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A while ago, I landed an internship at an NGO previously affiliated with UNESCO.
In a world where recruiters are looking for graduate students with 20 years+ of experience for entry-level jobs, a newly grad semi-adult like myself was excited, to say the least.
So I took my luggage and ventured to the depth of India for a good four months.
Having weathered a decade or two of ups and downs of our global financial climate, the NGO has gone from its former glory of 20+ staff to a mere 5. Yet, with a weekly output of 10 or so articles, it still retained a significant amount of efficiency.
There were three 10 by 10 offices adjacent to each other. Across the hall, the door opened to another organization that facilitates sustainable development agendas with governments and non-profits alike.
Everyone was friendly. Everyone helped.
My first few assignments pertained to editing submissions by journalists from India and abroad. As the NGO at hand, these articles were gender-themed, with an emphasis on women's rights in developing countries.
Eventually, I began crafting my own articles.
Having had four years of essay writing experience under my belt, my background in writing had become both a strength and a weakness. My pieces are opinionated, subjective, personal. I voice my experience through the pen in my hand.
But the NGO didn't like it.
I wasn't qualified, as they say, to pen my piece of mind. To better guide me, they gave me themes to which narrowed the subjectivity in my writing and establish a train of events based on interviews and objectivity.
Since I didn't have any journalism experience, I took this as a given. So I reserved my opinion pieces for myself and my platforms.
Yet with time, I began wondering why that is. Why is it that my lack of qualification as a gender specialist can completely disqualify my experience in a theme I live through every single day? As someone who was born to the gender inequalities of China, lived in the gender inequalities of India, experienced the gender inequalities of solo traveling and worked in fields often subjected to the inequalities of gender biases, why is it that my experience is not even worth the glance over by my fellow comrades fighting the same, recurring fight?
Weeks after, my co-worker told me to take on an assignment for her. Our partner organization contacted her and asked for an opinion piece regarding the conference we held together.
"Write it in my voice," she said.
I was taken aback, to say the least. She gave me a short interview and went on with her workload.
So for three days, I sat back and typed up an article to which appeared on a monthly publication distributed by the organization, an article that appeared under the name of another.
As with the role of a Journalism Intern, I happily attended conferences held by a range of institutions. From the UN to the Government of India, the functions were held in lavish hotels, featuring countless buffets while holding discussions on world crisis–poverty, inequality, destitution.
These were extravagant experiences! I'd wear my best Kurti and hold onto a notebook for my dear life. Meeting Directors and CEOs and officials became a normal occurrence that I associated with my privilege of being the few foreigners in the room.
In-between presentations on Climate Change & Global Warming, we'd have our morning coffee and breakfast muffins.
Amid talks of Cyber Security, we'd exchange social media information on our $800 phones.
Between Sessions on Hunger and Food Security, we'd fill our plates just a bit higher with one of the many options on the serving trays.
Business cards became possessions before I draft follow-up emails and reluctantly hand them over to my Director for safe keeping. Conversations would turn to my preference for Indian or Canadian cuisine, to which I'd reply our lack thereof rid maple syrup and poutine.
They were happy times, mind you, despite the themes that wearily begged for attention.


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Living trusts can be helpful for estate planning, but a revocable living trust won't adequately shield your assets from creditors. While it's true that some trusts can protect assets from creditors and litigants, the typical revocable living trust – often used in estate planning – won't help.
Revocable Living Trusts
Revocable trusts – particularly living trusts – are far more common than irrevocable ones. All trusts allow you to bequeath assets to your beneficiaries without interference from the court, protecting your estate from the prying eyes of the public. Trusts allow you to avoid probate, since property held by a living trust doesn't need probate court approval prior to being passed on to your heirs. This allows your family to avoid the hassle and expense of a probate court proceeding – which would likely take six months to one year to complete – while it consumes three to five percent of the value of your estate.
Living trusts can have other benefits, as well. If you should ever become incapacitated, your successor trustee – the individual named by the trust to assume control after your death – can manage trust assets. This capability could prove to be extremely helpful in the event of an emergency or serious illness. While a revocable trust won't protect you from creditors, you do have the comfort of knowing that you can change or revoke your living trust at any time.
Why Revocable Living Trusts Are Vulnerable To Your Creditors
While a revocable trust is useful for estate planning, it can't protect your assets from your creditors. As trustee, you're still in control of the trust assets, so you can't simply disclaim them should legal claims arise against you. Your trust can, however, protect assets from your beneficiaries' creditors. Spendthrift clauses permit your trustee to provide small regular payments to your beneficiaries, while preserving the bulk of your estate in the trust. Your trustee can withhold payments to your beneficiaries, and their creditors can't force the trustee to distribute any assets held by the trust. The trustee can pay third parties directly on behalf of your beneficiary, preventing a creditor from attempting to seize funds from the beneficiary.
You can add property to the trust, remove it, sell it, or give it away anytime – without restriction. You can also revoke the trust altogether, in which case all assets will once again be held in your name. This also means that your creditors may be able to step into your shoes and revoke the trust.
Trusts To Shield Assets
While a simple trust to avoid probate won't shield your assets from creditors, irrevocable living trusts are far more comprehensive. When assets are placed into an irrevocable trust – one that you don't control and cannot revoke – these assets are no longer considered your own, and won't be available to your creditors, even if you are a beneficiary of the trust.
An irrevocable trust is a particularly good option if you've already decided to begin gifting assets to your heirs during your lifetime, and if you don't foresee needing any of those assets in the future. To be protected by an irrevocable trust, it must not be settled for your sole benefit. An irrevocable trust can only protect you against future creditors, so you should only transfer assets into the trust if you are confident that you have no present legal actions against you. If creditors are already pursuing you – or if someone just won a huge judgement against you – trying to protect your assets by forming and funding an irrevocable trust isn't likely to work. Courts hold the power to revoke your trust if a judge believes that you transferred assets solely to evade creditors – especially if you have named yourself as a beneficiary.
To prevent a court from revoking your trust, you must not retain any power to revoke, rescind, or amend it, nor may you retain the right to reclaim the property you have transferred to the trust. You must not have any authority over the management of your trust or the property it holds. You cannot be the trustee – nor should your spouse, relative, or personal friend. If you don't have an independent trustee, the courts can ignore your trust and your creditors can claim the assets it holds.
You can also protect yourself from lawsuits by titling your assets to a limited partnership – with you and your spouse serving as general partners. You can then transfer a portion of your partnership interests to your children every year through a trust. This allows you to reduce your taxable estate by shifting your limited partnership interest to your children's trusts – and your assets will stay safe from your personal creditors, since they are titled to the limited partnership. There are hundreds of ways that you can effectively combine trusts, FLPs, LLCs, and corporations to attain various lawsuit protection objectives. And, you can achieve all of this while retaining lifetime control over your assets.
Operating a corporation properly is imperative since courts will often disallow the protections afforded by entities (e.g. pierce the corporate veil), if the corporation is little more than a personal piggy bank, or is otherwise deemed to be a shell.
The information herein is general in nature and should not be considered insurance, legal or tax advice. Please consult with an insurance legal or tax professional for additional information on specific situations.
Investment advisory services provided by Werba Rubin Wealth Management, LLC ("Werba Rubin"). Securities transactions are offered through a non-affiliated entity, Loring Ward Securities Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. WR 16-043

