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West Ham 1-0 Swansea (And Other Ramblings)
Filed: Monday, 2nd October 2017
By: HeadHammerShark
One of my favourite time waster websites is Awkward Family Photos which pretty much does what it says on the tin. I believe this to be the masterpiece of the oeuvre:
Hernandez, Carroll, Lanzini and Antonioooooooo
I urge you to really focus on this picture because it is absolutely the best thing to emerge from this game. There is quite a lot going on.
It is also a rather magnificently apt pictorial representation of the problem that Slaven Bilic is currently encountering. No matter what he does to try and make this team slot together, any movement in one area seems to cause a disaster somewhere else. His early season ambitions of squeezing all his attackers in and letting the cards fall where they may has backfired spectacularly as our defence proved as porous as a paper umbrella. He then shifted the other way by focusing on that back line, with some success, but this meant that suddenly our attack - a red-headed toddler if ever I saw one - was face down on a beach. I have some sympathy with his predicament, although it is primarily of his own making.
I have been much concerned lately with the concept of listening and what happens when people stop hearing what you have to say. This has been partially triggered by the number of people taking the time to tell me they no longer read The H List, apparently due to the lack of positivity, but also because that very point feels inextricably linked to the fact that Slaven Bilic no longer seems to be getting through to his players.
On the first point - c'est la vie. There are plenty of places you can go for people to tell you how well things are going at West Ham. That's their prerogative of course, because none of us watch games of football for xG or shot locations but because we want to dream, experience joy and lose ourselves, however briefly, in the endless Elysian fields of possibility.
I understand that and it's why I don't look down my nose at the "Three positive things to come of our 4-0 defeat to Manchester United!" articles. But at the same time, that's not me. I reckon I am perfectly capable of getting excited but I'd argue that this last eighteen months has been enough to test the resolve of all but the most optimistic Hammer.
I don't watch games solely for the electric rush of immediate gratification that follows a win. I enjoy that, of course, but I want the feeling of momentum and the all-encompassing notion that we are being swept along as part of a bigger overall strategy. For the first time since the late Nineties, I felt that way in 2015/16. It's been a sobering feeling to have fallen off that wave quite so spectacularly.
None of which, by the way, is to ask for praise or comment or anything else. If I am entitled to write these columns then people are equally entitled to dislike them. That's pretty much how it's supposed to work and if you write things on the internet then you'd better have a thick enough skin to cope with the resulting scrutiny. It's a shame to lose readers, but if that's the price of doing business then that's how it will have to be.
I also know how many people read The H List and it's quite significantly less than a number of other West Ham sites. In the end, people vote with their (cyber) feet.
But as I pondered all of this last week, it did occur to me that, in the same way that I'm running out of synonyms for "inept", and struggling to find new ways to say the same thing, maybe Slaven Bilic is similarly reaching for fresh inspiration to convince his team to rouse themselves from the footballing doldrums.
A kiss before dying?
I never had much doubt that West Ham would win this game, although my confidence began seriously wavering around the hour mark when Andy Carroll seemed to be briefly playing in midfield, Chicharito was on his mobile firing his agent and the crowd had taken on the friendly, jovial tone that one traditionally associates with the Colosseum. In fact I even predicted a shitty 1-0 win on an appearance with the chaps from Hammers Chat, during the week.
This was yet another of those typical Bilic games, so synonymous with his reign that he is almost becoming defined by them. A high pressure match that he apparently has to win, even though it's early in the season, the board pretty clearly don't want to fire him and Crystal Palace exist. So it was on to this familiar terrain that we all clambered and the teams didn't disappoint.
This might be the single worst game of football I've ever seen, although in fairness this will take some beating. My criteria here is that both teams must be fairly - oh fuck it - inept and in that vein I have to rule out all those 7-1 away defeats because you'd have to accept that the opposition in those games were probably pretty decent.
No, for a truly awful game you need both teams to be conjoined in futility and apparently bereft of inspiration. And, well, here you go:
Say what you will about Bilic, but he seems to know how to win these sorts of game. By my record he has faced these win or die games against Palace (a), Hull (h), Burnley (h), Swansea (h - twice) and Huddersfield (h) and won them all without conceding a single goal in the process. I'm not sure what I think about this, but at some point we might have to acknowledge that there is a certain skill to this. Of course, a better skill would be to not need to win them in the first place, but we're a bit past that now.
As per this shot map from Caley Graphics the first thing to acknowledge here is that Swansea were absolutely woeful. Not a single shot from inside the box, and all the attacking threat of the Golgafrinchan Ark Fleet Ship B from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, who got all the way to Earth and immediately crashed. This, by the way, was considered perfectly acceptable because they were all incompetent and the Golgafrinchans just wanted to get rid of them.
For as disjointed and frustratingly patchwork as our play was, you can't compare it to Swansea. And it should be pointed out they looked a hell of a lot more dangerous playing away at Spurs than they did here. Actually, now really I think about it, they were fucking useless here.
Our back four were impressive and, whilst it's easy to dismiss the weak opposition, both Abraham and Bony are reasonable strikers. However, they were easily contained by Reid and Fonte, whilst Pablo Zabaleta contains to render my pre-season warnings about his fitness as foolish. He was outstanding here, and whilst Aaron Cresswell still came in for plenty of stick it seems pretty likely that he was simply ordered by Bilic to hold his position in order to keep the shape of the flat back four.
The febrile atmosphere in the stadium didn't help. Cresswell and Fonte both fell victim to the boo boys as they were forced back by aggressive Swansea pressing - the only thing the visitors did well all afternoon - and the atmosphere generally teetered on the edge of full rebellion all afternoon. For a team playing with their confidence in their boots, it was a difficult day on which to perform.
So, what was happening further up the field?
Well, Bilic employed the 4-4-2 formation that had briefly served him well in the closing stages of the Spurs match. That was against ten men, and a team already 3-0 up, but he saw enough to convince himself that it could work here.
And then he deployed Michail Antonio and Andre Ayew as the wide players.
It will smack of 20/20 hindsight but I am amazed that Bilic thought this could ever work. Neither Antonio or Ayew do enough defensive work for that position, and neither does Marko Arnautovic for that matter, who was due to play there until eating some Spurs lasagne and coming down with a sickness bug before the game.
Thus it came to pass that Ayew was chucked on with limited preparation time, and played out of position once again. If the definition of a manager is to put his or her employees into the best possible position to perform their job, then Bilic is failing at this.
There is no doubt that this was a formation tried to try and extract the best from Andy Carroll and Chicharito, but given their strengths it was a regression all the way back to the previous century. When English football evolved away from the 4-4-2 obsession it was by virtue of, typically foreign, second strikers who dropped in between the lines of attack and midfield and became link players in a 4-4-1-1 system. Think Bergkamp and Zola.
This wasn't what we were trying to do here.
Instead we were trying to replicate the Kevin Phillips/Niall Quinn partnership that worked so well for Sunderland, and which involved the second, smaller striker running on to flick ons and link play from his bigger partner. And to start with, I thought Carroll did his part fairly well. He put himself about in the fashion of a rhino in a soft play area and generally reminded Swansea why he tends to always score against them.
Big Andy
But we weren't doing the things one would expect to make that system work. No long diagonal balls from full backs for Carroll to flick on or knock down, and no drives to the byeline from which the wide players could deliver crosses into the box.
Instead, I don't really know what was going on. The players are low on confidence and playing their third different starting system, just seven matches into the season. We could argue that teams should be able to flick back and forth, but there seems little doubt that they were uncomfortable in this formation and the output was dire.
Everywhere you looked someone was having a stinker. Cheikhou Kouyate looked like he had been dragged out of the crowd by a hypnotist and told he was a Premier League midfielder, and Mark Noble just continues to fade from view like the vapour trail of a vanishing jet.
Shockingly, a tactical plan stolen from Sunderland wasn't working.
A decent chunk of this can be explained away. To my mind the best wide players in a 4-4-2 would be Byram and Masuaku, who can do enough defensively to justify letting the full backs push up a bit and would lend some nice solidity when the opposition have the ball. The issue is that with Kouyate and Noble inside them, there is a serious lack of creativity there.
As it was, our attacks unfolded like a slow time lapse photograph - you had to keep staring at it to figure out if the bloody thing was moving at all. And then, on came Masuaku, who ran at the Swansea defence and didn't manage much until he did, and one beautiful sweeping cross bypassed everyone and found the lurking Diafra Sakho at the back post. 1-0, 91 minutes, redemption. Just like that, we're off to a better start than last season.
For a manager much maligned for his substitutes, they sure do seem to paying some dividends lately.
That feeling of rebellion in the crowd was there all day, and seemed to have been festering for a week, perhaps as a result of the post Spurs autopsies that split the fanbase. After half an hour of this game, it was evident that the system was not working. I would argue that modern managers are far too slow to make changes in such situations, and that if ever a team should have been changed quickly it was this one. Swansea were matching us in formation and the rows of four were making it impossible for anyone to pass to each other, apparently.
Yet, despite the game crying out for something different, it was allowed to rumble on. Taking players off after half an hour isn't a recipe for a happy squad but this might have been an exceptional case. The problem was compounded by the fact that Antonio looked like he was carrying an injury for most of the day, highlighting once more the folly of asking players to play when half fit.
The problem I see with Bilic is that he gives off the very strong impression of picking his eleven players first and then trying to choose a formation to shoehorn them into. As such, Carroll and Chicharito were going to play no matter what, and thus he stumbled upon 4-4-2 as the least worst option available. One wonders if this might be the decision which finally loses him the crowd.
Read some of the articles about Bilic, and ask around a bit and a familiar theme emerges, however. The players like him and continue to play for him but are baffled by the tactics. They also sympathise with the pressure that comes of working for the Kim Jong Sullivan family, and don't appreciate the continued interventions from Pyongyang-on-Thames.
But be that as it may, the word is that anyone going in search of concrete instructions from the coaching staff is generally met with platitudes or motivational speeches and, well, none of that is hard to believe watching the team play.
But, I suppose we can't ignore the facts. This was a third clean sheet in four games and Bilic's substitutes have contributed two goals and three assists in that span. The crescendo of boos that greeted Chicharito's replacement was remarkable given how little impact the Mexican had in the game. We can argue over whose fault that is, but he wasn't doing anything and I didn't really disagree. I thought it more important to try and get Sakho and Masuaku on than pandering to a crowd who were already in a fickle mood, and felt it should have happened far earlier.
Carroll subsequently showed his worth by hitting the crossbar in the latter stages with a lovely improvised flick, and whilst I wouldn't be starting him so unquestioningly as Bilic seems to, I also wouldn't boo him for being chosen as a sponsors Man of the Match.
That incident capped a remarkable afternoon as some poor bastard in a box somewhere chose to give Carroll a bottle of Moet so he could get a picture with him and a quick chat and somehow managed to generate a tidal wave of boos for one of our own players. I'm all for supporting your team in whatever way you want, but figuring out that Man of the Match awards are meaningless might be a good fucking start.
This is not important
But all of this shouldn't detract from how insipid and soul destroying this afternoon was. I know there were injuries, I know Lanzini and Obiang are coming back, I know the opposition were terrible, I know the confidence was low, I know we're grinding out points and I know that Bilic is a nice guy who carries himself with dignity and class. Those things all matters but I'm not sure they matter as much as the fact that we are going absolutely nowhere.
I don't know how anyone could watch this latest victory plucked from the jaws of mediocrity and see anything resembling a plan. Sure, the substitution of Masuaku has been influential for two games running, but anyone who thinks that he would be putting in those touchline crosses in the ninetieth minute of games while playing at left back hasn't been paying attention. He has been able to do that because the presence of Cresswell behind him, and the situation of the game has allowed him to advance that far upfield.
Hands up anyone fancying another crack at 4-4-2 next week at Burnley? Keep them up if you fancy that Arnautovic is the answer to the disjointedness? And keep 'em there if you can see an easy way to slot Manuel Lanzini into this team? And keep them up still if you believe Bilic has a clear understanding of how he's going to make all of that work tactically?
Now let me see who's still got their hand up. Ah - how nice to see you, Mrs Bilic.
I retain a healthy admiration for Bilic because I think he has to work with intolerable interference from our owners, but at some point we have to ask why we are permanently drifting instead of heading toward some sort of identifiable end point. I think a lot of that comes back to a question I have been asking of him for a while now - what sort of team does Slaven Bilic's West Ham look like?
If we are a fast, counter-attacking team, then Carroll cannot play and arguably Chicharito might also be a bit of a luxury if we can't find a way to get him on the ball in the box. Alternatively, if Bilic wants a physical, direct team that plays off a big striker, then he should just pick one and find a way to make it work.
The problem with the current bastardised hybrid is that it is neither. We can't play quickly because hardly anyone in the team has any pace, and we don't play long ball because it's not really how any of them want to play. So we drift along in the middle, and it's good enough to beat teams like Swansea and Huddersfield and it's not even close to good enough for teams like Manchester United or Spurs.
Perhaps the saving grace here might be Lanzini, who returned on Saturday and did more in his brief cameo than any of the four midfielders who started the game did all day. If our season truly does hinge around the fitness of a solitary player, however, then it might be time to stock up on sleeping bags because it's going to be a long winter.
Have you tried telling them to be more passionate?
One interesting piece of news from last week was that Reece Oxford has come back from his baffling loan to Borussia Mönchengladbach, a team better than the one he was leaving. I remain convinced that the club are approaching loans wrongly, with barely any attention being paid to exactly what benefit the youngsters are going to derive from them.
What is perhaps timely is that West Ham have a gaping hole at the defensive midfield position currently. Noble is out of sorts and Pedro Obiang is currently demonstrating the recovery powers of a leper and William Carvalho is in Portugal and that doesn't leave much else.
Perhaps I'm a fool, but that brief wondrous glimpse of Oxford two years ago continues to eat away at me. It's more than Declan Rice has ever shown, although he now seems to be favoured. Perhaps those rumours that Oxford is too big for his boots are true, but to see that type of talent and then watch it shrivel would be a painful cross to bear.
We had the relatively interesting development late last week when a new owner joined up with the Kim Jongs and the Golds. American asset manager Albert "Tripp" Smith purchased the balancing 10% stake previously held by Straumar dating back to the rip-roaringly successful Icelandic takeover.
Smith is a billionaire, courtesy of selling his company GSO Capital Partners to the Blackstone Company in 2008. This makes sense, because you'd really have to be billionaire to call yourself Tripp and not have everyone laugh at you.
I don't really have much idea of why he's done this beyond the fact that men in his line of work don't typically make investments for sentimental reasons. He must see some value, either in the form of a future sale or an increase in expected revenue streams, which would both be welcome developments.
One additional point to mention is that the club will doubtless be hugely more valuable now than when Gold and Sullivan purchased their shares in 2010. The amount that Tripp has paid for his shares probably won't be a million miles away from the individual investments made by the owners back then. In case you're wondering why anyone would ever invest in Premier League football clubs.
If he brings only one thing to the club, then I would welcome some of the dead-eyed professionalism that characterises people in his industry. It might be a laugh when our owners shoot their mouths off and get called The Dildo Brothers, but it all hurts our wider standing within the game. I wonder if 10 per cent buys him the right to pull the reins on the Sullivan horses at any time?
Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be attributed to, KUMB.com.
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The Blue Lake Walk to Emmaus and Chrysalis Community holds
its walks, flights, and journeys at the Blue
Lake Methodist Assembly Grounds located near Andalusia, Alabama. These
pages contain information about the Walk to Emmaus as well as the Chrysalis program,
and upcoming events.
To download applications go to the "Applications" menu item and follow the appropriate link.

