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Madison, WI. (January 3, 2014)
The American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) has named its 2013 recipients of its Annual "Excellence in Concrete Pavements" Awards, which recognize quality concrete pavements constructed in the United States and Canada.
The awards program encourages high-quality workmanship in concrete pavement projects, and serves as way to share information about challenging and highly successful projects. Projects are evaluated and voted on by judges from across the country and represent various stakeholder groups in the transportation-construction community. The program recognizes contractors, engineers, and project owners who completed outstanding projects.
The awards fall into 13 categories applicable to construction and preservation of highways, roadways, airports, and industrial pavement facilities. The program requires projects to be completed in the calendar year prior to judging (2012).
The reconstruction of West Capital Drive in the City of Milwaukee won the Gold Award in the Municipal Streets and Intersections (>30,000 SY) Category. "This was a very complex paving project with the construction of 25 intersections and all of the turn lanes while keeping access open to all of the 123 businesses on the project. The Zignego Company, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the City of Milwaukee should be congratulated for the excellent teamwork in delivering the project on time and with excellent quality of construction", said Kevin McMullen, President of the Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association. "WCPA looks forward to honoring the entire project team from the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin DOT and the Zignego Company in the very near future", he further added.
Municipal Streets & Intersections (>30,000 SY)
Municipal Streets & Intersections (>30,000 SY) —Gold Award
Project: West Capitol Drive Reconstruction, Milwaukee, Wisc.
Owner: Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Southeast Region
Contractor: Zignego Company, Inc.
Engineer: City of Milwaukee
The reconstruction of this 1.5 mile section of West Capitol Drive in Milwaukee was very complex because the project included 25 intersections, 56 left turn lanes and access to all 123 businesses at all times during construction. With two through lanes, a bicycle lane, and a parking lane in each direction, the section had more than 87,000 SY of 8.5-inch concrete pavement.
Although city engineers were initially concerned that this project could not be built with concrete because of tight clearance requirements, the Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association and its contractor members worked with the city to prove otherwise.
The Zignego Company was awarded the contract and used an innovative paver setup that allowed the bike lane, parking lane, and integral curb to be paved simultaneously with a zero clearance paver. Despite early construction season weather issues and utility delays, the project was completed ahead of schedule, receiving incentives for concrete strength and ride.
Major sustainability efforts on the project included recycling of 100 percent of the existing asphalt pavement as base for the new concrete pavement, substitution of 30 percent of the Portland cement with type C fly ash, and the construction of sustainable landscaping in the medians.
About the Excellence Awards
This year the awards represent 13 categories of construction and preservation of concrete pavements used for highways, roadways, airports, and industrial pavement facilities. In all, 31 awards were presented to 25 contractors.
The ACPA Excellence in Concrete Pavements awards are made possible, in large measure, because of the generous time commitment of independent judges from across the United States and Canada. The judges each spend many hours reviewing executive summaries, project details, photographs, and other details and aspects of project submittals.
ACPA presents awards in both gold and silver levels. Judging is based on a point system, with independent judges awarding points for quality construction, addressing unique and unusual challenges, innovation, traffic management, and other criteria. In the case of ties, award judges present awards to co-winners.
About the ACPA and WCPA
The ACPA is the national trade association for the concrete pavement industry. The Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association (WCPA) is ACPA's local affiliated organization. ACPA and WCPA represent members in marketing/promotion, government affairs, and research/technical support associated with concrete pavements used for highways, airports, streets, and roads.
ACPA's and WCPA's members include paving contractors, cement companies, equipment manufacturers, material and service suppliers, ready-mixed concrete producers, allied associations/organizations, bonding and insurance companies, consulting firms, and other allied organizations and individuals.
Founded in 1963, the American Concrete Pavement Association is headquartered in Chicago at 9450 Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 150, Rosemont, IL 60018. Phone: 847.966.2272. The Association's Washington, DC office is located at 500 New Jersey Ave., NW, 7th Floor, Washington, DC 20001. Phone: 202.638.2272. Visit ACPA's website at www.acpa.org.
Founded in 1952, the Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin at 4001 Nakoosa Trail, Suite 101, Madison, WI 53714. Telephone: 608-240-1020. Fax: 608-240-1019. Visit WCPA's website at www.wisconcrete.org.
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Editorial Contact:
For additional information, please contact Kevin McMullen, President, Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association.
Phone: 608.240.1020
E-mail: email@example.com
High resolution photos of award winners and projects are available on request.


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October 2017 Carolyn A, Sunderland
We stayed for a week in this lovely, cosy and spotlessly clean cottage which was dog friendly. The views from the cottage were spectacular. Even though the weather wasn't very good we went out every day visiting various places on Mull. Bunessan was a lovely little village only 2 minutes away, with a Spar shop, Post Office and a Charity shop which was like Aladdin's cave. Carsaig and Uisken Beaches were magical. We went out on Mull Charters run by Martin and Alex and my husband got wonderful photos of several White Tailed Sea Eagles. A relaxing, rejuvenating holiday. Thanks to Lorna and Donald
October 7th 2017
Love this little cottage. It is well equipped and the location is perfect for relaxing, walking and getting away from it all. So peaceful !
October 6th 2017
Peaceful location of a well equipped ground floor easy access cottage . Off road parking next to cottage . New & tasteful bedroom linen & comfy bed. Extra touches like a lovely flower arrangement & bird food provided. A private short but slightly rough walk to the coast with great views of the Burg. Used local shop in Bunessan . Sunday service 11am up hill in Bunessan very welcoming. Used the car to explore the south of island : enjoyed otters , eagles, & weather permitted some outdoor picture painting. A great holiday
September 26th 2017
We loved our week in this comfortable cottage with beautiful views of the Burg of Mull and Loch Scridain. A great base to explore the south of Mull and Iona. Stunning beaches to visit and lots of lovely walks. Cottage was immaculate and well-equipped with a lovely welcome pack, including bird seed - a nice touch! Bunessan and Fionnphort a short drive away, with easy ferry access to Iona. Enjoyed spotting local wildlife and enjoyed the welcome break from phone signal and wifi
July 31st 2017
Great little cottage, all essential needs covered by thoughtful owners. Best for us were the views of the bird feeder and the Burg from the living room window or, even better, from the two outside tables. Real wildlife vantage point inc red deer wandering past at breakfast. Bunessan nearby has basics (and a great charity shop!) and the cottage is close to some spectacular beaches and landscapes, as well as Iona ferry..
July 9th 2017
We had a lovely stay at Croftlee in Ardtun on the lovely Isle of Mull. Quaint and cosy with everything we needed for our week away. Lovely view, very comfy bed and so peaceful. Well suited for trip to Iona and nice beaches nearby. Would highly recommend and our dog loved it too.
June 4th 2017
Croftlee was a real home from home, absolutely idyllic. Our first visit to Mull, could not have picked a better place to stay, lovely to get up each morning to the lovely views and to listen to all the birds and animals. Will recommend to all our family and friends. My wife and I really enjoyed everything Mull had to offer and Croftlee really made it even better, absolutely loved being there, beautiful, thank you.
May 29th 2017
An ideal cottage for two, and a dog. Croftlee is immaculately clean, cosy, welcoming, and set in large spacious gardens with a wonderful view of Loch Scridian and the Burg. So peaceful, and relaxing, you feel all the cares of the world slipping away! A five minute drive to Bunessan, the nearest village, with a good store and places to eat. A good base for trips to Iona, and for exploring the beautiful beaches on the Ross of Mull. We loved our stay here, and would love to return!
May 28th 2017
This cottage is just perfect! Spotlessly clean with everything you could want set in beautiful surroundings. I will definitely stay here again.
May 2016
Hazel C Perfect
We loved our stay at Croftlee. The position is perfect - remote but close to the shoreline and a short car trip to the village. Bunessan is a pretty village with a tiny shop that stocks everything you need and a hotel with free wifi that welcomes dogs. This was our first trip to Mull and we loved it.
"Lovely spot, could not have chosen a better location. Saw eagles, seals, deer, otter and a myriad of different bird life."
"We had a great week at Croftlee cottage. The cottage is comfortable, very well equipped and spotlessly clean. Our week was so quiet and relaxing we don't want to go back to the noise and bustle of the city."
"We have been coming to Croftlee for 10 years and always leave feeling relaxed and refreshed"
"A lovely first visit to Mull. The cottage was fabulous and made a great base for walks and exploring.This week has felt like an escape from "real life".
"The cottage and setting are delightful."
"What a truly magical place. So calming and tranquil. Always warm and snug even in inclement weather."
"Our dog loved the walks around the cottage especially down to the rocky bay."
"Super cottage—one of the best we have ever stayed in. Birds in the garden provide great entertainment whatever the weather."
"Setting cottage and friendly welcome were beyond perfect. Cottage had everything required for a comfortable stay. Enjoyed watching wildlife from the window—rabbits ,hare,wide variety of birds and even deer."
"A lovely wee cottage in a truly beautiful location. What more could you ask? Lots of thoughtful little touches made this a very enjoyable stay for ourselves and our dog."
"An Excellent base to explore the Ross of Mull and close to ferry for Iona and Staffa"
Croftlee Guest Book Comments back to