subset: commoncrawl


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Thursday, April 20, 2017
Christmas Holly Blessings
13 comments:
Oh Shona, I love this card so much! It's bright and elegant and just a wonderful showecase of the beautiful flowering tree. I love how you showcase products. Your cards are always amazing! ♥ReplyDelete
Oh wow this has turned out just amazing. Thank you for the picture tutorial too. I love seeing how projects are created from scratch. This is just super fantastic and great work.ReplyDelete
Thank you for sharing with us here today at World Wide Open Design Team Challenge and best of luck with your entry.
Annette DT Registered Owners/Admin for World Wide Open Design Team Challenge
I really love this look! It has an elegance and flair with the out of the box cutting technique of the holly with the gold vase. And, the embossed frame does wonders for it as well. I like the fact that this is a flat card for mailing.ReplyDelete
Great card and alot of effort doing it.ReplyDelete
Thank you for sharing with us over here at World Wide Open Design Team Challenge and best of luck with your entry.
Angie DT for http://worldwideopendesignteamchallenge.blogspot.com.au/...
Beautiful card, lovely elegant design, that background looks fabulous! Thanks for sharing with us at Sweet Stampin' Christmas Challenge.ReplyDelete
Shona, how wonderfully festive and gorgeous! I love the mousse on your dry embossed background. Hadn't thought of doing that, and it's an exquisite technique. I especially like the berries around the embossed frame. Thanks for the tips about layering the application of the berries. I had not thought of that, either. Lovely vase, and beautiful colors. Fantastic card, Shona! Hugs, deReplyDelete
Oh how lovely! The embossed frame goes so well with the image. Great job!ReplyDelete
What a lovely Christmas card! Love your embossing. Glad you played along with us at MMM.ReplyDelete
Shona your Christmas card is beautiful. Lovely embossing. thank you for joining us over at Crafty Gals Corner Challenge. Hope to see you again soon. Jana DT/CGCCReplyDelete
Beautiful card Shona, I love how you did the embossed frame, sets the image off so perfectly, and the vase with the Nuvo flakes is stunning as well!!ReplyDelete
BEAUTIFUL card, love the vase out of teh frame and the vibrant Christmas colours, just Gorgeous.ReplyDelete
Wow this is really a beautiful christmas card , I just love the branche and the beautiful embossing!!ReplyDelete
Have fun!!
What a gorgeous make...Thank you for sharing with us at World Wide Open...And good luck..Hope to see you again soon..ReplyDelete
Caz x
[Caz DT for World Wide Open DT Challenge]
My Blog
Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me share in part of your day. I would love to hear what you think about my latest creation!


