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Estate & Gift Tax Controversies
When estate and gift-tax controversies arise—however complicated—Maslon's Estate Planning attorneys react with dedication and tenacity to help clients successfully resolve their issues. We are widely known for our successful resolution of sophisticated and complex transfer tax controversies and frequently represent both business and individual clients in federal and state tax controversies, including estate and gift tax audits, appeals to the Internal Revenue Service Appellate Division, and representation before the U.S. Tax Court and U.S. District Courts.
To hear more about how we can help you, contact one of our attorneys.


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The successful vote in Maryland for marriage equality, coupled with four years of an unrestrained President Obama, is a rare opportunity for Black America to have a new and powerful conversation about human sexuality. As Black America wrestles with issues around relationships, the community will also focus on self-healing. As Black America talks about marriage equality, the community will find greater ease and success in addressing its unspoken heterosexual marriage crisis. As Black America focuses on its sons, the community will be forced to deal with the injustice of the penal system targeting them. As Black America affirms new formations of family, the community will come to fully validate the complex and beautiful diversity of our family structure. As Black America addresses the economic implications of marriage equality, the community will be more cognizant of the need for fair pay for Black women. As Black America accepts diversity in religious thought as part of our evolving social composition, we are drawn to explore the meaning of inclusion of all our differences, especially for our LGBT brothers and sisters.
The LGBT community is loudly rejoicing from the passing of marriage equality in Maryland. In the process, there has been redemption in that Blacks who were blamed for Proposition 8 passing in California 2008, are now seemingly aligned with the LGBT community. The truth of the matter is that Blacks in Maryland spoke loudly, and they spoke clearly.
Maggie Gallagher, former president of the National Organization for Marriage has stated, "It is not an accident that it takes a man and a woman coming together to create a child." I agree that the primary argument the religious right uses against marriage equality is rooted in what I like to call a socio-biological argument. It suggests that same-sex love's inability to produce children is God's way of telling us that such relationships are contrary to the Creator's plan. This belief system lends itself to the alarmist leap that marriage equality prompts and justifies any form of love relationships being viable including bestiality, pedophilia, and polygamy. Henceforth, marriage for LGBT couples is the gateway to the end of civilization.
It is my firm belief, this was not the concern of blacks in Maryland, nor is it the concern of black conservative Christians. The opposition to gay marriage in the black church is driven by a far more subtle and still powerfully compelling fear hidden within the social fabric of the black community.
According to a Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey Survey, 33% of African American Christians are married, compared to 60% of Whites. Based on my lifelong experience in the Black church, the demographic composition of the average inner city Black church, with a membership of 100 people shows a familiar 5-to-1 ratio of heterosexual men to women. This 5-to-1 single heterosexual female to single heterosexual male ratio in the lack church, causes the issue of marriage equality to be so volatile for this community.
There is a heterosexual marriage crisis in the Black church, which is an exaggerated version of the heterosexual marriage crisis in Black America particularly among the working class and poor. The prospect of gay marriage flourishing in Black America, which is really a conversation about marriage between black men, is a blunt reminder of the crisis facing Black heterosexual men – this is one of the primary issues. Aha! This is not about the end of civilization. This is about the Black church's struggle in drawing straight men, and the overall lack of emotionally developed, and appropriately parented straight Black men ready and inclined to be married. It is a terribly complex sociological issue shrouded in a simplistic religious tempest.
The gay and lesbian community is rejoicing from the passing of marriage equality in Maryland. Yes, the truth of the matter is that Blacks in Maryland sent a resounding and affirming message for equality. The assumption fostered by the media and readily embraced by conservative Americans is that the Black community is blindly homophobic, but Maryland, with a high population voted in favor of marriage equality confirming that nothing could be further from the truth.

subset: commoncrawl


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Today's menu: Hamburger, wheat buns, tator tots, fruit jello, chocolate milk.
I ate everything. The patty was how do you say nothing like any hamburger I have ever eaten. Mystery meat in every sense. I also really wanted more than just six tator tots. The fruit cup was NOT FROZEN, so I ate it. I also drank the chocolate milk, which was ok.
I normally don't drink milk at lunch. So now that I've added a lunchtime milk, I've noticed some interesting changes. I'm getting a little lactose-intolerant in my old age.
This lunch was better than other lunches in that there was more protein and I wasn't as desperately hungry after school like I have been in the past. But overall it still isn't enough for the kids who eat this one meal at school and that's it for the whole day. There is significant poverty at my school and some of the kids are very thin (and others are very, very chunky). No matter what size you are you should be able to eat healthy at school.


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Our company specializes in the mining and processing of natural stone, wholesale of granite and granite products.
All kinds of products are made of Gabbro-Diabase, as well as other granite rocks, sawing, fulfilling individual orders, edging and polishing.
Modern granite processing lines allows us to fulfill orders quickly and efficiently.
Granite deposits in the Republic of Karelia are considered to be one of the most qualitative and in many respects superior to granites brought to Russia from deposits of China, Ukraine and other countries. One of these granites is Gabbro-diabase - it is a very dense stone which is almost completely resistant to natural and mechanical impacts.
Deposits of granite:
Drugoretskoe (Gabbro-Diabaz), Dymovskoe, Baltiyskoye (brown granosyenite), Vozrozhdeniye (gray granite), Nigrozero "Garnet amphibolite", Sopka Buntina "green pyroxenite", Ala-noskua, Elizovskoye.
Our products:
Granite blocks granite sawn stone and slabs ritual production (monuments, tombstones, memorial complexes, premium monuments) granite paving stone granite tile, granite vases, balls, decorative crushed stone (crimson quartzite, metabasalt) custom-made granite products (table-tops, ladders, window sills, etc.)
Our team:
Karelian Gabbro-Diabaz LLC, is a relatively young enterprise, however it employs people with more than 20 years of experience in mining and processing of stone, who have walked all the way up starting as laborers and reaching managers' positions. It's our fathers who began mining stone, and we still use their experience and skills in our work. We dismissed all weak, lazy and unnecessary employees and now we have only masters of their craft, which allows us to offer you products and service at the highest level.
The prices for our products on the site are always up-to-date, they may vary depending on the seasonal fluctuations and other factors, but they are the terminal prices, you will not be additionally charged. This, of course, concerns wholesale orders. Although It is not that easy to reconfigure the machines to smaller sizes, especially considering single-piece and nonstandard items. But we are ready to take small volume orders, so feel free to contact our managers and specify the details of the order. We do not have our own vehicle fleet for the delivery of granite blocks and products, however we work with professional transport operators all over Russia, which will do their job competently and on time. We, in turn, select the optimum and thrifty option for you.
Our company is certainly interested in a long-term partnership. We are ultimately interested in satisfying your needs, that's why we do our work qualitatively and professionally. Moreover, we are open to any suggestions and criticisms on your part to persevere in improving our service.
VAT 1001290826, Primary State Registration Number (OGRN): 11410010113999
Kirova St, 10
185035 - Petrozavodsk
Contact us:
+7 909 572 9090
+7 909 572 2000
email: email@example.com или firstname.lastname@example.com
Pohjoinen rautatiekatu 33, 00100 - Helsinki
+358 0505661272, +358 0408095023
or fill out the form below, specifying your issue and wishes


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A 13-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with bilateral ankle pain and swelling following a 5-foot fall from a swing set.
The authors are from the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York.
The authors have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Correspondence should be addressed to: Andrew J. Rosenbaum, MD, 1367 Washington Ave, Ste 202, Albany, NY 12206.
Source: Healio


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Easily get our new freebie – Thanksgiving Day | Free Modern and Creative Templates Suite. You can get absolutely Free themed PSD business card, letterhead, 2 flyers, envelope, poster templates and many other PSD template to create all the necessary advertisement elements. We hope you will enjoy the results!
Thanksgiving Day | Free Modern and Creative Templates Suite can be good for implementing a lot of designers ideas as well.
Enjoy this Mock-up from Free-PSD-Templates and follow us on Facebook!
2 Files
300 dpi / RGB
Easy To Edit
Well Organized Layers
Vector Format
Quick Photo ReplacementDownload


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You spent a lot of money on your household valuables. Doesn't it make perfect sense to protect them? As common sense as it may sound, millions of homeowners fail to take the moving process seriously, mistakenly assuming that a few bumps in the road or a little light rain will do no harm to their possessions.
Never Move Your Belongings Without the Essentials
Big-ticket items like furniture and electronics are highly fragile and can be permanently damaged when not adequately protected. To save time, most people rely solely on the cramming technique to keep their valuables intact. The act of compressing items, albeit in a somewhat organized fashion, as a means of keeping lighter items from sliding around in the back of a moving truck does more harm than good.
Fragile pieces are strongly advised to be not only snugly placed in boxes but also covered in bubble wrap, surrounded by packing peanuts (or another type of shock absorbing foam) and sealed with packaging tape. Regardless of how far you may be traveling, whether it is a mere few blocks down the street or across the country, this is exactly how you should protect small items.
A word of advice when transporting tables, cabinets and any other piece of furniture that has drawers for storage: Always remove the items inside prior to the move. Does this take more time? Of course, but would you rather come to find a hideous scratch on your expensive hope chest? We thought so!
Disassemble as much as you can to save space and avoid having to rent a larger moving truck. Something as simple as taking a bed frame apart can significantly increase the available square footage, a job that only takes approximately five to 10 minutes to complete. This will also allow you to sufficiently cover the individual components with blankets and other essential moving gear.
While we did mention tips for maximizing truck storage space, you will want to avoid pushing the packing room to its limits. If you need a larger vehicle, accept the circumstances and ask your Atlanta movers if they can provide a discounted rate. You may be surprised at the answer you get!