subset: commoncrawl


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Need to Prepare and File Tax Returns in Canada? Here's How.
It's almost time to do your taxes! Even if you're new to Canada, filing a tax return is mandatory. Thankfully, being excited about it is not.
Still, it doesn't have to be a source of stress. The Remitbee Online Money Transfer guide will take you through step by step how to file your tax return for 2018 by the deadline, 30th April 2019.
Do I Need to Do a Canada Tax Return for Immigrants?
The answer is yes! Anyone living in Canada, an immigrant or not, will need to submit a tax return. If you are moving abroad, a seasonal worker or spend a considerable amount of time out of the country, you should check with the Canadian government here to find out which tax return you need to fill in.
Even if your income is tax exempt, or you had no income for the past year, you still need to fill in a tax return.
How to File A Tax Return in Canada
It's super simple and just like Remitbee's online remittance services, you can file your Canada tax return online too. Here's how.
Step 1 – Prepare
First, you need to gather all your documents together.
- Payslips, pay stubs and statements from your employer
- Contracts from your clients if you're self-employed.
- Receipts for business expenses (e.g. lunch you purchased for a client during a meeting).
- Other deductions and credits from your business/work.
Whether you're submitting online or sending a paper tax return, you should always keep a paper copy of all your slips, receipts and documents at home.
Step 2 – Choose A Way to Submit
You can submit your tax return in a few different ways:
- Online (our preferred method) via NETFILE, the government approved free software. It launches February 18th.
- On paper, in a document you can download online or request a package from the government.
- By phone, if you're on
limitedincome or fixed income from one year to the next. If you're eligible, you'll receive a letter invitation mid-February.
Step 3 – Fill It In
Whether you're doing it online or on paper, go through the tax return page by page. Start with your personal information, including address, marital status etc.
Fill this in correctly so you can find out what benefits you're entitled to.
Then, fill in details about your income. It's as simple as typing in the figures from your payslips and giving a total income and expense figure.
Step 4 – Submit
Double check all your figures and personal details, then click submit online or send it through the post.
If you use NETFILE, you can make changes later.
If you're due a tax refund, you'll receive it in as little as 8 business days if you submitted online. If you have tax to pay, you'll be notified and must pay by April 30th or June 15th if you're a business owner.
Stay on Top of Your Finances
According to a survey taken by Ipsos, "the number of Canadians who are $200 or less away from financial insolvency at month-end has jumped to 46 percent… as interest rates rise".
If you're feeling the pinch this year, consider submitting your tax return a good starting point to make some changes. Get on top of your finances, find corners to cut and get 2019 off to a good start.
Check out our article on spending money wisely without cutting back on luxuries. It's written with Christmas in mind, but you can easily apply it to birthdays and other costly celebrations!


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Summer in the City Marquee at Pewterers' Hall
Summer in the City Marquee at Pewterers Hall. This summer we are excited to be bringing you Receptions, Dinner dances, Summer Cocktails and entertainment within an exclusive Marquee in the grounds of Pewterers Hall.
We have a wide selection of food, themes, and those all important summer cocktails to choose from!
Pewterers' Hall, EC2V


