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Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS) is linked to a mutation in the TP53 tumor suppressor gene.Learn More
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by Fannie Lemay I always loved to work. Even when I was cutting carrots at IGA for a living, I loved it. Well, maybe "love" is a strong word, but I still really enjoyed myself. I'm what you would call a power loner. In my personal life, I have few close friends and that's how I like it. I'm an introvert; I'm not outgoing. But for some reason, it's easier for me to connect with people when I'm at … read more
In 2002, I noticed a lump on the innerside of my upper left leg. The doctor thought of scar tissue caused by a mosquito bite, according to him nothing worrisome. I didn't trust it and insisted on visiting a specialist. After some discussion he reluctantly issued a referral letter for the plastic surgeon. He clearly thought I was an instigator. The specialist cut out the lump and stitched me back up. After a week, I received a phone call from … read more


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subset: commoncrawl


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South Korea has put its second Aegis destroyer into service after nine months of test operations, reports said Friday.
The 7,600-ton KDX-III destroyer Yulgok Yi I, equipped with some 120 ship-to-ship and ship-to-air guided missiles and long-distance torpedoes, was deployed Wednesday, local media said citing navy officials.
It can accommodate 300 crew members, carry two mid-sized helicopters and cruise at a maximum speed of 30 knots, according to reports.
The Aegis-class destroyer, built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, was named after a revered Confucian scholar from Korea's ancient Joseon Dynasty.
The first Aegis destroyer, Sejong the Great, was launched in 2008 as part of the country's naval buildup plan.


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As part of our commitment to keeping tuition prices competitive, GCU has kept campus tuition charges frozen considering the fact that 2009. Speak with your university counselor to discover far more about your opportunities for scholarships off tuition by means of GCU's educational alliances or to find out about options for continuing education for teachers. The master's degree in educational leadership is a state-approved plan that, upon finishing all degree specifications, leads to a renewable Tier I Leadership Certification in Georgia. This system assists you become a ready, informed educational leader in a private or public school setting that does not require principal licensure. Getting the connections involving leadership and understanding is not easy and involves change and reform in organisations.
The MSc in Educational Leadership provides a fascinating insight into an arena that has changed remarkably over recent years. If you have inquiries, please verify with the certification workplace of the state in which you are interested. Major and promoting optimal learning is the essential challenge that confronts educational leaders, advisers, policy makers and governments.
As time goes on and the science of nursing continues to move in ever diverse directions, it will be increasingly imperative for nurses to hold fast to their roots in the philosophy of caring. Degree candidates have indicated their belief that the in Educational Leadership makes them extra eye-catching candidates for college leadership positions. College Leader (with out Principal Certification): Same system (courses) as above without having principal certification.
In the Master of Education in Educational Leadership program, you discover courses in a assortment of educational subjects, including leadership, school finance, creating and sustaining good college cultures, PK-12 legal troubles, curriculum development, qualified development, empowerment of teachers and instructional leadership. Our accelerated on line master's in Educational Leadership and accelerated on line Texas Principal Certification programs will inspire you with new ideas and open doors to opportunities. Defining these nursing theories or categorizing them can be very a process and numerous have tried.
As a state-approved plan, the may, via reciprocity, yield leadership certification in states that also award that certification at master's degree level. GCU's non-conventional tuition prices are for students who are interested in pursuing an online degree system or taking evening classes. At least 3 years' teaching expertise, or alternatively, three years with equivalent expert status in an educational organisation. If you take two courses each and every session, you can earn your master's in Educational Leadership or Principal Certification in12 months.
If you are a K-12 teacher who desires to broaden your leadership possible, expand your knowledge about schools, teachers, and student understanding, and renew your passion to operate on behalf of public education as you meet expert development ambitions, Penn State's educational leadership master's system is for you. The applications emphasize existing theory and analysis to inform educational leaders as they make choices concerning positive school culture, efficient teaching practices, and student achievement.


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Event is FINISHED
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Journey to the End and Back 21May2016
11 Jun 2016 http://hawpar110616.peatix.com
A school outing to Haw Par Villa ended prematurely as your friend suddenly fainted and the paramedics were unable to find out why. He is now heading to the hospital but it seems like he does not have much longer to live. A mysterious old lady nearby whispered to you that she can see the spiritual world and that he has been mistakenly taken by the Ox-Head and Horse-Face. It is now a race against time to bring him back, before he drinks the tea of amnesia and be sent for reincarnation…
14 May 2016 http://hawpar140516.peatix.com
21 May 2016 http://hawpar210516.peatix.com
- Who is the organiser?
- Lockdown Escape is the largest Singapore company specialising in real life escape games. With outlets in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, players are locked in a room and must exploit his or her surroundings in order to escape, emphasising greatly on observation and lateral thinking skills in order to solve the challenges and puzzles. ThinkOut Events is an event specialist company that designs offsite and large scale events which promotes team building and lateral thinking skills. Together with Lockdown Singapore, over 300 MNCs have enjoyed a unique team building events.
- What is this event about?
- This is a family-friendly, team-based game made up of 6 members, so this is a perfect opportunity to have fun with your friends or make new ones. Interaction and cooperation are keys to solving the puzzles. The puzzles train you to think out of the box and are suitable for young and old alike!
- When should I arrive?
- Please come 15 minutes before your game session for registration and seat arrangement. We reserve the right not to admit late comers to avoid inconvenience to other players.
- How long does each game lasts?
- Each game duration is approximately an hour.
- How many people will there be in a team?
- The team size per table is 6 players, but that is subject to change depending on total participants at each game. There will be multiple teams in the same room and all players will join one of each team.
- Can I choose to play with my friends only?
- You can play with your friends only if you purchase a table and have up to 6 players for $150. Otherwise, a table may consist of more than a group of friends, subject to the total participants at each game. For e.g. if you are playing the game with 2 friends, you may be combined with other random players to form a team.
- What if I do not have enough friends?
- Single and couple players are also welcome! Come make new friends and have fun!
- I still do not understand?
- For further enquiries, please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com
Terms and Conditions:
- Please come 15 minutes before the Session Times stated above for registration and seat arrangement.
- We reserve the right not to admit late comers to avoid inconvenience to other players.
- Each game duration is approximately 1 hour.
- The game is conducted in English.
- This event is open to 12 years old and above only.
- The team size per table is 6 players, but that is subject to change depending on total participants at each game.
- There will be multiple teams in the same room and all players will join one of each team.
- In some cases, we might need to shuffle players around to ensure team fairness.
- All sales are final. Please be aware that our game is a live event, so once the booking is confirmed, refunds, cancellations or reschedules are not accepted.
- This event is a rain or shine event and there will be outdoor components. No refunds will be issued due to the weather.
- Terms and Conditions are subject to changes without prior notice.
- By purchasing the tickets, you are deemed to have agreed to the terms stated herein.
- The event description was updated. Diff#168625 2016-05-22 03:54:01
Add to Calendar
Sat May 21, 2016
- Venue
- Haw Par Villa
- Tickets
[11:45am] Standard SOLD OUT $25.00 [11:45am] Table of 6 SOLD OUT $150.00 [1:30pm] Standard SOLD OUT $25.00 [1:30pm] Table of 6 SOLD OUT $150.00 [3:15pm] Standard SOLD OUT $25.00 [3:15pm] Table of 6 SOLD OUT $150.00 [5:00pm] Standard SOLD OUT $25.00 [5:00pm] Table of 6 SOLD OUT $150.00 [7:00pm] Standard SOLD OUT $25.00 [7:00pm] Table of 6 SOLD OUT $150.00 [8:45pm] Standard SOLD OUT $25.00 [8:45pm] Table of 6 SOLD OUT $150.00
- Venue Address
- Haw Par Villa, 262 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore 118628 Singapore
- Directions
Just a 3 minutes walk from Haw Par Villa MRT station (Circle Line). Car Parking not available.
- Organizer
Lockdown Escape1,003 Followers
Want to find more groups and events like this?


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Off-beat but always on-point, Comedian Jon Dore brings his one-of-a-kind comedy to Super Serious this month.
Dore's comedy is always thoughtful and silly, putting the focus on having fun with the audience and whatever format he finds himself in. Using his charming stage prescene, Dore deftly toys with crowds, never missing an opportunity to surprise.
Hailing from Canada, Dore established himself as a leading comedian and on-air personality in his home country. Dore made a mark on-air with his stint as a correspondent for Canadian Idol, the spin-off of the popular American Idol television series. In 2006, he won a Canadian Comedy Award for Best Stand-up Newcomer.
Dore gained critical success with his off-beat IFC show, The Jon Dore Television Show. The show combined interviews and randomly comedic tangents.
Dore is a regular performer at comedy clubs across the United States and Canada.
Dore had the honor of being the 1st stand-up guest on Conan and didn't disappoint. His unique set displayed the great combo of charm and irreverance Dore brings to the comedy scene. Check it out below.