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The following things are considered when calculating the date of your first VAT return.
If you wish to have your first VAT return period from, say, the 1st of April to the end of June, you can pick 1st April as your first VAT return date and "March, June, September, December" as your VAT period group.
VAT compliant accounting
software for small


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Search Engines and What they Do
As the librarians of the World Wide Web, search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing and many others are responsible to provide users with the best results to their search queries –these are commonly referred to as the most relevant search results.
In order to do this job –establishing the relevance of web pages and providing the best search results to users– these search engines have a very specific way of scanning over web pages to collect information on the page's contents and see how these pages relate to other pages with similar content.
The information collected by these search engines is then run through a special algorithm –the secret recipe– which will decide how relevant the page is to anyone searching for content this page contains.
Of course the higher up on the list of search results your site is will greatly affect the amount of people who are directed to your site –as an answer to their search queries. So search results are very important to the success of a website in terms of online visibility.
The way to increase the rankings of a site is all about making sure your site has those important recipes the search engines are looking for when collecting Information on your site. Which brings us to the big question…
What is Search Engine Optimization?
Search Engine Optimization is the way a webpage's content is organized in accordance with the search engines algorithms –or the way certain specific ingredients are measured out in accordance with the search engines super secret recipes.
Of course, know one knows the all exact ingredients of the search engines recipes –and they are refined frequently–but we know some of the bigger ones, shall we take a look?
Word Content
The words in a site's text content tell the search engine what kind of site it is –this way if they receive a request for "Sporting Goods Albuquerque" they give preference to sites that have these words in their their content and ignore those that have no relation.
Page Titles
The page's title –the one that exists in the pages coding– is carefully considered by the search engines when deciding on what the page is all about. Much in the same way you would consider the titles of the movies at the theater to get an idea of the plot and storyline.
The links that are coming into a site tell the search engines that there is some important and relevant information on this site. A site that has many links could be considered an authority on the subject and is given a better ranking.
A sites reputation is important to search engines in this ingredient because the online world is awash with bogus sites and links that exist merely to trick the search engines.
Words Used in Links
The words used to link other sites to specific site also says a lot about what a search engine will find in this site –a site that is linked to other sites with words like loafers, sneakers, heels and boots is probably going to get good rankings in search results relating to shoes.
Site Reputation
It doesn't cost anything to set up a site no one will ever visit and fill it with links to a website in an attempt to increase rankings; because of this the search engines give higher rankings to sites that are consistently being updated and attracting the attention of many people.
So what is Search Engine Optimization? It is the way a site prepares and organizes its content in accordance with those special recipes that search engines rely on to provide the best results to their users.


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The eight Harry Potter films form the largest grossing film franchise of all time, with total worldwide revenues of over $7 billion. In the top 20 list of the biggest ever grossing films worldwide, six are Harry Potter titles. (as of figures in 2012).
The music for the film series has featured the work of the cream of film composers including John Williams (who received Academy Award nominations for two films in the series), Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Hooper and Alexandre Desplat.
This unique BOXSET quadruple LP, 33 track collection of new recordings by The City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra brings together the music from all eight films for the very first time.
The Silva Screen Music Group is a London based independent record company, which is home to one of the world's leading film and television specialist soundtrack labels, Silva Screen Records. Founded by music devotee Reynold D'Silva in 1986, the group has a catalogue of over 800 titles and in excess of 10,000 master recordings, with offices in New York, Paris and Mumbai.


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Just when I thought that there are still some places where one is safe from advertising messages, I saw this: InChairTV, a startup in the USA is offering a service where patients can watch TV or a movie while in the dentist's chair! How does it work? Patients wear hi-tech sunglasses and watch programs between 45 minutes and 2 hours, depending on their procedure. The eyewear is specially designed and transforms the portable DVD players screen into a virtual 44″ screen. The programming includes TV shows (Lost, Ugly Betty) or movies (Bruce Almighty) depending the length of the procedure. Ads appear during programme breaks. People have some kind of phobia when it comes to dentists and minus the popcorn this could be a welcome distraction.
In India, given the kind of proliferation of reality shows, if they show Nach Baliye, it would be difficult to decide which is more painful – the root canal or the programming. I would opt for the former.
We already have brand logos on clouds. What next? Temples? Jesus.


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60+HP increase by simply plugging into your OBD2 Port! As with many high performance vehicles, your Evolution X was delivered from the factory with a conservative tune. By incorporating the Cobb AccessPort V3 and the AMS STX300 Flash, you will unlock the power the factory held back. Our safe and proven tuning calibrations work by optimizing the performance of your ECU's fuel and timing curves and the MIVEC system providing you with improved throttle response, quicker spool up and maximum power throughout the entire RPM range. Not to mention a boost in fuel economy! You can expect 60+HP gains with this simple yet extremely effective modification! This is an easy, plug and play modification that anyone can quickly install or remove. No wire cutting/splicing or tools of any kind are required.
Exclusive Benefits
Serial number from the back of your Access Port: if not purchasing a new Cobb APVehicle Model (GSR or MR):Model Year and Color (to provide proper decals):Region your vehicle is from (USDM, JDM, EDM):Octane fuel you are using:**In order to use this tune your vehicle must be STOCK. AMS doesn't offer any other tunes outside of the STX 300 and STX 400**


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In today's society, the concern for kid's online behavior is rising. More information is available than ever before, and at the simple touch of a button, your kids can be exposed to numerous risks; cyberbullying, online predators, exposure to inappropriate content, and potentially worse.
As a parent, it's scary trying to navigate the ever-changing landscape that is the online world. However, it's crucial to your kid's safety that you keep the lines of communication open and continue to learn more about the things that your kids have access to.
Practical, actionable advice for doing so can often be hard to come by, so keep reading for some useful tips on keeping your kids safe online.
photo courtesy of Unsplash
Safe Use of Social Media
When it comes to online safety for kids, it is crucial to address the impact that social media sites have. There are several positive effects that social media can have on a child. It can strengthen awareness within a community, aid in connecting with loved ones and friends, and help students stay abreast of what's going on in society. However, when kids interact with social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram, they can be completely exposed to inappropriate, hurtful or possibly dangerous content.
Set a Solid Foundation of Trust and Communication
It's imperative that your child knows they can go to you with their problems and that you will listen when they need help. When your kids feel like they can confide in you in times of question or concern, they will be more likely to come to you about any problems they might be facing, online or in real-life. Instruct your child to come straight to you when they see anything that makes them uncomfortable, and assure them that you won't overreact, place blame, or immediately rescind their online privileges.
Be Aware of Facebook Depression
Sadly, this is a very real, very sad type of clinical depression. Researchers say that when looking at a happy event happening in someone else's life, kids with poor self-esteem have the propensity to feel even worse.
If you see this feeling starting to surface, be sure to explain to your child that social media is not a true reflection of a person's everyday life, but the perception that they want you to see.
photo courtesy of Unsplash
Set House Rules
Another way to ensure your child's online safety is to talk with them before setting up and logging onto his or her computer. Setting basic rules for Internet access can go a long way toward building a nurturing online environment in your home.
Decide how much you're comfortable with your children being online, and which of the sites they are, and are not allowed going to. You can post a list of these sites next to the computer so there are no questions about where they are allowed going- and make consequences for not following the guidelines. Some parents have their children sign contracts promising to practice online safety.
The Family Online Safety Institute offers a template for this on its website, but you can find them elsewhere, or even create your own to fit your family. The lines you draw are up to you; the important thing is for you and your kids to know exactly what they are.
Some families set a rule that the kids can't play online until all their homework is done. Other families limit computer time to one hour a day. It's completely up to you to figure out what works for your family.
Teach Your Kids to Protect Their Privacy
While most kids don't fully understand the consequences of revealing personal information online, parents still should make sure that their children know the following:
- Never give their name, phone number, email address, passwords, or pictures to anyone without explicit parental permission
- Never open emails or messages from people they don't personally know
- Never respond to disturbing or hurtful messages
- Never, under any circumstance, meet up with anyone they meet with online
Start the conversation about the public nature of the internet early on with your kids. Learn about and teach your kids how to use privacy and security settings on their favorite online games, apps and platforms.
Pay attention to and know the online environments your children use. In the real world, there are good and bad neighborhoods, and the online world is no different. Help them to identify safe and trusted websites and apps. Encourage them to be cautious about clicking on, downloading, posting and uploading content.
photo courtesy of Unsplash
Make a Computer Schedule
Setting an internet schedule, or a window of time when your child has internet access, is another great option for keeping your child safe online. Similar to blocking websites and keywords, you can set up access times through your router or internet service provider's security app.
With an internet schedule, your child will only be able to browse the internet during designated times.
Don't Just Tell Them the Rules, Work with Them.
Modern technology is an ever-evolving beast. Often you will have to make sure you continue to educate yourself.
Children tend to imitate the behavior of their parents, so make an effort to practice what you preach when it comes to online safety and security.
Follow your child on their social media accounts. This not only does it allows you to monitor what they share, but it allows you to present them with a good example of what is appropriate social media behavior, and perhaps improve your bond with them. If your child sees that you are having fun AND being safe, they will more easily follow in your footsteps.
Get them involved with maintaining the security of the home computer. Teach them how to check that the virus protection is up to date. For older children, give them some responsibility regarding internet security, and reward them for it.