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Bad Credit Car Loans For Dummies!!
Let me give people some advice on how to shop for a bad credit car loan online!
If you or someone you know is in the market for a bad credit auto loan, your first step should be to get a copy of your credit report. Be sure to see if everything on the your credit report is actually accurate. Mirror Finish Detail There may be a good chance that you may find in-accurate information was reported on the report. If you do find a few errors, and you do not begin the process of disputing those items, you may be placed with a lender for your auto loan that is considered to be a "Sub-Prime Lender" rather than a "Prime Lender", who in most cases will give you a higher interest rate and terms on the car loan.
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The first thing to look for is the best and lowest interest rate. This usually differs from one lender to the next. Credit unions can also be a great source for auto loans. Years back, credit unions only offered auto loans for people with good credit, now we are starting to see many credit unions offering auto financing for people with bad credit as well.
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The official Three Bridges Football Club app
Our club photographer is Steve & Tania Photography
You can view and purchase their Three Bridges FC photographs here
Steve & Tania are available for weddings, portraits and other events
Contact Steve & Tania Photography
Jubilee Walk Three Bridges Crawley West Sussex RH10 1LQ View with Google Maps
This website is part of the Pitchero Football network. Create your own free Football club website with Pitchero.
Digital advertising by Minute Media
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Pitch Hero Ltd Registered in ENGLAND | WF3 1DR | Company Number - 636 1033


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Tonight I recorded a story. I formatted it. I uploaded it.
Oh. That didn't work. Let's try that again.
No, still not uploading. Why not?
Oh. I need to pay to upload MP3's, apparently.
Which means… I'm looking for a different outlet. So, keep tuned. We'll try something different soon, I hope!


text: Warren Bowman was live on location at last night's LG party in New York City, and he snagged some hands-on coverage of the AT&T LG Optimus G Pro. Featuring the globe logo on the back and AT&T's flavor of 4G LTE, the Optimus G Pro offers a 1.7 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 CPU, along with a 5.5-inch 1080p HD display, 3,140 mAh battery, and Android 4.1.2 with LG's UI. Sadly, it's a carrier exclusive, meaning those on Verizon, Sprint, or T-Mobile won't be able to purchase it. Software goodies and S Pen aside, it beats out the Samsung Galaxy Note II in many ways, and it comes to AT&T on May 10th.