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VI. Earth Life Emergence: Development of Body, Brain, Selves and Societies
1. Geosphere and Atmosphere
All aspects of earthspheres from land, sea and sky are just the same being found to exhibit and be formed by invariant, self-organized topologies from rivers, deltas, coastlines, continents, and earthquakes to the cascade dynamics of fractal weather patterns. See also Global Climate as a Complex Dynamical System for even more.
, . 5th International Conference on Fractals and Dynamic Systems in Geoscience. www.jcu.edu.au/5frac/program. To be held at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia on August 13-14, 2009. The preliminary program lists, e.g., Frits Agterberg (Natural Resources Canada): Applications of Fractals and Dynamic Systems to Mineral Exploration and Resources; Bjorn Jamtveit (University of Oslo): Hierarchical Fracturing Processes; and Alison Ord (CSIRO): Fractals, Rock Deformation and Fluid Flow.
Entropy, Nonlinear Dynamics and Methods of Complex Systems in Earthquake Physics. www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/special_issues/earthquake_physics. A January 2018 announcement and invitation for a special issue with this title for the popular online MDPI Entropy site, which is open for manuscripts until October 2018. It is edited by Nicholas Sarlis, a University of Athens physicist whose general project is the Nonlinear Dynamics of Climate Change.
During the last decade, considerable progress has been made towards the understanding of pre-seismic processes. In this direction, the physics of critical phenomena, information entropy, and methods of complex systems have been applied for the study of rupture in the Solid Earth crust. From another point of view, during the 21st century, many very strong earthquakes took place (e.g., the 2011 M9.1 Tohoku, the 2004 M9.0 Sumatra, Andaman, or the 2010 M8.8 Chile earthquakes). Since the instrumentation in our days is much better than that of the previous century, the study of various geophysical observables before these earthquakes may provide useful precursory signals. The scope of this special issue is to strengthen and present the most recent attempts in both theoretical and experimental methods for understanding the physics of earthquakes and hence foresee their occurrence. (Synopsis)
Abe, S. and N. Suzuki. Determination of the Scale of Coarse Graining in Earthquake Networks. EPL Europhysics Letters. 87/48008, 2009. Even gross seismic events are now found to act as complex systems with a scale invariance across their range of cellular sizes. Compare with Donges, et al, herein for similar findings about weather events.
Addiscott, Tom. Emergence or Self-Organization? Look to the Soil Population. Communicative & Integrative Biology. 4/4, 2011. An emeritus soil scientist at Rothamsted Research, the British institute for Sustainable Agriculture, seeks to avail and apply complexity theories in this vital agronomy realm. Together with the above article, a summing up of his truly grass roots insights into a living nature.
Emergence is not well defined, but all emergent systems have the following characteristics. The whole is more than the sum of the parts, they show bottom-up rather top-down organization and, if biological, they involve chemical signaling. Self-organization can be understood in terms of the second and third stages of thermodynamics enabling these stages used as analogues of ecosystem functioning. The second stage system was suggested earlier to provide a useful analogue of the behaviour of natural and agricultural ecosystems subjected to perturbations, but for this it needs the capacity for self-organization. Considering the hierarchy of the ecosystem suggests that this self-organization is provided by the third stage, whose entropy maximization acts as an analogue of that of the soil population when it releases small molecules from much larger molecules in dead plant matter. This it does as vigorously as conditions allow. Through this activity, the soil population confers self-organization at both the ecosystem and the global level. The soil population has been seen as both emergent and self-organizing, supporting the suggestion that the two concepts are so closely linked as to be virtually interchangeable. If this idea is correct one of the characteristics of a biological emergent system seems to be the ability to confer self-organization on an ecosystem or other entity which may be larger than itself.
Addiscott, Tom. Entropy, Non-Linearity and Hierarchy in Ecosystems. Geoderma. 160/1, 2010. The author is a soil scientist and pioneer in the application of complexity theories to the living geosphere. With the next citation, a good entry to complexity science itself, and its many applications from the ground up.
Agarwal, Praqya and Andre Skupin, eds. Self-Organising Maps: Applications in Geographic Information Science. New York: Wiley, 2008. An adaptation of Teuvo Kohonens computational neural network model, in employ across many sciences, to climate, ecosystem, and spatial landscapes. Not yet seen, check publishers site for contents and first chapter.
In Chapter 4, Thill et al, describe work with a linguistic database where the SOM method is used to mine and visualize latent organization rules within the data. Yan and Thill, in Chapter 5, use SOM as an exploratory data mining tool fort spatial interaction data to visualize flows and movements in space within an interactive environment. (18)
Aggarwal, Sandeep, et al. Multifractal Analysis of 2001 Mw 7.7 Bhuj Earthquake Sequence in Gujarat, Western India.. Physica A. 488/177, 2017. Geophysicists Aggarwal, Gujarat University, Denisse Pasten, University of Chile, and Prosanta Khan, Indian Institute of Technology apply self-organized criticality theory to discern signs of mathematical regularities even for such violent events. To reflect upon, a novel, emergent worldwide science lately becomes able to quantify these geological upheavals, so as to possible predict and mitigate the havoc they wreak on peoples.
The 2001 Bhuj mainshock seismic sequence in the Kachchh area, occurring during 2001 to 2012, has been analyzed using mono-fractal and multi-fractal dimension spectrum analysis technique. This region was characterized by frequent moderate shocks of for more than a decade since the occurrence of 2001 Bhuj earthquake. The present study is therefore important for precursory analysis using this sequence. The selected long-sequence has been investigated first time for completeness magnitude Mc 3.0 using the maximum curvature method. Multi-fractal Dq spectrum analysis was carried out using effective window-length of 200 earthquakes with a moving window of 20 events overlapped by 180 events. Similar behavior is ubiquitous elsewhere around the globe, and warns for proximity of a damaging seismic event in an area. (Abstract excerpt)
Agterberg, Frederik. Multifractal Simulation of Geochemical Map Patterns. Daniel Merriam and John Davis, eds. Geological Modeling and Simulation. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum, 2001. Computer enhancements of chemical deposits and distributions present in soil and rocks demonstrate their multiscale, self-similar form.
Bickford, Marion, ed.. The Web of Geological Sciences. Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, 2013. A 50 year retrospective of many advances in this field of study, lately expanded to extrasolar planets. Typical chapters are Plates, Planets, and Phase Changes: 50 Years of Petrology by David Walker, From Paleontology to Paleobiology, Patricia Kelly, et al, Revolutions in Paleoclimatology by Judith Parrish, The Evolution of Geobiology in the Context of Living Stromatolites, John Spear and Frank Corsetti, and The Role of Geobiology in Astrobiological Explorations by Jack Farmer, from which one might conclude we live in a moldy cosmos.
Biswas, Soumyajyoti, et al. Statistical Physics of Fracture and Earthquakes. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A. Vol.377/Iss.2136, 2018. An introduction to an issue with this title which is a good example, for this section and throughout, how the presence and study of complex network systems has now expanded to and gained theoretical roots in this substantial domain. See also, for example, New Trends in Statistical Physics of Complex Systems by Antonio Scarfone in Entropy (20/12, 2018).
Manifestations of emergent properties in stressed disordered materials are often the result of an interplay between strong perturbations in the stress field around defects. The collective response of a long-ranged correlated multi-component system is an ideal playing field for statistical physics. Hence, many aspects of such collective responses in widely spread length and energy scales can be addressed by the tools of statistical physics. In this theme issue, some of these aspects are treated from various angles of experiments, simulations and analytical methods, and connected together by their common base of complex-system dynamics. (Abstract)
British, Geophysical Association. Scale Invariance and Scale Dependence in Earth Structure and Dynamics. www.geophysics.org.uk. At this site can be accessed Abstracts of this 2006 conference which discussed the latest findings on spatial and temporal self-similarity and power law phenomena from earthquake fractures to climate variations.
Bui, Dieu Tien, et al. Novel Hybrid Evolutionary Algorithms for Spatial Prediction of Floods. Nature Scientific Reports. 8/15364, 2018. An eleven member team from Vietnam, Iran, the USA, China and Malaysia achieve a sophisticated analysis of interrelated geo-hydro landscape and river dynamics. After proving its veracity, the mathematical method is offered as a way to predict and mitigate future catastrophic events. We also cite as a 2010s global collaboration, via a common scientific language across locales beset by historic strife. On this website, we again ask Whom is this nascent personsphere still unknown to us? However might we altogether be able to appreciate and learn?
Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) includes two novel GIS-based ensemble artificial intelligence approaches called imperialistic competitive algorithm (ICA) and firefly algorithm (FA). This combination could result in ANFIS-ICA and ANFIS-FA models, which were applied to flood spatial modelling and its mapping in the Haraz watershed in Northern Province of Mazandaran, Iran. Ten influential factors including slope angle, elevation, stream power index (SPI), curvature, topographic wetness index (TWI), lithology, rainfall, land use, stream density, and the distance to river were selected for flood modelling. The validity of the models was assessed using statistical error-indices, statistical tests, and the area under the curve of success. The results confirmed the goodness of fit and appropriate prediction accuracy of the two ensemble models. (Abstract)
Introduction |


