artwork in the Ferst Center for the Arts. At the opening reception and for the first week of the exhibit, visitors can vote for their favorite piece of art.
Ferst Center Lobby


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Conversation Charts China's Shifting Religious Landscape
Ian Johnson, who lived in China from 1994 to 2001 and recently published The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao, has witnessed the development of religion in China first-hand. By his account, phenomena such as 'Qigong Fever' in the 1980s and 90s reflected a desire among many Chinese people to practice religion and spirituality, even when doing so was officially discouraged.
While the CCP actively condemned religious practice in the past, denouncing superstitious beliefs (迷信 míxìn), the state's stance toward religion has recently become more sophisticated. As Chinese people continue to seek experiences and meaning beyond the material world, the state, rather than uniformly disparaging people's extra-material beliefs and practices, is responding more flexibly.
Selective acceptance
Nonetheless, Chinese leaders still perceive tension between the utility of religion and the threats it can pose to stability and peace. For while religion may be beneficial for public morality and the personal fulfillment of citizens, it can also undermine governmental authority—especially in the case of large, global religions such as Catholicism.
With Wasserstrom (Chancellor's Professor of History at UC Irvine and author of Eight Juxtapositions: China Through Imperfect Analogies), Johnson discussed how China has favored some types of spirituality over others. On one hand, religions perceived as being more 'Chinese' (e.g. Chinese folk religions and Buddhism) are considered acceptable. On the other, the CCP under Xi Jingping continues to mistrust religions that are less 'indigenized' and that encourage allegiances to charismatic foreign leaders—the Pope, say, or the Dalai Lama.
Evoking George Orwell's 1984 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, while also suggesting that religion in China need not be framed in dystopian terms, Johnson and Wasserstrom covered much interesting ground. Their conversation revealed the complexity and inconsistency in the CCP's ongoing attempts to address a shifting spiritual landscape.
Learn more about Ian Johnson and Jeffrey Wasserstrom.


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Our Team
David Price, Director
"We're pleased to have established a team of independent thinkers, who are able to offer pragmatic and tailored advice to our clients."
Ray Hughes, Director
"The faith in our ability to do things better prompted us to set up HPW. We are enthusiastic about pensions and our business. This translates to the way we advise clients and administer their pension schemes."
Duncan Ross, Actuary
"Having been part of the HPW team since 2009 it has been a revelation to work with a dedicated and growing team all pulling in the same direction. The close and long-standing relationships we have fostered with our clients are testament to this and are the fundamental reason for continued job satisfaction."
Kathryn Davies, Administration Manager
"I came to HPW from a larger firm whose main interest appeared to be profits and the larger schemes. It is so satisfying to have the resources at HPW to administer all clients, both large and small, in an accurate and timely way."


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The level of customer service and support we have received from WebSpecia team was highly satisfactory. We found your team to be patient, responsive and professional. We recommend WebSpecia for all those looking for the best Web Hosting Services.
I was searching for a reliable and high performance server since a long time, there was always a headache between server and work. Finally I met to WebSpecia server, its perfect match for me, now it's time to focus on work only. I really appreciate to all WebSpecian Team who provide dedicated support!
I am impressed with WebSpecia Team. They're too professional, always ready to help. Before choosing this particular provider, we worked with all leading hosting providers worldwide, but finally WebSpecia was the final choice in our shortlist. We're Happy with the Service, and Friendly Support Team.


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Need help deciding which RainWise product is right for you?
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October 3, 2015
RainWise Inc. has announced the release of their next generation TeleMET II cellular telemetry unit, offering the ultimate flexibly for transmitting weather data from their MK-III and AgroMET lines of weather stations to rainwise.net online cloud portal from remote areas with cellular service. The TeleMET II also delivers RainWise weather station data to other portals serviced by RainwiseNet such as the Weather Underground PWS network. RainWise API's are also available for easy integration of data into 3rd party sites.
The TeleMET II offers:
"The new TeleMET II further expands on the reach and usability of remotely collected weather data from our stations, using cutting edge cellular telemetry to deliver it to our cloud-based data portal, RainwiseNet. The 2nd generation TeleMET II is more flexible, smaller, and lower cost than its' predecessor, and with GSM 3G and CDMA options the TeleMET II can be deployed in most countries around the globe. Easy to setup and use, the TeleMET II requires no static IP addresses or software, and due to the fact that the TeleMET II wirelessly connects to our weather station means that the two devices can be physically separated allowing for the best possible placement of the station for optimum measurement accuracy."
Wayne Burnett, RainWise CTO


