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Kids Room. Monday , January 08th , 2018 - 10:05:22 AM
Quote from Best Pillow Ideas For Kids Room :
This is the best way to make the same old design way more interesting. Get an old-fashioned pillow but with something knowledgeable printed on it. Your child will see it each and every day and this will give him confidence and he will get up fresh every day. They will not only look good in the bedroom but serve a greater purpose.
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Thousands march in Paris rain to protest state of emergency
PARIS – Thousands of people have marched in the Paris rain to denounce plans to renew France's state of emergency and revoke the French citizenship of dual nationals convicted of terrorism.
Human rights groups, politicians and unions joined Saturday's march in Paris.
France imposed a state of emergency, which gives more power to police and administrative authorities, after the Nov. 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people. It is expected to be renewed at the end of February.
Jean-Baptiste Eyrault, of the Right to Housing movement, said: "Democracy is moving backwards."
Last week, a French high court upheld the measure, saying the danger "has not disappeared."
Opponents of a plan to revoke citizenship claim it will feed racism.
Christiane Taubira resigned last week as justice minister over her opposition to the plan.

subset: commoncrawl


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I am going to be receiving a fairly large chunk of change from the US government. Here is the stuff I am buying myself…
• That root canal and cap. Insurance is only paying an iddy biddy bit.
• Refinance the house. New mortgages aren't cheap.
• New portable hot tub. Finally won an ebay auction for a 6′ spa-n-a-box. The hot chicks are not included. Damn.
• How to speak Wookie on tape.
• Buy a Klingon cloaking device.
That oughta cover it.


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Grapevine Online Exclusive
Web Exclusive: It's Never Too Late
It look him thirty years to realize that it's never to late to ask for help
I believed I couldn't have what those ''young'' guys had. This was when I was all of the ripe old age of forty-one.
The night of December 23, 1992 will always be etched in my mind. After over-serving myself at the company Holiday party, and attempting yet another brainless drive home, I was stopped by the state police.
Mindless to what tragedy could have happened, I sat handcuffed to a bench in a nearby district station, as I contemplated my arrest for driving under the influence. Wanting desperately to believe this was just a bad dream, the sight of my children in their footy pajamas holding their Mommy's hand, clarified a unmistakable reality.-- Matt S.
Buffalo Grove, Illinois
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It all started when a veteran startup entrepreneur teamed up with a cardiothoracic surgeon (who happened to be his high school classmate) to solve a problem seen in the surgery suite every day: families are tethered to the waiting room, yet often are not present when a physician needs to speak with them.
In 2015, veteran startup entrepreneur and Medifies CEO Nate Pagel was approached by his surgeon friend who had an idea to create software that would address the communication issues faced by every surgeon and every patients' entire family simultaneously. After speaking with numerous surgeons and healthcare executives and witnessing the huge gap in the digital health market, Nate started Medifies.
Although Medifies started by addressing problems stemming from a lack of communication with caregivers in surgical OR waiting rooms, we've expanded our platform to include radiology, chemotherapy, dialysis and obstetrics. Conversations with physicians, patients, families, and healthcare execs along the way have been crucial in our product development, and we are always open to suggestions!
Medifies was a member of the TMCx Innovation Institute's fourth cohort and officially opened its Houston office in April 2017. Contact us today to learn how you can distinguish your facility by prioritizing family and caregiver communication!


text: Like the moon and the stars and the sun? Spent the 4th of July at Cave Springs Resort in the town of Dunsmuir, where fireworks lit the sky (though luckily not the low hanging pines and electrical wires) and stars took over when those died out. A full travel log to come, but these came from the acquisition of a Mamiya 645 (on loan) and some Portra 160 and I'm smitten with both the camera and its subjects. That was a damn fine holiday.


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Black Ops 2 Leaked, Up For Download On Torrent Sites
It seems Activision's super-tight security still isn't quite up to scratch, as the publisher today confirms Call of Duty: Black Ops has been leaked onto popular torrent sites ahead of the game's launch.
Both Activision and developer Treyarch have a right to feel aggravated by the incident: a similar event occurred just prior to the launch of the original Black Ops in 2010, with a batch of retail versions of the game allegedly stolen from a pressing plant in Alabama. The aptly-named 'Ungodly Leaker' later published images of one such stolen copy, weeks before the game was officially released.
Activision's latest statement follows up closely after a gameplay video of the leaked build was uploaded to YouTube, and has been quick to down-play the leak. "The video posted is from a development demo build, using developer tools meant for testing," it said. "The retail build was never accessed or compromised."
According to Now Gamer, the video showed off multiplayer gameplay from multiplayer map 'Yemen' and opened with a statement from Studio Head of Treyarch, Mark Lamia, bigging up the game's new anti-cheat systems. That particular message was taken from an official promotional video. Oh the irony.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is released worldwide on the 13th November 2012.
Richard Birkett


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The Top 10 Conversations Every Leader Should Have with Every Employee/
Last week I visited sunny Ft. Lauderdale to speak at a financial services association's conference about how to radically transform the way in which we do performance appraisals. The number one tip of the 5 best practices for a better performance management approach I shared with the audience is this: Make performance feedback an ongoing and informal practice. Ongoing, regular, and timely conversations with employees about performance, goals, career, and feedback contribute tremendously to their current and future level of performance and engagement at work. Here are my top 10 types of conversations that I think every leader should be having with every employee throughout each year:
1. Strengths conversations
Every person has a set of core strengths (defined as "Talent + Knowledge + Skills"). We should be encouraged to use our strengths at work every day to be at our best. When we work from our strengths, we contribute our full potential and are at our most satisfied and engaged. Engage your employees in conversations about their strengths – what are they, do they get to use them daily, and how to leverage them more. [Check out my book, Strength to Strength: How Working from Your Strengths Can Help You Lead a More Fulfilling Life, to learn more.)
2. Goal planning conversations
Every employee should have some key performance and development goals for both the long-term and the short-term. While it's becoming increasingly more difficult to plan because the rate of change is so high, it's still really important to begin with some goals in mind. You can always tweak and modify them as things change. Eisenhower once said, "Plans are worthless; Planning is everything." I agree and believe planning and goal-setting is a super important conversation to have a few times each year.
3. Day-to-day performance conversations
One of the biggest mistakes I see leaders making is failing to talk to their employees frequently and regularly enough. They see things they want to change. Or they notice points of feedback they'd like to give. But they withhold these comments for some later time. Maybe for when they have more time. There will never be more time! The time is now. Talk to your people every day, and especially when you see something and have something to say. It doesn't have to take long. It doesn't need to be scheduled. But talk to them, all the time.
Daily conversations between leader and employee fuel better performance, guaranteed. [<-- TWEET THAT! Just click on it to go directly to Twitter and have a tweet pre-populated that you can share with others – and yes, you can edit it!]
4. Weekly check-in conversations
Make. Them. Mandatory! This practice is one that Deloitte is implementing throughout its 65,000 employee organization as it reinvents performance management. You should implement a 5-15 minute check-in 1:1 conversation with your employees every week. It's not extra work. It *is* your work. In these conversations you can chat about goals, performance, feedback, career, or simply continue to build trust by getting to know them better as a person.
5. Positive feedback conversations
Another big mistake many leaders make is not giving enough positive feedback. Unfortunately, science tells us that we are on the lookout for the negative stuff five times more than we seek out positive inputs. We leaders need to offset this tendency by infusing our workplace interactions with more of the positive stuff. [Check out my STS Formula for positive feedback to learn how to do it right.]
6. Developmental feedback conversations
Although I do suggest separating and outnumbering the positive feedback conversations vs. the developmental (aka constructive) feedback conversations, you should definitely provide your employees with specific insights on what they can improve and why. Just be sure to do it in a way that doesn't trigger the fight, flight, or freeze response in them.
7. Career conversations
Do you know what your employees' career aspirations and plans are? Do they even know what they are? Hold short career-focused conversations at least once or twice per year with each employee. Help them sort out where they'd like to go down the road and map a plan to get there. Let's face it – they won't stay with you forever. But you will get their best while they're with you when you support their growth rather than ignoring it or worse, trying to squash it.
8. "Stay Interview" conversations
I love this idea from career development expert Dr. Beverly Kaye. She described it in her recent conversation with me on Episode 2 of my podcast, The TalentGrow Show. It's a twist on the exit interview we all know so well. Why wait until they leave you to ask them how you might have kept them? Ask them NOW how you can keep them engaged, growing, and top-performing. It will pay dividends.
9. Impact conversations
When employees know how their daily work impacts the mission of the organization, they perform better. When they feel like a mere cog in the wheel and are unsure of how any of what they're doing makes a difference and is not just 'busy-work', they struggle. Talk to your employees about their important connection to the ultimate goals of the team, department, unit, and organization as a whole. Give them updates on the organization's performance and continue to help them see the connection back to their job.
10. Development and training planning conversations
It's amazing how many leaders don't realize this, but today's workforce wants to grow and develop MORE than they want money. In order to help your employees continue to learn and grow, you need to have regular conversations with them about their learning goals and planning conversations to help them craft a solid development plan. By the way: employee development doesn't have to be expensive.
So – what do you think? Which of these are you already doing well (kudos!) and which should you add to your repertoire or hold more regularly or often? Share in the comments!
Sign up to my free weekly newsletter and get more actionable tips and ideas for making yourself a better leader and a more effective communicator! It's very short and relevant with quick tips, links, and news about leadership, communication, and self-development. Sign up now!
Also, subscribe to my podcast, The TalentGrow Show, on iTunes to always be the first in the know about new episodes of The TalentGrow Show! http://apple.co/1NiWyZo
You Might Also Like These Posts:
[Vlog]: 10 conversations every leader should have with every employee
The common mistake we make during critical conversations and how to avoid it
3 research-based tricks to help control emotions during critical conversations


