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Before we go ahead to talk about the specifics of what we want to do, let us summarise some of the key trends that we have been observing in recent times.
- In communications, there is a lot of talk and action on the 802.11 front. Using open spectrum (2.4 Ghz and the Wi-Fi protocols), it is now possible to build a "viral telecommunications network" comprising of neighbourbood area networks (NANs). This grassroots architecture, using wireless mesh routing, would resemble the network. It would provide a ubiquitous envelop of connectivity. With directional antennae, the 802.11b protocol can be extended to work for 40 kms which can link up rural areas.
- In software, the hot area is Web Services: using protocols like XML and SOAP to create software components which can find and use each other across the network. This is the base on which we can get others to build software to pre-defined specifications like interchangeable components. XML also works as the foundation for exchange of information.
- On the Web front, a couple of changes are happening in the way information is getting published and distributed. Driven by the popularity of weblogs, the web is becoming more of a writing medium. Weblogs are making it easy to publish content and opinions by individuals. RSS Newsfeeds aggregate published content and provide it on the desktop. This makes for the creation of people as filters – people as producers and consumers of news and information.
- In hardware, there is a huge upgrade cycle expected in the next 2-3 years in countries like the US. An estimated 40 million PCs in corporates are likely to be upgraded in the US alone. These were bought in the 1999-2000 time period. This can provide a base for an alternate low-cost computing platform.
- On the business standards front also, there has been some interesting work with definitions like ebXML and RosettaNet likely to make the exchange of information between companies easier. The shift is to a "real-time economy", an event-driven economy.
- The notion of technology of utility has been taking shape as companies like IBM accelerate the push towards grid computing and offering it on a pay-as-you-go subscription basis. This is part of the broader shift to computing services.
By themselves, these ideas are very important but perhaps, evolutionary. Taken together, these trends portend a revolution, creating opportunities for a very different tomorrow. A tomorrow where the bottom of the enterprise can be empowered to take on the bigger enterprises, where knowledge becomes a differentiator and business accelerator, where small entities can come together to create something remarkable which is much more powerful than anything else.


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This program option offers incentives for customers who incorporate energy efficiency measures into the construction of a new home. An ENERGY STAR® home with an energy rating of 86 or above will reduce energy costs, increase comfort levels and improve the environment for years to come.
Commercial New Construction Opportunities provide the opportunity to incorporate energy efficiency measures into a new facility or an addition to the existing building. Measures include lighting and lighting controls, HVAC equipment, variable speed drives, and motors.
Appliance Recycling offers incentives to consumers to recycle old working refrigerators and replace them with ENERGY STAR® products. The IEEP will schedule pick-up of the old refrigerator, properly recycle it, and provide an incentive to the customer for doing so.
Appliance Advantage provides incentives of up to $125 when replacing existing appliances with ENERGY STAR®-labeled versions incorporating advanced technologies that use 10-50% less energy and water than standard models.
There are a range of energy efficient street lighting opportunities that may deliver benefits to local government authorities, ratepayers, network providers, drivers, pedestrians and the community as a whole. Significant reductions in greenhouse pollution—and long-term savings—can often be achieved at minimal cost.
Thermal infrared imaging has become a valuable tool in performing energy audits in residential and commercial applications. The infra red camera displays heat energy as a visual image. This program measure provides an incentive for infrared cameras for energy use.
Reductions in electric usage by major electricity consumers, at the request of the utility, when wholesale energy market prices peak or system reliability is jeopardized due to high demand.
The SCADA program is an advanced, real-time information system that provides an integrated solution for data acquisition, data logging, human-machine interface, data management, networking and real-time/historical trending and report generation.
This program develops customer relationship management systems for utility companies, enabling them to quickly and accurately maintain customer information and billing.
The IEEP provides resources and technical assistance to commercial and industrial customers who need support in evaluating facility improvements on their operations.
Traffic control is one of the best uses of LED technology, which produces light in desired colors such as red, amber and green. When stoplights burn out, replacing them is inconvenient and the loss of traffic control can be dangerous—but LED traffic lights can last as long as 10 years, compared to roughly two years for their conventional counterparts. Similar advances in LED technology provide better options for municipal streetlights. LED bulbs are brighter than incandescent lamps, while consuming roughly 10% of the power.
Smart Metering is the technology of automatically collecting data from meters (water, gas, electric) and transferring that data to a central database for billing and/or analysis. Billing can be based on actual consumption, rather than on an estimate based on previous consumption, thus giving customers better control of their electric energy usage.
Solar Hot Water Heaters are cost effective ways to generate hot water. They can be used in any climate and use the sun as fuel to heat water that can then be used throughout a home.
Winds are created by uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, irregularities of the earth's surface, and the earth's rotation. Winds are strongly influenced and modified by local terrain, bodies of water, weather patterns, vegetative cover and other factors. The wind flow, or motion of energy when harvest ed by wind turbines, can be used to generate electricity.
Hybrid technologies improve fuel efficiency and provide fuel savings compared to normal, petrol-only vehicles. Hybrids are powered by a combination of petrol and electricity. All hybrids use regenerative braking: energy is put back into the battery when braking, thus improving energy efficiency and reducing brake wear.
Also known as cogeneration, CHP is an efficient, clean and reliable approach to generating power and thermal energy from a single fuel source. A CHP system, designed to meet the thermal and electrical base loads of a facility, can greatly increase the facility's operational efficiency and decrease energy costs. CHP also reduces the emission of greenhouse gases which contribute to global climate change.
Ground source heat pumps are electrically powered systems that tap the stored energy of the greatest solar collector in existence: the earth. These systems use the earth's relatively constant temperature to provide heating, cooling, and hot water for homes and commercial buildings.
A photo-voltaic (PV) or solar cell is the basic building block of a solar electric system. An individual PV cell is usually quite small and produces about one or two watts of power. To boost output, PV cells are connected to form larger units called modules which, in turn, can be connected to form even larger units called arrays, which can be inter connected to produce more power. PV systems can be built to meet almost any electric power need, small or large. PV projects are being implemented in schools as educational projects as well as power sources.
This IEEP program measure was developed to assist in upgrades to premium-efficiency motors, which contribute to marked reductions in energy consumption, motor heat, vibration and noise. Federal standards have increased to the point where all newly manufactured electric motors are highly efficient. Incentives for motor purchases were discontinued in 2016.
As energy-efficient lighting becomes more prevalent, it is important that the products are disposed of in a safe, responsible manner. Compact fluorescent lights contain a small amount of mercury—the size of a pin drop—that allows the bulbs to burn efficiently. The IEEP helps design recycling programs for its member systems to prevent large accumulations of bulbs in landfills.
Trees help promote energy efficiency, prevent erosion, protect water supplies, create habitat for wildlife and filter harmful carbon dioxide from the air, replacing it with life-giving oxygen. Trees cool streets, sidewalks, and especially homes, resulting in significant energy savings. They also muffle noise and increase privacy. The IEEP provides incentives to restore and develop these valuable resources.
Many processes or systems in commercial and residential buildings generate heat or energy that may be wasted. A heat reclamation system utilizes a heat exchanger to capture and transfer this heat into another useful source, reducing operation costs.
These appliances work like a refrigerator but in reverse. A small heat pump at the top extracts heat from the warm air around it, intensifies it with a compressor, delivers the heat to the water, and exhausts the cooler air. Drawing ambient air to do most of the work, they are very efficient. Because cooler air is exhausted from the heat pump, some models provide a degree of dehumidification to their surroundings.
Variable Speed Drives offer the ability to monitor and reduce energy consumption, foresee line and motor problems and gain fine speed and torque control. Consumers save energy by running motors at less than 100% output when full power isn't needed, and are able to extract equipment condition and operating information for predictive maintenance and plant optimization.
Commercial Refrigeration offers equipment upgrades for commercial customers with walk-in coolers, refrigeration with glass doors, and other cooling applications. These upgrades provide improved operating control and increased reliability, along with an increase in energy efficiency.
This program measure helps HEAP-eligible residential customers reduce usage by performing an energy evaluation survey on homes and providing appropriate resources to assist in reducing energy consumption. In addition, the Project Help component can assist low-income customers in paying fuel bills.
This program measure reduces heating costs and improves the comfort level in homes and businesses. Buildings using electric heat, with insulation measuring 8″ thick or less, may be eligible for additional insulation and ventilation at no cost.
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning can account for a huge portion of a building's energy usage. The IEEP supports improvements to these systems which can result in cost-effective energy savings, increased comfort for occupants, and improved system reliability.
This measure offers an interest buydown on home loans that invest in energy efficient improvements. For customers who apply and are pre-approved by the bank, and have approved plans for energy efficiency projects, the municipal electric utility will invest with the customer to reduce the interest rate of the loan. Qualifying home improvement loans must devote at least 50% of the total loan proceeds to energy efficient measures.
This enables emergency power systems to rely on generators or uninterruptible power supplies.
Lighting improvements for commercial facilities are a continuously evolving technology. This program measure provides resources to commercial customers, helping them keep up with emerging lighting technologies.
Proper home and building controls can reduce wasted energy loss by managing energy more precisely. Large buildings often have complex systems that need to be specified, installed, and calibrated properly by trained staff. The IEEP provides resources to help commercial building owners choose and/or maintain energy manage ment systems to optimize their energy systems.
Over a lifetime, the operation of an old refrigerator can produce up to 10 tons of CO2, a primary contributor to climate change. This program offers incentives to replace old working refrigerators with ENERGY STAR®-labeled versions. With each unit replaced, the equivalent CO2 emissions of two automobiles are eliminated.
This program encourages commercial municipal electric customers to upgrade equipment with energy efficient replacements. Lighting and motors account for a significant portion of energy use in commercial buildings; upgrading this equipment can reduce operating costs while improving the appearance and operation of the facility. Incentives are provided for each technology that meets the minimum energy efficiency criteria. For projects costing $2,000 or less, pre-approval is not required.
Lighting has, in the past, represented up to 12% of total electric energy usage in a typical home. In recent years, rapid advancements in efficient lighting technologies have enabled residential customers to enjoy substantial savings, with LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs and fixtures gaining popularity for their adaptability and longevity.

