text:
Latest News
"When Mike Pompeo took over as secretary of state in April, U.S. diplomats viewed him as a liberator rescuing them from the irrelevance they felt under his predecessor, Rex Tillerson.
Nearly two months later, some are having second thoughts.
Many State employees feel hoodwinked by Pompeo's claim that he lifted a departmental hiring freeze. Staffers are alarmed about reports that a political appointee is vetting career staffers for loyalty to President Donald Trump. And many fear that Pompeo won't be able to fill vacant leadership slots quickly enough, or with the right people."
"Mari Stull, a former food and beverage lobbyist-turned-wine blogger under the name 'Vino Vixen,' has reviewed the social media pages of State Department staffers for signs of ideological deviation. She has researched the names of government officials to determine whether they signed off on Obama-era policies — though signing off does not mean officials personally endorsed them but merely cleared them through the bureaucratic chain. And she has inquired about Americans employed by international agencies, including the World Health Organization and the United Nations, asking their colleagues when they were hired and by whom, according the officials."
"There is nothing new about ambassadors making unfortunate remarks. But the growing list of top envoys who have provoked controversy even in posts of close allies, where diplomatic duties largely include party-giving and anodyne cheerleading, has been unusual — and, for the Trump administration, potentially perilous."
"John Feeley, the Ambassador to Panama and a former Marine helicopter pilot, is not averse to strong language, but he was nevertheless startled by his first encounter with President Donald Trump. Summoned to deliver a briefing in June, 2017, he was outside the Oval Office when he overheard Trump concluding a heated conversation, 'Fuck him! Tell him to sue the government.' Feeley was escorted in, and saw that Mike Pence, John Kelly, and several other officials were in the room. As he took a seat, Trump asked, 'So tell me—what do we get from Panama? What's in it for us?' Feeley presented a litany of benefits: help with counter-narcotics work and migration control, commercial efforts linked to the Panama Canal, a close relationship with the current President, Juan Carlos Varela. When he finished, Trump chuckled and said, 'Who knew?' He then turned the conversation to the Trump International Hotel and Tower, in Panama City. 'How about the hotel?' he said. 'We still have the tallest building on the skyline down there?'"
"Whether we like it or not, we live in an increasingly interdependent world. Isolationism and wishful thinking did not work in the 1930s—and will not be any more successful in confronting the even more complex global challenges that we face today. If the United States is serious about safeguarding and promoting U.S. national interests, then it is imperative that the country assumes a leadership role within the international community."
"Most ambassadors may not be household names, but they are crucial to diplomacy, serving as the go-betweens for foreign governments and the U.S. government. Typically, about a third are political appointees. The rest are career diplomats. Their impact varies: Some come and go without making a splash. A few have caused headaches for Washington with culturally insensitive gaffes and missteps. Others are diplomatic rock stars, boosting U.S. influence and prestige abroad, and serving as consiglieres to the president. Foreign leaders take notice when the top U.S. post in their countries sits empty for too long. Here are some of the most conspicuous absences."
"Over 200 former ambassadors and veteran diplomats have signed a letter urging the Senate Foreign Relations committee to grill Mike Pompeo, who is President Trump's nominee to become the next Secretary of State.
The letter, sent to Republican committee chairman Sen. Bob Corker and ranking Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, raises concerns that American diplomacy has been crippled and calls on the committee to question Pompeo on how he plans to fix it. The committee will conduct Pompeo's hearing to become the next Secretary of State sometime next month."
"'Our great country faces challenges both today and in the future which require that we have a diplomatic force ready to keep America safe in partnership with the brave men and women of our armed forces,' the authors wrote.
Among the letter's signatories are senior diplomats who've served under Republican and Democratic presidents in posts around the world. The majority were career officials, and all served as either ambassadors, assistant secretaries of state, or under secretaries of state. One of the authors, Amb. Bill Burns, attained the rank of deputy secretary of state during the Obama administration."
"'He'll work to put loyalists in key vantage points and marginalize those he distrusts,' Matthew Waxman, a former colleague of Bolton's in the George W. Bush administration, wrote in a recent Lawfare column.
When it comes to installing allies, Tillerson has left Pompeo and Bolton with ample opportunities, given his failure to put his own political appointees in place. Eight of the top 10 State Department jobs are vacant, and some of the people Tillerson managed to get nominated, such as Susan Thornton and Eric Ueland, could have their nominations pulled."
"With his voicing cracking at a hastily arranged news conference, Tillerson praised his colleagues and urged senior staff to stay on through the transition. While he said he'd remain in his job through March 31, he said he was handing over all responsibilities to his deputy, John Sullivan.
Sullivan won't have a lot of company in the job. Eight of 10 top jobs at the State Department are now vacant, either because staff have left, been fired or the posts were never filled. Those vacant assignments include positions overseeing the agency's role in U.S. trade policy, stopping the spread of nuclear weapons, refugee issues and efforts to counter human trafficking."
"President Trump on Tuesday ousted his secretary of state, Rex W. Tillerson, extending a shake-up of his administration, 14 months into his tumultuous presidency, and potentially transforming the nation's economic and foreign policy.
Mr. Trump announced he would replace Mr. Tillerson with Mike Pompeo, the C.I.A. director and former Tea Party congressman, who forged a close relationship with the president and is viewed as being more in sync with Mr. Trump's America First credo."
"The funding shortfall for the State Department and USAID affects operations for the current fiscal year, and for 2019. The sweeping budget deal hammered out last week among congressional leaders and the White House averted a prolonged government shutdown by setting spending levels for fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019. But while the deal boosted funding for the U.S. military, it reduced nondefense funding in the Overseas Contingency Operations budget, which has previously provided one-third of the budget for the State Department and USAID."
"It is hard to be optimistic about the current state of U.S. foreign policy. The United States is still trying to manage an impossible array of international problems, still engaged in several endless wars, largely bereft of a clear and compelling strategy, and under the leadership of the least competent president in modern memory. Yet the present crisis of American diplomacy is also an opportunity to design a new set of diplomatic institutions, build a broader consensus on the value of diplomacy itself, and eventually forge a new approach toward dealing with other nations. For those of us who recognize the value of skilled diplomacy, there's nowhere to go but up.
"The freeze prevented embassies from filling vacant positions as diplomats and their family members rotated to new posts, creating a cascading backlog of unfinished work at embassies while a growing pool of family members waited to be hired without any clear direction from Washington. As a result, morale deteriorated among a workforce that already perceived a marginalized role for diplomacy in the Trump administration.
'Routine bureaucratic processes just got entirely sucked up,' said one U.S. diplomat of ambassador rank, speaking on condition of anonymity. The diplomat said it caused a knock-on effect of 'mayhem' all over the world."
"The State Department's civilian workforce shrank more than 6 percent overall during the initial eight months of the Trump administration, but that figure masks significantly higher departure rates in critical areas of the country's diplomatic apparatus.
In December 2016, the department employed 2,580 people under the foreign affairs occupation series, according to data from the Office of Personnel Management. By September 2017, the most recent data available, that number fell to 2,273, a decrease of roughly 11.9 percent."
"In the closing paragraph of her letter, Shackelford called on Tillerson 'to stem the bleeding by showing leadership and a commitment to our people, our mission, and our mandate as the foreign policy arm of the United States.'
'If you are unable to do so effectively within this Administration, I would humbly recommend you follow me out the door.'"
"Whenever my students ask me whether they should serve in government under this administration, I remind them that the reason we love America so much is that, here, the government is not one man or woman. The government is us, and public service is both a great privilege and a shared responsibility. This is our republic. We must do all we can to keep it strong."
"Mr. Tillerson's obsession with downsizing our diplomacy has colored his time at the State Department. Instead of defending the department against the White House's proposed 30 percent budget cut, he embraced it. Fortunately, Congress stopped — for now — the gutting of our diplomatic, democracy and development programs. Mr. Tillerson imposed a hiring freeze, canceled programs to diversify the department's personnel, left empty dozens of the most senior positions requiring Senate confirmation and encouraged officers to leave by dangling $25,000 buyouts."
"We are ringing the village bell in alarm because Mr. Trump's neglect of the State Department will harm our country at an already dangerous time. The Foreign Service is a jewel of the American national security establishment, with the deepest and most effective diplomatic corps in the world. All that is now at risk."
"The departure is a blow for Tillerson, who had brought in Beams to oversee the signature initiative of his term so far -- a restructuring intended to eliminate inefficiencies and overlap at the department. The plan has run up against resistance within the department and in Congress, where critics say it has contributed to key positions going unfilled and plummeting morale."


text:
Hagel Asks China's Xi Jinping to Do More to Contain North Korea
Amicable Talks Follow Blunt U.S. Exchanges With Beijing's Military Leaders During Three-Day Trip
BEIJING—U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel wrapped up a three-day visit to China on Wednesday by urging President Xi Jinping to play a larger role in containing the dangers posed in the region by North Korea.
The amicable meeting with Mr. Xi came in contrast to a series of pointed discussions the day before with top Chinese military officials, who criticized U.S. policy in the Asia-Pacific.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Fourth District Employment Conditions, December
The district's unemployment rate jumped 0.5 percent to 5.7 percent for the month of December. The increase in the unemployment rate can be attributed to an increase in the number of people unemployed (10.4 percent), as well as a decrease in the number of people employed (-0.6 percent) with no change to the labor force. December's sharp rise in the district's unemployment rate cancels out the large drop in the rate seen in November. We discussed the recent fluctuations in regional unemployment statistics last month in The Ups and Downs in Regional Employment Statistics.
Compared to the national unemployment rate, the district's rate stood 0.7 percent higher in December and has been consistently higher since early 2004. From the same time last year, the Fourth District's unemployment rate increased 0.3 percentage point, whereas the national unemployment rate increased 0.5 percentage point.
County-level unemployment rates differ significantly across the district. Of the 169 counties in the Fourth District, 25 had an unemployment rate below the national average in November and 144 had a higher rate. Rural Appalachian counties continue to experience high levels of unemployment. Conversely, Fourth District Pennsylvania has 8 counties with unemployment rates below the national rate. Unemployment rates for the District's major metropolitan areas ranged from a low of 4.2 percent in Lexington to a high of 6.6 percent in Toledo.
Lexington and Akron are the only large metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) to have comparable nonfarm employment growth with the nation over the past 12 months (0.7 percent, 0.7 percent, and 0.9 percent, respectively). By contrast, Dayton and Toledo were the only large MSAs to see declines in nonfarm employment. Employment in goods-producing industries increased in Akron (0.6 percent), while all other Fourth District metropolitan areas all lost goods-producing jobs. Nationally, goods-producing employment declined by 2.0 percent.
Employment in service-providing industries saw its largest gains in Lexington (1.2 percent) and Columbus (0.9 percent). On the national level, employment in service-providing industries increased 1.4 percent. Nationally, employment in trade, transportation and utilities services increased 0.9 percent since last December; however, no large metro area in the Fourth District experienced change in employment in these industries. Professional and business services employment grew faster than the nation's 2.0 percent in Columbus (2.8 percent) and Akron (2.2 percent). Compared to the nation's 2.8 percent increase in education and health services employment over the past 12 months, Lexington's 5.8 percent growth in these industries is noteworthy.


