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Tile Installation Tips | 8 Step Guide
We are SOOO excited to be out at Junk Bonanza again this year leading 5 DIY workshops!
Two of which are talking tile, so we wanted to create a convenient post for everyone coming to the show to reference or for those that couldn't make it and share our tile installation tips with you as well.
Step One: Decide Your Layout
Before you even go get your materials for your tile installation project, figure out what design and layout you're wanting for your backsplash, shower surround, or floor. This will determine how many tiles you'll need and how you prep your space as well.
Think about the space, shapes that can play off one another with other elements within the room, color options, mixing, matching, different layouts, etc.
Subway tile is always a favorite and timeless look so we also put together a full guide on 12 Different Ways to Lay Subway Tile.
Our friends over at Mercury Mosaics also have a guide on their 6 most creative tile patterns that we use for inspiration.
Step Two: Buy Tools and Materials
Tools Needed:
- Tape Measure
- Level
- Tile Saw or Cutter
- Notched Trowel
- Rubber Grout Float
- Goggles
- Latex Gloves
- Sponge
- Tile Spacers
Materials Needed:
- Tiles
- Grout
- Flexible Caulk
- Tile Adhesive (mortar or mastic)
Download this PDF list for the tools and materials –> HERE <– and print it for your run to the store, so you don't forget a single thing!
Step Three: Prep Your Space
Even though prep is not the most fun part of the tile installation process, it's an important step. Make sure to demo all old tiles before starting on laying new ones and clear the room, so that you have a blank space to work with.
Ensure your surface is as flat as possible. If you're installing a backsplash, remove your switch plate covers, tape off cabinetry, move free-standing appliances away from walls, etc. Make sure the room is clean and get ready to get messy!
Step Four: Inspect Tile
Depending on the type of tile you're using in your space, there may be slight imperfections or barely noticeable differences in size. We like using handmade tile because of the unique and custom look, but it's always good to inspect the tile and ensure that none are broken or chipped before installing.
Step Five: Dry Layout
Before going straight to tile installation on the wall or floor, we like to do a dry layout with the tile. This step will allow you to have a smoother process as you'll make sure your measurements are right and your focal point is in the right spot.
It's also a good time to confirm the layout you're going with whether that's herringbone, subway, or something else, and have it laid out how you want before installing. Measure the backsplash area you're starting, then measure that same amount on the floor, and then tape off.
For pattern tile installation on the floor, find the center of the room where you are going to start with the focal point of the design. For a central rug-like design, measure the area to be tiled, and find the center of two opposite walls or sides.
Use these points to snap a chalk line across the length of the area, in the center of the floor, dividing the room or area in half. Then snap another chalk line perpendicular to the first, so the two lines cross in the center of the room.
Check where the lines intersect with a carpenter's square to make absolutely sure the center point has a 90-degree angled quadrant. Start by laying a tile at the intersection of the lines, and then use the lines as a guide, as you work your way outward toward the walls in each quadrant.
Step Six: Lay Mortar + Tile
Select a thin-set mortar at your local hardware shop. Make sure you have a good mixing paddle to prepare it and just follow the mixing instructions on the packaging.
Your mixture should be the consistency of cake batter. A tip to make sure that your mortar doesn't dry out too quickly, we never mix more mortar than we can get onto the wall and tile at a time.
If you're working solo, you'll probably only want to make enough for 30 minutes of work. Otherwise, it will dry, and you won't be able to spread it on the wall and the tiles won't adhere to the dry glue.
Once it's all mixed up, use the flat side of your trowel and spread your mortar onto the backer board. Then flip your trowel over and use the notched edge to make the nice little ridges.
For this particular job we used a 1/4″ x 1/4″ notched trowel. Once you have a good area covered in mortar, you can pick your tiles up from your dry run and start putting them into place with the mortar.
When getting close to the edges, we always wait to cut the tiles until we are actually setting them, to ensure accuracy, and then do a handful at a time. Because I am throwing them all up on the wall within minutes while Jamie is cutting more.
Use a tile installation pen, and mark the spots on the tile where you need the clean-cut lines.
Step Seven: Grout
Before you begin with the grout, make sure that your mortar and tile have had long enough to dry and set before grouting. We recommend at least 24 hours because if it's not set completely, you increase the chance of your tile shifting.
When you're ready to mix, follow the instructions on the back of grout packaging. Apply enough grout that you fill in all the small areas.
While using a rubber towel, make a sweeping motion over your tiles at a 45-degree angle to make sure it's completely packed in. Move along your wall and floor and make sure there aren't any air bubbles in the grouted areas.
If you're working solo, move quickly since the grout dries fast. To make the process move more quickly, work in a team of two.
One is grouting as the other is following not too far behind cleaning the grout off of the tiles. If the grout dried on the tiles, you are in trouble since it's very hard to get dried grout off of tiles.
To wipe off the grout, we have a five-gallon bucket of water and a large sponge. Use the sponge to wipe the tiles down and lightly brush over the grouted areas.
Typically, you'll want to wipe the tiles off a minimum of two to three times, followed by a dry rag to get the dried grout dust off.
Grout can be a trick thing to decide, so if you're not sure what grout color to use, we put together a guide on How to Choose the Perfect Grout Color, with the top 5 grout colors we recommend.
Step Eight: Seal
A few days after you've grouted your backsplash, it's time for the sealer. Check your grout packaging for instructions on how long to wait before sealing.
Sealing helps to protect your grout from staining and will make it easier to clean in the future. The sealer we use always has a nice little paint brush for the top of the bottle and you just simply paint all the grout lines.
Tile Installation Tips to Remember:
- Remember that preparation is 75% of a successful design and renovation job
- Always order 10% more tile than you think you need
- Lay all of the tiles out before installing them
- Have a helper cut the tiles for you
- Always make sure to use your level periodically to ensure each row is straight.
- Let the tile dry for 24 hours before grouting
Hope you enjoyed our 8 Step Guide for Tile Installation, filled with tile installation tips and a special thank you to our friends at Mercury Mosaics