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Today is the birthday of one of the best friends I've ever had.
The friendship was born back in 2006 when I lived in Florence. I had just broken up with my ex (the most painful, tearful, stuff-my-face-with-chocolate breakup I've ever been through) and my friends all called to check in. Now, my girlfriends are amazing in each and every way, but in that particular period of time, they were quite used to me calling and crying about a breakup every once in a while - let's just say I was pretty unlucky in love before I met David. So, their reaction was the standard "oh honey, I hope you're okay" but after the forty-fifth minute of me sobbing, they remembered they had a life and hung up the phone. That's when this guy showed up.
I didn't even know him that well, but during a chat on MSN (remember MSN?) I mentioned that the love of my life (oh, how wrong I was) had just dumped me. From that day on, he texted me every day, asking if I felt better, how my day was and if I was doing. And I thought, wow, this guy whom I barely know really cares about me.
We started spending more time together. He told me about his life, his passions (soccer, writing and ...well, spinach! He loved spinach so much that every time I ate it, I thought about him and sent him a text saying, "hey, guess what I'm having for dinner") and his friends, whom I later met. I told him about being in fashion school and gossiped about all the guys I dated as a "get over my ex" project. We talked every day and pretty soon I couldn't imagine a day without at least a text message from him. We went on trips together, ate huge three-course dinners and laughed until our tummies ached. He was becoming my best friend.
People had opinions. "How is it possible for a man and a woman to be friends?" said one guy I went out with. "Honey, he's just trying to get in your pants", was the opinion of a classmate. I laughed at all of that and, six years later, I'm still right: once, my friend and I ended up in a suite in Rome with only a double bed in the room. We slept in the double bed for three nights and he never - never! - even tried anything. He became like a brother to me, or, as I often say, like a sister (hey, I don't have any brothers so I don't know what that's like).
This guy is one of the most kind-hearted, caring and intelligent people I've ever met. He's also hands-down the funniest person in my life. No one has ever made me laugh as much or been such a comfort when I cried. There are so few other people that I feel I can totally be my quirky, geeky, goofy self with. He is one of a kind, but then I guess you only get a certain amount of best friends in one lifetime.
Now, as you may know, I'm engaged and live in London, while my friend still lives in the north of Italy. The last time I saw him was in September, when David and I had dinner in Covent Garden with him and his girlfriend. They were on vacation in London. I was ridiculously glad to see him, but at the same time, a tiny bit of sadness crept in. I was sad that this might be the last time in a long time that I'd see him.
Is it possible for a man and a woman to be friends? The easy answer is yes. The truthful answer is...still yes. Most of my other friendships with guys have either been friends of David's or have failed because the "friend" tried it on. While with this guy, as there was never any attraction whatsoever, we kind of went straight into the friend zone. Where we are very happy to stay.
Pictures from Pinterest


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Orajel campaign by Carioca Studio
July 20, 2016
Photography and CGI studio Carioca shot the new Orajel campaign, 'Finger Fighters - Take Toothache Down' for Media Therapy. Orajel's awareness was relatively low and the campaign was geared towards making the challenger brand stand out in the crowded market with an innovative and humourous campaign called 'give toothache the finger'
Almost all of the campaign was captured in camera with litte post production. Minature outfits were created for the hand model to wear for each character to create an authentic visual result. The finger characters were a Wrestler, Superheroine and Ninja.
JSR produced the shoot and Carioca Studio completed the post production on the images. The work is to be used for both print and online.
See the behind the scenes video by Media Therapy here
Take a look at more of Carioca's CGI and Photography work here.


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Badge Evidence
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Generation Y students are often associated with their use of technology. While technology is an essential part of their lives, there is much more to know about Gen Y learners. This course gives a profile of Generation Y learners and how they relate to other generational learners in the classroom. Strategies are given for engaging Gen Y students in the learning process while building on their abilities to use social networks, portable media and personal interaction. Instructors of Gen Y students are given methods that can be used to help them develop the critical thinking and interpersonal skills needed for many of todays careers.
ED120Nonverbal Communication in the Classroom
Studies reveal that as much as 85% of classroom communication is nonverbal. This course consists of eight entertaining modules that include audio tracks, animation and interactivity. Topics include the importance of nonverbal communication in the classroom, as well as our everyday lives. The modules describe the use of body language, effective vocal cues, proper appearance and the effective use of space (proxemics) and time (chronemics). A variety of support materials accompany the modules, including an assessment tool that instructors can use to evaluate their nonverbal skills.
ED121Creating Service Learning Opportunities for Students
Service learning programs help students take their knowledge and skills out of classrooms and labs into community settings enabling them to use critical thinking and problem solving abilities. This course provides information about the advantages of using service learning as a teaching tool while enhancing the growth of students. Implementation steps are covered so participants will be able to make service learning a part of program offerings as well as providing career opportunities for students.
ED125Effective and Efficient Instructional Strategies
Planning Effective and Efficient Instruction provides new and experienced instructors with practical ways to design and deliver learning experiences that establish an environment that facilitates learning. The course summarizes important academic concepts while providing specific strategies for planning lessons, reaching learners, asking questions and assessing student mastery of the course and program objectives.
ED201Students with Disabilities in the Classroom
This course introduces the participant to teaching students with disabilities in the environment of an educational institution. It provides descriptions of the physical, sensory, mental, psychological, and learning disabilities most likely to be encountered, as well as the effects these disabilities have on students and their learning. The course also introduces participants to accommodations and strategies that may help to support students with disabilities and foster their academic success.
ED202Teaching English Language Learners
As previously homogenous communities become more diverse and the population of English language learners in educational institutions increases, educators need to provide services that give such learners opportunities for academic success equal to those provided to native English speakers. This course provides information about teaching English language learners, including the legal and cultural considerations instructors must take into account and ways to show respect for cultural differences and diversity. The course will explore the factors affecting how English language learners learn, and will provide strategies and techniques for instruction and motivation. This course will also cover how best to assess students for content-area knowledge and language proficiency.
ED205Enhancing Students' Professional Skills
Awareness has grown in recent years that, to be effective today, learning must include more than knowledge and "hard skills," or technical ability. In a world where work is often team-based and project-driven, teaching needs also to encompass attitudes and social competencies. This course will describe ways students can enhance their professional skills across the curriculum. Strategies for teaching effective personal interaction and ways to support student professional growth and development will be discussed. This course will also explain how students can improve their writing skills and computer literacy across the curriculum.
ED206Teaching in the Lab and Shop Environment
The classroom in an educational institution is often more than just chairs, books, and a white board. Frequently the learning takes place in a lab or shop environment, where the traditional rules of classroom management and teaching may not always apply. This course covers the instructional techniques necessary for the non-traditional classroom, including strategies for teaching to each student's individual learning style. In addition, this course describes strategies for assessing student progress. Safety guidelines and considerations for specific lab and shop environments are identified.
ED209Students as Customers
As opportunities for education become more prevalent, educational institutions must compete to increase, or even maintain, their student enrollment levels. More and more institutions are adopting the strategy of treating students like customers in order to be successful. This course will review the characteristics of adult learners and determine the reasons adult students leave the institution. It will discuss the concept of interacting with students as though they are customers and how the students-as-customers concept relates to the instructor and the classroom. This course will also describe the methods and techniques of effective communication. Included are guidelines and techniques for advising and mentoring students.
ML113Team Management
Focus is essential to effective teamwork. In this course, you learn how to diagnose and overcome common problems - such as poor communication and interpersonal conflict - that can impede team progress. You will also learn to take corrective measures to remove team problems and improve team performance.
ML114Meeting Management
This course provides a timesaving guide to planning and conducting meetings from start to finish. It covers preparation, keeping the meeting on track, and follow-up. The course also offers expert advice for dealing with problem behaviors exhibited by meeting participants.
ML117Presentation Skills
This course provides sound advice on preparing and delivering presentations that command attention, persuade, and inspire. It includes rehearsal techniques as well as tips for creating and using more effective visuals. The course also addresses the importance of understanding your objectives and your audience to create a presentation with impact.
ML118Coaching Skills
In this course, you will learn how to strengthen your coaching skills by using a four-step process to facilitate the professional growth of the employees you coach.
ML134Career Management
In this course, you will learn how to manage your career - including how to identify your business interests, professional values, and skills in order to target your most exciting career possibilities.
RT101Improving Retention through Timely Intervention
How many times have we said "if we'd only known" as a student walks out the door? No one starts classes planning to fail, but unfortunately problems do arise that present barriers to success. Students are good at identifying these problems blocking their path to success, but they frequently don't have adequate problem solving and communication skills needed to overcome these problems. This course looks at the effect of stress on attrition, the use of tools to identify and help students at risk, and how to develop an institutional culture that shares responsibility for student success across the entire organization.
RT102Orientation and First Week Activities to Increase Retention
Building a program to ensure a smooth "hand off" from Admissions to Faculty is a critical component of student retention. Applicants often develop a strong bond with their admissions representative that ends (from the institution's standpoint) once they begin classes. This online course provides practical ideas on designing an orientation program, first-week-of-class and other retention activities that connect the student with faculty, the college and each other that will help you retain and graduate more students.