text:
Robert J. Kleberg, Jr., and Helen C. Kleberg's early lives were radically different, but their lifelong devotion and enduring love had a lasting impact on both King Ranch and the world beyond. They complimented each other in many ways. Their intellectual curiosity, despite living on a remote ranch in South Texas, was a driving force in their lives. Both were avid readers and strived for excellence in all their endeavors.
Helen Mary Campbell was one of four children. Her father was a congressman from Kansas, and her mother well educated. Raised in Washington, D.C., she graduated from the National Cathedral School and served as president of the Junior League. Helen was intelligent, independent, and detail oriented. She had a passion for horses and loved the outdoors.
Bob Kleberg spent his early years between the remote prairies on King Ranch in South Texas and Corpus Christi, where he attended school. On the ranch he learned at an early age to ride, cut cattle, rope, and shoot. After graduating from Corpus Christi High School he attended the University of Wisconsin where he studied agriculture and animal husbandry. He loved land and livestock and excelled in his studies. But his education was cut short when his father suffered a debilitating stroke and needed him at home to help manage the day-to-day affairs of the ranch. Two years later his father passed away. Bob was named President and CEO of King Ranch, a position he held over 50 years until his death in 1974.
Bob's family had a long, rich history in South Texas. His grandfather was Captain Richard King, founder of King Ranch, and his grandmother was Henrietta Chamberlain, a Presbyterian minister's daughter. Richard King was born in New York in 1824 to Irish immigrants and, by age nine, was apprenticed to a jeweler in New York City. He soon tired of the tedium of work in the jeweler's shop and stowed away on a ship bound for Mobile, Alabama. He spent the next ten years working on steamships on the rivers and coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The steam boaters were his parents and the frontier his schoolroom.
In 1846, King received a letter from his friend Miflin Kenedy, whom he had met in Florida while serving in the army during the Seminole War. He told King the Mexican war had created a boom for steamboaters on the Rio Grande where Zachary Taylor's army was transporting men and supplies. Men capable of piloting shallow craft vessels on a river filled with snags and mud bars were critical for Taylor's campaign. King, who had no money, no family, and no roots, was eager to join his friend in Texas. Shortly after his arrival, King was assigned to Kenedy's steamship, the Corvette. The two riverboat pilots forged an enduring friendship. After the war, they founded a successful shipping company, M.Kenedy and Company, and later partnered on buying land.
Captain King's initial land purchase, for what was to later become King Ranch, transpired in 1853 when he bought a 15,000 acre tract of land known as the Rincon de Santa Gertrudis. The land was purchased for $300. The following year another 53,000 acres was added. King was a steamboat captain, not a cattleman, but he hired men who had expertise, including vaqueros from Mexico who had worked cattle and horses all their lives. He was not interested in replicating a Southern cattle farm where cattle were raised as a sideline; his vision was to raise beef cattle on a large scale.
The Civil War not only made King a wealthy man from trading cotton and supplies with the confederacy, but it opened up the great Northern markets for beef. After the war, unattended cattle that roamed freely on the prairie could be bought for $5 a head and sold for $40 a head in the Northern markets. King was highly adept at organizing long drives to the railheads of Kansas where the cattle were loaded on trains and sent to the Northern markets. The revenue from the sale of beef cattle allowed King to continue land acquisitions.
By the time of Captain King's passing in 1885, he had amassed over 600,000 acres. The entirety of his estate was left to his widow, Henrietta, who charged her future son in-law, the young lawyer Robert Justus Kleberg, to run the ranch. Robert had prevailed as opposing counsel in one of Captain King's numerous lawsuits. King was so impressed by the young lawyer that he immediately hired him take over the voluminous and complex legal affairs of the ranch. Shortly after Captain King's death, Robert Kleberg and Alice Gertrudis King were married.
Robert Kleberg was innovative and industrious and his contributions to the ranch were numerous. After many failures, he was responsible for drilling the first artesian well in South Texas. Not only did water open up the possibility of a railroad through South Texas, but it also enabled the ranch to fence pastures, allowing improved beef cattle production through herd management. With the availability of water, he experimented with planting fruits and vegetables of all kinds. These early experiments helped found the South Texas citrus industry. He was a strong advocate for the deep port in city of Corpus Christi, and negotiated the first oil lease for Mrs. King. Though initially unproductive, this represented the first step in what would later become a major revenue source for the ranch.
When Robert J. Kleberg, Jr., succeeded his father in running the ranch he brought with him a strong work ethic and deep understanding of the land and livestock. Like his father, he was constantly looking for ways to improve the ranch. Bob created a global multi-million acre ranching empire. His vision was to produce beef protein for the world. He understood the importance of protein in human development and bringing food production to disadvantaged regions of the world.
Bob and Helen's legacy of philanthropy grew from a shared passion for cultural, civic, and environmental issues, which continues today through the establishment of their family foundation in 1950, the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation. The Foundation strives to continue their legacy by supporting and improving quality of life in South Texas communities, investing in scientific research and innovation, the arts and humanities, and wildlife and habitat stewardship.
Lea, Tom, The King Ranch vol.1 and 2, Little, Brown and Company, 1957
Broyles, William, "The Last Empire", Texas Monthly, Oct. 1980
Photographs King Ranch, Inc., Kingsville, Texas


text:
Roasters Guild Trierside Chats
Roasters Guild Trierside Chats are an excellent platform for our community and members to come together and discuss the latest in the specialty coffee roasting world. This page makes it easy for you to watch any Trierside Chat you'd like, all in one place!
U.s. Roaster Championship & Qualifying Event
December 14, 2016
September 28, 2016
Regional Roasting Groups
June 29, 2016
Roasters Guild Trierside Chat explores regional roasting groups: the good, the bad, the ugly, and how to form one.
What's the RG up to?
March 30, 2016
What's the RG up to? Find out in today's "Trierside Chat" led by the Roasters Guild Executive Council!


text:
Gas Furnace Heat Exchanger Failure - Richard, a technician just departed my house after looking at my gas furnace. My mom thought she smelled something so we called the furnace company we usually call when we need furnace maintenance to check it out. He told us our heat exchanger in our furnace failed. I asked him how much it would cost to fix and he told me his service manager would call me with a price. I just got off the phone with the service manager and he said the furnace is still under warranty but we would have to pay for labor.
Gas Furnace Heat Exchanger Failure
The new heat exchanger is covered under the warranty. He said the labor cost would be $850.00 to replace the heat exchanger. The furnace is over 7 years old and the heat exchanger has failed? Isn't this a major component of the furnace and if it failed in 7 years won't the new replacement heat exchanger have this issue in another 7 years? What is supposed to be the lifespan of a furnace? If so isn't it a better decision to just replace the furnace altogether? And why would I want to buy this brand again if it failed so soon? We are cold right now but going to get some portable electric heaters. We need to make a decision soon. Thank you and I look forward to your answers. Jenna
Jenna, I am happy to help you. You've given me a lot of questions so let get on my soapbox and answer them for and add a few things. Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer. You can't see it or smell it and it kills people every year. It is always my recommendation that anyone with a fireplace, gas or oil furnace, or any type of appliance that burns fossil fuels that you must have a carbon monoxide detector installed in your home. Your mother is not a good carbon monoxide detector although she did well in this circumstance.
Gas Furnace Heat Exchanger Failure | Exchanger Longevity
A gas furnace heat exchanger should last for the life of the gas furnace. Many manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty on heat exchangers or even 20 years on the heat exchanger warranty. The average life any given furnace is 15 to 20 years and then it needs to be replaced. There are a few reasons to replace a gas furnace before this time. First of all HVAC furnace manufacturers are constantly improving the efficiency of the gas furnaces. This is not only because of government regulations but also because gas gets more expensive over time. People can't afford the old "gas hogs" of the past.
It's a judgment call on your part for replacing the furnace or just replacing the heat exchanger. If you are planning on staying in the house for a long time I would replace the furnace. If you are only going to be there for a few years then I would replace the heat exchanger. That would be how I would arrive at a decision and of course, it would depend on the budget. A new furnace will cost much more than just having the heat exchanger replaced. As far as the brand is concerned check out our HVAC reviews website and pick out a good brand from our consumer furnace reviews.
Gas Furnace Heat Exchanger Failure | Conclusion
When the heat exchanger is installed or you get the new furnace make sure the HVAC technician properly checks all the gas furnace components. Additionally, that he ensures the pressures of the manifold are correct. I have seen some instances of where the manifold pressure was way off. This can lead to a cracked or failed heat exchanger. It is important these technical issues are checked to prevent future problems with the gas furnace. I've seen some installation technicians install a new system and turn it on. That's it. No tests, nothing. As long as it provides heating and cooling they did their job. It is important to tweak settings to make sure everything is within range. All these little things make a big difference in operating costs and longevity of the HVAC equipment.
Gas Furnace Heat Exchanger Failure
Resource, Learn More HVAC and About the Author
To learn more about heating systems and HVAC use this resource.
See the About the Author page for information about the author of this article.
Air Conditioner Breaker Trips | Air Conditioner Condensation Water Dripping – Condensate Leaks | Air Conditioning Blower Motor Repair | Air Conditioner Troubleshooting | HVAC Refrigerant Leaks | Fixing a Refrigerant Leak | Air Conditioner Compressor Troubleshooting | Variable Speed ECM Condenser Fan Motors | How Expansion Tanks Work | Hot Water Boilers | Boiler Troubleshooting Problems | Boiler Piping Flow & Pipe Sizing | Burnham Boiler Reviews | Lennox Heat Pump Reviews | Troubleshooting Broken Thermostats | Building Automation Systems | Boiler Circulation Problems Troubleshooting | Hot Water Boiler Sequence of Operation | Daikin Air Conditioner Reviews | Heat Pump Thermostat Wiring Chart Diagram |
Share your HVAC Photos or ask a question about your HVAC System by uploading a photo of it.