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With more than a billion active users, Google-owned YouTube is, without a doubt, one of the best promotional tools bands can use to get the word out about their music.
Nielsen stats reveal that it's the No. 1 source of online music consumption, beating out all other on-demand streaming services combined. And, according to Google, the platform featured some of the fastest-rising videos of all time last year. The top 10 music videos collectively have more than 66 million subscribers, and people spent more than the equivalent of 37,000 years playing them in 2015.
One of the best things about that audience of millions is that they love to engage, says Cory Wolff, the chief marketing officer at Dotted Music, a New York-based marketing agency targeted to musicians. Not only do users like and share, but they even create remixes, covers and video responses.
"The biggest reason for having a YouTube channel is building the artist/fan relationship," Wolff says. "It's a good way for fans to really get to know you and to feel involved in your music and in your career, whether you're a solo artist or a band. It is an excellent way to grow your loyal following and to create what we like to call super fans."
To reach those super fans, here are four ways to use YouTube to promote your band.
1. Create a music vlog
To grow your following and keep current fans interested, Wolff suggested focusing on creating compelling content.
"YouTube is just an extension of you as an artist, so it should be treated as such," he says. "Take things that you would do in everyday life and mold them into videos, into content that you can use on YouTube. Not only will your channel be more engaging for your current fan base, it will help you find new fans."
One easy way to do this is to create a video diary, aka vlog. Entries can be as simple as documenting the band playing a big show, filming a behind-the-scenes look while recording your new album, or even posting an interview conducted with the band. In addition to having a regular blog, musician Joy Ike has also posted videos such as "How To Make An Album" and "Joy Ike + Food for the Hungry," which documents her trip to the Dominican Republic and efforts to fight poverty.
Wolff says humor in videos also get a great response from music fans. His client rapper Aayu kept his fans interested with a three-part video series featuring his dog – a music producer. "It was really effective," Wolff says.
2. Do covers
Unless you're a straight-up cover band, most musicians like to promote their own music rather than perform covers. But you might want to reconsider that when it comes to YouTube, according to Wolff.
"If you're okay with doing cover videos, it's a pretty strong tactic to build your subscribers and to get your views up," he says. "Doing covers of another band's popular song allows you to basically piggyback off their success."
Wolff cites Postmodern Jukebox as a prime example. The channel first went viral with a cover of Macklemore's "Thrift Shop" and today has more than 1.7 million followers. The success has also enabled the channel's artists to start playing gigs to thousands of fans around the country and abroad.
Doing covers on YouTube is great exposure for your band, but there are some copyright issues. If a copyright owner complains, YouTube could remove your video; after "three strikes" the platform could terminate your account. If you want to protect yourself completely, it's worth it to explore proper licensing. Be sure to look for our upcoming article on what musicians need to know about copyright infringement on YouTube.
Other musicians have also had success when their covers went viral. In 2011, Air Force Staff Sgt. Angie Johnson's cover of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" created so much buzz that she was able to perform on NBC's "Ellen" and audition for "The Voice." That viral hit also enabled her to raise the funds for an album.
3. Build partnerships
Another source of valuable content comes via partnerships. "Do a collaboration video with someone who has a bigger channel than you, perhaps with a local business that has a larger following," Wolff says. "For example, go to the music shop in your neighborhood and ask to do some sort of review video at their shop to post on their channel."
Offering to do gear reviews for various instrument and music brands can also lead to fruitful business relationships, as well as a way to beef up content offerings, he says.
"Brand partnerships should be part of the marketing mix and overall marketing strategy. They can lead to sponsorships and help the musician to cross promote, reaching an audience that they might not have had the chance to previously reach," Wolff says. "For example, let's say you review a new piece of gear from Peavey. People searching for that piece of gear will find your video. You can also reach out to Peavey and see if it's something they want to share on their social media. When this happens, you reach Peavey's audience and new people find you. This could then potentially turn into a sponsorship from them."
4. Treat it like a business
While it can be fun creating YouTube videos, you're not just doing it just for kicks. Treating your page like it's a part of your business plan is vital for success. That means creating a production schedule for making those videos so that you have new material to post continually to your channel.
"Musicians really need to treat it just like it's their own television channel, because it is," Wolff says. "If you treat it like a business and you plan the videos out, create a production schedule and stick to it so you're consistently putting out content on YouTube, you'll be successful."
Musicians really need to treat it just like it's their own television channel, because it is."
The No. 1 mistake musicians make, Wolff says, is an improperly set up YouTube channel. It's important to make sure your channel is updated (links included) and is hooked up to other social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. Tapping free tools like Google's YouTube for Artists can also help build and measure your fan base.
"It all just boils down to making it as simple as possible for new fans and your current fans to really listen and learn more about you," Wolff says.
6 Steps to Podcasting for $100 or Less
With a basic understanding of the recording software on your computer, you have almost everything you need to join podcast the revolution. And there's more good news: with the addition of a decent microphone, you can set up a perfectly good rig for a hundred bucks or less.
Read More ››
Running it like a business also means that your page must be fully optimized. A good place to start is with channel art, including your cover photo. Use high-quality, professional images that aren't blurry, cut off or pixilated. Knowing proper dimensions for images will help and YouTube has created a handy guide listing all size requirements. Since it's the largest search engine outside of Google, Wolff also suggests tagging YouTube videos correctly.
"That way they show up in the search results," he says. "You want to make sure that your description has those keywords that you want in it so if you're a rock fan from Ontario, you will want to make sure that it says somewhere in your description and in your tags 'rock band from Ontario.' So then if somebody is looking for a rock band from Ontario, they're going to find you. Also start tagging similar artists. So if you're similar to Rob Zombie and tagged properly, maybe somebody searching for Rob Zombie will come across you."