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Qing Wang, Prof of Marketing and Innovation at Warwick Business School, draws from the latest Gucci marketing mishap to call for a more empathetic approach when trying to connect with their customers.
Luxury: The Bold and the beautiful
Luxury has always been synonymous with the rich and the powerful. As such, it is no surprise to see that this association with power passes on its immunity onto some of the brands in this prestige-centric sector.
Particularly in the field of advertising, luxury brands have long gotten away with their provocative and eccentric ads in the name of being creative, bold and cutting-edge. But not anymore. A long list of recent incidents has caused public outrage, suggesting the end of this so called immunity. What used to be considered "creativity" has now turned into "bad taste" or even "racist". Some consumers will even be left questioning whether these ads or designs are deliberately so.
Another one bites the dust
Gucci's troubles mark the latest in a string of missteps by luxury fashion brands. Its latest 'Black balaclava jumper' has prompted a backlash on social media, suggesting that it resembles Blackface – a theatrical practice which has a history of perpetuating offensive and racist stereotypes of African Americans, dating back more than 200 years in the United States.
The advertising faux pas is seen to echo the backlash Dolce & Gabbana received on its feature of the "slave sandal" in its spring/summer collection in 2016. As if it was not enough, D&G launched 3 racially driven videos in 2018, featuring a Chinese model's attempts to eat Italian cuisine with chopsticks in a D&G dress. Ironically, the Italian brand was forced to cancel the very event that it was trying to promote through this – its Shanghai Fashion Show.
Another brand faced a similar crisis with the Chinese audience when a seemingly innocent ad campaign was perceived as something completely different by its audience. Burberry's ad photo shoot for the Chinese lunar new year was likened to Asian horror films, leading to a blitz of criticism on its social media platforms.
Don't play the game, play the audience
Irrespective of the context, the one thing that all of these ads have in common is the stereotypes they invoke and are a result of the brand's lack of knowledge and empathy towards their target customers. Unfortunately, it is the very reason that differentiates a luxury brand from any normal brand.
Prestigious brands such as Gucci, D&G and Burberry are psychologically more distant than brands such as Coca Cola in an attempt to maintain exclusivity and desirability and, as such, the perception of luxury. These tactics and strategies worked for them in the past but in today's day and age, it is a different ball game.
Luxury: East is Eden
Prof. Qing Wang suggests that being more sensitive and respectful to the culture of different ethnic communities is in the best interests of the brands, especially since the demand for luxury products has tipped in favour of the Asian and African Markets of recent years. According to consulting firm McKinsey & Company, Chinese shoppers have emerged as one of the biggest forces in global luxury spending in recent years and by 2025, will account for 44 per cent of the total global market. As such, Luxury brands cannot afford to ignore them, much less alienate them as they have in the past.
It is for this reason that luxury brands should be careful in balancing the need for exclusivity and their emotional relationship with the target audience. They need to infuse more local knowledge into their global strategies and pay careful heed to what ticks off their customers. For even as more and more of the rich and powerful are being brought to accountability, how far behind might these brands be?
Useful links:
- View Prof Qing Wang's academic profile
- Link up with Prof. Wang via LinkedIn
- Read a related article: How the beauty sector woke up to sustainability and CSR
- Discover Warwick Business School and its degree programme portfolio
- Read other feature articles from Warwick Business School.
Learn more about the Council on Business & Society
The Council on Business & Society (The CoBS), visionary in its conception and purpose, was created in 2011, and is dedicated to promoting responsible leadership and tackling issues at the crossroads of business and society including sustainability, diversity, ethical leadership and the place responsible business has to play in contributing to the common good.
Member schools are all "Triple Crown" accredited AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA and leaders in their respective countries.
- ESSEC Business School, France-Singapore-Morocco
- FGV-EAESP, Brazil
- School of Management Fudan University, China
- IE Business School, Spain
- Keio Business School, Japan
- Stellenbosch Business School, South Africa
- Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
- Warwick Business School, United Kingdom.


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Campaign calling for women's pension gap to be met by Government takes to the streets
A team assembled in Sunderland's Market Square today as members of Woman Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) called on shoppers to add their names to a petition to each of the MPs across Sunderland, South Tyneside, Durham and Easington.
The appeal was set up to call on the Government to put in place a bridging pension to cover the gap from 60 until state pension age and issue compensation for those who have already reached that age.
The change came with a rise in the women's state pension age to 65 in 1995, bringing it in line with men's, and while the women say they agree with equalisation, they do not agree with the "unfair" way it was implemented, how it happened faster than promised and without time to make alternative plans.
The women say they were not sent letters or any notice about the changes, leaving many with financial difficulties as they had not been warned of the gap.
Among those to take part in the demonstration was Moria Scales, a former Royal College of Nursing member, who worked as a health co-ordinator for the NHS until she was 58.
The 60-year-old mum-of-two from Sunderland said: "I had to retire early through ill health and my partner's ill health, but that was my choice, but it depended on getting a pension at 60.
"I had no letters from the Department for Work and Pensions.
"Financially it's made a big difference, we've had to use savings and I've lost between £40,000 and £45,000.
"What's made us angry is the historical aspect to it. "We weren't warned prior and many of us paid the same as men and into the same system.
"You work all your life and you have to wait longer for your pension.
"The reaction from people here today has been very positive."
Among those to sign the petition were Chris Hope, 60, from Sunderland, who is semi-retired and still works in the city's maternity unit's screening section.
She said: "I just think, I've worked hard all my life and I planned to retire at 60, and I can't afford to.
"They should let us go, pay us what they should have, and let these kids have a chance to work.
"Some of these young people have never worked a day in their life, give them the opportunity."
Also among those protesting was Alex Myers, from South Shields, who also worked for the NHS as an estates officer until her recent retirement at 64.
She has found out she could have retired almost two years ago but worked for longer because she was given the wrong information.
"People have put their life and soul into their work and their career and when they come to retire, they're being told by the Government they can't.
"I know this goes back until 1995 and different political parties, but it's unfair."
Sunderland MP Julie Elliott has offered her backing to the campaign, as have fellow Wearside MPs Bridget Phillipson, Sharon Hodgson, South Tyneside's Emma Lewell-Buck and Durham City's Roberta Blackman-Wood.
Ms Ellliott: "We recognise that pension ages needed to change but people to be given enough warning to plan."
The North East WASPI group's next event will be held on Friday at Monument in Newcastle from 9am to 5pm, as members join in a national day of action.


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The following post is related to the why of test planning. In any development cycle, testing plays a vital role and takes a large portion of the total website design time. As such, it should be given just as much consideration, if not more, as the development itself. There's no point to a well-designed site which looks amazing, but is full of bugs. Users are likely to move on and never return. Nothing detracts from a stunning website more than a broken feature or browser incompatibilities that ruin a nice design because the site hasn't been tested properly.
Why should you plan?
Typically, the approach taken when developing a website is not what you would call 'cookie cutter'. You aren't just stamping out some dough in the exact same shape every time. It's an amalgamation of features and project planning which comes together a little at a time. What this means is that it's rare to be able to test a site from the get go. In order to test a feature it must be mature enough to be worth looking at and there's never a guarantee that when you get to it, it's not still waiting on this or that to be added before it's completed.
Writing a test plan gives you the opportunity to consider the item you're testing from all angles in advance. Taking this step back allows you to familiarise yourself with the requirements and to put yourself into the shoes of the end user, or someone with malicious intent. This helps you nut out all possible scenarios that may occur in the real world and ensure you're testing as thoroughly as possible against them.
Good for web design developers too.
Writing a plan in advance can also assist with development, as developers can see what has been laid out in the plan and take this into consideration when designing the solution. This can save time during development as you don't have to send work they've already done back to get re-architected.
Avoid the rush and save double handling.
Pre-planning and forethought are where having a test plan laid out really comes up trumps. As with any project based industry, the unfortunate truth is that there is nearly always the last minute rush to get things over the line and meet deadlines. During this time, more and more people may be pulled in to help test the solution.
Where do they start, what should they look at and what should they look for? Working from a test plan which already has bugs and issues flagged, items which have already passed and what is yet to be tested, will save countless hours.
Anyone on the web design test team can immediately see where the testing is at and what they need to specifically check to confirm if issues have been resolved. This stops testers from looking at the same things and gives them structure and direction when it's needed most. It also means that any regression bugs are caught as the same tests are always run with each and every iteration. If not all testers are 100% familiar with every part of the site, having a plan with everything they need to look at is a major advantage. It's much quicker than getting everyone up to speed on every detail.
The main pitfall with test plans is that testers dive straight in and start marking things as passed or failed; following the plan to the letter. This is great to a point. Because the plan is written in advance, there is a chance that the developed application may not exactly match what's in the plan due to software limitations or unforeseen complications with development. This needs to be considered. The test plans themselves should grow and adapt while testing. Things may come up that are worth adding or amending. After all, you're testing; you can also test the tests. For this reason, each iteration of a test plan should be built on the previous one to ensure any additions or changes are included.