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Nancy M. King, 72, of the Town of Clay, Liverpool, NY, passed away on Thursday July 4, 2013. Born in Syracuse to her late parents, Elizabeth (Jacobs) and Robert Glahn on April 1, 1941. She was an LPN for several nursing homes in the area. Nancy was a member of the Andrews Memorial Church, N. Syracuse.
She was predeceased by her two brothers, Robert and Donald Glahn. Surviving are her husband, Howard J. King, Jr.; her sons, Howard J. (Diane) King, III of Clay, Mark (Melina) King of Hastings, Jeffrey (Julie) King of Lysander; her daughter, Kellie (Tom) Barker of Fulton; eleven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, cousins. At Nancy's request, there are no services.
Memorials to: Donor Family Network, 3138 South Street Road, Marcellus, NY 13108. Allanson-Glanville-Tappan Funeral Home, Phoenix, NY has charge of arrangements


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Emotional Intelligence and What It Means to your Trading
Most people would agree that to have a substantial IQ (intelligence quotient) is very helpful to your success…in anything. It usually means that if you have a high IQ, you are in a position to solve problems, create novel or innovative approaches to issues and think critically. But, it is important to note that a high IQ alone does not necessarily guarantee that you'll solve your problems or that you'll be creative. This leads us to another point that was made by Howard Gardner, Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education; that actually there are at least eight types of intelligences that point to an individual's overall effectiveness. These eight intelligences are language, music, spacial, math, interpersonal, intrapersonal, body, and existential. The term emotional intelligence was bandied about as early as 1987 by a number of researchers and theorists but it gained its largest notoriety when Daniel Goleman wrote a best seller entitled "Emotional Intelligence – Why It Matters More than IQ" (1995).
So, what exactly is emotional intelligence? It is simply the identification, tracking and management of your emotions. And, Daniel Goleman was right, it is more important than your IQ because what you do is inexorably connected to how you feel. In other words, emotions are organizing principles of our human system and they cannot be separated from us. In fact, they are, to a large degree, what makes us human. As organizing principles, emotions determine our decision making process and, to a large degree, how and what we think. Let's say that you have placed an order to go long as the price action reversed at a significant fresh demand zone and you simultaneously placed a stop several ticks below the lower line of that level; then, a few minutes after the order was filled, the price action began to drop towards your stop. As you watch this taking place in the chart you might feel a tinge of fear based upon an unconscious belief that you must be right and cannot be wrong because this would mean that you are a poor trader; and that would mean that you're going to eventually lose all of your account. Now, these thoughts are often completely out of your awareness but they initiate an emotional response…fear. As the price action gets closer to your stop the fear intensifies and prompts more thoughts; for instance, the thought that you must do something to remove the threat of loss and that would be to either move the stop or take it out completely. At this juncture or fork-in-the-road you must make a decision to either go to the left, violate your rule, violate your commitment and increasing your risk and placing your capital in peril. Or, you will choose to go to the right, manage your fear and maintain your highest and best trader at the platform and sustain your risk at the original calculated position. The choice to move the stop is caused by an emotion, but the thought that, "I'll put myself in a better position to avoid the loss by moving the stop," is assumed to be logical at the time. Almost every decision that we make is driven by how we feel, not by logic. At that fork-in-the-road when you must choose to either give in to the emotion, in this case fear, or do something to maintain your A-Game at the platform you are managing your emotional state. Managing your internal state is the use of emotional intelligence.
Managing your internal state is not easy. It takes mental training and a deep desire to change your process ( ineffective strategies for thinking, feeling and doing). Although emotions can create thoughts, all emotions at their inception are outgrowths of an underlying and often unconscious thought process. The brain has evolved over several hundred thousand years and automatically reacts when the system is threatened or there is a perception of threat. Perception is a "cognitive" process, meaning that when you perceive something it is part of a thought progression. For instance, if you were to come across a mountain lion as you were hiking the impulse would be to run, fight or freeze. The impulse is automatic and is first initiated by the perception of the lion and the unconscious thought that the system is in great danger and could possibly be killed. This perception (thought) happens in a millisecond and the hypothalamus in the limbic system of the brain sends electro-magnetic and electro-chemical signals to the pituitary which then secretes the hormone ACTH which floods the system and causes cortisol (the stress hormone) to be released along with adrenaline and the entire system ramps up. This physiological response is interpreted as intense fear. All these changes, along with a cascade of additional physiological responses throughout the body (blood flow, heart rate, lungs, ears and eyes to name a few), happen in just a few seconds. This is why traders feel that they are hijacked by emotions and can't do anything about it.
Physiological and neurobiological responses (reactions) such as those in the above are hold-overs from our earliest days as cave dwellers and have evolved to help us to survive. And, when you are watching the price-action inch toward your stop the underlying thought, which often embodies as well a programmed childhood belief about yourself as not good enough or undeserving, gets activated; the system perceives danger and begins to react automatically. It is at this point, the fork-in-the-road, that you must learn to identify the emerging ineffective pattern of thinking, feeling and doing and, through using special tools intended to support your ability to remain in the now of the trade, you must learn to interrupt this pattern and choose a response that represents your A-Game. This process is akin to physical training. You wouldn't expect to do a few hours or days of push-ups or running and be in optimal shape to compete. And, you can't expect to fully train your mental muscles right away. It takes desire, determination, energy, time investment and courage to confront your improvables head-on and honestly. This is emotional intelligence. You must create consistency in addressing your internal issues with as much or more diligence as you do with documenting your mechanical data in order to develop the capacity for emotional strength and endurance in the trade.
Your best, both mental and emotional strategies, are required when you are in the trader trenches. Learn the mental and emotional tools that we teach in "Mastering the Mental Game" on-location and online courses that are constructed to support you in becoming deliberate in your process so that you can design your internal states and, thereby, trade by design and not by default. Also, get my book "From Pain to Profit: Secrets of the Peak Performance Trader."
Happy Trading,
Dr. Woody Johnson


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Middle East
Some Concrete Facts About Hamas
Guess how many skyscrapers the terror organization could've built instead of tunnels
Liel Leibovitz
· July 23, 2014
Middle East
In PLO-Hamas Deal, a Moment of Moral Clarity
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict used to be complex. By partnering with terrorists, Mahmoud Abbas just made it very simple.
Liel Leibovitz
· April 24, 2014
The Scroll
Can You Spot the Reuters Mistake Here?
Your Hamas, history, and Arab Peace Initiative lesson for the day
Adam Chandler
· May 3, 2013
The Scroll
Sundown: Romney, Bibi to Break Bread, Fast
Plus the greatest video clip ever, and no more
Marc Tracy
· July 13, 2012
The Scroll
Daybreak: In Egypt, Rage at Shafik's Inclusion
Plus the Iran talks are stalled, and more in the news
Marc Tracy
· May 29, 2012
The Scroll
Daybreak: Clinton Pushes Peace Process
Plus Britain wants to skirt a part of the Iran embargo, and more in the news
Marc Tracy
· May 11, 2012
The Scroll
Daybreak: Etan Patz Search Ends W/o Result
Plus the Islamist who would be president, and more in the news
Marc Tracy
· April 24, 2012
Middle East
The Road From Damascus
Hamas finally comes out against the Assad regime, its longtime patron, striking a major blow against Iran's bid for Shia regional dominance
Lee Smith
· February 29, 2012
The Scroll
Daybreak: Security Council Showdown
Plus Iran feels threatened by Assad's situation, and more in the news
Marc Tracy
· February 1, 2012
The Scroll
Is Meshaal Stepping Down to Step Up?
Hamas leader has broader ambitions
Marc Tracy
· January 26, 2012
Out of Tune
A Hamas official's visit to Tunisia prompts an anti-Semitic demonstration—and soul-searching about the treatment of Jews in North Africa
Robert Zaretsky
· January 17, 2012
The Scroll
How Long Will This Marriage Last?
The myriad problems with and underlying logic for reconciliation
Marc Tracy
· May 5, 2011
The Scroll
Hamas Mourns OBL, Throwing Deal Into Doubt
This is the new peace partner?
Marc Tracy
· May 2, 2011
The Scroll
Hamas Must Investigate War Crimes, Too
HRW reminds prime minister that Goldstone Report found potential war crimes on both sides
Jordan Chandler Hirsch
· October 21, 2009
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|Laura Geller Balance N Bronze* $31 from Apothica.com
I intended on purchasing the regular Balance N Brighten in Medium but Aptohica was out of stock and I didn't know when they'd have it again. Instead, I went with this and I've only used the "Balance" side. It's a great powder foundation with light coverage which is great for the summer. The bronzer is a bit too dark for me, which you wouldn't expect from looking at it. I included this in my June Favourites because I've used it every day! It applies very nicely and evens out my skin tone. It's light and doesn't look powdery.
|MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle $34 at maccosmetics.com
Soft and Gentle is my first Mineralize Skinfinish product. I'd heard so much about it that I thought I would give it a try. I thought it would be more golden, but it's more of a skin tone colour, which makes sense. You can read my review of Soft and Gentle by clicking here.
|PocketBac Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel 5 for $5 from Bath and Body Works
I've been using these for almost two years. Though they're 5 for $5, it's still not a good deal if you just want a lot of hand sanitizer. However, about twice a year, I buy five of these and they last me quite a long time. They come in many scents and after you use them, the scent lingers on your hands for a little while. I don't recommend using them immediately before eating because their scent can mix with your food (which may be an issue for some). However, the scent will diminish significantly once the gel has evaporated. I think these are great to carry around as they are small and compact.
That's it for my favourites! It hasn't really changed much and I didn't think it would make sense to include ones I've already mentioned. If you'd like to check out my April and May favourites, click here and here!
The Daily Swatch on Twitter | Tumblr | HelloCotton | BlogLovin | Pinterest


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2017 McClelland & Distinguished Alumnus Lecturers Announced/
Parkland Surgical Society Program Chair Barbra Miller has announced that Michael J. Mack, MD will deliver the Robert N. McClelland lecture, and Mary C. McCarthy, MD '83 will deliver the Distinguished Alumnus lecture at the 2017 Annual Meeting July 20-22 in Dallas.
Mack is a past President of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and a world renowned expert in cardiac valve research and implementation.
McCarthy is Chair of the Department of Surgery at Wright State University and is 2nd Vice President of the American College of Surgeons.
View the entire program schedule for the Annual Meeting and register online to attend.