subset: commoncrawl


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Biostatistics for non-statisticians -- Fee: $275
Biostatistics for non-statisticians -- Fee: $275
Sunday, November 3, 2013: 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
LI Course
6 contact hours
6 contact hours
Statement of Purpose and Institute Overview: The purpose of this Learning Institute is to provide hands-on, participatory experience with IBM Statistical Software Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for the calculation and interpretation of basic statistical tests commonly reported in the published public health literature. Despite the ever-increasing growth of published scientific literature, many are unable to adequately understand and interpret statistical concepts appearing in manuscripts. Thus, it is critically important to have knowledge of fundamental statistical concepts and tests when assessing literature, as well as when carrying out a research project, so that it produces meaningful statistical results. This level of statistical awareness is essential to critically appraise a given study for its scientific validity, impact and epidemiologic relevance. Using IBM SPSS software and practical examples drawn from recently published health literature, this course will teach participants how to assess the appropriateness of statistical tests performed based on the study design, data collected, and the research question(s) asked. Examples will highlight common statistical tests reported in the literature including, but not limited to: odds ratio, relative risk, confidence interval, independent samples t-test, paired t-test, Chi-square test, correlation analysis, and multivariable regression methods. The emphasis of this course is on practical applications rather than theory. This workshop combines a lecture and interactive discussion format. The lecture will provide background information for the statistical analyses covered, while the interactive discussions are intended to provide critical discourse on—and a deeper understanding of—the material taught in the lectures by utilizing practical examples requiring problem solving. Course participants will receive practice exercises involving SPSS on each topic to reinforce understanding.
Session Objectives: Describe the purpose and appropriateness of statistical tests commonly reported in published health literature. Analyze data using IBM SPSS software. Demonstrate proficiency in making refined interpretations of statistical results.
Michael A. Joseph, PhD, MPH
Break for Opening General Session; Lunch on your own
See individual abstracts for presenting author's disclosure statement and author's information.
Organized by: APHA-Learning Institute (APHA-LI)
CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)
See more of: APHA-Learning Institute (APHA-LI)


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Rogue picks: #txtshow (on the internet),' 'Good Night; Never Goodbye,' and 'Rosegold'
I saw a bunch of Rogue shows last weekend and still hope to catch a few more. Even if you're not so crazy about the idea of virtual fringe performances, consider dropping in on a couple of shows just to show your support for the artists involved. Some of them have been really hurting financially. Just two days remain for the Rogue.
Here are three picks for the rest of the festival:
'#txtshow (on the internet)' (6 p.m. Saturday)
Brian Feldman, a Washington, D.C.-based fringe performer, has taken a live version of this show all over the world. Now he sits in his apartment doing the same thing on Zoom. I kept thinking while watching (and participating in) "#txtshow (on the internet)" that a virtual platform is perfect for this material. The conceit is simple: The audience writes the dialogue by means of sending direct chat messages to Feldman. You write it, and he'll say it. As far as I can tell, he doesn't say anything of his own volition; he is merely a talking puppet, and you're pulling the mouth strings.
Feldman's scruffy beard, black coat and meek submission to whatever text the audience wants to throw at him gives a mad-monk, Rasputin-ish flavor to the proceedings; I half expected him to start acting out lines from a Russian novel. Obviously, Feldman doesn't have a lot of control over the script, but in the performance I attended, he managed to maintain a character-driven sense of smug, brittle alienation even as he was making racy remarks in Italian (more on that in a moment) or championing the cause of creamy peanut butter (one of the silly text prompts I provided). Also, I'd definitely list as a high point the off-kilter feeling that I felt as an audience member, especially as the show began. I walked in thinking the experience would be more like a "Mad Libs" sort of outing in which Feldman solicited key phrases and words by which he would then act out various skits and scenarios. But, no, he simply says whatever you write. It isn't often that I feel completely disoriented as an audience member; it's kinda fun.
Obviously, then, the quality of any given performance depends on the audience as well as the performer. On opening night of the Rogue Festival, my fellow audience members included, inexplicably, two participants from Milan, Italy. I do not know if they are friends or colleagues of Feldman, but they certainly added a multicultural vibe to the experience by feeding him lines in Italian. Lots of lines in Italian.
Another thing that intrigued me about "txtshow" was how it preyed on my discomfort at long, unplanned, gaping moments of silence. It takes a lot of dialogue to fill a 45-minute solo show; and it became clear early on that Feldman simply wouldn't speak until someone fed him a line. My teacher's-pet sensibilities were stirred. I couldn't stop firing off lots of bad dialogue, including way too many jokes about creamy peanut butter. And I tried to construct a story arc involving a career on the stage for my Dostoyeskian character. I made him say: "They wanted me to be in the musical version of 'Anna Karenina.' I told them I was tired of typecasting." Ba-boom-ching.
Here's the weird part: By the time the show was over, I was getting into the swing of putting words in an actor's mouth. Here I was, sitting in my home office on the West Coast, typing words on a screen and having them spoken by a man 2,300 miles away whom I've never met. There's something, well, powerful about that. Even if he does swear a lot in Italian.
'Good Night; Never Goodbye' (8 p.m. Saturday)
A woman discovers her husband is having an affair. Instead of confronting him about it, she calls someone else: the husband of the woman her husband is sleeping with. Meet me in a hotel room, she says. We need to talk.
Charles Jackson Jr. and Allison Coats, of Lubbock, Texas, use that premise in "Good Night; Never Goodbye," a piece of theater that is a satisfying blend of improvisation and filmed entertainment. I was drawn to this show not because of the storyline but instead because of the show's crackle of acting energy. Jackson (who gives a very strong performance) and Coats (an appealing actor) filmed very long takes without scripted dialogue but while knowing where the general story is going.
Sure, I had a lot of questions about this piece, plot-wise. Why is the man so insistent for so long that the revelation of his wife's affair is a prank? Why wouldn't the woman talk to her husband first before arranging a hotel-room rendezvous?
But I also like that the narrative spins off in unexpected directions. And the chance to get to talk to the actors live afterward about the experience adds a sense of immediacy to the experience.
The Munro Review has no paywall but is financially supported by readers who believe in its non-profit mission of bringing professional arts journalism to the central San Joaquin Valley. You can help by signing up for a monthly recurring paid membership or make a one-time donation of as little as $3. All memberships and donations are tax-deductible.
'Rosegold' (6 p.m. Sunday)
Donna Kay Yarborough's "Rosegold" takes a mountain-lion-sized bite out of the personal-trauma formula of so many solo fringe shows I've seen. Hey, I've seen some good shows by people who have overcome 1) alcoholism; 2) drug addiction; 3) religious indoctrination; 4) obsession with Cabbage Patch dolls, etc. But the trajectory of those shows is often the same: Set the scene (which usually includes crappy parents), detail the breaking point (ending up in a hospital or setting your dolls on fire), and find the road to redemption (sobriety, a Netflix series, collecting bobbleheads instead).
Yarborough, a longtime Rogue performer and a very good writer, does something different with this piece, however: She gets creepy. I won't go into the details, but let's just say that Jamie, the alcoholic telling her story, is drinking for reasons that are not commonly talked about in a Twelve Step meeting.
I like the details that Yarborough brings us: the images of ice cubes clinking, of a plastic chair by a pecan tree, of a daughter-father relationship that thrives on dysfunction and, yes, love. At one point, Jamie tells us about another character that gives her a look she describes as the way someone would acknowledge a pet or child they have absolutely nothing but indifference for. That line gave me the chills. If you're looking for some darkness in your Rogue experience, this one's for you.


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Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'tournament season 4'.
Found 1 result
Tournament Season 4 Kicks Off
Jack posted a topic in RecruitmentCommanders, The portal of Tournament Season 4 will open itself at 22:00 on Jan.13th UTC. Barring unforeseen events, Tournament event opens on the second Friday of every other month. Now please allow me to show you the details: Duration: 22:00 on Jan.13th - 21:59 on Feb. 4th UTC Rewards: Champion Banner for Top 1 League. Silver Cup Bronze Cup Champion Medal for all members on Top 1 League. Silver Cup Bronze Cup Medal of Honor for all members on Top 2-5 Leagues. Silver Cup Bronze Cup Each participant of this event will get Battlefield Rewards, according to you personal ranking, when each round ends. Every member of league(s) that take(s) part in this event would get Season Rewards, according to your league final ranking, when this season ends . Rewards detail as follows: Bonuses: The leagues, entering top 5 of Silver Cup or Bronze Cup, will have the chance to get fat extra rewards, i.e. bonuses. League leaders of these leagues have to produce a list of the commanders that have the honor to share the bonuses. By receiving this list, we will deliver the rewards of the assigned amount to the commanders aforesaid. Details of the bonuses are as follows: Meanwhile, Champion league of Silver Cup will be honored to select a medal they would like to wear in the upcoming days from below. This medal will also be sent via in-game mail to the members that league leader listed. The following medals are: Bold Vision, Distinguished General, Delta Force, Wise Strategist. To Participate: League leader or anyone with access to open a BF click Event-Tournament to form a League Team. Other members join this League Team. With 6 participants, CINC can hit "Start Battle" then matching begins. It may take awhile to match for a BF. Please make sure all of you enter battlefield manually within 2 hours after BF started. Requirements: Silver Cup: Qualified leagues for Silver Cup last season Top 5 leagues in Bronze Cup last season Bronze Cup: All the other leagues. A battlefield will open when at least 4 league teams are matching. Each league can only dispatch ONE team to participate in this event per round. Each league team have to dispatch 6 participants. Rules: Open Time: PST 14:00, EST 17:00, UTC 22:00 on Every Friday. Close Time: PST 13:59, EST 16:59, UTC 21:59 on Every Saturday. Duration: From Jan. 13th to Feb 4th (Each round opens at every Friday, 4 rounds in total). Top 5 leagues of Bronze Cup will be invited to join Silver Cup next season. In the end, I wish all of you good luck. Should you have any questions, please leave your comments under this thread or write a private message to the moderators. C'm on guys, I am hearing the impending rumbles of your formidable troops now. Grab your weapons and march to the fronts. It's party time! Let's have fun! Jack


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- Store
- >
- Jewelry Catalog
- >
- Pendants
- >
- Bronze Raven Thor's Hammer
Bronze Raven Thor's Hammer
per item
Our Bronze Raven Thor's Hammer is the first in a set of limited edition pendants. These are made as a collaboration with The Crafty Celts. The Raven hammer is a combination of our popular round headed hammer pendant and one of Crafty Celts distinctive Raven heads. These hammers have been available only in our booth at events because of the limited quantity. But now they are available exclusively on our website.
They measure 1 5/8" tall and 5/8" wide. Includes a waxed cotton necklace cord.
Only 1 left!