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Seven Habits of Successful Gallery Owners
Ramp up your gallery business faster by offering a variety of ways for patrons to purchase. If you're finding it difficult to keep a steady flow of traffic, marketing your gallery can be as simple as adding some great techniques used by other types of businesses. Here are some success stories to get you inspired.
Is location key to marketing a gallery?
A brick and mortar gallery is fabulous, but even if you're in a trendy hot spot a great building won't necessarily help you compete for future patrons' dollars. You still need to convert curious, browsing people into customers. If your gallery is only bustling with buying activity during occasional artist's receptions, it's time to get creative. Believe it or not, people are investing in art, at all levels. At the root of all sales (art or otherwise) you must solve a problem for someone. One problem is that today's newer buyers, who may have money to purchase art, don't know much about it. The second problem is they may not have the time or easy access to go to a gallery.
Two case histories of successful galleries
Two women on the East Coast have some amazing and fun solutions for making art available to a buying public. Jessica Stafford-Davis, who owns The Agora Culture, has combined her business acumen and marketing know-how to modern day art collecting. Among other things, she is also in the business of educating future art investors (brilliant idea, by the way). Jessica created an off-site event called Art on the Vine, which offers original artwork by people of color. This amazing, outdoor fine art show uses Pareti's mobile walls to feature over 100 compelling and relatable works of art by promising artists. (you can also follow The Agora Culture on social medial platforms @theagoraculture or @artonthevinemv) The event involves new collectors, and offers a great selection for experienced collectors investors. It turns Martha's Vineyard into an art festival.
New things are happening in office atriums.
Stefania Panepinto, who owns Panepinto Galleries, is both a fine artist and gallery owner. Rather than wait for patrons, she increases the likelihood of foot traffic, and takes her mobile galleries where the people are: unused atriums and office entryways (to name two venues). These and other empty, large spaces beg for exhibits. Using Pareti Mobile Walls, Stefania transforms unique locations into pop-up art exhibitions in venues such as luxury high-rise penthouse homes, hotel retail spaces, and office and building lobbies. Past projects include exhibits at The Element Hotel by Starwood, the luxury residences at Harrison Station by Ironstate Development, the Residence Inn by Marriott Hotel in Jersey City, 3 Journal Square Plaza luxury residences, and Jersey City Medical Center.
Create a workable plan for marketing your gallery
As any artist can tell you, getting the right type of patron is no easy task. Galleries also face their own challenges when it comes to attracting buyers. Even in the most eclectic, revitalized artistic areas, galleries must compete for dollars. Just like every other retailer, galleries are competing with other tempting financial distractions. Is it enough to suggest various pieces for the purpose of good interior design? Gallery owners know experienced collectors enjoy art, but they also know should serve as a smart investment.
Ideal clients don't grow on trees, but marketing your gallery well may be simply adding a few different types of marketing methods than you're using now. That means reaching out into the community to create more visibility, displaying artwork that appeals to a larger type of buyers, and putting yourself (or your gallery) out there – literally. That means courting new collectors as well as seasoned ones. There are more people who have never invested in art than there are seasoned buyers, so if you look at the market that way, there's a huge underserved market to reach. Here are some ideas to help you groom new buyers into becoming your ideal customer.
7 ideas for marketing your gallery
1. Get to know your customers (and future customers).
Who are your customers and future customers? What are they interested in? What are they into?
This is the key part of marketing your gallery – know who your customers are. If you're thinking your gallery needs to attract stodgy folks with lots of money, think again. Some of the greatest art patrons are middle class buyers with a love of the arts. Even collectors with modest means are willing to pay in order to own a fabulous, coveted piece of art – and for all of the right reasons. Today's collector doesn't need to be rich – he or she simply needs to be educated, inspired and willing to invest. The modern art buyer knows a good work of art is more than something that takes up space on an empty wall. They expect art to be both moving and memorable. More experienced buyers know great art is also an investment.
2. Offer educational opportunities to people who are interested in collecting art.
Your job as gallery owner, is not only to pair the investor with the right artist and work, it's to cultivate new customers. Who are new customers? Those who have never purchased are before. Educating, as it turns out, is a key to linking investors with artists. That means providing events for new art buyers to learn to spot great investments in terms of art. Try art collecting seminars, a night of fine wine and great art. Or create a free event open to the public which focuses on a style of art, to create your own 2-hour educational lecture.
3. Don't wait for people to come to your gallery. Bring the art to the people.
A mobile gallery event attracts people, and generally people stop to look at art. Give them an environment to peruse! Set up a 2 or 3-day event. Create ambiance with bluetooth speakers, serve a bit of cheese and wine. Collect cards and contact information, share news about your educational events. Create posters which explain art and investment. Include the artist's explanation of the work next to the piece. Go where the people are, whether it's a hot spot in a busy downtown outdoor area, or a local country club entryway. With a portable exhibit you can try all kinds of spaces to see what works best in terms of sales.
Savvy gallery owners cultivate lifelong collectors, but some go the extra mile by creating opportunities for new collectors to buy. This is one of the strategies employed by The Agora Culture. Rather than wait for incoming foot traffic like a traditional brick and mortar gallery, Jessica Stafford-Davis takes art where the buyers are. If the buyers are lacking, she offers education about how to begin collecting art. Jessica has linked artists and buyers across the country, with regular shows in Martha's Vineyard (see Art On The Vine), Washington, D.C., and elsewhere.
This television spot on the morning news is another great PR move by The Agora Culture. Her public relations work has resulted in articles in Forbes, Huffington Post, and many other publications as well.
4. Get on your local news.
See if your local news channel will entertain a midday spot about looking at art as an investment, or perhaps for trade for rotating artwork in their receptionist area. If you do get a television spot, create a pop up banner with your logo, clear telephone number, and info so it will be behind you during your talk. (Paretican help you with posters and design if you need help.) Be sure to offer your contact information, and location of your gallery so people can contact you with additional questions.
5. Public Relations
Public relations can be as easy as typing up a story about one of your artists, and some photos of his or her work. When creating a press release, put yourself in the reporter's shoes. Your press release is likely to get attention if it has a compelling reason to be of interest to the audience you're trying to reach. For example, the local newspaper or online version of a television broadcast will pick up local events like a local art show, or lecture. But if you have a local artist who is being featured, that might get better traction for you story-wise. Proposing a lunch-time segment on your local news about investing in art might be worth proposing, especially if you're in a smaller town.
Create a spreadsheet of various media outlets you can send regular press releases to. That means television, newspaper, print, podcasts, youtube channels, and anything else that gets news to the public. National magazines and trade publications are good places to send press releases to as well.
6. Develop a Press Kit
A Press Kit is a sampling of great photos you've selected, and bios about you and your featured artists. Once upon a time these were snail-mailed with press releases and media outlets to help generate interest in a story. Now you place these valuable visual and content-rich assets on your site, dropbox, or other online repository. Great photos, video, and bios make a reporter's job easier. So if you're sending press releases to podcasters, they will greatly appreciate you doing a little legwork for them.
Another important detail – pictures will grab more attention than text alone. By promoting the art of your artists you have great news and great visuals. Every artist in your gallery should have a press release, and page dedicated to his or her work. Share this info in a typed letter to a local arts editor (and as many other magazines or publications you can think of). If your artists aren't great about writing their own bios, offer to write something for them (for a fee) and have them proofread it.
Another Pareti customer has a fabulous press kit online – in fact, this is one of the best ones we've seen in general. You can check it out here (Samplize.com). Samplize has also included video which may be used by television, cable, YouTuber video bloggers, and anyone else who wants to write a story about them.
7. Have a Media Page
When you start getting all of these fabulous articles, write-ups, and television interviews, you'll need a place to store them. This will let new customers learn about you too. One of the best ways to start marketing your gallery is to create an "In the News" or media page. A media page offers instant testimonials and videos for your would-be customers. Be sure to put a link to this page from your Press Kit page, so writers and reporters you contact can also peruse information about your gallery, event and artists.
These ideas should help get your creative juices flowing, marketing-wise. Tailer these ideas to fit your own community, and keep what works best! As a reminder, download or print out the infographic below.
Contact us
Contact us today for a quote for portable walls, and take your gallery to the public!

subset: commoncrawl


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After a storm has passed and life has begun to continue as normal, it's time to take a look at the damage that's been done to your roof. If the winds were strong, there's a possibility that your roof would have taken a hit. What follows next is a long process of insurance claims, paperwork and multiple calls.
Ideally your insurance agency will arrive at your property, inspect the damages that have been done to your roof and give you an estimate of the cost of repairs that they are willing to cover. However, many homeowners find that this estimate is sometime less than the actual repair cost which could result in a budget problem for you or an inefficient roof repair.
So how do you make sure your insurance estimate matches with the actual repair cost? Let's break it down.
How Are Estimates Made?
When the insurance company arrives in your home, they will perform a thorough inspection and give you an estimate of the cost they are willing to cover. A roofing company you intend to hire will do the same. In fact, the estimate calculation criterion is a standard and both the insurance agency and the roofing company will follow the same criteria to assess and give an estimate on the repairs.
But if that's the case, why do the estimates tend to vary? Well, it could either be that the insurance company is shortchanging you or that they genuinely overlooked an issue which resulted in a lower repair bid estimate.
What Happens When the Estimated Repair Bid is Low?
Well, this just means that your roofing contractor will invest less time and labor on your roof so that the job can be completed quickly. This could mean an inefficient repair or a quick but temporary fix that will need further repairs in the future.
Make sure you know the pricing scale and how the estimate is calculated by your insurance agency so that you never feel shortchanged.
Contact a reliable and trustworthy roofing contractor in the Albany area who can help you with the insurance process and ensure that your roof gets the repairs it deserves.


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Polyclinic for prosthetic dentistry and orthodontics Dr. Štambuk is located in the centre of Zagreb (Ulica kralja Zvonimira 19/2nd floor)
Dental polyclinic Dr. Štambuk is furnished with the most modern dental equipment. The clinic provides all kinds of dental services, including the most advanced prosthetic fixed and removable restorations, and it has its own dental laboratory.
The longtime tradition of the Polyclinic Dr. Štambuk and the reputation it has in Croatia are a guarantee for patients expecting that exactly in this clinic they will successfully solve all their dental problems and that the functionality of restorations will result also in a special esthetic effect.
Mr. sc. Jozo Ćosić, DMD (specialist in prosthodontics)
Mr. sc. Daria Štambuk Ćosić, DMD (specialist in orthodontics)
By the patients recommendations – users of portal najdoktor.com, dentist Daria Štambuk- Čosić is among the best dentists for 2015. and 2016. year.