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Technology… More Like Tech-NO-logy
Recently, I started thinking if Paps and I would be doing our children a disservice by not allowing them to get use to using electronics. Like, would it make them the equivalent of someone who is an illiterate adult once they get to college? And I'm not just talking, using Word or Excel…Paint– I'm talking technology; X-box, Playstation, Wii-U, tablets, smartphones, Google Glass, Twitter, Tumblr, FB (or whatever comes out by the time they're able to grasp the concept of social media).
I'm so disheveled by this topic, it may be hard for me to keep focus
More and more do I become more conflicted with the issue of technology and children.
I am a technician by trade. I L-O-V-E tech stuff. I love gidgets, gadgets, thingamabobs, new internet stuff, apps, media sources, social sites, new gaming devices, warfare items, space stuff… whatever it is, I'm interested and I want to play with it. That had to start somewhere… and it did. It started while I was in the 3rd grade when we had these old Apple Macintosh SE Desktop Computers that had 2 colors on them, green and greener, on a screen relative to the size of cell phones now… I took an after school class to learn DOS manipulation. However, the functions that a 9-year-old could do at that time were very elementary. Shit, personal computers were a practically brand new technology, and I know I'm showing my age but that's what it was.
But I loved that stuff because of the newness of it, and not so much of the addiction to the automatic functionality that it gave to society. I was playing with what would soon be the future. I was learning to manipulate with my own hands, a device that would soon be the most important thing in the world… literally.
But that's not the case with the technology of today. If we give a child an iPad, it's not because we're trying to teach him coding. If we sit our children down with the newest Samsung Galaxy playing Spongebob on YouTube, I'm sure it's not for the purposes of learning animation or how to use Final Cut Pro. No… we're numbing them, and trying to catch a quiet moment.
I GET IT… believe me I do.
Electronics have turned into that special sedative comparable to Valiums or marijuana for children. It relaxes them, and shuts them up for at least 10 minutes so mommy or daddy can take a poop in peace. It frees up time that parents feel they keep losing in order to make a decent dinner, or even quiet the drive to Auntie Sabrina's house or home from school.
But it can't be the only way to raise our kids now.
More and more am I seeing posts on Facebook or hear people say that their 2-year-olds are showing them how to use devices. Parents are complaining that they can't get smartphones and tablets out of their kids hands without a 30 minute cry-fest, and then end up "compromising" with the child in order to keep the peace. Parents are fed up with the constant usage of technological appliances, yet they still supply their children with them because it's practically necessary to.
It's a catch-22.
One of my good friends was chit-chatting with me a little over a year ago, telling me he had to buy his daughter a new laptop so she can do her school work. Said that she kept using his, and taking his to school, so she needed her own. At the time she was 12, and I was dumbfounded. The childless-baffled-me was confused, and revolted against the thought of him buying a 12-year old a computer… but he then told me "All the kids need them in class… that's just how it is…"
Maybe a part of me is happy that children are learning computers so soon because we live in the age of technology, and there's is nothing more pathetic than a grown ass person confessing they don't know how to "email;" but there's a downfall to this. I just heard on the radio the other day from a teacher that spelling isn't nearly as important anymore [compared to math] because we have spell checkers and auto-correct… … … … …
I'm sorry… what was that?
You're telling me that we've succumb to technology so much, that we are allowed to be dumber in certain areas, and that's ok…?
The seeming downfall of the quality of education isn't my only issue. Here's another one: Technology is destroying the Family Dynamic.
The same friend in the needing-the-laptop-situation above and I were in Korea together, and we sat in a restaurant and watched dozens of families setup their kids favorite shows on the phone and commence to eating their meals with no family interaction. Kids would wander by themselves in shopping malls glued to the large 5.7 inch screen, unknowingly walking a little further and further from the parent, or even left for minutes at a time sitting on a bench or an unattended stroller. Now before you start to judge the Korean's… look around. This is happening in America too. There is an unhealthy dependency on technology for the wrong reasons. Instead of making a phone call, we shoot a text. If the house is too big for voice to carry, we shoot a text. Phones are picked up in mid-conversation to check social statuses, or celebrity gossip updates, twitter feeds, pictures of Instagramed food… and we think nothing of it.
Sure I'm happy that I don't need to open a Thomas Guide anymore for directions… But I do appreciate knowing HOW to read a Thomas guide.
Sure I'm happy I don't need to worry about remembering telephone numbers, addresses, birth dates, appointments, snack time, or classwork due dates… but if I ever left my phone at home, I might be in a little hot water for the day.
Sure I'm happy that if I need to know daily news, weather, big news stories, how to train a dog, who has a better spaghetti, or whatever I need to know, it's all at my finger tips… but is this sense of immediacy and urgency what we should teach our kids? There was a time that if I wanted to know about The War of 1812, I had to look in Encyclopedias, or go to a library… And I was able to learn, and better yet, retain factual knowledge from accredited sources.
But now we have Wikipedia.
You know I made a Wikipedia page once. It's down now, but I tried to get "willn't," the TRUE contraction of will not to become a thing. It was up for like 3 months before it was discredited…
Google has taken over learning. TMZ and "Huffington Post top 10 Reasons to…" has taken over factual media… and this is all because of the immediacy for self-gratification of knowledge and entertainment. Our children are addicted to World Star Hip-Hop, Snapchat, Vine, Kik Messenger, and ASk.fm (some of these you should really monitor if you haven't heard about them).
I'm guilty of all this… I am not on a high horse here.
The last point I want to touch on is the fact that technology has had a major role in the disengagement of social development. A lot of the above sites mentioned allow anonymity. Nobody needs a name, nobody needs a face… nobody needs a conscience, and nobody needs manners. Social etiquette is slowly being lost. Firm handshakes, eye contact, yes sir, please and thank you are slowly becoming a thing of the past. We're losing that ideal that self-assertion by getting off of your ass and meeting people with a physical introduction, and understanding that social charisma will get you far in life… That needs to be learned. "Friends" are now game-tags via X-box live, or hot chicks by way of selfie on Instagram. "Friends" numbers are in the thousands on our social media pages, and people mistake that for actual social acceptance. People have started to forget how to actually interact with each other, and maybe hold a conversation without snapping a picture of your Chai Iced Latte in the middle of my sentence about the job I just lost…
But again… no high horse here… guilty
So I'll try to sum up my wandering rant into these statements:
1) I fear where technology is going and how involved we are with it and how comfortable kids are with it, as much as I'm intrigued and fascinated by it.
2) I already loathe the fact that at some point I too, will be the parent that gives in to buy my kid some form of the newest technology, even though at this point in my life I have a strong stance against it.
3) I must take action within my parenting morals to not let this brainless epidemic control my household
4) I must set the standard by being the example… I believe that's the only way to combat the fight against technology use in the house.
Post to your own Blog here
Posted in Did He Really Just Say That?, Getting Ready, Parenthoodwith 15 comments.
I've read this in its entirety. I'm happy to see a self-aware parent considering the role of technology. I bought a "leap pad" for my 2-year-old and within time I found I was using it as a crutch and he was becoming antisocial whenever it was around. The day I took it from him nearly permanently was the day I came home, said hello, was ignored, and when I went to hug him he was busy with a game and told me to "go away". That was about it; he learned to turn the TV on and I hid the remotes. I think it's in regulation that you'll find your answer. Really, the Leap Pad was an amazing tool and taught him so much… I gave it to him a bit young, and I shouldn't have let him have it as often as I did.
Just some things to consider. Certainly don't be afraid of buying a PS3 or letting them onto the internet, but regulated interaction with these devices is what's key to your desired parenting style, I think you'll be a great dad from what I read here.
I think that Technology should never be a substitute for Time. Technology will help you teach your child that would have been unheard of in our youth. It should be used to entertain in moderation. We try to have the boys play with educational toys and use educational electronics as well as watch educational television. Then we still make time to read to them, Shirley makes time to teach them by using books and letter/number magnets. We have wooden clocks and flashcards because that can be done in conjunction with electronics or modern technology. You both know I'm a techno-nerd but I still understand the value of spending time with the boys and not have them just sit in front of a TV. Don't ever be afraid to welcome your child into new technology as long as you are there to guide their growth. I know my children will be smarter than me, since it has nothing to do with genes, but just the knowledge and understanding of how they learn. Dumbing down is a result of lazy parenting in my opinion. The parents that took advantage of the influx of new information rocketed their children's ability to learn faster. Of course once the children get older than it will depend more on their desire than your guidance, BUT by then if you spent enough time to teach and understand your child, they will have surprised you and surpassed your expectations. That's what I am going for anyway lol
I used to let Vivien use apps on my phone but I got tired of it so now she has a Leappad. Im cool with that and limit screen time to car rides and when I'm breastfeeding her brother.
And she only gets to watch 1 hr of sesame street a day. Because I got real housewives to watch, yo. 😉
I don't think technology is evil or should be avoided.
I think tech like all things can be good if used as a tool by an involved parent. Our society uses tech. Knowledge of how to use that will be as important in the future. You wouldn't not teach you kid to walk because they may fall, but also wouldn't let them walk off a cliff or through a construction site.
The secret to tech is moderation and supervision. Something that may be needed for the adults in the family too.