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Stormy night
(Community News ~ 08/07/15)
This reader submitted photo, by Lenny C. Middlebrooks, shows storms rolling into Blytheville on the night of Aug. 5.
Reba Tramble
(Obituary ~ 08/07/15)
Mrs. Reba Latoya Tramble of Augusta, GA passed away at the age of 38 on Monday, July 27th at her home. Born on June 6th, 1977, Reba was born in Osceola and was a member of Mt. Moriah MB Church in Blytheville. She provided aid as a health care worker, and now she can rest in peace knowing that she will be aided...
Blytheville Police Reports, August 7
(Local News ~ 08/07/15)
Blytheville Police Reports The following are reports from the Blytheville Police Department. Thursday, August 6 -- Police took a report of terroristic threatening in the 2100 block of West Rose. The victim said that she and another woman had been in a verbal altercation about work and money. She also said that the offender called a mutual friend and told her that the offender was going to come to the victim's house, kick her door in and shoot her in the forehead...
Heritage Square beauty pageant
(Community News ~ 08/07/15)
Former Queen Betty Cook (left) presents the crown and sash to winner of the 2015 Heritage Beauty Pageant, Queen Mary Marshall.
Jimmy "Tiny" Franks
(Obituary ~ 08/07/15)
Jimmy "Tiny" Franks, 63 of Blytheville, passed from this life Thursday, August 6th, 2015 at the NEA Baptist Hospital in Jonesboro. Born to Howard and Janie "Jordan" Franks, Jimmy served his country with honor as part of the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. ...
James "Bucky" Fisher Roleson
(Obituary ~ 08/07/15)
James "Bucky" Fisher Roleson passed away August 2nd, from complications following surgery in his hometown of Dallas. Jim was born on September 3rd, 1942 in Wynne to Jim Sr. and Molly Fisher Roleson. He grew up in Blytheville and was a 1960 Chickasaw graduate. ...
Brandon Joe Wadkins
(Obituary ~ 08/07/15)
Brandon Joe Wadkins, 23, was called home to be with the Lord August 2nd, 2015. Brandon was born November 1st, 1991 in Blytheville, Arkansas to Teddy and Beckey Lindsey Wadkins. Brandon loved hunting and fishing with family, playing pool, and basketball. He was born again as a Christian of Baptist Faith...
Remains found in river
(Local News ~ 08/07/15)
Skeletal remains were recovered Thursday just north of Sans Souci Landing on the Mississippi River. The Mississippi County Coroner's officer, the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department and the Blytheville Emergency Squad were involved in the recovery operation...
Jail to receive new roof
(Local News ~ 08/07/15)
The Mississippi County jail will be receiving a new roof and all new air conditioning units within the next 30 days, pursuant to a vote taken in an emergency session of the Mississippi County Quorum Court on Thursday. The meeting was called as a result of the recommendations of the police, fire, and safety and finance committees, which both met earlier in the week to hear the concerns of Sheriff Dale Cook regarding the facility, and deemed the situation an emergency. ...
Chickasaw Benefit Game
(High School Sports ~ 08/07/15)
Blytheville Courier News The Blytheville Chickasaws will host the Pocahontas Redskins Tuesday, August 25 in their annual Arkansas Activities Association benefit game. The scrimmage will begin at 5 p.m. with the junior high squads followed by a junior varsity game and concluding with a senior high scrimmage...
Chickasaw Meet and Greet
(High School Sports ~ 08/07/15)
Blytheville Courier News Blytheville athletic department is hosting their annual Meet and Greet at 6 p.m., Monday, August 17 at Chickasaw Gym. Student athletes and their parents are encouraged to attend. Coaches from all sports and athletic activities will be on hand to talk with parents and athletes and answer any questions about the upcoming seasons...
A-Rod making comeback of all comebacks
(Column ~ 08/07/15)
He's back. Whether you like him or not, Alex Rodriguez is having an more than respectable season with the New York Yankees. After being sidelined for much of the past three seasons to either injury or self-induced suspensions for PED use, the 40-year-old third basemen is having his best season at the plate since 2010 and he's got the Yankees on top of the A.L. East...
Stories from Friday, August 7, 2015
Browse other days


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Latest Blogs
Kim and Todd Saxton: Go for the gold! But maybe not every time.
Q&A: What you need to know about the CDC's new mask guidance
Carmel distiller turns hand sanitizer pivot into a community fundraising platform
Lebanon considering creating $13.7M in trails, green space for business park
Local senior-living complex more than doubles assisted-living units in $5M expansion
Indianapolis is positioning itself to bid on hosting the NFL Draft—possibly as soon as 2020.
But the Circle City is far from alone.
When NFL brass started asking NFL team owners and city officials over the last year if they'd be interested in hosting the draft—which last month drew 200,000 people to Philadelphia—23 cities expressed interest.
Dallas, Green Bay and Los Angeles, along with Canton, Ohio—home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame—are known to be in the hunt. Canton is the only city involved that isn't home to one of 32 NFL teams.
After holding the draft in New York for 51 years, the NFL started moving the event around in 2015, with a two-year run in Chicago and this year in the City of Brotherly Love. The NFL hasn't decided where the event will be next year, but league officials have hinted it could return to Philadelphia.
An NFL spokesman said a decision on the 2018 draft will be made by September. NFL officials hope eventually to make hosting announcements three to four years in advance, much like for the Super Bowl.
Officials for the Indiana Sports Corp., Visit Indy and Indianapolis Colts—which would be the primary players in Indianapolis' bid process—attended the last two drafts to scout the event and see what's required of the host city.
"The city has definitely expressed an interest in bidding on hosting a future draft, and we would certainly be supportive," said Colts Chief Operating Officer Pete Ward.
ISC spokesman Brett Williams told IBJ, "We were there to see how the event is physically set up, and what the event atmosphere 'feels' like."
Indianapolis will not bid for 2018 or 2019, Ward and Visit Indy officials said, due to scheduling conflicts with the Indiana Convention Center and other facilities needed to host the growing event.
While ISC officials said they are not currently in the active bid process, a source familiar with local plans said the city definitely plans to bid on the draft and likely would target 2020.
Making this bid trickier is a new and quickly evolving bid process for the event. Canton officials bid for the 2017 and 2018 draft even though they said they were really hoping to win the event in 2019 or 2020. Pro Football Hall of Fame President David Baker said the 2017 and 2018 bids were made primarily to get familiar with the process.
It is still being determined where the draft and surrounding events would be held in Indianapolis, if the city wins the bid. The convention center is likely to be used for at least part of the event, but an outdoor site for the draft and/or other ancillary events is being considered, the source told IBJ. In Chicago the event was held outside at Grant Park.
Local officials are certainly not newcomers when it comes to bidding for sports or other events—dating back to the 1980s with the National Sports Festival, Pan Am Games and the city's first of many Final Fours, as well as many global conventions. That experience with a variety of bids may give it an advantage in this competition.
If Indianapolis mounts a bid, Ward has no doubt it will be a serious contender to host the event.
"No one hosts a big event like Indianapolis," Ward said. "The NFL is well aware of what this city is capable of doing from a hosting standpoint. I know the city would do a great job with the draft."
While competition for the May draft will be stiff, Indianapolis might have a leg up in NFL circles. Not only is the 2012 Super Bowl still relatively fresh in people's minds, but Indianapolis has been the longtime host of the NFL Scouting Combine and this year launched the first-ever fan experience entertainment zone for the combine.
The draft calls for a fan experience zone that's similar to the one for the combine. The draft also has parties and other ancillary events connected to it.
There are plenty of reasons why so many cities are interested in the draft. Cold weather is much less a factor in May than it is for a wintertime Super Bowl. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the cost of hosting a Super Bowl is the primary responsibility of the host city, while the NFL thus far has shouldered the lion's share of the expenses for the draft. Of course, as competition for the event heats up, that could change. It wouldn't be at all surprising if cities start throwing incentives at the NFL to win the event.
The cost to host the event this year in Philadelphia was estimated at $25 million, including the construction of a 3,000-seat open-air theater, which included a green room, red carpet area and large stage.
While the event generates half or less of an economic boost than a Super Bowl, it's nothing to sneeze at. The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated the draft generated an $80 million economic impact.
It's difficult to compare the economic impact of events held in different cities, because each city has a different way of calculating those numbers. But the draft appears to at least approach the impact of a Final Four.
Visit Indy estimated that 70,000 people spent about $71 million in Indianapolis for the 2015 Final Four. It's notable that Visit Indy's number is for visitor spending, which is a smaller number than economic impact, which is often calculated using local spending and multiplying factors.