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Do you ever wonder how it is that your children seem most easily to inherit your worst features? Perhaps they missed the big ears or wide nose, but sure as shoot-dang, if you've got a hummer of a bad temper, they'll get it in spades. I am thinking that perhaps my husband and I should have remained childless. Oh, we make cute babies, that's not the problem. It's just that they have some serious deficiencies, namely in the "Can't Find Anything" department. I really think genetic testing should be available for this sort of thing.
Let me start off by explaining that this is an affliction shared by all three of my children, although the oldest two exhibit it with the most frequency and the with the most extreme characteristics. Seriously, my oldest two couldn't find their way out of a paper sack, even with a map and a trail of Hershey's Kisses.
For you non-believers, doubting that one family could face such a rate of affliction, let me be clear: I am not making this up. This is obviously some genetic issue that when my chromosomes mixed with my husband's, we created children who look outwardly normal, but simply are not. I can see that some elaboration is needed.
On any given day, a version of the following conversation can be heard in my home.
"Mom, where's my shoes?"
"Did you look in the shoe pockets where you are supposed to put them?"
"Yeah, they're not there."
"Okay, did you look by the front door, or by the couch?"
At this point, it is important to visualize what this process looks like. When I ask the child to look by the front door, he or she will look at the ceiling. 'Cause you know, a person's shoes are often on the ceiling. If I correct that behavior with a "No, on the floor!" then he/she will look on the stairs, or out the window. "The floor!"
"Oh, nope. My shoes aren't there."
This process continues until I finally just give up and go pick up the damn pair of shoes from the floor behind the child and hand them to the child.
What brings this to mind, you ask?
So last night I say to my family as we are finishing dinner, "Hey, what's that blinking light on the floor in my bedroom? It's right by the bed. Amelia, would you go get that and bring it here, please?"
Amelia goes into my room and picks up my shoe from next to my dresser. "It's just your shoe Mom." (The shoe in question was a flip-flop, black in color.)
"No, that flashing red light over by the end of the bed. What is that?"
Picking up a shirt from the laundry pile, "Is this it?"
By this point, my husband went in, picked up the Halloween decoration lying 2 feet from her toes and shows it to her.
"Oh. That."
This happens nearly every day at my house. Am I the only one? I cannot believe no one warned me of what to look for in all those parenting books I read.
*I should note that most likely, my husband carries a dominant gene for CFA. This morning he was looking for some of the packaging to an item he needed to return. I told him that I thought it may be downstairs next to where he was testing the device. When he came upstairs empty-handed, I sent him back again to a specific spot and here he comes with it in his hand. My only hope is that perhaps the youngest has been spared, but it isn't looking too terribly promising after the search for his toothbrush this morning. Who would actually think to look in the drawer with all the other tooth brushes?


