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Norman Hilton
"The only thing I got from Princeton was an inferiority complex," my grandfather told my dad. Didn't seem to have an effect on Norman's (Princeton '41) plans or aspirations, however. Another bit of advice my grandfather passed on to his son was, in speaking of the clothing business, was "It's a horse's ass business and you'd be a horse's ass to go into it," a remark my father was fond of repeating to me in my early years in the trade. Strange because I think of my father as having been, unlike me, a dutiful, respectful son; and yet the two most important experiences in his life story were undertakings he was expressly warned by his father against. (As an aside here it may be interesting to reveal that as late as in his 80s my father reported to me of having violent nightmares involving Mr. A. E.) Nevertheless, Norman Hilton ignored some pretty strong paternal advice to his everlasting advantage.
At Princeton in the late 30s Norman was surrounded by young men who'd come from patrician families, grown up in Brookline or Greenwich, graduated from prestigious preparatory schools and were generally known as the "St. Grottlesex" crowd (an amalgam of those schools' names.) This socio-economically elite class of men had a style that made an indelible impression on a kid from Newark Academy. They dressed in the style of English "county" gentlemen: a Yankee adaptation of the shooting wardrobe of English manorial weekends, reconstituted for indoor wear and modified somewhat by American taste. Along with ankle-length, narrow-legged trousers of gabardine or corduroy, cotton Oxford shirts and narrow repp ties, they wore softly tailored "sport coats:" unpadded jackets in naturally colored tweeds – solids, herringbones and patterns taken from the clan tartans and district checks of the Scottish Highlands and the Outer Hebrides. Thus did the "natural shoulder" and "Ivy League" styles become synonymous with the style that we, as children in the 60s, called "preppy."
Ignoring his father's warnings about the personal dangers of attending Princeton and entering the clothing business, Norman Hilton got the inspiration, the imprint of Northeastern breeding, and the commercial vehicle for his astounding creativity, marketing skill, and unfailing good taste. My father's big idea, after leaving Princeton, (and, not incidentally, after a Harvard Business School MBA and a US Navy Lieutenancy,) was to use the Joseph Hilton & Sons factory to manufacture this style of jackets, and to sell them to independent retailers. He might have gone into a horse's ass business, but he was certainly the only horse's ass in it who'd gained two Ivy League degrees.
In the early going the line was called Norman Hilton Country Jackets, in homey reference to the genesis of the style. His earliest customers were stores in towns where there was an existing Ivy League element, but as this tweedy look gained acceptance (and took on other names: "Natural Shoulder," "Traditional," even "Madison Avenue,") becoming the preferred dress style of America's business and professional elite, Norman Hilton gained a reputation as purveyor of the finest quality, most refined version of it. I have no idea why he put his own name on the product, and to speculate would be to re-enter the Freudian fun house of the Hilton family history. It's hard to believe, however, that Norman Hilton considered himself a "designer," of the type we imagine today. It seems an oddity, really, in a day when men's clothing lines had names like Worsted-Tex, Southwick, or Botany 500. By the mid-fifties he'd begun selling suits, too, and dropped the Country Jackets from the name. He told me that this was because Adam Gimbel, who was president of Saks Fifth Avenue back then, had told him the jackets-only schtick was too limited; that Saks' customers who'd bought all those sport coats were ready for suits. The family business had some talented advertising personnel, who helped Norman realize an Ogilvy-does-Tiffany turn in marketing, combining the sophisticated copy and terrific photographs, classic-looking logo, and high-class image/positioning into a powerful nationwide print ad campaign. Pretty soon the Linden facility was beyond its capacity to fill the orders. From my sixth-grade perspective all this meant was the family move to a big new house, in Rumson, but looking back it's plain to see that the Norman Hilton Clothing business was a rocketing success.
So you've heard all about the next chapter, the decision to do a classic brand-extension which included a Norman Hilton dress furnishings line and the consequent hiring of a talented young man named Ralph Lauren to put all that together; a Shakespearean plot twist in Norman's history, providing him with fantastic return on a brilliant instinct, while hastening the obsolescence of the Natural Shoulder look and creating a competitive juggernaut that would steal his thunder, his customers, and even, eventually, his sales team. *
The backbone of the business was the factory staff, finally; the yeoman pattern makers, cutters, tailors, sewing machine operators and pressers who actually made Norman Hilton Clothing. The Ivy tide ebbed and the new generation of affluent consumers embraced the likes of Lauren, Cardin, and eventually Armani, but the clothing factory workers still got up every morning, saw their wives and husbands off to work or school, and showed up at 35 East Elizabeth Avenue in Linden to earn a day's wages making really good clothes for gentlemen. Norman's uncles, who'd run the 10-store metropolitan area retail operation, by then called Browning Fifth Avenue, were dying, one by one, leaving no one who knew or cared how to run their business, and the entire factory production was dependent on the wholesale sales of Norman Hilton. By this time, in an increasingly, globally competitive world of men's fashions, the strength of the pure Ivy League as a fashion statement was over. Norman Hilton's new designer, a poetic dreamer and would-be author in his late twenties, took on the task of remaking the image of the brand from purist traditional to the highest expression of classic craftsmanship and elegance. He could write the script; but who would produce the show?
What did Norman Hilton become? No longer a look, but a standard of excellence, a reality of effort. Hand-sewn armholes; hand set, stitched and felled collars; linings tacked by hand; button thread stacked and wrapped on high, unbreakable stems; buttonholes hand sewn with individually waxed skeins of pure linen thread; the entire garment pressed by hand with 10-pound, gas-fired irons – a dry press, crisper for the absence of steam; Bemberg lining and horn buttons. All this, and the finest piece goods we could find, from the great names of Huddersfield, England, the suiting fabric equivalent of Mecca, and boutique woolen mills in the hills and vales of Scotland and Ireland. Fabric buying was done at the mill, at the designer's desk, one style at a time, changing thread colors, ordering vast blankets of patterns with nearly infinite varieties of color, texture, weight and finish. Specifying this decoration color, this softer finish or "hand," and every decision thought out, rethought, reconsidered… Norman Hilton became clothing for connoisseurs in an increasingly mechanized, nonchalant age. A Stradivarius among Yamahas.
A few years ago the Ivy League look reemerged. A somewhat romantic nostalgia for all things Made In USA coincided with the advent of yet another sea change in the silhouette and shape of men's clothing – smaller, shorter jackets, trimmer pants – which gave the Norman Hilton brand some re-found energy as a style leader. Trouble was, the customer thought the retail price should be old fashioned, too. Nowadays the cost of manufacturing the true Norman Hilton quality was above and beyond what the market for youthful fashion would bear. The name is, and always will be, an icon of quality; and quality in tailored clothing, as one of those intrepid Linden artisans once explained to me, is the combination of three equally important elements: comfort, durability, and beauty. To put all that together under an American roof is a costly business.
Other bits of paternal advice that Alex gave Norman are fascinating for other reasons, (and would forfeit the PG rating of this article,) not least because the advice my dad actually followed was, in terms of moral rectitude at least, categorically bad. The advice he ignored, though, gave American men of a certain age and background a brand of clothing which was like the uniform of an exclusive team, and while accomplishing that he created a standard of quality in tailored clothing that is a hallmark of what American ingenuity, energy and willpower can accomplish, given the right resources. Makes you wonder if we'll ever see the like of it again.