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MIT Opening New College for Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)
Artificial intelligence (A.I.) is hot—and if you don't believe that, look at the six-figure salaries paid out to the experts in the field. Now comes the next big step: creating as many A.I. experts as possible. In order to expand the pipeline of A.I.-knowledgeable graduates, many schools across the country have added A.I. and machine-learning courses to their curriculums. Now the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) plans to take things another step further, with the launch of a $1 billion college dedicated to A.I. When the college opens in the fall of 2019, it will focus on helping students enhance their studies in another discipline with the latest A.I. techniques and tools. For example, if you're studying biology, MIT wants you to use A.I. to radically upgrade your work in that arena. There's also an emphasis on "responsible" use of A.I. tools. "Computing is no longer the domain of the experts alone. It's everywhere, and it needs to be understood and mastered by almost everyone," MIT President L. Rafael Reif wrote in a statement accompanying the announcement. "In that context, for a host of reasons, society is uneasy about technology—and at MIT, that's a signal we must take very seriously." The college will also create 50 new faculty positions, and provide a shared structure for A.I. research with the rest of MIT. A new building for the school is scheduled to open sometime in 2022. If this initiative succeeds, it will deeply bake A.I. into a host of disciplines, potentially equipping students for a future in which automation, machine learning, and other A.I. disciplines dominate various industries. For those who want to learn A.I. now, there are lots of options. For example, Bloomberg offers a (free) online course in machine learning, aimed at pros who already have some background in machine learning (and a lot of aptitude for mathematics). Google also has a (likewise free) course with 25 lessons and more than 40 exercises, which you can finish in 15 hours or so; it features lots of video of Google engineers describing the nuances of A.I. and machine learning. Online learning schools such as Udacity also have programs in machine learning, some of which are meant for beginners. And Microsoft is offering a Professional Program for Artificial Intelligence, with 10 online courses that teach 10 skills. If attending MIT isn't an option, fortunately, the resources are there already for boosting your A.I. knowledge.


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If you're in the market for a new vehicle, there's a good chance you're at least considering buying a second-hand car.
It's a smart idea, and you're in good company. In fact, the used vehicle market generated $43.58 million in the United States and is only expected to grow.
Of course, you want to make sure that you're getting a good deal and a safe vehicle. Check these seven things to make sure you don't end up with a lemon.
1. Vehicle History
First and foremost, when buying a used car, you'll first want to check the vehicle's history.
The driver should be able to provide you with a detailed list of inspections, accidents, other relevant information that can clue you into the car's condition.
It's also a good idea to research the make and model online to ensure you're purchasing a product with a reliable history. Otherwise, you may end up spending more on repairs than if you'd just bought a new vehicle in the first place.
2. Body Condition
One of the first things you'll want to inspect is the condition of the vehicle's body.
You shouldn't necessarily trust the photos you see online, as they may not present the full story. Remember, the seller is trying to make money off of the car, they're not going to advertise the damage freely.
Be sure to conduct a physical inspection before agreeing to a purchase.
3. Upholstery
A vehicle's upholstery says a lot about the driver. For instance, torn or ripped seating may indicate that the driver is less than careful with his or her vehicle.
While ripped upholstery is repairable, that's time and money that you don't necessarily need to spend. Make sure that all of the upholstery, including flooring and passenger seats, are well taken care of.
4. The Vehicle Identification Number
When buying a used car, treat everything with a healthy sense of skepticism, right down to the Vehicle Identification Number or VIN.
Each vehicle has a unique 17-digit code that tells its entire story.
Some people are less than honest, so run the VIN to make sure you're not about to purchase a stolen vehicle. If the records don't match up, alert the authorities immediately.
5. Tires
Unless you're dealing with the perfect seller, you shouldn't expect your used vehicle to have brand new tires. However, you also shouldn't expect tires that will leave you stranded in a few miles.
Check the condition of the tread wear on all four tires and ask how often the seller paid for a tire rotation.
6. Mirrors
Buying a second-hand car comes with a whole string of hidden issues. Some of which you may not notice until it's too late.
Case and point, the vehicle's interior mirrors. Check both sun visors. It sounds silly, maybe, but some owners rip the mirrors out of the visors before selling the vehicle.
7. Suspension
Finally, check the vehicle's suspension by bouncing the car up and down. It should easily absorb any shock and even out almost immediately.
If the vehicle continues to bounce up and down, the car's suspension system may need repair.
Buying a Second-Hand Car Can Save Money…If You Know What to Look For
Buying a second-hand car is a smart way to get a good vehicle at a great price. Just make sure that you've done your due diligence and check each of these seven things.
Now that you've found a great used car, it's time to make it your own! Check out our self-repair blog to learn about awesome repair tips you can do yourself.


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It is easy to overlook the fact that food security could be an issue of concern in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). After all, its member states have some of the world's highest per capita income levels. Food supplies in the Gulf are normally abundant and stable. Were they to be disrupted, however, it could lead to food security challenges and a chain of adverse consequences for human security, both in the GCC as well as other countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This risk should not be discounted, not only because the direct impact on human security is important in its own right, but also because of the potential broader security implications.
Food security is actually a constant concern in the GCC, and maintaining it is a matter of state policy linked to both national security and social stability. Environmental constraints on agricultural production and rapid economic and population growth have led to a near total dependence on international markets for food supplies. This has been coupled with a heavy reliance on hydrocarbon export revenues. The region's food security is therefore deeply exposed to external conditions in two major international commodity markets prone to fluctuations and price volatility. Additionally, when hydrocarbon prices slump for a prolonged period of time, GCC countries' external and fiscal balances are weakened. As a result, government spending that ensures the stability and affordability of food supplies, along with other living costs support measures, could be curtailed. This coupling of hydrocarbon and food resources, both inextricably linked to trade, affects food security conditions in the Gulf countries.
Maritime chokepoints: Straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab
In addition, much of the trade that is critical to the economies, food security, and stability of the GCC depends on two of the world's most important maritime shipping chokepoints: the Straits of Hormuz and of Bab al-Mandab. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, of all global seaborne traded liquid hydrocarbons about 20 percent passed through the former and five percent through the latter in 2016. Most of the GCC's liquid hydrocarbon exports head eastwards, to markets in Asia, and in the case of Saudi Arabia, to America as well, travelling through the Strait of Hormuz. Key commodities go the other way too. Of the GCC's total imports of wheat and coarse grains from the Americas, Europe, and the Black Sea, around 39 percent transit the Strait of Bab al-Mandab and 35 percent pass through the Strait of Hormuz, while 81 percent of rice imports are shipped through the latter.
GCC countries are food secure at the national level because international trade through these waterways is not impeded. Were this to change — for example, in the event of a U.S.-Iran conflict — it could create food security challenges that, if protracted, would eventually become crises.
Food security risks are not uniform in the GCC due to unequal wealth distribution. One-tenth of the population spends over 30 percent of its income on food. Immigrants account for much of the region's population: 88 percent in the UAE, 74 percent in Kuwait, 76 percent in Qatar, 51 percent in Bahrain, 41 percent in Oman, and 32 percent in Saudi Arabia. Many are poor, low-skilled workers from East and South East Asia, as well as other Arab countries. They do not have access to the financial support systems that GCC nationals do, and they are particularly vulnerable to sudden increases in food prices linked to rising shipping costs and supply disruptions.
To address this issue, GCC countries have invested heavily in strategic food reserves. Most of the MENA region's facilities for stockpiling grains are in
The alternatives are fairly limited and unsuited to an extended crisis
Of particular concern at the moment are emerging risks linked to the recent sabotage of oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, which come at a time of already heightened risks for shipping through the Strait of Bab al-Mandab due to the conflict in Yemen. Thus trade risk levels in the two major maritime routes on which the region relies are now elevated, and the alternatives are limited.
Aside from Oman, which has ports on the
Some commodities are more vulnerable than others, however. For instance, rice, the main staple for immigrant workers, is mostly imported from the east. If maritime shipping through the Gulf is disrupted, rice prices could skyrocket. This would erode real incomes and food security among low-income immigrants, and, if not resolved quickly, could spark civil unrest, particularly within the smaller GCC countries,
Regional implications
The broader implications for the MENA region are important as well. Although GCC countries have been reducing their employment of workers from elsewhere in the Arab world, remittances from expatriate communities to their home countries remain substantial. They are significant sources of foreign exchange for governments in countries such as Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon, and a vital source of income for expatriates' families back home, particularly where vast macroeconomic policy changes have led to steep rises in living costs and widespread economic hardship. In Egypt, GCC remittances are all the more important since transfers from Libya have decreased due to the conflict there. Reduced real incomes among expatriates would mean less money sent home.
Furthermore, actual or perceived food market shortages in the GCC could drive expansion in imports from Morocco, Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan. Any additional agricultural export support measures in these countries would contribute to higher domestic food price inflation, and this would not bode well for food security conditions, which are already a concern.
The countries of the MENA region are extensively interconnected through labor, commodities, financial flows, and porous borders. On the GCC national level, food insecurity is unlikely under peaceful conditions. Yet recent events are a reminder that the region is not immune to the risk of food insecurity if the normal flow of trade is disturbed. The stakes are significant for other countries in MENA as well, given the potential wider regional implications for human security and stability. It would be wise to avoid military conflagrations in the GCC, which could spiral into greater economic distress and chaos across the MENA region.
Amal A. Kandeel advises government, international, and private entities on economic and public policy; natural resources and sustainable development; and conflict/peace and human security issues. The views expressed in this article are her own.
Photo by AZIZ SHAH/AFP/Getty Images
The Middle East Institute (MEI) is an independent, non-partisan, non-for-profit, educational organization. It does not engage in advocacy and its scholars' opinions are their own. MEI welcomes financial donations, but retains sole editorial control over its work and its publications reflect only the authors' views. For a listing of MEI donors, please click here.