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The fundraiser for Sergeant Joshua Voth of the Colorado Department of Corrections has ended. With your help, we were able to donate a total of $1,656.75 to the family of Sergeant Voth. The donation was presented by the Colorado Department of Corrections.
100% of the net profits from the Hold The Line Fundraiser for Sgt. Voth will be donated to Sgt. Voth's family via Colorado Department of Corrections in honor of Sgt. Joshua Voth. On behalf of Shield Republic, the family and department has our deepest sympathy.
Please help with donations by participating in the fundraiser via the following link:
100% Donation – Hold The Line Fundraiser for Sgt. Joshua Voth


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Thorncombe Village Trust
Tree squad…..volunteers wanted!
Can you spend a couple of hours helping to tidy up the Trust's trees? We need people to come along and help clear the undergrowth, check tree ties, cut back brambles etc. Full instructions given, all that's needed is enthusiasm!
If you can help please contact us on email@example.com so we can arrange convenient times etc.
Thank you
One of the primary aims of the Trust has been the planting and maintaining of hundreds of trees in the parish. Beautiful trees that now line the hedgerows and the lanes, and in one case form a wood, are there because the Trust used members' subscriptions to buy, plant and maintain the trees.
Trees planted in hedgerows are marked with blue ties, to warn anyone trimming the hedge. When planted they are staked for a year or two until they get strong enough to support themselves. If you notice any trees that are obviously in need of attention, such as outgrown ties, or damaged branches, please contact a Trust committee member.
Types of trees
In general the trees that are planted are indigenous species such as hawthorn, oak,
ash, mountain ash and wild cherry. Also, the planting spot is taken into consideration
Commemorative Trees
We've planted several commemorative trees in the parish, see more….
Venn Hill
This stunning avenue of oaks makes a memorable entrance to the village and is hugely important to the area. Thirty years ago some of the trees had died and members were concerned that the avenue was in danger of disappearing. The Trust filled in gaps and planted replacements which have grown well.
Johnson's Wood
In 1997 Mr Johnson, a local landowner, allowed the sloping site near Dungeon Coppice to be planted with woodland trees by Thorncombe Village Trust. Many people pass this woodland daily when walking through from Wittey's Lane to the Dungeon without realising its history........ read more
Ban on import and movement of ash confirmed ….. The Government has confirmed a ban on the import and movement of ash trees following the outbreak of Chalara ash dieback. The Government must now set up an emergency summit bringing together representatives from all areas of forestry, plant health and conservation to address the wider issues surrounding threats to our native trees and woods.
Read more on the Woodland Trust website
And here on the Dorset County Council site : www.dorsetforyou.com/ash-
Have you heard of the Ancient Tree Hunt?
Your help is needed to record ancient trees so that they can be protected, and now that there is the threat of ancient ash trees dying, it is especially important to record particularly old and large ashes before they are gone forever.
"The Ancient Tree Hunt (ATH) is a living database of ancient trees. The ATH began
in 2004, as a joint venture with the Tree Register of the British Isles and the Ancient
Tree Forum. By October 2011, over 100,000 hand-
You can download recording forms and information about how to identify ancient trees on this site too. Please let us know of any trees you identify as ancient.
|History of the Trust
|Constitution of the Trust
|Minutes of meetings
|Archived Minutes
|Newsletter Archives
|Past Events
|Blackdown Walk Aug 2013
|Bluebell Walk May 2013
|Pollinator Survey June 2013
|Visiting new-born lambs 2013
|2014 Christmas Sale
|Commemorative Trees
|Johnson's Wood
|Geology and geography
|Chard Junction Nature Reserve
|Nature Reserve pictures
|Butterfly surveys
|Photo albums
|Artists and writers
|Poor relief
|In the news
|17th and 18th centuries
|Harry Banks
|Hedge Dating
|Once upon a Thorncombe Road
|Thorncombe's Lost Roads & Hidden Holways
|Thorncombe's History
|First World War Thorncombe men
|Thorncombe's Changing Boundaries
|Parish Poorhouse and Workhouses
|The poor
|Life in Thorncombe's Workhouse
|Chard St Bakery & Forge
|Holway Cottage
|Forde Abbey
|Gough's Barton
|Holditch Court
|Upperfold House
|Sadborow Hall
|Thomas Place and The Terrace
|1 & 2 Church View Chard Street
|Dodgy local ice-cream
|Gribb arsenic poisoning
|Industrial relics
|Westford Mill
|Thorncombe's Flax and Hemp Industries
|Broomstick Weddings
|Royal Oak
|Golden House
|St Mary's Church
|Thorncombe's West Gallery Choir
|Thorncombe's Chapels
|Commonwealth vicars
|Who was William Bragge?
|Donald Hutchings school
|Donald Hutchings wartime
|Louise May Silver
|Starting out in 1960s Thorncombe
|Thorncombe between the wars
|Village Life in the 1980's
|Women's Institute in 1967
|Wilfrid Potter
|Holditch memories
|St Mary's School
|St Mary's School photos
|Forgotten epidemic
|Walk 1
|Walk 2
|Walk 3
|Walk 4
|Walk 5
|Walk 6
|Walk 7
|Walk 8
|A Village Walk. Walk 9
|Walk 10
|Rights of Way information


text:
Driverless Cars to dominate by 2040, says IEEE
By Design Engineering StaffGeneral Automotive
Engineering organization foresees automated vehicles as 75 percent of cars on the road in 27 years.
Members of IEEE have selected autonomous vehicles as the most promising form of intelligent transportation, anticipating that they will account for up to 75 percent of cars on the road by the year 2040.
"With any form of intelligent transportation, building the infrastructure to accommodate it is often the largest barrier to widespread adoption," said Dr. Alberto Broggi, IEEE Senior Member and professor of Computer Engineering at the University of Parma in Italy. "Since we can use the existing networks of roadways, autonomous vehicles are advantageous for changing how the majority of the world will travel on a daily basis."
No stranger to autonomous vehicles, Broggi was the director of a 2010 project that enabled two driverless cars to successfully complete an 8,000-mile road trip, traveling from Parma to Shanghai. The increased use of driverless cars will be the catalyst for transforming vehicular travel over the next 28 years, concluded the engineering organization concluded.
According to the IEEE, driver and passenger acceptance are the largest barriers to widespread adoption of driverless cars. "Drivers and passengers are hesitant to believe in the technology enough to completely hand over total control," said Jeffrey Miller, IEEE Member and Associate Professor in the Computer Systems Engineering department at University of Alaska Anchorage. "Over the next 28 years, use of more automated technologies will spark a snowball effect of acceptance and driverless vehicles will dominate the road."
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text:
Director of Mortgage Banking, Tampa
Bryan Brown is a Director in the mortgage banking division of Berkadia. Bryan has been involved in commercial real estate finance for the last 5 years. He provides financing solutions across all asset classes through a range of capital providers, including Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae, Life Insurance Companies, Commercial Banks, CMBS, and Debt Funds. Prior to joining Berkadia, Bryan worked for Landeavor, focusing on acquisition and development opportunities for large-scale, master-planned communities across the Southeast U.S. and Texas.
Education & Certifications
- University of Florida, M.S. – Real Estate
- University of Florida, B.S. – Finance
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text: On 06/07/2011 09:15, Danilo Turina wrote: > having recently replaced my old keyboard (that had a US layout) with an > italian one, I'm having a problem with Cygwin X when running HP-UX clients: > AltGr does not work and this prevents me to use characters like "[" "{" "}" > "]", etc. > > I'm up to date with Cygwin and Cygwin X at the moment ("1.7.9(0.237/5/3) > 2011-03-29 10:10 i686 Cygwin" for Cygwin and "188.8.131.52" for XWin). > > These are the steps to reproduce the problem: > > 1) start Cygwin X > 2) disable access control ("xhost +") > 3) access via telnet/ssh a HP-UX machine > 4) open an xterm from the HP-UX machine in Cygwin X > 5) in the newly opened xterm try to use AltGr (AltGr + "è" (i.e. the key > at the right of "P"), should produce "{", while AltGr + Shift + "è" should > produce "{") I'm missing here what is actually produced. Nothing? or the unmodified è? > 6) fall on the floor crying in desperation This is perfectly normal for people having to deal with XKB :-) > Notice that when using a client from a Linux machine all works properly. > > A googled a lot and found a lot of information but only few of it applied > (=helped) to my specific case. I tried to mess with xmodmap and kbd config > files and also with other stuff, but nothing seemed to solve the problem. I think a solution is contained in this old mailing list post [1], use XKB_DISABLE=1 and adjust the keyboard map so that AltGr is Mode_switch and the keys have the expected mapping in group 2, activated via Mode_switch. Note that just reassigning AltGr to Mode_switch is not enough, you'll need to remap appropriately the keys which generate different characters with AltGr e.g. something like: xmodmap -e "clear mod5" xmodmap -e "clear mod3" xmodmap -e "keycode 113 = Mode_switch Multi_key" xmodmap -e "add mod3 = Mode_switch" xmodmap -e "keycode 34 = egrave eacute bracketleft braceleft" (and so on for the other keys which need to generate different characters with AltGr) I can't test this, because I don't have access to a HP-UX machine. [1] http://cygwin.com/ml/cygwin-xfree/2004-03/msg00454.html > At the moment I'm using Xming 188.8.131.52 that doesn't seem affected by the > problem IF I set XKB_DISABLE=1 on the client machine (i.e. HP-UX). > > Trying to troubleshoot the problem, I used xev on the HP-UX machine to see if > the keys were properly recognized and, in effect, they are. > This are xev results for Cygwin X, when I press (and release) AltGr+è (thus by > trying to get "[") with XKB_DISABLED not set: > [snip] > > If I set XKB_DISABLED=1, I get, instead: > [snip] > > If I try xev on Xming with XKB_DISABLED=1 (where I have no problem at all), I > get: > [snip] It's kind of hard to know how to interpret these results since I don't know what XKB_DISABLED=1 actually does. > One strange thing that I noticed is that if I start Cygwin X by using > "startxwin" from the Cygwin's command line, I get the following warning on > screen: [snip] > The XKEYBOARD keymap compiler (xkbcomp) reports: >> Warning: Type "ONE_LEVEL" has 1 levels, but <RALT> has 2 symbols >> Ignoring extra symbols > > But that warning is not present in XWin.0.log (attached). I think this is normal, if a little odd. Warnings from xkbocmp are written to stdout, but not written to the log. -- Jon TURNEY Volunteer Cygwin/X X Server maintainer -- Unsubscribe info: http://cygwin.com/ml/#unsubscribe-simple Problem reports: http://cygwin.com/problems.html Documentation: http://x.cygwin.com/docs/ FAQ: http://x.cygwin.com/docs/faq/