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Highlighting the extraordinary "at O'Hare"
"at O'Hare" Concessions Marketing Campaign
Challenge: Promote the concessionaires at O'Hare
Deliverable: Campaign strategy and concept
Concept: Highlight the extraordinary "at O'Hare"
The concessions team at O'Hare was looking for a way to shift perceptions without relying on an expensive redesign. At first glance, the visual landscape looks tired and out of date creating a negative impression among travelers.
Look a bit closer, however, and one quickly finds that there are many hidden gems. New local food options are popping up regularly and many great products can be found across the terminals. We needed to highlight these extraordinary finds.
The "at O'Hare" campaign strategy utilizes vibrant colors and location-specific trend stories to help travelers find the extraordinary products around them.
Pop-up activations and social media are planned to create more awareness and encourage travelers to share what they find extraordinary "at O'Hare."
Writing a new standard for O'Hare
"at O'Hare" Marketing Campaign Standards - O'Hare Concessions
Challenge: Training and quality control
Deliverable: Campaign standards manual
Concept: Interactive instructional training document.
The O'Hare concessions team asked us to develop a standards and training piece to support the "at O'hare" campaign.
It would serve to educate, empower and guide their partners in designing stories for the campaign. The standards were key in helping a small marketing team manage and maintain the campaign's design standards.
There's still a lot of love for the local mall.
Guest Experience Strategy - Starwood Retail Properties
Challenge: Develop a guest experience strategy for 30 malls
Deliverable: Customer Experience Strategy and Tactics
Concept: "I love it here"
Starwood Retail Properties purchased 30 malls across the US and needed a customer experience strategy that would unify the properties and build equity for this new brand.
We started by asking shoppers to dream about their ideal future mall. We quickly learned there's a lot of love for the local mall. Shoppers were bullish about its future. However, none of them felt at home in the mall.
So we set out to create an inclusive guest experience strategy that would meet the needs of all shoppers and make the mall an easier, more comfortable and authentically engaging destination.
Guests want to be "together but seperate."
Southpark Center Court - Starwood Retail Partners
Challenge: Complete the center court experience
Deliverable: Southpark Center Court HUB space strategy and concept
Concept: The Docks at Southlake
The concept at Southlake was to re-design the center court space as a multi-purpose Social HUB space that would allow guests of all ages and genders to gather and share this space.
Research told us people wanted to be "together but separate" at the mall. Families want to come and be able to split up and meet up in an area that is fun for everyone.
The Dock's at Southlake design was inspired by the mall's location at the south end of Lake Michigan.
Localizing our global HUB strategy.
Parkway Center Court – Starwood Retail Properties
Challenge: Design a center court experience
Deliverable: Parkway Center Court HUB space strategy and concept
Concept: The Arches at Parkway
Parkway was the second center court design project Starwood asked us to design. Our goal was to ladder back to the global HUB space strategy while localizing our design. Each explores a multi-purpose approach with play, relaxation, community, food and shopping in a unified experience. The Arches were inspired by the Arch of El Cajon and some of the famous people and brands, like Fender guitar, from the area.
Starwood goes deeper to own its local mall advantage.
The Art of Living Locally - Starwood Retail Properties
Challenge: Activate the mall and engage the local community
Deliverable: Local activation strategy and tactics
Concept: Happy, Healthy Communities through Arts and Wellness
As a new player in mall management, Starwood Retail Properties had some foundational work to do first. With this behind them, they are ready to tackle the challenge of changing the perception of the local mall.
Continuing the co-creative spirit of the brand, we teamed up with Urban revitalization and placemaking experts Team Better Block to help bring our customer engagement strategy to life. Unlike most mall activations, this is a bottoms-up strategy, designed and executed by the community for the community.
Starwood is launching the program at two prototype properties in 2016 with plans to begin rolling out the program in 2017.
Pop into Peru.
Peru Board of Tourism – Starwood Retail Properties
Challenge: Design a pop-up experience selling Peru
Deliverable: Peru Pop-up Strategy and concept
Concept: Picture yourself in Peru
The Peru board of tourism wanted to do a pop-up experience to educate people on the beautiful country and promote travel to Peru. Our concept was to create an experience where people were immersed into the sights and sounds of different aspects of Peru from the countries beautiful mountains and beaches to the people in their homes, their food and their celebrations in life. We designed a concept for a pop-up exhibit with a form factor that created curiosity and a desire to pop-in and experience Peru.
Rethinking the gift shop
Challenge: Reinvent a Japanese gift shop to be a premium Japanese shopping destination with broader appeal among western shoppers.
Deliverable: Full brand package and design documentation
Concept: J•Avenue Japanese Collections
Agency: Sidecar Creatives
J•Avenue is a Japanese goods boutique that opened in north Columbus this past July. We at Sidecar, engaged with Pacific Food Inc. (Akai Hanna) to redevelop the existing retail shop "Hana Gifts". The goal was to transform the overall guest experience into one that further engaged with their core Asian guests, as well as generate new interest from western and younger shoppers. We started the process with logo development around the name J•Avenue. We were looking to evoke a friendly and welcoming connection to the Japanese culture, so we took inspiration from the art of Origami and created a folded paper "J" icon.
We also wanted to elevate the guest perception of quality, so we altered the description from a "gift store" to a store of "Japanese Collections." To deliver this elevated perception, we greatly reduced the quantity of unique products sold, and emphasized a more curated merchandise strategy. We then shaped a deliberate customer journey that encouraged exploration, and crafted key visual impact areas to highlight organized product categories. The result is a seamless in-store experience that is as fun to explore as it is easy to shop. Further, the consistent use of natural colors and materials provides a warm atmosphere and our careful use of the brand color green strengthens its effect as a branded space.

subset: commoncrawl


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Today, in Barcelona, I spoke to the Direct and Interactive Marketing Global Forum about the future of advertising. But after my speech, all anyone wanted to talk about was Obama and America. The Spaniards all had the same question. It was about the United States. They all wanted to know about the future of America. They wanted to know if Obama could save America.
Over a tapas lunch, one guy, a very senior Catalan marketing executive, confided in me. "The America we all know, the America of innovation, the America that continually reinvents itself, " he asked with a childish hopefulness. "Is that America dead? Can Obama reinvent America?"
Thomas Friedman had the same sorts of conversations in Cairo last week. Like the people I met in Barcelona today, Friedman's Egyptian friends have a "hunger" for the "idea of America." In "Obama on the Nile", Friedman explains today in the New York Times that it's the Emersonian idea of America as the future which most inspires the rest of the world:
In his history of 19th-century America, "What Hath God Wrought," Daniel Walker Howe quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson as telling a meeting of the Mercantile Library Association in 1844 that "America is the country of the future. It is a country of beginnings, of projects, of vast designs and expectations."
The mistake, I fear, is to expect too much of Obama. The one area most resistant to change in America is politics. Change, real change, in America is going to come through business, technology and education. That's where we have to look for Emerson's beginnings, projects, vast designs and expectations. But the America political system has become so ossified that it will take more than a sweet talking lawyer to transform government into the core engine of American innovation.
So Obama, who should easily defeat McCain in November, will become no more than a symbol of American reinvention in the early 21st century. We've got to look elsewhere to glimpse the future of America. Experiments in social capitalism. The universities. The green revolution. The entertainment industries. Biotechnology and nanotechnology. Even, dare I say it, the Internet.


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Wow was it nice to have a couple of days off during the week. I didn't get as much stamping done as I had hoped but that's okay :)
Here's a card I created using the Freshly Made Sketch from this week.
I used the super sweet Sailor Girl from MFT along with a die from the Go Overboard dienamics.
Stamps: PI Sailor Girl, Western BackgroundsPaper: White, Pacific Point, Choc ChipInk: Memento Black, Pacific PointAccessories: MFT Go Overboard Dies, Mat pack and Paper Piercer, Copis, Pacific Point Ribbon, Dimensionals


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An organic mountain farm uses indigenous breeds to produce high-quality meat, while preserving the local environment and genetic resources.
Projects & Practice
A cheese-producing farm used RDP support to set up a new plant for producing speciality cheeses and ensure its long-term financial sustainability.
A dairy company used RDP support to build a new wing on its factory in order to increase its production capacity. This investment strengthened the local supply chains and helps prevent the abandonment of the farming activity in the area.
A modern hen farm producing eggs for human consumption, set up a new unit to process non commercial eggs and therefore increase its competitiveness.
An investment project that allowed a company to fill the gap in the local supply chain for wood chips in the north-west of Ireland.
Development of an online platform and an app that allows beekeepers to more efficiently maintain their intervention records and exchange know-how.
Rural coworking spaces create opportunities for cooperation and innovation in rural areas while helping to attract new professionals to settle in the countryside.
An inter-territorial cooperation project to support the development of a system for verifying the traceability and the sustainable management of wood from hedgerows.
A young female farmer introduced a blackberry plantation into a wheat and barley production area and created added value by developing a new range of products. This was the winning initiative of the 2019 Rural Inspiration Awards in the 'Improving competitiveness' category.
Construction of a new, versatile building consisting of a coworking space, a cultural hall and a tourist office, enhancing the services offered to the residents of a rural municipality.


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It was easy to suggest Free Things To Do in Vancouver.
Yellowknife's harder. There ain't no Stanley Park or Starbucks here!
Thankfully, Yellowknife has a thriving citizen-engagement culture, so I've found a couple free activities that I really enjoy:
1. Cinema Politica shows films that are eye-opening and informative, at least once a month. It's by donation, and includes popcorn! To date I've viewed Blue Gold which has significant implications for the NWT, and Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai, the story of a Nobel Prize Winner who has started replanting trees in Africa. You'd be hard pressed not to leave inspired, awestruck by some of the activist work done, and much better informed.
2. I've also joined , for a dollar, AlternativesNorth, a social justice/green kinda group. We meet for lunch every Wednesday. It's a crowd of well-informed, creative thinkers who hold out an worthy and exciting vision for the NWT. During those meetings, I've met the Minister of Finance, a woman documenting the effect of toxics on people in the North, a man writing a position paper on the Green Economy (or potential of) in the NWT – you get the picture! I mean, just imagine discussions about how to develop local-food initiatives in the frozen north. That takes chutzpah!
Well these freebies may not leave me as fit as a Seawall walk, my capacity as a citizen is growing by the week. I feel good about that!
Readers: over to you! What does your community have to offer, that's free, or nearly? It doesn't have to be political – just something interesting or fun or healthy, that's free. You know, true north, strong, and FREE!
Photo Credit: Peretzpup


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20 Beautiful & Crystal Forehead Bindis in bindi pack.
This Bindi Pack has 20 Fancy Bindis in a Bindi Pack in various colors.
These Bindis use a High Quality Cosmetic Adhesive which is safe for all skin types and last longer.
These Bindis Last Longer and can be worn multiple times as well.
Please Click on The Bindi Picture Image to see Bigger and Full View of The Bindi.
Use this Bindi as you like, adorn it on your forehead, or your belly button, on your arm or even as a nose pin, the possibilities are endless. You can combine it with any other bindi from our collection to make your own creation.