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Invitation Celebration Life Invitation Template from celebration of life template , image source: www.powrwork.com
Every week brings new projects, emails, documents, and job lists. How much of this is different from the job you have done before? Odds are, not much. A number of our day-to-day tasks are variants on something we've done countless times before.
Don't reinvent the wheel each time you start something fresh. Rather, use templates–standardized files as starting point. Once you save another variant of the template, simply add, eliminate, or alter any data for that record, and you'll have the new work done in a fraction of this time.
Templates work everywhere: in word processors, spreadsheets, project management apps, survey programs, and also email. Here's to create documents from a template — and the way to use templates in your favorite programs –so it's possible to get your common tasks done faster.
Programs take the time to construct, and it's easy to wonder whether they're worth the investment. The answer: absolutely. Editing a template requires much less time than formatting some thing. It is the distinction between copying and pasting some text, or retyping it.
That is not the only benefit: Using a template means you are not as likely to leave out key information, too. By way of example, if you want to send freelance writers a contributor agreement, changing a standard contract template (instead of composing a new contract every time) guarantees you won't leave out the crucial clause about owning the material as soon as you've paid for it.
Templates also guarantee consistency. You send regular job updates. Using a template, you understand the update will always have the formatting, design, and structure.
How to Create Great Templates
Not many templates are created equal–and some things don't need a template. Here are a couple of guidelines to follow.
First, templates must be comprehensive. So err on the side of including instead of too small, it is easier to delete information than add it .
Imagine you are creating a template of your own resume. You'd want to record details about your responsibilities and achievements, so you'll have.
You can always delete less-important notes later on, but you may forget it if it's not from the template.
Some tools will automatically fill in these factors for you (more on this in a little ). But should you have to fill in the data by yourself, add some text that is simple and obvious to search for so it is possible to find.


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Interested in participating in some kind volunteer project in Our Town
September 17, 2009
Outdoorsy? Interested in participating in some kind volunteer project in Our Town? Volunteers in Parks (V.I.P.) and the Park Enhancement Program (P.E.P.) are for community groups, individuals, and businesses. Help is always needed to repair park facilities, remove trash, paint, landscape, etc and creative project ideas are especially welcome ($500 grants for park improvement projects can be made available through the Parks Division).V.I.P. and P.E.P. applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are available online at www.culvercity.org/parks/parkshome.asp?sec=gov. Or just call (310) 253-6472 for more information.
The Culver-Palms Family YMCA's Active Adults Program will present Program Analyst Odille Hansen, who will lead a discussion on "Understanding Health Care Insurance Reform" on Wednesday, September 23 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the branch, 4500 So. Sepulveda Blvd. The discussion will cover all the pertinent issues that make this such a hot topic. Odille started at the Rand Corporation and worked as Program Analyst in higher education, the Federal government (GAO) and the Board of Education at the L.A. Unified School District. The discussion is free and open to the community. The Culver-Palms Family YMCA is located at 4500 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City 90213, (310) 390-3604.
Congratulations to The Willows Community School, a non-profit, independent school serving grades developmental kindergarten through eighth grade, marking its 15 year anniversary in Culver City on September 19. The Willows community kicks off its year- long celebration with an All-School Picnic this Sunday at Veterans Park, where hundreds of current and former students, families, faculty and staff are expected to gather to mark the date. The school is located at 8509 Higuera Street in Culver City.
A slight touch of Autumn's in the air for mid-September babies Don Chandler, Agnes Agzarian, Emery Johnson, Ann Duncan, Buddy Carranza, Linda Gill, Phuong Pham, Patricia Richmond, Kristin Berger, Alan Boltuch, Monica Schiel, Ken Chastain, Ross Berger, David Call, Charles Callender, Jaime Perez, Darren Siegel, Stephanie Lowry, Lee Leighton, Molly Ochoa, Selene Soler, Israel Garcia, Laura Arnold-Valadez, Chang Moo Lee, Brian Eleazar, and Joseph Schuster.
You can always feel safe riding Culver CityBus, and here's just one reason why: Our Transportation Department Equipment Maintenance & Fleet Services Division has been named the fifth best fleet in North America! Out of 5,000 municipal fleets competing for 2009 honors (a record number), all adhering to 12 different and intense qualifiers (identifying exceptional qualities specifically in productivity, accountability and efficiency goals), we met or exceeded the required objectives and were named the fifth best. This is a remarkable achievement, especially when considering there were much larger fleets the Division competed against. Congratulations go out to our Transportation Department!
Parents can get the back to school blues too, and here's a way to commiserate with your peers while helping to fund some important school programs: You can "Sip for Our Schools" on Saturday, September 26 at the home of John and Nancy Kuechle, Culver City Education Foundation stalwarts – and wine lovers. For just $35 per person there will be three white wines from three countries and three reds from three countries to taste, plus artisan cheeses and blues music to enjoy. Space is limited, so reserve now at firstname.lastname@example.com or call Karen at (310) 842-4220, ext. 4212.
The Culver Crest Neighborhood Association is holding its general meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Marycrest Manor. Among the agenda items will be an update on Westfield Culver City (formerly known simply as "Fox Hills Mall"), with General Manager Chuck Martinez on hand to tell about the new layout and stores; how Measure EE will impact schools and pocketbooks; nomination of candidates for the CCNA board of directors; and a Neighborhood Watch report by Lt. Steve Williams, CCPD,
The Culver City Exchange Club's program last week presented Tracy Woodbury and Cherise Payne from Upward Bound, introduced by Erin Popkin, an alum of the program. Upward Bound, currently with one facility in Santa Monica, provides transitional housing and services for working but homeless families on the Westside. Early in 2010 they will be opening a site on Washington Blvd. in West Culver City that will house 17 families who can stay for up to 90 days. In keeping with their goal to provide up-to-date topics of interest, next week's Exchange Club speaker will feature Culver City Police Chief Don Pedersen.


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When you are appointed to sell or lease a commercial property, the fact of the matter is that some clients will try to push you and your commission to lower values in comparison to other agents. The client wants a 'bargain', but what they really want more is a result from your promotion and marketing activities. Don't forget that!
If the client tells you at the early stages of the listing presentation that 'your fees and commissions are too high', ask them if they will allow you to explain the way in which you will approach the marketing and inspection of the property. After you have done that for them they should be able to see why your fee is structured in that way.
Here is a standard phrase that I would use in responding to the client for this reason.
'Mr Brown, I expect that we are more 'expensive' than the other agents in the local area, and in being so we deliberately approach the marketing of the property in a very special way to create more enquiries and activate the right inspections. Here are some clear examples of what we do, how that is different, and how that can help you with your property today. Our focus is to be the best agent for our client's property; here is how we will do just that for you.'
The fact of the matter is that you must be a better agent in value and commitment to the promotion of the property. When the client can see that fact, the marketing of the property and the associated fees are no longer an issue.
The factors that excite the client's attention will include the following:
- Reaching the target audience
- Shorten the time on market
- Build prestige and promotion into the property marketing
- Achieve the best price given the prevailing market conditions
- Fast track the settlement or solution given the clients time requirements
- Personal attention from the salesperson to take the property into the market on a 'one on one' basis.
For this very reason we should look at how we present our services and costs to the client. It's not just all about the money; the money will be 'acceptable' if you tell the right story of commitment to the client and the property. At the centre of everything, the client wants the agent that can produce the desired results quickly and effectively. They want to believe that they are choosing the right agent that will do a great job. Is that you, and how will you do that.
I am a great believer that the marketing efforts that we put into a property today must be very special. When the client gives me an exclusive listing, I know that I have some real work to do. Generic property promotion is a waste of time. Every listing should be uniquely handled, and you personally should be taking that property into the local area.


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Arriving on the Xbox platform for the first time is the Ys series in Ys Origin. It will release on April 11th and include two features exclusive to the Xbox ; a "blood option" and speedrun mode.
Following a devastating demonic invasion, the twin Goddesses use their magic to bring the inhabitants of legendary Ys safely into the sky. While the demons work to construct Devil's Tower and reach the humans' new abode, the Goddesses disappear. As a mighty warrior or a cunning mage, you must seek the Goddesses in Devil's Tower. With your swordsmanship and spells, can you banish evil from the land of your ancestors?
With its captivating story, stirring soundtrack, and epic boss battles, Ys Origin remains one of the best action-RPGs of all time!
Our Take
The Ys series is one of the oldest and most respected among all JRPGs so it's great to finally see it on the Xbox platform. We're not sure how much value the exclusive features will add, but that's just a cherry on top and shouldn't impact from the core experience.


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Publisher Information
Kids Are Worth It
Kids Are Worth It is a book publisher. A book published by Kids Are Worth It is Winning at Parenting...Without Beating Your Kids.
|Main Address:
P.O. Box 621108
Littleton CO 80162 USA
|Phone: 303-972-3244
|Fax: 303-972-1204
|Updated 12/12/2008
While JacketFlap strives to maintain up-to-date information, we recommend that you contact the publisher using the information here to confirm that the contact information is current. If you have more up-to-date information, please click the Edit or Add links on this page to edit this publisher's information and earn points, which you can redeem for Amazon.com or BookSense gift certificates.
|Title, Creators, Comments / Reviews
|Date Published
|1. Winning at Parenting...Without Beating Your Kids (2 Audio Cassettes) (Au...
Author: Barbara Coloroso
|13 Reviews
|Bestselling order determined by Amazon.com SalesRank(tm)


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You should go out from Main American roads, and make a long journey to see this classy country house around 1863.
The house was lost somewhere in the Kentucky countryside. Its current owner bought it in the early 90's, falling in love at first sight.
The main building consists of two buildings connected to each other. There are a workshop and a school on the farm, and around – a stream with clean water, an apple orchard and a dense forest.
It is a perfect place to meet a long snowfall, curl up by the fireplace under a woolen blanket and enjoy peace and quiet.