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Personal Banking
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For the quickest answer, search previously asked questions below. Chances are, others have asked a similar question and there's already an answer waiting for you. If you can't find a match, ask a new question and our team members will answer.
I am expecting a wire transfer from Natwest Bank in UK. Please provide me swift code for my branch:
Toronto Dominion Bank ( TD Bank)
State : NB
City: Fredericton
Address 525 Prospect Street
Postal Code E3B 3B9
Rishima, Fredericton
July 14, 2015 10:41:23 AM
1 Response
In reply to Rishima, Fredericton
Thank you for bringing your question to TD Help today, Rishima.
Please know that you have reached the TD Bank in the United States and TD Canada Trust is our affiliate. As you will be receiving an international wire transfer into your TD Canada Trust account, we invite you to visit here: http://bit.ly/1D55f2A as our teammate Cory has replied to a similar question previously and we think it should help. If you have additional questions for them, please feel free to submit your own question on their TD Helps page here: http://bit.ly/1kD3iFr.
Thank you again for dropping by. Have a great day, Rishima!
LiShu R, Mount Laurel
July 14, 2015 10:42:08 AM


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Many new original paintings have been added to my shop and more are being added all the time! Check them all out here. Use code COLUMBUS15 at checkout for a 15% discount this week ON EVERYTHING IN THE SHOP!!!
So excited to see Erin Gates' book "Element of Style" released by Simon and Schuster tomorrow as I created the illustrations for this book and started working on it over a year ago! Fun to see it come together and be officially "published" in book form now. Congratulations to Erin and all the rest who worked on this book.
At the end of last week, after visiting family out West, my husband took me to La Jolla, CA to celebrate my birthday. We had both been there before many years ago, but this was our first trip there together and we had a wonderful time. Southern California's climate is pretty amazing, and we were told we had just (narrowly) dodged a major heat wave, so we felt blessed to enjoy some great weather and even better food the couple of days we were there.
My birthday dinner was at Piatti - a quaint Italian restaurant with a charming outdoor courtyard. I had this AMAZING saffron pappardelle. Everything was phenomenal and the service was terrific.
I'm in awe of the trees in La Jolla - between the windswept gargantuan pines and the stately old eucalyptus, we were stopping to admire the vegetation constantly.
Love the eucalyptus trees!
Art is everywhere! Loved this mural, although the photo doesn't do it justice.
The cool courtyard at our hotel - Kimpton Hotel La Jolla
A sample of the charming local Coastal architecture
The "Grande Dame" of La Jolla hotels - La Valencia. Pink, stucco, Spanish Colonial......count me in!
A great French place in La Jolla Shores, the Cafe Solange - a perfect spot for breakfast. The avocado scramble was extremely tasty.
The views from our hotel were picturesque - this view was from the back. See the cross at the summit of Mount Soledad?
View from our room over the Pacific
The heirloom tomato and beet salad from our last meal at Poseidon in Del Mar. Nothing like eating right on the beach at sunset......
What a perfect finish to a very special trip. If you haven't yet been, I'd certainly recommend a visit to San Diego and specifically, the coastal towns dotting the North shore. Each area has it's own unique personality and there is a plethora of cute boutiques, great restaurants, natural beauty, outdoors activities and exhilarating weather.
Happy Monday! Hope you all are well!
I absolutely love it when decorators throw in an unexpected touch of humor or whimsy that lightens up the entire feel of a room. Love this overscale doll print with the vacation vibe. I'd like to find something like this.....kids love it and it makes adults lighten up and creates a conversation piece. What do you think?
Design Blogger Extraordinaire Mackenzie Horan is featuring some new original works of mine this week in a pop-up shop. I am excited and honored to have some of my work in one of my favorite blogger's shops. Check it out HERE
Sorry that I have been so MIA lately! Been crazy busy gearing up for a pop-up shop next month (more details on that later!) After I catch up with all of my work, I am going to re-hab this Chinoiserie treasure I got from Craigslist for a mere $40!! Needs some cosmetic work, but nothing that will deter me.....I will post the pix once it's finished. Just let me say that there are many benefits to living in a place where nobody wants their deceased grandma's furniture or knows its' value...
I love it when my customers and clients send me photos of my work in their home.
This loyal client has commissioned work from me as well as buying some of my prints. She and her husband have been renovating a charming older home in Portland, Oregon and I love how she hung my pink espresso machine canvas in her kitchen. Everything is coordinated! If you have any photos of my pieces in your space, feel free to submit them and I may get a chance to post here on the blog.
Thanks so much and Happy weekend!
New print from a painting I did last year....."Mahalo"
The original was sold and is at home with its owner so I have released the prints - find them


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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) hit 20,000 for the first time ever on Wednesday in an ascent from 10,000 that has taken almost two decades.
It took just 42 sessions for the Dow to climb between 19,000 and 20,000, the second-fastest rise between 1,000-point milestones in the average's 120-year history.
The Dow's surge in recent months has been fueled by expectations that U.S. President Donald Trump will deregulate banks and stimulate the economy. Hitting 20,000 is seen by some as a psychological milestone that underscores Wall Street's recent optimism.
But longer-term, the Dow's performance appears less impressive. Its ascent from 10,000 to 20,000, doubling in value, has been sluggish compared to the time it took for the Dow to double in value three times in the late 1980s and 1990s.
If the Dow closes above 20,000 on Wednesday, it will have taken nearly 18 years for the average to double after it closed at 10,000 in early 1999 at the height of the dot-com boom.
(Reporting by Noel Randewich; Editing by Nick Zieminski)


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Brian & Sarah's Engagement Session
June 19th, 2016
Park of Roses | Clintonville/Columbus, Ohio
Brian and Sarah are preparing to tie the knot in just a few weeks! It's been so much fun getting to know them over the past year and with their wedding right around the corner, I wanted to feature their engagement session!
The couple met at work when Brian was training Sarah at their job. Shortly after, Brian switched positions and moved to Columbus. They stayed in touch and their relationship blossomed. They now both live here in Columbus. They're truly a perfect match - their witty and creative personalities compliment each other so well and it's easy to see their connection when you see them together.
I was so excited when they selected the Park of Roses for their engagement session. June is the peak month for roses at the park - the park actually has a Rose Festival every June. The gardens were in full bloom for their portraits.
I can't wait for their wedding next month! Enjoy some of my favorites from their session!


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Thank you for visiting www.firstbankmi.com. Firstbank has now merged with Mercantile Bank of Michigan you are automatically being redirected to the Mercantile Bank websitewww.mercbank.com. Thank you for your patience.
If you are not automatically redirected, click on this link: www.mercbank.com
Feel free to browse www.loc8nearme.com to find the closest Mercantile Bank location.


text: March 22, 2017 vince stephen music and. by V.S. March 22, 2017 vince stephen music This is a snippet from my new song, and, off of my new album Maudlin Creatures. Download from the Strange Store right now! vince stephen My name is vince Stephen, I was born in Muskegon, MI, when I was 2, I moved to Hampton, Virgina, I grew up in VA playing sports and loving music and art. I moved back to Muskegon in my twenties and started making music in 2003. Lived in Muskegon until 2014 when I moved to Los Angeles, a long awaited moved that I was going to make in 2004 but was talked out of it by family. Now, I blog from my website, podcast from my website, I also do a number of other things involving the website. Along with making music and even after all that still finding ways to expand my artistic education and value, after all, I live in Los Angeles.


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Wednesday, February 25, 2009
dryer balls
dryer balls...no, they're not related to the little beasts that eat random socks in your dryer:) they actually save money and the earth's resources! these balls are designed to reduce drying time by separating laundry while it tumbles and allowing warm air to flow more efficiently. they also soften your fabrics without using chemical softeners. they have been proven to make ironing easier, decrease lint and reduce drying time up to 25%! they are totally reusable...just leave 'em in your dryer and forget about them. and if that isn't enough.....i just found a site that tells you how to make your own!! (yes, i watch too many infomercials:) act now, this offer won't last! oh, wait. it will. but still, get on this right away and let us know how it goes!
Posted by kristal at 7:42 AM
Labels: Make Your Own
6 comments:
- Jeana said...
Cool! I'm gonna try it and report back later :) What a great idea!
- February 25, 2009 at 8:43 AM
- Liz_24 said...
I saw something on this on the Today show once. They said you could basically just use tennis balls and it does the same thing. Maybe I'll try it.
- February 25, 2009 at 5:08 PM
- Anonymous said...
The "make your own" link doesn't work anymore :(
- January 2, 2012 at 10:42 PM
- Sharon said...
What happened to the link?
- January 21, 2012 at 10:15 PM
- Beth K said...
Can you please give me the URL because the link doesn't work. TIA
- February 20, 2013 at 4:32 AM
- Grimm said...
I have WOOL dryer balls in my dryer. We have 24 of them so when we dry our heavy quilts they still do the job. To be honest 8 still do the job on normal loads.
You can make them yourself by 'googling' DIY wool dryer balls or support a small business and buy them from an etsy.com store.
- April 24, 2013 at 11:22 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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There are probably a dozen reasons why I choose to stay away from commercial deodorants/antiperspirants..the aluminum likely being number one for me. It really is in pretty much every single commercial deodorant/antiperspirant regardless of brand or form. If you google the health risks of using products that contain aluminum..grab your hot tea mug and glasses because you will come up with a lot of reading. There is controversy about the sources of credibility of the health risk claims and so on..there will always be controversy and I am not making any such claims in this post. I am simply stating that I proceed with caution when it comes to putting anything on my skin..especially when there is plausible concern. A couple of years ago I started working on some natural deodorants, one I referred to fondly as Hippie Pit. I never did market Hippie Pit. The main reason being, it was just too easy for me. So instead I have handed out this concept to everyone and everyone that inquires! Deodorants are probably up there with one of the most simplest things to create. If you want to give a small sample a try, here's a simple DIY formula:
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (helps absorb perspiration)
- 1 tablespoon of aluminum-free baking soda (blocks odor and prevents bacteria growth)
- 1/2 tablespoon of melted coconut oil to moisten
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil (because I have a thing for lavender)
|Hippie Pit
Rose of Sharon's Deodorant Stick
Bubble & Bee's Organic Deodorant
your skin is your largest organ...be good to it
Linked with The Barn Hop


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Are you looking for a home in Brawley with the perfect location? This might be a great opportunity for you to move in this beautiful home! It features 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. The home includes laminated flooring that gives the home a nice elegant touch. The location of the property is perfect right across from the high school. It is very convenient for anyone who has kids going to school. Come check out this home today!
Rental & Leasing Services - Exit Imperial Realty
Serving the Imperial Valley for over 12 years providing more than 90 rental unitsin El Centro, Calexico, Brawley, and Imperial. We get new rental listings year round! Don't hesitate to call us now for more information on this and other rental properties. Contact Jay Goyal at (760) 587-0573 or Exit Imperial office at (760) 352-9000.