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Saying Goodbye to Cervantes Magaña
San Diego's craft cocktail scene mourns the loss of an all-star
Cervantes Magaña
On April 13, I got a Facebook message from Cervantes Magaña.
"Don't suppose you'd entertain an interesting topic to write about?" he asked. "A new concept downtown opening up?"
I've known Cervantes since 2013, when he was bartending at Liberty Station's Roseville Cozinha and starting to make a name for himself in the craft cocktail scene. Since then, through his Medicine Show cocktail consultancy, he's helped open spots like Double Standard, Bar by Red Door, Caché, and Cloak & Petal.
"I will always entertain interesting concepts!" I replied.
He then sent me a link to a Spotify track, "The Heavenly Blue Flu" by the band Nothing. "!!!!Love!!!! The whole album," he wrote.
I was super busy. I couldn't remember my Spotify password. I thought he was going to give me the scoop on a new cocktail menu. I didn't bother to click on the link.
Dude, I thought, I don't have time for this.
Shame on me for not making the time.
Just after 3 a.m. on Friday, June 15, Cervantes was riding his motorcycle home from work, traveling south on 10th Avenue downtown, when he was hit by a car going east on A Street. Police told his family the 17-year-old driver ran a red light (an investigation is ongoing). Though Cervantes was wearing a helmet, he sustained irreparable brain damage. His family made the decision to take him off life support and he died early Friday morning, June 22, almost exactly a week—down to the minute—of the accident, his sister, Lainya Magaña, told me.
With his passing, the San Diego craft cocktail scene lost one of its most eclectic, electric, innovative bartenders. Take, for instance, the Smudge & Conjure, a cocktail he created for Bar by Red Door, that was as beautiful as it tasted. Made with smoked sage infused gin, St. George's pear liqueur, a house made blue curacao, lime, and pinch of salt, Cervantes described it as the "Tim Burton side of tiki."
Lainya said her brother was "always artistic, always creative."
"He would pick up instruments he didn't know how to play and just jam out a tune," she said.
Music played a big role in the cocktail programs he created. "He'd often choose the [bar's] playlist," she said. "He really just understood what made people happy. He was really driven to create environments and spaces."
A couple months ago, Cervantes wrote on Facebook about how Medicine Show had finally hit its stride and he was looking to expand to other cities. In his typical style, he threw some shade and did a bit of preening, but also showed the passion, focus, and vision that propelled his work.
"He exited this life at his best," Lainya said.
Cervantes did eventually tell me about the new concept — a restaurant and bar called Juan Tequila, helmed by the owners of El Zarape and featuring Baja Med cuisine. "Chef and I will both inspire each other to use very uncommon, exotic ingredients," he told me in a June 6 Facebook message. "Think tiki influence on tequila."
He invited me to stop by in a couple weeks to check out the cocktail menu.
"I hope San Diego is as excited as all of us to see what is in store," he said.
"Keep me posted?" I told him. He responded with a heart emoji.
As for that Spotify track he'd sent me, I finally listened to it this week. I'm pretty sure I'd never told him about my taste in music but the song he shared with me is perfect. Far better than any scoop on a new cocktail bar. Just wish I could've told him how much I enjoyed it.


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Junkin All the Way Vintage Market
A regional holiday event for antiquers, junkers and flea markets lovers. Walk along the quaint streets of our indoor village where artisans share their unique, handmade, salvaged and repurposed goods. Meet with specially selected vendors from a variety of states who share your passion for chippy, vintage, galvanized, rusty, quaint, retro industrial and architectural.
Cost: Friday $5, Saturday $3; FREE for children 14 and under
This event is over.
Fri. Nov. 9, 2018 5-9pm
Sat. Nov. 10, 2018 9am-4pm
LocationThe Lismore
333 Gibson Street
Eau Claire, WI 54701


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Have your thoughts ever made you cry? I mean you're sitting down thinking, and your thoughts just keep on spiraling around and around, getting bigger and bigger with each passing moment and before you know it, you've got tears streaming down your face?
That happened to me today. I was sitting at my dining table having lunch with Brooke & Mason. They were babbling to themselves and before I knew it, I was thinking about life. It all started because I bought Mason underwear today. haha! Something so minor sparked this major spiral of emotional doom in my mind.
Growing up my mom took us to church. She told us all about the love of God and we learned that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. I believe that to this day. However. When I was 19 I started dating my husband. I was going to church back then. In fact, I was working at a church. My husband is agnostic. Mike (my husband) made me a "love at first sight" believer. I don't know what it was about him, but as soon as I saw him, it was just instant. But it wasn't that way with my parents nor was it that way with my friends at the time. As soon as my friends found out he wasn't a christian, they began judging him. Harshly. And judging me. And before I knew it, all my friends had vanished. Because of that, I stopped going to church. Maybe that makes be insane, or petty. But even now looking back, I get it. I get why I stopped going to church. I've been a few times in the past 15 years but I don't go often. And since I'm getting really honest, I don't want to go. Some of the harshest most judgmental people I've come across are "Christians". Telling me I'm not a true christian because I don't attend church. Telling me that I no longer can believe because I don't study my bible.
Over the last couple of years I've really questioned. Growing up my mom told me that was normal. So I never really thought anything of it. Until recently. Recently I've been questioning God a lot. *Why is there cancer? *Why would you take babies from their parents? *Why do little kids die? *Why do we die? *What is the point of life if all we do is die at the end of it. *Is there really a heaven? Or is there no such thing? *What if there's no heaven? Then we just die? And there's nothing after that? No afterlife? No heaven? No Pearly Gates? That's depressing. But my biggest question is this… *God. Why won't we have our family in heaven too? We may recognize them, but it won't be the same. I have a lot of Mormon friends. And while I don't agree with so many of their beliefs, I do know they believe their family on earth is going to be their family in heaven too. I like that. I don't like the thought of not having my family in heaven. This thought hit me today. It all started with Mason's new underpants. And before I knew it, I was crying. Thinking that I would only have him as my son on earth, but what about in heaven? What then? Will my kids not be my kids in heaven? Will they be just someone I recognize?
I can't deny God. For me it's impossible. I've had 4 babies. I've watched them grow in my stomach via ultrasound. Ive seen their tiny hearts beating from the time they were as small as a seed. I've felt their kicks and rolls. And I've birthed them. To have a child is to know God exists in my opinion. For me, that's all the proof I've ever needed. But I still question. I still wonder why God allows things. Why He would do certain things. And while I'm being completely honest. I'm terrified of death. I am terrified of growing old. I am terrified of the rapture. I don't read things like what I'm writing right now very often. But I needed to get it out. I feel consumed with emotion today and writing it down is how I'm processing some of these thoughts rolling in my mind.
I grew up hearing my mom talk about all of these things. And my whole life I've been afraid to die. My whole life I've been afraid of the rapture. It's a hard thing for me to write this down. To wonder these things. This is how I feel today. And how i felt yesterday. And how I've felt for a while. Writing it down is the tricky part though, right? Exposing your deep dark thoughts. Making light that you're really unsure about life. Sharing how scared you are. It's hard to be vulnerable, but here I am. Here I stand… holding out all my thoughts. All of my questioning in one blog post. I may wear my heart on my sleeve… but deep thoughts like this are rarely admitted publicly.
I'm not searching for someone to tell me what to think, or what they think. I don't need opinions, or judgement. I just simply wanted to write it down. Write down my feelings. My thoughts. Maybe …. just maybe I'm not alone in my questioning. Feel free to comment if you feel so compelled. But please leave the judgment and negativity at the "door". Thank you.


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Microsoft introduced Software Assurance (SA) as an easy and affordable way for their Volume Licensing customers to stay current with the latest Microsoft products. Under the SA program, customers acquire the right to install any new release of products covered in the agreement during the term of their coverage.
SA Training Vouchers are only available from Microsoft and are given to qualified Microsoft software licensing subscription holders. Vouchers are in electronic format and can only be distributed by Microsoft.
Each voucher will be marked with a value—typically from 1 to 5 days worth of free training. The number of training days a company has available varies by the type and volume of licensing programs you have with Microsoft.
Microsoft SA Vouchers can be redeemed for authorized instructor-led training created by Microsoft for the IT professional or developer audience.
Courses that are NOT eligible for SA Voucher use include First Look Clinics, Hands-on Labs, and courses that have been created for end users—for example, Microsoft Office and Dynamics courses.
Per Microsoft SATV program rules, students canceling or rescheduling within 14 calendar days of their class will have their SATV voucher released and will be invoiced for the full retail cost of the class.
Companies with the SA Training Benefit will need to establish a Benefits Administrator on staff to supervise and coordinate their company's vouchers.
Once that's done...
Each year companies miss out on thousands of dollars in free Microsoft training because they don't redeem their Software Assurance (SA) training vouchers. The Training Vouchers benefit expires with your Software Assurance coverage.
As a Microsoft Gold Learning Partner ONLC Training Centers can accept Microsoft SA Vouchers for approved classes.
If you have created a training voucher and reserved it with ONLC before the expiration of your Software Assurance coverage, the voucher will be valid for 180 days after the date it was created. Training Vouchers not reserved with ONLC before the end of your Software Assurance coverage will expire and be forfeited.
For more information about SA Benefits, please send email to our Business Development Managers or call...
Software Assurance is a Microsoft program and therefore subject to Microsoft's requirements, restrictions, limitations and offerings.
SA Vouchers may not be combined with any other discounts or used for any offers.


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Many People Many Songs (Rainbow Praise)
On Wednesday the 14th September was the signing of the Memorandum of Understand-ing (MOU) between Palmerston North City Council and the Manawatu Multicultural Council on the Festival of Cultures.
From the Palmerston North City Council, the MOU was signed by Grant Smith, our City Mayor and Councillor Tangi Utikere and from the Manawatu Multicultural Council, it was signed by Meriam Findlay President and Christine Mukabalindal. The MOU sets the terms for involvement of MMC to the event Festival of Cultures which is a community event funded by the Council in which many ethnic communities take part.
The Meeting and subsequent signing of the MOU was a result of an earlier meeting where Meriam and several MMC members outlined some concerns expressed about the organisation around the Festival of Cultures
The Festival of Cultures is an annual event in the city to celebrate the diversity of cultures, which make up the community of Palmerston North City. The event attracts many thousands of people including many ambassadors from numerous countries who reside in Wellington and travel up to Palmerston North for the day. The emphasis is on the different ethnic cultures that make up our vibrant multicultural Palmerston North. On the day people are encouraged to participate in many ways by performing, singing, dancing and holding displays as well as selling their own ethnic food.
It was good to see so many councillors and members of the Manawatu Multicultural Council at the signing of the MOU. The festival of cultures which has been a vibrant part of our community for many years will gain renewed momentum and continue for many years to come. A copy of the document can be seen at the office of the MMC in the community House.