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How to Find a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney That Specializes in DUI's
If you are hoping to find a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney that specializes in DUI/DWI cases, there are a number of ways that you can locate an attorney like this. A Los Angeles DUI Lawyer will usually have an online website, which makes it easy to find them. All that you have to do is search for Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys and you should be able to find their website within very little time. Additionally, this website can give you a lot of information about their services. It can tell you about how long they have been in business, what types of clients they service, what practice areas they specialize in, and why they should be chosen for the position. Hiring a lawyer or attorney for any legal matter is a very serious step.
#1 - Check on local listing websites like Craigslist
While Craigslist is not one of the best places to look for a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney that specializes in DWI/DUI cases, it can be very beneficial. They often show ads on Craigslist that are published from law firms and lawyers in the area, so it's a good place to look when you are just beginning your research. Craigslist can help you find companies that are investing in their online presence and advertising as best they can. Craigslist is free to list, but often times, companies have to hire other businesses in order to organize their Craigslist listings for them, because Craigslist has very strict security. This means that they are spending a lot of money to get those listings, so it's a good place to look when you're trying to find a lawyer.
#2 - Check on a search engine such as Google
Since Google has become so widely used, it's almost not even needed to recommend this as an option for finding a Los Angeles DUI lawyer. Most people turn to websites like Google as soon as they're looking for anything on the Internet, so it goes without saying that this is one of the best places to conduct your research. Google can help you quickly locate dozens of Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys in the area, many of them will specialize in DUI cases.
#3 - Check their website for their practice areas
Once you have used one of the recommended options above, and you have found several websites that you want to investigate, you can check for the lawyer's practice areas. Often times, lawyers will list DUI/DWI cases as a practice area. This gives you concrete proof that they specialize in this particular type of case, so they would be a good lawyer to hire for the position.
#4 - Check law forums and other types of communities
Forums can be a great place to do research. By going to law forums and other types of communities, you can see which lawyers people recommend. Often times, these forums will have subsections for every city of the state of California, this makes it much easier to find a lawyer that can service you locally.


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Max2Play Home › Forums › General Questions on Hardware and Max2Play Versions › [SOLVED] Equalizer
- This topic has 21 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 8 months ago by Heiner premium.
2. Juni 2016 at 1:14 #20427
Hi !
I have juste receive an Pi-DigiAMP+ from max2play shop 🙂
All working great, but i cant use equalizer with squeezelite.
My squeezelite settings -> soundcard: plugequal
Command line option : -o hw:CARD=IQaudIODAC -V Digital
Any idea?
Best regards,
Marc8. Juni 2016 at 11:20 #20547
Hi Marc,
Please try only entering "-o plug:plugequal" in the command line.19. Juni 2016 at 1:01 #20735
I was having the same problem as many: the equalizer just would not work with my HiFiBerry AMP+. After much web research and testing, I found the problem is in the alsa config file (/etc/asound.conf). Here's how to fix the problem:
To find out what sound cards you have on your system, display the contents of /proc/asound/cards:
`$ cat /proc/asound/cards
0 [ALSA ]: bcm2835 – bcm2835 ALSA
bcm2835 ALSA
1 [sndrpihifiberry]: snd_rpi_hifiber – snd_rpi_hifiberry_amp
Here you can see my HifiBerry Amp+ is seen as card 1. However the ALSA configuration file (/etc/asound.conf) is pointing to card 0, the default card:
$ cat /etc/asound.conf ctl.!default { type hw card 0 } pcm.equal { type plug; slave.pcm plugequal; } ctl.equal { type equal; module "Eq10"; } pcm.plugequal { type equal; module "Eq10"; slave { pcm "plughw:0,0"; } hint {show on;description "Equalizer for plughw:0,0"}
To fix the problem, you need to change all references in /etc/asound.conf from card 0 to your card (1, in my case). Here is my corrected /etc/asound.conf:
$ cat /etc/asound.conf ctl.!default { type hw card 1 } pcm.equal { type plug; slave.pcm plugequal; } ctl.equal { type equal; module "Eq10"; } pcm.plugequal { type equal; module "Eq10"; slave { pcm "plughw:1,0"; } hint {show on;description "Equalizer for plughw:1,0"}
Now reboot your machine, then go into the Max2Play Audio Player->Advanced Configuration. Change the Sound Card to "plugequal – Equalizer for plughw:1,0". I also changed my ALSA Parameters to "80:::" and the Command Line Options to "-r 44100-48000 -u hL::::".
Save everything, reboot again, and you should be good to go.
Warning: I have a very basic system; just a stock RPi2 and a HiFiBerry AMP+. If your system has additional hardware or a different amp/DAC, your mileage may vary, but the basic approach should get you where you need to go.
Hope this works as well for everyone!
20. Juni 2016 at 23:58 #20774
- This reply was modified 7 years, 5 months ago by HandyGuy.
Hi !
Thank to Heiner and HandyGuy for your help!
I'll try when i'm back to home…
Best regards,
Marc12. März 2017 at 14:10 #27599
Marc, did you manage to get the equalizer to work? Ive tried all sorts but with no success.
Peter12. März 2017 at 14:14 #27600
Marc, did you manage to get the equalizer to work? Ive tried all I can find from the forum but with no success.
Peter12. März 2017 at 19:22 #27606
try to erase anything entered in the commandline and try the use the equalizer.
Mohammad Mbydeen12. März 2017 at 19:36 #27607
thanks for the reply, tried what you said but didn't work if I select "plugequal" soundcard the player will start and music will play but there is no sound at all and if I select the "equal-equal" card the player wont start13. März 2017 at 14:31 #27670
I've got the iqaudio pi-digiamp+14. März 2017 at 18:59 #27736
Hi petefilltir !
I havent found the time to test … i'm finishing to build my new house 🙂
I will try next month !
Marc14. April 2017 at 22:47 #28258
still havnt found an answer. Ive now got a new setup of a rpi zero w with a just boom amp zero and cant get the equalizer to work on that either seems to me its just for show! nobody seems to have it working on any setup!!!!23. April 2017 at 2:13 #28411
HandyGuy …
Thanks – perfect solution!
I have 4 Raspi w/HiFiBerry cards of different types and your solution worked for them all.
So simple … the solution is independent of sound card type. I wonder if it works for bluetooth speakers as well?????
Again, thank you for taking the time to post and help others.
Bob24. April 2017 at 22:54 #28451
No problem, Bob. Happy to help. I saw some others on this thread were still having problems, but no idea if they were able to solve them. Hopefully they were able to get it working.
Your mention of the BT speakers is interesting. I've tried several variants of BT configuration with M2P but never got it to work properly. My goal (slightly different than yours) is to set up the RPi/HFB to act as a Bluetooth sink so I can stream from my phone/tablet into M2P and have it play through the connected speakers. That would allow me to listen to music other than what is on my home media server.
The last time a poked at this was around a year ago and never got it to work right or consistently. But, the tech has changed in the past year so I may pick this up again with a new RPI3 and see if that makes any difference.12. Mai 2017 at 18:38 #28826
Thank HandyGuy & Heiner !!!
Working now with your instruction for asound.conf and the commandline from heiner
Marc11. August 2017 at 17:39 #30573
I still have issues.
Even altering the asound.conf to show "1" ; the option in the drop down is still 0 🙁21. August 2017 at 9:16 #30702
Hi pocster,
What sound card do you use?16. März 2018 at 0:44 #34462
The HandyGuy /etc/asound.conf fix works perfectly, but it overwritten every time I restart the RasPi.
How can I make the changes permanent?16. März 2018 at 13:03 #34478
Hi Mark One,
Did you make the changes with sudo?16. März 2018 at 18:54 #34483
Yes, i did19. März 2018 at 13:20 #34526
Okay, we will try to recreate this issue. Thank you for your collaboration and patience.
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Early readers will learn how mail carriers work for the post office. This title highlights what mail carriers do, where they work, and how they help the community.
Part of the Semillas del saber series
Hola, bus drivers and mechanics. Hola, doctors and librarians. ¡Hola, … divertido! Introduce early elementary children to 10 more community helpers in the poplular Seedlings series. Written in a friendly voice, filled with dynamic photos, and featuring text crafted for the youngest of readers, these North American Spanish translations touch upon occupational skills and tools and the ways in which certain professions help other members of our communities. Each title closes with a labeled-image guide for further review. As introductions to informational text, these titles will plant the seeds of knowledge!


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Editing services
I will edit any piece of writing for grammar, punctuation, etc. 5 simbi/page (negotiable).
Training & Qualifications
Former editor-in-chief of the Berkeley Journal of Criminal Law.
Availability & Preferences
I will work while my kids are sleeping and over weekends, so longer pieces will have to be over a weekend.