text:
Modi, Abbott pledge closer defence and trade ties
India and Australia pledged closer defence and security ties Tuesday while stressing the importance of economic cooperation a day after Canberra sealed a huge trade pact with fellow Asian superpower China.india Updated: Nov 25, 2014 13:37 IST
India and Australia pledged closer defence and security ties Tuesday while stressing the importance of economic cooperation a day after Canberra sealed a huge trade pact with fellow Asian superpower China.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was given a rock star welcome by thousands of rapturous supporters in Sydney on Monday, described warmer relations as "natural".
"This is a natural partnership emerging from our shared values and interests and strategic maritime locations," he said in Canberra after inking agreements on drug control, social security, and tourism, as well a new framework on security cooperation.
"Security and defence are important and growing areas of the new India- Australia partnership for advancing regional peace and stability and combating terrorism and transnational crimes," he added ahead of addressing parliament.
His comments came a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping used the same venue to repeatedly pledge that his nation, which is involved in territorial conflicts with a handful of neighbours, would always use peaceful means in pursuit of its goals.
Modi's trip Down Under -- for the G20 summit in Brisbane and a state visit -- is the first by an Indian prime minister in 28 years.
It comes just two months after Abbott's tour of India, during which the two countries sealed a long-awaited nuclear energy deal.
Modi, said injecting new momentum into bilateral trade and business relations was also of key importance, calling Australia "a vital partner".
He called for Indian businesses to have easier access to Australian markets and quicker investment approvals.
"India and Australia have a great economic synergy. There are huge opportunities for a partnership in every area we can think of -- agriculture, resources, energy, finance, infrastructure, education and science and technology," he said.
"The economic climate in India has changed. I believe it will be a lot easier to convert opportunities into concrete outcomes."
Move beyond cricket
On Monday, Australia sealed a landmark trade deal with China that will abolish tariffs in the lucrative resources and most agricultural sectors as Canberra confronts a painful downturn in mining.
Abbott already has his eye on a similar outcome with India, flagging the prospect of a pact by the end of next year.
"By the end of next year we will have a free trade deal with what is potentially the world's largest market," Abbott said, adding that both leaders "will make it happen".
Abbott added that the bilateral relationship was ready to move beyond cricket, a sport in which they have a long-time rivalry.
"We in Australia tend to associate India with cricket and with sport," he said.
"But we can never forget that India is an intellectual powerhouse, a potential economic powerhouse," he said, pointing to trade being "underdeveloped" while urging better intelligence and military cooperation.
"There's an enthusiasm on both our parts for more bilateral and trilateral military exercises and we hope to see much more of that in the years ahead," the Australian leader said.
For his part, Modi said it was important that any economic growth did not impact on the environment or climate.
"(We need) energy that does not cause our glaciers to melt, clean coal and gas, renewable energy, a fuel for nuclear power, cities that are more sustainable and liveable," he said.
"We see Australia as one of our foremost partners in the region," he said.
Modi also referenced cricket to highlight the shared history of the two countries.
"India and Australia can play cricket hard with each other and I suspect we will next month," he said referring to his country playing a Test series in Australia.
Modi later travels to a function at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where India will face Australia in the traditional Boxing Day Test this year.
First Published: Nov 18, 2014 07:28 IST


text:
Trading Update – April 2014
Bonmarché, one of the UK's largest women's value retailers, presents its trading update for the 13 and 52 week periods ended Saturday 29 March 2013.
We are pleased to report continued growth for the quarter. Headline LFL sales increased by 13.5% for the 13 weeks, bringing the figure for the year to 10.4%. Combining online sales growth with the LFL figure raises the quarter's figure to 16.3% and the year's to 13.1%.


text:
Dear Readers,
Most of us follow traditions because they are passed on from one generation to another. One would assume living in the East that all western wedding traditions are the same and people residing in the West most likely think that all Indian wedding almost hold the same traditions. We tend to forget that each part of the world has its unique culture to offer. There are quite a few traditions that are universal and followed in most parts of the world.
Among many, this one is on the top on my list, "It's bad luck for Groom to see the bride before the wedding." In the east, older folks arranged weddings, where bride and groom would only be allowed to see each other after the wedding. It is one of the reasons to wear a veil which is called a Dupatta in the east at the wedding ceremony. The only difference is color and length of the veil. In old times, a Greek bride wore a veil as a protective shield against evil spirits, and in Medieval times, brides wore a veil as a symbol of purity. Every society had their reasons, but on a personal level, it was all about following traditions, economic status, and age of the couple.
In today's age, it is about adding excitement to the series of the process at the wedding. Most never question or understand the history but would follow a tradition because these lovely brides hear the wedding stories of their great grandmother getting married back then and feel connected the culture strongly enough to go with it.
It has become a fashion statement in the modern era and an addon as a formal wedding accessory. When people saw Kate Middleton wearing a veil that was 72" long, many brides loved the idea, and I would say thanks to the Royal Wedding for the comeback of the veil. Many a time, I see brides trying to figure out as how to wear the veil in a proper manner and carry yourself at the wedding in an elegant way.
I always encourage Brides to hire a stylist who could introduce to various style and come up with one that fits your personality and go well with you bridal attire. In the end, its bride's day and she should feel like a queen, adding a touch of her likes and dislikes or creating one that gives her happiness and peace of mind with no confusion of right or wrong.
Do you see wearing a veil on your big day?
Love to hear what you have to say.
navjot kaur
Photo Credit: Swooned magazine, Pinterest


text:
We use cookies to make your experience better. To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent to set the cookies. Learn more.
Sample Packs
- Ultra Deep House Saxophones
Starting at £0.00'Ultra Deep House Saxophones' captures the expressive magic of the deep & catchy saxophone sound so that you can add it to your own musical productions. This pack provides you with a collection of inspiring melodic phrases, allowing you to create authentic lead and melody lines with a real sense of performance.
- Ultra Future Bass Elements
Starting at £0.00'Ultra Future Bass Elements' is a versatile collection of percussion samples for the genre that is taking over the global charts. This set is a comprehensive Future Bass sample pack which brings you over 157 warm and subtle samples characteristic for sounds of Flume, San Holo or Louis The Child. This pack is everything you need to create your next track with real unique vibes!
- Ultra Chillstep Elements
Starting at £0.00'Ultra Chillstep Elements' is a unique custom sample libary. These painstakingly designed percussions and melodic loops will inspire and help your creativity when producing your next Chillstep track. Inside this refreshing pack you will find samples created with maximum precision and made with using extraordianry tools such as household items or even made with mouth or hand claps!
Are you looking for professional vocals?
You can go step further and record your own exclusive vocal with one of our ultra talented vocalists.
Shop By
Now Shopping by
- Sound Type MIDI Remove This Item


text:
UPDATE Sept. 26:
According to a tweet from ESPN reporter Adam Schefter, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva is donating all money from sales of his jersey to military orgnaizations.
"Steelers' Alejandro Villanueva is donating all proceeds on his jersey/apparel sales to USO and other military non-profits, as he always has," Schefter tweeted Tuesday.
Steelers' Alejandro Villanueva is donating all proceeds on his jersey/apparel sales to USO and other military non-profits, as he always has.— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 27, 2017
Original story Sept. 25:
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva made headlines Sunday afternoon when he was the only member of the Pittsburgh Steelers to stand on the field for the national anthem.
Since that moment, the lineman now has the best-selling jersey in the NFL.
Villanueva, a former Army Ranger who earned a Bronze Star and served three tours in Afghanistan, was the only Steelers player who came outside the tunnel during the national anthem Sunday afternoon.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin previously said the team collectively decided not to be on the sideline during the song.
Pictures and video of the 29-year-old West Point graduate standing alone, with his hand on his heart, quickly spread across social media.
According to ESPN, a spokesman for Fanatics confirmed that over the past 24 hours, Villanueva's gear has been ordered more than that of any other NFL player.
Officials with Fanatics, which runs the NFL's official online store, said the gear includes jerseys and name T-shirts.
The offensive lineman beat out four quarterbacks : Tom Brady, Carson Wentz, Dak Prescott and Aaron Rodgers -- for the top spot.
Villanueva jerseys are available in men's and women's sizes.
Jerseys and T-shirts of Alejandro Villanueva are now available in men's & women's cuts.— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 25, 2017
First time I've seen that for an offensive lineman pic.twitter.com/EIfozzLdEE
ESPN's Darren Rovell said this is the first time he can remember seeing an offensive lineman's jersey available in women's sizes.
"I was looking for 100 percent participation. We were (going to) be respectful of our football team," Tomlin said after the game.
Nearly 200 NFL players didn't stand for the national anthem during Week 3. Three teams -- the Steelers, Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks -- didn't come to the sideline until after the playing of the anthem had finished.
© 2019 Cox Media Group.


text:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 23, 2016
CONTACT: email@example.com or (515) 725-3231
Gov. Branstad issues disaster proclamation for 13 counties affected by flooding
DES MOINES – Gov. Terry E. Branstad today formally issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for 13 counties in response to recent flooding. The counties included in this proclamation include: Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Cedar, Chickasaw, Delaware, Floyd, Franklin, Linn and Wright.
The governor's proclamation allows State resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe flooding. The proclamation also activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Program for residents of those 13 counties. Gov. Branstad's proclamation also activates the Iowa National Guard to assist in the response to, the mitigation of, and the recovery from the effects of the disaster as needed.
The Iowa Individual Assistance Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the current federal poverty level, or a maximum annual income of $40,320, for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and for the expense of temporary housing. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.
The State of Iowa has been assisting the impacted communities in their response to the flooding and to help prepare for the anticipated flooding in the days ahead.
The Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has coordinated the delivery of state resources to the impacted communities.
Resources that have been provided include:
- More than 120,000 sandbags (4 dump truck loads of sand)
- Deployed or staged 22 water pumps
- Placed or staged 48 pallets of flood barriers, equal to 4,320 linear feet
- Placed 50 traffic barricades
- Provided assistance to local law enforcement
- Deployed (4) Incident Management Team personnel to assist with response operations in Linn County
- Deployed 400 Flood Clean-up Kits
Over the next few days, the State will be working with local officials in the Cedar River basin to assist with planning and provide them with resources as they prepare for the potential flooding.
Read the text of the proclamation here.
The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management leads, coordinates and supports homeland security and emergency management functions in order to establish sustainable communities and ensure economic opportunities for Iowa and its citizens.


text:
At Kane County Landscape Materials & Supply, Inc. you will find a wide array of landscaping materials, supplies and products including: mulches, construction gravels, landscaping boulders, decorative gravels, flagstone, patio pavers, grass seeds and much more!
Because our inventory is constantly changing, please call ahead to check the availability of specific products.
Please feel free to drop by and check out our large variety of landscaping supplies and materials! Our trained staff can help you select the right landscaping products and materials for your application.
Pick up your own supplies or schedule a delivery!
We have a small fleet of company owned trucks that can hold between 1 ton to 15 tons, or 1 yard to 24 yards of mulch, to accommodate any of your landscape supply delivery needs. If you rather pick up your materials we have loading equipment to help fill up your vehicle!


text:
how do you define your look?
how do you define your look, if you do at all? is it easily definable? or are things a tad more complicated?
perhaps you are the type to have an answer readily available, on the tip of your tongue. you can spit it out rapid fire! you're most definitely "romantic," or "sporty," or "influenced by early 20th century french cinema," or "anime-influenced-raver-girl-circa-1991,"...or whatever! that's awesomely awesome. and a wonderful thing...to be sure of yourself, who you are, and what you love!
for others of us it's more of a challenge to do the defining-thing. it can be a hard task to observe oneself and make hard and fast declarations. maybe you are the type to be more democratic in your likes and obsessions, seeing beauty and feeling a resonance with a diverse amount of styles. you're in love with "bohemian" as much as you are with "modern," for instance. or maybe it's just a big mystery...you seem to love and want to play with everything! and you know what, being unsure or complicated is totally okay, too! i think for a lot of people, personal style can be a serendipitous, ever-changing, hard to nail down process. it's often about where you are at a given time, or what you're into at the moment: in other words, your personal style may morph with you as you move through different roles in your life, as you age, or as you uncover and play with different interests or move into or through different social groups.
as much as i love homespun things that brim with organic and perfectly imperfect, hand-wrought details, i also love sporty things, or modern, sleek, geometric, almost perfect and sculptural silhouettes and pieces. other times i like things that are blatantly glamourous, or super-duper classic and other times, that which is overtly cute or that which is verging on the tacky. sometimes like donning both or several of those categorizations at once. if you're into metaphors, i suppose you could say that i like my adornments the way i like my music (mostly electronic: breaks, turntablism, and hip hop)...loud, occasionally complicated, occasionally funny, real, and in your face! and essentially, if ya break it down to the brass tacks, i just like to mix and mash it up! but there is a method to my madness. it's not at all about clashing for clashing's sake.
i think for me it's all about the juxtapositions of the pieces and parts, like or unlike (usually unlike!): the interplay of color or texture or proportion, first and foremost. or the mix of two or more objects of adornment worn together that one may not think to put together at first glance. i like the idea of challenging people's notions of "right and wrong" when it comes to clothing, and i allow myself to be the embodiment of my philosophy and the vessel of my experiment.
where does this come from? what in my past has influenced my style?
(because personal style has it sources, natch!)
well, my father who grew up in southern connecticut, near yale. he always (and still) looks dapper and preppy, wearing well-made, classic ivy-league threads, and he is unafraid of bright hues. my love for mod and occasionally hand-wrought 60s, 70s and 80s silhouettes comes from mom, to some degree (remembering her clothes from then in my mind's eye), and some from perhaps my maternal grandma and her sister aunt diane, who were the crafty sort, instilling me with a love of the handmade and taste for doing it myself. they inspired and informed my sewing and knitting obsessions and skills. the modernist in me is part of my educational background: i was an art history major, and my favorite movements fell after the mid-1850s, and primarily after the post WWII era: the best of the best modern and post-modernist fare. and the tacky-love? well, that's just fun and just pure me, born most likely out of a love of thrifting that started when i was fourteen (around 1989). i've long been keen on rescuing an old fun piece from the past, even if it verges on that which others may think is weird.
interestingly, i'm not very into themes, fantasy or costume when it comes to dressing, in any overt sense. i don't subscribe to any one subculture, i don't try to be a character, and i don't really channel (or even really follow) any celebs/famous folks. i can't even really stomach crafting a look with the obvious intention of completely replicating something seen on a runway or in a magazine. some piece of something might inspire me, but an internal force makes me, even compels me, to want to reinterpret it in my own way, to do it differently, to do it my way, i.e., only if it makes sense within what makes sense to me visually and emotionally, and intellectually. or sometimes, i willfully don't want to be doing what's being done at all. just because.
i think that, really, i've always been a little off, and a lot curious when it comes to clothing. if i think something goes together and others don't, then i just feel free to take the rules into my own hands, break those rules, and define new ones for myself. i couldn't give a fig if i'm followed or felt to be a little crazy. i believe in the potential of anything wearable...almost anything can be worn, if worn in an interesting way, by the right person. it's not what you wear, it's HOW you wear it.
fashion for me is a playful, intuitive process, a means to an end with no end...i play around, tossing disparate parts together, REMIXING IT, and when it feels right to ME, i'm ready to walk out the door, with no apologies, and no fear.
what about you?
who are you? and why?
feel free to pipe in and define yourself, if you like...even if you feel you are "undefinable" and delightfully complicated!


text:
Sour Cherry Pocket Pies
One of the things I love best about summer is going fruit picking. Growing up we went every summer and I had the fruit seasons memorized. So when I went this past weekend to go cherry picking I stood there slightly flabbergasted when the girl told me that cherry picking season had ended. What?! But cherry season lasts the whole month of June! I'm sure of it! But nope. No cherry picking for me. Turns out I was right, the season had ended early because of a poor crop from all the rain we've had. I felt slightly vindicated in knowing I was right. All was not lost though, they had several quarts of vibrant, shiny, red sour cherries for sale. I hadn't really wanted to make a pie, I mean I'm moving this week! Do you know how long it takes to pit cherries?! They were just too beautiful to pass up though and really, everyone knows I can't go 2 days let alone a whole week without baking something!
I did cheat…a little…OK, a lot. I'm so ashamed to even admit it but I used pre-made, refrigerated pie dough. You have to cut me some slack though, as it was I was unpacking boxes to make the pies! I didn't have time to make my own dough! So just overlook this indiscretion just once and promise me you'll make your own dough (it will be worlds better!). The good news is that the filling redeems the pies. It is aromatic and bursting with flavor thanks to a touch of cinnamon and vanilla bean paste, oh and the fresh homegrown cherries has nothing to do with it 🙂 The best part (you know, other than eating them) is the smell of them baking. It is the exact smell that wafts through the air at my favorite farm stand: a buttery, spicy, sweet pie kind of smell 🙂
Don't have a cherry pitter? Check out this link on how to make your own! How to make a home made cherry pitter
-I just recommend pitting the cherries from the top rather than the bottom-I found it much easier to remove. Oh and wear gloves and line you're counter with paper towels 🙂
combine pitted cherries with sugar and some spices
boil and add an orange juice/corn starch mixture to thicken
cut pie dough into 6″x5″ rectangles
fill each rectangle with cherry filling
fold the dough over and crimp edges with a fork to create pockets
cut slits in the top and brush with an egg wash
Sour Cherry Pocket Pies
Yields 10 pocket pies
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit and Martha Stewart
Pie dough, either 4-10 inch refrigerated rounds or this recipe doubled
4 cups sour cherries, rinsed, pitted and de-stemmed
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup white chocolate baking chips (or 4 ounces white chocolate chopped)
1. In a medium saucepan combine cherries, sugar, vanilla, vanilla bean paste, salt and cinnamon. Stir to combine and set over medium heat and continue to stir occasionally. In a small bowl, stir corn starch into orange juice until dissolved. When the cherry mixture comes to a boil add the orange juice/corn starch mixture and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and set the pot aside to cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk together the egg and water for egg wash and set aside. Roll the pie dough out to a 1/4 inch thick and with a knife or pizza cutter cut the dough into 10, 6 inch by 5 inch rectangles. Working with 1 rectangle at a time, place the dough on a work surface and brush edges with egg wash. Scoop 2 tablespoons cherry mixture onto one side; fold the dough over the filling forming a 5 inch by 3 inch packet. Crimp edges with a fork to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut a few slits in the top of the pie to vent. Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Brush the tops of the pies with the rest of the egg wash and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. (I think this may take longer for a home made pie dough so just watch it-its done when its golden brown and flakey).
3. Let the pies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. In the mean time melt the white chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl. Drizzle the tops of the pies with the white chocolate and allow it to set before serving. Enjoy!
The view from the farm market where I bought the cherries.
June 30, 2011 4:24 pm
There is no problem cutting corners. It is the end product that counts and your cherry pockets looks fab!
June 30, 2011 7:09 pm
These look sooooo good! I love cherry pies and I love mini hand held pies. So trying this one! Buzzed!
July 2, 2011 6:53 am
These look awesome! It looks like you packed these with so many cherries, I wish I was there to taste one. Great post!
July 2, 2011 1:14 pm
Omg! Wow… these look so freakin good! I love picking fresh fruit in the summer too! There is just nothing like it… and you get to make so many wonderful treats like your pocket pies!