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Matt Workman
Cinematographer & Owner of Cinematography Database
About the instructor
Matt Workman is a cinematographer who has shot for artists: Justin Bieber, 50 Cent, Diddy and brands: Google, Facebook, BMW, and L'Oreal. He is now the owner of Cinematography Database that has a 150K YouTube channel, 80K Instagram page, and several podcasts. He is also the creator the previs software Cine Designer that allows filmmakers to visualize real world based camera work and lighting in 3D.
Who Is This Course For?
"This course is designed for the solo and indie cinematographer who wants to level up their understanding of lighting to get better studio work."
Course Curriculum
II: Types of Lighting Units / Fixtures
III: Fundamental Lighting Techniques
V: Two Walled Cyc and Large Single Wall Cyc
VI: Additional Topics
VII: Wrap Up
"I wish I would have seen Matt's course before I did my first two walled cyc shot. I would have been prepared so much better and would have actually known, what I was doing!"


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Subscribe To Total Recall Closer To A Reality: Fake Memories Implanted In Mice Updates
I've already subscribed
Over the years, science fiction writers like Philip K Dick, Isaac Asimov and H.G. Wells have continued to remain relevant as more and more of the wacky gizmos and morally complicated societal issues they predicted have inched closer to reality. Today, another one of those forecasts into future technology got a whole lot less ridiculous after scientists announced they successfully implanted fake memories into mice. It'll still be decades or more likely generations before the plots of Total Recall or Inception become a reality, but at some point in the future, it now seems likely we could dig into the backs of our brains and remember sleeping with a three-boobed alien or breaking into someone's else's skull to push him toward a business decision.
Recently, researchers at the RIKEN-MIT Center for Neural Circuit Genetics in Cambridge, Massachusetts used a benign virus to place a gene inside each mouse's hippocampus that would create a protein related to memory when exposed to light. Afterwards, they stuck each mouse into an extremely calm environment dubbed Box A and let it explore for ten minutes. The next day, they inserted a thin fiber optic cable into the hippocampus and set the subjects loose in a second environment dubbed Box B that was chaotic and produced mild shocks. At the same time, they flashed light onto the gene, causing it to produce a protein to simulate a memory. The following day when they were put back into Box A, all of the mice seemed to falsely remember being shocked in Box A. They behaved erratically and nervously, but when they were placed into new environments, they reacted normally.
According to Discovery, one of the clearest ways this research could benefit society down the road is for those who have PTSD or any kind of phobias. Happy memories could be simulated in the parts of the brain related to the PTSD, though a technique less invasive than a fiber optic cable would need to be discovered. As with any scientific research, however, all of it has to come one step at a time. Once the specifics of this research have been released to other scientists, additional groups will then be able to test new theorems and hypotheses to basically stand on the shoulders of those who came before. Ian Malcolm might rail against that idea in Jurassic Park, but that's basically how the scientific community has always and will always move forward.
If nothing else, this story is great evidence of why asking questions is a wonderful thing. Dick didn't have the power to actually engineer memories when he wrote We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, but it's because people like him planted the idea that those capable thought to push toward it. From why we cry to what forests were like 50,000 years ago to what life would be like on Earth without the sun, our curiosity about the world around us is boundless and the amount of knowledge we collectively have should continue to increase every waking moment.
We'll keep you updated on this research when other scientists push it in exciting new directions.


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Writers Resist lifts Nashville voices for freedom, justice - The Tennessean
"The event began with Wells reading "A Brief for the Defense" by Jack Gilbert. Standing in front of a small podium, Wells projected to the full house of nearly 200 attendees words about sorrow and suffering and courage to "risk delight."
If we deny our happiness, resist our satisfaction,
we lessen the importance of their deprivation.
'I think it's very important that we have a sense that we are community. That there is strength. That there are a lot of us,' said Wells, who is best known for writing the Ya-Ya Sisterhood series. 'We can all so easily, right now, feel isolated. ... I think one of the ways we hold on to joy is to come together.
'And on a very deep level, I think it is empathy that can help us. For writers and artists and musicians and filmmakers, our currency is empathy. And so we share our vulnerability with each other and hopefully help create an environment where empathy is nourished.'
Ideally, Wells said, an event like this would grow outward to a place where the audience is not so like-minded, but thinks differently and embraces those differences with understanding."


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With New Stadium, Name of Game Is Money
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
With the Washington Nationals on the verge of putting the naming rights to their new stadium up for bid, industry sources say the team likely will receive at least $4 million and possibly as much as $10 million per year on the deal, which would make it one of the most lucrative in Major League Baseball.
The Nationals are close to hiring Los Angeles-based Wasserman Media Group to auction the naming rights for the $611 million stadium that the city is building for the club along the Anacostia River, according to industry sources. The sale could take months to complete.
A rich naming rights deal would help the Nationals, who now play in RFK Stadium, by guaranteeing a significant revenue stream each year. "Naming rights money gives you a foundation for your revenues that you can depend on and utilize to field a competitive team year in and year out," said Dan Duquette, a former general manager of the Boston Red Sox.
The New York Mets recently signed a record $20 million-per-year naming rights deal with financial services giant CitiGroup for their new stadium that is scheduled to open in 2009. The Mets deal set a new benchmark for stadium naming rights and, according to industry sources, will help elevate the price the Nationals receive.
The District government is building the Nationals a new stadium in Southeast Washington, and the facility is scheduled to open in April 2008. Under the agreement that Major League Baseball reached with the District, the ballclub is entitled to all of the revenue from the naming rights to the stadium.
The provision was opposed by some local politicians, who said the city should receive any naming rights revenue. Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D), the stadium's main backer, said the naming rights were an important incentive for persuading baseball to locate a franchise in Washington and attract a buyer.
One industry source, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the sale, said the family of Theodore Lerner, which owns the Nationals, is hoping the naming rights will earn $10 million to $15 million per year. The source estimated the rights probably will sell for $5 million to $10 million. Others said these numbers were too high.
"My guess is this Nationals deal will fetch between $4 and $6 million a year, based on other recent deals," said Jeffrey Grill, a Washington lawyer who has negotiated several sports naming rights deals. "No one should expect a deal anywhere near what the Mets got. But Washington is interesting because the stadium is going to be the cornerstone of a new revitalization area, it's an affluent area and there's clearly a demand for baseball here that was underestimated by most people, including Major League Baseball."
If the contract for conducting the auction goes to Wasserman Media, as expected, the sale likely will be engineered by WMG Marketing President Jeff Knapple, one of the top sports naming rights marketers in the country. Knapple will lead the naming rights process for the new stadium being built for the New York Jets and New York Giants. A spokesman for Wasserman declined to comment.
Stadium naming rights have become a major revenue source for teams in the last decade. The Washington Redskins struck one of the biggest naming rights deals ever when FedEx Corp. agreed in 1999 to pay the team $7.6 million per year for 27 years.
Most recent baseball naming rights deals have been near $4 million per year. Cisco Field, to be built near Oakland, Calif., sold for $120 million over 30 years and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia sold for $95 million over 25 years. Minute Maid Park in Houston sold for $168 million over 28 years, or a little more than $6 million per year.
The University of Maryland this year sold the naming rights to the field at Byrd Stadium to Chevy Chase Bank for $20 million over 25 years, which averages $800,000 per year.
Grill and others said Washington has several factors that raise the value of naming rights for a stadium in the city, the most important being that the city is the nation's capital and a focus of world attention. Other issues favoring the city are the region's rising wealth and baseball's return to Washington after a 33-year absence. The new stadium also is tied to a high-profile economic revitalization plan in Southeast, which could increase the value of the naming rights.
On the other hand, the city's ownership of the stadium and the lack of deep-pocketed local companies that tend to invest in naming rights, including financial, airline and telecommunications firms, could dampen the bidding.
The leading candidates for the naming rights would likely include such local companies as Capital One Financial, Sprint Nextel, Chevy Chase Bank, Geico, XM Satellite Radio and America Online.
"The ones that tend to go better are the ones that have a local flavor, where the company has a strong presence in the area and can use the naming rights deal to solidify or maintain your dominance," Grill said.


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A Wrinkle In Time
Meg Murry and her little brother, Charles Wallace, have been without their scientist father, Mr. Murry, for five years, ever since he discovered a new planet and used the concept known as a tesseract to travel there. Joined by Meg's classmate Calvin O'Keefe and guided by the three mysterious astral travelers known as Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which, the children brave a dangerous journey to a planet that possesses all of the evil in the universe.
Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Levi Miller, Deric McCabe, Chris Pine, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Peña, André Holland, Rowan Blanchard, Bellamy Young, David Oyelowo, Conrad Roberts, Yvette Cason, Will McCormack, Daniel MacPherson, Taryn Akemi Look, Tim Kang, Lyric Wilson, Michele Norris, Claire Montwill, Easton Tath, Giselle Paredes


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Book of Air: vvolk
The music of vvolk is played by a group of 18 improvisers with roots in jazz and classical music. The group investigates performing and improvising music, in close relation to present time; what are the possibilities in playing music, when changes in this music pass by unnoticed? How do we as musicians relate to the running time of a performance? How does our hearing and memory react to these slow changes? As a result vvolk let's you experience music which is less perceived in the present time, but rather occurs in our memory of the past. This clearly challenges the improvising musicians, and makes audience and performers discover new territories in collective improvisation.
Stijn Cools: drums & composition
Sep François: vibraphone & percussion
Hendrik Vanattenhoven: double bass
Nathan Wouters: double bass
Laurens Smet: double bass & electric bass
Bert Cools: electric guitar & composition
Ruben Machtelinckx: electric, bariton guitar
Benjamin Sauzereau: electric guitar
Niels Van Heertum: euphonium
Viktor Perdieus: tenor saxophone
Thomas Jillings: tenor saxophone
Erik Bogaerts: alto saxophone and clarinet
Frans van Isacker: alto saxophone and clarinet
Mathieu Robert: soprano saxophone
Stefan Bracaval: flute
Indre Jurgeleviciuté: kankles
Fruz Tonteling: harmonium
Wout Gooris: rhodes


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I'm wicked excited about this one! I'll be at the Granite Game Summit up at the Holiday Inn in Nashua, New Hampshire on Saturday, October 22nd. And I'm bringing Luca (my expert, 10 year old game reviewer daughter) with me. We'll be there around 10ish in the morning staying until roughly 5pm. I will of course have a few copies of Swamped and Ninja – Silent but Deadly with me. I'll also bring a passable passel of other games and perhaps even a prototype or two I'm currently futzing about with.
I may even try my hand at "Halp! Someone teach me Terra Mystica!" as I'd love to get a game of that in.
If you're going to be at GG2Summit, please feel free to say hello! Maybe we can even get a game or two in.


text: I was more than happy to ponder about hopping on a plane to document Wandy's wedding at one of my favorite places, Puerto Rico. The ceremony, and reception took place at the gorgeous Castillo Serrallés, a mansion located in the city of Ponce, built during the 1930s. Serrallés mansion sits atop Vigía Mountain with commanding views of the city. It was designed in a Spanish revival style, incorporating Moorish, and Spanish architectural elements. The gardens outside are lovely – terraces, pools, and topiary as well as the bride, who only enhanced the scenery. I thank Wandy for requesting I be the photographer at her wedding, it was truly an honor.


