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http://www.euro-cordiale.lu/compro/index_fr.htmlRelated: a classer 2 • mindfulness • Divers - Détente... • jeu • Organisation du projet
Anti-Semitism in France: How Fast Is the Tide Rising? 'How can anyone be allowed to paint a swastika on the statue of Marianne, the goddess of French liberty, in the very center of the Place de la République?" That was what the chairman of one of France's most celebrated luxury brands was thinking last July, when a tall man in a black shirt and a kaffiyeh leapt to the ledge of Marianne's pedestal and scrawled a black swastika. All around him, thousands of angry demonstrators were swarming the square with fake rockets, Palestinian and Hamas flags, even the black-and-white banners of ISIS.
Mindfulness Exercises - Mindfulness Techniques That Work These easy mindfulness exercises are simple enough for anyone to try, and yet they are an extraordinarily powerful method for developing self awareness. Mindfulness is awareness of the present moment. It's living here and now. Through mindfulness, you are freed from becoming entangled in thoughts of your past, and you are freed from worrying about the future. In the here and now, everything just is...and there is great peace in that. Photographer Recreates Famous Portraits With John Malkovich As His Model Renowned photographer Sandro Miller has worked together with legendary Hollywood A-Lister John Malkovich many times, but when Miller wanted to celebrate the photography greats that had inspired and guided him, he had to do something special. So he, with Malkovich as his dashing unisex model, recreated some of those influential photographers' most important portraits in a photo series called "Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich: Homage to photographic masters." Show Full Text The series puts both Miller's exceptional photography and Malkovich's masterful acting talents front and center. Miller gets each amazing portrait's lighting, mood and composition down perfectly, while Malkovich replicates the subject's emotions and expressions so perfectly that the photos become nearly indistinguishable, regardless of the age or gender of the original subject.
5 Ways to Use Your Mobile Device to CREATE Content The majority of us have a smart phone with us everywhere we go. What's more, we've all become rather efficient at using them to send and receive text messages and email, schedule appointments, take photos, and sometimes even make a call. But there a few functions we have failed to maximize. Just as we use mobile devices to push learning and information to people, we can use them to create learning and information, such as audio and video elements. Here are five ways you use your mobile device to create content for an upcoming learning solution. #1.
DataViz DataViz Mediaeater MMX Archive / RSS June 21 (Source: thedailywhat) The new Microsoft Surface Tablet Jeffrey Bradbury Jeffrey Bradbury, author of Kidblog: An Introduction to Blogging With Your Students, is the creator of TeacherCast.net, TeacherCast University, and Educational Podcasting Today, is a Google Certified Teacher, Google Education Trainer, PBS Learning Media Digital Innovator, speaker, writer, broadcaster, consultant and educational media specialist. In 2012, Jeff was recognized as one of top 50 educators using social media at the first ever Bammy Awards and has been nominated twice in the category of Innovator of the Year.
Healing the Body with Mindfulness of Breathing « Metta Refuge This excerpt from a talk by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh explains how to use mindfulness of breathing to bring loving-kindness to our dear bodies. The physical effect of this can be truly remarkable. As Thây says, "You should really love your body. You should really take care of your body. Mindful breathing, with rest, can do miracles CAT NAIL TRIMMING: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE - The Catnip Times I took the liberty of artistically enhancing this photo from a fan's cat named Lillian... I just fell in love with this little... Ten Reasons New Teachers Aren't Using Technology Note: While this post points to a problem I have noticed with tech adoption and teachers, I want to point out that there is a free resource I developed with coaching questions for teachers on the technology journey. These correspond with a post I wrote about the eight stages in the technology journey. Last week, I met with a group of twenty-four candidates for our Masters in Arts of Teaching program. I loved the excitement in the room and the idealism of the group. They wanted to change the world.
An Introduction to Using Patterns in Web Design The biggest challenge for web designers is the unthinkably huge number of possible ways to solve any given problem. We usually don't think of this because we have our habits and traditions to fall back on, but there are literally billions of possible pixel combinations for each page we make. There is a better way to manage this vast complexity than by making big decisions up front and hoping for the best. To make better sites — sites that are functional, beautiful, and "usable" — we have to break our design problems up into small independent chunks based on the real issues within our requirements.
May 21 2015 Robert Dillon - EdchatInteractive Leading change to help school practitioners embrace not only technology in teaching but in assessment, grading, and outcomes can be a challenge. Systemic, meaningful change from an environment of rote learning to the collaborative nature in a 1:1 environment can be met with resistance. With his experience as an implementation change agent, Dr. 6 Ways Being Mindful Can Make You a Better Leader, by Bruna Martinuzzi If you consider mindfulness to be just another buzzword or New Age fad, think again. Mindfulness has been around for centuries and has now made the transition from Tibetan monasteries to the corporate boardrooms of America. In "The Mindful Revolution," a recent TIME magazine article, Kate Pickert says that already many devotees see mindfulness "as an indispensable tool for coping—both emotionally and practically—with the daily onslaught."
The dimensions of all the most popular balance boards and size of their rollers so you can make your own balance board. — Balance Training Forum Finally choosing the type of roller can be the hardest part because different rollers will make the balance board behave differently. Furthermore most mass produced balance boards come with a specially built roller that is going to be hard to replicate with parts that are easily obtained so you are going to be left trying to find something to use as a roller that will be suitable for your applications. Here are some of the different types of rollers i have personal tried using on diy balance board and my experiences with the. First off I felt using a larger roller slowed down the movement of the board and made it easier to use. 2 inch black pipe- balance board was very twitchy, the board slammed on the ground often, was very challenging to use and not very fun.


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DIY Stenciled Wood Sign
We have this dry erase map that Kyle loves to plan our trips with, document all our adventures, and mark down our wish-list for places to go. It's definitely a fun accent to our home, and always sparks a ton of conversations with guests. I wanted to make a wooden sign for above the map to add some decoration.
We got this piece of wood from a "free wood" pile on the side of the road! I first traced the outline of my letters using these stencils and a pencil. Then I painted the letters in with acrylic paint and made the letters more bold to cover up the pencil lines. In retrospect, I wish I had laid out a straight line with a level or ruler before stenciling, because sometimes it bugs me that the phrase is a bit crooked.
Otherwise I love this little addition to our home! Being a military wife has definitely taught me that it's not necessarily where you are that matters, but who you're with! Here's a sneak peak at the corner of our cute and tiny loft, where we have this map and sign.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Marc Canova & John Modena ft. Alesia - Promise Me (Radio + Deep Edit) [PREVIEW] OUT NOW ON ITUNES by Joys Productions published on 2015-05-27T13:08:56Z Recommended tracks Something To Believe (Candlelight Version) by Joanna Rays published on 2012-10-31T17:11:34Z Philip Aelis & Andrew Fisher Feat. Joanna Rays - Something To Believe (Original Radio Edit) by Philip Aelis published on 2014-01-27T16:08:50Z Joanna Rays - Not Enough - Raf Marchesini Remix (Radio Edit) by RAF MARCHESINI published on 2014-02-14T11:26:09Z (New Single) Danny Wild Feat. Christophe Paris "Will U Call Me" (All Mixes Preview) by Danny Wild published on 2013-12-28T10:27:49Z Willy S. Project - Hey! by Willy Saul published on 2013-10-18T12:27:03Z Julien Sales Feat Kev Bayliss - Anywhere You Go by ClubDepartment published on 2013-08-05T11:36:49Z Joanna Rays - Calling Me (Original Radio Mix) by Joys Productions published on 2013-05-26T15:36:43Z Angelika Vee Vs Kylian Mash - Cash Out (Luxure Remix) Winner Remix Contest #ClubCertified by Luxure published on 2013-02-22T09:56:51Z