text:
Workers' Comp Conference for Alabama Attorneys - Materials Only
Held in Birmingham on Friday, September 28, 2018
Order your materials from this information-packed event!
The annual Alabama Workers' Comp Conference provides essential updates, guidance, and advice for Alabama attorneys, employers, HR professionals, TPAs, insurers, consultants and others who need the latest and most accurate information. When you attend, you'll connect with judges from the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board and the Court of Workers' Compensation Claims, leading workers' comp attorneys, representatives from the Bureau of Workers' Compensation, and other key players.
Charley Drummond, Fish Nelson & Holden LLC, Birmingham
J. Douglas (Doug) Fields, Fields Law Firm, Birmingham
Ronald W. Flowers, Jr., Burr & Forman, LLP, Birmingham
Honorable David A. Kimberley, 16th Judicial Circuit Court, Etowah County
Lawrence T. King, King Simmons, P.C., Birmingham
Donald B. (Bo) Kirkpatrick, II, Carr Allison, Birmingham
Donald Harrison, Alabama Department of Labor, Birmingham
Top Reasons to Attend:
- Judicial perspective. Faculty includes David A. Kimberley, a Circuit Court Judge with the 16th Judicial Circuit Court.
- Insider's perspective. Attendees heard from Don Harrison from the Alabama Department of Labor.
- Balance. Attendees heard from both plaintiffs' and defense attorneys.
- Valuable update. A top authority, Bo Kirkpatrick, will update attendees on recent case law developments in workers' compensation, including the latest on the constitutionality of the Workers' Compensation Act.
- Return to work issues. Attendees will learn about return to work issues, such as ADA/EEO implications.
- Defending a claim. A leading defense attorney will give a roadmap for defending a case, covering discovery, pleadings, resolution without trial, and the trial itself.
- Related suits. Attendees will receive an overview of other types of suits that can arise out of the employee-employer relationship, such as a retaliatory discharge action or a suit arising from the use of dangerous products.
- Settlement. Attendees will get the latest on lump sum settlements, Social Security offsets, and the employer's prosecution of third party claims.
Your Distinguished Faculty
Charley M. Drummond is an attorney at the Birmingham insurance defense firm of Fish Nelson & Holden, LLC. Before joining the firm, he was the managing partner of a small civil litigation firm where he tried a variety of cases before both state and federal courts. Mr. Drummond is a member of the Alabama Workers' Compensation Organization (AWCO), the Alabama Workers' Compensation Defense Lawyers Association, the Alabama Defense Lawyers' Association, the West Alabama Workers' Compensation Association, and the Alabama Self-Insurers Association. He currently serves as the Vice President of the Birmingham Bar Association Workers' Compensation Section, and he is also active in the American Bar Association's Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, where he has served in various leadership roles on the national level with the Workers' Compensation and Employer's Liability Committee. Mr. Drummond has tried numerous cases before the Alabama circuit courts, and has argued cases before the Alabama Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Alabama. He also has a passion for teaching; In addition to being an adjunct professor of Alabama workers' compensation law at Birmingham School of Law, he frequently speaks at conferences and seminars for other attorneys, judges, insurance adjusters, and employer representatives.
|Doug Fields was born in Johnson City, Tennessee, Doug began his legal career as an advocate for victims of injury and disability. For over 29 years, he has tirelessly worked to provide compassionate care for people from all walks of life who have struggled with obtaining the help they needed for themselves and their family due to injury and disability. He created Fields Law Firm to offer a different approach to serving clients – focusing on warmth, compassion, and care and connecting with clients as people, not cases. While being admitted to practice law in Alabama state courts and all of the United States District Courts in Alabama, Doug is an active member of a number of professional organizations, including the Alabama State Bar and American Bar Association. He is a frequent lecturer in Continuing Legal Education courses, teaches classes in his areas of practice, has contributed to and been featured in various articles and publications, and has appeared on LawCall, a live call-in show broadcasted on Alabama Public Television as a service to many Alabamians with legal questions who may not otherwise have access to an attorney.
Ronald W. Flowers Jr., is a partner in the labor and employment section of the law firm of Burr & Forman, LLP. In his practice, he represents management in all aspects of labor and employment law, including representing clients in class and individual plaintiff litigation before federal and state courts, in arbitration, and before administrative tribunals. Mr. Flowers regularly advises and represents clients regarding issues under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title I and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the National Labor Relations Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the WARN Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, USERRA, and various other federal and state statutes and regulations. He represents employers in investigations by and in litigation against OSHA, the NLRB, and the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor. Mr. Flowers advises companies undergoing union campaigns and dealing with union representatives. During recent years, he has defended employers in countless collective and individual FLSA overtime cases. He is past Chairman of the Labor and Employment Law sections of the Alabama State Bar and the American Bar Association; and is admitted to practice before the Northern, Middle, and Southern districts of Alabama; and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Flowers earned his B.S. degree from the University of Virginia and his J.D. degree from Duke University School of Law.
David A. Kimberley is a Circuit Court Judge with the 16th Judicial Circuit Court in Etowah County. His 21 year trial practice involved a wide range of issues. He was selected to be listed in both Who's Who in American Law and the Best Lawyers in America. He taught trial strategies to lawyers in seminars around the country, published several legal journal articles, and was a contributor to the law treatise, Alabama Tort Law. Judge Kimberley was elected Circuit Judge in November 2006 and has been in Alabama's 16th Judicial Circuit since January 2007. He has since been appointed by the Alabama Supreme Court to the Interstate Compact Committee for Adult Supervision, the Alabama Pattern Criminal Jury Instruction Committee, and is the Circuit Judge appointment to the Alabama Law Institute and the Judicial Inquiry Commission. He also serves on the Alabama Sentencing Standards Committee, and has been on several statutory drafting and revision committees.
Lawrence T. King is a founder of King Simmons, P.C., in Birmingham. His practice focuses on workers' compensation. He was admitted to the Alabama and Georgia Bars (1988), and to the Florida Bar (1989). He is admitted to all state and federal trial courts in Alabama; all state trial and appellate courts in Georgia and to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia; all state trial and appellate courts in Florida and to the U.S. District Court for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida; and to the United States Court of Appeals for Eleventh Circuit. He graduated from Florida State University (B.A., English-Business Administration, 1984), after being admitted on a National Merit Scholarship, and from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University (J.D. 1988). Two of his scholarly articles, Fired in Retaliation for Claiming Workers' Compensation Benefits in Alabama, 24 American Journal of Trial Advocacy 539 (2001) and What Triggers the Application of Alabama Code §25-5-11.1?, 33 American Journal of Trial Advocacy 1 379 (2010) (with Christina Van Der Hulst), were cited as authoritative in the Alabama Pattern Jury Instructions (3d ed. 2012), on the topic of retaliatory discharge. He has secured several 7-figure jury verdicts in retaliatory discharge cases totaling millions of dollars throughout Alabama, including record verdicts for that type case in at least 4 counties.
Donald B. (Bo) Kirkpatrick is a senior shareholder and a founding member of Carr Allison in Birmingham. His practice focuses primarily on workers' compensation and related litigation, including retaliatory discharge and other employment matters. He advises self-insured clients, third party administrators and insurance carriers with respect to workers' compensation issues. He has handled litigation statewide for Fortune 500 Companies and has extensive trial experience throughout the state of Alabama. He has served as the Chair of the Workers' Compensation Section of the Alabama State Bar and currently sits as the Co-Chair of the Workers' Compensation Practice Group at Carr Allison. Mr. Kirkpatrick is one of only two attorneys from the State of Alabama who speaks regularly at the bi-annual Judicial College, put on for Alabama judges. He lectures at seminars nationwide on current issues and recent developments in workers' compensation law. He served on the 10th Judicial Circuit of Alabama's Workers' Compensation and HIPAA Committees after being appointed by former Presiding Judge Scott Vowell. He has achieved a peer review AV rating through Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected to the Alabama Super Lawyers® list since 2008 as well as Best Lawyers in America® since 2012.
Donald M. (Don) Harrison, III, is Deputy General Counsel with the Alabama Department of Labor. He represents and advises the various divisions of the Department, including the Workers' Compensation, Unemployment, and Inspections Divisions.
Friday, September 28, 2018
Case Law Update
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Donald B. (Bo) Kirkpatrick, II
Carr Allison
- Recent developments in the definition of a "special employer" under the Workers' Compensation Act of Alabama
- Recent developments in Alabama courts asserting jurisdiction over workers' compensation claims in Alabama, as well as new decisions on venue issues
- Recent developments with regard to the standard for medical causation in workers' compensation cases in Alabama
- The constitutionality of the Alabama Workers' Compensation Act
Defending a Workers' Comp Action or Social Security Offsets in Workers' Compensation
9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Charley Drummond
Fish Nelson & Holden, LLC
- Discovery: What kind of discovery to conduct and how to get the most out of the discovery process
○ Informal discovery
○ Written discovery
○ Subpoenas, depositions, and other discovery
- Pleadings and motions: Narrowing the issues through pleadings and motions
○ Answers and defenses
○ Dispositive motions
○ Protective orders
○ Responding to motions to compel and other motions
- Resolution without trial
○ Informal settlement negotiations
○ Mediation
- Trial and trial preparation
○ What to expect at trial
○ Getting the evidence you need
○ Getting the evidence you have admitted at trial
10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
LGBT/Sexual Orientation Discrimination: Navigating the Changing Legal Landscape
10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Ronald W. Flowers, Jr.
Burr Forman, LLP
- Title VII and the EEOC: Does it Apply?
- Agency Positions
- Clarifying Transgender Employee Issues
- Workplace Policy Essentials
LUNCH (on your own)
11:45 p.m. to 1:00p.m.
Workers' Comp Ethics
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Honorable David A. Kimberley
16th Judicial Circuit Court
- Rules of Professional Conduct
- Contacts with Parties, Doctors and Rehabilitation Personnel
- Attorney's Fees
- Lawyer Liability
Fired in Retaliation for Claiming Workers' Compensation Benefits in Alabama
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Lawrence T. King
King Simmons, P.C.
- Proving retaliation
- Damages
- Litigation techniques
3:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Alabama Department of Labor Update
3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Donald M. (Don) Harrison, III
Alabama Department of Labor
- Updates from the Department of Labor
- Ombudsman/mediation process
Other Cases Arising Out of the Employment Relationship
4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
J. Douglas Fields, Jr.
Fields Law Firm, LLC
- Retaliatory discharge and other wrongful terminations
- Co-employee cases
- Third-party liability
- Dangerous products and safety in the workplace
- Employer's right of subrogation