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About Us
The nation's number one source for nannies and domestics
Bella Bambino Nannies was founded in 2002 by Rebecca Barlow. As a former nanny and working mother of 4, Rebecca understands the challenges you face when seeking in home childcare for your precious little ones.
Recently, Rebecca has joined forces with Amy Bonnett, Amy brings with her several years of recruiting and staffing experience and a wealth of knowledge in the industry. As a mother herself, Amy is sympathetic to the needs of the parents she works with. Together, Rebecca and Amy have joined forces to create a domestic staffing company that is unparalleled in the industry. With Rebecca and Amy at the helm, Bella Bambino Nannies has grown and flourished into a fully staffed nationwide service that is known for its attention to detail and personalized customer service.
We represent only the finest in-home childcare workers available. Similarly, we are proud to say that we have been of service to many of Southern California's most prestigious families. Bella Bambino Nannies caters to the most discerning parents seeking only the best in nanny care for their children.
Families have come to know us as the most professional and efficient nanny service in Southern California. From La Jolla to Bel Air, our sterling reputation for excellent customer service, coupled with our years in the nanny industry have made us leaders in our field. We are a nanny and family advocate and as such, we will always ensure that our nannies and families are comfortable with their respective decisions.
Nannies seeking representation trust us to place them in only the best possible working situations. We are heralded as "the nanny service that listens" to the needs and concerns of professional nannies. The nannies we choose to represent are fully screened and will undergo a stringent nanny background check which includes a Criminal Investigation, Social Security Verification, Address History, Sex Offender Check and Driving Records Check. We are also able to provide Drug Screening for nanny candidates upon request.
We appreciate that you have taken time out of your schedule to visit us and we look forward to speaking with you in regards to your specific needs. Please contact us with any questions that you may have with regards to your nanny search.
Family Links
Nanny Links
Nanny Recruitment
Our nanny recruitment process is unparalleled in the industry. What sets us apart is the fact that all of us are mothers and we recruit for you as we would recruit for ourselves. Each nanny is personally interviewed for 2 hours, all references are scrutinized and a complete background check is run. Using Bella Bambino Nannies as your nanny recruitment service will be one of the best decisions you've ever made for your family!
Nanny Placement
Bella Bambino Nannies makes nanny placement hassle free and fun! We love working with our clients and we totally understand your needs as we are parents too! You'll never feel pressured to hire a nanny who is not the perfect fit and we will walk you through every single step offering our support and years of experience to guide you!
Group Play Dates
Bella Bambino Nannies founder Rebecca Barlow is a mother of 4 who is a strong believer in community. We are happy to facilitate group play dates with interested clients. We have a large network of parents we have helped throughout the years and it is our pleasure to introduce our clients to one another if a group play date or support group is desired.
Background Checks
Bella Bambino Nannies will carefully and thoroughly background check your nanny in addition to enrolling them with Trustline (California placements) Some of the Background checks we run are:
• Criminal investigation
• Social security verification
• Address history
• Sex offender check
• Driving records check
• CPR certified
• Drug test upon request


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We had just set the Christmas tree in the flimsy, three-legged, red-and-green metal stand, and tightened the three bolts to hold it. This was Christmas of '69 or '70. I was still living at home, and was on break from college. I was at my friend Lee's house, helping him put up the family Christmas tree in the living room. It was a real tree, about 8 feet tall.
We stood back to see how the tree looked. It started to lean slowly, then faster. Before we could stop it the Christmas tree crashed onto the butsudon. Hearing the noise, Okaasan sprang from the kitchen into the living room, yelling in Japanese.
I grew up in northeast Kansas City or, simply, Northeast, as opposed to, say, Prairie Village or Independence. Northeast was a place that, as some describe it, had two kinds of people: Italians and white people.
I lived on Belmont, across the street from Monkey Wards, the giant department store and mail-order house that competed with Sears, which was over at Truman Road and Cleveland.
Lee's family, the Watermans, lived in one of the saltbox houses along the short block of Gladstone Boulevard that was right across the street from Indian Mound (which may or may not be a real Indian Mound but us kids thought so). Lee's dad, Homer, had been in the U.S. Army of Occupation in Tokyo, Japan, in 1945. There he met Miyoko Isohara, whom he married and, in the early 1950s, returned to his home in Eldridge, Missouri, near Lebanon, with Miyoko and their two young sons, Alan, and Lee, four years younger. (Lee was my age.)
Eventually they moved to Kansas City where Homer worked as a TV repairman. Best I could tell, they were the only Japanese in Northeast. From them, I learned about nori, miso soup and tempura shrimp; from me, Lee and Alan learned about meatballs, mostaccioli and olive salad.
When I was around thirteen, Homer moved out, down to Springfield, leaving Miyoko a single mom with two boys. (Everyone but us kids called her Miki. Alan and Lee called her "Okaasan" – mom in Japanese; I called her Mrs. Waterman.)
Miki's English was heavily accented, but she managed to get waitressing jobs. Eventually she landed a steady gig at the Oriental Inn, a Chinese restaurant owned by Emi, another Japanese war bride, who lived in Raytown. (The food was great.)
The Christmas tree had struck a glancing blow on the butsudon and knocked over a water cup and a few stacks of coins, offered from Miki's waitressing tips. A butsudon is a Buddhist altar. As home altars go, this was fancy, maybe two and a half feet wide, five feet tall, with lights inside. Miki had it fixed up nice in a corner of the living room. Twice a day, morning and evening, she prayed – chanted – before that altar.
Before Lee and I could pick up the mess, Miki, angrily speaking Japanese, had opened the front door, seized the top of the tree, and dragged it partly outside. Lee yelled, also in Japanese, for her to stop.
Immediately we grabbed the other end – the trunk – of the tree, Lee and Okaasan still arguing in Japanese . My elementary Japanglish couldn't keep up with them.
"What's she saying?" I asked Lee.
"She's gonna drag the tree outside and burn it."
There we were: Two 19-year-old guys and a 40-something, 5-foot-something, furious Japanese woman having a tug of war over a Christmas tree. Okaasan was hell-bent on setting fire to the tree on the front lawn. And she was winning.
We were both yelling, "No! Stop!" Okaasan was speaking fast in Japanese with Lee simultaneously giving me a running translation while talking back to her in Japanese – "Okaasan! Iye!" "No!"
This wasn't working. Then Lee tried another approach, in English.
"Okaasan, stop! The tree didn't mean any harm! It's a good tree! If you burn it, we'll just have to go buy another one!" I chimed in likewise. "Yes! It's a nice tree! It didn't mean to hit your butsudon! We'll fix it!"
By now, Okaasan was on the front porch, with the tree almost out the door. Cold air flooded the living room. We kept up our back forth in English (me) and Japanese (Lee and Miki). Somehow, Lee got through. Okaasan finally saw the hilarious absurdity of it all and started laughing. Then Lee and I started laughing. We all relaxed and just sat down where we were, on the floor, on the porch. The tree was safe.
In much better spirits, we pulled the Christmas tree back inside, set it back up, and this time made sure it was stable. Then we helped Okaasan neatly stack the coins as they were, in their rightful place.
We picked up where we left off, finished hanging bulbs and stringing lights on the tree. Lee plugged in the lights. That glowing Christmas tree light filled the room and warmed up the winter night.
Okaasan was pleased with the results. "Ah, pretty, ne?"
"Honto!" we agreed. "Yeah!"
Photo © Frank C. Siraguso


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For me, mess-free road trip activities are a must! Long car rides with preschoolers are stressful enough without worrying about scraping stickers off the windows or scrubbing melted crayon off the back seat. But you've got to keep them occupied right? Kids Activities Blog has got you covered with the very best mess-free road trip activities on the web.
Mess-Free Road Trip Activities
Hours of mess-free fun to be had with these magnetic peg dolls, from Buzzmills, they stick to their metal container!
Lacing cards are the perfect self contained craft for the car, I especially love these summer themed free printable sewing cards.
Let them doodle without leaving a mark with this fun and easy to make travel sized felt board by small + friendly.
Have even more felt fun with this DIY memory game.
Paint chip color matching is great way to play and learn on the go from Moonfrye!
Have legos will travel, this simple portable lego kit means your preschooler can build in the back seat.
Travel tangrams by Delia Creates aren't just really fun, they're self-containted!
My kiddo loved this free printable road trip bingo from Simple as That on our last trip.
Preschoolers will love this button snake, a clean and quiet fine motor activity.
Classic Play has three great DIY travel games, I really love the tic tac toe board.
These brilliant I Spy bags by Things for Boys are a must for your next long car ride.
Pretend play is great for the car. Open a mess-free sandwich shop in the back seat with these free printables.
My Life at Play Time has great suggestions for fun games the whole family can enjoy, I especially like the story builder!
Keep them interested in all these cool activites and avoid the are we there yets with this awesome road trip activity countdown from small + friendly.
Here's hoping your next long car ride is full of good clean fun!