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If you are like us, you might be a little confused at what you can and can't eat these days. Is there a healthier way to eat and live? Are there tangible benefits to living a certain lifestyle? In 2018 we are going to explore these questions, specifically as it relates to gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian lifestyles, and provide recipes that you can use for each of them. Let's dive into our first topic: gluten-free.
(Exclusive gluten-free recipes at the bottom of the post!)
The basics
Gluten-free is one of the trendiest lifestyles and dietary changes being made currently. You cannot go into a grocery store or a restaurant now that doesn't have a gluten-free section or offering in the aisle or menu, respectively. So why is it so popular?
First, we need to know the answer to the question: what is gluten? According to the Mayo Clinic, gluten is protein found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley, and a hybrid of wheat and rye called triticale. Essentially, gluten gives dough its elasticity and helps hold it together while it is being made. Now that we know what gluten is we can move onto the next pressing question: why is it bad for some people?
The bad
Our bodies' immune systems function something like this: recognize the difference between what belongs and what is foreign, then attack the foreign. However, many people suffer from autoimmune diseases. One such autoimmune disease is "celiac disease" (CD), caused by consuming gluten. Advocacy group Beyond Celiac states that about 1% of the US population has celiac disease.
"Celiac disease is a condition in which gluten triggers immune system activity that damages the lining of the small intestine. Over time this damage prevents the absorption of nutrients from food." -- Mayo Clinic Staff
Clearly, people that suffer from celiac disease need to avoid gluten. However, what about people that do not have celiac disease? Why are they opting for gluten-free?
Gluten Intolerance vs. Gluten Sensitivity vs. Wheat Allergy
The Gluten Intolerance Group explain the three most common diagnoses and what they each mean. Gluten intolerance is diagnosed as celiac disease. The only way to treat celiac disease is to practice a 100% gluten-free diet. Gluten sensitivity, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), is hard to diagnose as it shares many of the same characteristics of celiac disease and there is no true test developed yet. The only way to identify it is to rule out an autoimmune reaction and a wheat allergy. Finally, a wheat allergy is specific to a rejection of a protein found in wheat, but other gluten from non-wheat sources is okay to eat.
What foods can I eat if I am gluten intolerant or have a gluten sensitivity?
Several different organizations list the foods that you can and cannot eat. We will assemble the highlights here, but if you have a gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity, you need to do comprehensive research as well as consult with your doctor on an appropriate diet.
- Allowed fresh foods
- Fruits and vegetables
- Beans, seeds and nuts in their natural, unprocessed forms
- Eggs
- Lean, nonprocessed meats, fish and poultry
- Most low-fat dairy products
- Avoid all food and drinks that contain the following
- Wheat
- Barley
- Rye
- Triticale
- Oats (in some cases)
(From the Mayo Clinic Staff)
Gluten-free alternatives
- Amaranth
- Brown, white and wild rice
- Buckwheat
- Almond meal flour
- Coconut flour
- Corn
- Cornstarch
- Guar gum
- Millet
- Pea flour
- Potato flour
- Potatoes
- Quinoa
- Sorghum
- Soy flour
- Teff
(From Beyond Celiac)
Another great source for information and recipes is The Gluten-Free Goddess' blog. Karina Allrich writes about what she knows from her own life experience, shares practical ways to live gluten-free, and many tasty recipes.
I am not Gluten Sensitive but I think going gluten-free will improve my health
This is a hot topic right now, as an increasing rate of people who do not have a gluten intolerance are opting to go gluten-free. Among the biggest drivers is a growing suspicion on the potential adverse health affects of consuming gluten. If you do believe that you are suffering from a gluten intolerance, you should consult with a doctor and be tested. Always consult with a medical professional before making significant lifestyle changes.
Adding fruits and veggies to your meals on a gluten-free diet
As you may know, fruits and veggies are really good for you. They have amazing nutritional properties that our body systems need daily to function. Another great thing about produce: its naturally gluten-free. Regardless of the lifestyle you choose to live, it's probably a good idea to keep fresh fruits and vegetables as a fixture in your diet.
White Bean Kale Cauliflower Casserole
Let's face it. It can be a challenge to get our friends or family to get on the gluten-free train with us. However, serve this delicious recipe from registered dietitian and best-selling author, Cynthia Sass, and your loved ones will be clamoring for more yummy dishes from you! Featuring fresh kale, cauliflower, lemon juice + zest, tahini, and white beans. Estimated prep + bake time is 35 minutes.
A Tex-Mex omelet recipe from Cynthia Sass, RD and best-selling author, is full of that southwest flavor you crave. The best part? When you make this for breakfast or brinner ( breakfast for dinner), you are giving your body an excellent source of protein. Also, those veggies aren't in their just for their color. The nutrients found between those veggies will add a healthy portion to your daily needs, and give your body the tools it needs to support itself.