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Episode 9: Chocolate
Posted by
Available to watch until September 5, 2016.
The semifinalists face the pressure of one of the most difficult ingredients: chocolate. For the first challenge, the bakers make a chocolate tart. For the technical challenge, the bakers face a staggered start, and each must make a chocolate soufflé. A chocolate centerpiece is set as the showstopper.
previous post
Episode 7: Victorian & Episode 8: Pâtisserie
next post
Episode 10: The Final


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The Gurgaon-based company, which recently raised debt financing of Rs 100 crore from a clutch of private sector banks, expects the hiring to be complete by June-end.
"We will continue to digitise and transform the logistics sector in the country, and are in the process of building many core technology products, for which we need to scale up our technology team," Gazal Kalra, co-founder of Rivigo, told ET. "We are seeing great interest from talent India and abroad."
About half of the new hires will be for this team, she said, adding that front and backend developers with 2-5 years of experience will be preferred.


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Hacking of Notepad++ site
15 Jan 2015 00:49:00
The Notepad++ official site was hacked on 12th January 2015, due to its controversial new version 6.7.4 "Je suis Charlie" edition, released on 10th January 2015. The site was restored on the same day.
The binaries of this edition are on another server and they are not compromised (the SHA1 published on 11th January 2015 is always available on SF). The automatic typing in Notepad++ "Je suis Charlie" edition after installation is a feature. Sorry for the panic.
The message of the defacement accused Notepad++ of inciting hatred towards Islam and accusing Islam of supporting terrorism. The statements of Notepad++ "Je suis Charlie" edition support nothing but the freedom of expression and only that. The fact of Notepad++ supporting the "Je suis Charlie" movement has nothing to do with any accusation towards a specific community. In fact the "Je suis Charlie" movement in France, as far as I can tell, deserves no label of racism or of Islamophobia. I have many Muslim friends who are for "Je suis Charlie". And sincerely, I don't think that two extremist fools can stand for all Muslims or Islam itself.
Regarding the "freedom of expression", I have read (from the social networks and your emails) that your most important argument is for "respect" and I'm all for respectful speech. The point of the message in the "Je suis Charlie" edition is that no one should be killed for any speech, even if disrespectful. This is the core concept of the Freedom of Speech. I believe everyone should agree with it.
If you don't like "Je suis Charlie" edition, that's fine. You can still use Notepad++ v6.7.3 - they are the same in terms of features and bug fixes.
notepad-plus-plus.org could be hacked over and over again, but I will always find a way to distribute Notepad++ "Je suis Charlie" edition - that's my freedom of expression which I claim as my right.


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Room: Wardrobe (all clothing) and Bedroom
Hours to Complete: 10.5
Main Objective: To open up floor space and lighten the feeling of the cramped room by removing duplicative furniture and clothing the client no longer inspired creativity or joy.
The Details: Client K approached us to redesign her bedroom. As with all bedrooms, we start with clothing. Its a crucial first step because it illustrates how much actual storage a room needs, rather than what might appear necessary while the wardrobe is bloated with outdated and underused clothing.
Thankfully, K already had plenty of practice creating what we call an Essential Wardrobe. For work, K often travels to Europe for weeks at a time. In living out of a carry-on suitcase, she was forced to distill to her most practical, versatile, and loved pieces. Yet while she was able to travel with a select capsule, K's wardrobe at home still had an abundance of clothing that she was not longer using or inspired by.
In the before image, you can see that there are two large dressers in the room. There is one on the left of the frame, and one near the windows. We determined that it would be best for flow and the limited floor space to reduce the clothing so that we could remove one of these dressers. Not all pieces of clothing can be hung or folded, and we knew that by removing one of these pieces, we would need to create drawer space elsewhere. In the after photo, you can see how much bigger the room feels with one less piece of furniture. Now K can easily access her windows and city views!
Above is a photo of one of the two armoires in the bedroom. We decided to make up for the lost drawer space by adding a free standing set of Elfa drawers here. Now workout clothing and undergarments have clear homes, extra linens are stored above, bags and scarves to the side.
K placed two armoires flanking the head of her bed. We all agreed the armoires added nice definition to the space and K liked the cozy sleeping nook they created. However there were a few design and feng shui elements we needed to remedy.
If you look closely in the before image, you can see that the bed was not pushed against the wall but instead had several suitcases and a full but unusable bedside table behind the headboard. This ate into the already-tight floor space and not being against a wall creates a slight sense of unease while lying in bed. We decluttered all the items under and behind the bed, finding new homes in the hall closet and in the newly decluttered dresser for the small group of keeps.
For a finishing touch, we added custom cabinet pulls to the drawers. This small detail had a huge impact of tying the armoires into the rest of the décor.
By thoughtfully editing her gorgeous shoe collection, we were able to easily fit all of K's shoes on her rack or neatly tucked in the base of the closet (rather than in a large pile like before). The biggest difference to notice here is that all of K's winter coats and long dresses now live here in a neat and orderly fashion. By relocating her long hanging items to this closet, we freed space in one of the armoires to make space for a new shelving unit. Plus, having her jackets close to entrance of the space makes for an easier transition out the door.
This shot looks towards the entrance of the bedroom. You can see the second dresser before was cluttered with daily-used items, and the back of the door was full of jackets and scarves. We completely emptied this dresser and removed a the majority of makeup (which was expired or out-of-date) and donated a bag of costume jewelry and accessories. Afterwards, this piece of furniture neatly housed all makeup, non-bathroom toiletries,and office-related materials. With the mirror now, the countertop is clear and able to serve as a proper vanity.
A final look at the beautiful space!


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Yoshee Hummel reports on the victory of the New Era Estate residents over the Tory Benson brothers.
The Benyon Estate told residents in a letter that it would be selling its shareholding back to the landlord, Hoxton Regeneration Limited.
"New Era residents have made it clear that they do not welcome our involvement in the future of the estate. They made it clear that they wanted us to pull out, and this is what we have reluctantly decided to do," he wrote.
Out of the problems in this world, which there are many, my personal passion is housing. A Home not a house (or tiny room for £650 a month) is so important and a right for every human being on this planet and without a shadow of a doubt it is doable. A home composing of a decent amount of space, heating, made affordable for even the lowest income occupants and not in disrepair. I knew this very clever hard working family living in council housing and not only was everything falling apart but the flat was saturated in damp, which definitely contributed to their feeling unwell a lot of the time. And the amount of time it would take for the council to sort out anything was a joke. This is completely unacceptable.
92 families were as of yesterday being faced with a hideous ultimatum on the New Era estate in N1; cough up £500 a week in 2016 (their rent has soared already, paying £800 a month) or ship out.
The owners were the Benyon Brothers, one being the richest Tory MP in UK. Just a quick glance at their other properties available that lie between north and east London, are all unfurnished ranging from around £300 – 1,400 per week. I especially enjoy the workshop space going for £565 per week with the description '3 phase power, free broadband, heating, shared bathroom and communal kitchen area. Rents are very affordable and all inclusive of the above.' Their statement on the New Era segment explains that they are going to rent them at '100% of full market rents' hilarious as they own 300 properties in the area which have belonged to them since the mid 19th century. So they are setting those rates. Their business already receives interest on these flats, and surely after so many years this money would pay for the "very poor state of repair" the properties are in. This was pure unadulterated greed, simple as and 92 families might have had to pay the price, literally. Take a look for yourselves www.thebenyonestate.com.
I attended the protest and it kicked off with around 200 of us marching down the road singing altered versions of well known songs and generally being rather merry. First on the agenda was to make a racket around the neighbouring area to make everyone aware. Then, we stopped off at the offices and a big banner was pinned onto the door. What was endearing was that Russell Brand knew a lot of the names of the people who are at risk, which shows that he has actually got to know the people who he is supporting. He gathered them together for a photo op, addressed the crowd and then stepped back to let Lindsey, the lead mother make a cheerful yet poignant speech, obviously placing all the children at the front in pride of place. Then onto Benyon's house round the corner. Brand climbed over the gate and clambered up the scaffold with Leigh his fire-fighter mate from his Grays days and together pinned a second banner on the house. Crowds did gather and cars did hoot their support and the general vibe was one of camaraderie. Also 'Food for all', an organisation that's supported by Brand (his face plastered on the side of the van) that feeds the homeless, disadvantaged and financially challenged for free was also part of the team and handed out a ridiculously delicious and plentiful meal.
It is absolutely fantastic that it got a result, mainly because actually being there and seeing how peaceful and merry it was makes change all that more possible; It literally can work. In the space of two months the E15 mothers took a stand and it paid off as well as now The New Era estate. It costs nothing to turn up, help and be a part of something but means everything to the people who are at risk. I'm no banker but that's a good enough return for me.
The People's Assembly Against Austerity posted about New Era Residents' Victory! on The People's Assembly Against Austerity's Facebook page 2014-11-20 11:35:00 +0000Yoshee Hummel reports on the victory of New Era Estate residents over the Tory Benson brothers! @newera4all #ukhousing


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Urban Living Your Way
If you're looking for urban living at its finest, you've just found it! HBG Realty, LLC manages a wide range of different high quality properties located in and around the Harrisburg area that are designed to give you the best of both worlds – immediate access to all of the shopping, dining, entertainment and transportation options you want combined with all of the creature comforts you need to carve out the perfect home all to yourself. Living downtown puts you front and center, right where all the action is. You can enjoy a quiet night in or head out on the town, enjoying everything that makes Harrisburg one of the most desirable places to live in the country. When you couple this with the type of dedicated property management and customer service that only HBG Realty can offer, you'll quickly realize you haven't just found an apartment – you've found a Home.