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Bench Press
Between each set perform:
5 Clapping Push-Ups
5 Strict Pull-Ups
3 Rounds for Time of:
400m Run
21 Ring Row
15 Abmat Sit-Ups
9 Power Clean (115/75)
2 Rounds of:
60 Seconds "Bottom of the Bench" Dip*
10 Around the Worlds
3 Wall Walk-Ups
*Bottom of the Bench Dip - using a bench press bench, place your hands on the side of the bench with your butt suspended in the air. Drop your butt to the ground or as close as you can get, leaving your hands firmly placed on the bench. You should feel slight pressure in your shoulders :)


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The Miners Foundry is pleased to present Zepparella on Thursday, September 15, 2022. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and the Show begins at 8:00 p.m. The Miners Foundry offers a no host full bar and snacks available for purchase.
Zepparella is the Led Zeppelin Powerhouse. Vocalist Anna Kristina, Guitarist Gretchen Menn, Bassist Holly West, and Drummer Clementine have brought their passion for the sacred music of the greatest band in the world all over the world. Zepparella shows replicate the nuance and detail of Zeppelin's catalog while honoring the powerful improvisational journeys for which Zeppelin shows were renowned.
Get Tickets! | $30-$40
- $30 in Advance / $40 at the Door. Advance price closes at 4:00 p.m. the day of the show.
- Standing / Dancing Show, Limited Seating Available
Miners Foundry Box Office
Tickets available online, by phone or in person at the Miners Foundry Box Office:
325 Spring Street, Nevada City, CA 95959
Tuesday – Friday | 9:00am – 4:00pm
(530) 265-5040
How to honor the legacy of a band deemed sacred? To tread on holy ground is perilous, and must be done with the intent and spirit of a disciple—Pay attention to the intricacies of the magic, explore the far ends of the innovation, strive for ever-growing ability, and let the purity of the love for the music drive it all.
Drummer Clementine is the founding member of ZEPPARELLA.
From the beginning of her musical career, her goal has been to be onstage every night.
The pursuit of that goal has led Clementine to constantly tour the US and Europe in projects as diverse as Bottom, AC/DShe, The House Of More, The Solid, Francis Bakin, Stars Turn Me On and Beaux Cheveux.
She tackles the best rock drumming ever written with her own emotionally powerful style, bringing the Motown influence of the Bonham groove to the forefront.
The profound musical connection established with Gretchen Menn (guitar), Holly West (bass), and Anna Kristina (vocals) creates the bond required to do this great music justice.
It was under the tutelage of classical guitarist Phillip DeFremery, a student of Andrés Segovia, that guitarist Gretchen Menn began her path on the instrument.
Playing with tireless passion and constantly seeking out new challenges, her projects are often unconventional, genre-bending expressions combining elements of classical, rock, progressive, jazz, and metal.
On influences, Gretchen has never tired of her initial inspirations—Eric Johnson, Steve Morse, Frank Zappa, and Jeff Beck.
But she has loved Jimmy Page's guitar playing longer than she has played the guitar.
It was through the music of Led Zeppelin that she found a gateway into music that resonated deeply with her, creating a love for guitar-oriented music, and, ultimately, the guitar.
Bassist Holly West began her musical journey full-steam ahead, and more recently than her stellar playing belies.
Her unstoppable will and drive have truly propelled her to this moment and her place in the powerhouse Zepparella.
A self-taught bass player, she is also a blossoming vocalist with rich rock pipes.
Her time on stage has been well spent, developing an impressive attack, impeccable feel, and a technique which seems to have come completely naturally to her, not to mention her dazzling stage presence and joyful performance style.
Her influences span the rock gauntlet, from Clutch and the Rival Sons to Slash, ZZ Top, and of course, the mighty Zeppelin.
Singer Anna Kristina is a soulful, fiery, and rocking vocal powerhouse who has stepped into Zepparella's Plant spot for a second time.
Anna was with the band for 5 years, became known for her performance in the band's 15 million-view "When The Levee Breaks" video, took a 6-year hiatus, and now returns in 2018 to front the band.
Her career has spanned acoustic, jazz, soul, rock, and her charisma and power delivers captivating performances every night. About her brilliant harp playing she says: "getting a chance to blow on the harmonica is an added bonus!
Plant isn't just a singer he's a musician.
He brings his blues background and natural percussive feel to his harmonica playing as well and I love getting lost in that.
Playing the harp allows me to express on a whole different level and it's so freeing."
Now more than ever, Zepparella explores their own improvised magic within the framework of Zeppelin's mighty songs!
Safety Procedures
The health and safety of our guests, staff and community is the highest priority at the Miners Foundry. Beginning April 1, 2022 there are no safety protocols in effect for Miners Foundry presented indoor public events. Please click here for more info and FAQs.
Contact Info
Please contact the Miners Foundry Box Office at [email protected] with questions.


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As chaotic as madness is, there is a pattern to it. This latest episode, for instance: it really began in November, when we set the clocks back and lost an hour of sunlight. Even in Los Angeles, as we approach winter solstice, it turns dark before five o'clock. Each day in December, with its lessening of light, is like an eye that slowly closes, an eye that will not open again.
Sunset brings on the terror. I fear an attack from behind, from below, and especially from above, from the one who hovers over me, has hovered over me since age five. The medications lose their hold. The psychosomatic rhumba begins: There's a tiny chain saw in my right ear, a buzzing caveat born in words Don't ever tell. My head jerks to the right and turns upward, to find an upper corner of the room, where I placed a shred of myself long ago.
Once the attack kicks into gear, I growl like a dog whose rabies is just starting to show. I snarl at my loved ones. They say my eyes turn demonic. That's rage, rising from the earthquake shift of emotions. My lungs constrict. I pant. The room shimmers. The thing expands in my mind and I wish my skull would explode and let the evil loose. Paranoia floods the brain: My children no longer love me and my wife wishes I were dead and my college will fire me for speaking out too much. And now there's this new symptom: my heart aches. Not my chest muscles. It is my heart. Something, a hot, steel claw the size of a man's open hand, pushes up through my guts and grips the entire organ. It squeezes. Its metal talons bite into the muscle. I feel it now, as I write. I'm going to scream now.


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Blown away!
Macclesfield to below Bosley Locks, 6.1 miles and 12 locks.
Ice surrounded the boat again this morning. It was still and calm with few people about as Boatwif trotted down Buxton Road to an early morning Easter service at St Paul's Church.
"A hire boat's just been through, it's cut us a route through the ice," he proclaimed. A cup of tea was provided as if to stoke up against the cold. Then the layers of clothing were assembled in readiness for a chill day…
Just past Macclesfield marina the canal passes under Black Road Bridge. Last year a small corner site was being excavated and services installed. Now apartments provide neat waterside living.
"Great help, your lads," the Captain called to their helmsman.
There was a groan and a sigh: "You should see the food bills!"
In the field above Lock 6 a flock of sheep grazed; tiny newborn lambs seemed too frail yet to do more than to scuttle after their mothers.


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A "CEO tax" targeting San Francisco's most unequal salaries. A signature-gathering campaign to tax Palo Alto's millionaires. And now, a new statewide bill that would levy a yearly 0.4 percent tax on every Californian worth more than $30 million.
California is suddenly reckoning with an unusually heated debate over taxing the rich as the coronavirus' economic impact ratchets up the gulf between those at the top of the economic ladder and those at the bottom.
As the Golden State's billionaires saw their net worth jump by billions, more than 7.51 million Californians have filed first claims for unemployment since March and the state faces a $54 billion budget deficit.
"People are talking about it now in ways that they weren't before in large part because of coronavirus," said Patricia Cain, a tax law professor at Santa Clara University's School of Law. "And there's the discussion around Black Lives Matter that wealth in this country is so racially segregated. People are realizing that taxes is one way to make a change."
The latest idea, introduced Thursday as the legislative session winds to a close, was proposed by Assemblyman Rob Bonta, D-Oakland, with the support of Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, and Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, among others. It would raise an estimated $7.5 billion a year from California's top 0.15% wealthiest residents. "The burden of this crisis should not be worn by those least able to bear it, it should be worn by those who most definitely can," Bonta said.
The bill comes days after another proposal to raise taxes on those earning more than $1 million was tabled for the year and is the fourth statewide or Bay Area measure aimed at raising taxes on the rich. With massive unemployment payouts and other state-sponsored programs to provide relief, experts and policymakers say more money is needed.
A recent analysis by the Institute for Policy Studies, a think tank based in Washington, D.C., and Americans for Tax Fairness, a nationwide campaign that advocates for taxing the wealthy, found that the net worth of California's 166 billionaires — the most of any state — increased by $235 billion since the beginning of the pandemic.
Bonta's proposal would target exactly that: wealth, not income. It's an important distinction when considering that the current tax system levies taxes based on income but leaves intangible wealth such as stocks, property and other assets largely shielded from taxation, according to California Budget and Policy Center executive director Chris Hoene.
"These guys who have so much money, it's in their net worth," Hoene said. "And wealth inequality got significantly worse than income inequality."
To capture some of that wealth, Democratic U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders proposed a bill earlier this month to levy a one-time, 60 percent tax on the net wealth accumulated by every US billionaire since March. It wouldraise $422 billion, more than a quarter of that from California residents, according to the analysis by Americans for Tax Fairness. The failed proposal in Palo Alto, circulated by a San Diego man who recently moved to the city to propose taxing its wealthiest residents, was for a 2%-3% increase on those worth more than $50 million.
California's now-tabled AB1253, in comparison, would have imposed an additional 1%-3.5% tax on households with incomes above $1 million to raise an estimated $6.8 billion per year, according to Assemblymember Miguel Santiago, D-Los Angeles, who introduced the bill. And San Francisco's so-called CEO tax would increase taxes between 0.1% and 0.6% on companies paying their CEOs at a rate 100 times greater than their median worker's salary. It would raise $140 million a year, according to the Board of Supervisors. It's one of three tax measures on the city's November ballot.
A recent poll by David Binder Research conducted for a San Francisco nonprofit that advocates for affordable housing revealed that 70 percent of the polled voters support a millionaire's tax. Labor unions have joined demands to tax those at the top, along with statewide interest group coalitions like United Front and Commit to Equity. Business organizations are pushing back, saying wealth taxeswould send the wrong signal to the tech industry, whichis "part of the reason why our economy has not collapsed as much as it could've," according to Rob Lapsley, president of the California Business Roundtable.
"It's a really, really bad time to be proposing additional costs on businesses," saidJim Wunderman, CEO of the Bay Area Council, a business-backed nonprofit representing the region's top employers. Wunderman and others worry the proposals would scare off big earners, pushing them to relocate outside the state and take their businesses with them.
But history suggests raising income taxes doesn't drive large numbers of wealthy people away. The Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality looked at past tax increases, including the 2004 millionaires tax, when voters approved a 1% tax increase on income above $1 million, and Proposition 60 in 2012, which raised the tax rate on the top income bracket from 10.3 percent to its current rate of 13.3, the highest in the nation. Those increases, researchers said in a 2018 paper, led at most 0.04% of the state's top earners to leave. Divorce was a much better predictor of wealthy Californians' out of state migration, researchers said.
"A significant majority of Americans want to tax the wealthy, but that's not reflected in our tax system," said sociology professor Chris Benner, who directs the Santa Cruz Institute for Social Transformation at UC Santa Cruz. Why? It gets back to money, Benner says. Policymakers have to spend an extraordinary amount of time communicating with revenue sources to be able to run for office, Benner said. "No wonder they are responding to their concerns."
This article is part of The California Divide, a collaboration among newsrooms examining income inequity and economic survival in California.