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Los Angeles Startups - Most Connected Tech Companies
The most networked companies in Los Angeles, California and surrounding area. A ranking of the top startups and technology companies in Los Angeles based on how many business relationships their employees have and how strong those relationships are.
Never miss news on these companies! Never miss an update. Join Nudge.ai. Join Nudge.ai to get daily email updates on these companies, see your network's relationships at these companies and get warm intros. Get Started
Los Angeles Startups - Most Connected Tech Companies
The most networked companies in Los Angeles, California and surrounding area. A ranking of the top startups and technology companies in Los Angeles based on how many business relationships their employees have and how strong those relationships are.
eBay Inc. eBay is one of the world's largest online marketplaces, connecting people with the things they need and love virtually anytime, anywhere. eBay has 149 million active users globally and more than 700 million live individual and merchant listings at any given time, the majority of which is new and fixed-price merchandise. With mobile apps available in 190 countries, eBay delivers a personalized shopping experience and seamless access to inventory from down the street and around the world. Tailored shopping experiences, including eBay Fashion and eBay Motors, customize buying and selling; and eBay provides variety and choice for sellers by enabling them to offer goods through online, mobile and local channels to consumers around the world.
TaskUs TaskUs provides outsourcing services to over 100 of the world's most innovative Internet companies, allowing them to focus on product and technology. Through its unique hands-on approach, TaskUs is a significant competitive advantage for its clients, helping them scale while preserving their company culture and brand. Founded in 2008, TaskUs employs over 3,000 people internationally, including operations consultants at its headquarters in Santa Monica, Calif. and teammates in the Philippines. In 2013, Inc. Magazine recognized TaskUs as one of the 500 fastest-growing companies in America.
Celgene Corporation Celgene is a multinational biopharmaceutical company committed to delivering truly innovative and life-changing therapies to improve the lives of patients worldwide. We are focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of products for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases through gene and protein regulation. Our talent, scientific knowledge and research capabilities help us to deliver access to innovative, disease-altering therapies to those who need them most. Celgene puts patients first with industry-leading programs that provide information, support and access to our innovative therapies. Celgene Responsibility, which includes patient & communities, safety, governance, global health and environment, defines who we are and ensures that we continue to provide and to maximize opportunities for our patients, our partners, our employees and our planet. We are headquartered in Summit, New Jersey with over 6,600 employees located in more than 50 countries
ZipRecruiter ZipRecruiter connects the right people with the right jobs faster, easier, and better than anyone else.Companies of all sizes have used ZipRecruiter to find the best talent in their industry. Unlike other job sites, only ZipRecruiter posts jobs to 100+ job boards and utilizes proprietary matching technology to quickly deliver the most qualified candidates.
Red Bull Red Bull Energy Drink has been developed for people who want to have a clear and focused mind, perform physically, are dynamic and performance-oriented whilst also balancing this with a fun and active lifestyle. In short, Red Bull gives wings to people who want to be mentally and physically active and have a zest for life.
Accruent Accruent helps real estate and facilities leaders deliver long-term, world-class operational and financial performance through industry-specific suites that deliver greater customer value. Accruent's solutions are at work in more than 4,500 leading organizations worldwide, including 40 percent of the top 100 retailers, 20 percent of the Fortune 500, 45 percent of the leading universities, all of the top 4 U.S. wireless carriers, 40 percent of U.S. hospitals, and leading service providers managing more than 4 billion square feet of property. Founded in 1995, Accruent is headquartered in Austin with U.S. offices in Santa Monica, Evanston, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Boston. Outside of the U.S., Accruent has offices in Vancouver, BC; Burnaby, BC; Calgary, AB; Vaughan, ON; Reading, UK and Hong Kong. For more information, visit www.accruent.com.
ReachLocal At ReachLocal (NASDAQ: RLOC), our mission is help local businesses around the world get more customers. We offer a total digital marketing system for local businesses, comprised of web presence solutions and digital advertising solutions. All our solutions feed into our ReachEdge™ lead conversion software, which helps local businesses seamlessly convert leads into customers and gain a deeper understanding of their online marketing ROI.. Through our global technology platform, a decade's worth of marketing insights, and our team of digital marketing experts, we help local businesses get more out of their marketing. ReachLocal is headquartered in Woodland Hills, CA, with offices in four regions: Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America.
Rubicon Project iSocket is a technology platform purpose-built to simplify the buying and selling of fixed price, premium, reserved inventory. iSocket For Publishers (iFP) sales automation and programmatic direct tools allow top publisher sales teams to focus on relationships and strategy, while iSocket For Advertisers (iFA) makes it easier for agencies, brands, and buying and planning platforms to execute orders of well-defined, guaranteed inventory directly with top publishers. Through automation, iSocket is able to eliminate many of the errors and overhead costs that plague the manual media sales process.
AdColony AdColony is a mobile video advertising company whose proprietary Instant-Play™ technology serves razor sharp, full-screen video ads instantly in HD across its network of iOS and Android apps, eliminating the biggest pain points in mobile video advertising: long load times and grainy, choppy video. As a leading mobile video advertising and monetization platform, AdColony works with both Fortune 500 brands and more than half of the top grossing publishers in the App Store. The company's reach, targeting and optimization tools and services provide advertisers with a superior way to engage mobile audiences at scale. AdColony's app developer tools and services provide publishing partners with ways to maximize monetization while gaining insight needed to continuously optimize content and advertising offerings. AdColony is a division of Opera Mediaworks and has offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New York and London. AdColony was listed in the 2013 and 2014 Inc. 500 Fastest
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Brandify Brandify is an industry-leading provider of location-based digital marketing solutions providing brands with a better understanding of their connection to their customers. Established in 1997, Brandify (formerly known as Where2GetIt) continues to power more than 500 brands, serving more than 4.5 million brick and mortar locations and reaching millions of consumers around the world . CEO Manish Patel has led Brandify in developing local marketing solutions that include the Brand Score metric, scalable local SEO, local advertising, mobile-local technologies and local-social marketing tools. Brandify specializes in developing, customizing and integrating marketing solutions that will be of value on a local level for enterprise brands. Brandify serves brands across various verticals that will would benefit from geo-targeted and hyper local marketing.
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Bottlenose Bottlenose Nerve Center spots real-time trends, tracks interests, measures conversations, analyzes keywords and identifies influencers. Bottlenose builds a real-time cognitive map of every topic, much like the human brain. It then uses sophisticated techniques for selecting and surfacing "trends with shove" from time-series data. We call this Trendfluence, allowing you to identify, anticipate and instigate trends that drive your business. We take a "bigger big data" approach. We measure tens of billions of signals continuously in real-time, so that if anything new emerges in your airspace, we will automatically detect it, track it, and alert you if it matters. We discover the emerging "unknowns" that cannot be anticipated in other tools. We are the only product that measures broadcast TV, radio, and the major social networks (Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, etc.) in real-time, in one dashboard. We also have the ability to bring in enterprise data (e.g., analytics, sales or stock price) and
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text:
Why Invest in Africa?
December 30, 2010
Jambo from Nairobi Kenya!
I'm so energized. I've been in East Africa for the past three days visiting tech entrepreneurs and tech investors.
While I spend about 95% of my working energy focusing on building iContact into a high-growth purpose-driven business, I like to take a couple weeks each year to travel and explore what's going on with tech companies in other parts of the world.
This week I'm in Uganda and Kenya to find investment opportunities for the Humanity Fund, a personal investment fund I have for investing in African and American tech companies.
Why Invest in Africa?
There is so much economic opportunity in Africa, support for IT investment, and entrepreneurial energy. There's an opportunity to make a lot of money investing in great companies while creating lots of jobs and doing a lot of good at the same time.
Africa is the least developed continent in the world. There are 1.03 billion people in Africa. Of this 1 billion (source) 65% of Africans live on under $2 per day (source) and 59% of African households do not have electricity (source), and the number increases to 69% if you only look at Sub-Saharan Africa.
But Africa is no longer about famine, poverty, and war. That was the Africa of the 20th century. The 21st century Africa is about opportunity, technology, and entrepreneurship.
You may read about Sudan, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Eastern Congo, and the Ivory Coast in the New York Times and hear about these countries on the nightly news. But these are only five of the 54 countries in Africa.
The real, untold, narrative of Africa is what's happening in the other 49 countries. Tremendous economic growth, investment, and rapidly rising living standards. What happened in South East Asia from 1950-2000 (rapid growth and poverty reduction) is now happening in Africa from 2000-2050. Most of the world just hasn't realized it yet.
Why Invest in East Africa?
Here in East Africa (Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania) the GDP has grown at an average annual rate of 7.6% the last four years compared to just 0.5% for the USA. Africa will be the economic lion of the 21st century as McKinsey proclaimed in their July Report, "Lions on the Move: The Progress and Potential of African Economies."
Take a look at these average annual GDP growth rates for 2006-2009 from the World Bank Development Indicators GDP database.
- Uganda: 8.75%
- Rwanda: 7.925%
- Kenya: 4.375%
- Ethiopia: 10.45%
- Tanzania: 6.675%
Uganda was the first country I came to in Africa back in 2008 and so I decided to start investing here in East Africa and expand later. I hope someday to run a fund making investments in high-growth socially responsible companies all over the developing world.
Investing As a Way of Making a Positive Impact
This is my third time in East Africa. When I came for the first time in 2008, I held the view that the way to best make positive change was to give money away to NGOs and non-profits.
I come now with the perspective that it takes all three sectors of society (government, non-profits, and for-profits) working effectively to create sustainable economic growth and that the private sector has a huge power to make positive change in the world.
The best way I believe I can contribute to positive change is to help high-growth companies that are creating jobs expand and create more jobs. At the end of the day, the cause of poverty is a lack of jobs and productive capital. Low education, low health care, and low nutrition are the symptoms of poverty, not the causes. If you increase someone's income they can afford better education, health care, and food for their family.
So now, I believe the best way I can use my experience and resources to make an impact in reducing extreme poverty is to invest in high-growth companies that are creating jobs in developing world.
What I'm best at is figuring out how to grow technology and internet companies. Over the next two years I hope to invest in about ten more privately owned high growth African tech companies as part of dipping my feet into the water and beginning to create a model for eventually building a private equity fund some years down the road.
I hope to be able to eventually show that it is very possible to build a microequity investment firm that gets above market returns investing in high growth socially responsible companies in the developing world.
The field of impact investing is developing rapidly and I'm glad to slowly be learning about it. To learn more check out this Impact Investing Primer from the Rockefeller Foundation and this one from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
Existing VC Funds in Africa
In my time here and in talking to people at the Skoll World Forum in April I've come across the following funds that are actively making venture capital investments in tech companies in Africa.
- InReturn Capital
- BusinessPartners Kenya
- TBL Mirror Fund
- eVA Fund
- Flow Equity
- FirstLight Ventures
- Humanity Fund
- Fanisi
- Grassroots Business Fund (non-profit fund)
- Acumen Fund (non-profit fund)
- RootCapital (non-profit fund)
A more extensive list can be found on the African Venture Capital Association (AVCA) web site. Other resources include the VC4Africa and BiD Network
How You Can Invest in Africa
If you want to invest in private African companies, then you could contact the above VC funds and express interest in investing as a limited partner in their next fund. They will likely require you to be an accredited investor and be able to invest $100,000 and up. You can also find private companies yourself and invest in them directly or join an angel network that invests in African start-ups like Toniic.
If you want to dip your toes into the water of investing in African companies without putting tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars at risk, you can invest directly into publicly traded African companies. There are even Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) that allow you to get index-fund like exposure to African markets. You can invest as little as $75 in these funds through your broker or your TD Ameritrade, E*Trade, or Scottrade account and participate in the growth of the African economy.
You may want to check out:
- AFK – The Market Vectors Africa Index ETF seeks to replicate the performance of the Dow Jones Africa Titans 50 Index. The fund represents a broad range of sectors and African countries, including exposure to some less traditional, frontier markets. Up 23% in 2010.
- GAF – SPDR S&P Emerging Middle East & Africa ETF. Seeks to closely match the returns and characteristics of the total return performance of the S&P/Citigroup BMI Middle East & Africa Index. Up 22% in 2010.
- EZA – South African ETF, up 29% in 2010.
You can also call your broker and ask them to invest directly in publicly listed firms on the Ugandan Securities Exchange or the Nairobi Stock Exchange.
For proper disclosure, as of this writing I do not own any of these ETFs but might in the future. I am definitely not a qualified securities advisor in any way and past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance.
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this post! Please share and comment.
Next, I'll be posting about the entrepreneurs I've met in my first three days here in Africa…
- Ryan, Nairobi, 30.12.10
Investigating Gender Inequality in Tanzania
July 1, 2009
A Post by Guest Writer Jess Shorland
I have just returned from visiting Tanzania. I was there from July 5th through July 12th. On this, my second trip to Karagwe, Tanzania, I had only one week to learn as much as I possibly could about local conflict – the reasons behind it, who was often involved, and possible solutions.
Thanks mostly to Juma Masisi, Director of WOMEDA (the Women's Emancipation and Development Agency), I managed to talk with over thirty women, all of whom shared their amazing stories with me. The women's experiences all demonstrated the seemingly archaic gender gap that remains not only in the town of Karagwe, but in many villages across the globe.
So I began my work to speak with these women connected to WOMEDA in this small rural village in Tanzania.
In front of a clay brick house, kneeling on mats woven by the calloused hands of the women sitting opposite me, I began with my own story of how my rights had been violated when I was 17 years old.
I had hopes that being open and candid with the women would bridge some of the cultural gaps and language barriers that I thought could prevent the comfort that fosters honesty. With repetitive "Poles" (which means sorry in Swahili) as Juma translated, the women grew more serious. After I explained my experiences and how they influenced my interest in gender inequality, I asked them if they would share their stories with me. One by one, the women elaborated on their struggles.
The Women's Stories
Zainabu, 28, has a family of eight children, three wives and one husband. When she married her husband, she had no idea that he would eventually take two other wives, and that one of those wives would live with them in the house that she built. "I thought he would at least ask me, or even tell me, but it was very abrupt," she said. She explained expressionlessly that she still loves him, but would have never married him had she known that this was his intention.
She finds it painful and difficult to share her husband and no longer wishes to have sex with him. But if she refuses, she faces a high risk of being beaten or kicked out of her house. And she fears leaving him because her husband will keep her children, who are a source of labor and potential income (especially female children because of the dowry system still in place). Looking down at her clasped hands, she said that she could never bear to leave her children.
What she did not know is that under Tanzanian law, children younger than seven are usually left in the mother's custody, and children older than seven are given the right to make the decision themselves. Because of the lack of information and awareness of these laws, Zainabu thought that she had no other options. For her, it was either deal with it or leave her children. She also has the right to legally object to the second wife staying in her house and could take action to secure her property rights. She made eye contact with Juma as he explained, and inquired further of how she could do this.
Zainabu is but one example of a woman who feels badly about her relationship and the way she is treated, but who does not know that there are legal institutions that can emancipate her from these human rights violations.
The cognitive dissonance created by the feeling that what's happening to her is wrong and believing that she has no other options creates an internal conflict with which she continuously struggles.
But herein arises another obstacle: in order to take legal action, you have to first get to the court. And you have to have enough funds to carry on with the proceedings.
Take, for instance, the case of a young woman who was raped in the village of Kjungangoma, Tanzania. It is about 30 kilometers from the nearest court.
This woman moved to Bukoba (bordering Lake Victoria) for her own safety. An elder woman in the village decided to seek justice and attempted to continue with legal proceedings. Transportation to town and back by taxi costs about 5,000 Tanzanian shillings, or about $2.00 USD. So the elderhad to walk the 30 kilometers to the court.
The Tanzanian government is supposed to pay these transportation expenses, as well as lawyer fees and court costs. Unfortunately, by the time paperwork is shuffled around, reimbursement is often pushed aside. So, unless a Tanzanian can afford the upfront costs of taking a case to court, both in time and money, he or she is still left without the proper means to seek justice.
This issue now leads me to the story of Methodia, a woman who was born at the time of World War I (she is about 90 years old now). When her only son passed away, she took in his many children. Later, her grandsons soon chased her out of her own house to take over her farm. She went to the magistrate to file a legal complaint, but her grandchildren had already bribed him. He told her there was nothing he could do.
Methodia now lives with her granddaughter, although this is culturally considered shameful. She wants to continue fighting for what is rightfully hers, but fears that if she reclaims the house, her grandsons will kill her in just a matter of months. In broken Swahili while looking down at her feet, she quietly said, "I may be old, but I still matter."
This issue of corruption runs rampant in many developing countries, but especially in places where the legal system is not closely monitored. Marginalized women seeking their legal rights face an enormous risk of being stopped in their tracks by this very obstacle. The legal process cannot work in places wheremoney becomes more important than justice because basic human needs are not met
Abusing women's property rights has been a major issue in many of the cases I heard. There is Gertrude, whose husband sold their profitable farm and house to be with another woman, leaving her with literally nothing. And there is Benidette, whose husband left her and took the doors, windows and tin roofing with him. Or how about Zamda, Pascazia and Zainabu who are forced to live with their husbands' other wives in the homes that they built.
If property rights can be restored and protected, marginalized people will have a sense of ownership and space to better build their economic opportunities. The importance of property rights in terms of conflict resolution and development cannot be stressed enough.
I wanted to get to more sensitive topics with these women. I felt uneasy at first. I knew I had to just dive in and hope that they would share their very private lives with me.
One of the most powerful and insightful moments during my trip happened at the end of a discussion with 25 women. I asked them, "How many of you have sex with your husband?" As Juma translated, the women were obviously caught off guard. I asked again. This time, seven women raised their hands.
"How many of you don't have sex?" – Only three hands raised, with a little laughter in the background.
"How many of you want and enjoy having sex?"
Silence fell upon that room, the only sound coming from the tarp that covered it. All the women were quiet, and every hand was down.
The explanations that followed told of husbands coming home drunk and abruptly climbing on top of their wives, forcing them to have sex. Another explained that she felt badly to share her husband with one, two and even three other wives–or any number of unidentified mistresses for that matter. Marital rape was obviously present. Women feared that if they tried to stop their husbands, they would be kicked out or beaten.
The Youth's Stories
I looked to the youth next, hoping for a new informed generation that could show a ray of hope for the future of human rights. I spoke with two groups of secondary school students, ranging in age from 15-22 years. At Ruminyika Secondary, about fifty students began talking with me, and after some time of asking clichéd, obvious questions, they began to reveal their own curiosities. Their questions were inquisitive, touched with a brutal honesty that only increased my respect and appreciation for them.
The discussion was intense as we talked about everything from birth control pills to female genital mutilation to relationship advice. I turned the conversation toward gender roles and asked if the boys ever hit their girlfriends. The boys all laughed and gave each other high fives. A spokesman for the boys explained that it was a common practice to "show her that you love her," especially if she shows interest in another man. "You have to keep your girl, so you hit her," the boy said. The girls remained silent, which made understanding their emotions difficult. I could only sit in awe of what I was hearing from such young boys. It was a reminder that children imitate their surroundings, and that many of these teenagers were preparing to lead the same life as previous generations, breeding more of the same gender inequalities. At that moment, I felt helpless–that there was nothing I could do.
Juma and I explained to the group that under Tanzanian law, it is illegal to physically harm someone. Then, a boy shared a disturbing story of rape. He told of his experience of "almost rape" – stopped only by an unexpected car horn that gave the girl time to get away. "I know it is illegal, but I wanted to do it for the sake of doing it. I wanted to accomplish my mission," he said, almost proudly. Laughter roared from the crowd of about 100 students accompanied by my complete and utter bewilderment. Can universal human rights actually exist in a world of such cycles of violence?
The Future Potential
In the midst of these horrifying abuses of human rights that taint the youth, I found cases that reaffirmed my hope for inherent justice for the equality of all human lives. Take the example of Julianna. After her husband died in 1989 she started her own business, put all four of her children through school and now has her own house and small farm. She has no doubt faced many hardships. She is still not able to access all the opportunities she deserves, but proudly she stated, "No one can mess with my rights now."
And then there is Godsen, who after my discussion at a secondary school, stood up in front of his classmates and sang a poem he had written about eliminating HIV and AIDS. When his classmates stood up and threw their hands in the air filling the half-finished hall with praising cheer, I remembered that these inequalities in basic human rights are not inevitable. These inequalities have been created by man and can be eliminated by man. Progress is no doubt being made, but much more change is needed.
As Juma and I drove away from the secondary schools on my last day in Karagwe, I noticed a beautiful river at the bottom of a lush valley, overshadowed only by steep hills. I commented to Juma how breathtaking the scenery was, to which he replied, "That is the river that borders Rwanda. In 1994, thousands of Rwandan bodies floated down that river."
And so, in a new age of globalization, a society teeters between vestiges of past ideals and practices and the crest of social and economic development. Karagwe is filled with amazing people doing amazing things and the amount of opportunity to innovate in the face of crisis seems unlimited. At the same time, the information and social gender gap in this region breeds local conflicts that can, if no action is taken, quickly escalate to a national and even international scale. We must bridge that bloody river, for it is much too easy and foreseeable to resort to violence if economic development, access to information and legal resources are not invested in. We cannot afford to forget that above all, we are one human race, and when working together toward a shared goal, our capabilities are immeasurable.
About The Author:
Jess is a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill, studying Peace, War & Defense. She is the founder and Executive Director of Uncharted Magazine and the creator of Poor Student No More, where she blogs about her journey to get out of student debt.