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iOS Developer in Amsterdam
Job Description
Our beliefs
Today, we are witnessing a revolution in personalized health coaching. Millions of people are starting to use popular mobile health platforms, devices and Apps. Whilst these are awesome aids and motivators in the quest to get started, we have found a great need for a more supportive and bespoke approach. We believe that if you truly want to change behavior with platforms, devices and apps, this can be reached with the interpretation and knowledge from a Personal Trainer in Your Pocket.
We're looking for A-players to join us in changing the way people get fit and healthy.
Being a Senior iOS Developer you will focus primarily on both of our iPhone products. You will be involved in all stages of development from specification to design, development, unit and UI testing, deployment and store submission. You believe you have the (mental) flexibility that comes along with the Startup life. You get excited by change: a radical change in strategy or a fast moving challenge doesn't make you uncomfortable.
Your Role
Designing and developing our iPhone applications for coaches and clients
Adding new features and improving existing ones
QA'ing and debugging the application to ensure we always deliver high quality applications
Work with team members on server-side integration
Collaborating with the Products team to estimate and plan development
… and many more. The reality of a Startup is that we are all multi-taskers and learn new skills if necessary.
Desired skills & experience
Basics: Bachelor / University working and thinking level
Experience: 3+ years experience in a professional development environment
Adaptable: You keep yourself up to date with the latest Mobile technologies.
Flexible: Experience with communicating with a RESTful JSON back-end
Dynamic: Experience with other Mobile technologies or programming languages – Android experience is a big plus
Leader: You are able to train and mentor new members of the team.
Focus: You know that smart people work on the right things at the right moment. You run lean: Build. Measure. Learn. Experience working with the Agile/SCRUM methodology
Integrity: You believe that a startup culture is all about intrinsic motivation and being a self starter.
Transparency: Better to be fair and open, than play politics, in your opinion.
Communication: Fully comfortable working in English, both in writing and spoken
Adventure: A sense of humor and a hunger for new experiences. Bonus: You have an interest in fitness and health.
Working Experience: Applicants should be living and have working experience in The Netherlands, otherwise they won't be considered.
If you think you fit the profile, then we'd love to get to know you a little better! Send us your CV, a cover letter and add the answer to the following question:
– What is the coolest thing you have ever seen in your life?
NOTE: Applicants should be living and have working experience in The Netherlands, otherwise they won't be considered
About Fitmo
Health & Fitness


text: Cardinal Leger elementary school in Scarborough showed us the true spirit of Fix the 6ix! The Grade 7 students organized a Fix the 6ix day assembly and fundraiser for their school. The students prepared interactive skits for their assembly to share our message of Humanizing Homelessness, and they encouraged their peers to donate their partly-used gift cards to the ReGiftcard program. Thank you Cardinal Leger for your wonderful work this year!


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From Tasty.
In the latest of tasty's trawl around the best indie labels in the world, we speak to Jimmy, head, and indeed, only honcho at the ever-wonderful Matinée Records.
Tell me more about how Matinée came about?
In 1996 I was running a pop mailorder called Roundabout Records and it was growing out of control. so I did what any responsible adult would do and killed it off. Before it died I was planning a cassette compilation with songs from many of the labels I distributed but in the course of contacting folks I got in touch with an Australian band called Sweet William and changed the plan to a 7″ single instead. Six months later the "Dutch Mother" EP was born under the newly monikered Matinée Recordings and I never looked back.
Had you always wanted your own label?
Not particularly. I was happy being the ultimate consumer-buying loads and loads of records and sometimes not even listening to them at first or for awhile or ever. I went to college for architecture and then received a masters degree in city planning which led me to a very serious job on Capitol Hill working on tax legislation for affordable housing. Starting the label was a creative outlet for me and happily it has been a great run so far.
What is/was your favourite label and why? Do you think that the indie-pop genre is overlooked far too much these days?
The best label of our lifetime is hands down Creation Records. As a kid I knew I was cooler than anyone because I was listening to records from the Revolving Paint Dream or Primal Scream or Biff Bang Pow! and thinking now, this is different. I dare you to name a better run of singles than Creation's twenties: Bodines, Pastels, Felt, Primal Scream, Biff Bang Pow!, Jasmine Minks, Weather Prophets… Today, indiepop does not receive significant mainstream press so I guess you could consider it overlooked. The entire concept of media has changed in the last five years though, as magazines and other traditional media struggle to keep up with the ever-changing (and more exciting) world of e-zines and online music sites. When we were kids (in America) you had to read magazines or hang out in record shops to hear about new music but now you can type a few words into a search engine, listen to some soundclips and buy your music online from a place halfway around the world in a matter of minutes.
It seems there are hundreds of indie pop labels throughout the world…why are these successful? Especially when we see bigger 'indies' struggling every day?
Success is all relative. If you start something with absolutely no expectation of what you might achieve or how far it might go then everything that happens is a success. First single. first review. first radio play. first album. first release to sell 500, 1000, etc. The thing that makes running an independent record label exciting is that a cycle repeats for each release-you always start with a blank sheet of paper when planning a record and there are countless people to reach. I am satisfied when I release a record that still makes me shout six months or a year after its release, but also when I secure a review in a new magazine or receive an email from somebody new who claims to be the biggest Matinée fan of all time or have a record played on a new radio station. Compared to the so-called "bigger indies" Matinée is still quite small, but then again we don't have an army of people to pay every week to keep things moving or get us reviewed in the papers or strongarm radio deejays to play our records. Perhaps this is part of the reason the bigger indies are struggling?
Name your dream Matinée roster, excluding current acts.
The Smiths, The Bodines, Brighter, Razorcuts, Orange Juice, Biff Bang Pow!, Brilliant Corners circa "Fruit Machine" , Jesus and Mary Chain circa "Happy When It Rains", early Aztec Camera, Adorable, the Colourfield, House of Love. yes, all old bands. but then again I work with all the good current ones already don't I?
How would you feel if a bigger label offered you thousands of dollars to buy Matinée out?
Delighted, assuming they afforded me complete creative control over everything I am doing now, gave the bands loads of cash, hired me a full time accountant and built a back catalogue warehouse somewhere far from my house.
Do you think that the development of Matinée has been organic, or have you steered the direction of the label in one way or another?
I'd like to think the label has grown in an organic fashion, but having a one-person label makes it pretty difficult NOT to steer it. That said, I have the honour of working with some of the most creative minds in the industry and these artists are as responsible for the direction Matinée has taken over the past five years as much as I am. I suppose the outside world may perceive a typical Matinée "sound" but to me and my merry band of misfits we think of ourselves as a rather diverse bunch.
How would not having Matinée around affect your life?
I'd have a whole lot of free time on my hands and would probably drive my wife crazy with my hyperactivity.
What's next?
Next week sees release of new albums from The Lucksmiths and Would-Be-Goods, followed by debut 7″ singles by The Snowdrops and The Liberty Ship. The near future promises new releases from Lovejoy, The Windmills (including another Matinée first: a video!), Airport Girl, The Fairways, Harper Lee, the long delayed Razorcuts compilation and the first of two label comps. We're also working on Matinée debuts from new bands The Pines, Kosmonaut and The Guild League, and there is a threat of new recordings from Johnny Johnson of the Siddeleys. Stay tuned to Tasty for the latest.