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Fair Sails Friday: April Showers
In this month's edition of Fair Sails Friday, we're exploring the beautiful blue hues currently in the shop. Blue is a refreshing color for springtime and a fabulous alternative to pastel pinks, yellows and greens that are favored this time of year.
This lovely lady chooses to accessorize her gorgeous frock with a blue clutch, matching shoes and a blue necklace!
When it comes to lovely shades of light blue, let's imagine an outfit topped with this sweet blue velvet hat! As the temperatures rises, velvet becomes less fashionable, but while there's still a chill in the air this spring, this hat is just the topper to complete our blue ensemble.
The ears have the pleasure of wearing these blue bead cluster earrings. Perfect for non-pierced and pierced ears alike, these clip-on earrings are an early 50s fashion essential.
About the neck we're wearing this beautiful blue nylon scarf which, with its touches of purple, matches our hat perfectly! With its floral pattern and hints of purple, white and green, this scarf is not only suitable for the spring season, it can pick up colors in outfits beyond this blue ensemble. Also, as it is made of nylon, it would be just perfect worn over curlers or a pin curl set!
What's an outfit with a bit of sparkle? With no brooch to dazzle, we're adding a touch of glimmering glamour with this 14k gold blue topaz ring.
Flanked with diamonds, this lively topaz is sure to turn heads!
And, what's a lady without a handbag? While perhaps not the perfect match for our blue ensemble, this little blue purse happens to be one of my favorites in the shop and would be wonderful for evening or glamorous day wear.
While our light blue ensemble was quite lovely, we cannot forget about the always chic shade of navy. From day dress to formal wear, deeper shades of blue are incredibly sophisticated, versatile and stunning in any season.
These navy accessories are some of my favorites in the shop!
The navy blue mesh purse is from the masters of mesh, Whiting & Davis, and has room for the essentials and more. It also has a removable shoulder strap for use as a clutch or shoulder bag.
The crowning jewel of our navy blue collection is this stunning 14k gold and sapphire ring from the 1930s. Featuring deep blue stones and impeccable period construction, this ring is a testament to the charming combination that is navy and gold.
If you're looking for a bit of blue sparkle that won't break the bank, this sweet rhinestone bracelet is certainly dazzling and under $10!
Finally, as Fair Sails is brimming with scarves (more to come), let's talk about another. The blue scarf featured above is sheer in the center and trimmed with an opaque border in such a deep royal blue it's nearly purple!
Let us not forget those handsome fellas, we have some blue for him too! Recently added to the shop are these charming Christian Dior cuff links with blue enamel that is just worn enough to remind us that they are from the 1960s.
And with that we conclude this edition of Fair Sails Friday! Remember, all that has been featured above (exculding the images of the lovely ladies, of course) is available in my shop, Fair Sails. And, as a reader of Sailing over a Cardboard Sea, don't forget there is an exclusive coupon at your disposal!
Wishing you a pleasant weekend and, as always,
Happy Sailing!


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Have You Been Injured in a Motorcycle Accident?
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, you may quickly find that others immediately assume you are to blame. Attempting to effectively prove your innocence while recovering the damages you deserve can feel like an uphill battle without experienced representation. Fortunately, Paul M. da Costa and his associates, at Snyder Sarno D'Aniello Maceri & da Costa LLC are versed in motorcyclists' rights. We will review your case, provide you with committed support, and present an aggressive and compelling case on your behalf. We will fight for your best interest and the compensation owed to you. To learn more about how we can help you file a motorcycle accident lawsuit, contact our practice serving Roseland, Bridgewater, Bergen, and all of New Jersey.
The Motorcyclist's Disadvantages
If you drive a motorcycle, you are up against two major disadvantages. First, most people automatically attribute a reputation to you simply because of your mode of transportation. While a wide variety of people choose to ride motorcycles, others unfortunately often judge a book by its cover. If you drive a motorcycle, the jurors on your case may already have a negative perception of you as being reckless or irresponsible. In addition, you may find that at the scene of the crash, police unfairly attribute blame to you without considering the entire scenario. Second, car and truck drivers will often overlook you while on the road, simply because they are watching out for other cars and trucks. At Snyder Sarno D'Aniello Maceri & da Costa LLC, we will excel at overcoming jury bias in these cases so you can recover damages.
Why You Need Representation
Operating a motorcycle puts you at an increased chance of injury or death when involved in an accident. Unfortunately, in the state of New Jersey, motorcyclists do not have Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits. This means that if you are involved in an accident, the other party, such as a pedestrian, may receive benefits, but you will not. In order to recover compensation, you will need experienced legal representation. We know the law intimately, and will fight to ensure you receive the funds you require for medical coverage and other damages.
How We Will Help
At Snyder Sarno D'Aniello Maceri & da Costa LLC, we realize your motorcycle crash has likely had a significant impact on your life, both financially and emotionally. We will go to the lengths necessary to right the wrong, while fighting to help you receive the compensation you deserve. Paul M. da Costa and his associates, strive to provide you with the experienced voice you need to ensure your rights are protected. He believes in bringing the truth to light, and will not hesitate to go to trial so you can collect your damages.
Schedule Your Free Consultation
If you have been in a motorcycle accident, contact an attorney right away to prove the other party's liability. Paul M. da Costa and his associates have the knowledge and experience to establish a fact-based case with the jury, while assisting you in recovering damages. Contact us today to schedule a consultation, so we can thoroughly review your case.
"I was involved in a VERY complicated and tumultuous child custody, divorce, domestic violence case for two full years. I was fortunate enough to be represented by one of the top matrimonial teams in the state of NJ, and the outcome in my case exceeded my every expectation." - Former Client"Paul personally stood by my side and represented me throughout my injury case. Whether it was business at hand, advice, or a late night phone call to help me understand what was going on; he never took a step back towards helping me. I knew that I could call on him at any time . My case was very successful and I attribute that to Paul's dedication . He even came to me during a snow storm when I could not make it to his office. I certainly would recommend him to anyone." - Former Client


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SBP has indicated an alarming growth in Non-Performing loans in banks and other financial institutions. Although the growth rate has remained low in the 2nd quarter 2010, yet it has reached to the level of 473 billion rupees. For the last two years, especially after financial crises faced by the banks and financial institutions all over the world, the banks and other financial institutions in Pakistan have also slowed down their loan / advances offering services to the private sector. Due to bad economic situation and very low development activities in Industrial sector, the banks and other institutions are either offering loans at very high interest rates or investing in government owned securities.
This increase in NPL level can rightly be associated with the bad economic situation due to different problems like energy crises, load-shedding and prices hike in raw materials and other utilities; faced by industrialists. This increase in NPLs has not only created hesitation in banks in offering new loans but also urged them to play safe thru' investing in government securities.