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So reports the Irish Independent. This particularly significant given the Irish Labour party's intention to modify the Irish Constitution to make abortion legal if it gets into power at the next general election.
Despite his medical background, his views on some controversial medical issues are quite black and white -- such as abortion. "I would accept a lot of Catholic social teaching. I'm not a practising religious person, but I would accept that. I wouldn't be in favour of abortion. The only thing that would be a grey area is if there's a genuine threat or risk to the life of the mother."
What about the provision of abortion services for rape victims? "I wouldn't be in favour of it in that case, and, you know, first of all, it isn't the child's fault that they're the child of rape. You can say the same thing about disabled children. You know, some people would make that argument in favour of abortion. It's not their fault they're disabled. I wouldn't be in favour of it in those circumstances either.
"Even, how would that work practically? Would someone have to prove that they've been raped? I think where that's been brought in in countries it has more or less led to abortion on demand," he adds.
Is it not double standards to have more than 5,000 women a year travelling to the UK and elsewhere for abortions? "I don't think that's double standards. People travel overseas to do things overseas that aren't legal in Ireland all the time. You know, are we going to stop people going to Las Vegas? Are we going to stop people going to Amsterdam? There are things that are illegal in Ireland and we don't prevent people from travelling overseas to avail of them."
Mr Varadkar can be contacted via email or post (37A Main Street, Ongar, Dublin 15).


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Gaffney Quick Start Guide
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Get a Kerberos Ticket
- 3. Connect to Gaffney
- 4. Home, Working, and Center-Wide Directories
- 5. Transfer Files and Data to Gaffney
- 6. Submit Jobs to the Batch Queue
- 7. Batch Queues
- 8. Monitoring Your Job
- 9. Archiving Your Work
- 10. Modules
- 11. Available Software
- 12. Advance Reservation Service
1. Introduction
This document provides a brief summary of information that you'll need to know to quickly get started working on Gaffney. For more detailed information, see the Gaffney User Guide.
2. Get a Kerberos Ticket
For security purposes, you must have a current Kerberos ticket on your computer before attempting to connect to Gaffney. A Kerberos client kit must be installed on your desktop to enable you to get a Kerberos ticket. Information about installing Kerberos clients on your Windows desktop can be found at HPC Centers: Kerberos & Authentication.
3. Connect to Gaffney
Gaffney can be accessed via Kerberized ssh as follows:% ssh gaffney.navydsrc.hpc.mil
4. Home, Working, and Center-Wide Directories
Each user has file space in the $HOME, $WORKDIR, and $CENTER directories. The $HOME, $WORKDIR, and $CENTER environment variables are predefined for you and point to the appropriate locations in the file systems. You are strongly encouraged to use these variables in your scripts.
NOTE: $WORKDIR is a "scratch" file system, and $CENTER is a center-wide file system that is accessible to all center production machines. Neither of these file systems is backed up. You are responsible for managing files in your $WORKDIR and $CENTER directories by backing up files to the archive system and deleting unneeded files. Currently, $WORKDIR files older than 21 days and $CENTER files older than 120 days are subject to being purged.
If it is determined as part of the normal purge cycle that files in your $WORKDIR directory must be deleted, you WILL NOT be notified prior to deletion. You are responsible to monitor your workspace to prevent data loss.
5. Transfer Files and Data to Gaffney
File transfers to DSRC systems must be performed using Kerberized versions of the following tools: scp, ftp, sftp, and mpscp. For example, the command below uses secure copy (scp) to copy a local file into a destination directory on a Gaffney login node.% scp local_file firstname.lastname@example.com:/target_dir
For additional information on file transfers to and from Gaffney, see the File Transfers section of the Gaffney User Guide.
6. Submit Jobs to the Batch Queue
The Portable Batch System (PBS Professional ™) is the workload management system for Gaffney. To submit a batch job, use the following command:qsub [ options ] my_job_script
where my_job_script is the name of the file containing your batch script. For more information on using PBS or on job scripts, see the Gaffney User Guide, the Gaffney PBS Guide, or the sample script examples found in the $SAMPLES_HOME directory on Gaffney.
7. Batch Queues
The following table describes the PBS queues available on Gaffney:
|Queue Name
|Max Wall Clock Time
|Max Cores Per Job
|24 Hours
|Designated urgent projects by DoD HPCMP
|30 Minutes
|User diagnostic jobs
|24 Hours
|Rapid response for interactive work. For more information see the HPC Interactive Environment (HIE) User Guide.
|168 Hours
|Designated high-priority jobs by Service/Agency
|168 Hours
|Designated frontier projects by DoD HPCMP
|168 Hours
|Normal priority user jobs
|24 Hours
|GPU-accelerated jobs
|168 Hours
|Serial user jobs
|96 Hours
|Large-memory jobs
|48 Hours
|Data transfer for user jobs. See the Navy DSRC Archive Guide, section 5.2.
|4 Hours
|User jobs that will not be charged against the project allocation
8. Monitoring Your Job
You can monitor your batch jobs on Gaffney using the qpeek, qview, or qstat commands.
The qstat command lists all jobs in the queue. The "-u username" option shows only jobs owned by the given user, as follows:
% qstat -u user1 Req'd Req'd Elap Job ID Username Queue Jobname SessID NDS TSK Memory Time S Time -------- -------- -------- ------- ------ --- --- ------ ----- - ----- 3403.pbsserver user1 debug mytest 435354 1 48 -- 00:30 R 00:12 3404.pbsserver user1 frontier inspect -- 100 480 -- 06:00 Q -- 3405.pbsserver user1 standard 45dh8 2584 2 96 -- 02:00 R 14:22
Notice that the output contains the JobID for each job. This ID can be used with the qpeek, qview, qstat, and qdel commands.
To delete a job, use the command "qdel jobID".
To view a partially completed output file, use the "qpeek jobID" command.
9. Archiving Your Work
When your job is finished, you should archive any important data to prevent automatic deletion by the purge scripts.
Copy one or more files to the archive system
archive put [-C path ] [-D] [-s] file1 [file2 ...]
Copy one or more files from the archive system
archive get [-C path ] [-s] file1 [file2 ...]
For more information on archiving your files, see the Archive Guide.
10. Modules
Software modules are a very convenient way to set needed environment variables and include necessary directories in your path so that commands for particular applications can be found. Gaffney uses "modules" to initialize your environment with COTS application software, system commands and libraries, compiler suites, environment variables, and PBS batch system commands.
A number of modules are loaded automatically as soon as you log in. To see the modules which are currently loaded, run "module list". To see the entire list of available modules, run "module avail". You can modify the configuration of your environment by loading and unloading modules. For complete information on how to do this, see the Modules User Guide.
11. Available Software
A list of software on Gaffney is available on the software page.
12. Advance Reservation Service
A subset of Gaffney's nodes has been set aside for use as part of the Advance Reservation Service (ARS). The ARS allows users to reserve a user-designated number of nodes for a specified number of hours starting at a specific date/time. This service enables users to execute interactive or other time-critical jobs within the batch system environment. The ARS is accessible via most modern web browsers at https://reservation.hpc.mil/. Authenticated access is required. The ARS User Guide is available on HPC Centers.