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Cookery Masterclasses in Reading
Enhance your cookery skills and enjoy some fabulous cuisine at one of the masterclasses in our demonstration kitchen.
The morning cookery masterclass with Chef Tom Clarke, or one of his senior chefs, is followed by canapés and a glass of sparkling wine, a three course lunch, and finished with coffee and petit fours.
During the demonstration there is ample opportunity to ask all the questions you have and take home plenty of practical tips and ideas.
MASTERCLASSES READINGClasses begin with arrival at 10am for tea/coffee & homemade pastries, 1.5 hour masterclass, canapés and a glass of sparkling wine, three course lunch, finished with coffee and petit fours.
£130 per person, £230 for 2 people
A 50% deposit is needed at the point of reservation and there is a 10 day cancellation policy.Additional guests are welcome to join for lunch, £70 per person, subject to availability. Max 6 people.
Thursday 22nd August - Sunday lunch with all the trimmings - 5 spaces left
Thursday 12th September - Steak Night - 6 spaces left
Thursday 24th October - Three Course Dinner Party - 2 space left
Thursday 21st November - Game Masterclass 4 spaces left
Thursday 12th December - Christmas Dinner Masterclass - fully booked
Call to book - 01189 888 500
Buy as a gift
To book on any of the masterclasses above please call 0118 988 8500 or email email@example.com
Restaurant Reading


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Jim Worfolk, CRPC®
Retirement Income Strategist and Principal
Jim Worfolk has been a financial advisor since 1997. He started his career with Morgan Stanley and, after spending 10 years there, joined Krekeler Brower Wealth Advisors in 2008. Jim's primary focus is to help clients create financial plans that will help them address both their short and long term goals. He also helps clients determine which income strategies best fit their needs during retirement. He keeps abreast of fixed income trends and changes in the annuity industry to provide guidance on portfolios where income streams are derived that seek to match client requirements for stability, duration and tax efficiency. Another focus of Jim's is to be an educated resource for client caregivers as they navigate the often difficult period of time taking care of their elderly parents while continuing to work and raise a family.
Jim and his wife Nancy have been married for over twenty six years and have three children. He leads a very active life outside the office where he volunteers at Inova Fairfax Hospital, cycles, kayaks, and is an avid summertime gardener seeking to grow the best tomatoes in northern Virginia.


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Help our preschool by buying these great products. Follow the above link and use the information below to order:
Internet Ordering #500160
Password: preschool
Scrip "substitute money" can be purchased for many of your favorite retailers. You are purchasing negotiable gift certificates, and earning revenue for Faith Preschool and Faith Youth Group. Follow this link, for the Retailer List, either by category or alphabetically. For more information contact Kim Wright on Sunday mornings.
A search engine that makes a 1 cent donation for every search and approximately 3% of every online purchase at one of their partner merchants. Follow link, download toolbar to Internet Explorer and enter Faith Lutheran Church-Marinette in "My Charity". Please spread the word to family & friends!
Ink Cartridge Recycle
Bring your "name brand" used/empty ink cartridge to church, we receive money for each cartridge. If your employer does not recycle, bring the cartridges from work too!
Aluminum Can Recycle
Bring your aluminum cans to church any Sunday, place in front of the garage and let one of our youth or leaders know.
Cell Phone Recycle
Bring your old cell phone in must power up (battery in) and have an undamaged screen. NO chargers or accessories. Extra batteries are accepted.
Campbell's Soup Labels
Labels are worth 1 or 5 points each, which can be redeemed for free merchandise. Follow the link to see participating products - or look for the icon on your favorite items.
Faith Lutheran Church
4009 Irving St
Marinette, WI 54143
Preschool: 715-732-9903
Preschool Email
Or use our contact form.


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References & Guides
The NWCG Smoke Management Guide for Prescribed Fire contains information on prescribed fire smoke management techniques, air quality regulations, smoke monitoring, modeling, communication, public perception of prescribed fire and smoke, climate change, practical meteorological approaches and smoke tools. The primary focus of this document is to serve as the textbook in support of NWCG's RX410, Smoke Management Techniques course which is required for the position of Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2) The Guide is useful to all who use prescribed fire, from private land owners to federal land managers, with practical tools, and underlying science. Many chapters are helpful for addressing air quality impacts from wildfires. It is intended to assist those who are following the guidance of the NWCG's Interagency Prescribed Fire Planning and Implementation Procedures Guide, PMS 484, in planning for, and addressing, smoke when conducting prescribed fires.
A publication of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group. This guide was developed by course coordinators, coaches, and field going personnel as a reference tool and look up guide for fire behavior analysts and managers alike.


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Style gurus
Trinny Woodall and
Susannah Constantine have confessed their new online spoof series gave them the freedom to act "over the top".
The duo said they decided to make the mockumentary What Trinny And Susannah Did Next because they "wanted to try something new", but admitted they found the lines blurring between their everyday selves and their comic personas.
Susannah told the Guardian: "This is so different from anything we've ever done, or anything that's out there. We wanted to try something new.
But it's almost like going to another planet, and not really knowing where you are. It's an exaggerated version of ourselves, but you still find yourself thinking, what's real and what's fake?
"The lines between reality and fiction are so blurred. We felt the freedom to be ourselves, but to go over the top."
The first episode of the series, currently showing on iVillage.co.uk, shows the pair as washed up versions of themselves, desperately vying for endorsement deals while bickering with each other.
But despite their move into comedy, Trinny said fashion was still an integral part of her life.
She said: "Even my basic, basic wardrobe is still pathetically colour co-ordinated. It just is. That is just me. I would never go out in tracky bottoms and a baggy T-shirt.
"I enjoy waking up in the morning and thinking, 'Who do I want to be today?'."


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FREAKY DEAKY takes a big step forward.
Once upon a time, not long after starting Crimespree Cinema, I wrote about Charlie Matthau's intent on bringing Elmore Leonard's FREAKY DEAKY to the big screen.
This was in January of 2007. Charlie wrote the screenplay himself, a script that Elmore Leonard was very enthusiastic about, and would handle the directing duties himself. Financing was needed, but the hope was to start filming later that year.
Better late than never: Variety has reported that Matthau's The Matthau Company will be hooking up with Future Films USA and Blackwood Entertainment Group to make the film a reality.
Filming is scheduled to start in January of 2010.


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Tag Archives: bp settlement attorneys
BP Settlement Still Under Fire from BP
When will BP Stop Trying to delay the BP Settlement?
BP is at it again. After twice asking for a halt on all payments until the internal investigation within the BP settlement has concluded, Judge Barbier has ordered the BP Claims Administrator to respond to BP's most recent request by August 26,2013.
If BP's request is granted, payments to all claimants will be halted indefinitely. This is just what BP is hoping for.
Dirty Deeds Being done in the BP Settlement
We believe that certain Attorneys are trying to put an end to the settlement so they have the ability to litigate in court and charge 30-40% fees to claimants. In reality all the claimants want is a fair BP settlement and justice for their families and communities. Some attorneys on the other hand want as much of a cut they can get.
We also believe BP is trying to end the settlement, even though they are the ones that set it up with terms and guidelines to which they had previously agreed. BP has now seen that their initial projections of the actual dollar amount to be contributed to the BP settlement on their behalf were probably far too low. They are paying out more than they ever expected to, and they are not happy.
Are BP and certain attorneys working together to dissolve the settlement? We don't know, but it does seem that they have a common interest; MONEY.
by: W.C. Bohack
The BP Settlement and Who We can Help
The BP Settlement is Under Review
For many of you the words under review are reminders of the GCCF, but the fact is the BP Settlement is being reviewed by Attorneys, Adjusters and Advocacy Groups. The BP Settlement on the whole is favorable for the people it was meant to serve.
The general idea of the BP Settlement is meant to serve the greatest good for the largest amount of people possible.
Our major concern under the BP Settlement continues to be the 2.3 billion dollar cap for Seafood Harvesters, they of all should not have a cap under the BP Settlement.
BP Settlement who we can Assist
The BP Settlement covers economic losses in zones and in regards to Industry. There are maps, there are multipliers, there is trend analysis, and to top it all off it is over 100o pages.We will be publishing everything as we go through the BP Settlement.
The BP Settlement is complex but it does cover more individuals and businesses and due to its nature there will be many more people with Multiple Claims.
We can Help you if you fall into the following BP Settlement Categories:
- Your business suffered losses due to the BP Oil Spill
- You are an individual that suffered losses due to the Oil Spill
- You make a living from the Gulf of Mexico ( Seafood Harvesters)
- Your property or the value of your property was impacted
- You have a Subsistence Claim
- You got Sick from the Oil or the Dispersant Corexit
- Your BP Claims were Denied or are still sitting at the GCCF
- If you need help from Catholic Charities and need immediate aid
BP Settlement Attorneys or Adjusters
We work with Attorneys and Licensed Adjusters that will help you with your BP Settlement Claims, in many instances we recommend using an Adjuster because of their expertise and history of documenting claims as the first step, if during the process of putting together your file for the BP Settlement they think their could be issues, they may recommend the services of an Attorney.
We are not anti Attorney in anyway, we just feel strongly that Licensed Adjusters have more experience documenting these types of claims, it`s what they do for a living.
When a Hurricane comes through the first people in are the Adjusters that begin to document the economic and physical losses in its aftermath. Due to the nature of the Oil Spill it closely resembles the aftermath of a hurricane. Think of the BP Settlement Fund as an insurance company, do you need an Attorney to handle your insurance claim, only if you are having an issue getting paid by the insurance company. Even though the Settlement is court supervised our Licensed Adjusters have made arrangements for Attorney Representation if needed. So unless it looks like you are going to have issues with your BP Settlement, why pay for the services of an Attorney. Our Licensed Adjusters have retained the services of Attorneys and have CPA`s on staff.
Though in certain circumstances BP Settlement Attorneys are needed and we are happy to utilize them.
Adjusters Charge from 7.5% -15%, (large loss claims over 1 million dollars start at 7.5%)
Attorneys charge from 20%-40%
All fees are contingent
We will help you with your BP Settlement.