text:
By using skincare ingredients like Moringa Oil and Gardenia Extracts in the structure of a serum, we are able to work with a smaller molecular structure where the ingredients can absorb into the cortex, giving instant and lasting results.
"I used an all vegetable and plant protein system with over 26 amino acids alone coming from plants. These plant "Super Proteins" are very close to the hairs structure; therefore they penetrate easily, the results on the hair show that vegetable and plant proteins strengthen the hair shaft by depositing themselves in the gaps created by heat styling and chemical services, making the surface supple more elastic and smoother." Kevin Murphy
Your hair will be cleansed using your favorite texture-specific Kevin.Murphy wash. Lastly, your hair will be hydrated with a customized blend of antioxidant-rich Born.Again treatment and your favorite texture-specific Kevin.Murphy rinse to promote hair elasticity, protect against hair loss, improve color retention and shine, smooth out frizz, and repair the hair and scalp damage at a cellular level. Finally a Treatment cruet of your choice will be applied scalp to ends:
- Moisture
- Strengthing
- Volumizing
- Anti-aging
Add-on Treatment to any Service 15 Minutes 25.


text:
Giancarlo Stanton will not play Saturday and there's a good chance he won't play Sunday, either, because of a sore left shoulder.
Stanton said he will have an MRI.
He said the shoulder has been bothered him since last weekend when he played in cold weather in New York and made a diving play.
"I wasn't too sure if it was the weather or that dive. But it has been escalating," he said tonight after Miami's 3-1 loss in 10 innings.
Stanton said the discomfort felt the worst today during a pre-game batting practice session that he cut short. He was scratched from the starting lineup about 40 minutes before the game.
"He was little sore after batting practice so we scratched him. He's getting treatment. We'll see. He's going to be checked by the doctor and we'll go from there," manager Mike Redmond said.
"He was a little sore after batting practice so we took him out for precautionary reasons…
"I would say it's probably fair to say he is is not going to play tomorrow.'


text:
I'm so excited to have Lifer out there in the world. So far the reviews have been great, and I'm so glad people are enjoying Asher and Blank's story.
Below is a picture of the paperback - I don't think I'll ever get tired of holding a book I've written in my hands.


text:
Hollywood RawFavorites [+]
Pay-Per-Minute Viewing
In an effort to encourage studios to send us their newest and best movies as close to their street release dates as possible, we must offer certain titles at a premium rate. Other content is placed at a premium rate because studios consider those videos to be rare, hard to find or special in some other way. While many premium titles revert to the regular price over time, some studios with rare content, require us to keep their content at premium prices for even longer. Movies at less than 1.0x rate are a limited time special discount streaming rate.
If you have any questions about pricing, please contact Customer Support.
If you have any questions about pricing, please contact Customer Support.
You can now enjoy this movie on your iPhone®, iPad®, or compatible Smart TV & Android devices.
Purchase Options
Pay-Per-MinutePurchase Minutes
Streaming Rentals
Available MP4 sizes:SD 480p (1.52 GB)
DRM-free downloads offer content that is not limited by standard Digital Rights Management (DRM) access technologies. These technologies allow hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals to limit the usage of digital content.
When you purchase DRM-free downloadable content, that content is available for you to download on any computer and save to a disk whenever you like. You can also download to multiple computers. There is no timeframe associated with your purchase and the content will not expire.
Running Time: 96 minutes
Released: 08/2006
Studio Name: Oh Man! Studios Street Corner Studios
Director: Bruno Riccelli
Categories: Muscles Bareback Anal *SALE-Downloads* *SALE-Rentals* *SALE Streaming*
Description: Hollwood exposed! Featuring a cast of thirteen in sweaty bareback action.
6 Scenes from Hollywood Raw
Hollywood Raw: Scene 1
Starring: Erik Mann Sergio Real ... More Details
Stars: Erik Mann, Sergio Real
Sex Acts: Anal Sex, Rim Job, Handjob, Deep Throating, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Male On Male Action
Positions: Standing Doggy Style, Crouching/Squatting, Standing, Missionary, Laying, Reverse Cowgirl, Cowgirl, Kneeling, Doggy Style
Hollywood Raw: Scene 2
Starring: Will West Brian Austin ... More Details
Stars: Will West, Brian Austin
Sex Acts: Anal Sex, Rim Job, 3-Way, Oral Sex, Male On Male Action
Positions: Standing Doggy Style, Standing, Missionary, Kneeling, Doggy Style
Settings: Gym
Hollywood Raw: Scene 3
Starring: Jeff Campbell ... More Details
Stars: Jeff Campbell
Sex Acts: Male On Male Action, Anal Sex, Rim Job, Oral Sex
Positions: Standing Doggy Style, Standing, Standing Missionary, Sitting, Kneeling
Settings: Generic Room
Hollywood Raw: Scene 4
Starring: Scott Mann ... More Details
Stars: Scott Mann
Sex Acts: Anal Sex, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Male On Male Action
Positions: Standing Doggy Style, Standing
Settings: Generic Room, Outdoors
Hollywood Raw: Scene 5
Starring: Scott Mann ... More Details
Stars: Scott Mann
Sex Acts: Anal Sex, 3-Way, Oral Sex, Male On Male Action, Nipple Play, Rim Job, Handjob
Positions: Standing, Missionary, Laying, Kneeling, Doggy Style
Settings: Outdoors
Hollywood Raw: Scene 6
Starring: Ryan Foxx Bud Lighter ... More Details
Stars: Ryan Foxx, Bud Lighter
Sex Acts: Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Male On Male Action, Rim Job
Settings: Bedroom
Recommended Movies


text:
by Hamilton E. Davis
State Senator Anthony Pollina got some media attention recently with his recommendation Governor Shumlin base his single payer health care reform initiative on the insurance system now in place for state employees.
Pollina, a Progressive, told VPR's Bob Kinzel that using the VSEA platform would be much simpler than setting up a whole new management operation for the envisioned Green Mountain Care; it might also avoid the kind of problems that have hamstrung the federal financed Exchange.
What Pollina didn't tell VPR is that just extending the VSEA plan would add a cool $288 million to the already very high estimate of more than $2 billion to get to single payer. According to Michael Costa, Shumlin's finance designer, that would be the cost of shifting from the tentative Shumlin plan to have the state pay 87 percent of a patient's costs to the VSEA level that pays 94 percent of those costs.
A comment: with less than three months to go until the legislature begins to grapple with the Shumlin plan, it's important that players such as Pollina stay somewhere in the vicinity of reality land. Ignoring a 14 percent bump in an already high number doesn't meet the standard.


text:
For May, we take a quick overview of Jordan and how it's performing in terms of online metrics. We also looked at the top sites for the country by unique browsers.
Are you from a publisher or an agency? Learn more about Effective Measure and how we can help you leverage data and use targeted audiences for data-driven marketing.


text:
"If YOU don't fit in, then you are probably doing the RIGHT thing!"
"Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it.-Matthew 7:13-14
AMen! :-)


text:
I also sometimes call this "guilty pleasure" reading. Why? What do I mean?
Sometimes I feel a certain pressure to read for quality. The classics, award winners, thought provoking books. Don't get me wrong. I do enjoy reading these types of books. However, sometimes I get in a reading slump and a heavy book full of symbolism or political undertones, etc. just doesn't fit the bill. I have approximately 85 or so books on my bookshelves that I haven't read. Yet, sometimes I'll stand in front of them for minutes and stare trying to figure out what I'm in the mood to read. It makes me sad to admit that this has been a problem of mine for a few months now. I thought that once I was on break from classes, the kids were on summer vacation, and things relaxed around my house that I'd be able to dig my way out of this slump. Not so much. My solution has been to read some of the YA books that are on my TBR.
I started with Tiger's Curse and Tiger's Quest. I could immediately tell that Tiger's Curse was Colleen Houck's first book. Her writing needed some polilshing. With Tiger's Quest I noticed some improvement. However, I didn't immediately feel compelled to go on and read the third book in the series. I may or may not pick it up at a later date.
The I moved on to Kiera Cass's The Selection series. I read the first two books in this series as well. They were just okay. I rated them three stars on Goodreads, but I really think they deserve 2 1/2 stars. It was mostly, I love him. No, I love him. Does he love me? I hate him. Now I love him. Can I trust him? Over and over.
Being mostly disappointed in my reading choices here, I've moved on to Margaret George's Elizabeth I and I'm really enjoying it. It's the second of George's books that I've read and I like her style. Writing from the 1st person point of view of Elizabeth I, George takes a lot of liberties with history. However, she throws enough actual events in there to keep me happy. I never get bored with the story and my only wish is that it was a smaller book so that it would be easier to read in bed. 😉
Have you read any of these books? Do you go through reading slumps and if so, do you have any advice for getting out of them?