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Most preseason predictions for the Carolina Panthers all read the same, a talented team that was unlikely to make the playoffs in a stacked NFC. Two months later the conference is in flames and the Panthers have the second-best chance to earn a Wild Card, according to Football Outsiders.
Their DVOA playoff predictions take into account the remaining strength of schedule, paired with how well a team is playing. It gives the Panthers a 29.3-percent chance to win a Wild Card and a 22.1-percent chance to win the NFC South -- even with their lone win. The only team with a better shot to earn the Wild Cad, according to FO is the San Francisco 49ers at 44.4-percent.
The Atlanta Falcons have just an 11.3-percent chance to make the playoffs in any scenario. Herein lies the issue in the NFC, good teams falling on their face (San Francisco and Green Bay) -- while others are being discovered as 2012's paper tigers (Minnesota and Washington).
Carolina faces a five-game stretch without a discernible challenge. Anything can happen in the NFL from week-to-week, no need for reminders, but with Arizona, Minnesota, St. Louis, Tampa Bay and Atlanta coming up the hardest challenge could easily be this week against the Cardinals. Atlanta is still a scary team, but injuries have accentuated the team's weaknesses.
It's not all sunshine and roses, however. The failing of DVOA is that the metric is unable to account for intangibles. The word is mostly overblown when discussing quarterback evaluation, but there are some truths that can't be accounted for in a metric. The Panthers are ranked very highly in DVOA right now largely because of how well they played the Seattle Seahawks. A team they played when defenders were missing due to injury or suspension, who has a history of playing poorly away from home, with even more of a history of struggling in early road games on the east coast. The close-loss to Seattle was good, but not as impressive as the metric shows.
A back-door playoff entrance would be fascinating from an organizational perspective. Is 9-7 and an unlikely playoff spot enough to save Ron Rivera's job? More importantly: Should it be? The difference between 7-9 and 9-7 is razor thin, and when paired with a weak schedule it's hardly reassuring.
Those are questions for December. Right now it's October and time to enjoy the games we have while the season lasts. It might be time to put those early-January vacation plans on pause, because the Panthers have a very good shot -- as crazy as it sounds.


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About this office space
Available for rent on the fourth floor a ready-to-move-in office space with sea views. The premises have open plan space, separate rooms and three large meeting rooms. The office is located near the lobby and restaurant services. Technopolis Ruoholahti offers new and flexible offices suitable for companies of different sizes. The campus is located just 10 minutes from the center, along Länsiväylä.
Why Technopolis?
Squares are not really what you want, are they? Wouldn't you prefer...
Available services
Meeting rooms & catering
Reception & security
Restaurants & coffee shops
Gym & fitness
Locker rooms & showers
Cleaning & maintenance
Workplace solutions
Internet connections
Other services


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Hurricane Lane Lumbers Toward Hawaii With 120 mph Winds
Hurricane Lane spun in a dangerously unpredictable path Friday as it lumbered toward Hawaii, dumping rain on the mostly rural Big Island and forcing more than 1,000 people to flee to emergency shelters.
Meteorologists said the Category 2 storm had winds of about 110 mph, with stronger gusts. It was unclear when the system would make an expected turn west and barrel toward the island chain. Even though it was not projected to make a direct hit on Hawaii, the storm could pass close to the islands, bringing a huge storm surge, high wind and heavy rain.
"There's a lot of uncertainty in this forecast," warned Federal Emergency Management Administrator Brock Long. "We're going to see torrential rains occur for the next 48 to 72 hours. We hope all citizens are heeding the warning that local officials are putting out."
Police warned tourists to leave the world-famous Waikiki Beach after nearly 2 feet of rain. So far, about 1,500 people, mostly on Oahu, were in emergency shelters, said Brad Kieserman of the American Red Cross.
Emergency crews rescued five California tourists from a home they were renting in Hilo after a nearby gulch overflowed and flooded the house.
Suzanne Demerais said a tiny waterfall and small stream were flowing near the home when she first arrived with four friends from the Los Angeles area. But the stream turned into a torrent, and the river rose rapidly over 24 hours.
Hawaii County firefighters, who were in touch with the home's owner, decided to evacuate the group before the water rose any higher. They floated the five out on their backs, Demerais said.
"It was quite an experience because we weren't planning to have a hurricane during our vacation time," Demerais said.
Hurricane Lane, whose center was still offshore, lashed the Big Island with more than 30 inches of rain in about 24 hours. A wind gust of 67 mph was recorded at Kohala Ranch on the northern side of the Big Island.
About 200 miles north of Hilo, on the state's most populated island of Oahu, employees of the Sheraton Waikiki resort filled sandbags to protect the oceanfront hotel from surging surf.
Stores along Waikiki's glitzy Kalakaua Avenue stacked sandbags along the bottom of their glass windows to prepare for flash flooding.
Police on loudspeakers told surfers and swimmers to get out of the water, saying the beach would be closed until further notice.
The Marriott Resort Waikiki Beach in Honolulu designated a ballroom on the third floor as a shelter for guests and began removing lounge chairs from around the pool and bar area.
At the Hilton Hawaiian Village, guest Elisabeth Brinson said hotel staff left a notice that rooms will still have water and phone service, and a backup generator would power one elevator per building in the event of an electrical outage.
Brinson, a native of the United Kingdom now living in Denver, said many shops were closed, and those still open were frantic with people buying food, beer and water to take back to their rooms.
"We knew it was coming, so I tried to just cram as much as I could into the last few days in anticipation so we could cross things off of our list," said Brinson, who is used to hurricanes after living in Florida.
United Airlines canceled its Friday flights to and from Maui. The airline added two more flights from Honolulu to San Francisco on Thursday to help transport people off the islands.
Hawaiian Airlines canceled all Friday flights by its commuter carrier, Ohana by Hawaiian.
Hawaii's biggest hotels were confident they could keep their guests safe as long as they stay inside, said Mufi Hannemann, CEO of Hawaii Tourism and Lodging Association.
"The only concern is those that venture outside of the properties, that would like to hike on a day like this or who would like to still go into the ocean and see what it's like to take a swim or surf in these kind of waters," Hannemann said.
The National Weather Service downgraded the Big Island to a tropical-storm warning, meaning it expects sustained winds of 39 mph to 73 mph on the island instead of stronger hurricane-force winds. A hurricane warning remained in effect for Oahu and Maui County.
The central Pacific gets fewer hurricanes than other regions, with about only four or five named storms a year. Hawaii rarely gets hit. The last major storm to hit was Iniki in 1992. Others have come close in recent years.
Because people in Hawaii are confined to the islands, they have to make sure they have enough supplies to outlast power outages and other potential emergencies.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency moved several container ships packed with food, water, generators and other supplies into the region ahead of Hurricane Hector, which skirted past the islands more than a week ago, Long said. Warehouses were double-stocked with emergency supplies, and federal officials were working with grocers to ensure stores would have enough food.
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Everton has a tough battle ahead tonight as they face Lyon at Goodison Park tonight. The Toffees are not doing well in the Europa League nor in the Premier League this season, currently in the last place in Group E with 1-point, and in 16th place in the Premier League with 8-points. Manager, Ronald Koeman has announced that his squad will be playing for nothing less than 3-points tonight, but with the way that they have been playing it will be tough going.
Lyon is traveling to Everton without five first-team players. Striker Mariano Diaz is the biggest loss for the Toffees, as he has scored seven goals in 11 games. Ferland Mendy, Jeremy Morel, Pape Cheikh Diop and Clement Grenier will all also be missing, leaving Lyon with some holes to fill.
Lyon had a great season in the Europa League last year making it to the semi-finals. They lost to eventual runners-up Ajax. This year, the Europa League Final match will be played at Groupama Stadium in Lyon, which should make getting there a top priority for the French squad.
James McCarthy will not be making his return to the pitch tonight, and Everton will also be without longtime absentees Ross Barkley, Yannick Bolasie, Seamus Coleman, and Funes Mori. The Toffees will be able to deal with their injured list, but they must start scoring goals. They have only scored 2-goals in the Europa League and to make it to the knockout stages, they will need to pick things up and fast.
Europa League Betting
Unibet Sportsbook is offering some enticing odds ahead of the match in favor of Lyon at 2.40, while Everton is behind at 2.90. The competition at the biggest sportsbooks is in favor of the bettors, as Betfair Sportsbook posted 2.55 for Lyon and 2.70 for Everton. Both of these sportsbooks will be offering live in-play odds throughout the action.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Sonos offers updated music controller to Fandroids for testing
Fancy taming household full of music kit from Android mobe?
Streaming Wi-Fi speaker whiz Sonos is testing an updated version of its smartphone/tablet app, with beta test software now available to Android phone users.
Forthcoming phone controller app
The new features in the app include:
- search for music tracks enabled across all services,
- refreshed design with "sleek interface" and
- highlighted album art.
Sonos says:
Android owners interested in testing through the beta program can find out more information regarding participation by logging into their account on sonos.com. We plan to update the desktop controllers for MAC and PC later this year.
If you're not an account-holder, you'll have to sign up, however...
Android phones and tablets running Android version 2.2 or higher are supported in the beta program. Existing Sonos controllers will continue to work.
The new controller app should be released in the spring. ®