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We live in a world where we are constantly ingesting toxic materials, from the harsh chemicals in cleaning products, in our beauty products, our cookware, unfiltered drinking water, and most importantly, in the food we eat.
While our body has its own natural ability to flush out what we don't need, and absorb the nutrients we need, our bodies also get exhausted when they're overloaded with toxins. Everyone living in this modern world needs to give their body a short break here and there for optimal functioning.
If we don't have the right nutrients to naturally detoxify - if daily stress, overload of chemicals, bacteria and/or parasites in our gut - are impeding our ability to absorb our nutrients, then our body can't cope with all these toxins, and our body ends up retaining toxins and fat.
Scared about detoxing? Don't be!
Here are 5 important reasons why cleansing (with a nutrient-dense detox) is beneficial:
1. Cleansing is an ancient art of healing, and has been practiced for years and years (for a reason!). It gets your body on track to heal itself.
2. Cleansing works like a RESET button for your system, removing toxins in your blood and fat cells, and easing the load on your body, therefore increasing your energy.
3. Cleansing (if done properly) will help restore the proper biological environment in your gut, where healthy bacteria (probiotics) can grow. At the same time, it helps to starve the bad bacteria, yeasts and parasites that may exist unknowingly in your stomach and gut.
4. Cleansing also helps you get in touch with your body, teaching you to listen to the subtle messages that your body is giving you. A proper detox/cleanse will REBOOT your system. And you'll notice that it will help clean your skin, boost your energy, remove brain fog, and of course, lose any excess weight. It will also help you IDENTIFY your food sensitivities, and start your track towards eliminating these sensitivities.
5. Cleansing with the right nutrient-dense foods will help you overcome your cravings.
Some CLEAR SIGNS THAT YOU COULD BENEFIT FROM A DETOX include:
- little symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, aching muscles, bloating or gas
- more chronic issues including asthma, irritable bowl, acne, reflux, hormonal imbalance, arthritis, and any autoimmune disease
A good detox has been known to help cure all of these symptoms!
So what is the best and easiest way to detox?
Honestly, that depends on the person. There are many ways to cleanse your body, and it doesn't require starving yourself.
Some people like doing pure juice cleanses for a week. I personally believe in chewing most of your food so I'm not a huge fan, and only recommend juice cleanses if you're careful not to put too much fruit in the juices- they should be primarily veggies, herbs, and low-glycemic fruit. The right juice cleanse can be great at providing nutrients and reducing the digestive load, but I strongly recommend following any juice cleanse by a food-based detox so that you don't "re-tox" too quickly.
I personally prefer doing food-based cleanses, where I continue to eat normal foods, but I eliminate all foods that exhaust the digestive system, primarily SUGAR, as well as caffeine, alcohol, and processed foods - for a few days (or weeks). I eat an easy-to-digest breakfast (ex. green protein smoothie) and a relatively easy-to-digest dinner (ex. vegetable soup or large salad), and I allow two hours to digest dinner before going to bed, and 12 hours between dinner and breakfast.
A key part of cleansing/detoxing (in my book) is to eat lots and lots of liver-cleansing veggies and herbs, some clean & organic protein in each meal, and lots of healthy fats, while avoiding hard-to-digest foods and common allergenic triggers. And of course, it's important to drink lots of water, get enough sleep, take the right vitamins, and a probiotic supplement every day.
When I detox, I also like to prioritize daily exercise, meditation, and simple detox practices like dry brushing and tongue scraping. I'm extra careful to avoid using beauty products with harmful chemicals, and plastics for storing food. I make an effort to clean out my bathroom and kitchen cabinets, at least a little bit, getting rid of as much of the old, dirty junk as possible and replacing it with better, more natural, chemical-free alternatives. It feels amazing and I highly suggest you try doing at least a few of these things.
A DETOX like this has a ton of potential benefits, including: weight loss, and helping to: boost your immune system, prevent chronic disease, slow down ageing, increase energy, clear up your skin, improve your sleep, boost your mental clarity and memory, stabilize your mood and emotions, and balance all of your body's systems - hormonal system, digestive system and even your nervous system.
The good news is, it's really not that difficult! But like everything, it requires determination and helps if you have someone to do it with you for support. You only need to cleanse for 7 days or 10 days and your body will thank you.
If you'd like some guidance and support on doing a one-week or 10-day detox/cleanse, reach out to me at email@example.com. I started doing them 3 years ago, and they have been a huge game changer for me.
I am launching a 10 day detox on Monday October 16th. The holidays are just around the corner, and this detox will provide the reset you need to get your body back in tip-top shape (and at your ideal weight) before the year-end holidays! DEADLINE TO SIGN UP IS THIS FRIDAY OCTOBER 13th. Email me at email@example.com with any questions.
Love & Detox,


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Sudhir Mishra's Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi [official site | notes on the soundtrack] is easily IMO the best film of the year already. It's one of the best pieces of political cinema. It's one of the best love stories on screen. It's one of the best scripted films ever (and the best scripted film this year). It has a wonderful soundtrack that NEVER intrudes. It has the best performances ever. Sudhir Mishra and his team deserve a week-long standing ovation for restoring my faith in Hindi cinema. The under-rated, under-privileged (forced to include songs in Calcutta Mail and thus destroying what promised to be a taut film) and hyped-for-the-wrong-reasons (see: Chameli) delivers a tight slap on the faces of all his detractors. The experience of watching this movie was indescribable. I am usually multi-tasking while watching most movies regardless of how good or bad they are. With this one, I was only taking my customary notes. The film never (and I meant that; NEVER) struck a false note. I was with Siddharth, Geeta and Vikram, icons of a disllusioned generation lost in a tide of socio-political upheaval and despondent failures. Every step of the way. And once the end credits began to roll, I knew that I couldn't watch another movie (or do anything else) for the rest of the day. Amazing! I haven't felt that way about a movie in a long time. Hats off, Sudhir Mishra.
The end credits began with a dedication to the late Renu Saluja, Mishra's wife, one of India's great editors, who succumbed to cancer in 2000. That set me thinking about the autobiographical resonance of the film's central triangle. In almost Layla-esque fashion, Renu Saluja was married to Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and then later to Sudhir Mishra. I would hazard a guess that these relationships (and the associations with the FTII brat pack) afforded the film a personal angle that elevates it light years above the commonplace.
Related: Vidhu Vinod Chopra's wife (and sister of Vikram Chandra and Tanuja Chandra) writes an obit to Renu Saluja (incidentally, the movie by Blondie Singh that she refers to is Bollywood [more here], an adaptation of Shashi Tharoor's wonderful Show Business).


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As soon as school starts, so do the after school activities!
Very first game, he made a touchdown! Big deal people.
Football is now his life.
He has the best coach ever. So encouraging and so nice!
After that first game, he scratched his policeman Halloween costume, and immediately needed to be a football player.
I love that he has found his passion!
Ladies & Gentlemen, Dance is back in session.
Ivy is NOT in dance, but she was not about to miss out on a tutu and a photo sesh.
(we need to work on her poses)
Two sweetie poos!
And don't you worry, Ivy has been busy too!
Getting herself dressed and admiring her job well done in the mirror.
She enjoys spending her mornings cleaning the floor at McDonalds.
And she has found a love for the little vacuum.
(love how she holds the cord)
And after all the cleaning, sometimes she just likes to veg on the couch, or nap in the little chair.
She has learned to pack her own treats
And what would we do without our photographer at the football games.
And what do I do now that the kids are in school?
I get to do some fabulous testing,
And drive 30 miles with the mail on the back of my bumper
Take sick kids to the Doc
Take pictures of the cute moments in life
And last but not least.....WORK ON GETTING US A HOUSE BUILT!


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It is with incredible sorrow that we say farewell to one of our cherished employees.
Chris Marra, who started in our first class on March 11th, 1997, passed away at his home the evening of February 14, 2019 due to a massive heart attack.
Chris married his former classmate Kara Marra, and they have both been employed by Ladies and Gentlemen and Brown Aveda Institute since 1998.
Chris started working for the salon in 1996 before we opened Brown Aveda Institute. He was responsible for maintenance, laundry and landscaping. Chris was the life of every party we are holding on to many amazing memories of him!


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Reading posts made by friends this morning I see that people are truly terrified by our election results, women in particular. My first thoughts this morning were that this is so disheartening, this makes me so sad...how could the American people elect a known misogynistic racist egomaniac? What are we doing? Where are we going? I had a lot of thoughts like these running through my mind this morning; fear...blame...distrust...disgust.
What it comes down to I suppose is that people are looking for change. Given the electoral choices of business as usual, or crazy egocentric misogynistic racist, the people chose crazy. That says something...that really says something. It's time for the old ways to tumble down. We may be looking for change in the wrong places, but at least we are looking. Maybe this event will help us to wake up to our own part in the sate of this world...we are together in this...no matter how divided we may seem to be, we are still wholly together in this. Don't let this day sway you towards the hate or the fear. It's time to wake up. It's time to actually be together...in kindness...in compassion. It's time for massive change on an individual level, on a national level, on a global level. "Be the change that you wish to see in the world." Be light.
I found this article helpful to get my brain moving past the shock of this situation:


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As I prepare for the start of another term, I try to pass on bits of advice to my adjuncts that will help them have a successful semester. I call these my Would-be Words of Wisdom. My adjuncts usually appreciate my advice … I think. 😉
How Teachers Can Learn Students' Names
Memorizing students names goes from doable, to challenging to impossible as the class size increases. However, don't use class size as an excuse for not even trying. Some faculty members assign seating so they can refer to a chart. Personally, I always preferred to let students sit where they wished. If you take this approach, you can create a seating chart after the fact. Once students stake out their territory, they seldom change.
Use mnemonic techniques to memorize names. When I taught a course on study techniques, I covered mnemonics and included a section on memorizing names. Basically, pick a physical feature of a person and mentally tie that feature to that person's name. Sorry, this topic requires much more explanation than I can provide right now. I will come back to it in a future article.
Why Teachers Should Get to Know Their Students
Those of you who have been following my blog know that my mission to to help college instructors avoid the many pitfalls that can bring a promising teaching career to an abrupt end. Staying out of trouble is the lowest level on Hummel's Hierarchy of teaching needs, and getting to know you students helps. They will be much more likely to open up to you with problems and concerns and less likely to take them to your dean or department chair. And you will be less likely to be blindsided by critical student evaluations at the end of the term.
When an instructor knows something about his or her students, he or she can make the course real for the students. If you know the hobbies and interests of students, you can relate those to course materials. For example, if a member of the basketball team is in you statistics class, you could create an example problem that relates to field goal percentage. If you know students' majors you can emphasize course material that relates to those majors. If you have pharmacy majors in your organic chemistry class, make references to synthesizing drugs.


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Some Refugees Are Scared of Us, Too
I cannot imagine what it would feel like, after years of waiting, going through the vetting process, receiving a Visa, going through the orientation-to-America class, and receiving plane tickets, packing, and saying goodbye--after all that--to be turned away while boarding the plane because America has stopped accepting refugees.
Thought you might be interested in a story I produced last year in which a Karen man, now a college student, recounts a terrifying experience his first day in America (from Burma). And it's also about dance!


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The same rhythm of a million years,
Today is not today.
The same rituals of splintering spheres,
All acts of the same play.
The same longing that filled
The first vagrant lone poet.
That grew and dreamt and then distilled,
Beneath the time space net.
When he wandered the lonesome plains,
In a gray primal dawn.
Like dying people in his veins.
Fading to be reborn.
That made him want to hide his face,
And cry into the grass.
Like meteors that lit up the space,
In mystique midnight hours.
So he crept from his sleeping hearth,
To find torpid green springs.
Where he let those strange words take birth,
And fly past on dream-wings.
So he wished to laugh to the hills,
And hear his voice echo.
When startled birds sang in trills,
He felt beyond, much more.
So he etched forms on those cold caves,
Let sheep find their way home.
And lost himself in undying waves,
Became part of the shore.
This poem is part of the Poetry Book "Twenty Poems of Light and Longing: Rabbit HOLE calling"
Death Poems Exquisite verses relating to Life* Passionate thoughts on Time
Have something to say about the poem?


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I have a thing for Teddy's. I love them. I especially love making them, rescuing them and giving them a new, fresh lease of life. This poor Teddy is my latest project. I rescued him and decided to help him out. Here are a few pictures of him before I started.
He needed a lot of stuffing. As you can see his little head wouldn't stand up on its own. Left on his own he would flop forward (which was very sweet but not very practical!).
As you can see he only has one eye and his nose needs a lot of work.
Here he is! I didn't end up doing that much to him, he really only needed a touch up here and there but what a difference it makes! I decided to give him new paws as the ones he had were starting to come away. I used two buttons to give him some new eyes, re-positioned his ears and gave him a lot of new stuffing. I think the thing that made the biggest difference though was his new nose! While I was there I gave him a friendly smile too.
Teddy doesn't have a name yet but he does seem to be settling in nicely. My son loves his new friend 🙂


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Vendor Update — June 2014/
With the warmer weather and summer upon us, it's become busier for many of us, personally and professionally. Some of the vendors started branching out more, so some days the mall has fewer VOICE vendors with their papers.
Due in part to the volatile weather in late May, it was not unusual to see few vendors out. It should start picking up for them again, once there is no fear of papers getting ruined in the rain. Recently we re-signed several vendors who chose to come back, so you will be seeing some newer faces out there as well as established vendors.
I recently took a short trip out of state for a visit to the South, destination Arkansas, for a family reunion. We saw many impoverished or homeless people throughout small towns and cities. The closest city with a street paper was Nashville, Tenn., leaving countless homeless individuals in the surrounding areas without a way to make a living other than panhandling.
The other thing we noticed is how vibrant Denver is in comparison to some of the other cities we have seen—to say nothing about all of the growth that is happening in Denver, not just downtown but in all the outlying areas as well. We have many more resources for homeless individuals than many other parts of the country. I now understand why so many homeless come to Denver from other states; they have a better chance at making money with the paper and keeping their dignity at the same time.
The question then became: could any of these other cities have a street paper with the same type of program as the Denver VOICE? While it would certainly help, in many cases the abject poverty means having fewer resources to help these people get back on their feet and on the road to self-sufficiency.
The bottom line upon returning home, however, was a thankfulness to be a part of this paper, our vendors, and the program. I feel more confident about the plans for moving forward and growing more in other parts of the metro area besides downtown Denver.
Watching vendors receive the medical care they need and acquire housing is awesome and profoundly satisfying. It is also satisfying when they chose to move on to other jobs to make money and grow. Even after finding housing and other jobs, some of our vendors stay with us to vend the paper as time and their schedules allow. I understand the draw in doing that. I think our customers sometimes forget all that they give—usually it has nothing to do with the donations. We become part of the larger picture as a whole, bringing us together.
As the summer comes, our activities increase. We are back to having regular meetings, sales classes, and having youth groups in from all over to visit. I always look forward to breaking stereotypes on these occasions, so it is a fun and lively time in the office—plus I get a needed boost of young people to help me take care of things that I do not always have the time for. They are invaluable on several levels.
Some days I get frustrated that we can't do more or provide more for our vendors, but I also have to step back and tell myself that we are not here to fix everything that is wrong. We are here to give them chances and tools to survive and take those where they need to as individuals. It is about baby steps and as long as we are moving forward and not back that is enough, at least for today. ■