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Pope John Paul II famously declared that we live in a "culture of death." And there is no doubt that our culture mocks hope, glorifies violence, and constantly feeds us fear-inducing bad news via our favorite news channel.
And the evangelical church, at least in its seeker-sensitive form, has capitalized. As the proclaimer of good news it has offered escape from bad news. This is potentially a good thing. But in the process it has become an adult Disneyland where every speck of gloom and every spot of death has been carefully scrubbed clean.
From the time you walk in until you walk out, many churches make sure you do not encounter the negativity of the world. We make sure to keep the lights glaring and the positive music blaring. In fact, almost every Christian music station I have ever heard positions itself as an alternative to "other" stations, by which they usually mean "positive" or "encouraging."
But I am afraid we have swung the pendulum too far. Instead of celebrating resurrection, which cannot happen without death, we celebrate escapism, we promote life without death, hope without doubt, happiness without mourning.
And that leaves many of us wondering, "Where do we mourn?" "Where do we go when we encounter death?" "Where do we turn to process our loss?"
We can go to church to ignore the harsh reality of life, but where do we confront it? If I want to escape my fear, questions, and sadness, I can always count on a good Sunday morning service to lift my spirits. But where do I find a safe place that allows me to encounter it head-on? Where do I go through the valley of the shadow of death?
But there is one space where I can still get away with exploring the depths of my fragile existence. My questions, doubts, and utter sadness is still tolerated, albeit still often misunderstood, for 40 days, during a time called Lent.
Lent is a time to remember we are ashes, a time to re-enact Jesus' march toward Jerusalem, his impending death.
Of course, evangelical churches don't really obvserve Lent. And why would we? We are equally put off by all tradition, including every date on the Church calendar not also celebrated by retail stores. But more importantly, it is a Christian holiday that cuts against the grain. It is the Ecclesiastes of the Church calendar, the minority voice in a cacophony of celebration. And my jaded, cynical, and questioning soul needs it like an alcoholic needs AA.
This Lent, I pray that evangelicals begin to see that beauty comes from ashes, that there is no resurrection Sunday without the death and suffering of Friday. I pray that we can imitate Jesus and stop pretending that Christians do not doubt, do not suffer, and do not feel burdened by the death and decay that surrounds us.
I pray that the church of Jesus can learn to participate in his suffering as well as his life, his death as well as his resurrection. And in doing so, I pray the church becomes a place where we do not escape from the culture of death but we allow it to swallow us up, where we let it settle into our souls.
As we do, I pray we do not create an alternative to death but become the site of the death of death itself. Paul does not declare that death has lost its sting because he has not been stung by it. He declares that death has lost its sting because it has been relegated to Friday and we believe that Sunday still comes.
These ashes that we wear this holy day
ground us against the earth of grim reality;
they impress upon our brows, against our minds,
the strict and severe limitation set on all we are,
all we have, all we do and hope to do.
Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return
rich syllables which recall us to our origin,
remind us of our inevitable end,
renew for us the call to make the present count,
to "work while there is light,"
to heed the word of judgment and of hope
that is the gospel . . .
-J. Barrie Shepherd


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Long ago, in my Rocky Mountain News days, the Denver Broncos made a couple of trips to the Super Bowl. As you would imagine, newsrooms in Denver rolled out the heavy artillery to cover these events. Well, I turned in memos arguing that -- as religion writer -- I should be included in the teams sent to cover these festivals of civil religion. I never got my wish, but an editor later confessed that I had a point. Religion stories kept popping up, such as the issue of whether it was acceptable for members of these two gladiator squads to share a prayer meeting and/or Bible study before the kickoff? Would that be contrary to the spirit of the event? The NFL was worried.
At this point, I think it is very hard to argue that big-time sports, especially professional football, do not represent -- in sociological terms at the very least -- a kind of religious subculture in postmodern America.
Baltimore is not Denver, but our Charm City comes very close. My city's liturgical color, obviously, is purple -- with few, if any, Lenten overtones at all (other than, perhaps, the need for repentance by offensive coordinators when facing the Pittsburgh Steelers).
I realize that GetReligion readers seem to care very little about sports, but this is a story that -- for better and for worse -- transcends mere sports. The following Baltimore Sun story is built on a combination of tragedy, devotion, religion and sports. I really do not know what to think of it. Here's is the opening anecdote:
Patrick Dolan's parents didn't need a suit to bury their son.
"Patrick was not a suit kind of a person," said his father, Bill.
"I think he would really like to be buried in his Lardarius Webb jersey," said his mother, Geraldine.
And so on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Patrick Dolan went to his final resting place wearing the No. 21 jersey of the Ravens cornerback -- a shirt he had worn during only one game before he was stabbed to death on a Baltimore street in Belair-Edison.
Patrick Dolan was Baltimore's 200th homicide victim this year. The 19-year-old, riding on a city bus, missed his stop, got off and was walking back to a friend's house on Juneway. It was 10:45 on the morning of Nov. 23. Relatives said a man asked Dolan for change for a $10 bill, then grabbed his wallet. He fought back and was stabbed in the chest and back. Police listed the motive as attempted robbery; no arrest has been made.
Dolan's sprawling Irish-Catholic family, built around a matriarchal grandmother who lives on 34th Street in Hampden, is one big Ravens cheering squad.
Sure enough, Webb and several other Ravens become key players in this drama -- to the degree that the family faces the issue of whether to bury their son with him holding a football that has been signed by several superstars.
Of course, what I want to know more about is the funeral itself. I assume the choice of burial attire is totally up to the family or to the deceased, if there was a directive of some kind. This is an age in which people will do what they want to do. After all, the world of designer sports caskets is nothing new these days.
But what about the church? Read the following passage and tell me which even carries the most symbolic value, especially for Joseph, the younger brother.
Geraldine and William Dolan buried their son the next day, on Saturday, after a funeral Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas in Hampden, the church where their son had been baptized, by the priest who had officiated at his first Communion.
On Sunday, the parents watched the Ravens play the Buccaneers at M&T Bank Stadium. A relative had slipped four tickets into William Dolan's pocket the previous day. ...
The Ravens tickets ... came with a sideline pass for pre-game festivities. Joseph got to stand on the field before the game dedicated to his brother.
"Patrick would've been so happy," his mother said.
This is a religion story, right?


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Day 6 – Lovishly
On the 6th Day of Archibald Christmas we bring to you an amazing necklace company called Lovishly! They partner with non-profits around the world to create a custom necklaces that gives $5 of every sale back to that organization. (AND TODAY THEY ARE GIVING $5 OF EVERY SALE OF THESE NECKLACES TO THE ARCHIBALD PROJECT!)
Founder, Sherry Lopez shared with us how Lovishly started and why they do what they do! You'll want to read this (and buy their cool necklaces).
Where are you from and why did Lovishly start?
My name is Sherry Lopez and I am from Albuquerque, NM. I am a mom of 10 and started Lovishly because of my kids. After seeing the injustices of the world and then experiencing some of those same injustices affecting my children, I felt I could no longer sit back and do nothing. Lovishly was created not only as an opportunity to get involved but a way for my children to be aware of these injustices while physically meeting needs around the world. Lovishly has grown into a business that extends pass my family and now provides individuals with the opportunity to spread awareness and create change.
Would you share your mission and vision for your business and why you are passionate about it?
Lovishly is an ethically sourced jewelry company created to support and empower organizations around the globe. Necklaces are designed with intentionality to give back and raise awareness for a cause. Each piece is simplistically designed and locally hand carved with thoughtful consideration of our giving partners. We aim to integrate sustainable and responsible practices in every aspect of our company. These partnerships allow us to have an international impact and growing relationships with non-profits making an impact around the world. We believe wholeheartedly in the organizations and projects we partner with. It gives us joy knowing that we get to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, Lovishly is helping people find freedom, health, support, and a voice.
What is your favorite part about your business?
My favorite part of Lovishly is the opportunity we've created to engage with others who are passionate about making a difference around the world. We love watching our buyers fall in love with a specific piece or organization because of a past experience or a passion. We love creating an opportunity for our customers to give back with their purchases!
What is the hardest part of your business?
The hardest part about Lovishly is raising awareness of why we exist. Our giving back comes from each sale so it's important to sell product so that we can give back as much as possible. We exist to bring awareness and partnership with these organizations. This is why we are so thankful for every person who purchase a necklaces, posts about their products, or tells their friends and family about Lovishly. They are the reason that we exist and they are the reason that we have given back what we have this year. We are truly grateful for our customers.
What advice do you have for people out there about shopping ethically?
Make it a habit and do your research. Not only on the company you are buying from but also look into many resources like truecostmovie.com. Be prepared to pay more but be excited about knowing that the money you are spending is providing valuable jobs. You are also paying for a better product in the long run so be encouraged that it'll last you longer and it is being made with dignity and pride.
Why is it important to support small and/or ethical businesses?
It is important to support ethical businesses because we are making more jobs where people are treated with dignity and respect, and in turn changing the way that business is had. When we raise our standards and do not buy from people taking advantage of human lives we are recreating a world where people are treated how they should be treated. Supporting small businesses may allow moms or dads to stay home with their children or allow someone to follow after their dreams of owning their own business. Supporting small allows everyday people to be successful and follow after their passions of having a business. Support small & ethical shops! They are changing the world!
How can we shop your necklaces?
I'm sure our community would love to follow you on social media too! How can we do that?
Our Instagram is @lovishly and Facebook is Lovishly!
We love you guys and are so happy to have you share your story with us!! Have such a Merry Christmas!
~ The Archibald Project