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On-time daily attendance is mandatory for students to benefit to the fullest from the instructional program. The district recognizes, however, that there are situations that dictate a student's absence. Therefore, in accordance with district guidelines, absences may be excused for the following reasons:
• Doctor's appointment
• Death in the family
• Religious commitment
• Extenuating …
McKinney-Vento Information for Parents
If your family lives in any of the following conditions: In a shelter, motel, vehicle or campground, On the street, doubled up with friends or relatives, Abandoned building or trailer;Your children have certain rights or protection under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act.
Click on McKinney-Vento Flyer and/or go to BCS McKinney-Vento Web Page for more information.
Disaster/Safety Instructions
In the case of a school emergency, crisis or disaster, please listen to KARS, KRST, KOB-AM for instructions. Please do not call the school or go there until directed.
Inclement Weather
In the event of inclement weather, the Belen Consolidated Schools may operate on an abbreviated day basis. In the event of an abbreviated day, the start time at each school will be two hours later than usual. The dismissal time will remain the same for all schools.
Television stations, which will relay the abbreviated day information are KOB (Channel 4), KOAT (Channel 7), and KRQE (Channel …
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Internet SafetyStay Informed: The initial step in protecting your children from potential online risks is to stay informed about internet trends and learn to recognize the warning signs of these risks. Whether your child is online posting on a message board, using a social networking site or sending emails, assist them with these tasks to ensure they practice safe online behavior, while you in turn learn how to use the programs yourself.
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- Useful information from Emergency Preparedness for keeping yourself as safe as possible while using social media, i.e Twiiter, Google+, FaceBook, and LinkedIn
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2017 BCS Proposed Polices for Review.pdfEmail comments on these Proposed Policies to email@example.com
New Mexico House Bill 212.pdfApproved 2003 Legislative Session;
Pg. 14 - 22-5-16. ADVISORY SCHOOL COUNCILS--CREATION--DUTIES.


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Matthew has an impressive Chancery/commercial practice with a particular specialism in insolvency.
Matthew has built an impressive chancery/commercial practice with a particular specialism in insolvency.
He regularly appears in the specialist courts and whilst his practice is founded on substantial insolvency and company law expertise, he also specialises in the areas commercial fraud and asset tracing, partnership and professional liability, all of which combine to allow him to provide his clients with a wide commercial law service.
Matthew is well respected by his peers, instructing solicitors, professional lay clients and Judges alike for both his legal abilities, on paper and in Court, and his common sense, commercial approach to issues and disputes. He has a loyal following from both solicitors and lay clients, for whom Matthew is their first choice Counsel.
Matthew has been recommended consistently over a number years in the legal directories in the areas of Commercial Dispute Resolution and Restructuring/Insolvency (Chambers and Partners); and Commercial, Banking, Insolvency and Chancery Law (Legal 500), being praised as providing "a high level of technical expertise, quality advocacy and a user-friendly attitude" and being, amongst other things, "an impressive junior with experience appearing in high-value corporate, banking and commercial fraud litigation" and "knowledgeable, commercial, user-friendly and good on his feet". He is a regular contributor to Corporate Rescue and Insolvency as well as being a speaker at many in-house and externally organised seminars.
The directories have consistently praised Matthew, describing him as:
Read Matthew's Privacy Notice, Data Protection Policy and Disposal Policy.