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by JSAGL
In their apartment, Kathy Sutton and John Smith were curled up together watching coverage of his mission on the Eleven O'clock News.
"So what happened to Scott? Where did you take him?" Kathy asked.
"I convinced the police to let me take the boy to the JLA Satellite. Due to the unpredictable nature of his powers, they readily agreed, not wanting to risk any further injury to anyone. As I was about to fly the boy to the teleporter tube, his mother showed up. Before I could caution her, she hugged the boy. Fortunately, she appears to be immune to his power."
"What happened to the two people who were hurt?"
"Scott's friend and the other man were treated at the hospital. I am not sure if the other boy will lose his arm or not. The doctors are doing their best. The gentleman I encountered was in better shape. The doctors expect him to recover fully.
"I took the boy and his mother to the satellite, where Aquaman was on monitor duty. He summoned Hawkman and Hawkwoman. Using Thanagarian equipment, they were able to determine that Scott was what might be termed a mutant. His powers manifested themselves with the onset of puberty. His mother was immune, apparently because of their genetic heritage."
"I see. So what happens now? Will Scott have to be kept isolated for the rest of his life?"
"Yes and no. Using the power of the Absorbascon, Hawkwoman was able to find someone who we think can help. He runs a small exclusive school in Massachusetts for others who are in similar situations. He was very surprised when we showed up on his doorstep, but he was more than willing to help. In some ways, he reminded me of Captain Picard."
Kathy rolled her eyes and gently punched John in the arm, "No more Star Trek tonight! I would have thought you'd have had your share of monsters for one evening."
"Sadly, you are correct. The real monster was not Scott, but the crowd that mindlessly went after him. It scared me to think that humans can be so callous and cruel."
"I know, honey, but most people are frightened of the strange and unusual. I'm not saying that it's right, but it is an unfortunate aspect of the human condition."
"Would you have reacted that way?" John asked.
"No, sweetheart, but remember — with you around, the strange and unusual is a way of life."
NYC Family Court, a few weeks later:
Kathy Sutton, John Smith, and Traya were sitting at a table in a meeting room. With them were the judge and the City of New York Child Welfare Department representatives.
The judge was addressing John and Kathy. "Ms. Sutton, this court has no objection to your petition to adopt Traya. However, some concerns have been raised regarding Mr. Smith."
"Your honor, I don't understand," Kathy said, somewhat confused.
"Ms. Sutton, you informed this court that Mr. Smith was the android hero known as the Red Tornado," the judge replied. "The state had no objection to Mr. Smith adopting Traya as well, until it came to light that Mr. Smith was, well, not human. He is, in effect, a machine. Mrs. Grantham?"
The lawyer for the city shuffled some papers and then answered, "With all due respect, Ms. Sutton, Mr. Smith, the City of New York is very liberal in its adoption policies, but we cannot allow a machine to adopt a child. That would be like Traya being adopted by a computer. Mr. Smith may be a recognized hero, but he is not a person. He is not alive. We simply can't allow this in good conscience."
"Um, 'scuse me?"
The judge looked over to see Traya standing next to her. "Yes, Traya?"
"Why can't Daddy be my daddy? He tells me bedtime stories, and he helps me with my homework. He takes me shopping, and he cooks me dinner, and he tells me he loves me. He saved me from that bad man. Isn't that what a daddy is supposed to do?"
"Well, I, uh…" the judge stammered, not sure how to respond.
Traya ran over to John and jumped in his lap.
"Your honor, if I may, I believe the state's objection is the fact that it considers me to be no more than a glorified toaster. Is that not correct?" John said, looking at the state's lawyer.
"Well, that's a gross oversimplification, but yes, the idea is the same."
"I see. What if I were to say that I could prove that I am indeed alive?"
Mrs. Grantham sat back in her chair. "No objection here, your honor."
The judge looked back at John. "By all means, Mr. Smith, proceed!"
Standing, John proceeded to the other side of the table near the city's representatives. Initially he was going to tell them of the Tornado Champion and how it had helped him to come to life. John imagined their reaction, so he decided to take another route.
"The state questions whether or not I am alive. It is reasonable under the circumstance, but it is not the root of the problem. A dog is alive, as is a plant. The state would not grant custody of Traya to either. I believe the actual question you have is whether or not I am a sentient being, rather than just a glorified toaster. Would that be more accurate, Mrs. Grantham?"
"Yes, I suppose so."
"Very well. Mrs. Grantham, before I prove to the court I am sentient, perhaps you would be kind enough to do the same?"
"What?" Mrs. Grantham said, looking at the judge. "Your honor, that's absurd. Of course I'm sentient. I am not what is in question here, Mr. Smith is."
"Do you say that because you know you cannot prove it?"
The judge looked at John disapprovingly. "Mr. Smith, if you have a point, you'd better make it. My patience is wearing thin."
"I am sorry, your honor. If I may, then, does anyone here know the criteria for sentience?"
"I do, Mr. Smith. They are intelligence, self-awareness, and consciousness," Mrs. Grantham said.
"Excellent. Mrs. Grantham, would you say that I am intelligent?"
"Yes. According to what I've read, you have a computer for a brain. That doesn't make you a person," she said.
"Agreed. The second criterion you mentioned is self-awareness. What is required for someone to be self-aware?"
Mrs. Grantham wrinkled her nose at John. "You would have to be conscious of your own existence and actions. You would have to be aware of yourself and your own ego."
"Your honor," John said, addressing the judge, "I am participating in a court hearing to determine whether or not the daughter of my heart can become my daughter in the eyes of the law. Would that, in your estimation, meet those criteria of self-awareness?"
The judge nodded. "Yes it would. Go on."
"The final criterion is consciousness, which ties back into the other two criteria. It is the totality of being, one's mind, one's thoughts, one's soul. That would be the final question. Do I have a soul?"
John walked over to the judge. "I don't know if I do, your honor. Does Mrs. Grantham have one? Do you? Can it ever truly be proven that anyone does? If you cannot prove that you have one, how could you possibly prove that I don't? I may not be a human being, but I know this: I love Traya. I love Kathy, and regardless of your decision today, nothing will ever change that."
Sitting back in his seat, John took Kathy's hand, while Traya resumed her spot in his lap.
"Mr. Smith, your words are very eloquent. Are you alive? It would seem to me that you are. You are the type of person that others should aspire to be: a hero, a good man, and a good father. It is the business of this court to find good, loving homes for children who need them. I don't think Traya could have a better home, or better parents. I hereby grant your petition for adoption. My secretary will have some papers for you to sign."
As the judge left, Mrs. Grantham came over and offered her hand to John. "Well done, Mr. Smith. I suppose I was blinded by the fact that you are a machine. You certainly make a better human being than most I've met. I wish you and Ms. Sutton and your daughter a happy life."
The door closed, leaving John alone with his new family.
"Wow. That was amazing, John. I should have known you'd have extensive legal knowledge up there in that head of yours," Kathy said as she hugged John.
"Actually, it had nothing to do with the law. It was a speech Captain Picard gave on last week's Star Trek: The Next Generation. He had to prove that the android Data was alive. It had the desired effect, and it seemed appropriate in these circumstances as well," he said with a smile.
"Wait a minute. You mean to tell me we owe our adoption of Traya to a TV show?"
"Well, not entirely, but yes."
Kathy shook her head as she stood up, dragging John to his feet. "John, you will never ever hear me complain about that show again. Who knows? I might even learn to like it!"
"Daddy, can we get something to eat now?" Traya said, tugging on John's pants.
John picked his daughter up and held her close. "Of course, sweetheart. We just have to sign some papers, and then Mommy and I will take you to lunch. Where do you want to go?"
Traya broke out in a big grin. "McDonald's!"
"Of course. Where else?" Kathy said laughing. She reached in to kiss Traya. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Mommy," Traya said, and then she kissed John on the cheek. "I love you too, Daddy."
"I love you as well, my darling girl."
They were headed out the door when Traya had one last question to ask. "Daddy, when are you and Mommy going to get married?"
Kathy turned to John with a surprised look on her face. John wasn't quite sure what to say, either.
The End