text:
Tag Archives: silver rings
Socks and Rings and other Traded Things
Dear Vi, I was knitting away in the shade of the back deck yesterday when I noticed that my sock yarn exactly matches my sun dress. Ha! Too bad the socks aren't for me! (though I can't imagine wanting to … Continue reading
Posted in Friendship, Knitting, Thrifty Tagged hand knit socks, silver rings, trades, trading 5 Comments


text:
BEGINNER CAMERA WORKSHOP - SATURDAY, MAY 21st
Do you have a camera that you aren't quite sure how to use nor what all the buttons do? Do you want to know how to use your camera in a mode other than auto? Do you have trouble finding great lighting for your pictures? Are you missing that extra special something from your images? Do you get happy accidents instead of predictable results from your camera?
I'll teach you:
- to get your camera out of auto
- photography basics to understanding exposure, ISO, shutter speed, and aperture
- about your camera settings and about lenses and why they are important
- how to document your everyday life
- how to find the best lighting scenarios and to make the most of them
Details: 11am-2pm | The Market at Grelen, Somerset, Virginia | $175 per person (lunch is included)


text:
Electric Floor Raising
Please scroll down for a selection of our electric floor raising projection screens.
These screens are designed for permanent fixing or for portable use.
Electric Floor Rising Screens are available in the following formats as standard, custom formats are available - please call for details.
Please be aware that the sizes mentioned are not the overall case dimensions, if you are placing the screen in a tight space please call for advice.
If you cannot find a particular screen you are looking for or just need friendly un-biased advice please call us on 01924 278009 or email us and we will be more than happy to help
Sapphire - Electric Floor - 155cm x 87cm - 16:9 - Electric Projector Screen£634.80 ex VAT £761.76 inc VAT
Please Call Us
Sapphire - SEFL177-WSF - 177cm x 99cm - 16:9 Scissor Action Backing - Electric Floor Screen£710.59 ex VAT £852.71 inc VAT
Please Call Us
Sapphire - SEFL177-V - 162cm x 122cm - Electric Floor Screen - 4:3£710.59 ex VAT £852.71 inc VAT
Please Call Us
Sapphire - SEFL203-WSF - 203cm x 114cm - Electric Floor Screen - 16:9£784.96 ex VAT £941.95 inc VAT
Please Call Us
Sapphire - SEFL203-V - 203cm x 152cm - Electric Floor Projector Screen - 4:3£784.96 ex VAT £941.95 inc VAT
Please Call Us


text:
In one of my major talks - "The Hyperlinked Library" - I use many different examples, and often change them to keep them as current as possible. One example I've used for over a year is the Dublin City Library's creation of a public portal with Pageflakes. While in London for Internet Librarian International, I got to meet up with Edward Byrne, Senior Web Services Librarian , and chat with him about the project.
I use the development of a library portal via a free tool as an example of how libraries can create something useful without 6 months of meetings, decision-making or using a "home grown" IT solution that only one or two people can configure. Eddie agreed to fill me in on all of the details of Dublin's portal. It makes for a fascinating case study and in terms of timing and coincides with some recent developments that show the importance of caution when using Web 2.0 tools without planning for backups and changes in the tool. Our conversation started in London, wound its way through Facebook, and concluded via email.
MS: Tell me about the genesis and implementation of your project with Pageflakes?
EB: Pageflakes, a web-based personalized start page, was adopted by Dublin City Public Libraries towards the end of 2007 to serve as the entry page on all public-access Internet PCs in its 21 branches. Heretofore the default entry page on Internet PCs was the Libraries' own home page; however it was identified that there was a clear need to provide assisted access for users to diverse information sources via a single point of entry, or in other words, a portal. Up to this point also the practice was to add selected resources to the browser's list of favorites as and when required, this process having to be replicated on each of the many PCs by the Libraries' IT staff a time and labor-intensive exercise.
A web-based solution had obvious advantages in terms of time and staff involvement, as it allowed the Internet desktop to be managed centrally, with changes applied in one location taking immediate effect across the whole network of Internet PCs. The choice was between (a) an in-house developed solution, (b) a third-party commercial product (should such be identified), or (c) one of the free web-based solutions. A free existing web-based solution quickly became the frontrunner in terms of cost, development time, and ease of delivery tied in to available staff resources and expertise.
Furthermore, the large community of add-on developers meant that there was a wide choice of widgets or modules available to select from for the two identified candidates, Pageflakes and Netvibes. It was quickly ascertained that Netvibes did not present as a solution as the created page could not at that time be 'shared' with the wider community, while Pageflakes could. Therefore Pageflakes was investigated further in terms of its suitability, practicality and overall usefulness, and having been found to meet certain minimum requirements, was selected for testing in one location, feedback being sought also from the wider international library community. The feedback proved most useful, the one concern common across a number of submissions being that of 'information overload', i.e., trying to provide too much on screen, thereby swamping the user rather than assisting them. This problem was largely overcome by being selective rather than all inclusive in terms of resources selected, and by spreading content across different 'tabs', each tab containing selected modules called "flakes", each of which itself contains different content. These tabs are thematic and user-focused (e.g. Traffic and Travel, Mail and Tool Kit, News, Find It!). This approach also helped reduce loading times.
MS: What have been the positive results?
EB: The end product was rolled out to all branch libraries in January 2008, and can be deemed a success in that it successfully meets the need to provide a single point of access to diverse resources for our users, and it does so in a time- and labor-saving fashion. Cost can be calculated in terms of staff time only (which after the initial delivery can be calculated in terms of minutes rather than hours per week), as there is no other financial outlay involved. Intervention by IT staff is no longer required, the Libraries Web Unit being able to manage the desktop centrally and apply edits and new content as and when required. Indeed the solution has proved a joy to work with, often the type of content that can be presented being limited only by one's imagination.
MS: And what about the pitfalls. I don't want to paint to perfect of a picture about this or any of the social tools.
EB: The only real downside raised its ugly head in November 2008, when Pageflakes became inaccessible on all our public access Internet PCs from around the 6th November. Efforts to contact Pageflakes over the following week met with no response and no improvement; however a mail sent on Friday 14th on foot of enquiries carried out via Facebook (hurrah for Facebook!) may have been what triggered Pageflakes re-appearance later that day, albeit in a buggy fashion. At this point it is too early to say if the situation is going to stabilize. Pending the situation stabilizing and a satisfactory response from Pageflakes, we have replaced the Pageflakes page with a Netvibes-based equivalent. Insofar as can be ascertained, the problem arose as a consequence of a dispute between two ISPs, namely Sprint and Cogent, where Sprint 'depeered' Cogent, this having a knock-on effect on sites hosted on one or other ISP and Internet users. My understanding is that Pageflakes is hosted on Sprint. So depending on your own particular ISP, or rather on how the web is weaved, you may, or may not, have been able to access Pageflakes in recent weeks!
MS: This can be replicated - especially for libraries that do not have a lot of IT support or want a simple, free solution (along with the caveats you mention). What would you suggest to other libraries wanting to try this?
EB: The problem that has occurred in recent days highlights the necessity of having a fallback situation, one that could be implemented with little adverse impact on users. In our case that meant developing a parallel page on Netvibes. Since the original decision to adopt Pageflakes twelve months earlier, Netvibes, the obvious web-based alternative, has since allowed its pages to be made 'public', thus it presented itself as a suitable alternative. So we moved apace to develop a 'similar but different' page using Netvibes. Since most of the content is generated using RSS, the work involved is mainly to do with familiarising oneself with the alternative solution, and having it 'ready-to-go', or as near 'ready-to-go', as possible. Whilst this will mean some development time initially, ongoing maintenance can be kept to a minimum with astute selection of widgets and content sources. And this applies equally to your preferred solution, not just the backup solution.
Please visit the pages to see what was included in the portals:
MS: A lot changed while I was preparing this post for a December publishing date. Eddie wrote to me via Facebook on the 28th November.
EB: Because of happenings in November 2008 with the loss of service for a week and the introduction of an 'in your face' advertisement flake upon its return without consultation or an alternative model being offered, Dublin City Public Libraries was forced to move to Netvibes as its portal delivery platform of choice. An added benefit of the move has been an improvement in page loading time, Netvibes being discernibly quicker to load than Pageflakes. Although Pageflakes have in recent days removed the offending advertisement flake and promised to provide different models in the near future, we have decided at remain with Netvibes for the foreseeable future, while at the same time maintaining a backup solution on Pageflakes. Events of November 2008 have highlighted the need to have a backup plan in place, one that can be quickly implemented if needed.


text:
About Me
Thomas Alexander
Everyone loves a good story - and I enjoy telling them, but in pictures not words.
Having begun my career as a geographer I was, by chance, loaned a camera and given the fascinating subject of a baboon research project for London Zoo. I began teaching myself how to take photographs, with camera in one hand and manual in the other. I quickly learnt the importance of light, textures and tones, discovered a natural talent for creative compositions and I learned how understanding the subject matter, envisaging a potential picture and controlling the camera's technicalities combined to achieve the most rewarding results.
Working as a professional freelance photographer for 5 years, I've come to realise that my photographs tell stories - whether it is in the single framing and composition of a creative portrait, recording the intense action at a sporting event, exploring the essence of a landscape or capturing the fleeting expressions between a couple on their wedding day. Being able to record these stories in their intricate details - snapshots of moments or colourful scenes from unique and interesting perspectives - is a challenge I'm always excited to accept.
I can tell your story - for a magazine, for your website, newsletter or brochure, for prints on your wall or for a family album. Whatever the topic, the job will be done with an efficient, energetic and conscientious approach as well as a coherent image selection, tight edit and prompt turn around.