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With a few more weeks of sun remaining, here are the books we've tucked away for our breaks this summer.
Away by Amy Bloom (Granta)
This is addictively readable and will leave you in bits at the end. An odyssey of sorts, following a young woman who leaves her pogrom-ruined village in Russia and ends up crossing America in search of her daughter. A hugely satisfying, wonderful novel.
Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals by John Gray (Granta)
This summer so many things in the world seem uncertain and low-level unease is everywhere. It's time to reread Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals by John Gray to dunk the head in cold water and see everything for what it is. Zen-like calm ensues.
Coastlines: The Story of Our Shore by Patrick Barkham (Granta)
In this weather, there's only one place I want to be: the seaside. Preferably with a copy of Patrick Barkham's Coastlines, a celebration of the irresistible allure of British beaches come rain or shine.
Also in my beach bag will be David Szalay's All That Man Is (Vintage) and Sarah Perry's The Essex Serpent (Profile Books) both of which keep getting recommended to me and I can't wait to read.
Hot Milk by Deborah Levy (Hamish Hamilton)
I read Swimming Home (And Other Stories/Faber and Faber) on holiday a few years back and delighted in its dark deliciousness. I saved Hot Milk for my holiday this year and it's classic Levy brilliance. It tells the story of a young woman who takes her hypochondriac (or is she?) mother to Andalucía to visit a mysterious doctor who they hope can cure her once and for all. Levy is holiday reading in every way – you can see the steam rising from the pages of this book. It's got sex, jellyfish stings, baking hot sand, identity crises, characters cast adrift, suppressed emotions, complex questions about mother-daughter relationships . . . and an ending which will make you demand that your holiday buddy reads it ASAP so you can discuss.
The Vanishers, Heidi Julavits (Doubleday)
Do Not Say We Have Nothing, Madeleine Thien (Granta)
I recently finished reading The Vanishers by Heidi Julavits, a superb and serious exploration of female rivalry, daughterhood and damage in the guise of a bitingly funny story about a sick student occultist on the trail of a mysterious artist/pornographer. Julia Severn is an initiate at the Workshop, a sort of MFA for clairvoyants, who suffers a 'psychic attack' from her jealous mentor Madame Ackermann. The attack leaves her physically and psychically debilitated. She is offered a chance to heal at an exclusive sanatorium, but on two conditions: that she 'vanishes' herself, leaving an official vanishing video for her father and stepmother; and that she helps an academic and his antagonistic assistant track down the notorious French filmmaker Dominique Varga, who is at the heart of a number of seeming vanishings, including her own.
I also had the pleasure of re-reading Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien, a novel whose scope and emotional impact can only be described as 'epic'. Inspired by the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, it tells the story of China's Cultural Revolution, recent history and complex future through three generations and two inextricably linked musical families. It's a novel I avoid giving the label 'historical', partly because the writing has an immediacy and intimacy that resonates, but mostly because it grapples with the question of how we process our place in time, and how we measure up our ancestors and our descendants as an individual and as a link in a chain. It's a gorgeous work that I want to press on everyone, except I don't have enough hands.
On Trails: An Exploration, Robert Moor (Simon and Schuster, Aurum)
Look, Solmaz Sharif (Graywolf Press)
Popular Music, Kelly Schirmann (Black Ocean)
'On Trails' by Robert Moore is making me want to quit my life and walk the Appalachian trail. It's an incredible history of why we walk in the paths and roads we do, talking about ants, elephants, mountains and getting lost. With poetry, I have been reading Solmaz Sharif's incredible Look, from Graywolf, poems that face the fallout and costs of war, and Kelly Shirmann's brilliant funny and strange Popular Music, from Black Ocean Books.
Cain and The Transition, Luke Kennard (Penned in the Margins; 4th Estate)
First Love, Gwendoline Riley (Granta)
You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine, Alexandra Kleeman (Harper)
The Association of Small Bombs, Karan Majahan (Vintage)
Leaving the Atocha Station, Ben Lerner, (Granta)
Luke Kennard's Cain is an extraordinarily fun and satisfying collection of poetry. The poet, beset by grief at the loss of his marriage, ethics and ambition, is visited by the immortal Cain, the biblical murderer of his brother, now a community support nurse. Funny, chatty, mournful and religious, full of surreal episodes and snappy coinages (selling himself on a date the poet is 'the heart's estate agent'), the collection is built around an astonishing centrepiece of thirty-one prefect anagrams of a passage from the King James Bible, each of which describes an episode of a cancelled sitcom, surrounded in red ink by the equivalent of DVD extras. It's a gorgeously produced book from Penned in the Margins. Kennard's narrative experiments in poetry have always hinted he'd make a good novelist, and in Granta's autumn issue there is an exclusive extract from The Transition, a satirical debut novel about the generation-gap, which will be published in early 2017 by 4th Estate.
The current issue of Granta also features an extract from First Love, the new novel by Gwendoline Riley, out early next year from Granta Books. It's her fifth novel, each a slim, poetic, witty and enthralling attempt at describing the painful truth about relationships with other people and the past. She gets better and better, though she was better than most when her first book was published. In advance of First Love, read her debut Cold Water about working in a bar in Manchester, or her latest Opposed Positions, an exploration of Larkin's observation: 'They fuck you up, your mum and dad.'
From America, my favourite novels were Alexandra Kleeman's You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine a dry-as-a-bone paranoid comedy that reminded me of White Noise by Don DeLillo; and Karan Mahajan's The Association of Small Bombs, a novel of sustained imagination and precision about a 'small' act of terrorism in Delhi and its large consequences for the victims of the bomb, and for the men who planted it.
And from Granta's backlist, Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner is a perfect holiday novel, funny, clever and stylish, with helpful suggestions of what to do in a Spanish city: reading Russian classics in the park, getting stoned and staring at paintings in air-conditioned art museums, developing language skills while drinking in bars, walking narrow streets in search of romance and profound experiences of art.
Winter: Five Windows on the Season, Adam Gopnik (House of Anansi Press)
If you're looking for a book to accompany you through the next heatwave, I recommend Adam Gopnik's Winter. It's a brilliant cultural history the year's coldest season, looking at how we represent that season in art, music and literature: from Caspar David Friedrich paintings to Dickensian Christmases. Gopnik takes on winter from five different tongue-twisting perspectives – Romantic, Radical, Recuperative, Recreational and Remembrance – demonstrating that for centuries being very cold has inspired all kinds of glorious creative output.
I've read the book twice, both times (for some reason) in the middle of summer travelling on stuffy buses and tubes. The cognitive dissonance is rather thrilling. It's quite a unique experience to read such elegant descriptions of winter while uncomfortably warm.
Thus Were Their Faces: Selected Stories, Silvina Ocampo (NYRB Classics)
Human Programming, Scott Selisker (University of Minnesota Press)
Hole in the sand. Foldable chair. Cap.
Everything is Happening, Michael Jacobs (Granta)
In Order to Live, Yeonmi Park (Penguin)
Nothing to Envy, Barbara Demick (Granta)
I'm heading to Spain this summer and so Michael Jacobs' Everything is Happening is at the top of my list for when I head to Madrid's Museo del Prado, as like most Brits abroad, having hunted for the sun I will proceed to hide indoors indefinitely. The late Jacobs remains without doubt (and corroborated in the Telegraph recently) an unparalleled critic of Spanish art and architecture. Art is for everyone and his accessibility proves this.
I've just read Yeonmi Park's In Order to Live, a memoir of Yeonmi's life in North Korea as well as her and her family's escape. It devastates. To educate myself further, I'll be taking Barbara Demick's award-winning Nothing to Envy.
I was on the hunt for some light relief in fiction, but who needs light relief when you can re-read some Ibsen. Another excuse to stay in the shade then.