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Changing an Account Status
This feature allows resellers to temporarily suspend a customer's (subscriber) account if there are issues (for example billing) and then reactivate it once those issues are resolved. Use Change Account Status to change the account's status (per business rules).
To use this feature:
- In the field, enter the subscriber's email address.
- Choose what you want to do:
- Suspend—Suspends the account.
- Un-Suspend—Reactivates (Un-suspends) the account.
This page was last modified on March 1, 2018, at 14:10.
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Student Lodging at the Wrightwood Outdoor Science School
During their stay at Outdoor Science School, students will live either in the Cabins or in the Lodge. Though the cabins and lodge are vintage buildings, and each room has its own unique layout, they are very comfortable. All rooms are equipped with bunk beds, are heated, and have easy access to sinks, toilets, and showers. All bathrooms have hot water.
There is plenty of room for each student to store their belongings in an organized manner. Students work together in their cabin groups to create and uphold a community agreement, to keep the cabin clean, and can earn special visitors for good behavior.
Cabins are spacious individual units. They are located right off the main road through campus, just a five minute walk from the Dining Hall. Six cabins each accommodate up 10-12 people, including a cabin leader. Cabins are individually heated and have their own bathrooms and showers.
The Lodge is conveniently located near the Dining Hall and main meeting areas. The Lodge has 8 rooms with bunk beds. The size of the rooms in the Lodge vary, housing from 4 to 12 people each, including a cabin leader. Shared indoor bathrooms with multiple toilets and private showers are accessible via common hallways. The rooms in the Lodge are centrally heated.


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Social Entrepreneurship In Days of Avarice
Social entrepreneurs can and should change the world.
A friend of mine, when he found out I was teaching a college course on entrepreneurship, asked how I defined the term "entrepreneur".
My answer? One who takes risk to create a pathway to value.
That sentence can launch many questions.
What do you value? Money? Time? The well being of others?
There is an old saying in the legal profession: Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. The subtext of this little gem of wisdom is that it's ok to be a little greedy, but don't go nuts. Moderate greed is acceptable, beneficial even, but excessive greed kills. (I don't ascribe to this, incidentally).
Money has no intrinsic value by itself. It's not backed by anything except the creditworthiness of the government. In an earlier part of my legal career, when I was working for the Establishment, I helped a lot of wealthy people in transactions in which we were moving numbers on a spreadsheet from one column to another column. Instead of having $20,000,000 in cash, now you have $20,000,000 worth of real estate. Terrific. Will the last person out turn off the lights?
Countless times we have read news of how greed can infect a person, or an organization, and havoc often results. Once it takes root in an organization, it can spread like wildfire. The Wells Fargo Fake Account Scandal of 2016 will be dissected and talked about for many years.
In short what was happening at Wells Fargo was the imposition of what Well Fargo employees called "unreasonable" quotas for opening new accounts. In short, WF employees had to hit certain production targets as a metric of their job performance as far as their superiors were concerned. Upon opening new fake accounts (for REAL WF customers by the way who never authorized the bank to do this), the WF employees generated a small fee for the Bank. Presumably the WF employees who were padding their numbers by opening fake accounts were setting themselves up for bonuses at quarter end or year end. At a minimum, they were preserving their own jobs.
Were the WF production targets that unreasonable to begin with to result in such rapacious (and likely illegal) behavior? Hindsight is 20/20. If one person give you an opinion, that's one thing. Maybe the employee is disgruntled for some reason. As more and more former WF employees come forward with basically the same story, the collective weight of their story starts to describe a pattern that has to be true.
Given the fact that over 5,000 WF employees were fired over this, this was a systemic problem. Of course, the CEO remains in place. Not all hogs get slaughtered.
All of this happened because somewhere a decision was made that the accumulation of dollars was more important that ethical behavior. It's a simple as that.
So that leads us back to the importance of valuing other things. Time. Health. Peace of Mind. The well being of others. These are things that social entrepreneurs value.
A social entrepreneur is one who takes risks to create a pathway to value for others.
Exactly how does one do this? Where do you start? How much risk are we talking about really? There is much to explore in future posts.
Aspire to be great. Stay tuned.


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When and Why Content Theft Hurts You
Many people do not mind when their work is stolen. In most cases, violation of your copyright does not actually hurt you, and we encourage people to be open to sharing their ideas and work (sharing is the foundation of the internet, after all).
If you simply feel miffed that someone used your copyrighted work without your permission (and their use does not harm you), we recommend:
- Giving your work a Creative Commons license, which provides a better framework for legal (and convenient) use and attribution of your work (more on that below)
- Contacting those who violate your copyright and ask for attribution and a link back to the source
Content theft does hurt you when:
- You are trying to sell or make a profit from your work
- Your work is written and gains most of its traffic via search engines
- Somebody else is taking credit for you work and others are linking back to it as though it were the original source
Should you, for example, be trying to sell a photo, it will be hard to sell it if thousands of people have already copied and shared it online.
In some cases, content creators lose traffic to their work because other copies of it online get higher search rankings (Google is supposed to track what gets published there first and give original content precedence, but it is not always great at doing so). In these cases, content creators lose audiences and money, should their work be monetized via ads or views to their work lead to donations and purchases.
Finally, it can be infuriating when a content thief claims responsibility for your work and gets attention for it. If you are trying to build a name for yourself online, having attention unfairly drawn from your work can be a huge setback.
When to Give Your Work a Creative Commons License
Creative Commons licenses enable others to easily use your work while still leaving you in control of how your work is used. Through a Creative Commons license, you an stipulate, for example, that others can use your work so long as they attribute you, do not alter it, and do not use it for commercial purposes.
When to Register Your Work with the US Copyright Office
You maintain the rights to anything you publish online (so long as you have not agreed to modify or surrender them per a user agreement required to join a given online publishing platform).
That said, there are still instances in which you will want to actually register your work with the US Copyright Office, as the copyright you automatically receive upon completing your work is limited.
You should register for copyright if:
You intend to take an infringement issue to court
You may not benefit from registering for copyright if:
You do not intend to take an infringement case to court (you can still definitely file DMCA complaints and make a ruckus when your work is stolen!)
How to Clearly Establish Authorship Online
You retain copyright to anything you publish online*, but there are additional things you can do to more actively assert ownership of your work.
We recommend:
- Establishing authorship of your work using Google+
- Putting a clear publication date on your work
- Making sure your name is incorporated into every piece of work you publish
- Creating original, unique work that showcases your unique, distinctive style
- Adding digital watermarks to your images (if you really want to go above and beyond)
- Clearly and consistently stating your work's license (whether it be copyrighted, have a public domain license, or feature a Creative Commons license) on your site
Adding small watermarks to images is also an option, however these are often cut off by those who wish to steal your work, and they do not stop innocent people from using your work without your permission (they may not mind the watermarks at all).
We do not recommend:
- Putting huge watermarks across images that detract from their aesthetic and functional value
- Featuring copyright notices in a manner that detracts from your audience's experience (they care about your content, not your copyright)
- Featuring copyright notices in a manner that shows you in a negative light (you run the risk of looking like an alarmist, a fearmonger, a worrier, or worse yet, someone who does not believe in the share-and-share-alike spirit of the internet)
*So long as you are publishing on a platform with a user agreement that does not assume some rights to your work! Read those agreements before clicking "I Agree"!
How to Monitor Your Work for Copyright Infringement
If you hope to earn money from your work or intend to sell it, it is important that you monitor it to ensure it has not been stolen.
You can automate your monitoring to a certain extent by establishing alerts using services like Google Alerts that will notify you when content containing a particular excerpt of your work is found. Paid services will help you monitor text more thoroughly (and also help you with photos and videos), but we do not recommend them in most cases.
You can also utilize tools such as Google, Copyscape, and TinEye to run occasional manual searches on your work every month or so.
For more information on using specific services to monitor your work, visit our guide on monitoring text for copyright infringement.
Finally, we recommend developing a support network online that consists of friends and colleagues who watch out for each other's work. If your work is stolen from a common platform, chances are the work of other people on that platform have also had their copyright violated, so you can do everyone a great service by notifying fellow community members of widespread theft (and looking out for others' warnings).
What to Do When Your Content is Stolen
Like we said, it is almost inevitable that your content will eventually be used without permission (especially if you are prolific or a particularly talented content creator).
When this happens, we recommend following this process of escalation (each bullet links to a guide featuring detailed steps for each process):
- Send a friendly takedown message asking for the content to be taken down, attributed, reduced to a smaller excerpt, and/or purchased within a certain number of days
- Send a DMCA complaint to the individual if he or she does not respond as requested within that period of time
- File a DMCA complaint with the violator's platform or host
- File DMCA complaints with search engines (primarily, Google, Bing, and Yahoo!)
- Report abuse with affiliate and ad programs in which the thief is enrolled
A Note on Documentation
When dealing with stolen content, it is of great importance that you keep records.
We recommend putting the following details in an organized folder with subfolders dedicated to each incident:
- Proof of registration with the US Copyright Office (should you have chosen to register the work in question)
- The date at which your original content was published*
- The date at which you discovered your content was stolen
- Locations (URLs) of stolen content
- Details of the stolen content (exactly how much content was stolen, when it was posted, etc.)
- A screenshot of the stolen content as you discovered it
- The name, address, email address, phone number, and any other information about the individual or individuals who stole your content
- Records of all written communication with those who have improperly used your content
- Records of every DMCA complaint you sent or submitted (if you submit a complaint or takedown request through a form, we recommend taking a screenshot of the form before submitting it and titling the screenshot with the date and time at which the form was submitted)
- Records of any loss in traffic or sales you experienced after the stolen content was posted
Keeping this information in a central place will help you to stay organized as you take escalating steps toward addressing stolen content and help you present a more robust case should you ever decide to take legal action.
*One way to establish your publication date is to search for your content on Google, click the arrows to the right of your page's search listing, click the "cached" link, and take a screenshot of the resulting message indicating the latest cache date. You might also take screenshots of any dates available to you as a site admin indicating when you first posted the work.
A Note on Comportment
Having your content stolen can be an emotionally harrowing experience, but it is best to maintain as grounded an approach as possible. Content theft is commonplace online, and every content creator will have to deal with it to some extent.
There is little to be gained from getting emotional (both internally and when dealing with third parties, no matter how malicious they might be). Professional comportment will lead to the fastest resolution with the least damage (mostly to your own reputation). Take the high road, follow our straightforward steps, and move on to focus on what matters: meeting your goals and making a difference.