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Beer in Review 2014: Matt "Handtruck" Thrall of Avery Brewing
As 2014 comes to a close, we're once again asking leading figures on the Colorado beer scene to reflect on the past year and look ahead to next. This next installment in our 4th annual Beer In Review comes from Matt "Handtruck" Thrall, head brewer at Avery Brewing. One of the state's longstanding go-to breweries, Boulder-based Avery stages some of the best beer festivals around, runs an outstanding barrel-aging program and is preparing for a big 2015 with the long-awaited opening of a new, $27 million brewery and restaurant. On to Matt's choices …
Favorite beer of the year: Avery Brewing's Opuntia, our tequila barrel aged sour with prickly pear. Not only is it my favorite beer of the year, but easily on the Top 10 list of my lifetime. Outside of Avery, I'll have to go with Toppling Goliath's psuedoSue Pale Ale. I'm a huge fan of single hop beers and this beer delivers the full range of aromas and flavors from Citra hops.
Colorado brewery of the year: New Belgium Brewing, for helping us through the year while we built a new brewery and add some much needed capacity. It might seem counter intuitive for competing businesses, but craft brewers help out other craft brewers!
New Colorado brewery of the year: David Lin kindly hosted the joint MBAA/ASBC meeting at his Comrade Brewing and I was blown away by his new brewery. Not only was there a great selection to fit all of my many moods, but each beer tasted great as well.
Colorado brewery to watch in 2015: I think the boys down at Cannonball Creek Brewing are tearing it up. Everything I've sampled from Brian and Jason has left me wanting another sample and those samples lead to more samples which lead to …
Most notable craft beer news or trend of 2014: Once a style relegated to only the nerdiest of beer nerds, sours are now part of the average beer drinker's vernacular. Recognizing this growth in the industry, more brewers are researching sour beer production methods and I expect to see some great sours emerging in the next few years.
Craft beer trend to watch for in 2015: Unfortunately I think the trend we are going to see in the upcoming year are the big brewers buying craft breweries. While craft beer doesn't even enjoy 10 percent of the market share, it's become apparent we are now here to stay and the big boys are noticing and want in on the fun, too. Basically, know what you are drinking and know who made it; please support American owned and operated craft brewers!
Previous installments in this year's series:
Troy Casey of Casey Brewing and Blending
Lauren Salazar of New Belgium Brewing
Brett "Brettman" Williams of Dry Dock Brewing
Chad Yakobson of Crooked Stave
Adam Draeger of Colorado Plus and Yak and Yeti
Jules Bouchard of Euclid Hall
Justin Baccary of Station 26 Brewing
Drew and Leah Watson of Hops and Pie
Zac Woodard of Lucky Pie