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Geoff Ribar, senior vice president and chief financial officer, Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (
Geoff Ribar will speak at the Pacific Crest Global Technology Leadership Forum at the Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail. Ribar will participate in a fireside chat and question and answer session with analysts and investors.
Ribar's address will be available live via on-demand webcast at 3:30 p.m. MDT on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2013. The presentation will be archived on the Cadence website and available for replay through 9 p.m. MDT on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013.
The webcast will be available online at: www.cadence.com/cadence/investor_relations/pages/default.aspx
Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to Newsvine
For more information, please contact: Therese Papenfuss Investor Relations Cadence Design Systems, Inc. 408-944-7100 Email Contact


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Friday Fill-Ins...
And...here we go!
1. I knew it was love when...it truly mattered what you thought!
2. My heart can be broken but you always care for me and make it right.
3. A dog is a good thing to have around when you are home alone and can't sleep.
4. My how you have excelled at playing the guitar.
5. Can you see that I am nervous and a little anxious.
6. And the guest bed needs some softer sheets.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a quiet house, tomorrow my plans include an early morning work-out and Sunday, I want to make few decisions!


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Our engineers design and develop high-performance engine parts to help top industrial engine manufacturers outperform their competition. Your idea will come to fruition with the help of our top-level engineers and state-of-the-art plastic injection molding technology. We concentrate on high quality plastic prototypes so your test results can validate your design.
We have created prototypes for a variety of industrial engine parts including:
Our mission is to consistently provide our customers with a seamless prototype launch while improving functionality and reducing cost. Contact our engineers to get started on your next project.


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Blueberry Cream Cheese Pastries
The verdict is in, I LOVE PUFF PASTRIES. So I'm adding this to the my list, right behind the Peach & Goat Cheese Tart with Honey.
What's better than blueberries and cream cheese? The added twist of fig jam. So good and the perfect, easy-to-make breakfast sweet that's sure to impress your houseguests - OR - to enjoy all by yourself (like I did)!
- 1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese, softened (I put mine in the microwave for 20 seconds)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 3/4 cup fig jam
- 1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed - (I used 1 sheet)
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 6 teaspoons (or slightly more) whole milk
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, blend cream cheese until smooth.
- Add sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla to cream cheese and blend until combined.
- In a small sauce pain, warm fig jam until it has thinned slightly (avoid burning!)
- Place blueberries in medium size bowl and pour fig jam on top, stirring to combine until berries are thoroughly coated.
- Roll out your thawed puff pastry on to a lightly floured surface until it's a 10-inch square. (NOTE: I usually remove pastry from freezer and thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes. If you're pastry is more of a rectangle, simple cut off some from the side to form your square).
- Cut each square into four smaller squares, finally cutting each square in half, diagonally to form small triangles.
- Prick each triangle several times with a fork, LEAVING A 1/2-INCH UN-PRICKED BORDER around the edges.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water (water is optional but good if you start to run out of egg wash).
- Brush and completely coat each triangle with egg wash.
- Spread a dollop of cream cheese in the center of each triangle, leaving a 1/4 border around the edges.
- Top the cream cheese with the blueberry/fig mixture, spreading evenly across.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes or until gold brown and puffed around the edges.
- Remove pastries from oven and place on a cooling rack.
Glaze Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk powdered sugar, milk and lemon just until combined. (If glaze is too dry/thick, continue to add milk a little at a time until thin enough to drizzle but NOT TOO RUNNY!) If your mixture is too runny, add a little more powdered sugar.
- Once pastries have cooled, use a spoon to lightly drizzle each pastry with glaze.
Photography by Jonathan Stiers ©2015 | Recipe adapted from Just a Taste


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Tuesday's release of the Central Bank of Barbados' (CBB) review of Barbados' economic performance for the first nine months of 2016 left Barbadians with a lot to chew on. The good news is that after years of economic recession or stagnation, the economy is estimated to have grown by 1.3 per cent so far this year. The Central Bank attributed this outturn to growth in tourism (up three per cent), business and other services (up three per cent), and construction (up five per cent).
It is encouraging that the economy may be finally on the upswing. With Barbados' nominal value of goods and services produced annually (nominal Gross Domestic Product or GDP) declining in four of the last six years, Real GDP growth in excess of one per cent, though modest, is a welcome development. It signals that the economy may be finally embarking on a genuine recovery. Despite this good news, however, I would suggest that Barbadians receive it with cautious optimism rather than euphoria.
It is important to note that the evidence clearly suggests that lower oil prices, which Barbadians have been benefiting from, have been a boon for the economy. The economic growth reported for the period January to September, the improved current account position of the Balance of Payments and the Foreign Exchange Reserves Cover, can also be attributed to the relatively lower energy costs that Barbados has been experiencing. This view, especially with respect to the economic growth, is supported by the CBB's report of negative inflation during the last nine months.
Other positive highlights from the CBB's review are as follows:
–– Barbados' Current Account deficit of the Balance of Payments fell to 2.5 per cent of GDP compared with 6.1 per cent of GDP a year ago;
–– Net capital inflows were steady, though still below historical levels;
–– Barbados' import cover of foreign reserves was steady at 14 weeks, on account of low oil prices; (Caveat: Net International Reserves have actually been on a declining trend);
–– The general price level was reported to have declined by 1.2 per cent, no doubt due to low oil prices;
–– Tourism spending has now caught up with arrivals i.e. on an upward trajectory;
–– So far this year, domestic exports are trending higher than the first nine months of last year; and
–– Average loan rates are lower due to the Central Bank of Barbados' monetary accommodation of central government – 6.8 per cent compared to 9.6 per cent in 2008. It is likely that the lower mortgage rates have been a stimulus for residential construction.
The bad news is that the Government's level of debt remains worryingly high and is rising. Moreover, the fiscal deficit (i.e. the extent to which Government expenditure exceeds Government revenue) continues of be stubbornly high. This is unsustainable and places Barbados' future development at considerable risk. It is clear that the fiscal policy of the Stuart administration is only succeeding in stifling economic growth and dampening import demand. Existing measures are not having the desired impact on deficit reduction.
It is time to change course! The Central Bank knows this. The Governor of the Central Bank has hinted as much. "The pressure of Government's ongoing cash flow needs is reflected in the failure to narrow the gap between the Barbados and US three-month Treasury Bill rates . . ." –– a euphemism for saying that Government has failed to sufficiently reduce its fiscal deficit. The CBB has had to create $114 million so far this year to help finance the Government's fiscal deficit.
Against this background, it is shocking that the CBB did not report figures for the most recent fiscal deficit as a percentage of GDP. This is a glaring omission. However, what is clear from Table 4 of the report is that the fiscal deficit so far this calendar year is higher than it was during the same period last year –– $241.9 million this year compared to $151.5 million. Government revenues are lower than they were during the same period last year, and Government expenditure is higher than during the same period last year.
The higher expenditure is largely due to domestic interest payments (Table 4 of the report). What cannot be disputed is that a fiscal adjustment of at least $114 million is needed to restore any semblance of prudence to Government's financial management. In addition to this malaise, the International Business and Financial Services Sector, a major source of Barbados' foreign exchange earnings, economic prosperity, and Government revenue has declined this year. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) levels are still too low (See Table 1, Capital Inflows). Barbados needs at least $400 million to $500 million in annual capital inflows.
The Barbados economy still faces significant headwinds, namely the fiscal drag of a high debt burden, less than optimal FDI, high taxation and public expenditure, and a slow growth external environment –– primarily among its large industrial trading partners i.e. USA, UK, Canada and the EU. This can be largely attributed to a failure to act decisively and a crisis of confidence in the economic stewardship of Barbados.
The options for fixing the core problem facing Barbados have narrowed. Indeed, I can see no viable way out without a policy of privatization, debt refinancing, strategic expenditure cuts, an ease in taxation and of course more robust FDI. Given where we are at, the question can no longer be, "Should the Government privatize or not privatize?" The million dollar question is, "What should a programme of privatization look like?
On the subject of questions, I have two for the Governor of the Central Bank:
1. What has informed the selection of Barbados' tourism competitors in Figure 2 of the report? Peer jurisdictions such as The Bahamas, St Kitts and Nevis, St Barts, Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia, Martinique, St Thomas, Grenada, Aruba, France, Spain, Greece and islands in the Pacific Ocean are notably absent from the chart.
2. With respect to "Figure 6: Gross Government Debt –– International Comparison" of the report: What is the context for selection of the countries that Barbados is being compared with? What point is the CBB trying to make? With the exception of perhaps Singapore, many of the countries are either countries with major floating tradable currencies and/or a strong industrial base, or they are slow growth economies. They are either more economically resilient than Barbados or they are stuck in economic stagnation.
(Carlos R. Forte is a Barbadian economist and Commonwealth Scholar. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com)


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Dan Holtzclaw here, author of the best selling Little Black Book of Microcap Investing. You may want to keep your eyes on a stock that is mentioned in my book. The stock is International Power Group (Pink Sheets: IPWG). This stock has amazing potential.
Waste to energy. It is the wave of the future and IPWG holds the key to this technology!
IPWG recently received notification that its SEC Form 10-SB Registration Statement has cleared comments by the SEC. Essentially, this means that IPWG will soon be able to move off of the Pink Sheets and onto the OTCBB. This may not sound like a big move, but believe me...it is. The move from the Pinks to the OTCBB will allow many institutional investors to take a position in IPWG. This stock has quite a following and many were waiting for this day to come.
Last year, IPWG hit a high of $1.90 and has since been mercilessly shorted by a number of hedge funds and institutions. Many of these shorts felt that IPWG was nothing more than a pipe dream, that it was nothing more than just another penny stock scam. As such, they felt that they could short IPWG into oblivion. The short position for IPWG has been estimated to be anywhere from 9 to 20 million shares. Speculation has it that IPWG was recently held in the 30-40 cent range as institutions attempted to slowly cover their short positions in IPWG. With yesterday's news, the shorts have seen that IPWG is for real and now the rest of the investing public knows it as well. As such, it appears that the shorts are running scared and beginning to accelerate their covering.
IPWG has risen over 50% today alone on just over 500,000 shares of trading volume. The shorts are in trouble. While IPWG does have a larger amount of outstanding shares, the majority of those shares are in the hands of company officers. Of the available public float, a huge chunk of that float is held by friendly hands. The realistically available shares for the shorts to cover with are few. Considering the fact that the shorts have had their way with IPWG since it hit $1.90, they have alot of covering to do.
It is expected that IPWG will list on the OTCBB very soon. In a press release dated 4 Dec 2006, IPWG CEO Peter Toscano stated, "We are pleased to have accomplished this step in our planned move to the OTC Bulletin Board. Our planned listing on the OTC Bulletin Board would be a significant development in that it would enhance the visibility of our company and provide better liquidity for our shareholders." With IPWG's impending move to the OTCBB, expect the shorts to ramp up their covering and expect newcomers to jump on the IPWG bandwagon.
This news alone may sound great, but you have not even heard the best part yet! Grab a copy of my book at Amazon.com and you will see why IPWG is an amazing stock!
As always, please see my disclaimer.