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The Virus.Obfuscator.ADU is a highly dangerous parasite which has the ability to make your computer completely useless. After installing itself on the computer, the Virus.Obfuscator.ADU has the ability to change the settings of your system completely. These settings may include DNS settings, browser settings, security settings, and redirects you towards certain compromised websites. This dangerous parasite is capable of disabling the installed antivirus program along with other security tools which opens the way for other parasites. Once it is installed, it has the ability to redirect all your searches towards the hosted website where you are encouraged to buy certain products. The Virus. Obfuscator. ADU presents itself as a legitimate application, but in reality, it is nothing more than bogus software which is aimed to steal your confidential details. This malicious application uses most of the resources installed on the infected PC due to which the performance along with the speed of the computer affected badly. Once you have discovered this parasite on your computer, you need to remove it without any kind of delay in order to save your computer and protect your information.
Manual Removal Process of Virus.Obfuscator.ADU
There are some automatic tools available that helps you in getting rid of the Virus.Obfuscator.ADU; however, you can also remove it manually. The manual removal process is difficult, and it is recommended for the advance level computer users and I.T professionals. Below are the steps and instructions which you need to complete in order to delete this malicious parasite from your PC manually:-
Start the Computer in Safe Mode
In the normal mode you are unable to delete this parasite from your computer; therefore, you have to restart the computer in safe mode. In this regard, you need to restart the PC, and use F8 key to see the boot options where you have to select the safe mode options and hit the enter key to start your computer in the safe mode.
Delete the Malicious Processes
Once the PC restarts in safe mode, now you can easily remove the malicious processes associated with this tricky parasite. You have to hold Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys to start the task manager, and click on the processes tab to find and delete the following processes:-
- %AppData%\[RANDOM CHARACTERS]\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].exe
Delete the Files and Folders
After ending the related processes of Virus.Obfuscator.ADU, you have to find and delete the following files as well as folders that are considered as the associated files of this malicious application.
- %Desktopdir%\Virus.Obfuscator.ADU.lnk
- %Programs%\Virus.Obfuscator.ADU\Virus.Obfuscator.ADU.lnk
Delete Registry Entries
In order to clean the registry section of the windows you have to open the registry editor by running the Regedit command through the start menu, and delete the following registry entries:-
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Virus.Obfuscator.ADU\DisplayIcon %AppData%\[RANDOM CHARACTERS]\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].exe,0
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Virus.Obfuscator.ADU
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Virus.Obfuscator.ADU\UninstallString "%AppData%[RANDOM CHARACTERS][RANDOM CHARACTERS].exe" -u
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\[RANDOM CHARACTERS] %AppData%\[RANDOM CHARACTERS]\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].exe
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Virus.Obfuscator.ADU\ShortcutPath "%AppData%\[RANDOM CHARACTERS]\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].exe" -u
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Virus.Obfuscator.ADU\DisplayName Virus.Obfuscator.ADU
Once the registry is cleaned, you have to close the registry editor, and again restart the machine in the normal mode.


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Part of it says " this volume is a MUST-READ for those who appreciate literary horror/speculative fiction. I should correct that statement to read "MUST-EXPERIENCE", because the reader doesn't only read a Pulver story, the prose and story-telling are so devastatingly powerful that each story is a soul-searing EXPERIENCE. Highly recommended."
The rest of it is here
Saturday, July 9, 2011
SIN gets another RAVE! !!
Posted by kiy1955 at Saturday, July 09, 2011
3 comments:
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I know almost nothing about Donald Sterling. I don't think I'd ever even heard of him before the current scandal that has taken over the media these last several days. He is the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, and apparently he is a bit of a bigoted asshole, as he was recently recorded making a number of racist remarks. As a result of those remarks, Sterling has been banned for life from any association with the NBA or the Los Angeles Clippers. He cannot attend any NBA games or practices, and cannot be present at any Clippers facility or engage in any form of business involving the team. He has also been fined 2.5 million dollars. Additionally, there is an effort underway to force him to sell the team.
I have no doubt that Donald Sterling is an asshole and a bigot. And the Clippers and NBA are well within their rights to punish Sterling and seek to distance themselves from him. But why does the media brouhaha not also include some discussion of the manner in which Sterling's remarks came to light? He seems to have been secretly recorded in a private discussion by a girlfriend who was very much leading the conversation. He seems to have been set up! At least in some of the states of the US, the manner in which he was secretly recorded is a crime. California is one of the states that requires both parties of a conversation to be aware that it is being recorded. So where is the outrage there?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar seems to be asking the same question:
And now the poor guy's girlfriend (undoubtedly ex-girlfriend now) is on tape cajoling him into revealing his racism. Man, what a winding road she led him down to get all of that out. She was like a sexy nanny playing "pin the fried chicken on the Sambo." She blindfolded him and spun him around until he was just blathering all sorts of incoherent racist sound bites that had the news media peeing themselves with glee.
They caught big game on a slow news day, so they put his head on a pike, dubbed him Lord of the Flies, and danced around him whooping…
Shouldn't we be equally angered by the fact that his private, intimate conversation was taped and then leaked to the media? Didn't we just call to task the NSA for intruding into American citizen's privacy in such an un-American way? Although the impact is similar to Mitt Romney's comments that were secretly taped, the difference is that Romney was giving a public speech. The making and release of this tape is so sleazy that just listening to it makes me feel like an accomplice to the crime. We didn't steal the cake but we're all gorging ourselves on it.
It was a private conversation! I don't think I'm a bigot, but then again we're all a little bigoted from time to time. I'm sure I've said countless things in private conversations that would have offended one group or another if my remarks were made public. I'm sure that's the case for all of us. But most of us aren't billionaires with dozens of enemies out to get us.
It's one thing to post your bigoted thoughts on Facebook or announce them on TV, but it's an entirely different thing when those bigoted thoughts are expressed in private conversation with a person who you think you can trust. I find it awfully troubling that this particular aspect of the story has seen virtually no discussion in the mass media.


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The IA Summit is world's most prestigious gathering of information architects, user experience designers, content strategists, and all those who work to create and manage information spaces. This is where the community gathers to refine our craft, solve problems, and break new ground. Attendees include industry leaders, mid-weights, and juniors alike—arriving as guests, leaving as friends, and sharing in this celebration of IA practice and culture.
Speakers from The Understanding Group:
Jessica DuVerneay
Architecture & IA: Expanding the Metaphor
Peter Morville
The Architecture of Speaking and Learning
Pre-conference workshops:
Andrew Hinton
Context Walk: Understanding User Context in the Real World
Dan Klyn
Origins of IA and Pattern Language: Learning From Richard Saul Wurman and Christopher Alexander


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Don't you just love how the government officials and scientists argue over the point that if mankind has contributed to the recent warming of the earth. How can anyone stand there and say that all the carbon monoxide/dioxide,methane gas and other pollutants we pump into our atmosphere is not doing any harm to the earths ecosystem. Regardless of how little or how much we influence the ecosystem should not be a debate. I think we should strive to be more earth friendly due to the fact that the children of today and their children will see the impact of our decisions and the results of our influence that we have on the ecosystem. Most of the arguments about if or if not we should be more green oriented in the world is pretty much being fought due to the issue of the cost of going green. The way I look at it is the benefits down the road will far out weigh the costs. For one thing America can once again be independent in the area of energy including the area of transportation. The oil Giants will have to adapt to survive. Eventually the combustion engine will be a thing of the past and new technologies will arise along with the need of some sort of energy to make them work. At this time it looks like it may be Hydrogen fuel cells and I see no reason why the big oil companies couldn't start investing in the development of technologies that relate to the hydrogen fuel cells. They can also develop a more efficient way of extracting hydrogen from water. Either way we were blessed with life and a planet to live on. We should take responsibility for our home called earth.
Related Articles
- SunHydro and Proton Energy Systems Open First-of-Its Kind, Solar-Powered Hydrogen Fueling Station in Connecticut (eon.businesswire.com)
- Powering fuel cells on biodiesel could be the future of electric vehicles (green.autoblog.com)
- BMW adds hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, devices to Spartanburg facility (green.autoblog.com)
- Sprint Networks Link Generators, Distributors and Customers (eon.businesswire.com)
- Linde Hydrogen Helps BMW's South Carolina Auto Plant Get Greener and Cleaner (eon.businesswire.com)
- Intelligent boss reckons fuel cell cars are nearing the starting grid (businessgreen.com)
- Fuel Cell Seminar Convenes in San Antonio To Combine Natural Gas Outreach, Public Education, Industry Awards (eon.businesswire.com)
- hydrogen fuel cell (energybloggers.com)
- Mercedes-Benz hydrogen fuel-cell car coming to California (replacingoil.com)
Global Warming was originally published on RJBNET Blogs