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Thermo Fisher Scientific
Over the past several decades, many technological advancements have enhanced the analyte-to-signal response in the field of ion suppression. In this on-demand webinar, David Moore and Rong Lin, Ph.D., discuss the latest suppressors for modern ion analyses. New technologies include a constant-voltage operational mode to further amplify the benefits of using suppression in your analysis. Get the latest scoop to help you make the right decision when choosing a suppressor for analysis of diverse samples, ranging from environmental to food and beverage to pharmaceutical samples.
David Moore, Marketing Manager for Ion Chromatography, Sample Preparation and Discrete Analyzers, Thermo Fisher Scientific
David Moore holds a Master's degree in medicinal chemistry from the University of East Anglia and a second Master's degree in environmental science from San Jose State University.
Rong Lin, Staff Scientist, Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Rong Lin develops chromatography consumables, including suppressors for ion chromatography. He holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from University of California, Irvine, is a co-author on U.S. EPA Methods 302.0 and 314.2, and an inventor on 10 U.S. patents.
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Your client can tell you everything you need to know. There's a statement! It's true, clients know everything about you or, if they don't, it's their opinion that counts and you need to tell them more.
But, you need to be talking to them and that's a very scary prospect. I understand.
Most of us really don't want to speak to customers. We don't like to ask people what they think of us.
But it's very important because clients are the ones that provide the money; they employ your people. Without clients you have no business, simple as that.
You might say without a product, you have no business but you still need a client. They are needed to pay the bills. Get talking to them. It's their opinion.
The way to talk is to survey them. I've mentioned surveys before. Top companies survey their customers continuously. When you survey, you don't need to talk to all of them at once. You can speak to small sectors of your client base.
You can pick up a phone. You can ask them directly. You can ask them at the end of a call.
You just need to ask them questions, but those questions need to be very relevant.
You may be thinking, "How many questions? How do I do it? What methods?"
A common one in the survey trade is the Net Promoter Score; a single question that can do a lot.
You ask them this simple question,
"How likely are you to recommend my company or my service to a friend or a colleague?"
It's as simple as that.
To answer, they get a choice of 0 to 10, with 0 meaning "Not at all" and 10 meaning "Absolutely".
For anyone that scores you up to 6, you want to be contact them and you want to ask them "What went wrong?" because you want to repair what they think of you.
Anyone that would score a 7 or 8, gets sent a follow-up email that says, "Thank you very much for filling in my survey, you scored a 7 or an 8. What would we need to have done better to score a 9 or a 10?"
For those that score you a 9 or a 10, you want to be speaking to them too because they think you're wonderful.
What you need to be asking these potential Preachers is, "Okay, you're very likely to recommend us, have you ever done so? If not, what would I need to do to help you recommend us to your friends or colleagues?" You can come up with a system.
To get that question out there, you can use simple tools. I said before about Google Forms.
If you have a Gmail account or Google account (if you do AdWords, you have a Google account), it comes with Google Docs and so does Google Apps. One of the aspects of Google Docs is Google Forms.
Also, you can use SurveyMonkey. The good thing with SurveyMonkey is they'll have free templates such as the Net Promoter Score. By the way, SurveyMonkey is also free to use at the lower level.
There are other ones such as Wufoo. And, sometimes when you visited a website, have you ever seen where just in the bottom right corner, a little black pop-up would say, one or two questions such as "What could we have done today to make your experience better?"
That generally comes from a system called Qualaroo.
But the most important thing is you ask the questions and you make it easy. Do it by email, don't expect someone to scribble on a form and fill in an envelope. Record that information, record it accurately and make the most of the information.
If you're going to get bad feedback, it means you are doing something wrong and it's no good covering your ears or eyes pretending it's not there, because people are thinking that.
But by talking to the customers, by surveying them, you can find out how to repair what they think of you.
Think about it. Have you ever been in a restaurant and at the end they give you the bill and then squiggle on the receipt saying, if you go on to this website, fill in a survey, you'll get a free blah, blah, blah or you'll enter to win iPad or something?
That's a survey.
Don't forget to try and reward people, this is good lead generation. This is a sales and marketing, promotional tool. This is not just asking questions, so be prepared to give them some kind of discount or a reward.
It's a way to contact them and contact is a good thing, so use any excuse.
Look up good examples. Remember to use the Internet and good old Google. Google "Best customer surveys", "Best examples of survey questions", "How many questions should I ask for my restaurant or takeaway?"
You can ask them right to the point of sale. If you have a shop, a store and they've just paid, you can ask them right there with, "Can I ask you one question, blah, blah, blah, blah?"
Record the answer.
Weekend Challenge
That is going to be my Weekend Challenge to you. I want you to take out a piece of paper. Do you remember when we talked about paper as it's much better than drafting it into electronic format, write it down?
Write down three survey questions, three things that you think would teach you something that you don't know or that you want to confirm, then go look at SurveyMonkey, look at Google Forms and decide which one you want to use.
Get a free account, set up your form and then get ready to send because, come Monday, you're going to send that out to your customers and you're going to find out some great information.
Let me know how you get on. By the way, if you don't have a website to send them back to, have a look at New Rainmaker.
Rainmaker sponsors podcasts. It's a great platform, the easiest way to create your website. We use it at Marketing For Owners.
Now get a piece of paper out, get cracking. And have yourself a great weekend.


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Stormy Daniels' Husband Accuses Her of Cheating, Gets Restraining Order in Divorce
Stormy Daniels Husband Accuses Her of Cheating ... Gets Restraining Order
Stormy Daniels' husband doesn't just want a divorce -- he wants her to stay clear of him and their child -- and he's accusing her of cheating.
We've learned a judge has granted Glendon Crain a restraining order which he requested with his divorce petition. The judge, among other things, agreed to prohibit Stormy from coming in contact with Crain or their 7-year-old daughter, which Crain says was necessary because Stormy wanted to bring her on tour where she would be on a bus with other adult performers and at risk for both physical and emotional harm.
The restraining order also prevents Stormy from falsifying any document or withdrawing or transferring any assets from their accounts or from cutting off Crain's access to his credit cards. There's no evidence in the docs she's committed such misdeeds.
Crain also got exclusive use of the couple's home and 2 cars.
As for the cheating ... Crain isn't specific, but merely says Stormy "committed adultery."
As we reported, Glendon filed for divorce last week. He married Stormy in 2015 but the 2 have rarely been seen together in public since she emerged with allegations against Donald Trump.
We knew something was up earlier this month when Stormy was arrested at a Columbus strip club. On the police report, she marked "No" when asked if she was married.
A hearing is scheduled for Friday, where Crain will try to get the restraining order made permanent.


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All Hotel Flags | Best Western | Carlson | Choice | Wyndam | Hyatt | Intercontinental | Loews | LaQuinta | Marriott | Ritz Carlton
Ramada, Ramada Limited, Days Inn, Knights Inn, Super 8, Howard Johnson, Baymont Inn & Suites, Wingate, Hawthorn Suites, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Wyndham Garden Hotels, Windham Grand Hotels & Resorts, Microtel Inn & Suites, Travelodge
Flag-Works provides quality-made Wyndham Hotel flags to fly at your place of business. These flags are made of 100% Nylon fabric. They are single face (S/F) which is read correctly on front and backwards on the back.
To be assured you have the newest art for these flags, please call the store at 800-580-0009 to custom order.
All Flags are Single Reversed, meaning the front-side is read-correct and the back side of the flag is reversed.


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Can we help?
The ideal reference for Social Security law practitioners, Social Security Disability: Law and Procedure in Federal Court helps you decide whether to appeal to federal court, argue your case in federal court more effectively, and avoid pitfalls of exceptions in federal jurisdictional rules and differences between circuits. Content ranges from an introduction to Social Security law to expert analysis of complex issues, such as:
This manual allows you to test your case against an expert's insights, strategies, and suggested arguments and to represent your clients successfully. Research aids include a table of cases, a table of statutes, and a table of regulations. Attorney's fees, district court practice and administrative proceedings are also discussed.