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Miso-Marinated Flank Steak
This easy marinated steak recipe uses Japanese miso, which is made from soy, barley and rice, and has a strong, savory umami taste. Miso is best known for its use in miso soup, but miso is amazing in meat marinades like this Asian steak marinade because it produces rich flavors in the meat. Look for sake (Japanese rice wine) where other wines are sold. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2014
Combine sake, mirin, soy sauce, ginger and sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and whisk in miso until fully dissolved. Let cool.Advertisement
Place steak in a gallon-size sealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Turn the bag several times to coat the steak. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day, turning the bag a few times, if possible, to redistribute the marinade.
Remove the steak from the marinade (discard marinade) and let it stand on a plate at room temperature for 40 minutes.
Position oven rack about 3 inches from the heat source; preheat broiler to high. (Or preheat a grill to medium-high.)
Pat the steak dry and brush with oil. Place on a broiler pan (or directly on the grill rack) and cook, flipping once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 125 degrees to 130 degrees F for medium-rare, 3 to 6 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Transfer the steak to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. To serve, cut diagonally across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Make Ahead Tip: Marinate the steak in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Mirin is a sweet, low-alcohol rice wine essential in Japanese cooking. Look for it in your supermarket with the Asian or gourmet ingredients. It will keep for several months in the refrigerator. An equal portion of sherry or white wine with a pinch of sugar can be used as a substitute.
People with celiac disease or gluten-sensitivity should use soy sauces that are labeled "gluten-free," as soy sauce may contain wheat or other gluten-containing sweeteners and flavors.
Nutrition Facts
4 lean meat, 1/2 fat


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Please just one post per day or it fills up members email boxes Thanks :)
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Summit County Common Pleas bench is all women for what could be the first time in history after Tuesday night's election.
Judge Tammy O'Brien has served for eight years in the county, and said the gender makeup is putting Akron on the map.
"We have been fortunate that both parties have recognized that females are electable, and in judgeships are inherently fair," she said. "It really is an anomaly in the state of Ohio."
Having the panel of 10 women judges on the common pleas bench means women will take just over 70 percent of the elected judicial seats.
As for the private sector, the representation is not always the same from O'Brien's eyes.
"As far as CEO's and things like that, we are underrepresented. Females are underrepresented, and certainly in the practice of law," O'Brien said.
To address that, there will be a women's leadership summit on Friday, "Flux: a movement for change," at the John S. Knight Center, 77 East Mill St. in downtown Akron. It goes from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
The purpose is to bring women and men together in a safe environment for education and conversation, coming up with ways to create equitable workplaces in Northeast Ohio.
Tickets are $149 for members, $199 for nonmembers.


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I am a multi-talented creator. I write/perform poetry, an actress, play/songwriter, crochet artist, event host and planner to name a few. I enjoy creating and providing spaces to network and connect local artists and business with the community.
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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — We're counting down the hours left in 2017.
Are you throwing a New Year's Eve bash? If so, are you still not sure what to feed your guests?
Fear not! Chef Mark Bailey stopped by with some party ideas to help you count down to midnight in style.
Here's the rundown of what Chef Mark made:
Coquito (Spiked Puerto Rican Egg Nog)
1-2 cups white rum
14-ounce can condensed milk
12-ounce can evaporated milk
15-ounce can cream of coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Mix all ingredients in a blender for approximately 45 seconds. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.
Shake, and serve chilled.
Feta-Avocado Toast Crostini with Bacon
1 load French or baguette bread, sliced
10-12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 Haas avocado, mashed
feta cheese, crumbled
fresh basil, chopped (optional)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brush bread slices with olive oil and arrange on baking sheet face up. Lightly toast for 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven.
Spread each slice with avocado. Season with salt and pepper. Top with crumbled cheese and bacon. Garnish with basil and serve.
Jerk Edamame
1 lb. frozen edamame
1 tsp Jamaican Jerk seasoning
2 sliced garlic cloves
1 tbsp coconut oil
Cook 1 pound frozen edamame in the pods in salted boiling water until tender, 5 minutes; drain.
Heat about 1 tablespoon coconut oil and garlic cloves in a skillet over medium heat until it just begins to smoke. Stir in edamame and jerk seasoning and toss lightly for about
1-2 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve warm.
Spicy Chicken and Pepper Jack Pizza
1 Tbsp. canola or olive oil
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
3 cups diced fresh red, yellow and/or green bell peppers
1 (13.8 oz.) tube refrigerated pizza dough
1/2 cup salsa
2 cups Pepper Jack Cheese
Chopped cilantro or dried oregano (optional)
1 ½ cups cooked and shredded chicken
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add bell peppers; sauté 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Meanwhile, unroll pizza dough onto a 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray; press dough evenly to all edges of pan. Bake in preheated 425°F 8 minutes. 3. Stir salsa into cooked vegetables; spread over partially baked crust. Top with chicken and cheese.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown. Cut into squares; garnish with cilantro or oregano if desired.
Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Meatballs
2 pounds lean ground beef
1.2 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup dry minced onion
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Sauce
1 14 oz. can whole cranberry sauce
1/4 cup quality hoisin sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Place a baking rack on top of a baking sheet. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients, mix until well combined. Roll meat mixture into desired meatball size. Place meatballs onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Meanwhile, add all of the Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Sauce ingredients starting with just 2 teaspoons hot sauce to a bowl and mix to combine. You can add more hot sauce to taste at the end of cooking.
Line the bottom of your slow cooker with meatballs, then a layer of Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Sauce, then the remaining meatballs followed by the remaining. Sauce. Gently stir meatballs an hour after cooking.
Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours. Taste and stir in additional hot sauce. Keep warm until serving.
Italian Bruschetta Bar with Warm Lemon-Rosemary Olives
Crusty bread loaf, cubed
Herb cheese
sweet onion, thinly sliced
Artichoke hearts
Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Olive tapenade
Warm Lemon-Rosemary Olives
3 cups mixed olives
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 tsp dried crushed red pepper
1 tsp lemon zest
1 teaspoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 400°. Place first 4 ingredients on a large piece of aluminum foil; drizzle with oil. Fold foil over olive mixture, and pinch edges to seal.
Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. Serve warm. Garnish with rosemary sprig and lemon rind, if desired.