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With thanks to Scottish Venezuela Solidarity Campaign.
He was a great leader for the people of Venezuela, with a practical commitment to improving the lives of its people and in particular the millions who had been left to a life of poverty by previous regimes.
The sheer scope of the imaginative programmes he led forward is extraordinary – for universal healthcare, literacy, food soverignty, land reform, electoral democracy, environmental protection, racial and gender equality, the rights of indigenous people and industrial democracy, for example.
To carry these forward he had to confront the malign influence which the USA had extended over the entire continent of South America and had instead forged an alliance for progress with neighbouring countries. No wonder this brought upon him the opprobrium of the USA government and its allies in this country.
Instead of listening to the untruths they tried to spread about him, increasing numbers of people in Scotland have been looking to Chavez and Latin America for lessons to apply to their own predicaments.
Some of these were heard at the Learning from Latin America conference we held last December in Glasgow, at which Sandra Whyte MSP told us, as an observer of the 2012 Presidential elections, of the impeccable organisation, the very impressive turnout, and above all the massive enthusiasm in Venezuela for the re-election of Hugo Chavez – sadly the last of the many elections which he won democratically in the teeth of a local and international media dominated by his enemies.
He was a great man and our thoughts and solidarity go out to his family and the people of Venezuela.


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This one-of-a-kind masterpiece ($15,900,000) represents an idyllic union of Spanish and Mediterranean architectural influences, with high quality details and finishes throughout. Centrally located within minutes of Montecito's Upper and Lower Villages, this stunning estate is privately situated. Property features mature landscaping and majestic mountain views. This 6-bedroom, 7.5-bath luxury home features a large motor court, stunning entry with sweeping stairway, and a magnificent chef's kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances and natural stone surfaces. The gracious formal living and dining rooms have elegant coffered ceilings, arched doorways, and hardwood flooring. The master bedroom suite features a spectacular ribbed vaulted ceiling and sitting area with fireplace, dual baths, and two walk-in closets. Separate guest house, pool, and spa. Two-level pavilion with loggia, kitchen, and two fireplaces.
Estate of the Day: $15.9 Million Spanish Mansion in Montecito, California0


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SongVault Artist Profile
Donna Ray
Louisiana, United States
Country Western / Classic Country
Singer / Songwriter Donna Ray
To know her is to love her. Donna Ray's stage appearance has the crowds clapping to the music they enjoy to hear, and that is Classic Country Music. Her performance has gifted her with the name the Sweetheart of the Louisiana Hayride. Donna Ray enjoys singing to the people, not only is she good at her stage appearance she is good at what she has accomplished in her career.
Today Donna Ray's "Broken Dreams". written by Donna, On this page is a song that was Recorded by Donna called This Winters Day, written by the talented Ed Gowens of Echota Records, Donna has many songs on her new CD written by Ed Gowens and the very lovely Loraine Washburn, Songs include, Little White Lies, Dagger through my Heart, Picking up the Pieces of my Mind, Todays Another Day, and many more. These songs can be heard on Donna Rays Soundclick an also Ed Gowens, Loraine Wasburns Soundclick and through out the world on Internet Radio Stations. Today Donna Ray is Signed with Echota Records and her Album Broken Dreams has been released on Echota Records Label.
Since then Donna Ray has reached a level of Radio Stations through out the World.
Donna Ray Says: When I look into the audience I can tell what the crowd wants to hear and that is Classic Country Music. When I see them tapping there feet and clapping there hands that tells me I am making them happy and that I have accomplished a smile out of people.
Echota Records calls her the Dynamic of Traditional Country Music a must see.


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Rarely did I see Roy Grundmann, a Contributing Editor of New York's Cineaste magazine, in the first years he moved here to become an Assistant Professor of Film Studies at Boston University. When we did meet, he'd apologize for his unavailability, but he remained buried deep in toil writing his book. That book has finally been published, and, as I imagined, it's an obsessed, brilliantly ambitious tome, offering more ways - personal, analytic, formal, theoretical, historical, cultural, sexual, ethnographic - than anyone might imagine to skin one movie.
But that movie isn't a world classic like Citizen Kane or Grand Illusion, or something comparable: showy and formidable in its density and complexity. No. Grundmann is discussing a little-seen underground picture, silent and black & white, in which a guy in a leather jacket (he's the whole cast) leans against a wall; and, for the duration of the film, we watch that guy from the waist up, as he writhes about. And we ponder what is happening below the frame, which seemingly is causing him to writhe. For either 36 minutes or 41 minutes, depending on projection speed.
It's a 1963 pop tease of cheeky minimalism. The book is Andy Warhol's Blow Job (Temple University Press). Grundmann loves this movie in which, far, far more than Seinfeld can imagine, nothing happens. Certainly nothing X-rated. There's no cock to see, and no bobbing head revealed. There's an orgasmic face at one point, but is the below-camera spillage real or gloriously faked, like Meg Ryan's Sally? Is it a man down there, or a woman? Or a transvestite? Or a giraffe? Or nothing? Who knows? Grundmann (self-described as "a gay white male") offers a series of readings which see the text as a refracted, reflexive, expression of Warhol's homosexuality. But the viewer can choose. Grundmann admits in his introduction that the only reading which he can't fathom in when someone tells him that Blow Job is "simply boring and tedious." How can that be?
A warning: Andy Warhol's Blow Job is an academic work, difficult to maneuver at times. But there's a telling overview of Warhol's cinema and a fascinating chapter about James Dean's iconic meaning to gay culture, and to Warhol, and how that guy posing against brick relates to a 1950s Warhol drawing mourning Dean's automobile-crash death.
One caveat: Grundmann talks about Vic Morrow's juvenile delinquent, Arnie West, in Blackboard Jungle (1955) as a "psychotic double" of James Dean. What about the obvious: that the fellow getting (probably) sucked off in Blow Job looks far more like leather-jacketed Morrow than Dean?
(Boston Phoenix - August, 2003)
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Complete Erema Model PC1109 TE Pelletizing System, New in 2006
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Particular herbal curatives that comprise a mix of herbs of red clover and chaparral are known to contract and shrink most abnormal mass of tissues, overgrowths, and benign cysts. These herbs help the body to develop a strong defense mechanism and helps combats infectious cells.
The stinging nettle plant is a boon to womankind especially because of its healing properties for menstruation and in shrinking fibroid growths. Take a handful of nettle leaves and infuse them in boiling water. Take care to see that the water has been taken off the heat. For every one part of nettle leaves add ten parts of water. This infusion should be allowed to stand for half an hour. Once cooled, half a cup of this infusion must be had six times a day. In addition you can also make a therapy using nettle roots. Take one tablespoon of nettle roots and add a cup of water to it. Boil this mix for approximately 10 minutes. Once boiled in the stipulated timeframe let the infusion soak in well for an hour. Have two tablespoons of this mix three to four times a day. It should preferably be had on an empty stomach for a period of two months.
answered by C B


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David Premi
In the investment world, short-term investments are generally associated with higher risk. If this is true, why do investors often fail to look long-term when constructing buildings?
Many investors, donors, developers, institutions and purchasing departments embrace the lowest initial cost for their buildings and designers while placing less emphasis on the life-cycle cost and the legacy that the built form will represent.
With the evolution of Building Information Modeling (BIM) we can calculate how much a building will cost over its lifetime, which can help investors decide where to cut costs and where to spend.
The initial investment of a building includes the construction cost plus "soft costs". A significant soft cost is the fee for professional design services such as architects and engineers. Choices made during the design phase are critical because they will continue to impact future profitability, flexibility, operational costs and occupant health, happiness and productivity for the lifespan of a building. It is during the design phase of the process that a building owner has control over how much the project will cost in the long run. It is more accurate to refer to professional design fees as an investment rather than a cost.
With the current low-margin model, buildings of relatively poor quality often reach the end of their serviceable life after 50 years, before being demolished and replaced by new ones. What once seemed like a great investment is reduced to a pile of rubble in a landfill. We know that this trend is not financially nor environmentally sustainable – and there is a better way forward.
A more profitable and sustainable model exists, allowing us to construct better quality and more energy-efficient buildings. It's now possible to build to a net-zero standard, where buildings produce as much energy as they consume. There is also a growing trend to perform deep retrofits to existing buildings, which is a renovation of an existing building which results in a substantial reduction in energy consumption. These approaches come with an incrementally larger initial investment in both design fees and construction cost but drastically reduce operation and maintenance costs over the building's lifetime.
To better understand lifecycle cost, check out the video below:
Common sense and history tell us that investors who take the long view are the ones who end up on top. As designers, it is our responsibility to encourage our clients to see beyond the initial costs to gain an understanding of the true value of their investment.