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Give Valuable Info and Resources in Your Groups
Plenty of us, regardless of which job industry, have a vast range of knowledge. At times, we may oversee the importance of this knowledge because others deem it to be precious. Being involved in an online community offer special perks for individuals. Hence, it is advisable for you to share information within groups in LinkedIn. By doing so, you will create a good name for yourself. People will respect you and look for you to attain answers. Also, this could help in garnering attention to your company. This basically means that this act of goodwill can also serve as an advertisement for your company. People who respect you will learn to trust you and look up to you. This could help in attaining new contacts. Hence, try not to be a hermit when you possess great information that could potentially help others.
Send a Good Email and Get Great Traffic
The day to day LinkedIn visitor may possess some sort of special knowledge regarding certain niche areas. The knowledge that is at their disposal should not be taken for granted. To quote an apt saying, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." This is true in light of this context. If you think you are an expert in certain areas, you should exploit it and use your gift to help those around you. If you share credible and useful information, you could take credit for it. Also, at the height of today's digital age when information is rather free, sharing should be something second nature. Also, this makes more sense if the information came from a friend or colleague. Hence, when you do your part to answer questions, remember to put a link to your blog or website. Although the link you leave does not have to be a link to your blog or website, it could be any link you intend to leave.
Be Sure to Monitor Your Activity
When one is a part of business networking, there are several ways to be involved at any time. Say, this could be a business networking event or even an informal meeting over lunch with a potential client. You could also be taking part in some workshop filled with possible clients or providing your opinions to an online discussion or forum. Whatever the event it, it should take place to pursue some sort of goal in mind. Networking, similar to any other form of social networking should be traceable when results are concerned. There are numerous ways to monitor the progress of your networking activities and whether or not it has an impact on your sales. You should know that doing this online via LinkedIn is very convenient. You can easily trace the amount of comments you receive or the number of emails you sent out or received. This digital ease provided by LinkedIn makes it easy to keep count on the history of our activities. This convenience inspires dedication and makes prospecting on LinkedIn a pleasant experience. If you take into account the activity and results attained from it, you would find out that LinkedIn is perfect for social networking.


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Meaning and Measure
Currently viewing the category: "Muses"
Indie Writers on Self Publishing : Writer.ly Seattle Event
By admin On August 2, 2013 · Leave a Comment · In Events, Muses
Continue Reading →
I'm not planning on self-publishing a book. Just yet. But I'm not one to close doors, so went to Writer.ly's self-publishing panel Friday, August 2 in Seattle. It really was packed with bestselling indie authors, . With all proceeds benefiting Seattle Free Lances, it's a good talk for a […]
About the authorMisty Weaver
Content Strategist, Instructor & Community Promoter at
IA Meetup and
Content Strategy Seattle Meetup
What I think about