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Rhonda Page | Board Chair
Consultant, Management Strategist Solutions Group
Matt Wells | Board Vice Chair
Producer, Mergers & Acquisitions, PointeNorth Insurance Group, LLC
Brian Holle | Board Secretary/Treasurer
Operational Risk Consultant, Wealth and Investment Management, Wells Fargo
Ryan K. Patrick, Esq. | Immediate Past Chair
Smith, Tumlin, McCurley & Patrick
David Hefner, Ed.D.
VP, Office of Strategy/Institutional Effectiveness, Morehouse School of Medicine
Dr. Brent Herrin, DMD
Herrin Pediatric Dentistry
Kisha Braithwaite Holden, PhD, MSCR
Interim Director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine
Carol Holtz, Ph.D.
Professor of Nursing, Kennesaw State University
Jennifer Smith McKeehan
The Home Depot, Supply Chain
Dexter M. Page, M.D.
Emory Healthcare Network Physician, Atlanta Perinatal Associates
Pete Quinones
President, MetroAtlanta Ambulance Service
Rebecca Shabo, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Nursing, Kennesaw State University
Felicia Wagner
President, Upside Philanthropy, LLC
Tuesday, January 16
Tuesday, April 17
Tuesday, July 17
Thursday, September 20
CHFF Breakfast
7:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Tuesday, October 16
The Cobb Health Futures Foundation meets on the third Tuesday of the first month of each quarter from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
The location for these meetings will be:
Marietta Public Health Center – Building A
1650 County Services Parkway
Marietta, GA 30008
For questions, call 770-514-2325


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Cleanroom Pass Box
Product Description
We have been serving our respected clients for the past 33 years by manufacturing and supplying excellent grade Cleanroom Pass Box. These are widely used in pharmaceutical, semiconductor, and food industries. They are able to withstand very challenging and controlled environment conditions. To make its cleaning easy, it is covered with a corrosion resistant surface. Offered Cleanroom Pass Box is designed with utmost precision and fabricated at our state-of-the-art facility using premium quality raw materials and latest innovative technologies.
Low power consumption
Built with swing type doors
Fully automatic operation
Contact Us
Plot No. 4796, Nr. Lyka Lab, GIDC Estate, Opp. Water Tank, Ankleshwar, Gujarat, 393002, India
Phone :+918068091286


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Free to be and free to learn | What learning looks like at our house
I have been thinking about freedom lately. When we are free, we grow. We learn. We enjoy life. We prosper. I've got the Rascal's song in my head. People everywhere just wanna be free! It's something that humans have in common with all living things. It's one of the things that makes the world go round.
So, I have a three-year-old and a four-year-old. What does freedom look like in our house?
Um, a little messy.
As I try to find a balance between housekeeping and giving my children the freedom that they crave to learn and grow, the learning and the growing almost always seem to win out. As a result, I have a very messy house and very independent learners.
As I scroll through Instagram photos of play based learning in charming French villas with children in their neutral toned organic cotton jumpers playing with wooden open ended toys, I smile. That's nice. They have white wooden lego free floors and I have how-long-has-it-been-sticky-here floors. Maybe I am a special needs mom who just can't quite get it together. Or maybe I'm just a mom who adores seeing her kids joyful laughter as they get their hands dirty, problem solve, explore the world, and develop life skills. I get a real kick out of seeing this growth. I feel the stickiness of the floor beneath my feet but I can't be bothered to wipe it up right now, because my kids are learning and I've got to snap a picture of it. I've got to bear witness to the amazing learning that is taking place before my very eyes.
A child's project might look like a total mess to adults, but to them it is a masterpiece. If we, as their parents and teachers, value their work, we are teaching them that their opinions matter. Their ideas are good. They are capable of solving whatever problem that this world throws at them. And this, my friends, is a "change the world" kind of mindset.
Do you ever struggle between keeping your house safe and clean and letting your children be free?