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LETTER to the EDITOR
Underbelly News
Downtown Eastside
September 29, 2005
Letter to the Editor
Vancouver Courier
It was with sadness when I read that George Chow, the most vocal candidate and opponent of the Injection Site in the 2002 municipal election has re-formed his thinking on the matter (Courier-September 29,2005 edition) and now fully accepts and supports Drug Use in the DTES.
Mr Chow states the injection site is working to reduce transmission of disease and provides people a place to inject safely. Obviously this candidate who is running with Jim Green in the 2005 race hasn't been paying attention to the evidence based research regarding Harm Reduction in the DTES.
Here is the cold blooded evidence. Vancouver has twice the national average of Hep C cases in Canada. The Canadian Medical Journal reports that rates of HIV and AIDS are soaring in the DTES and within the Aboriginal population. In fact, Native people in the DTES acquire AIDS at twice the rate of other drug users and that these rates equal those found in Botswana and South Africa. Moreover, according to City of Vancouver Drug Policy coordinator, Don McPherson, one year after the Injection site opened there has been more overdose deaths than the previous year before the Injection Site opened.
Profoundly sad is that Harm Reduction appears to have given way to Harm Production.
Far too much money has been funneled into the Downtown Eastside without any tangible results.
It's time to re-view the Harm Reduction policy in place which has had devastating consequences for the downtrodden, marginalized and poor of the Downtown Eastside.
Jamie Lee Hamilton


text: Share: Comments Print April 5, 2012 at 4:31 PM Lots of West Coast salmon fishing ahead, including the largest Sacramento River chinook return since 2005 Posted by Mark Yuasa Here is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration press release from the salmon season setting meetings: SEATTLE, Wa. – The Pacific Fishery Management Council today adopted a set of ocean salmon seasons that provides both recreational and commercial opportunities coastwide. California and Oregon fishermen, in particular, will be benefit from higher-than-usual salmon returns in the Sacramento and Klamath Rivers this year. The recommendation will be forwarded to the National Marine Fisheries Service for approval by May 1, 2012. "Everyone is pleased to see such a strong abundance of the major Sacramento River and Klamath River work-horse stocks," said Council Chairman Dan Wolford. "After achieving all the conservation goals for weak stocks in 2012, both recreational and commercial ocean salmon fishermen should enjoy a good season this summer." California and Oregon South of Cape Falcon, Oregon The largest number of returning Sacramento River fall Chinook since 2005 will fuel ocean salmon fisheries off California and Oregon. Fisheries south of Cape Falcon, in northern Oregon, are supported by Sacramento River fall Chinook. In 2008 and 2009, poor Sacramento returns led to the largest ocean salmon fishery closure on record. The abundance forecast of Sacramento River fall Chinook in 2012 is 819,400, far above the number needed for optimum spawning this fall (122,000-180,000 fish). The Klamath River fall Chinook forecast for 2012 is about four times greater than average and the highest forecast on record since 1985. The Oregon Coast natural coho forecast in 2012 is about 290,000, the largest forecast since at least 1996. Recreational Fisheries Recreational fisheries in southern Oregon and California are for Chinook only and run from May 1 through September 9 in the Brookings/Eureka/Crescent City area, and from April 7 to at least October 7 in areas further south. The minimum size limit will be 24 inches in the San Francisco and Monterey areas from April 7 to July 5, but otherwise 20 inches in California. Recreational fisheries off the central Oregon coast will allow Chinook retention and run from March 15 through October 31. Coho fisheries consist of a mark-selective coho quota fishery in July (open from Cape Falcon to the Oregon/California border), and a non-mark selective coho quota fishery in September, open from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain. Commercial Fisheries Commercial fisheries from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain, Oregon will be open from April 1 through August 29 and September 5 through October 31. Fisheries in the Humbug Mountain to California border area will be open in May, June, July, August, and September, with Chinook quotas in June (2,000), July (1,500), August (1,000), and September (1,000). Fisheries from the California border to Humboldt South Jetty will be open September 15-30 with a 6,000 Chinook quota. Between Horse Mountain and Point Arena (in the Fort Bragg area), commercial Chinook salmon fisheries will be open July 11 through August 29 and September 1 to 30, seven days per week. In the area from Point Arena to Point Sur (San Francisco), the season will be open May 1 to June 4, June 27 to August 29, and September 1 to 30. From Point Sur to the Mexico border, the Chinook season will be open May 1 to August 29 and September 1 to 30. There will also be a season from Point Reyes to Point San Pedro, open October 1 to 5 and 8 to 12. Washington and Northern Oregon (North of Cape Falcon) Fisheries north of Cape Falcon (near Nehalem in northern Oregon) depend largely on Columbia River stocks. Columbia River fall Chinook returns in 2011 were above average, and 2012 forecasts are similar. Columbia River hatchery coho returns are below average and less than 2011 returns, but Washington coastal and Puget Sound stocks are mostly above average. North of Cape Falcon, there is an overall non-Indian total allowable catch of 99,000 Chinook and 83,000 marked hatchery coho. Recreational Fisheries A mark-selective Chinook season north of Cape Falcon begins June 9 off the Columbia River and Westport, and June 16 off La Push and Neah Bay. This fishery ends June 22 off the Columbia River, June 23 off Westport, and June 30 off La Push and Neah Bay, or when 8,000 marked Chinook are caught in all port-areas combined. The Chinook season will be open seven days per week, two fish per day, with a 24-inch total length minimum size limit. All salmon seasons are divided into four port-areas. Seasons begin June 23 off the Columbia River, June 23 off Westport and July 1 off La Push and Neah Bay. These fisheries end September 30 off the Columbia River and September 23 off Westport, La Push, and Neah Bay, or when Chinook or coho quotas are reached. The preseason coho quota for all port-areas combined is 69,720. For details, please see the season descriptions on the Council website at www.pcouncil.org. Commercial Fisheries Non-Indian ocean commercial fisheries north of Cape Falcon include traditional Chinook seasons in the May-June timeframe and all-salmon seasons in the July-to-September timeframe. The Chinook quotas of 31,700 in May-June and 15,800 in the all species fisheries are about 50 percent higher than the 2011 quotas. The coho quota of 13,280 is similar to 2011's quota of 12,800. Tribal ocean fisheries north of Cape Falcon are similar to recent years, although Chinook quotas are higher than in 2011. Process The Council developed the management measures after several weeks spent reviewing three season alternatives. The review process included input by Federal and state fishery scientists and fishing industry members, public testimony, and three public hearings in coastal communities. The Council received additional scientific information and took public testimony before taking final action. The decision will be forwarded to the National Marine Fisheries Service for approval and implementation. In addition, the coastal states will decide on compatible freshwater fishery regulations at their respective Commission hearings. Council Role The Pacific Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 for the purpose of managing fisheries miles offshore of the United States of America coastline. The Pacific Council recommends management measures for fisheries off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. Comments


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We've got some time conflicts with Daync, so read carefully for time and pricing changes for May and June! Thanks for understanding!
Here's what you need to know:
8-8:10 - Registration and Warmup
8:10-9:30 - Lindy 103
Lindy Hop 102 in May and Lindy 103 in June will be structured a little differently. We're only able to do one class each month due to scheduling conflicts at the studio, so we'll be running each of these series for 3 weeks instead of 4 and extending class 20 minutes. This will give you the same 4 hours of instruction for the same price, just in fewer weeks. The drop in rate will temporarily go back up to $10 to accommodate the longer class time. Week 4 each month will be an elective -- Office Hours in May & Blues 101 in June.
This series will pick up where Lindy 102 left off -- delving EVEN deeper into technique, musicality, and partner connection to improve your social dance skills and strengthen your Lindy foundation. Perfect to help you take the next steps in your dancing or for seasoned dancers to come back to to finesse their fundamentals. You'll need to have taken Lindy 102/Level 1 Lindy or have an equivalent level of experience for this class.
Mid-month drop ins and level qualifications will be assessed by the teachers and staff.
$25 for 3 class series (20% discount with valid student or military ID).
$10 drop-in
Remember: No street shoes on the dance floor! Bring a water bottle, as the only water source is the bathroom sink. There's some AC in the room, but it's likely to get warm once you get moving -- bring a change of shirt or towel if you think you'll need it!


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Mickey Mouse… When you see Mickey Mouse you should instantly think of Barri! He is known for wearing his crown (Mickey ears) to most of the events in which he attends!
Always dancing, smiling, and giving people the suspicious stare… Yet, he is one the most open and welcoming people you will meet!


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Last night I had an adventurous session with two brothers, Pat and Ben. We went all over town from the golf course at the CCSC to the railroad tracks and caboose in town, before it got too dark to photograph. I was out of breath by the end! And I learned something new... a friendly police officer (really, he was friendly - promise) explained that it was illegal to be on the railroad tracks. I had no idea...he understood that we weren't being reckless or doing anything mischievous so he was nice about it. Anyway, I think this is the last time I will be photographing near the railroad tracks unless I find some that are no longer in active use. If anyone knows where some are please let me know :).
Anyway, here is a little peek at some of the images captured last night.


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♫Roll out those lazy hazy crazy days of summer♫
♫you'll wish that summer could always be here♫'
Yes, here it is on June 11, barely after a very chilly April and May, we are up to almost 90 today, and it is time for something cold. Well, to me chocolate, and frozen, and fudgie all sounded very very good today. These are every bit as fudgie and rich and wonderful as anything you've ever gotten in the grocery store or anywhere else. They are fantastic! I could have put them in my popsicle molds but that would have made them 4 larger ones, and I made 8 smaller ones instead, cutting the carbs and calories in half. Yes, these are rich, and so no need to have a big one.
Next time I would work on cutting the carbs, but today I just enjoyed it. You can cut the carbs more by not using xylitol. I used it because it makes chocolate taste so wonderful. But you can leave it out altogether for less sweet, or add more of another sweetener in its place. Xylitol does have carbs, but not as much as sugar. I use it sparingly now and then. It will give you 3g less in each one if you cut it out.
I have silicone muffin liners which you can get at Walmart very inexpensive. Or if you have a silicone muffin pan use that. Silicone is just easy to pop them out of.
My hubby enjoyed his tonight. Just enough for an after dinner refreshing dessert.
1/4 cup butter -- (grass-fed if possible)
1 cup chocolate almond milk, unsweetened
2 tablespoons Pyure Sweetener -- OR equivalent of 1/4 cup sugar, powdered
2 tablespoons xylitol sweetener
10 squares Lindt 85% Cocoa Bar -- chopped in small pieces, 1 full bar
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
In sauce pan, add butter and melt. Carefully pour in almond milk and stir together. Add Pyure and xylitol. Bring to boil and add chocolate bar. Stir until chocolate is melted.
Add unflavored gelatin and stir in well, until dissolved. While whisking vigorously slowly add xanthan gum. Add vanilla extract and continue whisking (can use electric mixer but be careful as it is hot!) Whisk until very smooth and creamy.
Let cool until just warm. Line 8 muffin tins with silicone muffin liners. Pour into liners. Place popsicle sticks in center of each and pop in freezer. Freeze several hours or until hard.
"© Ginny's Low Carb Kitchen"
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Per Serving: 142 Calories; 12g Fat (70.9% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber
NOTES : * to reduce it by 3g carbs, replace xylitol with erythritol or add more Pyure.