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|Bela Lugosi as Dracula Via Wikimedia Commons
There is no seating for the little ice cream shop, but the wall between the parking lot and the back drive serves well enough for outdoor seating. There were already two mothers sitting there, with their four young kids running off steam, evidence of their choice of ice cream and water ice flavors on their faces. When I had settled down to read, they ran circles around me, until their mothers asked them to the leave "the lady" alone. I think the "old" was unvoiced.
One of the urchins had a line of cherry red water ice running from his mouth, and when his mother asked him to wipe it off, teasing him that he looked like a vampire, he decided that he was a vampire, and so certainly should not wipe the sticky stuff off. Pretty soon, the whole lot of them were vampires, huddling by the garden, shooting glances my way. "How much blood do you think that woman has?"1
Maybe I should have had more garlic on my tomato salad?
1. About 4.7 liters is a good estimate.


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When meeting with clients for the first time, it can make even the most seasoned and confident person fraught with nerves. It's hard not to be, especially when a meeting can win or lose you a new client. Remember that you are auditioning for the part of the person who can do the job, so it's only natural to feel nervous. Here are some tips to help you get through your meeting without falling apart.
Prepare for the meeting
Be there at your meeting place at least thirty minutes earlier. Get a good seat and something to drink to relax you. Don't forget to bring your portfolio or a fully charged laptop or tablet if you have an online one. Put your phone on silent. Have a pen and a notebook ready. Bring a business card.
If it's a Skype meeting, get online early. Check your mic sound, your headset, and your internet connection. Go to a room that's quiet and well-lit. Also, have your files ready and your web browsers open. Dress nicely and appropriately. You have to feel comfortable in your clothes and with how you look. Otherwise, it can affect the outcome of the meeting.
Do your research
Know more about the person you're meeting with, how their business started, their goals, their missions, and their visions. Also, read up on their biggest competitors. Knowing all these give you the information you need to design or create something that will meet their needs and effectively target their audience.
Make conversation
Don't get straight to business. Instead, break the ice. Ask them about the weather, about their drive to the meeting place, about how nice they look in their clothes, etc. Make them feel relaxed by cracking a joke or two. Don't appear too eager or too assertive. Don't be cocky or stiff, either. Use their first name all throughout the meeting as this establishes rapport and evokes confidence.
Watch your body language
How confident or how unsure you are will be evident in your posture or your gesture. Sit up straight and lean towards them when you talk. Maintain eye contact. Nod your head to show your agreement. Laugh when you find something funny but not too much.
Let them talk
Let them talk about the project and what they will require from you should you be selected to work with them. Listen and take down notes if needed. This shows you're taking this seriously and don't want to miss one important detail. When they're done talking, ask them intelligent questions and repeat their words back to them. "So you want to focus on your Instagram presence this time because you want to be more visual in your marketing. Am I right?"
Sell yourself
Don't overdo it, though. Show how you helped a client with a project and what the results were. Back this up with a spreadsheet or a PowerPoint presentation. Offer free advice. Answer their questions confidently and sufficiently.
Talk like you've already won the business and you're just ironing out the small details.
Before leaving the meeting, smile, shake their hands, and thank them for their time. Give them your business card and tell them you'll be more than happy to discuss more on the phone.
Rouselle Isla
Latest posts by Rouselle Isla (see all)
- How to Use Kami with DocuSign - June 7, 2016
- Things You Should Know About ISTE 2016 - June 3, 2016
- Surviving ISTE 2016 - June 1, 2016


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JEN'S ZEN ~ Hope
"She's a feisty one," they told me.
"She's a fighter."
"You're going to need a strong name for this one, Mom."
Pregnant with twins, I'd gone into premature labor at 34 weeks and four days—far too far away from 40 weeks full gestation—but there was no stopping this. We'd already been there, 10 days prior. The meds (and the scary, made-my-body-shake-uncontrollably shots to boost lung growth of my two babies not yet ready to be born) had bought us time, but not enough time.
My son entered into this world less than three hours later at 6:50 p.m., premature but healthy. As the contractions came again, even more powerful as my body worked to bring down a second baby, I heard it in the air: breech. Yet, through 10 long minutes of me fighting the instinctive urge to push through waves of intensity as the doctor who assisted our delivery struggled to flip, turn and manually get a hold of our baby, my daughter was born breech at 7 p.m., premature but healthy.
"She's a stubborn one," our delivery doctor told me.
"She's a fighter."
"You're going to need a strong name for this one, Mom," the nurses said.
Twin B, as she was called, continued to prove her grit through the next 48 hours. A strong name would be needed, yes, for our small but mighty one who had presented herself to this world in her own feisty fashion. A name for our spirited one who initially required respiratory assistance, but breathed independently in less than 12 hours. Our quick study, born just shy in gestation of knowing how to suckle in order to eat, who learned how and then fed expertly.
I'd find myself gazing at our newborn little girl, thinking of all that I hoped for her. I hoped that she'd grow to be strong of body and mind. I hoped that she would find happiness, and that she would know joy, love and true friendship. I hoped that life wouldn't knock her down too hard, and I hoped that she'd always get back up. I hoped that she'd never lose faith, and I hoped that she'd never lose hope.
And I came to realize that what
I hoped the very most for her was that she—
in the face of anything
and possibly even despite everything—
would always hope.
"So, have you decided on a name yet?" a warm and friendly nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit asked.
"Yes," I said. "Her name is Hope."
"Oh, that's beautiful!" she gushed. "I don't know, though," she joked. "I thought you'd go with something stronger for this little fighter!"
I smiled at the nurse.
"Funny," I said. "I'm not sure I can think of anything stronger than hope."
In the face of anything and possibly even despite everything …
Because the damn dishes are never done. Laundry is a cruel joke. And because children are beautiful lessons in patience and counting. 10, 9, 8, 7 … Breathe.


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Submit Music
Are you in a band that plays Hair, Glam, Sleaze, Speed, Thrash or Heavy Metal? Or in a Rock, Hard Rock or Alternative Rock Band? Then we want to play your music! We are always looking for ways to help up-and-coming bands, so here's how it works. First fill out the form below and send it to us. When we receive the song we will screen it and if we like it, we'll add it to our music player!
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Travelling to Costa Rica is your chance to experience some things you may never encounter again in your life. The local Ticos are proud of their country, may not be widely traveled, and are not always familiar with many Western customs. The differences in Costa Rica can lead an embarrassing scenario if you make a mistake. So here are some of the oddities you should aim to avoid.
Always stock up on perishable items in advance of when you actually need them. Dairy products like milk and eggs are rarely sold refrigerated. They're placed in a low-power fridge which keeps them cold. This doesn't mean they're refrigerated enough to eat. Buy them and take them to the nearest cool box so they can cool down before you tuck into them.
Buying Wine
If you want to surprise your special someone back home with a bottle of local wine, forget about it. Authentic Tico wine is sold in a little plastic box which you have to refrigerate for a few hours first. If you're staying at a resort, you can still get bottled wine, but it might well be more expensive.
The Locks
If you can see a traveller desperately trying to work out how to unlock a door, you know they've fallen for a classic Tico housing feature. Doors have inward locks. In the West there are outward locks. So remember to change the way you approach it. It's like how people from the UK have to change the way they drive when they visit the US because they drive on the opposite side of the road.
Assume Marriage
Marriage in Costa Rica is different from other places in the world. If you see a couple living together you shouldn't assume they're living in sin due to a difference in their last names. A woman uses her full maiden name for life, even when she gets married. A man keeps his last name. Any children they have between them automatically take the father's name.
Don't Fall
The older generations of Ticos were much shorter than the Ticos of today. Furniture is therefore built about six to eight inches lower than the furniture found in the US. Ease into a chair carefully or you might find yourself misjudging the distance and falling through it when travelling to Costa Rica!


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Community Connections
The Community Connections team helps to fulfill the mission of New Horizon's Rehabilitation to empower individuals by creating meaningful opportunities in a changing environment. We do this primarily through our Direct Service Professionals (DSPs). DSPs work one-on-one with our clients who are either living at home with their family or living on their own to achieve goals that the interdisciplinary team (case managers, parents and/or guardians, and service coordinators) and the client have agreed upon. The client's goals usually involve learning life skills such as planning and preparing a meal, managing money, making choices independently, communicating needs, interacting with others, and becoming more experienced in the community. The Community Connections objective is not to simply take clients into the community, but to help clients fully connect with and become part of the community.