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Saturday 10 May 2014
May your days be bright
6 comments:
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Russia not elected to ICJ for the first time
In a historic turn of events, UN member states have for the first time denied Russia the right to adjudicate in their name at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Nov. 9.
Read also: Armenian president signs ratification of ICC membership, must arrest Putin if he visits
The UN has thus "started to rid itself of the destructive influence of Russia," which undermines international law rather than protects it, Zelenskyy emphasized.
Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, called the event historical. According to him, Russia garnered only 5 to 6 votes throughout the five rounds of voting in the UN Security Council. Following the vote in the General Assembly, Russia placed next to last on the list.
Zelenskyy also congratulated representatives from Australia, Mexico, Romania, South Africa, and the United States on their victory in the UN Security Council and UN General Assembly votes.
Read also: Ukraine to demand reparations from Russia at ICJ
The ICJ is composed of 15 judges, who are separately elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council for nine-year terms. The court is located in The Hague, Netherlands.
Read also: Russia targets more ICC judges in reprisal for Hague's charges against Putin for child abduction
The term of the Russian representative at the court, Kirill Gevorgyan, will expire in 2024.
The ICJ is currently hearing several cases involving Ukraine and Russia. In particular, public hearings began in September for Ukraine's lawsuit on genocide, with representatives from 32 UN member states joining the case.
We're bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!
Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine


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Star Chamber Cleaning Foam Swabs™
- Case includes (12) bags each containing (3) Star Chamber Cleaning Foam Swabs™
Finally, a Star Chamber cleaner that works!
Without a doubt, the MSR is one of the most popular and exciting rifles to own and shoot. Every owner knows it is a challenging rifle to clean. Swab-its® Star Chamber Cleaning Foam Swabs™, are designed to access hard to reach areas in your firearm that have been difficult to effectively clean and lubricate.
The star chamber, also known as the barrel extension, is the area where the barrel and the upper receiver of the MSR fit and meet. The chamber between the locking lugs of the barrel extension is notorious for being a nightmare to clean. This is in part due to the unique design and accessibility of the area which contributes to the difficulty in removing fouling and debris.
Swab-its® Star Chamber Cleaning Foam Swabs™:
- Includes 3 Star Chamber Cleaning Foam Swabs™ per bag
- Easily reaches 360 degrees of the Barrel Extension chamber
- Wings easily penetrate locking lugs
- Doubles as Empty Chamber Indicator
- Precision cleaning and lubricating tool
- Lint and fiber free
- Economical - washable and reusable
- Swab-its Star Chamber Cleaning Foam Swabs design is for the MSR platforms.
- Each tip can be used multiple times and should substantially outlast a similarly priced bag of patches, mops, and felt pads.
Payment & Security
Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.


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Sustainable Agriculture Volunteer Project in Mexico - Merida
Interested in farming and want to be a Sustainable Agriculture volunteer in Mexico? International Volunteer HQ's Sustainable Agriculture project is a great opportunity for volunteers to learn about sustainable and organic farming practices while working outdoors. Volunteers gain agricultural experience and help local farmers to meet the challenges presented by growing environmental pressures and urbanization.
- Programs start every first and third Monday of the month
- Affordable fees from $610 for 2 weeks
- Includes accommodation, breakfast and dinner, airport pick up, orientation and 24/7 support
Get your hands dirty helping with planting and harvesting
Discover the beauty of the Mexican countryside
Stay in a volunteer house in a safe and peaceful area of Mérida
Key information
This program is ideal for:
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
Agriculture plays a vital role in the economic and historical fabric of Mexico and day-to-day life in Mérida. However, a changing environment and increased development mean local farmers are looking for ways to adapt their approach, with a focus on moving towards traditional farming practices and sustainable agriculture.
As a Sustainable Agriculture volunteer you will help local farmers to meet and combat current challenges, as well as learn about sustainable farming practices in a hands-on, real-life manner. For those wanting to volunteer outdoors on a farm in Mexico, this project pairs you with a local farmer and promises hard but rewarding work doing things like:
- Planting crops
- Harvesting
- Irrigating
- Helping with basic construction
- Working with stock
- Volunteer work is based on farms that are up to two hours from Mérida.
Please wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty, a hat and sunscreen. Being able to speak Spanish would be extremely useful and help you get the most out of the project and be able to make the biggest impact possible.
Why do Sustainable Agriculture volunteering in Merida with IVHQ?
As a farming volunteer in Mexico you'll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Supporting efforts to making farming more sustainable
- Helping with farm work outdoors
- Practicing your Spanish
- Gaining agriculture experience
- Immersing yourself in Mexican culture
- Discovering Mexico's rich history
Volunteer requirements
- Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate in this program
- All volunteers aged 13+ are required to provide a criminal background check to IVHQ prior to departure. Those aged 13-17, if unable to obtain a criminal background check, can provide two character reference letters instead
- All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
- All volunteers must speak fluent English.
Are you eligible to volunteer?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.Apply For Free
Not sure which program to join?
Mexico photo gallery
Academic course credit
Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing a volunteer abroad program with International Volunteer HQ!Learn about course credit
Read reviews from Sustainable Agriculture volunteers in Merida
"I learned the importance of working patiently and really focusing on good quality, and hard work and I learned to be much more independent. My favorite thing was getting to work every single day in the bus and being received by everyone at my placement, they where all so kind. If you're hesitant, I would say to do it! there is minimal risk associated with v...olunteering abroad, especially with IVHQ and even if you are afraid like I was, you will meet great people and make an impact on the world. this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!" read more
Read reviews from Sustainable Agriculture volunteers in Merida
Mérida is the capital of the Yucatán state on Mexico's Caribbean Coast. It was an important area to the ancient Mayan people and many people living there today have Mayan ancestry. This vibrant culture mixed with a legacy of Spanish colonialism has left the city with a heady mixture of activities, events, architecture, artwork and atmosphere. Mérida is also said to be among the safest cities in the Americas and extremely clean.
IVHQ's Mexico program is based in Merida, 30 minutes from Centro, an area where there is great food, shopping and nightlife. Volunteer placements are set in different neighborhoods around the region.
Arrival and orientation
The Mexico volunteer program orientation begins on the first and third Monday of every month and volunteers need to arrive in Mérida on the Sunday before orientation.
After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive into Manuel Crescencio Rejón International Airport (MID) in Mérida, where you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and transported to the volunteer accommodation; or if you are arriving into Cancun International Airport (CUN), you will need to take a 4-hour bus ride from the airport to Mérida. If you choose to arrive in Cancun, the best bus company for traveling to Mérida is ADO. You will see a big red and white ADO sign at a kiosk at the exit of the airport. You should purchase your ticket for the next departure for Mérida Altabrisa Station, which is close to the volunteer accommodation. Please call or email the local staff to let them know your estimated time of arrival so they can arrange for your pick-up. Your IVHQ Program Manager will provide further guidance in regards to travel options between Cancun and Mérida once you have registered for the program.
Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation.If you are traveling in Mexico prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up in Mérida on the day before your program orientation.
Orientation will be hosted by our team in Mexico and will cover everything you need to know for your program in Mexico – an introduction to Mexico, Mexican customs, language training details, rules and expectations, safety, travel opportunities in Mexico, and an introduction to your project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing. Once orientation is complete, volunteers will be transported to their placement and introduced to all relevant parties and placement staff.
Volunteer schedule example
First Day
On your first day of volunteering, you will be escorted to your placement by a local coordinator and introduced to the placement staff you will be working with.
Weekdays - A typical volunteer day would be as follows:
|Breakfast at the volunteer house or homestay.
|Volunteers leave home and travel to their placements.
|Lunch at the volunteer house or homestay. Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel home, take Spanish lessons, prepare for the next day or do some shopping and sightseeing.
|Dinner at the volunteer house or homestay.
Please note, some placements do not begin until 2:00 PM and in this case, volunteers usually have their Spanish lessons in the morning.
During the weekends, volunteers have spare time and usually just relax or take the opportunity to explore other parts of Mérida and the state of Yucatán. You can make the most of Mérida's charms and check out the bustling local markets, baroque Spanish architecture, a wide variety of music, art and cultural events, visit a 19th century mansion, sample the local Yucatan cuisine, take a dip in a volcanic crater or watch a Mayan ball game.
Day trips can be arranged so volunteers can explore popular sites in the area, such as Chichén Itzá – the most famous of the Yucatán's Mayan ruin sites and one of Mexico's most visited tourist destinations, the impressive Uxmal Mayan ruin site and the historical town of Izamal.
Looking for more ideas of things to do in Mexico? Check out our Mexico Travel & Tours page!
Accommodation and WiFi
Volunteers in Mexico are accommodated in a volunteer house nestled in a quiet neighborhood of Mérida.
The dormitory-style volunteer house provides shared rooms and bathrooms, a communal outdoor kitchenette for basic food preparation and access to the yard, patio and swimming pool.
You can expect to share a room with up to five other volunteers of the same gender. Living is basic, yet comfortable and the volunteer house has electricity and running water.
Volunteers who wish to arrange an accommodation upgrade for more privacy, air conditioning, filtered water and heated showers can do so with the local team after registering for the program. The host families speak Spanish and therefore homestay accommodation is also a great way to practice the local language and experience the local culture first-hand.
The volunteer house in Mérida has WiFi and internet cafes are located within walking distance of the volunteer house.
In Mexico, volunteers are provided breakfast and dinner in the volunteer accommodation, with a combination of Mexican and Western food. We recommend budgeting between $5 (approximately $5) and $10 (approximately $10) per day to purchase lunch. When you arrive the local staff will provide recommendations on economical places to eat in Mexico.
Tap water is not safe to drink in Mexico, however bottled water is readily available and you should budget approximately $5 (approximately $5) per week for this.
Please be sure to let us know of any specific dietary requirements you have so we can make special arrangements for you.
Program Fee
Due 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
|2 weeks
|$610 Equivalent to $44/day
|3 weeks
|$800 Equivalent to $38/day
|4 weeks
|$970 Equivalent to $35/day
|5 weeks
|$1,110 Equivalent to $32/day
|6 weeks
|$1,280 Equivalent to $30/day
|8 weeks
|$1,620 Equivalent to $29/day
|10 weeks
|$1,960 Equivalent to $28/day
|12 weeks
|$2,300 Equivalent to $27/day
|16 weeks
|$2,980 Equivalent to $27/day
|20 weeks
|$3,660 Equivalent to $26/day
|24 weeks
|$4,340 Equivalent to $26/day
- Accommodation
- Breakfast and dinner
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ's preferred insurance and flights partners
- Discounts on language lessons
- Certificate of International Volunteer Service
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of US$329 (approximately $329) in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Additional things to budget for include: Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check, lunches, public transportation to and from your placement each day and return to the airport when your program finishes.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Mexico generally find US$100 per week to be sufficient for expenses, such as lunches and local tours and activities.
Free-time experiences & tours in Mexico
Take your volunteer experience to the next level with IVHQ's affordable activity and tour add-ons in Mexico! Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto the IVHQ Mexico program.
Introductory package of affordable Spanish lessons offered exclusively to IVHQ volunteers, tailored to your current level of Spanish.
Introductory package of affordable Spanish lessons offered exclusively to IVHQ volunteers, tailored to your current level of Spanish.
Spanish language lessons
Spanish language courses are available for all volunteers at all levels. IVHQ recommends these courses for all volunteers, unless they are fluent. If you have a basic level of Spanish and and are staying for a period of longer than 2 weeks, you should strongly consider these courses, as they will allow you to work and communicate with all parties more efficiently during your stay. The language course will be tailored to suit your current level of Spanish.
These language courses are available to purchase as an add-on via your MyIVHQ account once you have registered for the Mexico program. The cost is very affordable and offered exclusively to IVHQ volunteers. Classes run in the morning or afternoon, Monday to Friday.
- 10 hours: $198 (approximately $198) per person
- 20 hours: $335 (approximately $335) per person
- 30 hours: $462 (approximately $462) per person
- 40 hours: $599 (approximately $599) per person
- 60 hours: $874 (approximately $874) per person
- 80 hours: $1149 (approximately $1149) per person
Check what's required to visit Mexico
Safety and support
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
- All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
- All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
- All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
- All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Essential country information
|Mexico City
|127 million
|Peso (MXN)
|Time zone
Weather and climate: The Tropic of Cancer effectively divides the country into temperate and tropical zones. Mérida lies on the Caribbean coast in the State of Yucatán and is one of the warmer regions of Mexico. The warm season lasts from April through June, with an average daily high temperature above 35°C (94°F). The hottest day of the year is May 7, with an average high of 36°C (97°F) and low of 23°C (74°F). Being prepared for the intense heat during this time frame is essential. The colder season lasts from November to February with an average daily high temperature below 31°C (88°F). The coldest month of the year is in January, with an average low of 18°C (65°F) and high of 29°C (85°F).