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I've always had a hard time shaping and filling in my brows because they're very sparse, thin and light. They're more like distant cousins than sisters and it's incredibly difficult to get them to match.
My friend Janny recently opened her brow and beauty boutique and invited me in to get my brows done by her. She helped me shape, wax, tint and even filled them in so they appeared darker and fuller. There was so much that I didn't know until she walked me through the right way of filling them in. I will be back to meet her again soon so I can capture the step-by-step process to share with you. In the meantime, if you're in Toronto, feel free to swing by to get your brows fleeked up by her!
651 Dupont Street, Toronto ON


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I have a confession to make, and it's neither pretty nor complimentary to me. I am out of patience. I confess that on too many mornings I am done with the trying to figure out if my 13 year old is ill, or if he is just 13. I am 'up to here' with trying to be patient with a system that has no way of telling me if any of his doctors have ever spoken to one another about my son's symptoms. I am done with trying to find out if they have even read each other's reports. I am tired of trying to figure out what departments are overdue to be seen and who needs to be prodded and what reports aren't in my binder of medical history.
I am done with tying my brain into knots trying to make connections between activity levels and symptoms, signal vs noise, data vs everyday occurrences in a life that is an ongoing science experiment where the outcome measure of success is less pain and better quality of life.
I am out of patience. I am tired of trying to figure it out. I am done with the mental gymnastics of juggling appointments and interpreting information between health care practitioners and school systems and government bureaus. I need a vacation from this life of constant background calculations of 'if this, then that'.
I am out of patience with myself because there is no other option. I am the one to tie it together, to find the pattern, to find the signal within the noise, to pull the pieces together. I must be the bastion of calm, the repository of memory, of information, of puzzling the pieces together. That is my role. And I can not afford to lose patience.


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Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders return to Major League Soccer play after two-week break
While the Seattle Sounders have been off for the past couple of weeks, other Major League Soccer teams have been active and rushing toward them.
Sporting Kansas City has pulled even in a Supporters' Shield race the Sounders once led by 10 points, while Real Salt Lake has moved to within six points in the Western Conference.
None of this is because the Sounders have cooled. It's just that they haven't played a league game since July 13, when they beat the Portland Timbers, 2-0. Therefore, their point total has remained a stationary target.
"We're seeing everybody else collect points and play games," coach Sigi Schmid said. "So we want to get back out there and get some points."
In the two weeks since beating the Timbers, Seattle's only action has been the July 19 friendly with Tottenham Hotspur.
SKC is even in points but has played three more games. RSL lurks six points behind but has played two more games.
"I look at the points-per-game totals and not really the point totals," Schmid said. "And when you look at the points-per-game totals, and you look at third, fourth, fifth, sixth in the West versus third, fourth, fifth, sixth in the East, there's a pretty substantial difference right now. And it just shows I think the West is very competitive, I think the quality of play in the West is very strong."
Seattle (12-4-2, 38 points) returns to league play at 7 p.m. Monday against one of those teams in the middle of the Western Conference standings: the Los Angeles Galaxy (7-4-6, 27 points), which trails the Vancouver Whitecaps for the fifth and final playoff spot.
Like Seattle, Los Angeles has been a hot team, though its eight-game unbeaten streak ended July 19 at Kansas City. Also like the Sounders, the Galaxy's point total can be misleading because of playing relatively few matches — in L.A.'s case, a league-low 17.
"Their team has a lot of quality on it," Seattle goals leader Clint Dempsey said. " … They're a team that has won some MLS Cups, and anytime you play against them, it's always an opportunity to test yourself against some of the best players in MLS. But also it's an opportunity for us to continue trying to get as many points as possible and finish this season as high as possible in the table."
The Sounders still top the table with an average of 2.11 points per game. Second-place SKC averages 1.81. The Galaxy is fifth with an average of 1.59, and that number has climbed as its roster has stabilized.
"They were missing people at various times," Schmid said. "They were missing Omar (Gonzalez) for a period of time. Landon (Donovan) had some injuries this year and missed a little bit of time as well. They've brought in some new guys. … That's why maybe people don't look at them the same way. But I look at them the same way because (coach Bruce Arena) is always going to have a team that's competitive and is going to find a way to get results."
Schmid (199 victories) and Arena (166) are the top two coaches in MLS wins. Schmid will reach a nice round milestone with his next victory.
"That's not something that I consciously think about," he said. "It's just a reflection that I've been blessed by having a lot of good players play for me, and good players make it easier to be successful as a coach. I've been really pleased with the guys who have played for me and the associations I've been able to form with those guys over that period of time. And when you win more than you lose, it always makes those bonds a little more special."


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Delaware Valley Grantmakers membership is open to local grantmakers. Common Grant Application and Report forms for local area are available.
The Foundation Center is the premier resource for foundation research.
Nonprofit Center at LaSalle University offers ongoing workshops and training sessions for staff members, board members, consultants, and nonprofit volunteers.
See GEOGRAPHIC INDEX in:
See GRANTMAKER STATE INDEX or GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS INDEX in:
See STATE LISTING in:
See SUBJECT INDEX, TYPES OF SUPPORT INDEX, RECIPIENT INDEX* OR FIELD OF INTEREST INDEX+ in:
See FOUNDATION TRUSTEE, OFFICER AND DONOR INDEX in:
If you are the new kid on the block, you can gather background information and statistics about the needs of constituents, then highlight your specific plans for addressing those problems.
Various Free Library Reference Collections can assist you in obtaining statistics and background data on specific neighborhoods and social groups.
Make an announcement or hold a special event to let your corporate neighbors know that you've arrived. Look for potential partners and be prepared to show them the marketing benefits of teaming up with your organization.


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Devils winger Patrick Elias will miss the start of the regular season and is likely to be out 3-6 weeks following groin surgery on Tuesday
Also, its been interesting to see veteran winger Brendan Shanahan playing on a line with Travis Zajac and Zach Parise. Does Shanny have one more fantasy-worthy season left in store?
Be sure to check back with DailyFaceoff.com throughout the NHL season as we will have up to date and accurate lineups for all 30 NHL teams including powerplay units. We will also let you know who's starting in net for both teams in every game this regular season in our Between the Posts section.
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Latest posts by Kevin Dupuis (see all)
- Schneider To Start Game Three - April 15, 2012
- VOTE: Fantasy 3 Stars of the Night Feb. 25 - February 26, 2011
- VOTE: Fantasy 3 Stars of the Night Feb. 23 - February 24, 2011


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Don't let the nature of corporate culture starve your greatest ideas.
Thinking like a startup isn't a matter of reinventing the wheel. It's about making you ready to pivot in response to any changes in your industry.
We stand by the Lean Startup philosophy; fail fast, learn and iterate.
We work with organizations
that are struggling to push their teams towards new approaches to revamp their products, services, programs or internal processes. We are the extension of your team to help guide you through the innovation process.
How we do it
Over the years, we have built and delivered a number of accelerator programs for entrepreneurs and corporates.
We have led them through design sprints to speed up their development processes for new products and services.
We have a number of resources in our toolkit to help fit the needs of our clients.
With our global experiences, we facilitate strategic sessions using proprietary frameworks, lean startup methodologies and innovation games. We equip businesses with a robust set of tools that provide the input to make necessary adjustments. To name a few:
Is your organization or industry under threat of disruption?
Sensing the need for change is the easy part. Most organizations struggle to escape their own habits and patterns. We're there to break you out of it!
We develop and facilitate programs for you to discover the entrepreneurial spirit at the heart of your organization, crafting an environment to encourage people to think outside the box. Our tailor-made programs are designed to recognize your strengths and gaps as an organization. We customize our approach to fit your needs and optimize the process of your business.


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#onegirlband t-shirt launched
It's nearly been a year since our first #onegirlband meet up with a gaggle of women who were serious about their businesses, less serious about networking the usual way. We've had over 10 all around the country since then, and I'm proud of where OGB is now. I've been wanting to launch a merchandise side for a while, and since discovering Mercht and their easy way of printing, I figured a T-shirt was in order! If you know me, you know I'm obsessed with slogan tees, so here is a little twist on them.
Perfect for one girl bands who want to wear it with pride!
We're not far off getting them printed, and you only have less than 2 weeks to order, so make sure you grab one soon.
Here is the link to the t-shirt campaign. , and do keep an eye out for a potential 1-year-anniversary summer bash to celebrate one another's successes.