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Routers and Firewalls
Physical Security
Content Filtering
Internet Security
Operating System Security
Passwords & Password Managers
Identity Theft
Using Encryption
Social Engineering
Secure the Human (SANS)
Cybersecurity Sites
Anti-Virus Software
Free Online Virus Scanners
Content Filtering
Encryption & Anti-Keyloggers
Password Managers
Anti-theft & Laptop Recovery
Physical Security
Popular Open Source Software
Secure Email | VPN Services | Secure Browsers
Mobile Computing & Security Apps
Blogs & Podcasts
Cybercrime Reporting
Data Breaches
Like us on Facebook
Disclaimer on links.
This page will contain links to some of the resources we used when researching our book
Cybersecurity for Everyone
. The web sites are not under the control of the author, and the author is not responsible for the contents of any website, including without limitation any link contained in a referenced web, or any changes or updates to a referenced website. The author is not responsible for webcasting or any other form of transmission received from any referenced web site. The author is providing these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by the author of the site or any association with its operators.
Open source or free software as described in Cybersecurity for Everyone
Qubes OS: A reasonably secure operating system
Qubes is a security-oriented, free and open-source operating system for personal computers that allows you to securely compartmentalize your digital life.
KIDO'Z - Fun & Safe Play Mode for Kids
Turn your Phone, Tablet & PC into a playing, learning and safe environment, with the greatest and latest kids Apps, Videos and Online Content delivered directly to your child.
Zac Browser | Zone for Autistic Children
The first Internet Browser developed specifically for children with autism and other special needs.
Amanda - the most popular open source backup and recovery software in the world
Amanda is the most popular open source backup and recovery software in the world. Amanda protects more than a million servers and desktops running various versions of Linux, UNIX, BSD, Mac OS-X and Microsoft Windows operating systems worldwide.
Apache OpenOffice - The Free and Open Productivity Suite
The official home page of the Apache OpenOffice open source project, home of OpenOffice Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw and Base.
Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder
blender.org - Home of the Blender project - Free and Open 3D Creation Software
Blender is the open source, cross platform suite of tools for 3D creation.
BlueGriffon, The next-generation Web Editor based on the rendering engine of Firefox
BlueGriffon, The next-generation Web Editor based on the rendering engine of Firefox
calibre - E-book management
calibre: The one stop solution for all your e-book needs. Comprehensive e-book software.
Chrome - The fast, free browser that's built for the modern web.
Draw Freely. | Inkscape is professional quality vector graphics software
Inkscape is professional quality vector graphics software which runs on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It is used by design professionals and hobbyists worldwide, for creating a wide variety of graphics such as illustrations, icons, logos, diagrams, maps and web graphics. Inkscape uses the W3C open standard SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) as its native format, and is free and open-source software.
Eraser - Advanced Security Tool for Windows
Scribus - Open Source Desktop Publishing & Professional Page Layout
pdfforge | PDF Creator - The FREE PDF Converter Tool, ease to use pdf printer, pdf writer, pdf down
PDFCreator converts every printable document to PDF and many other formats. Create professional PDFs with a few clicks and it's free.With many Professional Features: merge documents, send emails and more.
7-Zip is an extremely popular file archiver for Windows
Notepad++ is a free source code editor and Notepad
Notepad++: a free source code editor which supports several programming languages running under the MS Windows environment.
FreeMind is a premier free mind-mapping software
Pidgin, the universal chat client
A free chat client used by millions. Connect easily to MSN, Google Talk, Yahoo, AIM and other chat networks all at once.
Free Accounting Software | GnuCash
A personal and small-business financial-accounting software, licensed under GNU/GPL and available for Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, BSD, and Solaris.
Home | LibreOffice - Free Office Suite - Fun Project - Fantastic People
Welcome to the official website of the LibreOffice project: the office suite the community has been dreaming for years. Download the latest version now.
GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program
Download Firefox — Free Web Browser — Mozilla
Download Mozilla Firefox, a free Web browser. Firefox is created by a global non-profit dedicated to putting individuals in control online. Get Firefox today!
Mozilla Thunderbird
Mozilla Thunderbird is created by a global non-profit dedicated to putting individuals in control and shaping the future of the web for the public good.
FileZilla - The free FTP solution
VideoLAN - Official page for VLC media player, the Open Source video framework!
Official page for VLC media player, the Open Source video framework!
HandBrake: Open Source Video Transcoder
HandBrake is an open-source, GPL-licensed, multiplatform, multithreaded video transcoder.
The leading OS for PC, tablet, phone and cloud | Ubuntu
Ubuntu is an open source software platform that runs everywhere from the smartphone, the tablet and the PC to the server and the cloud.


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Cacela Velha/
We drove by Cacela Velha on the way from Albufeira to Seville. It's the most gorgeous small town. I'm pretty sure I photographed every angle of this town which you can see in my blog post. It was really small. We also ate at their seemingly only cafe. I had a lovely Sandwhich and yummy ice cream.
It was one of those moments I felt so fortunate that we were driving because it was clearly a place you can't fly to or take a train to. You'd have to drive there so there probably hasn't been that many tourists there. It looked so beautiful and I'm so glad I got to see it! It was almost empty and it was just so small that it's really hard to imagine anyone living there at all.
While at the cafe I saw the biggest grasshopper ever! It was at least 12cm long and just siting on the table behind us like it's nobody's business. I was terrified it would jump on me or something, haha! The locals seemed completely fine with it and I just thought they were absolutely mad.


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Something like 92% of all New Year's resolutions are doomed to failure. If one of your goals is to write a novel this year, don't let yourself become a statistic. Find out the answers to your questions and learn how to write your book.
Since I joined the powerhouse faculty at Janice Hardy's Fiction University, I've written a monthly how-to guide for writing fiction. If you're looking for some writing inspiration or technique, you could do worse than checking out some of my favorite articles: Continue reading


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The fourth annual Jewelry Career Symposium, sponsored by the Jewelers of America Center for Business Studies, was held Oct. 15 at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City. It attracted almost 400 people and more than 30 recruiting companies.
"We had people attending from as far away as California," said Gina DeHaan, JA director of education. Main attractions included the CBS Student Design Competition, which attracted 44 entries, and two new workshops designed to teach newcomers how to set up their portfolios and create rèsumès.
Six days later, nearly 1,000 people and 100 industry leaders showed up for the fifth annual CareerFair at the Gemological Institute of America in Santa Monica, Cal. It offered seminars, career counseling and job interviews.
"Every panel was packed and there was standing room only," reported Kathryn Kimmel, who chaired the event. Panels covered jewelry design, sales, manufacturing, appraising and selling diamonds and colored stones. Most were scheduled twice during the day, with extra sessions held to accommodate the crowd.
A popular feature was one-on-one counseling, where students and job candidates lined up to talk with some 70 industry representatives about job prospects and what the industry has to offer. "It was great to see so many young faces all anxious to find out about the jewelry industry," said Lenny Friedman of Crescent Jewelers, Los Angeles, president-elect of the California Jewelers Association. A new counseling topic this year was business start-up and entrepreneurship, with a team of bankers, accountants, attorneys and chief executive officers offering advice.
Meanwhile, representatives of more than two dozen retail jewelry chains, department stores, manufacturers and industry organizations talked with prospective employees, handed out applications and made appointments for interviews. Are jobs likely to result?
"We track this as carefully as we can," said Kimmel, "and we found that 152 people got jobs from last year's fair. Not all happened immediately, because sometimes it can take as much as six months. But a lot of people were helped."
CareerFair is the creation of GIA and the Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California. The JCK International Jewelry Show, Vicenza Trade Fair Board and J.C. Penney Co. are prime sponsors. D. Swarovski is a cosponsor, and The Johnson Family's Diamond Cellar and Diamond Promotion Service are affiliate sponsors.
The Gemological Institute of America introduces "Insurance Replacement Appraisal" as its newest distance education course.
The course covers the preparation of insurance documentation, the precise descriptions for gemstones and mountings, and the determination of replacement prices that satisfy customers and their insurance companies. Other topics included in the nine-assignment course cover methods of determining value, record keeping and the key tools for appraising.
Each assignment comes with a video summary. Students may contact an instructor with a toll-free telephone call and complete questionnaires and get scores back via computer. All GIA distance education courses are fully accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council.
GIA Education Services, Dept. PR51K, P.O. Box 2110, Santa Monica, Cal. 90507-2110; (800) 421-7250 or (310) 829-2991, ext. 292; fax (310) 829-6589.
The London Guildhall University has released its schedule of Easter and summer vacation courses in silversmithing and jewelry.
The Easter courses, to be held April 1-3, will cover engraving, jewelry design, jewelry repair and wax modeling. The five-day summer courses, to be held in July and August, cover such topics as casting, jewelry making, jewelry design, objet design, gem setting, enameling, chasing and silversmithing.
London Guildhall University, 41 Commercial Rd., London, E1 1LA, United Kingdom; (44-171) 320-1817, fax (44-171) 320-1830.
Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co., Neenah, Wis., and Assael International, New York, N.Y., have established scholarship funds at the Gemological Institute of America.
JMI set up two scholarships to honor Richard Kern and William Argo, who have served the jewelry industry through service on the JMI Board of Directors. Each scholarship fund will issue $500 awards twice a year for five years. The scholarships can be applied to any GIA gemology program.
"We are pleased that we can support GIA in this way," says Ronald R. Harder, chief executive officer of JMI. "And we are proud of the service, time and contribution both of these men have made."
Assael made a three-year commitment for scholarships for students enrolled in GIA's "Pearls" program. "This funding will allow deserving students to receive the type of specialized training they will need to succeed in today's competitive marketplace while also ensuring that our trade will have access to a steady supply of talented professionals," says President Salvadore Assael.
GIA's learn-at-home "Pearls" course teaches students how to buy and sell pearls, GIA's grading system for cultured pearls, how to relate beauty and quality to value and how to boost sales of cultured pearls by explaining these factors to retail customers.
Scholarship applications are available by contacting
GIA Financial Aid, P.O. Box 2110, Santa Monica, Cal. 90407-2110; (310) 829-2991, ext. 355; fax (310) 828-6589
Highline Community College will offer a two-day workshop and two new classes in its winter Jewelry/Goldsmithing Technology Program.
The workshop, titled "Introduction to Hydraulic Press Forming," will be held Feb. 4 and 11. Students will learn how to use a 20-ton hydraulic press for forming and texturing metal. Those with some metals experience will be able to make a simple jewelry item in the workshop. The $97 fee includes all materials.
The new classes are "Wax Design II" and "Advanced Design and Rendering." For fee and other information on these and other classes, contact
Highline Community College, P.O. Box 98000, Des Moines, Wash. 98198-9800; (206) 878-3710
The Jewelers Education Foundation of the American Gem Society recently presented "How to Use Direct Mail to Your Advantage" at a meeting of the Mississippi Jewelers Association. The speaker was David Rotenberg, president of JEF and owner of David Craig Jewelers Ltd. in Langhorne, Pa.
"A direct mail piece should include a cover letter, a brochure describing your offer, a packaging device that compels the recipient to open the piece and a dynamic call to action," said Rotenberg. "Even if you do this well, your direct mail piece goes nowhere unless you have a clean, targeted mailing list."
To create a mailing list, start with your store's customer base, he said. Glean customer mailing information from checks, credit cards and over-the-counter contact. Maintain data such as customers' previous purchases and buying trends to help you formulate your marketing strategy. This will enable you to send direct mail pieces to the appropriate segment of your market.
Other JEF presentations include "How to Develop Effective Promotions," "How to Create a Million Dollar Store," "Staff Compensation" and "From New Hire to Team Player. As of August, more than 2,000 jewelers had attended JEF seminars at trade shows and state association meetings.
Jewelers Education Foundation, 8881 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas, Nev. 89117; (702) 255-6500, fax (702) 255-7420
The 13th annual National Association of Jewelry Appraisers Educational Conference will be held Feb. 1-2 in the Embassy Suites Hotel/Airport in Tucson, Ariz. The theme is "All You Need to Know About Emeralds and Emerald Treatments."
Seminars scheduled the first day are "Emerald Treatment Techniques I," 8:30 a.m.; "Emeralds, Origin to Treatment," 10:45 a.m.; "Emerald Treatment Techniques II," 1:30 p.m.; "Entenmann vs. U.S. Case Review," 2:15 p.m.; "How to Appraise Seals, Intaglios and Judaic Jewelry," 3:30 p.m.; and "Emerald Treatment Techniques III," 5:10 p.m.
Scheduled the second day are: "Emerald Treatment IV," 7:30 a.m.; "GemDialogue Color System Workshop," 8:30 a.m.; "Munsell Color Book System Workshop," 10:15 a.m.; "Emerald Treatment V," 1:15 p.m.; "United Services Automobile Association Insurance Co. Concepts on Insuring Jewelry," 2:15 p.m.; and "Emerald Treatment VI," 3:10 p.m.
Speakers will include Stuart Bassin of Silver Spring, Md., an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division; James Lytle of Tucson, Ariz., president and owner of J&H Ltd., an emerald treatment source; Gloria Lieberman of Boston, Mass., vice president and director of the antique jewelry department at Skinner Inc.; Joseph Tenhagen of Miami, Fla., associate director of NAJA and president of J.W. Tenhagen Gemstones Inc.; Ann Johnson, manager of the United Services Automobile Association Insurance Co.'s Claims Replacement Service and a former faculty member at the Gemological Institute of America; Howard Rubin of Bayside, N.Y., president of GemDialogue Systems; and Thomas Tashey of Los Angeles, Cal., director of the European Gemological Laboratory.
Social activities will include a networking dinner Feb. 1 and a banquet Feb. 2.
For discount travel rates, call American Airlines at (800) 433-1790 and refer to account #2816AC. For special room rates and other information, contact the
National Association of Jewelry Appraisers, P.O. Box 6558, Annapolis, Md. 21401-0558; (301) 261-8270
The popular "Gold" seminar developed by the World Gold Council and the Gemological Institute of America is now available as an interactive multimedia presentation.
The three-hour seminar is aimed at sales personnel and managers and covers such topics as alloying, gold testing theory, karat stamping, care and cleaning, history and uses of gold and the four methods of jewelry manufacturing.
"We developed the seminar out of our acknowledgement that jewelry salespeople need to know more about gold in order to sell it effectively," says Debbie Hiss-Odell, GIA public relations manager. "We cover customers' commonly asked questions, using customer motivations to close sales and turning gold features into customer benefits. We want participants to come away with the ability to recommend the right type of jewelry for a customer's needs."
World Gold Council, 900 Third Ave., New York, N.Y. 10022; (212) 688-0005, fax (212) 371-5466
The German Gemmological Association will offer its 1996 English-language gemology diploma course from July 29 to Dec. 6.
The components of the program are "Gemmology Diploma Course," July 29-Oct. 25; "Pearls/Organic Substances," Oct. 28-Nov. 1; "Diamond Diploma Course," Nov. 4-29; and "Commercial Gemmology," Dec. 2-6.
German Gemmological Association, P.O. Box 12 22 60,55714 Idar-Oberstein, Germany; (49-6781) 43011, fax (49-6781)41616
Larry D. Phillips and Thom Underwood, members of the American Society of Appraisers, recently presented "Introduction to Insurance Documentation for the Retail Jeweler" at seminars in Cleveland, Ohio; Chicago, Ill.; and Anaheim, Cal.
Phillips also is preparing a correspondence course version of the seminar on behalf of the ASA's Gems and Jewelry Committee.
The Jewelers of America Center for Business Studies presented the Great Lakes Regional Education Conference Oct. 7-9 in Bloomington, Minn. Jewelers attended from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Tennessee and Iowa.
Among the seminars were "Advertising on a Small Budget" by promotions authority Nan Kochanski and "Selling More Diamonds Over 1 Carat" by sales trainer Shane Decker. Participants also heard presentations by several JA officials, including Executive Director Matthew Runci, President Dale Perelman, Education Director Gina DeHaan and Public Relations Director Eileen Farrell.