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To guide you to the realization that YOU CAN MAKE THE CHOICES THAT WILL LEAD TO THE LIFE YOU WANT.
Are you aware that 80% of Americans are not Passionate about what they are doing in their lives...Yes, 80%!!
This isn't far from what Thoreau wrote back in 1854:
"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation..."
Would you like to be part of the 20% who are Passionate about their lives?
What's REALLY IMPORTANT to you?
What MAKES YOU WANT TO JUMP OUT OF BED in the mornings?
What MAKES YOU JUMP UP AND SHOUT...WOOOOHOOOO?
So, I would like you to THINK BIG!!!!
And ask Yourself:
What is it, that if I had it in my life, would bring me the life I truly want and would bring greater meaning to my life?
As a Passion Test Facilitator I can help you answer that question by assisting you to:Get Clear About What Your Passions AreIdentify Your Top 5 PassionsHelp You Learn How To Put Focus on What You WantHelp You Eliminate Blocks & Obstacles That You May or May Not Be Aware Are In Your WayHelp Get You On The Road To LIVING YOUR PASSIONATE LIFE!
This 3 hour Workshop will take you through 'The Passion Test', give you the keys to living your passions, and get you started with some of the tools you will need to begin living the life you are meant to live.
Next Workshop: Saturday ~ July 17 2010 at 10:30PM
Location: To be determined
SEE Below
Cost: $50.00
To Live Your Life With More Passion...Remove Obstacles...And Set Things Into Place With All The Tools You Will Need...
My Daily Offering of Inspiration to You:
I also provide individual Coaching for Living a Passionate Life. We start with 2 - 1hour sessions which will assist you to:
Follow these links for more information on
and other
offered by Total Life Coaching.
I would like to introduce 2 people who have had a great impact on my living the life I truly love. Janet and Chris Attwood are the co-authors of the NYT bestseller "The Passion Test".
Janet and Chris are assisting so many to live the life they want to live by identifying and then following their Passions.
Click this link to find more about how joining the Passion Test family, can help you to live a more
Passionate Life!
, and to see other
that will help you live the life you were meant to live.
Total Life Coaching
Bridging the Gap
Between Where You Are And Where You Want to Be
Laguna Beach, CA...Phone: 949.290.1728


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Country Villas Lanzarote is a tourist agency, approached travelers wanting unique experiences in Lanzarote with local people, owners of different types of accommodation. The agency was launched in 2012 with the idea of promoting a different kind tourism, more traditional, and focused on our island, Lanzarote.
From north to south of the island, we offer a selection of different types of holiday accommodation as like our cottages, eco houses, bed & breakfast, apartments, houses and villas. Surely in any of them you will enjoy these well deserved vacations.
Always betting on quality tourism, we pamper our guests offering a personal welcome and making them feel at home. Our service does not end after the registration and delivery of keys, we are available for our guests throughout their stay. We are always available both to solve any problem in your accommodation, to help with a car reservation or leisure activities.
In Country Villas Lanzarote we are 8 members, passionate of tourism, including cleaning staff, maintenance, guest welcome, bookings and management. We guarantee good service and total secure booking with us. We are a professional team with years of experience in serving guests and work every day to live up to the expectations of our customers.
Our selection of accommodations are located in such interesting areas as the center of Haria, in front of natural pools of Punta Mujeres, near the beach in Arrieta, in the historic town of La Villa de Teguise, among the vineyards of La Geria, a few meters from LagOmar, off the beaches of La Concha and Matagorda, seafront in Las Caletas, El Golfo and La Santa, in the residential villages of Macher and Conil, in the exclusive area of Puerto Calero. Perfect locations to live Lanzarote from within, like a local and enjoy everything offered by this small island. We wait for you!


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Brains and Belief
I've had a year of incredible spiritual growth. This year more than ever I've had a renewed faith that there is some singularity guiding our lives, there is a God who loves, and there is great hope in this God.
And I dare say that one the the primary reasons I've had this "spiritual awakening" comes from learning about our brains.
That's right, brains.
I've learned some incredibly interesting things about our brains. For instance, think of our brain as New York City. Our brain grows up, not out. So it starts at the base of our spinal chord and grows up like skyscrapers. At the bottom, the base, we have our primitive brain that allows us to do things like breathe and circulate blood.
As we move up the "skyscraper" a bit further we have our limbic system. Our limbic system is where we have fear, anger, anxiety, and all the rest of our powerful emotions. Do you ever wonder why your first inclination is to get angry or upset about something? That's natural. It's because our nerves must travel through the limbic system of your brain where those feelings exist. It's good for evolution. It's your limbic system that tells you to run when you're being chased by a lion or in our case, an angry delivery guy.
As your brain grows higher like NY skyscrapers we get to the thalamus. The Thalamus is the place in our brain where we find our sense of self. This is where our identity lies. Our thalamus is the core of who we are at the most basic level.
Then finally at the top of the skyscraper we get to our cortexes, which control our language, our ability to solve problems, our ability to comprehend poetry or music or love.
I'm going to tell you why this is so interesting to me. I used to think that my belief in God and the way I think about God came from the top of my brain in the cortexes. But that's not true. My ability to comprehend or believe in a God starts lower in our thalamus. It starts at our core at our most basic place of self and consciousness. And here's the thing, our thalamus is made up of two parts. It's binary. Our most basic sense of self, our thalamus will always default into categorizing life into two parts such as,
Black or white
Right or wrong
True or False
Fact or fiction
Short or tall
Our make up as human beings means that we will always separate and categorize thoughts and feelings. It's not until we literally make ourselves use our other parts of the brain that we can even consider the gray areas of life.
They've done brain scans of the thalamus and just as suspected they've found that most people have a symmetrical thalamus. This is no surprise. Like I said, our thalamus is binary.
But there is one phenomena that produces as asymmetrical thalamus in humans.
Those who pray and meditate on a loving God have a changed thalamus. When you focus in on a loving god your brain literally changes and that thalamus that wants to divide and put everything into categories begins acting differently. It stops being so binary. It stops defaulting towards certainty.
When you focus on a loving God so much your thalamus changes sizes. It strengthens the rest of the brain. You're less likely to be angry and fearful. You're more likely to talk about love, acceptance, and understanding. Your brain changes and you have greater measurable senses of calm. Your brain begins to wire itself to be more capable of forgiveness. This is all very true. There are studies done that show this. This can be proven.
What is so amazing is that when we focus in on a loving God you physically become more like the resurrected Jesus Christ, God incarnate, the loving God.
I understand that this doesn't constitute proof that there is a God. But here's what this information does, it allows me to journey with the resurrected Christ. It allows me to be used to bring a little bit of the peace that God intended for this world.
That is a miracle. That is life changing. That strengthens my faith.
We're preparing a series of events that we're calling Faith, Culture, and Questions (FCQ). We recognize that there are questions about faith and science that go way beyond our brains. We know that there are more questions than answers. That's why we're beyond excited to introduce the first speaker in our Faith, Culture, and Questions Series, "Science" Mike McHargue.
It was through a Science Mike podcast that I learned about our brains. It's changed my outlook on faith and I am positive that it can change yours too. Check out the Science Mike Podcast and make sure to buy tickets to our first FCQ event. I can promise you that it will change your brain. It may even change the way you look at the resurrected Christ.


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Ralph Simon
Area Sales Manager, Southern Germany
Ralph is responsible for sales development and customer service in Southern Germany. Thanks to his technical knowledge, he can assist customers in all aspects. Moreover, the looks after the MESA distributors in France, Benelux and Switzerland.
Contact Ralph Simon
Connect with Ralph on LinkedIn


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Moment's Notice
Maria has been living in Edmonds with her husband, State Rep. Strom Peterson, since 2001.
As executive vice president of Partnership Development Marketing at the Corvias Group, Maria oversees business development efforts and strategic marketing initiatives. She also oversees her company's local Washington office and serves as the executive director of the Corvias Foundation, which provides funding to increase access to educational, internship, mentoring and volunteering opportunities in local communities.
In Edmonds, Maria is a member of the board of directors for several nonprofit organizations that support everything from veterans support services to poverty alleviation to the environment and the arts.
When she's not at work or volunteering, you can find Maria writing, spending time with friends and family (especially her brilliant god-daughter, Olivia), running, hiking or mountain climbing. She's even climbed Mount Rainier and hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. She enjoys spending time with her dog, Lulu, and her wonderful husband, who also owns The Cheesemonger's Table in Edmonds.
From 2010 to 2014, Maria contributed to The Beacon's blog, "Edmonds Kinds of Stories." You can read her blog posts here:
Disclaimer: This column represents my personal and independent observations and are not meant to reflect any political affiliations. More often than not, I certainly agree with the tenets of some groups over others but do not attempt to represent them here.
Recent Column Posts (1 - 2) Additional Posts (3 - 88)
Edmonds: A Town and its dogs | Moment's NoticeBy Maria A. Montalvo - Sep 11A town and its dogs The phrase "a boy and his dog" has been adapted and expanded in a number of ways over the decades. In all its forms, though, ...


text: Goodbyes can be a tough one for us Third Culture Kids. We have had quite a few growing up. I am sure we can all look back and remember goodbyes that were really hard. Can you remember a goodbye that you tried to avoid? Or a goodbye that took your breath away? I think I tried all kinds of tricks … Read More