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Our Approach
At Beacon Construction, we love the land, water, wind and sky of the North Hastings and greater area. And nothing makes us happier than being able to bring people home to this stunning and natural landscape. That's why we do more to make your precious part of North Hastings everything it can and should be.
Since 1994, Beacon Construction has been earning the reputation as a contractor you can trust. Our uncompromising standards and attention to detail have garnered us the standing as an all service contractor, that provides peace of mind, and a client left satisfied. With a large staff on hand, we offer the ultimate turnkey service, from designing and engineering your home, to interacting with municipalities and obtaining all permits, in order to fulfill every aspect of your project. The clients who come to Beacon Construction are seeking absolute quality, unquestionable design and craftsmanship, and a stress-free project.
Beacon Construction prides itself in finishing a project tailored to your wants and needs. Listening is one of our greatest skills. We are always focused to ensure that your vision becomes your reality.
We have a full team of carpenters, masons, and craftsman, as well as licensed sub-trades; including arborists, landscape designers and installers, plumbers, electricians, heating contractors, kitchen planners and others. Their objective is to see your vision become reality, from the solid foundations to the small finishing touches.
We Know the Territory
Today, municipalities often require professional engineers to apply their seal to drawings for building permit purposes. Beacon Construction has the professional expertise to complete this and many other essential responsibilities, including:
• Complete Project Management
• Budget updates and Construction schedules
• Septic system design, application
• Structural engineering
• Mechanical engineering, including complete HVAC application
We embrace the challenges you give us, and work with passion to exceed your expectations. If there is a cottage, boathouse or lakefront residence in your future, we would be privileged to discuss your plans. Please feel free to call our office and speak directly with me, Jeremy White.
I look forward to hearing from you soon and to helping you make your home, or home away from home, everything you have dreamed of.
Making your Vision become Reality
Jeremy White, President
Beacon Construction Ltd.
Tel.: (613) 332-0817
Fax: (613) 332-0352


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Demonic Resurrection Announces Line-Up Change And Releases Video for "Vamana -The Dwarf"
Demonic Resurrection has announced a line-up change which sees the departure of their lead guitarist Nishith Hegde, who has been promptly replaced by Vignesh V.
Nishith had this to say about it, "No matter how much we want things to be the same, life is all about change. Sometimes it's for the better and sometimes it's not. I have had a glorious 5 years with Demonic Resurrection and it will always remain very close to me, the journey I was a part of. But priorities change and you have to do what you have to do. I wish my friends in DR all the very best for all their future endeavours and hope they reach greater heights. As for me, my journey with them ends here!"
Sahil comments, "It's been a pleasure having Nishith be a part of this band and we're definitely going to miss having him around. His contribution has been invaluable and you can hear his musical genius on the recordings of Dashavatar. They are part of the history of DR now.
Line-up changes seem to be the only constant in DR but it's something I've come to terms with, it's always hard but everyone has to follow their own path and DR is a stepping stone in that journey. We will carry on as always and for now Vignesh V. (Albatross) is going to be filling in as lead guitarist on all upcoming India tours. We are looking and auditioning lead guitar players but we still haven't found a full time replacement for Ashwin (who quit last year) so technically we're still looking for a full time bass player as well. Vignesh has filled in for Nishith last year for a couple of shows so we're quite comfortable with this line-up for now. Onward and upward."
Demonic Resurrection have released another official video of a song from their last album "Dashavatar" via the band's official channel which you can find HERE.


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Dates and Times:
Thursday, March 21st, 2019 from Noon to 8 P.M.
Friday, March 22nd, 2019 from 9 A.M. to 8 P.M.
Saturday, March 23rd, 2019 from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M.
Admission Cost:
$4 admission for adults and teens on Thursday. $8 admission for aduts and teens on Friday and Saturday - kids, 12 and under, are FREE everyday
Bangor Boat Show at the Cross Insurance Center!
Boats, boats and more boats! Bangor Boat Show wraps up Maine's boat show season and is the last chance to snag great boat show pricing! Come to the Cross Insurance Center for your final chance to get a new pontoon, bow rider, center console, fishing boat, cuddy cabin, wakeboard boat, or cruiser while boat show deals are still available.
If you love boats, boating or just being near the water don't miss this show. You'll find everything from boats, accessories, docking & more! Parking is FREE, the event is FAMILY FRIENDLY and the deals are RED HOT!


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On January 2, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced a new rule which was welcomed by immigrant communities and their advocates. Some unauthorized immigrants who are in the process of obtaining visas for permanent residency can now expect shorter separation from American family members. It is estimated that this latest immigration initiative from the Obama administration could impact as many as 1 million immigrants without proper papers.
Secretary Napolitano said in a statement that this "facilitates the legal immigration process and reduces the amount of time that U.S. citizens are separated from their immediate relatives who are in the process of obtaining an immigrant visa."
Under current law, undocumented spouses, children, and parents of American citizens applying for permanent residency must leave the U.S. to attend an interview for an immigrant visa in their native country. If they have been in the U.S. illegally for more than six months, they are barred from re-entry anywhere from three to ten years which could cause economic, emotional, and psychological distress and strain familial bonds. In order to return, these relatives have to obtain a waiver which they can only apply for after passing an interview. American citizens can thus be separated for many years from immediate family and some immigrants have chosen to remain in the U.S. unlawfully rather than risk a prolonged period apart from loved ones.
The new process, which begins March 4, will allow immigrants who can prove that isolation from their American spouse, child or parent would cause "extreme hardship" to start the application while in the U.S. If approved, applicants will still need to return to their country of origin to pick up their visa but separation is promised to be brief, a matter of weeks not years. The rule does not provide legal status or a shortcut to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants.
Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director, said, "The law is designed to avoid extreme hardship to U.S. citizens, which is precisely what this rule achieves. The change will have a significant impact on American families by greatly reducing the time family members are separated from those they rely upon."
Laura Lichter, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, told The New York Times, "This rule is leaps and bounds better than what we have now. For families that were sitting on the fence, unwilling to subject their loved ones to the uncertainty, now they don't have to wait."
This is another "gift" from the Obama administration which, like the reprieve granted to DREAMers last August, will benefit many immigrants who call America home. This nonetheless does not fix our dilapidated immigration system or solve the matter of 11 million people living in the shadows. And with all the attention given to gun control and the looming deadline to deal with our debt ceiling and federal budget, I can't help but wonder if this is but another palliative to keep immigrant communities and reform advocates at bay until the president gets to immigration reform.


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Blue Chip Zeke Clark to Join Fighting Illini in 2016
I spoke with Zeke Clark about his decision to commit to the University of Illinois earlier this month at the ITF Pan American Closed in his hometown of Tulsa. Clark, who reached the semifinals at the Grade B1 tournament, is "the biggest fighter probably in junior tennis right now" according to Pan Am finalist JJ Wolf, so he a great many admirers among college coaches and therefore many options. In this announcement at the Tennis Recruiting Network, Clark relates why Illinois was perfect for him.


text: Link Building is the most indispensable SEO skill, it is a pinnacle of several different skills; if you want to engage more people and also want consistent links on your site then, you need to be master on content creation, sales, programming, psychology and marketing. Though link engines cannot only scrutinize the popularity of websites, pages based on the number and popularity of pages linking to them, but also metrics like trust, spam and authority. For SEO, link building is among one of the top task required for search ranking and traffic success. (more…)


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Is chronic disease inevitable?
1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 8 with breast cancer. Second only to only lung cancer in death rates for cancer, breast cancer is a lifestyle disease. Only about 10 percent of breast cancers have genetic markers (BRCA gene mutations), and even these cancers are largely preventable with diet and lifestyle changes.
Heart disease—including heart attack, arrhythmia, stroke, and heart failure—is the leading cause of death for women. 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with heart disease during their lifetime, and two-thirds of these had no symptoms. Autoimmune disease, typically only diagnosed in the later stages of disease when the body starts breaking down, is one of the top 10 leading causes of death for women under 64. Common autoimmune diseases, which are much more prevalent in women than in men, include Hashimoto's thyroiditis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, alopecia, and Graves' disease, among many others.
One or more of these risk factors form the root of all chronic diseases:
→ Nutrient deficiencies
→ Chronic stress
→ Sleep deprivation
→ Inflammation
→ Toxicity
→ Bacterial overgrowth
→ Hormone imbalance
I can help you identify and reduce your risk factors.
My goal is to build a bridge between your current health and the future you see for yourself. Perhaps you've tried diets and cleanses before with little success. Together we will discover from a functional nutrition perspective what's going on in your body to drive your particular symptoms and conditions. Then we will form a step-wise nutrition and lifestyle plan to bring your body back into balance.


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There's so much to know about building your own home …
With Dunst Bros. help and the following selection of websites you're on the right path.
What a place to live!
The Tamworth region, New South Wales, is home to a wealth of interesting things, people and places.
Tamworth Region Website
Tamworth Visitor Information
The Northern Daily Leader Newspaper
Tamworth and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry


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With the wealth of information available online, this makes it easier for Cyberstalkers to gain access to their victims. Read on to learn about ways to keep your personal information hidden from unwanted eyes.
It's a rather long and complicated process with many individuals involved. Here we explain just how cybercriminals get caught.
Thanksgiving not only marks the start of the fantastic holiday season—it's also a time to reflect on what you're thankful for. One of the many things to be thankful for this holiday is cybersecurity, which has gotten more and more advanced as of late.
Our favorite holiday IT elf is back with some more holiday shopping tips! This week he reviews "paper or plastic," and we're not talking about grocery bags.
As winter drags on, almost everyone starts to look forward to spring — but perhaps no group looks forward to March quite as much as true-blue baseball fans. After all, its arrival means Cactus League and Grapefruit League spring training baseball camps open in Arizona and Florida. If you decide to go big, just remember to watch for scams when buying merchandise or tickets online — or you might find yourself striking out on Internet security.
Every spring the NCAA college basketball tournament — known as March Madness — turns workplaces into play spaces. Betting on brackets and watching games seem more suited to sports bars, but since many of the games are played during the workday, it's not unusual for otherwise dedicated employees to schedule in some pleasure along with business. However, March Madness can cost workers and small business owners much more than productivity as cybercriminals target unsuspecting fans with malware.
"We're counting down days until Christmas is here,
And gifting you cool security tips to be of good cheer,
And make sure this season is the best of your year."
Join us every day for a new Norton tip to keep your holidays merry and bright. A secure holiday is a happy holiday with Norton.
Encryption is the process of protecting personal data, often with a form of "secret code," so that it cannot be read by anyone who doesn't have the code key. Today, huge amounts of personal information are managed online, via computer applications, and stored in the cloud, or servers with an ongoing connection to the Web.
If you are experiencing an issue that needs urgent assistance please visit our customer support area:
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Soho, London
Unique BBQ and open fire pit restaurant concept with a focus on New World wine and innovative cocktail creations with an open kitchen counter dining where food is prepared and cooked in front of you.
At RT Joinery we believe in taking our client's vision and transforming it into a high-quality bespoke joinery solution - thriving in going beyond expectations and always making sure our service is delivered on time.
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