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Michael Jackson's family lawyer said ruthless gig promoters "didn't care who got lost in the wash".
In a tiny Los Angeles courtroom, attorney Brian Panish yesterday told a jury of six men and six women the heartless concert giant AEG killed the star in their bid for company success.
The King of Pop's mum Katherine claimed concert giant AEG failed to investigate the doctor who gave him a fatal injection – and lied about not knowing he was addicted to drugs.
Yesterday she began a much-anticipated €30billion compensation case against AEG, claiming they put the singer's life on the line with the high-pressure This Is It Tour.
Mr Panish said: "You know what AEG's problem was? They were not No1 in the concert business but they wanted to be.
"You do what you gotta do if you want to be No1 in this rough business of concert promotions... Michael paid the ultimate price. He died. Michael has taken responsibility."
Mr Panish told the court AEG negligently hired and pressurised Dr Conrad Murray – who has been convicted of supplying Jackson with a fatal dose of propofol – to pump the star full of drugs.
As Jacko's mother Katherine, and siblings Randy and Rebbie watched from the front row, Mr Panish said AEG was to blame for robbing fans of his genius with his 2009 death.
He told jurors: "His stirring voice, his musical genius, his creativity and his generosity and his huge heart were extinguished forever.
"You're going to hear the whole story about what happened in the death of Michael Jackson."
During the two-and-a-half hour opening statement, jurors were shown a slideshow of Jacko's life recounting how he began in showbusiness at six.
Mr Panish said Jackson became "dependent" on prescription drugs and suffered from anxiety that increased as he was forced to keep up a rigorous schedule.
He added Jacko's drug problem took off in 1984 when he suffered second and third-degree burns filming an advert.
Mr Panish also showed footage of a 1999 Munich show where a bridge dropped 50ft with the singer on it, and said Jacko turned to Demerol to relieve his pain.
He said AEG had to be the only people in the world who claimed not to know about his need for painkillers – but forgot it in their hunt to cash in on a 50-date tour he wasn't ready for.
Mr Panish added: "Over the years Michael's family and people who knew him believed he had a problem with prescription medication.
"AEG ignored the obvious red flags, and they hired Dr Murray."
Many slides were objected to by AEG – with the judge forcing the removal of one that compared Jacko to tragic singer Amy Winehouse.
The star-studded civil trial is expected to last for a further three months, although Judge Yvette Palazuelos banned TV networks from broadcasting it live.
Jacko died aged 50 of an anaesthetic overdose at his LA mansion where he was rehearsing for a doomed London O2 comeback tour.
His family are seeking a multi-billion dollar judgment against AEG equal to the money Jacko would have earned over the course of his remaining lifetime.
Only a handful of journalists will be allowed inside the 45-seat courtroom and yesterday just two Michael Jackson fans were given spots.
Many had driven for hours to be at the case, with one devotee telling reporters: "It's nothing when you love Michael as much as I love him. Somebody has to come out and speak up for him."
Yesterday, Mr Panish said he did not know who would be called as the first witness from a star-studded list.
It includes many members of the Jackson family, including mum Katherine and Michael's ex-wives, Debbie Rowe and Lisa Marie Presley.
His children Prince, 16 and 15-year-old Paris are also expected to speak for the first time about their dad's last days.
Other celebrity witnesses include Sharon Osbourne, Quincy Jones, Spike Lee, Diana Ross and Prince.
But family sources worry the children – Prince, Paris and 11-year-old Blanket – will be affected by the case.
A source said: "Even if a jury finds AEG was responsible ultimately for Michael's death and awards her a huge amount of money, it won't bring Michael back.
"The wrongful death trial is going to be hard for his three children who will be forced to relive his death. Paris and Prince are expected to testify.
"They could learn stuff about their dad he never would have wanted them to know. There will be no winners, no matter what the outcome of the trial is."
Jacko's mum will show an email AEG co-CEO Paul Gongaware wrote 11 days before Jackson's death to show director Kenny Ortega.
Addressing concerns that Murray kept Jackson from a rehearsal the day before, he wrote: "We want to remind [Murray] that it is AEG, not MJ, who is paying his salary.
"We want to remind him what is expected of him."
Lawyers argue it is evidence AEG used Murray's fear of losing his lucrative job to pressure him to have Jackson ready for rehearsals, despite his fragile health.
But AEG claims Dr Murray was employed by Jackson and it was unaware he was a danger as the star prepared for his tour.
However, in court Mr Panish claimed police searched Murray's car and found a business card, an envelope and a contract between AEG and Dr Murray.
A family source said: "It has taken four years for the family to tell the world the story about what they feel led to Michael's death.
"It will be up to a jury to decide whether Michael's death is down to his promoters. The family claim they have evidence which has never emerged before and it is explosive."
Murray, 59, is serving a four-year jail term for involuntary manslaughter and refused to give evidence at the LA trial as he is appealing.
In an interview from his cell, Murray claimed that although devastated when Michael died – he could have had a heart attack himself.
He said: "All I tried to do was to help a friend. Nobody else was there at the time and, with the effort I made, I could've had a cardiac arrest myself. I never gave up on my friend."