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A sell-off in Japan overnight as the Asian market caught up with the US. China in contrast was off just 0.20%.
In Europe at midday markets are flat on no changes in from the ECB as Mario Draghi held his monthly press conference. There has been some inflation pick-up and reduction in unemployment causing pause in any changes.
In the US the Initial Weekly Jobless Claims were released and declined 23000 from last week to 298000. Also, Q3 GDP has been revised to 3.6% up from 2.8% and estimated at 3.1%. Some solid economic numbers leading into the Non-Farm Payrolls tomorrow morning. Markets are slightly higher.
Canadian futures are trading lower on bank earnings this morning. Both RBC and CIBC beat on the bottom lines while TD missed. Revenue was strong at all three however CIBC missed on the top line. RBC announced that CEO Gord Nixon will be stepping down next fall, which is a little early for a bank CEO in Canada. TD is splitting 2-1 and increased the dividend by a penny. CIBC had some one time charges that caused weakness in the quarter.
Gold continues the downward trend off 23.00 to 1224, oil is up a nickel to 97.26 and the loonie is stronger this morning up 0.11 to 93.79. US and Canadian 10 year bonds are trading a little lower this morning yielding 2.86% and 2.67% respectively.
Lastly, I have added another interesting piece from the Pimco Conference that I attended a couple of weeks ago. The income story is an important one to most of my clients and most Canadians. With low real interest rates and it would seem the rise in rates to come, one of the biggest dilemmas currently is how to invest in the asset class while preserving capital and generating a reasonable amount of income. The article speaks of how Pimco sees the next year and what they do to try and provide a reasonable solution.
|Kenneth A. Dick, BA, CIM, CFP, FCSI
Branch Manager & Portfolio Manager | Independent Wealth Management
Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management


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Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father — Matthew 10:29
I saw a death today...
Frankie and I are in Indianapolis this weekend. One of my dear girlfriends from high school is getting married, and she and her fiancée asked me to officiate. In addition, we're close enough to our one-year wedding anniversary that this is kind of a vacation for us. We're going to see Scott Alan in concert tomorrow night. We're staying with some friends on Saturday. All in all, I expected this weekend to be filled with nothing but pure joy.
Earlier this afternoon, after we got arrived at the hotel and got settled in, I went downstairs for a smoke. While outside, I heard this odd flapping noise. I looked up, and dangling from what looked like some sort of vent was a small bird. I really don't know what kind it was. I don't know whether it was male or female. All I knew was that it was trapped and probably in some sort of pain. My heart broke, my pulse spiked. I had to do something.
At first, I tried getting it to grab onto a twig with its good leg so that I could hoist it up. Instead it just nipped at the branch. I tried nudging it up with the stick. That didn't work. Ultimately, I ended up hoisting myself up the side of the wall just high enough to reach the creature with my hands and go to work pulling it out of the vent. As I worked, I felt the hope within me dissipate and fade.
...This bird was not going to make it
I was able to free the bird from the vent, and as I did so, I nearly vomited. The creature's leg was broken and mangled beyond repair. I knew there was nothing more I could do for it, not with the wound being so severe. I gently sat it atop the vent where its nest was, and as I descended from the wall, my stomach was tied in knots, tears welling up in my eyes. My hands were shaking, and my heart-felt as if it would pound its way out of my chest. The sadness I felt for this small being was more than even I expected. Some might call it melodramatic, but still. That's me.
We went out for dinner with my girlfriend and her soon to be husband tonight. Sporadically, I would think about the bird, wondering what it was experiencing at that very moment. When I arrived at the hotel a short while ago, I looked up on top of the vent. The bird was gone. Sadly, as I stepped away, I looked down and there it was, deceased. I don't know how it got from the vent to the ground several feet away. When I left it there, it seemed peaceful, almost resigned to what was coming. I looked at him, and he at me. Ge even gently nipped at my finger. He knew his fate, and so did I. I'd done what I could. The rest was up to fate, chance, the universe, or some other unforeseeable force.
There was nothing more I could have done...
Sitting here in the hotel room, I realize just how successful my seminary education has been. As I think about my encounter with the bird, I'm left pondering theological questions, one in particular: what does God think and feel when God looks at humanity and sees the wounds that have either been inflicted upon us, or that we have inflicted upon ourselves? When I realized that the bird was most likely going to die, I questioned whether to let it happen naturally, or to speed up the process, putting the poor thing out of its misery. Clearly I opted for the former, but the fact that the latter option entered my mind made me wonder if the same was the case for the Creator upon seeing just how mangled and broken we are at times.
In all honesty, I wonder if putting us out of our misery, of ending the pain, wouldn't be merciful
And then I recalled the verse mentioned at the beginning of this post. Actually, I thought of the passage in Matthew 6 where Jesus is telling his listeners to not worry, for if God pays attention to and provides for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, then isn't God going to pay just as much attention to us and our needs. When I realized that passage didn't refer to a particular bird, I looked up "sparrow" and found the one above. Yes, I proof-texted. Forgive me.
I was not there to see the bird fall and ultimately die. God was. Maybe, just maybe, God had hopes for the bird as well. Hopes that the wound was not ultimately fatal. Hopes that healing would be possible. Hopes that life would continue. Maybe, just maybe, God holds onto the exact same hopes for us, for the human race. Maybe we experience the pain that we do, not because God is a tyrannical sadist, but because God doesn't want death to be the only option.
Sometimes death is merciful. I think back to Nanny and her accident. The doctors said that the impact killed her brain instantly. There was no pain, no suffering. In that instance, to keep her body alive would have been selfish. Death was an act of mercy, of letting go.
This is not always the case. I've always been taught, especially since I started seminary, that Yahweh is a God of life. Loves life. Gives life. Liberates life. Awakens life. Breathes life. Embraces life. Everything about God is living. As such, I can't fathom the notion that, for God, death is ever really the first option, much less the only one. God seeks life for all God's creation. Anything else would go against God's character, God's nature.
As sad as it was to see the body of the bird lying on the ground tonight, I found myself hoping that he was not in agony for long. I found myself wishing that his death had come quick and his suffering short-lived. And I found myself thankful that, while sometimes death is merciful, there is always hope for life.


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Rodell Rosel
Grammy-nominated Filipino tenor Rodell Aure Rosel recently seen to Los Angeles Opera singing Bardolfo/Falstaff and Monostatos/Die Zauberflöte, and a role debut of Mime/Das Rheingold with Houston Grand Opera (He reprises the role in 2016 in Siegfried.) He made his Los Angeles Opera debut as Goro in Madama Butterfly under Grant Gershon. He later returned to sing Spoletta in Tosca under the baton of Plácido Domingo. Mr. Rosel was a Grand Prize Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, representing the Western Region. He made a successful Metropolitan Opera debut as Valzacchi in Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier, and later as Nathanaël in Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffmann, both broadcast live in HD in theaters nationwide, conducted by Edo de Waart and James Levine, respectively. Under Lyric Opera of Chicago's Ryan Opera Center, he made his mainstage debut as Remendado/Carmen and since then has appeared on their stage as featured roles in Die Zauberflöte, Les contes d'Hoffmann, Lulu, Falstaff, Die Fledermaus, Turandot, Il trovatore, Salome, to name a few. In Houston Grand Opera, he debuted with Squeak in Billy Budd, and later returned to sing Goro in Madama Butterfly and Tanzmeister in Ariadne auf Naxos. He originated the role of Ong Chi Seng in the world premiere of Paul Moravec's The Letter at Santa Fe Opera, conducted by Patrick Summers, with costume designs by renowned fashion designer Tom Ford. Appearances in various regional companies nationwide have included Pittsburgh Opera (Madama Butterfly), Wolf Trap Opera Company (Grammy-nominated Volpone, Die Zauberflöte, Candide, Ariadne auf Naxos, Bastianello, Lucrezia), Tulsa Opera (Madama Butterfly), Cleveland Orchestra (Salome), Florentine Opera (Magic Flute, Susannah, Albert Herring [title role]), as well as Ravinia Festival where he sung in three consecutive summers under James Conlon (Le nozze di Figaro, Tosca, Die Zauberflöte, Idomeneo). He returns to Ravinia this summer singing Basilio in Le nozze di Figaro.
The Manila native studied at Santa Monica College, and the University of California in Los Angeles, where he sang the title role in Britten's Albert Herring and leading roles in Mozart, Rossini and Ravel, also appearing as tenor soloist in The Creation, Messiah and the Mozart Requiem with Donald Neuen.
In addition to his Grand Prize award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council, Mr. Rosel has received top awards from the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition and the Lotte Lenya Vocal Competition, including the People's Choice and President's Award from the Jose Iturbi International Music Competition. He is the recipient of scholarships from, among others, The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and the Opera Buffs Career Achievement Award.
*Mr. Rosel recently debuted at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall, alongside Tony-award winning singer Lea Salonga, at a concert called "After The Storm," benefiting the victims of Philippines affected by the Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan. Other participants included Lou Diamond Phillips, Darren Criss (Glee) , Charice, Apl de Ap (Black-Eyed Peas), Christina Rocas (Joffrey Ballet), to name a few.*