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NYU Washington DC Professor John Prados is a man of many talents. Professor Prados is an author and analyst of national security based in Washington, DC. He is the author of more than twenty books and many articles on topics of current importance, presidential studies, international security; and diplomatic, intelligence, or military history. He is also a noted designer of boardgames on military strategy, intelligence, and diplomacy. His Roman Empire-era boardgame The Victory of Arminius will be the next to appear from Turning Point Games, scheduled for December.
NYU Wordpress Theme
Month: December 2014
NYU Prague Students Build an Urban Garden in a Former Ham factory
Students have always loved the Osadni dorm in Prague for its beautiful loft apartments, views of rooftops, and the music club in the basement. But the space in this former ham factory – constructed primariy with iron, concrete and glass- seemed cold. So this semester students brought energy and life into the building by creating a community garden on the sunny – but underused- terrace.
Early in the semester, everyone living in the dorm could adopt a box for their own plants.
At a workshop led by professional gardeners, the students chose from a variety of plants – cactuses for those who didn't want too much responsibility, herbs for those who like to cook, or flowers for the romantics. As each box can take about 3-4 plants, the students had to learn which ones could grow next to one another and how to make them thrive – "It's a bit like living in the dorm," explained building manager Darima Batorova. "We need to figure out how to live different people in one box, how we can grow successfully together. "
These plants are annuals- they only live for one season- so when the students are gone, the plants will be gone too. Next semester, we can start over again – new students, new plants.
So far, the plants are thriving, and students are spending a lot more time on the terrace. "It smells wonderful up there. And everyone has his or her own names on the boxes, and now it feels like the space belongs to the students," Darima notes.
What do the students think? "It's really satisfying to see the progress of the plants. My plants are doing well – I've eaten most of my chili peppers," reports Marilyn La Jeunesse (2016).
NYU Prague Site Director launches the English translation of his novel
Jiří Pehe is well-known as a political analyst, a prolific writer of news commentary and the former political adviser to President Vaclav Havel. Fewer people know that he is also a novelist who has published three books in Czech over the past ten years. In December, he launched the first English translation of one of his novels – Three Faces of an Angel – at the Vaclav Havel Library in Prague and at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London as well as at the Czech Embassy in London. Another launch is planned for the spring of 2015 in New York City.
[Photo Credit: (c) Vaclav Havel Library / Vojtěch Stádník]
Described by Czech award-winning author Ivan Klima as "one of the most outstanding novels written in the Czech lands since 1989," Pehe's book tells the story of three generations of a Czech-German-Jewish family in the 20th century. The tragic events of this period of Central European history are intertwined with the characters' stories: a talented musician is forced to become a soldier for the Austrian Empire during WWI… a teenage girl hides from the Nazis in a cellar for a year… an idealist joins the Communist party and is then persecuted by its leaders … a student fights for freedom during the Prague Spring….. Characters grapple with questions about history, politics, identity and religion. In the forward to the book, Dr. Marketa Goetz-Stankiewitz writes that "the novel uncovers this turbulent period with its linguistic, national and racial complexities: its brutality occasionally tempered by humour, and ultimately its absurdity."
[Photo Credit: (c) Vaclav Havel Library / Vojtěch Stádník]
Language plays a central role in the book: characters grow up speaking Czech and German, and the choice of which language to speak is closely linked to their sense of identity. Translator Gerald Turner had to find distinct voices for the three narrators: a man educated in German but writing in Czech, a woman with only an elementary-school education writing her memoir, and a Czech university professor living in the USA.
Jiří Pehe says: "I was pleasantly surprised by the large audiences at all three book launches as well as the lively discussions the novel's themes provoked. Hopefully, many English-language readers will agree with the quote on the back cover by Tomas Halik, this year's winner of the prestigious Templeton Prize; that this is an unusual novel about the 20th century, the Holocaust and in particular also about God. Those three topics were foremost on my mind when I starting writing the novel."
First Student Senator-at-Large to Goes Global – Anushua Choudury studies in Buenos Aires while Maintaining her University Government Responsibilities
NYU Buenos Aires student Anushua Choudury is the first Student Senator-at-Large to study away while maintaining her university government responsibilities. Learn a bit more about this sophomore and her experience in Buenos Aires.
School of Origin: FAS – Liberal Studies / Global Liberal Studies
Concentration: Politics, Rights and Development
Congratulations, you are the first Student Senator to go abroad while still holding your post and fulfilling all the responsibilities. Does that feel like pressure?
Thank you. Yes, for sure. At first, when I was told that I would be the first Senator abroad, everyone said: "Who better to do it with, but also we're looking at you to see how we can fit Shanghai and Abu Dhabi into the mix." So, it's definitely making me more aware of how to be sure I can video-conference in to all the meetings and reply to all the documents. That way the new Senators and the new Faculty on the Faculty Senators Council and on the Committees I work with will know me.
It's starting to sound more complex already – how many government structures do you have to serve on?
I am just serving on the Student Senators Council, and within that I work on 3 committees.
Can we ask you what they are?
The Academic Affairs Committee, the All-University Events Committee, and the Global Affairs Committee.
How is this different from when you were on the Square and physically present for duties?
Last year I served on a University Senate Committee; I was on the University Judicial Board. But unfortunately due to the fact that I am not physically present in NY right now, I cannot serve on a University committee (which involves people from all of the other Councils, the Deans, the Faculty Senators, representatives from the Administrative Management Council, and other students).
How do you stay connected even though you are so far away, being in Argentina?
I video-conference in to all of our meetings, to my weekly committee meetings as well as my SSC meetings. I will also start calling in to the University Senate meetings, which are held once a month. This is a new process for everyone, so we're all learning. If something doesn't go right the first time around, the Executive Committee of the SSC reaches out to me; we are always in conversations about how to do things better.
Do you find this detracts from or hinders your ability to immerse as much as you'd like in the project of global study, meaning being here in South America? Can you explore as much as you'd like, can you dedicate all necessary time to your studies and planned travel? It must be a balancing act.
Yes, but it was a balancing act in NY as well. I am especially lucky to be able to stay connected like this to NY, especially after my last year of being in Student Government, which was one of the best highlights of my NYU experience. It's also cool how I can bring in the global dimension because I have this experience. For example, for the All-University Events Committee, we always talk about Violet 100, and now we are planning to host a Global Day of Service during Violet 100 – that's exciting to think about, and it gives me a concrete sense of how meaningful it actually is for me a Senator who is specifically drawing on having a global experience too.
When you apply to be Senator, you can be either a Senator at your school or a Senator at Large. Last year I was a School Senator for Liberal Studies. School elections happen after Spring Break, end March or beginning April, and about two weeks after School senators have been elected, we have the application process for Senator-at-Large, which is not an elected post but rather appointed by the other Senators. Last year was the first time we had global submissions for Senator-at-Large. So the current School Senators elect the Senators-at-Large (now there are several).
What would like to bring back to NY from your year spent abroad in Argentina?
On the Square we are always talking about the GNU and every committee whether it's student services or academic affairs, the GNU always comes up. Very few Senators though have had the experience of studying abroad because when you are in Student Government, you have gone into NYU thinking "ok at some point I am going to take some time off to go abroad" because it's so easy to do that when you're at NYU – but then you become so involved, and it's so intense that you end up deferring the idea of going abroad or you just go for a J-Term or a short-term experience, and that's really not the same. So I'm really excited to go back and represent that voice that we always talk about but haven't yet had tangibly among us.
Thank you. That is exciting. One last question: why did you choose Buenos Aires?
I have traveled a lot. Since High School, I had thought Madrid would be my spot because I've always loved Sevilla. But when it came time to decide where to go, I realized I wanted to go outside my comfort zone, really immerse myself in a culture that is foreign to me, new and challenging in other ways. ¡Acá estoy!
NYU Prague Hosts Journalists from around the World
The collapse of the Iron Curtain led to the sudden creation of free media – so what does the media in post-Soviet countries look like today?
Over 50 journalists, scholars, and media analysts from around the world met at NYU Prague last week to talk about this question – and many more – at a conference entitled 25 Years After: The Challenge of Building the Post-Communist Media and Communications Industries.
The conference was co-organized by two Prague-based NGOs: Keynote and the newsmagazine Transitions Online. Jeremy Druker, Professor of Social Media Networking at NYU Prague and the co-founder of Transitions Online, explained their motivation for organizing the event: "Academics and working journalists don't often mix. So we decided to create a rare opportunity where researchers on the media's transition would sit side-by-side on panels with journalists experiencing that very transition from the inside."
The variety of countries represented brought extremely different perspectives: in addition to numerous delegates from the Czech Republic, there were also speakers from Poland, Hungary, Belarus, Serbia, Italy, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Albania, Romania, Georgia, Austria, Belgium, France, Sweden, Denmark, the UK, Canada, and the US. Their professions were also divergent, including professors, the senior communications manager of Google, activists, journalists, and analysts.
The shadow of Russia and her influence over post-Soviet countries loomed large in discussions. Keynote speaker Jeffrey Gedmin, former President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, noted that "Communism is not coming back, but history is coming back to this part of the world."
Jiri Pehe, Director of NYU Prague, said he believes that media is more balanced and more pluralistic than it was initially after the fall of Communism, but it is now especially vulnerable to the rise of local oligarchs who are buying up media organizations. "You can establish democratic institutions quickly, but it takes a few generations to establish a democratic culture," said Pehe. "We aren't over the stage of post-Communism at all."


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nite all!
Night cool kids
Good Nite All! Love and Light! Hugs to All!
night BEV
night K
night DDino
Goodnight all. Love you all.
night Space and Sur
thanks guys
Good night guys, good show
Bev, when do you fix the other eye?
Cool Dino!!!!
Yes Patrick you do!!!!
A god rest of the evening to you all
I will probably be here earlier next week all
LMBO!!!! You guys are too funny!!!! :smile:
Well, most of the crisis are over here for me now. Had to take a long phone call. Misssed being here with youon the show
I wish my memory was that good Patrick!!!!
I am programed to wake at 6:00am
I wish I could marathon sleep, I'm too tired to sleep most of the time.
i can marathon sleep
I hate having migraines, I get them too often.
I rarely sleep longer than 4 hours at a time.
Easier to do Lucid dreaming, or focused dreams.
Wow! He remembers you Bev!