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Royal Ballet
Rhapsody, Tetractys -The Art of Fugue, Gloria
London, Royal Opera House
7 and 8 February 2014
Gallery of pictures by Dave Morgan
The Royal Ballet's latest triple bill has a happy beginning and a sad ending and in the middle there's Wayne McGregor's new piece, Tetractys, an emotionally-neutral blank sheet on which you can write your own feelings – or more likely, your own thoughts.
Tetractys is set to seven sections of Bach's Art of the Fugue, arranged and orchestrated by Michael Berkeley; the designs – coloured light sculptures – and the costumes are by Tauba Auerbach, and change to reflect the 'geometry' as well as the orchestral colouring of the music; and McGregor's choreography takes off from the mathematics of the simple triangular arrangement which gives the ballet its name. That's all you need to know, and I really wish that McGregor's own explanations would one day stop at this level. According to Sarah Crompton's programme note, he does know that 'ultimately a work has to stand alone', but it seems he can't resist the urge to tell us at immensely detailed length about the creative process, so that his ballets arrive on stage weighed down by an intimidating load of philosophical, scientific or, in this case mathematical theorising which, far from helping, seriously distracts the attention from what's actually happening in the moment
So I spent the first of the two performances I saw trying, with almost complete lack of success, to see in the ballet what McGregor said he had put there; the second time round I just watched, and found some at least of the things that his explanations hardly touch on – beauty, the occasional touch of humanity, humour even. You don't need to understand the rationale for McGregor's placing of duets, trios and larger ensembles to appreciate the wide variety of texture they provide and I particularly liked a pas de deux for Steven MacRae and Natalia Osipova, and enjoyed Sarah Lamb's wit and sharpness in a trio with MacRae and Paul Kay too. In other sections McGregor's invention ran out some time before Bach's and there were passages which looked to me like the 21st century version of 'vamp till ready'. The most serious problem, I thought, was that the piece always felt like a collection of unrelated items rather than an organic whole. But there was no faulting the dancers – mostly established McGregor favourites – who give everything they have to serve the choreography.(And yes, this was the performance where Osipova crashed into another dancer and concussed herself, and no, like almost everybody else, I didn't notice.)
The happy start to the programme was Frederick Ashton's Rhapsody, always welcome even in the current decor, inappropriate and unattractive. The constants in the two performances I saw were the corps de ballet, hardworking – especially the men – and packed with some of the company's best young hopes, and the music, excitingly pushed on by Barry Wordsworth so that the central pas de deux had a tension I don't remember feeling in it before. The leading roles, on the other hand, were about as different on the two days as it would be possible to imagine. First came Steven McRae and Laura Morera, who both danced in the last run, three years ago, though with different partners. I'd be amazed if I ever see Baryshnikov's role better danced than by McRae, astonishingly clean, fast, every step perfectly executed; but I'm equally sure that I'll see performances by less accomplished dancers that I will enjoy more. MacRae's dancing glitters but for me it's with a cold light and I'd love to see him find more charm in the piece and above all to make me think he's enjoying the choreography rather than just doing it. Morera danced last time with Sergei Polunin and I think her sophisticated approach to Ashton was better matched with him than with MacRae. But she's so fast, so bendy, so witty, just such a pleasure to watch – and surely there must be more roles in the repertoire that she could be illuminating like this.
Then the next day, after all this star power, we had James Hay and Francesca Hayward, both of them new to the ballet and indeed to big leading roles anywhere.
Of course it was a much quieter performance. Hay – just back from an injury – did remarkably well in choreography made for the great virtuoso of his time: his dancing was clear and true, sometimes evidently very near the edge of his capability but done with a simple integrity that was very appealing. He certainly deserves the chance to revisit the ballet in a year or two and make it his own. Hayward, though, already looks like the real thing and had a genuine triumph.. Those who attended the Ashton Symposium last September saw her very first try at this role, with its creator, Lesley Collier, teaching her just the basic steps of her big solo. After the first run through all Hayward could find breath to say was 'It's so hard!' and it's wonderful – and astonishing – to see her now making it look so easy and so natural. It was a gorgeous debut mixing present accomplishment with immense future promise. And an added bonus was that with this young pair in the leads the whole ballet reveals its beauty and – despite the tricksiness of Baryshnikov's show-off steps – the simplicity at its heart and above all the unique bittersweet Ashton-ness that I find one of the most moving things in all ballet.
The sad bit at the end of the evening was Kenneth MacMillan's Gloria, but for me the sadness came mainly not from the subject matter but from the performance. The first night seemed very flat and I thought that was perhaps due to the casting, but the second one – with Edward Watson in the leading role – wasn't much stronger. I know that memory deceives us but surely this piece used to have a much sharper edge? It's now done almost as an elegy – anguish and pain, yes, but where has the rage gone? I've always thought that the point of it was the fight between the sentiments of the music and the reality of death in the trenches and that seems to have disappeared completely – it diminishes the work and that's a real pity.


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What is Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI)?
Self-Injury as the deliberate, self-inflicted destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent. It is also sometimes referred to as non-suicidal self-injury, self-injurious behavior, or deliberate self-harm. Although cutting is one of the most well-known self-injury behaviors, it can take many forms ranging from cutting or burning to self-bruising or breaking bones. Hands, wrists, stomach, and thighs are commonly affected areas, though self-injury can happen anywhere on the body. The severity of self-injury can range from superficial wounds to lasting scars or disfigurement.
Self-injury is primarily used as a maladaptive coping method. When faced with situations that evoke strong and overwhelming emotions such as sadness, anxiety, anger, or even emotional numbness, self-injury is used to manage or reduce these feelings. Many also report that they experience self-injury as an expression of self-directed anger or punishment. For some, self-injury is also socially reinforced, such as when others pay more (or less) attention to an individual following an act of self-injury. Read more
SMU Anxiety and Depression Research Center Last update: 08/09/22


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Retaining wall falls near bridge on South Side
CHICAGO (SUN TIMES MEDIA WIRE) - A retaining wall fell near a bridge for the Norfolk Southern Rail train tracks on the South Side, scattering debris on the street and delaying traffic.
The wall collapsed about 2 a.m. on 87th Street between Chicago and Anthony Avenues, Chicago police and a spokesperson from the Department of Streets and Sanitation said. It is unclear what caused the collapse. No injuries or additional property damage have been reported.
Police, as well as a representative from Norfolk Southern Rail and Chicago Fire and Streets and Sanitation departments, are on the scene, police and Sanitation said.
Chicago Transportation Authority has rerouted buses. Commuters can expect minor delays.
Authorities did not say when the street will be cleared.


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Crime Roundup: Woman Robbed by Four Youths in Navy Yard
A woman was robbed by a group of youths in Navy Yard Wednesday morning.
The woman reported that after she walked past a group of four youths on the 1000 block of Half Street SE, one of the youths tackled her from behind while another stole her purse and fled.
The robbery happened about 8:20 a.m. on Wednesday. Police searched the area and apprehended one person they believe is connected to the crime. Police did not release descriptions of the other suspects.
There was also a robbery reported on the H Street corridor on Wednesday. A man reported that he was approached by two people on the 800 block of H Street NE about 10:30 a.m. The man reported that the two people demanded his Bank of America card and PIN number before using it to withdraw cash from an ATM.
Metropolitan Police Department First District Commander Jeff Brown said in an email that police are investigating the validity of the report in this case.


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24.07.15ReleasesBoostZX8000 Boost
ARTICLE BY Sneaker Freaker
adidas Zx8000 BOOST (Night Sky)
Moody! From the vibrant vibes set in the 'Hawaiian Print' pack, adidas keeps the ball rolling on the ZX8000 Boost, presenting this new 'Night Sky' look. Based in a deep hue of blue, the tropical trimmings remain in tact on the underlays, with a blue translucent heel capping beefing up the tech element. Overkill have got pairs on hand right now ready for the taking.


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Gym, Pool & Game Room Access, Spacious 2BD | Austin
- 2 Bedrooms
- 2 Bathrooms
- 4 Guests
The Home
Just southeast of Austin Downtown lies this comfortable, modern property, offering all the fun of being close to downtown without the hassle. Your apartment is located right off S Hwy 183, making it easy to visit all the sights and sounds of Austin while still allowing you to rest comfortably in your own space at the end of the day. Best of all, this property offers a number of delightful amenities and creature comforts, making it the best place to stay between the airport and Bat City.
The Space:
Each of our apartments has its own unique layout and decor. Pictures above are a sampling of Property Manager's units at this property, but they may not show the exact unit or floor you receive. Floor plans, furniture, design, and artwork may differ slightly, and our units span 1,079 square feet. Your apartment may look different from the sample photos but will be just as stylish and comfortable!
Key apartment features...
Home Features
Enjoy the comforts of home and beyond with these distinctive features.
Air Conditioning
Pets Allowed
Building Elevator
Free Parking
Concierge Services
In-person Check-in
Kids Amenities
All Stays Include
We believe certain amenities should be standard. Every home comes outfitted with these best-in-class essentials for a worry-free stay.
Home Details
Beds & Bath
Review bedroom arrangements to make sure each is right for you. Full and half bathrooms are shown as one total.
Pets Allowed
Free Parking: On-site
Pool: Community
Hair Dryer
Dryer In Home
Smoke Alarm
Air Conditioning: Central
Grill: Charcoal
The Neighborhood
Let's try that again.
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Things To Know
Payment and Cancellation - 14 Day Policy
Grace Period:
- Guests may cancel for free provided that: (1) reservation is canceled within 48-hours of reservation request, and (2) reservation request was made 11 days before arrival.
Payment Policy:
- 14 days or less prior to arrival: Guests pay 100% at time of reservation.
- More than 14 days before arrival: Guests pay 50% at time of reservation, the remaining 50% will be charged 14 days prior to arrival.
- For guests paying with points: 100% of payment will be deducted at time of reservation, once booking is verified within 48 hours.
Cancellation Policy:
- 14 days or less prior to arrival: No refund issued, unless 'Grace Period' applies.
- More than 14 days before arrival: 100% refund.
House Rules
- Parties not allowed.