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You must have played free games such as Temple Run on your iPad. One might refer to the age-old adage, "All good things come with a prize" and wonder how an awesome game like Temple Run can be free.
What if I was to tell you that these free games are likely to earn as much as paid apps, which in this case is five times more than Temple Run's initial paid version? Enthralling, ain't it? With the same amount of stunned disbelief, there I sat on a lazy Sunday afternoon, to find out what makes them so appealing. Join me after the jump to find out.
What is the Freemium model?
Freemium, a juvenile amalgamation of "Free" and "Premium," is a business model where the product is distributed free, while a fee is charged for more premium features. This model is very close to the shareware business model, and has been here for a while but it seldom received any attention until recently.
The idea behind this is to pull more customers your way. You'll find more suitors for your product if it's free rather than a paid version. People have the flexibility to try out a free product without any restrictions, or anyone arm-twisting them to pay a premium.
Is it sustainable?
Before answering that, let's understand how this model works. In real life, if you buy a certain product and like it, you're more likely to come back for it again and refer your friends. In this scenario, companies work around the clock to maintain their brand image, and of course, you. This is known as customer retention. But things are a little different in the app world.
How does it work?
Usually when a user purchases an app, he pays a small fee upfront and owns their app forever. Once the purchase is done, his experience doesn't count anymore. Unless you're planning to release another product, you're not going to get any more business from them. If the user had a nightmarish time with the app he feels cheated and will swear out loud never to buy anything else from you. On the other hand, if he loved your app it's a lost business opportunity for you.
Let's say your app is priced at $0.99 and it gained mild traction with over 1 million downloads in the last year. That roughly translates to a little under $700,000 after Apple takes their cut. That's good money for a small app, I can hear you say. But sadly, it isn't that great when you break it down. If you had 1 million users using your app, it must have a great potential. We can safely assume at least 30% of these users would use your app on a daily basis. These are the ones who would be ready to shell out more cash for your app, repeatedly. But this is not possible with the traditional model.
Another Universal truth is free apps get more attention than paid ones. Paying for an app is a deal breaker for some of us. With a Freemium model the initial barrier can be eliminated and that helps you rope in more customers. Wait a second — the business end of the freemium model works by getting repetitive business from the same customer, but how is that possible when the user is hesitant in paying even a small fee upfront? Actually, that is not the case. Customers are ready to pay for the service they enjoy, but they're just reluctant to venture into something new without experiencing it first-hand. In fact, a recent survey revealed that more than 40% of the users make purchases in-game.
Coming back to your question, I strongly believe so. All available data points show that freemium games have more potential than the traditional model, for it focuses on customer retention. It should also help you build an army of loyal supporters, which will come in handy on many occasions in the future.
Future of Gaming
The future for Freemium games looks brighter than ever, with several developers lining up to adopt it. The model is very versatile and is certainly a crowd pleaser.
Then what makes it so special? Well, the success of this model can be attributed to the products themselves, in some ways. Most of these games feature addictive gameplay — Jetpack Joyride, for instance. That game is literally endless and has enough stuff to keep me at the edge of my seat. But sometimes the items in the stash become too tempting and I find myself entering my iTunes password to buy more stuff. Now that's great for business, and that is what makes it so special.
One word of caution though: most of the games available online are a direct rip-offs. Many times I wonder if it's just a different graphical wrapper over the same code. Over a period of time, things will get saturated, and these awesome games will start looking boring. Unless the developers reinvent themselves, there will be a huge hollow. Only time can answer that.
In Conclusion
Have you played any freemium games? What's your take on that? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below and thank you for reading!


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Discerning the difference between persecution and a loss of Christian privilege.
Becoming victorious and resilient in the midst of challenges to the faith in view of our living hope and God's sovereign, providential love.
Learning how to be flexible and pliable to navigate various faith challenges so as to be more missional.
Growing in awareness and concern for people of various nations and religions who undergo persecution for their faith.
Counting the cost of being a disciple of Jesus.


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25µ Gold Wedge-Wedge bonding
- 25µ gold wire, 100m on 2" spool.
- Standard gold wedge tool.
- Semiautomatic Wedge-Wedge Wire Bonder HB16
watch video
Bonding process:
- thread wire to the tip of wedge tool.
- program bond parameters and loop profile.
- after the second bond clamp closes, the wire is cut.
- it is recommended to heat up the bond surface to 120°C.
Advantages compared ball-wedge bonding:
- Bonding on very small bond pads.
- Flat and long loops are possible.
- Gold and aluminium wire
- Aluminium wire without heating.


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Hello everyone, happy new year! Quick update on what's going on with me and my keyboards.
I've got the Pianet in better shape than it was, I've cleaned it up, realigned the rubber pluckers, adjusted the key action and re-magnetised a few of the reeds. I really need to sit down and tune it properly, but for now it's good enough. I've been playing it through a practice amp with my Electroharmonix Small Stone phaser and it sounds lush.
I've been exploring the Microkorg and programming a few of my own patches. I'll post some of them at a later date, I have a pretty good approximation of the Moog patch used by Rick Wakeman on "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" that I'm happy to share.
I'm packing down most of my gear in preparation for moving apartment, so I don't think there will be any more videos for a while, at least not from here.
As for me, I had a busy few weeks before Christmas, my college band put on our christmas shows, so I was busy rehearsing for those. I'll have some videos of the two nights that I'll put up on Youtube. I have some recordings of one of our rehearsals that I'll post separately as MP3s.


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Resource Type: Bulletins
DPMP has produced a new briefing paper on Australian deemed supply laws. These laws operate in eight of nine Australian jurisdictions and sanction drug trafficking solely on the weight of drug on an alleged offender.
Dr Caitlin Hughes and Professor Alison Ritter from the Drug Policy Modelling Program, NDARC, UNSW Australia, along with Nicholas Cowdery AM QC, former Director of Public Prosecutions in NSW have completed research into the laws. This raised a number of concerns about the laws. The briefing paper outlines the central findings and policy recommendations from this research. To access the briefing paper click on the link above.
The full article outlining the research findings can be accessed here:
Hughes, C.E., Cowdery, N. & Ritter, A. (2015). Deemed supply in Australian drug trafficking laws: A justifiable legal provision? Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 27(1), 1-20. http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=366887334489689;res=IELHSS


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Invest in your life! - Why top quality photography is beyond the price you pay.
I have just returned from a memorial service. A memorial of one of my clients. When I arrived, I presented a box filled with prints for this person's spouse and family to have. I was informed that while they had the flash drive that contained their final images, they had yet to print even one. I was so happy that I was able to give this client images that I created for them. When I returned from the memorial service, I wrote this post below. It makes me realize how important my job truly is. Life is short. Pictures last a lifetime. Invest in your images. I can now say from experience that what I do for a living is priceless. Make sure you LOVE whomever you hire because when you look at your photos, you will not only think about the images and the day, but WHO was there to share it with you, especially the photographer that captured them. Make sure you feel close enough with your photographer that no matter what you can cry with them, laugh with them and be who you are with them. Make sure your photographer protects you from all things that may stress you out during your wedding or event. I always tell my couples, "YOU are my priority. Let's make a safe word so I know when you need to be rescued. I am paid to be the crazy bossy one so you don't have to." I was a TV producer for 8 years before I seriously changed over into photography. I got paid really good money to be a controlling take charge person. I'm great at it! ;-)
I know how important it is for so many couples to have the perfect venue, the perfect flowers, the perfect favors the perfect everything. But when you are looking at your photos 20 years from now with your children and grandchildren you won't think, "Wow, I'm so glad we invested a small fortune on those custom made favors, THAT NO ONE STILL HAS." You will think, "God I love my wedding photos. I feel like it was just yesterday. And that photographer really took control of everything so we didn't have to worry and he/she got everything we needed and things we didn't think we needed. And he/she was so fun to work with and just made the day flow, etc etc." I cannot tell you how many times someone has come up to me during a wedding while I am working and said, "We really hated our wedding photographer" or "I hate my wedding photos". It breaks my heart to hear this. Because every time that person looks at their photos, THAT is what they think of? Not, what an amazing day we had? Total bummer.
I could go on and on about why top choice wedding photographers are pricey. I could tell you about how much gear costs, insurance, edit time, expenses, back up gear, 2nd shooters, training.....BLAH BLAH BLAH. SNORE, BORING.....
Because you see, as a client, that really means nothing to you, and why the hell should you give a crap about all that stuff? All you should really be concerned with is what I mentioned above. (and that they know what they're doing as well as loving their work of course. And yes, do make sure they have back up gear, insurance and the photos they are showing you are ACTUALLY their photos. Yup, people steal photography all time from other photographers. But that's another post for another time) I always tell my couples, "Hey, can imagine you me at the birth of your baby? How about at the funeral of a loved one, or even just having a fun dinner together?" If the answer is yes, THEN I'M YOUR GIRL! Because besides those things I just listed, your wedding day is going to be one of the most vulnerable days of your lives. And if it's not me, I'm sure you will find someone that fits that mold for you! There is someone for everyone out there, whether it's the love of your life, or your wedding photographer. :-) Not everyone likes me, and I'm sooooo OK with that. (believe me, I have had plenty of therapy to know not everyone is going to like me) People come and go, but your images are FOREVER! Make sure that if you are receiving the final images on a disk or flash drive that you PRINT THOSE PHOTOS OUT! Don't wait until it's too late either. And PLLEEEASSSSEEEE don't go to a drug store or Walmart to print them. They will just screw it all up for you. Your photographer has top notch gear in order to provide you with great images. Ask them to recommend a good lab. They should, since you invested in the high resolution images.
I always tell my clients, "I work with what you give me. If you give me every ounce of you, then I will do the same, not only in your images, but of myself as well." I only do 15 weddings per year. Why? A few reasons. First, I want to make sure that I'm available physically and emotionally for my clients. It's very easy to get burnt out of anything you do too much of. Everyone's burn out level is different, of course, but for me I know my limits. Which brings me to reason number two. I have two small children who need me. I also have an amazing husband that should be getting some action on a regular basis. They matter too. And guess what? Most of my clients know my kids and husband. Because if my clients are going to allow me into their lives, why shouldn't I allow them into mine once in a while? There is pretty much nothing I won't tell my clients about myself. I know for some photographers that's a huge no no. And I get that. Now, granted I won't just blab out personal stuff. But if a couple is going through something or simply wants to know what it's like to be married and with the same person for 18 years, I'm gonna tell them. If they want dibs on what my childhood was like growing up in Philly, I'm going to give them all the details. They can and have asked me a lot of personal stuff, and I'm always happy to let them in. And the more I let them into my life, the more they let me into theirs. And then you know what happens? Not only do I get amazing photos at amazing weddings of amazing people, but I am now embedded into that couple's history. FOR-FRIGGIN'-EVER! AND FOREVER IS A LONG ASS TIME.
That is why, when planning your wedding think about the photos. And while I'm mostly a serviced based photographer, and don't push product on my clients, seriously consider getting an album! I do offer them. They aren't cheap. So consider registering for it if you don't have the $. Your family and friends will chip in. Because technology will change. Facebook may not be here in 10 years and then what? Who knows, that flash drive may not be the latest and greatest way to store images in 15 years. I mean, they are already phasing out DVD drives in computers. But an album lasts a lifetime. And on a side note. Try and squeak out the money for video. I know it's a stretch for most, but believe me, when you are having a "woah, I hate my husband/wife" moment, and trust me you will have those days. You can play that video and remember that you really do like AND love each other.
Want to know a secret about me? My husband and I didn't have the money for a wedding photographer! We had some friends do it and while the images are OK, I still don't have a serious wedding album and the friend who shot video of our wedding with his little high tech camera gave us 90 minutes of his damn thumb! So learn from my mistakes please. I regret that we didn't do what I am preaching about now.
I have laughed and cried with my clients. It's something I am proud of. It's why my couples trust me. Because I trust them.
I am dedicating this post to Jackson and Kaithlyn Crocker and to my beloved Nadia. They know why.