text:
The Best TED Talks about Money and Personal Finance
Could your language affect your ability to save money? (Keith Chen)
One Life-Changing Class You Never Took (Alexa von Tobel)
Less stuff, more happiness (Graham Hill)
Sell your crap. Pay your debt. Do what you love. (Adam Baker)
Why 2.5 billion heartbeats might change the way you think about money (Preet Banerjee)
Why you will fail to have a great career (Larry Smith)


text:
Winter Classic perfect chance to cheer Detroit icon Mike Ilitch
On New Year's Day, more than 100,000 people are expected to gather at America's largest football stadium to watch a hockey game. It will be a spectacle, because of the setting (Michigan Stadium), the ancient rivals (the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs), the prospect of a world-record crowd, the sheer curiosity in the sports version of a hey-wouldn't-this-be-cool 1 a.m. barstool conversation coming to fruition.
The event is many things: a marketing bonanza for the NHL, a hockey diversion on a football day, a Snow Bowl quagmire if it turns out that Mother Nature is an Ohio State fan. But the Winter Classic also is the latest triumph for one of the greatest American sports owners of all time.
Without Mike Ilitch, the Red Wings would not have won the Stanley Cup four times since 1997 while building the longest active streak of postseason appearances (22 years) in major North American professional sports. Without Mike Ilitch, the Tigers would not boast a large-market payroll while accounting for three MVPs, two Cy Young awards and one World Series appearance in the past three years.
Without Mike Ilitch, Detroit (and, in this case, Ann Arbor) would not have the cachet to host a marquee event like the Winter Classic.
"Without a doubt," affirmed Ken Holland, the Red Wings general manager, after his team's Tuesday practice at Michigan Stadium. "The league approached us and wanted to know if we were interested. Our first thought was we wanted to host the game [in Detroit] at Comerica Park. The league wanted to host it here. Mr. Ilitch is committed to the city of Detroit. He wanted the activity to be in downtown Detroit.
"Ultimately the solution was the one we put together. It's a great solution. The league built us a rink at Comerica Park. We've had a week of games there for high-school teams and college teams and mini-mite teams and the OHL. It's been a pretty special two weeks. … [New Year's Day] is going to be the grand-daddy of it all.
That sentence applies to many developments in Detroit over the past few decades – from the downtown revitalization to the city's relevancy on the international sports scene. Imagine how it would look without him, in a George Bailey sort of hypothetical: The Lions' half-century of ineptitude – one playoff victory since 1957 – just claimed its latest coaching casualty. The Pistons haven't won a playoff game since 2008.
But Ilitch – through his teams, his wallet, his infatuation with winning – has sustained Detroit as a destination for hockey and baseball players yearning for championships. Within his sports empire, Ilitch has rendered almost irrelevant the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
The Red Wings have held such an exalted stature for years; Daniel Alfredsson, who spent 17 seasons in Ottawa before signing with Detroit, is only the most recent example of a late-career NHL free agent drawn to Detroit. But now it's also true of the Tigers, who have hosted happy news conferences for Victor Martinez, Prince Fielder, Torii Hunter and Joe Nathan in successive winters.
Yes, the players are well-compensated. No, they don't come to address the pensions of city workers. But Michigan natives rarely hear outsiders say – with complete sincerity – that they want to come to Detroit. When that happens, it resonates. And now is commonplace, in the highly visible domain of professional sports.
For a man of almost unimaginable wealth – his family's net worth is estimated at $3.2 billion, according to Forbes magazine – this restoration of civic confidence will constitute one of Ilitch's greatest legacies.
In saying that, however, we have broached one of the most uncomfortable subjects in Michigan today: Mike Ilitch is 84. He cannot own the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers forever, and it is uncertain what will happen when that is no longer the case.
In July 2013, the Chicago Tribune reported that Jerry Reinsdorf – like Ilitch, a two-sport, title-winning icon – has "strongly suggested" that his family sell the White Sox while retaining control of the Bulls after he dies. Neither the Ilitch family nor its representatives speak publicly with any degree of candor about succession plans for the Red Wings and Tigers.
While Ilitch has been reserved with the media for years, his attendance at major Tigers announcements has become less frequent as his age has advanced. Amid the wild anticipation for the Winter Classic, it's important to acknowledge that such events will be harder for Detroit and Michigan to host once Ilitch's influence is gone.
Of the two, the Red Wings' future seems more secure. It is cheaper to operate an NHL franchise than an MLB franchise, and the Ilitch family has secured public funding for a new hockey arena. The Tigers, meanwhile, seem wholly dedicated to the mission of winning a World Series during Ilitch's lifetime.
When Jim Leyland retired as Tigers manager in October after reaching the postseason four times in eight years, his greatest lament was not winning a World Series championship for Ilitch. "I've never socialized with Mr. Ilitch," Leyland said then. "He never one time called down and jumped on me about who to play or what to do with the lineup. He never complained one time. I could never have asked for a better owner than Mike Ilitch. It just doesn't happen."
love the man. Part of that is because he's turned some of them into millionaires. But the driven, Type-A personalities are drawn to him because he gets it in a way that many owners do not. Mike Ilitch understands that, even though money cannot buy titles, it creates the expectation of winning. That is his way of demanding accountability from highly talented people. After that, he usually leaves them alone.
The results are self-evident.
"He's a serial winner," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock told me recently. "What I mean by that, when he touches something, it turns to gold. When he makes a commitment to something, he finds a way. I don't know if it's his work ethic, his drive, his business sense. And when I talk about him, I should be talking about Mr. and Mrs. [Marian Ilitch] and Chris [their son, the president and CEO of Ilitch Holdings]. Their commitment here is fantastic. Without that, Detroit isn't on the upswing like it is right now. I know I've been here now for nine years. Their commitment to this community is like nothing I've seen.
"When you look at what Mr. Ilitch has done with the Tigers – the Red Wings came along first that way – he's really got the Tigers going. In any system, he tries to find a way. His commitment to excellence himself is why there's a commitment to excellence in each franchise. This doesn't happen by accident. It's leadership from the top. The expectation level of Mr. and Mrs. I and Chris is that you deliver. They bring it every day. They expect you to do the same. I think it's fantastic.
… When he touches something, it turns to gold.
"We have a slogan in our locker room: To whom much is given, much is expected. That, to me, is reality. They give you the opportunity. Now deliver."
To that end, the Detroit Red Wings are about to play an important hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. They are tied for sixth in the Eastern Conference. Come spring, these two points could account for the difference between making the playoffs and heading to the lake.
The best part about it? Although Ilitch doesn't attend every home game for his teams any longer, Holland said he's expected to be at this one. That is fitting. Necessary, really. The event that could not have happened without Mike Ilitch should not happen without Mike Ilitch.
Video: Timelapse: 'The Big House' transformed for NHL Winter Classic


text:
WHAT: Be part of the festivities when Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic comes to the EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City from November 14 – 18!
More than 60 of Disney's captivating characters and their unforgettable stories come to life in this commemorative celebration, produced by Feld Entertainment. In this lavish ice show, everyone's favorite sweethearts, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, take audiences on a fun-filled adventure, sharing memories with Disney friends including Goofy & Donald Duck; the beloved Disney Princesses; Buzz Lightyear & Woody; Nemo & Dory; Pinocchio & Jiminy Cricket; Belle & The Beast; The Incredibles plus many more – and magical moments from Disney's Aladdin, Mulan and The Lion King.
Beautifully choreographed skating, breathtaking production numbers, stunning costumes and toe-tapping songs will inspire fond Disney memories. Families can share this once-in-a-lifetime skating spectacular as Mickey and the rest of the gang take the audience on a whirlwind tour of favorite Disney moments.
WHEN: November 14 - 18, 2012
Wednesday, Nov. 14 7:00 PM
Wednesday, Nov. 14 7:00 PM
Thursday, Nov. 15 7:00 PM
Friday, Nov. 16 11:30 AM & 7:00 PM
Saturday, Nov. 17 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM & 7:00 PM
Sunday, Nov. 18 1:30 PM & 5:30 PM
WHERE: EnergySolutions Arena – 301 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
TICKETS: Ticket price levels are $16, $23, $37 (VIP) and $50 (Front Row). Opening Night tickets available for only $12 each (not valid on premium seating). All seats are reserved; tickets are available from the EnergySolutions Box Office and all SmithTix locations, charge by phone at 801-355-SEAT or 800-888-TIXX and online at www.smithstix.com or www.energysolutionsarena.com.
To discover more about Disney On Ice, go to www.DisneyOnIce.com, or visit us on Facebook and YouTube.
About Feld Entertainment
Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment's productions have appeared in more than 70 countries on six continents and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Feld Motor Sports, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.


text:
I'm trying to create a tree by generating UL and LI elements, it works great.
However, all nodes are expanded, I would like to add entire branches collapsed by default, how can I do this?
I do not want to use JQuery as much as possible, I create items as HTML or JavaScript elements.
I tried to set the class to empty and hide the subtree by default but it does not work well.
I know that there is an 'expanded' class, but I have not seen a similar 'collapsed' class that would solve the problem.
Best regards
TreeView - collapsed nodes by default
Get help with using Metro 4 components
Post Reply
3 posts • Page 1 of 1
- olton
- Site Admin
- Posts: 233
- Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2018 6:19 pm
- Location: Kiev, Ukraine
- Status: Offline
Use attribute data-collapsed="true" for li
it works great, thanks
best regards
best regards
Post Reply
3 posts • Page 1 of 1


text:
Our flagship store design for The East India Company in Edinburgh has been featured in the book 'What Clients Want' (Volume 3), published by the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) in the US.
'What Clients Want' is an international tour world-leading brick-and-mortar retail design. Our flagship for The East India Company was one of 16 international projects chosen, featured alongside Barneys New York, Aesop and Montblanc.
The book presents the perspective of both the client and the designer. As such, Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman and CEO of The East India Company, and Mick Kent, partner here at Kinnersley Kent Design, were both interviewed about the project.
Sanjiv describes how in the Edinburgh flagship store "the migration of power is moving from the person behind the counter to the person in front of the counter," as customers can taste and sample a daily selection of premium teas and coffees.
Mick adds that in the retail design industry "We're always talking about experiences… there are always the buzzwords, but when you say it, what does it really mean? You've got to look and understand what is right for each brand." In this case, focusing on the brand and customer needs meant offering the tasting experience and balancing food products with homeware.
"People need to have a reason to go to a brick-and-mortar place as against going online," says Sanjiv. "We realised that people used to travel for our taste, to engage with what they hadn't experienced before. And it is in that taste lies our brand, because that's unique to us."
'What Clients Want' is available to buy online.