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Bread Nazis
I hate bread Nazis, they troll restaurants and bars solely to run their sever for complementary bread and freak out if anything gets in the way.
Their close cousins are the Tortilla Chip and Snack Mix fascists that inhabit Mexican joints and bars.
A fond memory of mine is running my ass for refills of chips and being balled out for charging for queso and guacamole when I was a working bar at a local sports bar. Chips and salsa are free, other sides cost us more money and they will cost you money as well.
But I digress, back to Nazis.
Lately I have taken a stand against them, this has been an off and on battle for me for years. The fact is we don't serve bread and butter, or bread and oil for that matter during lunch service.
The reason is this, we don't want to have the guest stay for any more time than necessary and since the cost of meals is lower, complementary items such as bread, olive oil and butter aren't figured into the cost of the meal. Bread also takes away from money making appetizers and salads.
Try telling that to a customer.
Today for instance when I asked a table if they wanted any soup or salad before their dinner they responded with, "Well the bread you'll be bringing us will take the place of that."
I kindly informed them that I didn't plan on bringing them bread ahead of time as we don't offer bread service at lunch, if they wanted something while they waited for lunch I'd certainly offer them a cup of our delicious corn chowder.
They weren't takers.
The secondary reason I've taken a stand is the domino effect. The second a neighboring table notices someone with bread service they feel they've been slighted and demand to know where their precious bread is.
"Why didn't you bring us bread?!" They ask with an accusatory tone.
I've even had a group complain to a manager that I, "didn't even offer us bread," in their words.
That's because we don't serve it, give an entitlement junkie an inch, they'll take a mile, something that this business is known for.
The other afternoon I had a fifteen top ask when I was bringing out their complementary bread.
My choice was round up butter that gets lost in the cooler, oil bottles that had been emptied and cleaned, oil for the bottles, baskets, bread and bread plates for all fifteen guest. That or I could say no.
Guess which choice I took.
Instead I used that time to get refills for my section, orders for a few other tables, I bussed a table and I also ran food for that fifteen top.
I suppose I could be chastised for denying the wishes of the guest, but what is better service? Attending to actual needs or attending to wants that aren't even being offered at the time.
Now myself I occasionally make an exceptions, especially when people ask politely and just don't assume I forgot to bring them something or that I'm somehow trying to slight them.
A, "may we please have some bread," goes much further than asking ,"Aren't you forgetting something? Our bread?" in a presumptuous and annoying tone.
Bread is not a right, its a privlage, act like children and I will take it away, even at the risk of a subpar tip.
Of course, one acting that way pretty much means I wouldn't expect much of one anyways


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Pitty Party | Cocktails, Fundraiser, Playmate Signing
Pitty Party | Cocktails, Fundraiser, Playmate Signing
Join us and our newest friends of Pretties Love Pitties (PLP) for a free cocktail event and fundraiser featuring model and Playboy Playmate Athena Lundberg. Loads of great raffle prizes including Dodger Tickets, Autographed Sports Memorabilia, and More…
PLUS Shop and Donate: P&P is donating 10% of sales to PLP from 7pm-10pm…you won't want to miss this!
RSVP: firstname.lastname@example.com


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One of Chicago's treasures is the microfilm archive of alternative newspapers housed in Harold Washington Library. I'm particularly fond of exploring the Seed, the Chicago periodical that helped Mayor Richard J. Daley's less loyal subjects prepare for the 1968 Democratic National Convention. I've marveled at the content (pot dealers advertising their street corners of choice, Huey Newton clip-n-collect cards), but thanks to the splotchy black-and-white microfilm, I was never enchanted by the graphic design. Seeing the magnificent Seed covers reprinted in full-color glory in Geoff Kaplan's coffee-table book "Power to the People" was eye-opening (literally — my eyes actually widened).
"Power to the People" reproduces stunning covers of radical late '60s and early '70s papers — many of which I was familiar with from the library archive — including The Black Panther, Paul Krassner's The Realist and the long-running Off Our Backs. This is a remarkable collection curating artifacts from the diverse worlds of feminists, leftists, technology visionaries, gays and other factions all liberated by cheap printing. I was particularly excited to see the many papers published by soldiers protesting the Vietnam War from within; Berkeley's wildly sex positive The Organ; and NOLA Express, a New Orleans paper with visceral graphics. Yet even with the book's excellent essays contextualizing the era, what "Power to the People" most made me want to do was open these hypnotizing psychedelic/collaged/screenprinted covers and dive into the texts.
The only archival article reprinted in "Power to the People" is a piece from Amazon Quarterly that breaks down how to lay out, print and distribute a magazine using an electric typewriter, warm wax, rub-on letters, and a network of enthusiastic, like-minded thinkers. It's a reminder of a time when "publish" wasn't a button on the screen you clicked after finishing a blog post. But the spare, matter-of-fact layout of that article, which in no way lessens how fascinating and empowering it is, also reminds readers that radical press was more than the potent pictures published in this book. That said, the powerful images Kaplan has expertly assembled are each worth an eloquent thousand words.
Jake Austen is editor of Roctober magazine and co-author of "Darkest America: Black Minstrelsy from Slavery to Hip-Hop." He lives in Chicago.
"Power to the People"
Edited by Geoff Kaplan, University of Chicago Press, 264 pages, $45