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Colorado Mesa University
Colorado Mesa University is a public D2 university located in Grand Junction, Colorado. The tuition to attend is is $6,725 for in state students and is $16,748 for out of state students. The average net cost to attend Colorado Mesa University is $15,833 and 82% of students get in. There are roughly 8,733 students that attend Colorado Mesa University.
More information on Colorado Mesa University can be found by going to their academics page or their admissions page.
You can contact the Men's Wrestling Head Coach Chuck Pipher at 970-248-1460 email@example.com or by filling out the recruitment questionnaire.
Colorado Mesa University (CMU), formerly known as Mesa State College, is a public comprehensive university in Grand Junction, Colorado. The university's primary campus is in central Grand Junction. The university also has other campuses as well: Bishop Campus, which houses Western Colorado Community College in northwestern Grand Junction; and a regional campus in Montrose, Colorado. Colorado Mesa University grants two-year associate degrees, four-year bachelor's degrees, and master's degrees. Previously called Mesa State College (MSC), the school attained university status in August 2011, changing its name to Colorado Mesa University.


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Storm Fitness Newsletter – New Years Resolutions – January 2008
A health and fitness newsletter on how to stay looking and feeling your best at any age
Greetings Clients and Friends,
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season with your friends and family and a fun time ringing in 2008! With the New Year comes the talk of New Years Resolutions! Personally, I enjoy writing and keeping goals throughout the year but I always find the beginning of a new year is a great time to reflect upon accomplishments during the year and set additional goals or re-evaluate existing ones.
If you haven't done so already I suggest taking some quiet time to sit down and write out a few goals for yourself for 2008 – hopefully a few of them will be health and fitness related! It often seems like a daunting task….when you finish and look at the list it's easy to think how will I ever accomplish all of this? You will be surprised though – by writing it down you set the ball rolling into action.
This month I have included a special article on how to set yourself up on the right track with your resolutions by laying the proper foundation, so make sure you read this article. Laying the foundation could be the make or break of succeeding with your New Years resolutions. Also included is the first of a special series of articles titled 7 Secrets to a New Body! Make sure you don't miss out on these juicy pieces – you won't find this information being dispensed for free by any other health and fitness professional out there and the details being shared will change your life.
If you need assistance setting any health or fitness goals for this coming year feel free to drop me a line by email or phone. I would be happy to get you going in the right direction with proper motivation and most importantly, hold you accountable! Wishing you and your family health and happiness in 2008!
Yours in Health and Fitness,
Jessica Storm & the Storm Fitness Team
Storm Fitness, LLC
6 Rules to Setting Your New Years Resolutions
Laying the Proper Foundation For Success…
As the first few months of the New Year slip away, do you find your resolutions slipping away as well? Resolutions should be reasonably attainable so that you are setting yourself up for success rather than disappointment. Try focusing on small intermediate goals that will ultimately lead you to your primary goal. Do not expect to be perfect. Aim for a healthy lifestyle that you will feel comfortable sticking with.
Simply establishing the goal of leading a healthy lifestyle should make you feel good about yourself. To make that goal more attainable, come up with small goals you know you can meet each day to help keep yourself feeling positive. Accomplishing the smaller goals will leave you with a more immediate feeling of success. If your goals are too large, you may get caught up in them and feel disappointed when you do not see immediate results.
Small behavior-change plans are easier to stick to than vague resolutions like (I will lose 10 pounds.) If your resolution is too large, add a plan of action that will guide you toward your goal. Rather than (I will exercise more,) try (I will go for a walk at lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays and work out in the gym Mondays and Fridays.) This way you can feel a sense of accomplishment every day, and if you miss a day, you can get right back on track rather than feeling like a failure.
Any goals that you set should come from a sincere desire to change for yourself. Research has shown that negative feelings are a frequent cause of relapse in behavior-change programs, and resolutions that feel like punishment can cause negative feelings. All resolutions should be perceived as positive changes that will help you reach optimal health and well-being. Do not decide to change to please anyone other than yourself. And remember, resolutions are an opportunity for you to look forward in a positive way rather than to punish yourself for past behaviors.
Perhaps you can find ways to exercise while also accomplishing other goals. If weather permits, try walking to do errands that are in close proximity to your home or office. Maybe you need to spend more time with your family. Try walking with a family member or bringing your children along on bikes while you walk or jog. If your goal is to make new friends, try taking classes where you will meet other people who share your same exercise interests.
Be sure that your plan of action is realistic. Plan to work out at times when it is convenient for you. If you are not a morning person, do not plan to work out early in the morning or you will just be setting yourself up for failure. Try to make things as easy as possible for yourself. Set your goals at reasonable heights so that you can reach them one by one without feeling overwhelmed. The only way your goal is going to become reality is if you believe in it and, most of all, if you believe in yourself. It may help you reinforce your goal if you can find a realistic role model who is actually living your goal. If they can do it, so can you!
If things like weather and illness will prevent you from sticking to your plan, make alternate plans for situations that you cannot avoid. Most importantly, do not let a missed day or two throw you completely off target. Instead, do your best to get back on track as quickly as possible, which should not be extremely difficult if you have set appropriate goals.
It is easier to stick to your plan when you feel good about yourself. Try to find a new way to reward yourself when you meet your smaller goals. If you are trying to eat healthier, be sure that all of your meals are still delicious, and allow yourself a small dessert after a few days of healthy habits. Be sure to get involved in activities that keep you feeling happy and fulfilled.
Get the support of your family, friends and co-workers. If your resolution involves quitting a serious addiction like smoking, drinking or an eating disorder, get professional help and join a support group if possible. Remember that you are your best supporter. You are trying to improve your own health. Appreciate what you have and then try to treat it a little bit better than you have in the past. If you take better care of your body, you will feel better and perform better at all that you do. Keep in mind that a well-thought-out resolution can be a useful tool to help you live your life the best way possible, starting from the inside.
Additional Tips & Pointers
1. Focus on positive self-talk. Congratulate yourself every time you take a step towards your resolution goal. Be your own best cheerleader.
2. Avoid berating yourself if you should fall back or break a resolution. Just brush yourself off and start over again.
3. Stick to your resolution by considering it a promise to yourself, not a test of your willpower.
4. Avoid situations that put you in temptation's path, in other words…if you're on a diet, don't go to the ice cream parlor.
5. Keep a sticky note in a prominent place so that you see it every day, reminding yourself of your resolutions. (i.e., on your bathroom mirror, next to your bed, on the visor of your car, on the refrigerator)
What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?
– Robert Schuller
Are you Sobataging Your Metabolism?
Calories are king in my fitness program and believe it or not, you could currently be sabotaging your own metabolism by not eating enough calories and you may not even know it! Does this scenario sound familiar….You decide you need to lose a few pounds so you tell yourself okay, I am going to start my diet tomorrow. Of course by diet, you mean eating less as you figure this will surely get you to lose this extra weight.
Tomorrow rolls around and you severely begin reducing your calorie intake and you start going to the gym to exercise on a more regular basis. You manage to continue to do this for several weeks and are quite successful but after week 4 you hit a plateau and your weight loss completely stops! Fed up and discouraged you go back to your old ways. Or, maybe your scenario is a slightly different one, maybe you're an athlete or a runner eating 1,000 calories a day and wondering why you might be feeling cranky, tired and unable to lose that last 5-10lbs.
One of the reasons why the people in the above 2 scenarios are not losing weight is due to a nutrition program lacking in the appropriate amount of calories. By severely limiting their calorie intake, they have wrecked havoc on their metabolism and it has grinded to a hault and is no longer working efficiently for them…hence the plateau in weight loss. Like I said above, calories are king and you might actually need to be eating more calories than you think in order to lose weight.
Now I know this sounds counter intuitive and goes against everything you've read that basically says the less calories you eat the more weight loss you will lose. However, let me explain why it's so important to be eating the appropriate amount of calories for your body so that you can get past sabotaging your metabolism and on to stoking and revving that metabolism of yours to burn some major calories so that your body ends up working for you instead of against you.
So it seems everything we read says to cut calories but if you don't know what your calorie range should be and instead you're just mindlessly slashing calories then that is considered reckless behavior in my books. When you don't get enough calories into your body, it begins to panic and goes into what's known as "starvation" mode, slowing down your metabolism and fat-burning processes. If it's being starved of calories, it has to hold onto all of the energy stores and calories that it can.
Think of your body as a furnace. If there's not enough fuel, the fire just simmers for a long time without really burning hot. If you're not eating enough calories to match your activity level, your body just simmers and no real progress is being made. The danger is that people react to this type of plateau by eating even less, which of course just makes the problem worse and harder to recover from. It's a horrible cycle that can lead to some serious problems.