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Personal Injury, Criminal Defense and Family Law Firm La Plata, Maryland
Experienced and Trusted Maryland Law Firm
The law office of Mudd, Mudd & Fitzgerald, P.A. is one of the largest family law, criminal law and personal injury law firms in La Plata, Maryland and throughout Charles County tracing its roots to 1907. The firm offers 115 years of collective legal experience among the firm's lawyers.
Mudd, Mudd & Fitzgerald, P.A. has a long-standing history of proven success and a well-earned reputation, as indicated by our members who are AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, signifying the highest ethical standards and professional ability as judged by other members of the bar.
Additionally, two members of our law firm, Stephen P. Fitzgerald and John F. Mudd, have been named Super Lawyers and are listed in The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. The Maryland Bar Foundation has also recognized John E. Ray, Stephen P. Fitzgerald and John F. Mudd for outstanding lawyering.
Areas of practice
The law firm of Mudd, Mudd & Fitzgerald, P.A. has a stellar history of trial success. Our law firm provides quality and experienced legal representation in the following areas of practice:
Call your family law, criminal law and personal injury lawyers in La Plata, Maryland: litigators you can trust
Mudd, Mudd & Fitzgerald, P.A. is the oldest and largest law practice in La Plata and throughout Charles County, Maryland. Our law office is handicapped-accessible and conveniently located a half-block from the Charles County Courthouse. We offer quality legal services that are competitively priced. Please call to schedule an appointment at 240.776.5078 or contact us online.
We are leaders, litigators and trial attorneys who fight for your rights.


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Quarterly Update - 2013 Q3
October 2013
Dear Rubicon Mortgage Fund Investor or Prospective Investor:
Rubicon Mortgage Fund, LLC is pleased to announce that investors who reinvest each month have received a return of 7.135% in the first three quarters of 2013. The Fund currently has 33 loans in its portfolio and holds two REO properties. We funded four new loans during the third quarter totaling approximately $2,250,000, and we received seven pay offs from current borrowers. The Fund's portfolio of loans, totaling approximately $15,000,000, consists solely of first trust deeds.
Troubled Loan and REO Status Updates:
Kings Beach Lake Tahoe (NOD):
As we mentioned in our last quarterly letter, the Fund made a loan for $750,000 as part of a $3,100,000 loan on two contiguous lake front properties in October 2011. The borrower made a principal payment in 2012 bringing RMF's outstanding balance to $630,000 which reached maturity in May 2013. When the borrower did not pay off the loan or comply with the offered extension we issued a NOD in May 2013. This past month, the Fund received full payment on the loan, (which included the outstanding principal, as well as accrued interest calculated using the 18% default interest rate and penalties) making this an extremely profitable loan for the Fund.
Fund Growth and Outlook for 2013:
The Fund added 13new investors this quarter and 7 existing investors added capital for a total increase of approximately $1,900,000. This consistent growth has allowed the Fund to continue to diversify its portfolio while remaining focused on quality loans.
We will continue to remain true to our investors in our objective to put capital preservation above all else including short term returns. Management has been extremely patient and selective about making new loans. As a result we have priced some loans more competitively for opportunities that we believe are desirable due to quality and ultimate risk. Interest rates remain low and money supply remains high keeping private money loan prices down towards historical lows. We believe that remaining focused on risk ultimately will best satisfy our investors despite current returns in the 7-7.5% range. Once interest rates increase, and the excess supply of money decreases,we expect the Fund's rate of return to rise.
Please note that our best sources of referrals come from our current stable of Investors. Please feel free to give our contact information to any interested colleagues, and as always, contact us directly with any questions.
Rubicon Management


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Both AMD and NVIDIA recently launched major offerings in their desktop graphics line-ups. AMD took the wraps off their $549 Radeon R9 290X flagship card based on their latest Hawaii GPU architecture and then followed-up with the more cost-effective $399 Radeon R9 290 . These cards offer serious firepower and serve an enthusiast/gamer niche' that has no problem justifying a price tag that's equivalent to the average user's entire system, but just on their graphics engine. If you're into semiconductor real estate, the 290 series GPU is a 6.2 billion transistor beast with a die size that's about 432mm². So, yes, it's a big card that runs hot and can get a little loud when it spins up under load.
Of course NVIDIA, not to be outdone, immediately took the hatchet to their GeForce GTX 780 high-end card, bringing the price down to $499 for what was previously a $650 card and then followed up with a volley this week with an even faster GeForce GTX 780 Ti card that gives AMD's latest R9 290 cards a run for their money. In a nutshell, these top ends cards pretty much go toe-to-toe in the benchmarks. While NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 780 Ti is typically the fastest card of the bunch, AMD's Radeon R9 290X takes its share of wins as well. It can also be said, however, that NVIDIA's recently launched top-end cards run a little cooler and quieter.
The battle at the high end of the 3D graphics stack is all about bragging rights. NVIDIA and AMD don't build warehouses full of these expensive GPUs but the halo effect of having the fastest, most feature-rich graphics architecture on the market at any given time, is an important stake in the ground for corporate flags to wave upon. That technology is also what more affordable midrange and mainstream cards are based on, so those features and performance metrics trickle down from the top as well.
What's interesting is how very differently the two competitors are positioned with respect to their graphics technologies beyond the desktop and where their collective bread will be buttered into the Q4 holiday shopping season and beyond. If you read the transcript from NVIDIA's recent earnings call, NVIDIA beat the street with modest single digit gains in their graphics business, but a large decline for their Tegra mobile business, which fell 49 percent sequentially as the company scaled back Tegra 3 to make way for their new Tegra 4 low power mobile SoC (System on a Chip). Tegra 4 is the processor behind
Meanwhile, AMD is the processing engine powering both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, which are expected to launch in a matter of days now just in time for the holiday rush. AMD's 8-core Jaguar APUs with GCN graphics are the underlying technologies AMD succeeded in getting major league design wins for, in these next gen consoles that are expected to sell like proverbial hotcakes very soon.
So on one hand, we've got NVIDIA that is looking to drive volume for their graphics technology and low power integrated SoCs in the blistering hot and ridiculously competitive mobile space, and on the other hand we've got AMD just about ready to break down the starting gate with processors in consoles that will sell by the millions of units but with razor-thin margins for sure.
It's an interesting inflection point for both companies. AMD is obviously struggling but returned to profitability recently as console builds began last quarter. NVIDIA is flush with cash and debt-free, so they can weather a heavy storm while they position to try and take back mobile market share with the help of Microsoft (Windows RT) and Android-based solutions.
When the dust settles a bit going into calendar Q1, I'd bet things will be looking rosier for AMD but NVIDIA has their work cut out for them. That said, if any silicon valley bellwether can pull a rabit out and make some magic happen, NVIDIA can.


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Sun July 7, 2013 1:00 pm
Pop-up Bookfair hosted by Curbside Splendor Publishing
Curbside Splendor Publishing is pleased to announce the 3rd installment in our seasonal series of POP-UP BOOK FAIRS! Spend the afternoon of April 14th buying books, listening to music, & networking with Chicago's Literati!
40+ of the finest independent publishers, presses, & booksellers from Chicago and elsewhere will be on hand hocking their goods from 12:30pm until 5pm at Chicago's finest venue for underground music The Empty Bottle. Quimby's Bookstore will also stock a table with a selection of books-n-zines penned by Chicagoans. The bar will be open so grab a cocktail and listen to live DJ Sets by Chicago Writers all afternoon as you ogle some books and satiate your bibliophiliac needs!
And best of all the book fair is FREE if you RSVP through TicketWeb! Otherwise admission is $5 at the door.
Keep in mind that this toasty event is 21+ unless minors are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Direct press inquiries to: jacob at curbsidesplendor dot com.
LIVE DJ SETS by:
NAGASAKI, DJ GOLDIE BEAR, DJ "2nd Cousin, Twice Removed", DJ KALE PARTY, KRUBREDNUF, DJ HEAVY INSPINUATION, & DJ DG!
7 Vientos, 826chi, Another Chicago Magazine, Artifice Mag, Black Ocean, Burial Day Books, Chicago Center for Literature and Photography (CCLaP), Chicago Zine Fest, chicagopoetry.com, co*im*press, Convulsive Editions, Criminal Class Press, Curbside Splendor Publishing, Dream of Things, Fifth Star Press, Haymarket Books, Labletter, Love Symbol Press, Miss Nyet, Monsters & Dust, New American Press, Orange Alert, Quimby's, Richochet Review, Rose Metal Press, Soberscove, Solace in So Many Words, South Loop Review, Switchback Books, THE 2ND HAND, Tortoise Books, & MORE!
(CAR) (Chicago Now) (Gapers Block) (Meet Up)