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The data leakage sector is hot, which means companies that specialize in it are rich acquisition targets for the big, multi-purpose security firms that tend to swoop in and to fill out their portfolios with the technology de jour. Data leakage technologies -- which, as the name implies, seek to eliminate or limit the amount of information that accidentally or purposefully leaves an organization -- are vital as mobility increases and the sheer number of ways in which data can be lost or stolen proliferates.
InfoWorld reports that Symantec is on the verge acquiring Vontu. Symantec sells the firm's software, so the deal would consummate an already close relationship. There is never a dull moment these days, it seems, in the data leakage category. The story says that almost 40 companies are or have been in the sector. Key deals already done are WebSense's purchase of Port Authority's, EMC's purchase of Tablus and Raytheon's purchase of Oakley Networks.
The consolidation of the data leakage market doesn't mean that new companies are not emerging. This press release, posted at Dark Reading, says that OutProtect is the first company addressing data leakage in the software-as-a-service environment. The release says OutProtect's Downloaded Data Guard controls, monitors and manages files downloaded to a user's PC. Downloaded data also can be deleted if the employee leaves the company or if his or her laptop is lost or stolen. The technology can be purchased by salesforce.com customers through AppExchange.
Security categories also overlap. For instance, data breaches, while not synonymous with data leakage, cover much the same area. The long and the short of it is that both deal with information -- vital and otherwise -- that is lost by an organization. Data Encryption is a natural palliative for data breaches and data leakage, and it is climbing the charts in popularity. TheInfoPro says that Fortune 1000 companies have elevated encryption to the top priority for security projects through the middle of next year.
The InfoPro says that the top uses of encryption will be to guard wireless networking, Web applications, laptops and workstations and e-mail, instant messaging and other messaging applications. The release is a gold mine because it lists the names of 80 companies -- from the familiar to the obscure -- that are in some way involved in encryption, data leakage and related fields.
A blogger at Principled Security takes on the topic of data leakage from a professional's point of view. The writer suggests several products that are useful at different levels of the fight to track and protect data held by an organization. The first product mentioned is NetFlow. No product, he says, provides more insight into how information is moving within a network.
The writer than discusses egress filtering, e-mail encryption and "specialty products," such as those from Vontu, Vericept, Code Green, Reconnex and Verdasys. Finally, he briefly touches on deep packet inspection and default routing, but not in a way that will mean much to folks who aren't already familiar with the concepts involved.


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Email Us 2036 Blake St. Berkeley, CA 94704
We'd like to keep the gym a bit cleaner and more organized than we've seen it recently, so we thought we'd share a few reminders about how we can all help do our part to ensure that the gym is a comfortable place to spend your time.
1) When finished with a workout, check to make sure you've put away all of your equipment including bands, poker chips for counting, foam rollers, etc. (If you feel like being extra friendly, help your neighbors put away their stuff too!) Also, make sure they're put in the correct spots. Weights, med balls, jump ropes, bands, barbells, and kettlebells are all organized by size. It makes it easier to find the correct size if we keep them that way.
2) If you sweat, bleed, spit, spill chalk etc., please wipe down your dirtied equipment with some cleaner and paper towels (we'll have more wipes in soon) so that it's ready for the next person to use. Please no purposely writing in chalk on any surfaces in the gym.
3) Take your belongings home with you when you're done working out. (Exception: shoes can be placed in the shoe cubbies in the front of the room). Leave the large cubbies empty for the next group that comes in.
4) If you use the last of the toilet paper, paper towels, seat covers, etc., please check under the sink for refills or notify a coach.
Thank you all for your help in keeping the gym tidy!


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Texas Hold'em is one of the most popular poker games and is enjoyed by fans from all over the world. The aim of the game is for a player to win the pot by showing the best hand at the end of a round or by being the last player in the game after the others have folded. A 52-card deck is used and the game is played at a table for up to 10 players. A special chip or "button"" is used at the table to indicate the dealer and the order in which certain actions must take place. The hand opens with the placement of blinds. The first player to the left of the dealer button places the small blind, while the next player places the big blind. The dealer then deals the first two pocket cards, which are face down; the player to the left of the big blind initiates betting, which continues clockwise. The round of bets is completed when all players have either folded or have covered the amount placed by the remaining active players, or a player has bet all of his chips. After the first round of bets, and assuming there are at least two players still in the game, the dealer flips three cards face up in the middle of the table; this is the flop. These are communal cards that any player can use. After the flop, there is another round of betting. In this round, as in all subsequent rounds, bet placement starts with the player to the left of the dealer button and continues clockwise. Once all bets have been placed on the flop, the dealer flips another card on the table, which is called the turn, and a third round of betting follows. Finally, the dealer flips a final (fifth) card, which is called the river, and a fourth and final round of betting follows. This concludes the betting and if necessary, players reveal their pocket cards for the showdown. The best hand of five cards combining both pocket cards and community cards, depending on the value of the cards, wins the pot. There is a total of four rounds of betting for each deal.
Five-card hand
You can combine the five cards you need for your hand in the following ways: the two hidden pocket cards plus three of the five cards on the table, or one of the pocket cards, plus four of the community cards on the table, or even just the five cards on the table and none of your own. The remaining cards are of no concern; only the best five cards count toward your hand.
Betting options and terminology
Players have one of the following options when placing a bet.
When a player has not decided whether to place a bet, he can say "check", giving his turn to the next player so the game can continue. In this way, the player stays in the game until one of the following players decides to place a bet on the table, at which point players must decide whether to match the bet or to fold. A player can check only if there are no bets on the table.
When another player has placed a bet, it means you are matching, or "seeing", the bet and staying in the deal.
When a player opts to give up the hand, he folds the cards and does not "see" the bet.
Bet, Raise
When a player wants to open betting or increase the amount bet by another player, challenging him to raise the stakes. Texas Hold'em is played with "no limit", meaning there is no restriction on betting.
Poker hands
Royal Flush
The best hand. It consists of the 10-J-Q-K and A in the same suit.
Straight Flush
Five sequential cards of the same suit.
Four cards of the same rank, with any fifth. The higher the rank of the same cards, the stronger the hand, e.g. four 6s beat four 3s.
Full House
A combination of three of a kind and a pair. It is a queens full when there are three queens, a 9s full when there are three nines, and so on. Between two full houses, the one with the highest-ranking three cards wins.
Any five cards of the same suit. Between two flushes, the one with the highest-ranking card (the highest is the ace) wins. If the highest card is the same, the second-highest cards are compared, and so on.
Five cards of sequential rank which are not of the same suit. Between straights, the one with the highest rank wins (highest would be 10-J-Q-K-A and lowest would be A-2-3-4-5).
Three of a kind
Three cards of the same rank with any other two cards.
Two pairs
Two pairs of equally ranked cards, different from each other (e.g. two 8s and two 7s), plus another card. The highest pair wins. If two players have the same highest pair, the winner is the one with the highest lower pair. For example, Q-Q-10-10 beats a Q-Q-7-7.
Two cards of equal ranking and three other cards which are different from each other. Where two hands have the same pair, the strongest is the one with the highest card in the remaining three.
High Card
Five unrelated cards - the winner is whoever has the highest-ranking card (with A, K, Q being the highest and 4, 3, 2 the lowest). If the highest cards are the same, the winner is determined by the second highest card and so on.
This game is played with five communal cards, while players are dealt four face-down cards they use in combination with the community cards to make up a hand. Players must use exactly two of their four hidden cards, along with three of the communal cards to make up the best possible combination. The rules of the game and the rounds of betting in Omaha are exactly the same as in Texas Hold'em. However, Omaha is played with a different type of betting known as "pot limit".