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Exam season. That bane of student life. Friends at other unis finally step up to the level of work you've been doing all year, and you are library-bound, day-and-night, with your soul withering away like your pink carnation. Some other publications might look to provide you with encouragement in your hour of need, just as your tutors will have probably OKAY maybe FINE most likely didn't, but might have, attempted to reassure you and tell you that everything will be fine. As long as you're still alive by Saturday of 8th, you're not their problem anymore.
Never fear, though! VERSA is here to let you know that, despite the fact that you will almost certainly never be anything more than mediocre in the eyes of the academics who accepted you into this university, despaired at your lack of attendance in lectures, and pretended to listen to your waffling undergraduate bullshit, everyone before you has been distinctly average as well. Indeed, the issue of lecture attendance is not a new one at our esteemed university, as a Spanish Prelim in 2013 apparently took great joy in pointing out:
"For undergraduates studying at Oxford, the sentence 'How many lectures did you miss this term?' may have been a touch perverse"
Mind you, at least the "overall standard on the paper was high" from the Spanish students. Last year's Theology finalists, however…
"The examiners wish more students had earned more positive marks."
Nice of the examiners to let the theologians down gently. As for 2012's first year philosophers, though:
"Here our experience of the effects of brain damage is clearly relevant,"
Maybe this can also account for some of the issues that some candidates experienced with spelling. Like the psychologists in their 2013 Prelims:
"A disconcerting number of candidates seemed to find it difficult to express their thoughts in writing."
Although having said that, it seems VERSA are not the first to uncover this issue. Overheard at Oxford provides the following (and the writer can only express surprise at the lack accusations of ableism from the Cuntry Living crowd on this post – "Why does it matter if some people choose not to conform to society's oppressive standards of grammar and spelling?!"):
And whilst some struggled with the words that do exist within the English language, others were determined to introduce their own submissions to it. VERSA can't help but feel that Oxford examinations are not the ideal time or place to do this. The first year French cohort of 2011 had a veritable wealth of new terms for our language:
"there was some problem with written expression in a number of the weaker papers generating a lexicon of neologisms including: revealment, disguisal, indignance, mythicisation, problemental, accusal, pedanticism, preferation and the wonderful sanscript"
VERSA wonders just how it came to be discussed in an exam before its existence in order to justify the coining of the term "problemental". French examiners were not alone, it seems, in being delighted by the neologisms of students. Spanish examiners seemed to find last year's freshers' work in the field just as pleasing:
"In this latter regard, spelling was not always the candidate's strongest suit: though evocative and even picturesque, 'polyptotem' is inaccurate (as is the Latinism-by-analogy, 'polyptotum')."
Although too much seemed to be off the cards as well; a translation on a playful, humorous text on Uruguayan beef led to the following:
"Several more successful candidates had quite a lot of fun getting the humour of the piece; honourable mention goes to the student who had Espina's animals "hoofing up a fuss" in the second paragraph, although flying them off to "para-dice" was perhaps a pun too far for this examiner."
Hispanists, though, were not the only ones to struggle with translation. One fresher reading French last year managed an amusing little slip up:
"The most amusing translation was prompted by the phrase 'he came out from behind the desk': 'il sortit du derrière de sa secrétaire'."
For those not blessed with the gift of French, this translates as: "He came out of his secretary's bottom". Saucy. This sort of raunchy confusion was not merely restricted to French, however. A PPE Philosophy Prelim from 2013 featured
"A couple of scripts [that] confused the sadist with the masochist, which resulted in very muddled argumentation."
The same report also seemed to include some commentary on the political leanings of candidates:
"As in previous years, bureaucracy and administrative structures were avoided by the candidates."
Meanwhile, some students from a 2013 English Prelim report issued a slightly more, errrm, controversial pronouncement:
"Not reading the question or the rubric attentively enough to pick up on either the nuances or the wider implications of themes also proved detrimental, as with the "feminist humanity" of question 5, with a small number concluding that humanity will always triumph over feminists."
Fortunately though, some candidates managed to be more perceptive to the prevailing public opinion; the report on last year's German Prelims noted:
"At a time when the image of bankers is at something of an historic low, it seems almost unsurprising that some candidates heard in the 'dunklen Wirtschaft' a primary reference to dark financiers and a corrupt economy."
The obvious was, unfortunately, something that seemed to elude the first year PPEists of 2013:
"but they would have been better inspired to accept, for the sake of argument, the common sense intuition that death is bad"
VERSA will leave the jokes to write themselves with that one. At least they managed to be coherent though, which is more than can be said of last year's theologians, commenting on a passage from the New Testament:
"Candidates who appeared simply to be trying to drown the examiner in a tsunami of verbiage were marked down accordingly, but there were mercifully few of those…"
Very Biblical. More so, certainly, than this extract from Overheard:
And finally, VERSA will leave you with perhaps one of the more confusing comments from last year's exams, taken from a Spanish Prelim:
"And with regard to the student who produced for paper IIA a rather attractive pencil sketch of Frau Pietzine in front of the confessional, one can only ask quite how s/he had the time. Is this perhaps the strongest evidence to date of the need to lengthen the passage or shorten the time available to candidates?"


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My Dos and Don'ts for Costumed Running/
Hello all!
As I prepare to start thinking about how I want to look for race day both Disney and non-Disney races, I'm excited to share my tips.
- If you aren't sure it will be comfortable, take it for a practice run - For me I can put up with anything for a 5k, halfs I get a bit more picky, but marathons that's where I draw the line. Gauge where you are as a runner and realize that you need to save your mental stamina for the RACE not putting up with your costume. Choose your battles runners!
- Remember the base layer - You need to be comfortable underneath it all. Make sure you know what fabrics your skin likes and what tends to chafe it. For me and my sensitive skin, it gets hard sometimes. My base layer of choice for most costumes, sports bra and bike shorts and I try to keep fabrics light.
- Keep it fun! - You aren't dressing up for "them" you are dressing up for you (most of the time) so have fun and enjoy YOUR day!
- Nervous Race Morning? - If you wake up with some jitters, don't feel bad just wearing "normal" running clothes. I've done this before. If you are planning an elaborate outfit make sure to have a back up just in case. Hopefully, your back up has a fun skirt or top so it'll still feel special.
- Themed race? You don't have to be on theme! - Wear what you want to wear! I'm planning to be a "cool cat" at the RnR SF race. Will anyone care at that race? No. Would it make more sense to wear a RnR t-shirt? Probably. Do I care? Nope :) There's another running blogger who loves going on theme!
So here's to more fun races ahead!
Happy running!


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Living at Lake Conroe (9-11-15)
Parked at Lake Conroe, we started the daunting tasks of organizing our thoughts, our plans, our possessions, our "new" lives. Organizing our possessions was the most overwhelming task. The motorhome and the car were full. We needed to purge more. We moved from a 6,000 sq ft home to 431 sq ft. Living in a house, our master bath was larger than our new tiny house on wheels! Even after our Escape (estate) Sale, we had way too many possessions. Like our waistlines, it was time to go on a diet and shed some pounds! Like dieting, it was not easy.
The second hardest job was adjusting to being "homeless". David had just retired and Debbie had one more flight to make with United Airlines. That flight was to Amsterdam, and fortunately, David was able to go with her. The crew room had set up a retirement party for us, as I checked in for my trip. We had a great time in Amsterdam. We rented bikes from the hotel, and toured all day long. We went to the open air market, had lunch, toured the city, went back to the hotel, turned in the bikes and walked to the river for a wonderful Italian dinner. The remainder of our time in Conroe was spent shoving everything we owned in every nook and cranny we could find.