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Join our community for tasty recipe ideas, handy hints, seasonal fun facts and more.
Wonderfully soft, smooth and moist with an additional crunchy topping, this strawberry almond streusel cake makes the perfect pair with a cup of tea!
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease the base and sides of a 20cm round cake pan with oil and line with baking paper.
To prepare the streusel topping, using an electric mixer cream the butter, coconut sugar and cinnamon together in a medium bowl, until pale and creamy. Add the flour and pecans and stir to combine. Shape into a log and wrap in baking paper, twisting the ends to secure. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until firm.
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, coconut sugar and vanilla together in a medium bowl, until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. In a separate bowl whisk the flour, almond meal and baking powder together. Gradually add the flour mixture and milk to the creamed butter, beating to combine. Add 250g of the sliced strawberries and stir to combine. Spoon and spread the batter into the prepared pan, making a smooth surface. Scatter with the remaining strawberries. Coarsely grate the prepared streusel topping over top.
Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre. Leave in the pan for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
Turn out onto a wire rack. Remove the baking paper and leave to cool completely.
Slice to serve.
125g unsalted butter, softened
3/ 4 cup (110g) coconut sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/ 4 cups (185g) plain flour
3/ 4 cup (75g) almond meal
1 1/ 2 teaspoons baking powder
1/ 3 cup (80ml) milk
2 punnets (500g) Driscoll's strawberries, hulled & thickly sliced
Streusel topping
50g unsalted butter, softened
1/ 4 cup (35g) coconut sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/ 4 cup (35g) plain flour
1/ 2 cup (70g) pecans, finely chopped


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We're gearing up for one of the most fun annual events around town - Chamberville! This event is exclusive to our chamber members. Not a member yet but still want to participate? Don't fret! Join the chamber and join in on the fun!
The public is also invited to play casino games, including poker, black jack, roulette, craps and even slot machines! Peruse local vendor booths and have fun interacting for neat giveaways. In addition, restaurant vendors will be in attendence passing out food samples.
Admission is free to the public, and there's no cost to play! Mark your calendars for Chamberville!


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My HDI (higher dimensional reality) radar has been switched to RECEIVE of late, and today it's been louder then ever.
I often think about "channelled" or intuitive information & knowledge, knowing that its totally filtered through the human plans of consciousness into words, so what I'm writing is all that, my take on the information that I "hear"- that pre-consciousness that has no form
(wow imagine getting back to that...... hummmm well yeah but that's for another post) :)
Today my intention is to pass forward my interpretation of the energies at present.
Unless you are hiding under the Duvet and ignoring this Mercury retrograde, you are probably well aware of the state of the world this week.
We love a Mercury Retrograde to allow us to gather a new vantage point from some learning(s) we may not have quite understood, and that's small fry amongst the zillions of other levels it entails....BUT.....
I'm no Astrologer and really have a very basic understanding, again my knowing is that, totally mine. I just like to pass it forward , like Chinese whispers, I hope the knowing I receive, changes as it hits another human filter and so on.......and so forth
Having a "knowing" of planetary "stuff" for me is again just that, a feeling place, like those dreams you wake up from and remember, and years later you still have that same feeling when you think of it.....
Anyways, what I'm attempting to get at here, is there is a multitude of planetary alignments and un-alignments happening atm, a good blog to check is Allison Rae for more info.
SO know we have enlisted the planets, I can Begin......
Pachamama movement
Solar Flares
Electromagnetic storms
London Burning
US stock Market downturn....
and that's just some of the "reality" stuff.......
I know its not just me, but being a "Sensitive" can be one hell of a ride, and after an 18 month hiatus in a death throw being a little unconscious in this process, now present once again, I can feel these global scales of transformation in my body, and at the same time, see my own story presenting itself, asking to be unraveled and unwound and licked clean, even and most often, the stories I thought where long forgotten.
Here's the thing - There's some major Chakra action right there.
Fire gives way to more fire, it's been stocked for a few millennium now and it's not about to stop burning......
I have been hit for six with a chest infection, helloooooo lungs, sorry..... what grief?
oh yes,
good GRIEF!
I'm letting go, what a lot of BS I'm always letting go,
or am I?
clearly not!
Ok.... So what about communication? ( ha! I've got nothing to say on that subject)
my throat chakra is saying.... is...... saying, ummmmm......I'm NOT actually listening....
Here's the thing - its trying to speak inward anyway, so to hear it ( I get it)
I'm ... moving back into T-R-U-S-T
What are we saying on a collective level people! fire fights fire?
friction creates a flame, now that energy created by friction (or in this case anger & hate) isn't a bad thing, if it can be transmuted into love from fear, as our anger is a manifestation of undiluted fear.
This old chakra system, has something to say, well mine does, Earth's does...
I have established that the Physical manifestation with MY chest infection and throat, is through the throat chakra, its got to anchor somewhere right......
I also know that the emotional manifestations is happening right there, in the Base chakra along with a lot of humanity, we are releasing old pattens, of fear, death, money, systems, security, stability, sexuality.....I know what you are thinking......
buttttttt I thought we had already
D O N E that...
Yes and No.
OK here's what I know.
Because we have changed, we are in higher frequency, our cells can absorb light quicker and faster......
what about if we use the old system (chakras) to understand this story, shed some light on it
(excuse the pun) feel it out in the body, physically, mentally and emotionally..... Move the energy down to the feet and (there's that annoying spiritual term again) "allow the letting go"
and then use our "newly awoken" chakras to R-E-L-E-A-S-E through the soul star.
So there's letting go and then there's another level, that of Release...
The letting go shifts Mind, body, emotion (move your body, free your mind!)
The Release calls into play the Soul.... and man does that thing hold some Wisdom & Grace!
Oh and....Don't forget to breathe..... everywhere!


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The Jackson County Board of Commissioners met in regular session Monday at the Jackson County Courthouse. The board discussed monthly business and reports from county offices and …
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