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What prevents TQM implementation in health care organizations?
Article Abstract:
The health care industry has yet to optimize its implementation of total quality management (TQM) despite mounting demands from the government and other payors. This noncompliance has prompted several prominent organizations such as the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and the Dept of Veterans Affairs (VA) to initiate some programs to improve quality in the health care sector. The VA, in particular, has conducted a study on the views of top and middle managers regarding difficulties in TQM implementation.
Publication Name: Quality Progress
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
Year: 1993
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Strategic planning: the missing link in TQM
Article Abstract:
Recent studies document several failures with Total Quality Management (TQM) as well the many success stories. Failure resulted when TQM was not fully integrated with the organization's overall business strategy. Changing the culture of an organization is the fundamental effort of TQM. By integrating strategic planning tools with the TQM philosophy, the management can overcome any difficulties and make the organization fit, giving value to the customers.
Publication Name: Quality Progress
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
Year: 1995
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: A crisis in health care. Implementing TQM in health care requires adaptation and innovation. What are good health care measurements?
- Abstracts: Implementing TQM in health care requires adaptation and innovation. Strategic leadership for quality in health care
- Abstracts: Measuring progress in SPC implementation. Total quality management in an academic health center. Applying an excellence model to schools
- Abstracts: Continuous quality improvement: why some organisations lack commitment. Quality selection of a two-dimensional process level under single acceptance sampling by variables
- Abstracts: Short term inventory and employment interplay in Finnish manufacturing industry. Making sense of technology: towards a synthesis between neoclassical and evolutionary approaches


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Lavandula Violet Intrigue = 'Lavang21'
Lavandula angustifolia Violet Intrigue 'Lavang21' makes a beautiful landscape plant as a hedge, en masse, in the back of the border, or as a potted or specimen plant.
'Lavang21' has an upright bushy habit with upright flower spikes that bloom a vibrant violet color in June and July. It has an unusually long peduncle which is useful as a cut flower. A good pruning after its first bloom will promote a second bloom which will last until it is time to trim it back for winter.
Origin: New Zealand
Description / Plant Notes:
- USDA Zone 5
- Dense mounding upright habit
- Vibrant violet corollas and rich violet-blue calyces blooming in the summer
Patent Status: USPP #15,344


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Sold for $470,000
on Feb 6, 2019
NEW CARPET!! NEW PAINT!! Beautifully upgraded upstairs 2 bedroom unit in Savannah Terrace. Upgrades include hardwood floors, granite counter tops, brand new stainless steel appliances, new water heater, new custom shutters, custom built entertainment center, designer selected paint, crown moulding and much more! Savannah Terrace has incredible amenities such as a community pool, spa, tennis court, basketball playground, gym, racquetball court and BBQ area for entertaining and relaxing.
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I have been quite busy with painting and getting ideas in my head for my upcoming shows so I haven't devoted much time into "did you knows" , but I have a couple to share with you.
The first one is from one of my followers and she posted on her blog about how to make your own Flower soft. I have always admired the effects Flower soft gave to cards and embellishments but after looking at the price of it,because lets face it I can be rather frugal, and, if I can make it myself, I will. So after seeing this post that Shelly posted quite a while back I asked her if I could share this link with everyone so they can take a peek for themselves. I had to really look for the correct styrofoam tho, I see the type used in the tutorial sort of has a glittery look to it, it is not that white static kind of styrofoam that is all chunky. So I found some recently and put a few of the balls away til I can make some. Follow Shelly's tutorial and have fun.
And " did you know" you can stamp onto salt dough? I just found this idea over at Percy and Blooms blog and all the details are here. I have made salt dough ornies before and baked them and yes they did puff up but if you read this tutorial you will find out how easy and wonderful these look. With Christmas around the corner isn't it nice to get a head start on the little things. The only thing I am not sure of is which kind of ink to use on these. If you have any suggestions let me know. You stamp onto the damp clay and let them air dry.
Feel free to contact me and let me know if you have a tutorial or a tip that qualifies for a " did you know" idea. This way we can share ideas and tips and features and bring traffic and maybe even new followers to our blogs.
Thanks for dropping by and til next time, stay crafty.