The key is to increase your calories with highly nutrient dense food to fuel your body! In terms of diet, I would focus on lean protein sources (chicken breast, turkey breast, egg whites) and lean fibrous carbs coming mostly from non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, mushrooms, yellow squash, green peppers, etc.) Try and limit all starchy carbs from your diet and limit fruit after 6pm, since it contains lots of simple sugars which can affect your insulin levels and hinder your weight loss.
Your plan should be sure to include 3 meals and 2-3 small snacks per day so that your blood sugar stays stable throughout the day. Remember to also add weight training to your exercise routine. It can add powerful calorie burning pounds of lean muscle which will keep your metabolism stoked throughout the day!
If your wondering exactly how many calories you should be eating, there are 3 factors involved: Your weight loss goals, your Basal Metabolic Rate (the number of calories your body burns via normal, everyday functions), and how much exercise you get. First, calculate your BMR. Next, consider how much activity you get. Add the calories you burn through activity and exercise for one day to your BMR. This is your baseline for daily calorie needs.
To lose 1 pound per week (if that's your goal), you'd simply eat 500 calories less than this number each day. Whatever your baseline is, more than 1,000 calories per day below that (resulting in 2 pounds lost per week) is not a good idea. Your body needs enough nutrition and energy to deal with whatever exercise level you choose. At bare minimum, no matter what, I strongly urge women to not drop below 1,200 calories daily and men to not drop below 1,500 calories daily. Any lower than that and starvation mode – or worse – will almost always kick in. Since menus and eating realities change daily, average ranges work better than absolute percentages. For the most part, your calorie intake should come from:
40-65% Carbohydrates
10-35% Proteins
20-35% Fats
It's important to try to meet these ranges every day to fulfill your energy and nutrient needs without creating more fat storage. But if you miss these ranges periodically, don't stress too much, just keep an eye on it and work on improving your habits. Trying to match an exact number – or even a range — every single day is unrealistic. If your results are within these ranges over time, that's what matters most.
If you need assistance in determining a good calorie range for you based on your current activity level and health I recommend speaking to a nutritionist or dietician to get you started on a healthy program with the right amount of calories so that you are working for your body instead of against it.
7 Secrets To a New Body
As a certified personal trainer and nutritionist I often get asked what are the best ways to get my body back into kick butt shape again? Are there any shortcuts, magic pills or secrets? Well, unfortunately there are no short cuts, only long hard work, and there are no magic pills nor do I believe there ever will be.
There are however some secrets. What I would like to do is share with you my top 7 secrets for getting yourself a new body! I will be spacing these secrets out over the course of 7 separate articles appearing each month so that I can go into greater detail regarding each of these secrets. You will have a full month to implement each of these secrets into your life before receiving the next one. Within 7 months the goal is to have implemented each of these "7 Secrets" into your life!
Secret #1 The Secret of Food
Eat Organic:
If you don't currently eat organic you might want to reconsider. Many people think that organic is all hype but the truth of the matter is that it's not. Organic foods, such as an organic tomato, have a qualitative value which a commercial tomato could not match. The organically-grown tomato has not had any pesticides used to keep its natural enemies away from them. Typically, organic farmers use a natural pesticide that is safe and does not diminish the quality of the tomato. However, a commercially-grown tomato has lost a great deal of its nutrition because of the pesticides used to keep it safe from its natural enemies.
Another reason to eat an organic tomato (or any organic foods for that matter) is that organic food is picked when it is ripe versus the commercial tomato. Since organic food is picked when it is ripe, the food has had the ability to absorb all the trace vitamins and minerals which is sadly lacking in commercial foods. Commercial foods are picked when the vegetables are still green and do not have the opportunity to absorb all the trace vitamins and minerals which the soil offers. In essence, all the consumer is getting from the commercial grown food is filler with very little amounts of vitamins and minerals. In contrast, the organic tomato has an enormous amount of nutrition and a taste which the commercially grown tomato will not match.
There are certain foods that you should make sure that you eat organic over others. Some conventionally grown foods are treated with more pesticides than others and some retain more of the pesticides. Here is a list of the top 10 foods containing the most pesticides. High-Pesticide Foods: Strawberries, Spinach, Cherries, Peaches, Mexican Cantaloupe, Celery, Apples, Apricots, Green Beans.
Keep in mind that local farmers markets and grocery stores like trader Joe's and Whole Foods are good places to shop organic. You can also find organic foods in the organic produce section of your local grocery store. Most importantly, always read labels of anything you buy. If you don't know what an ingredient is chances are good that you shouldn't be consuming it.
Eat Lot 's of Different Colors:
Each different color signifies the presence of a different carotenoid, a type of phytochemical. Each carotenoid brings its own unique benefits. We all know that fruits and vegetables are good for us, but here's a list of what the different colors mean for your health:
The color: Reds such as strawberries, red grapes, beets, and tomatoes. The payoff: Improves blood flow to the heart, protects against Alzheimer's disease.
The color: Whites like bananas, pears, onions, and mushrooms. The payoff: Helps to maintain heart health and healthy cholesterol levels.
The color: Greens like kiwi, pears, broccoli, and peas. The payoff: Helps build strong bones and teeth and protects your vision.
The color: Yellows/Oranges like mangos, pineapple, carrots, and pumpkin. The payoff: Boosts your immune system, protects the health of your heart and eyes.
The color: Blues/Purples like figs, blueberries, eggplant, and cabbage. The payoff: Protects your memory, helps your urinary tract stay healthy.
Because each colorful carotenoid has something different to offer, vary the hue of the produce you eat throughout the day to reap all of the benefits. The more vibrant your meal, the better it is for you.
Limit Processed Foods:
Many processed foods are made with trans fats, saturated fats, and large amounts of sodium and sugar. These types of foods should be avoided, or at least eaten sparingly. Processed foods that may not be as healthy as fresh foods include: canned foods with lots of sodium; white breads and pastas made with refined white flour, which are not as healthy as those made with whole grains; packaged high-calorie snack foods, like chips and cheese snacks; high-fat convenience foods, like cans of ravioli; frozen fish sticks and frozen dinners; packaged cakes and cookies; boxed meal mixes; sugary breakfast cereals; processed meats.
These processed foods and prepackaged meals are very convenient and popular. If you do shop for these foods, be sure to look for products that are made with whole grains, low in sodium and calories, and free of trans fats. Make sure you pay attention to serving size, too, and balance out the processed foods you eat with a delicious fresh salad and some whole grain bread.
Graze Not Gorge:
Make sure to eat 4-6 small meals a day to control your blood sugar. The main theory around this eating habit is that smaller meals can help one lose weight and absorb nutrients more efficiently. Experts believe that the body can only handle so much at one serving without eliminating or storing excess nutrients.
Eating the same calories spread out over smaller meals four to six times during the day has been shown to raise the body's thermic effect, resulting in 10% more calories being burned. Furthermore, nibbling throughout the day prevents long stretches of starvation. Going from noon to 6:00pm without eating usually ends with an enormous supper. This is a very bad eating habit seeing as our metabolism can only handle a certain amount of calories, carbs, fat, and protein in one sitting.
Recent Findings/Benefits of Herbs:
Green Tea – Today, most people have heard about green tea, learning about the many benefits offered. Green tea has been shown from in-depth studies performed around the world to help fight cancer, lower bad cholesterol, fight tooth decay, reduce weight, and lower high blood pressure.
Cayenne Pepper – Improves circulation and digestion and has thermogenic effects. In one study it was shown that cayenne increased core body temperature, which in turn increased the metabolism and caused the participants to lose more weight then the group not taking cayenne.
Cinnamon – Creates a thermogenic burn. It reduces cholesterol levels – in particular, lowering bad cholesterol while leaving good cholesterol the same. It is cinnamon's effect on blood sugar that makes it a potential help in the war against obesity, insulin resistance, sometimes known as "prediabetes," and the "Metabolic Syndrome." Cinnamon can be used in its powdered or stick form, adding it to drinks and foods, or as a supplement.
Flax seed – A bulk laxative that helps curb hunger. Loaded with vitamins and phytonutrients, it is an excellent source of protein and fiber, flaxseed is nature's gift to health! Besides stabilizing the body sugar levels, flax expands five times in bulk when ingested. Flax taken half an hour before meals can help you eat less, so you will lose weight while simultaneously strengthening your immune system.
Ginger Root – The main ingredients found in Ginger Root help to neutralize stomach acids and stimulate the appetite. Ginger has been widely used to reduce nausea related to postoperative surgery, motion sickness and morning sickness. Studies have also shown that Ginger Root helps to reduce inflammation and provide relief from chronic pain.
As a final end note, 20 years ago a hamburger had 330 calories. Today a hamburger has 1,400. For a woman that could be more than her daily caloric intake that was allowed if she was trying to lose weight. Do you know what you would have to do to burn that many calories? Well, an average persona burns about 100 calories per mile, so that means that you would have to walk or run roughly 14 miles to burn off that hamburger. Just a thought to consider before pulling into the drive-through.
Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.
– Henry Ford
We hope you enjoyed this edition of the Storm Fitness Newsletter. Thank you again for coming along for the journey with us and we wish you a very happy and successful 2008 with all of your health and fitness goals! Again, if you need anything at all we are always here to answer health and fitness questions you might have.
Yours in Health and Fitness,
Jessica Storm & the Storm Fitness Team