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I don't know about you, but I used to get this silent feeling of being empty or of having an unfillable void, and I didn't really know what to do about it. At those times, I would often end up going shopping, and it would make the feeling go away – at least, for a short period of time. It didn't last long, though, and I'd have to venture out again, go online, or roam through women's magazines and look at stuff and dream of how I would feel owning it.
I would browse stores for desirable clothes, cute interior design pieces that felt like they contained the promise of a happy life just by being pretty, or shoes. High heels, sandals, ballet flats. Colorful ones, black ones, classic ones. I was kind of obsessed with shoes. All of it felt like a way to express myself and to convey who I was and indicate my place in the world. I would spend a lot of time and a lot of money – often times more than I actually had. And I remember feeling slightly guilty, and would often hide what I had bought from my boyfriend that I was living with at the time.
When I was in it, I didn't understand what was driving me other than the desire to look good and surround myself with pretty things (which feels like the most natural urge in our time and age). Something shifted in 2012, though, when I went solo-backpacking in Thailand. With only a small backpack, I felt freer than I ever had. And maybe because my funds were limited, I didn't really buy much stuff on that trip, but I was happy as ever.
I spent four days of my trip at a small monastery in a silent meditation retreat. I shared a basic room with another woman and wore the same set of white clothes for the entire four days. Life felt so simple, and there was a depth I hadn't experienced before in sitting through both the desirable and the challenging emotions.
In the fall that same year, I made the move from Denmark to Thailand, only bringing what I could carry in my backpack. Once again, I felt the lightness of having so few things. I intentionally stayed in a small room in a guesthouse. There was no kitchen, just a bed and bathroom, and the only things I had were my few clothes, my laptop, a camera, and some books I would regularly exchange at the used bookstore. I lived like that for five months. Of course, in Thailand there's such a large street food culture that the part of not having a kitchen wasn't really a big deal, but having so few things was a huge change for me.
When I was in Thailand, I noticed how I had fewer urges to go shopping. I noticed that when moving around in the city, I didn't understand any of the commercials or the billboards I saw. Written in a completely different alphabet, many of them just registered as a sort of art to me. Also, since I'm Caucasian, the women and aesthetics in commercials looked different from me, which personally made me relate less to them. I didn't think about that in Denmark, where I look like the dominant culture and feel much more targeted by all the visual commercials. I think I had underestimated the power of all the subconscious messages I received in Copenhagen, where I grew up.
Instead of going shopping, I spent my time photographing, reading, listening to audiobooks, discovering the city and the country side, doing yoga, practicing meditation, learning qi gong, meeting new people, singing, dancing, drinking coconuts and just observing people, writing, and starting a photo blog.
I wasn't instantly and always happy. To say that would be a big lie. I had put myself in a completely new and foreign place, where I did feel lonely often, and I was faced with a mental and physical burnout. But somehow all of that forced me to look inside, and I started to become aware of when I would try to run away or numb my feelings. What used to be an unconscious urge that I would regularly feed dissipated.
What felt so liberating to me was that I realized I could take back my personal power by becoming more aware of the underlying things that drove me; the emotions I would try to numb and the desire to express myself. I could then actively decide if I wanted to spend my money and what I wanted to spend it on. Which then again gave me more power to decide how much I needed to work, and what my personal priorities are in life.
I believe self-expression is a core human need, and it deserves to exist separately from having to constantly spend money.
Two years ago, I sold my apartment and everything I owned back in Denmark. I thought it would be difficult, but it was actually easier than I thought. People would ask me if it was hard to let go of things. Yes. I could feel an emotional bond to some things that had been part of my history. But if I allowed myself to feel that, and then shift my mindset and realize it was just a thing, and that no part or value would be taken away from me as a person if I gave it away, then the bond would loosen and eventually disperse. Sometimes I would simply think about when I die; none of the things I own will be mine anymore, and it gave a weird but liberating perspective to the objects I felt attached to.
Beautiful things can still have an almost hypnotic effect over me. My immediate instinct is to just want them, even though I might not need them. When I visited Denmark some years ago I was struck by how many beautiful things there were everywhere, and just by looking at shop windows I could feel this old familiar urge rise in me – an urge to have the things. If I took a step back, noticed the urge and walked past the shop, it would disappear surprisingly quickly. I started using a mantra whenever I would go out in the world where it was almost inevitable to be window-shopping. I would look at things while repeating to myself "things I don't need", "things I don't need", "things I don't need". It really worked for me. I think it created a distance between the things and me, so fewer emotions would be triggered.
I still buy things, and I still value beauty, but the greater personal awareness has led me to find beauty in other places as well. I spend a lot more time in nature now, and creative expression has become a big part of my life. Moving to the other side of the world was an external shift that kickstarted a fundamental internal change, and it feels great to have more power over the decisions I make in my life.
"Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." ― C.G. Jung
This post was originally published on caitflanders.com, August 30, 2017


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A full time, fixed term, 3 year post-doc is available in the PLUS research group at the University of Southampton.
All the details of the job can be found here.
Want to know a little more about PLUS research and it's people? Why not take a look at the various blogs and profile pages of our staff and students.