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Most entrepreneurs pride ourselves on being the UNDERDOG taking on the established order of business.
So for everyone who has always dreamed about winning against overwhelming odds, here is the Century's feel good story.
Unlike here in the United States where we have the draft to equalize our professional sports, there is no such system in Europe. In fact European soccer is a bastion of laissez-faire capitalism. No draft. No salary caps. The rich get richer. The rest try to survive. Specifically in the English Premier League, four teams have dominated for the past 20 years. Such are the challenges of overcoming those four teams that, with the exception of those four teams and four of the better financed chasing pack, the odds of one of the other teams winning the National Title...38 games played over a nine month period..,are generally fairly generous. Its not unusual to be able to obtain odds of 100 to 1; 500 to 1 on these outsiders. Indeed for the weakest teams that round out the 20 that compete in the English Premier League, seasoned bookmakers were willing to offer 5000 -1 at the start of this season.
And so it came to pass that a team of unknowns from the Midlands of England who had finished in the lowest position in 2015, started the season with odds of 5000 - 1. One foolhardy fan of that team, Leicester City, even placed a throw-away 15 dollar bet on his team of no-hopers. Drum-roll...
Leicester's unprecedented title triumph "made mugs of all of us", according to Premier League chief Richard Scudamore, write the BBC
The 5,000-1 outsiders beat bigger rivals Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea to land their first top-flight title.
"It's probably the biggest sporting story ever and the biggest sporting achievement ever," Scudamore said.
"Nobody saw it coming and even when it was halfway through the season nobody said it could be sustained."
Scudamore, who negotiated next season's record £5.1bn television rights deal, added in an interview with BBC Sport that "Leicester 2016" would stand as a landmark moment in British sport.
"We don't know what the future holds because we've all become completely hopeless at predicting anything, including the bookmakers and everybody else - because this one nobody saw coming," he said.
"It's made mugs of all of us and that is just the most fantastic feeling.
"If the bookmakers had it as a 5,000-1 event, you would imagine you should achieve these type of things once every 5,000 years. It gives us 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years of being able to say: 'Leicester 2016. Just remember Leicester 2016.'"
So entrepreneurs next time someone tells you that pigs will fly over before your product becomes the market leader, remind them what everyone said about Leicester City in 2016. And then look up to the sky and check for a omnivorous domesticated hoofed mammal with sparse bristly hair and a flat snout .
The author, Jonathan Copley, is a life-long supporter of 20-time English Champions, Manchester United. In the current absence of his team's ability to win the Premier League he is thrilled that underdogs are this year's champions.
JOLT of WISDOM for Entrepreneurs
Ideas to educate and inspire entrepreneurs, solo-preneurs and soon-to-be founders of great businesses.
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Prince Was a Great Icon of Music - an Even Greater Entrepreneurial Leader
|Prince - one of world's great entrepreneurs disrupted the music industry.
Of course, many entrepreneurs understand that you don't need to have a massive payroll in order to make a real difference to the world. Some entrepreneurs demonstrate great entrepreneurial leadership skills by disrupting entire industries for the betterment of the market. And that's why this week's loss of the musician Prince has hit many people very hard. Not only has the world lost an iconic musician but it also lost a great entrepreneur who knew how to shake up the old way of doing things and bring about major innovation is his field.
Indeed Prince's achievements as an entrepreneur were chronicled by the Washington Post. (Jena McGregor.) Here are some of his key achievements:
As the many eulogies and remembrances of Prince rolled in last week, the towering pop star - in influence if not in physical stature - was called a "certified genius" by The Who's Pete Townshend. A "true innovator and a singular artist" by Apple CEO Tim Cook. A "creative icon" by President Obama.
He was also, in his way, a leader... He was a leader when it came to innovations in music distribution, to the issue of musicians' rights, and to a push for artists' independent control. And his genre-defying sound had the ability to unite generations of music lovers and the musicians he influenced.
First Album Released Online
Way back in 1997, Prince was the first major artist to release an entire album online, according to a Webby Lifetime Achievement award he received in 2006, when he let his fans buy the three-CD set "Crystal Ball" directly from him over the Internet.
"Prince's leadership online has transformed the entertainment industry and reshaped the relationship between artist and fan," the group said, and noted that he predated more recent efforts to "premiere videos and new music, challenge distribution practices and connect with his fans."
Early Crowdfunding
While the 1997 release was problematic, with delayed orders and disappointment that it was not sold exclusively online, it helped carve a path for others to find new ways of distributing their music. As Prince fan and social media veteran Anil Dash tweeted last week, "Prince crowdfunded an album on the Internet, complete w/ Kickstarter-style late delivery to angry fans, 20 YEARS AGO. Your fave could never." He also gave away copies of albums with tickets to concerts and with issues of British newspapers....
Long before that, he exhibited an independence few musicians had dared, battling Warner Brothers in the early 1990s over the pace he released his albums, famously changing his name to a symbol and writing "slave" across his face in response. He returned to the label recently, with control over music rights.
"Prince changed the game," read a statement from Greg Harris, CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which inducted Prince in 2004. "He controlled the stage, he controlled the music and he controlled the media," Harris said, calling him "a driven leader who made us bend to his will, created a new path and inspired others to step up, just to keep up."
Even beyond his pioneering independence, he was a social advocate, one who wrote songs and spoke out on political issues and inspired the YesWeCode nonprofit to help open tech jobs to black youths.
And then, of course, there was his music, which crossed boundaries, defied genres and had seemingly unanimous respect among musicians and fans alike.
Few voices in our world today have that kind of reach...
So whether you make music on the synthesizer or use the keyboard to create software you have the chance to change the world for good... and in doing so really demonstrate the true meaning of entrepreneurial leadership.
How can I change the world in this time of global uncertainty, I hear you ask.
Well if not you with your great entrepreneurial skills, then who? And if not now, then when?
Sunday, April 17, 2016
It's Better to Get a Pie in the Face than Sit Quivering on the Sidelines
Excellent history lesson in Business Insider by Matt Weinberger about some of the biggest forecasting errors Bill Gates made in his public pronouncements.
Why am I bringing it to your attention? Too many people are missing out on the fun of being an entrepreneur. They are frozen in place. Why? For fear their next move in business will be wrong.
This article demonstrates that even the most successful people make big mistakes. It's how they RECOVER that separates the true champions from the wannabees! And I think its fair to say, Mr. Gates has demonstrated that he can take a good pie to the face and get right back up! Indeed, the boy turned out real good!
Here's six of the Bill Gates' Greatest Misses!
Viva Mac
1 "The next generation of interesting software will be done on the Macintosh, not the IBM PC," said Bill Gates in a BusinessWeek article in 1984.
At the time, Gates and Apple cofounder Steve Jobs were on good terms. But once Microsoft released Windows for the IBM PC, the relationship fell apart.
Viva IBM OS/2
2 Before Windows became a hit, though, Microsoft teamed up with IBM to create a new operating system called OS/2. "I believe OS/2 is destined to be the most important operating system, and possibly program, of all time," Gates said in 1987.
That didn't work out for IBM, either. Once Windows 3.0 became a smash hit in 1990, Microsoft didn't need IBM anymore and walked away from OS/2. IBM kept OS/2 going for decades, but it officially died in 2006.
My Customers Love Bugs!
3 "There are no significant bugs in our released software that any significant number of users want fixed," Gates said in Focus Magazine in 1995. He went on to say that nobody would ever buy software just to fix bugs.
It was true then and it was true today: There are always software bugs, and people always want them fixed. That goes double for products as popular as Windows and Office. The big change now is that, thanks to the internet, bug fixes get to people faster than ever.
The Internet is Stillborn
4 "I see little commercial potential for the internet for the next 10 years," Gates allegedly said at one Comdex trade event in 1994, as quoted in the 2005 book "Kommunikation erstatter transport."
Indeed, in his 1995 book "The Road Ahead," Gates would make one of his most well-known blunders: He wrote that the internet was a novelty that would eventually make way to something much better. "Today's Internet is not the information highway I imagine, although you can think of it as the beginning of the highway," Gates wrote.
In the mere weeks between finishing the book and it getting to bookstores, Gates realized a little too late that the internet was taking off after all. He issued Microsoft's famous "The Internet Tidal Wave" memo and reoriented the company in that direction. In 1996, he released a revised edition of the book that included more on the internet.
5 Proprietary is the way to go!
"One thing we have got to change in our strategy - allowing Office documents to be rendered very well by other peoples browsers is one of the most destructive things we could do to the company. We have to stop putting any effort into this and make sure that Office documents very well depends on PROPRIETARY IE capabilities," Gates wrote in a memo to Microsoft in 1998.
Gates is a competitive guy. But in the end, Microsoft's reliance on proprietary technology ended up hamstringing the company in the long run. Current CEO Satya Nadella has gone a long way towards opening up the company's tech, to the delight of customers and developers.
6 The End of SPAM
And in 2004, Gates gave us this doozy in a BBC interview: "[E-mail] spam will be a thing of the past in two years' time."
12 years later, that, uh, didn't happen. Security company Symantec says that spam has hovered around half of all e-mail sent for the last decade.
So entrepreneurs go forward and take a calculated risk. Its hard to imagine your idea could be any further off the mark than those of the illustrious Mr Gates.
|Despite being pied in Brussels in Feb 1998, Bill Gates did good for himself! Able to laugh at his misfortune, Gates told reporters, "The cake didn't even taste good."
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Dragon Lady Provides Entrepreneurs with Teachable Moment
|Self-Proclaimed First Dragon Lady
There is a timeless law of market positioning which says that being first in your chosen market is a source of competitive advantage. So what should you do if you're an entrepreneur who finds his or her market niche already crowded? REDEFINE your market niche.
Take, for example, this enterprising person, Richard Hernandez of Arizona.
|Former Banker Richard Hernandez
The 55 year old transgender, former banker, found his path to celebrity blocked by a growing number of people such as the former Olympian, Bruce Jenner. So what to do? He had a reptilian metamorphosis and became number one in the category of DRAGON LADIES.
You've certainly got to admire her commitment to celebrity. Aside from having her ears and nose removed, the woman had to endure tooth extraction, eye coloring, adding horns to her head, getting a forked tongue and getting a face full of tattoos.
So remember today's lesson in entrepreneurship. BE FIRST in Your Market. And if you're second, third or 100th, "simply" redefine your market until you can say you are the first. And just for the record, I, Jonathan Copley, claim to be the first Business Coach to blog about Dragon Ladies.
You can read more wisdom from the "Record-Holding" Business Coach at Journal of Wisdom for Entrepreneurs
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