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Yesterday (October 9) was a busy day for Jessica and the cast of 'Underground' as they attended a panel, booth signing, interviews and much more during the New York Comic-Con. Make sure to check out the gallery for more pictures!
Public Appearances > 2016 > New York Comic-Con – 'Underground' Press Line
Public Appearances > 2016 > New York Comic-Con – 'Underground' Panel
Public Appearances > 2016 > New York Comic-Con – 'Underground' Press Room
Public Appearances > 2016 > New York Comic-Con – 'Underground' Booth Signing
The cast of 'Underground' is finally at the New York Comic-Con and yesterday (October 8), Jessica was spotted at the WGN America Cocktail Reception alongside Aldis Hodge, Amirah Vann, Alano Miller, Chris Chalk, Aisha Hinds, and PJ Marshall. High quality pictures have been added to the gallery. Enjoy!
Public Appearances > 2016 > New York Comic-Con – WGN America Cocktail Reception
Jessica and the cast of 'Underground' attended a screening and panel discussion at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture on September 2, 2016 in Washington, DC.
Public Appearances > 2016 > Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture
DEADLINE – With a well-known title and formidable lead cast, Amazon's The Last Tycoon pilot has been a strong contender for a series pickup. Now the project, toplined by Matt Bomer, Kelsey Grammer and Rosemarie DeWitt, has been ordered to series by the streaming service, I have learned. It comes from Sony TV's TriStar Television. I hear Amazon's other drama pilot from the batch, The Interestings, is not going forward.
Written and directed by Billy Ray based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's final unfinished novel, The Last Tycoon was inspired by the life of film mogul Irving Thalberg, on whom the book's protagonist Monroe Stahr was based. The project centers on Stahr (Bomer), Hollywood's first wunderkind studio executive in the 1930s as he climbs to the height of power pitting him against his mentor and current head of the studio, the brawny, imposing, charming and vain Pat Brady (Grammer), a character based on Louis B. Mayer. Having come from the streets, Brady has no intention of returning to his misfortune, and is determined to make sure his studio is successful, no matter what personal morals he compromises. Dewitt plays Pat Brady's wife, Rose Brady, who may be involved with Stahr.
In The Last Tycoon's 1976 big-screen adaptation directed by Elia Kazan and written by Harold Pinter, the roles of Stahr and Brady were played by Robert De Niro and Robert Mitchum, respectively.
Bomer, Grammer and DeWitt all have toplined TV series before, USA's White Collar (Bomer), Frasier and Boss, among others (Grammer) and Standoff (DeWitt). This marks Emmy winner Grammer's return to drama series following his Golden Globe-winning turn on Boss. Bomer also won a Golden Globe, for HBO's The Normal Heart, and recently co-starred on American Horror Story: Hotel. DeWitt has been focused on movies for the past few years, recently starring in Poltergeist.
Ray executive produces The Last Tycoon alongside Chris Keyser, who serve as showrunners, as well as Josh Maurer, David Stern and Alix Witlin. Pulitzer-winning author and F.Scott Fitzgerald scholar A. Scott Berg served as consulting producer on the pilotThis marks TriStar TV's second series at Amazon, joining Good Girls Revolt.
GOLDDERBY – "The beauty of the show is that it's such a fast paced, on-the-move narrative," says Jessica De Gouw as we chat via webcam (watch above) about her acclaimed new series "Underground." In this WGN America drama about the underground railroad, she plays Elizabeth Hawkes who, along with her husband, abolitionist lawyer John (Marc Blucas), turns their Ohio home into a refuge for escaped slaves. "The stakes are always so much higher with every episode."
When we first meet Elizabeth, she is "at a point of aimlessness," having learned she is unable to conceive. "I think she's a woman who has so much to give, and so much energy, and a lot of love," explains the Australian actress. "I think the lack of her ability to give that to a child, to make a home for a child, made way for something else, and she really throws herself in wholeheartedly to helping other people escape."
Though hesitant at first, after making the trip down South to meet John's brother, slave-owner Tom Macon (Reed Diamond), she is quickly convinced. "You can't un-see something like that," De Gouw explains. "That sets up her spiral into anything and everything that comes her way, which is quite the adventure."
Unique among period dramas, "Underground" tells its story with energy and verve, modernizing the past. "You don't want to just force a history lesson on people every week," she says. "You want it to be entertaining, you want it to be historically accurate, but I think it has to be a delicate balance."
I have added several HQ/MQ stills, promotional pictures and poster from Australian thriller 'Cut Snake'.
Film Productions > Cut Snake (2014) > Posters
Film Productions > Cut Snake (2014) > Promotional Pictures
Film Productions > Cut Snake (2014) > Production Stills


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Deals of the Day – Sep 12: Apple iPad (Newest Generation) 16GB WiFi Tablet (Refurb) $439
Although the highlight of today is the announcement of the new iPhone 5, that does not mean Apple's other products can't get your attention. The newest generation Apple iPad is currently on sale at WalMart. The refurbished 16GB WiFi version of the iPad is on sale for just $439, which is a savings of $60 from the new retail version. The new iPad features an A5X chip with quad-core graphics, 2048 x 1536 resolution Retina Display, 4G LTE/HSPA+ connectivity, 5MP rear camera with 1080p, a front facing camera, 802.11abgn WiFi, and Bluetooth. Take a look at our full review of the new iPad.
Mobile phone deals today include the Nokia Lumia on T-Mobile for $250, contract-free HTC One V on Virgin Mobile for $160, and Sony Xperia Ion 4G on AT&T for $100.
Top Deal
New Apple iPad 3 (3rd Generation) 16GB WiFi Tablet (refurbished) for $439 with free shipping (normally $499)
Mobile Phones
Nokia Lumia for $249.99 and other prepaid phones with free $50 refill card (T-Mobile) (normally $299.99 with no card)
HTC One V Android Smartphone Contract Free (Virgin Mobile) for $159.99 direct from carrier (normally $199.99)
Sony Xperia Ion 4G (AT&T) for FREE with free shipping direct from Sony (normally $99.99)
14″ Dell Inspiron 14z Core i5-2450M 2.5GHz Dual-core thin & light Laptop w/6GB RAM, 750GB HDD & Adobe Elements 9 Bundle for $499.99 with free shipping (normally $928.99 – use $100 coupon code 4NB4RJW486G0MN )
17.3″ Toshiba Qosmio X875-Q7290 Core i7-3610QM 2.3GHz Quad-core Ivy Bridge Gaming 3D Laptop w/16GB RAM, 1TB HDD + 750GB Hybrid Drive, 3GB GeForce GTX 670M for $1,699.99 with free shipping (normally $1,999 – use 15% coupon code toshseptsave01 )
15.6″ Toshiba Satellite L850D-BT2N22 AMD A8-4500M Quad-core LAptop w/4GB RAM, 320GB HDD & Radeon HD 7520G for $399.99 (normally $649.99)
15.6″ Dell Latitude E5530 15.6″ Core i3 Laptop + Free $100 Gift Card for $499 with free shipping (additional coupon and discounted upgrades available)
14″ Vizio CT14-A0 Core i3-3217U 1.8GHz Dual-core Ivy Bridge Ultrabook w/4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, 900p LCD for $598 (normally $798).
Digital Cameras
Nikon COOLPIX S8200 16MP Digital Camera (Silver) for $209 with free shipping (normally $249).
Pentax Optio WG-1 Waterproof 14MP Digital Camera for $174 with free shipping (normally $199 – use coupon code BGSaveACool5).
Nook Color eBook reader (pre-owned) for $69.99 with $5 shipping (today only – normally $249.99)
Arnova by Archos ChildPad Android 4.0 Tablet for Kids for $129.99 with free shipping (normally $139.99)
New Trent Dual-Port IMP50D 5200mAh External Battery Pack for iPhone for $19.95 with free shipping (normally $79)
Deals of the Day – Sep 12: Apple iPad (Newest Generation) 16GB WiFi Tablet (Refurb) $439 originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2012-09-12T22:53:47Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j


text: Fiction Short Stories ... the first writing I ever seriously engaged in was writing short stories with a vaguely science fiction bent and typically a bit macabre -- probably best described as "Twilight Zone" fiction. You could probably say it's still my first love. They're what I write for my own personal fun and enjoyment without thinking about the chores of publishing them as I do my essays; they haven't even been sent to my editor. They give my imagination some exercise, and actually I evolved my "signature" nonfiction writing style (that is to say my typical style, which is perhaps too predictable but always identifiable as "Shara-esque") from my typical fiction style of weaving two seemingly separate story lines ever closer together until they collide. In the glorious age of personal websites and blogs, it's fun to throw one or two up for anyone who might enjoy them ... it's always nice to think that at least one other person besides myself will derive some entertainment from my imagination.