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Headphone Stands
To most people, a gaming headphone stand may appear mediocre. In fact, the largest percentage of gamers do not prioritize gaming headphone stands when buying all other relevant accessories. Little did they know that a gaming headphone stand is equally important as other accessories. It is very vital to invest some money in procuring such a stand, since proper storage of your gaming headphones is required.
Headset Stands Comparison
What are The Benefits of A Gaming Headphone Stand?
First, a gaming headphone stand makes your desk appear more appealing and organized. Imagine a situation where your headphones are just placed among other things on the table. The truth is that such a setup may not be appealing. You need to ensure that the environment within your gaming desk is indeed neat and organized.
Secondly, a stand makes it easy for you to trace and access your gaming headphones. The truth is that without a stand, you will be compelled to place your gaming headphones at any place of your choice. However, with a stand, you will have a very specific point of storing your headset. This means that it will be very easy to locate and access them. Some people take up to10 minutes accessing their gaming headphones especially if their desks in disarray.
Thirdly, a stand helps in ensuring that your gaming headphones serve you long enough. It is very important to acknowledge the fact that headphones are delicate and if not stored in the right condition, it is possible for faults to develop. Dust may find its way into the interior parts of the headphones. Better still, you may accidentally exert strong impact on the headphone while placed on the desk. There are so many other potential harms that stare to poorly stored gaming headphones. A stand will always ensure that your gaming headsets are very safe from any potential harm.
What To Consider When Buying A Gaming Headphone Stand:
Whether simple or complex, a gaming headphone stand should meet its purpose fully. It is, therefore, necessary to take into account all the things that make the best headphone. They include:
• Size
A gaming headphone stand can either be big or small. The main determinant of the ideal size of gaming headphone stand should be the available space. Also, the size of the headphones should be used in determining the best stand. If your desk is large and spacious, a large stand can be fine and vise versa. If the size of your headphones is considerably large, a small stand may not serve you best.
• Base
Stability is very important is a gaming headphone stand and that is why the base should be considered primarily. The stand should have the capacity to withstand forces from all directions without toppling over. An unstable stand may threaten the safety of your headphones.
• Shape
The shape of your stand goes along way in determining if your headphones will fit on it or not. Some stands come in awkward shapes hence proving totally incompatible with some headphones. A stand with a universal shape is certainly preferable.
Plastic, wood, aluminum, choose one you like
Product Reviews
1. Ear Force HS1 Stand
The manufacturer of this headphone stand was creative enough to come up with something very stylish yet simple. The stand is not only a storage facility for your gaming headphones, but also a beauty complement for your desk.
The base of this stand is stable enough to ensure that even heavy headphones do not move it. To make it even more stable, the base is installed with rubber feet. It can therefore, not slide back and forth when on your gaming desk.
2. Cosmos Headphones Stand
The Matte Black finish used on this headphone stand is the main point of attraction to many. Its color is not ordinary black but a better spice. Aside from that, the stand has a broad base to facilitate stability even in strong forces.
The curve at the top part of the stand is meant to ensure that your headphones are properly hooked. The only little issue with this stand is that it is made of plastic. This means that it may not be as strong as metallic ones. It is, however, good enough to serve the stipulated purpose.
3. Cosmos Brand Piano Headphone Stand (Natural Color)
Here comes yet another stand from the Cosmos family. The design and color of this stand is quite different from the previous. The stand is made to resemble a musical note and this is why it is recommended for piano users. However, the design is very universal and it can comfortably support any headphone including the gaming ones.
Its smooth texture and appearance are a perfect complement for your desk. It is important to note that the stand is made of an acrylic material hence the very unique appearance.
4. BrainWavz Peridot Headphone Stand
For gamers who love fancy touches, here is the ultimate stand for your headphones. Mere appearance is enough to give you the feeling that you are indeed in a gaming environment. The stand is made of thick plastic to ensure that it is very strong and durable. The shape it features makes it universal, hence you can use literally any headphone on it.
The base is of a very unique appearance. Although it may not be as stable as other stands, your headphones are totally safe on it.
5. Cosmos Brand Piano (Glossy White)
For those who are inspired by white color, this may be your final stop. You will like the glossy white that this headphone stand comes with. Things would get even better if your desk is white also.
Due the kind of material used in making the stand, the weight is a little higher. To be precise, this stand weighs approximately 13.4 oz. The weight is an advantage since it makes the stand stable enough. You can mount any gaming headset without any worry of the stand falling off. Another important feature of this stand is the size. It is small hence it will not consume much of your desk space.