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So, in case this hasn't been made clear by my track record here, I am relatively obsessed with the blog Pioneer Woman Cooks. This is yet another recipe provided by her web site, one among the many I plan on making and have been working through slowly but surely.
SO! Lemon pasta. It looks just as fresh and delicious in the pics as it does in person. And the taste is phenomenal.
It's zesty and also savory. I am a big fan of cheesy lemon pastas, usually with chicken in them as well. I would love to try this recipe with some chicken added into the mix. Or perhaps served next to some fish.
Oooh, yum. That actually sounds like a winning combination. White fish or shrimp with lemon pasta? Can't miss.
If you feel like you are being called to make this then, you should bite the bullet and just go make this. If you like, I could suffer through having some more. Especially if we are trying it with a protein. And if I don't have to do the dishes.
But, in simpler terms. This recipe is delicious, a snap, and reheats well. A fantastic weeknight meal, served with some kind of meat and perhaps a salad, you'll flip. Promise.
Enjoy :)
-1 pound Thin Spaghetti
-4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
-2 cloves Garlic, Minced
-1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested
-2 cups Sour Cream
-½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
-Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese
-Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
-Extra Lemon Juice
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.
In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.
Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.
Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don't bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)
When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.


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Any Branch of the Humboldt County Library.
The pass allows free day-use entry and parking for one vehicle that can hold nine people or less, or one highway-licensed motorcycle. The pass can be used at any of over 200 participating state park units. There are many nearby, including Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Sue-meg State Park (formerly Patrick's Point), Fort Humboldt State Historical Park, and Benbow Lake State Recreation Area - for just a few examples! Visit as many parks as you like, or visit the same park over and over, until it's time to return your pass to the library.
To see a map that shows nearby California State Parks, click here.
California State Library Parks Pass
Just as with a book, you can get in line for one of our normal Parks Passes by placing a hold or calling the library to place one. You will need your library card.
The 'Lucky Day' pass is a Parks Pass that you can't sign up for in advance. Each library branch has just one Lucky Day pass. If it's there when you drop by the library, check it out, because it's your lucky day!
The pass is for California State Parks. It does not get you in free to parks that are operated by federal or local government or private agencies. For example, Redwood National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Joshua Tree National Park are all federal parks and are not included. A. W. Way County Park and Van Duzen County Park are Humboldt County parks and, like all County parks, are not included.
But, you could explore Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Sue-Meg State Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Donner Memorial State Park, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park, and many more exciting places all over California!
A few California State Park units are not included. To check a list of California State Park units that do not accept the pass click here. Scroll down past that list to see the full list of parks that ARE included.
The free pass is for one vehicle, for day use, and is not valid for other fees. For example, if you want to camp, you would still need to pay for camping. If the place you visit also has a museum that charges a fee for each person to enter, or offers a tour for a fee, you would still have to pay for those things if you want to do them. The pass does not cover boat use, group use or group sites, special events, additional/extra vehicle fees, fees for RV sanitation disposal, and so on. To read the full terms and conditions of the pass, click here.
You can hold or check out one pass at a time. Enjoy your park visits, then return the pass by or before the due date so others can have a chance to use it. These passes will be in the library for 2 years, so there is plenty of time to take another trip later on.