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Sunday, December 7, 2008
Now it is Nika's turn
This stomach flu bug is kicking our butt ... and many other people's butt too, from what I hear. Mason is feeling better, but now Nika has thrown up twice this morning. Ugh. That only leaves Kyle in our family ... anyone want to guess when he might get it? Seriously ... I'm sick of vomit!
Posted by Bethany at 11:02 AM
Labels: addison, Mason (aka: Bubba), sick
3 comments:
Yuck, yuck, yuck!!! Hopefully Kyle avoids it altogether! Hope Nika is better soon!!!ReplyDelete
Seriously--I think Kyle is the last person to not have it. We all had it over here and definitely are sooo done with puke ;)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousDecember 8, 2008 at 8:14 AM
So sorry to hear that!!! Emlyn had alternating vomit/horrific diarrhea for 12 days. Brian and I were sick for 5. Horrible, horrible stuff. I hope everyone's better soon!! I know you're tired of laundry LOL. I was!ReplyDelete
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DuoShade Quartz Top Down/Bottom Up Pleated Blind
This DuoShade Quartz blind is light, bright and offers incredible shading and flexibility. The honeycomb fabric is a great energy saver with a blockout lining to keep the sun at bay.
The top down bottom up mechanism gives you complete control over your window dressing, letting in light through your window at any level you choose for the ultimate in bespoke shading.


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No, the pains and disappointments of COVID-19 won't stop us from welcoming the Christmas season.
There is always a reason to celebrate.
And if you ask me why, well, it is because:
"A child is born to us, a son is given to us, and authority will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." — Isaiah 9:6
"The angel said, "Don't be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. Your savior is born today in David's city. He is Christ the Lord. This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger." — Luke 2:10-15
"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won't perish but will have eternal life." — John 3:16
From the above Biblical verses, I can celebrate because of God's amazing love, because you and I have a Savior, because we are offered and given eternal life. And so life has meaning and purpose, life still holds out hope and joy. Therefore, you and I can still celebrate this season.
Have a blessed Christmas 2020!!


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Sony has downsized its Reader product
line to a single unit that the company says incorporates
the best of all its previous models and can
compete with lower priced competitors.
Effective Aug. 31 Sony began marketing a single
$149 Reader, down from three previously, said Phil
Lubell, Sony's mobile solutions VP. With this plan,
Sony has moved away from its strategy of offering
higher-priced, feature-rich devices.
Sony's 2010 Reader offering had the Pocket,
Touch and Daily selling for $179, $229 and $299,
The new Reader features a 6-inch E Ink touchscreen
display that gives the user the ability to pinch
and manipulate the content and, more importantly,
said Lubell, has Wi-Fi connectivity. This had only
been available on the $299 model requiring consumers
to physically connect their device to a PC to
download books.
The new Reader is also lighter and thinner and
comes in three colors: red, white and black. There
is an improved ability to take notes using an included
Sony is also increasing its partnership with the
public library system. It will continue with its librarian
training program and has worked on a better interface
to enable people to download books from their
library. The Wi-Fi capability will now allow this to be
accomplished from anywhere.


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Interim managers are frequently tasked with extremely exciting and varied management responsibilities. As a market leader in Norway, Inteirmleder AS has been delivering assignments since 2001.
Interimleder AS is the leading company in Norway, specialized in interim management and management for hire. Since establishing in 2001, we have had a steady increase in the number of assignments and are experiencing an ever-increasing maturity in the market for the use of interim management.
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In business since 2001
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How important it is for you and I as we come closer and closer to the end of this life as we know it, it will be over before you know it, to give ourselves wholly to the Lord Jesus Christ , who gave Himself a living sacrifice for our sins, that He might redeem us from this present evil world and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works, that we might bring glory and honor to Him... and live forever with Him in His heavenly kingdom, and in the New Heaven and New Earth in which only righteousness dwells, where there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more sickness, and God himself will wipe away every tear from our eyes. In Rom 10 it says if we will confess the Lord Jesus with our mouth and believe in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead we shall be saved. You may ask "From what?" That would be from the wrath of God to come. It is coming, He has promised in His Word, upon all the ungodly. All the wicked shall be destroyed. But when you repent of your sins, turn from them, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He accomplished through the death of the cross, the shedding of His blood, who was tempted in every way as we are yet without sin, He was buried in a tomb, and on the third day the Father in heaven raised him from the dead, when you believe that , it is imputed to you for righteousness. You become righteous before God by faith. And, as you continue to walk with the Lord in repentance and forgiveness and faith and Love, you will overcome more and more, and you will have more and more peace and righteousness and joy in your life now, and in the world to come, everlasting life.
Repent and Believe the Gospel!
REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL!Jesus said,"The time is fullfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the Gospel" The Gospel is that the Word of God became a man; Jesus, the only begotten of the Father, the Son of God, full of grace and truth, and lived in this world with every temptation that you and I face, and yet He never sinned and He gave himself to die on the cross and shed His blood for our sins. God made Him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. He was buried in a tomb, and on the third day the Father raised Him from the dead. He was seen of above 500 witnesses after He arose and He ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven. He is there right now, alive, making intercession on our behalf to the Father. He is coming again with all the saints and all the angels in great power and glory and all who live and believe in him will be united with him and thus will we ever be with the Lord. I urge you to seek Him now, during this time while the long suffering of God is waiting, for the Day of the Lord is coming soon. He loves you and He will save you to the utter most if you will put your trust in Him.
Friday, June 15, 2012
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Uber is still fighting an uphill battle in many places around the world as the Taxi industry strongly fights the rise of this new ridesharing application. The latest news comes from an Australian outback region called the Northern Territory, announcing that its Government refuses to allow Uber to operate legally.
Coming after a cabinet meeting in which discussed the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Industry Review Report, Gizmodo explained that attempted negotiations between Uber HQ and this local Government did not amount to much. Local Transport Minister Peter Chandler stated that "This was a Cabinet decision where we would stop Uber at the moment from coming to the NT," with Brad Kitschke from Uber replying "I think the Territory does risk being left behind."
While numerous other Australian states have accepted Uber with open arms, it seems that the Northern Territory will not follow the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales or Western Australia just yet.
Image courtesy of the ABC.


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Three episodes in and we're no closer to understanding what's going on in Westworld season 2. Not really. And while there's been a few enjoyable revelations and fan-pleasing moments, things so far have been rather… tame? (Now, there's a word I never thought I'd use to describe Westworld!) I don't mean in terms of the violence of course - season 2 is just as bloody and brutal as the first - but so far the series has lacked the gripping complexity of the first season, which made it truly unmissable TV. Thankfully, I'm happy to report that episode 4 - The Riddle of the Sphinx - is kicking things into high gear and reminding us why we loved this show so much in the first place. Get ready for action, horror, and even some answers about the true purpose of the park… yes, really!
Note: From here on out there are plot spoilers for Westworld season 2, episode 4 - The Riddle of the Sphinx.
Last week, I said "the opening sequence of episode 3 is one of the best we've ever seen" and I stand by that, but the beginning of episode 4 is also brilliant and completely different to anything we've seen from the show so far. We join James Delos in an observation room, which would look more at home in Legion than Westworld. Far too white, and far too enclosed, he's clearly being kept in quarantine due to his illness which we discovered during a flashback in a previous episode. As it turns out though, it's not James Delos at all, but a Host version of the businessman who died from his illness quite some time ago. Yep, that's what DELOS has been up to - trying to create Host versions of real humans so the rich can live forever. While it's not the most surprising of revelations - anyone familiar with Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, Netflix's Altered Carbon, or indeed any number of sci-fi series surrounding AI and human mortality will have seen this plot point coming a mile away - the episode quickly moves onto the much more interesting fact that they've not cracked it yet. Host James Delos is glitching and over the number of years in which William becomes the Man in Black, DELOS' experiments with its former owner's consciousness continue to fail time and time again.
This storyline comes paired with Bernard's - the Bernard from the time shortly after the events of the gala, I should clarify - who Clementine has dragged all the way to the middle of nowhere and deposited at the feet of Elsie. Yeah, Elsie is back and, as you might expect, she's none too pleased with Bernard. After some explanations and a little bit of mutual dependency, the pair break into a lab nearby which - shock, horror - is the same lab Host James Delos was being kept in. Amongst the killed lab technicians and destroyed equipment they find the latest James Delos Host, which the Man in Black left to degraded into madness after his last visit and, oh look, he's trashed him apartment, killed his minder, and started cutting on himself like that chick from the Evil Dead remake. Welcome to the horror movie Westworld! With the dark red lighting and the knowledge that there's no telling how long the Host has been left to his own maddening devices, it's a very effective and chilling sequence, which is over far too soon for my liking. Peter Mullan puts in a horrifying performance (in a good way) as the mad Host and it's shame he wasn't given more screen time. I definitely wanted to see him break out of that lab and run rampant around Westworld dishing out his own form of gruesome torture. That's not the only thing of note which happens during this sequences though - seriously, it's impressive how much the showrunners pack into this episode! While in the lab Bernard has another flashback and not only realises that he's the one who killed all the technicians and destroyed the lab, but that he also took one of the 'memory balls' - for want of a better phrase - which were used to implant James Delos's memories/consciousness/however it works into the Host bodies. Who is that for I wonder? *cough* Ford *cough*
Also along for the ride this episode is the Man in Black and Lawrence who come into conflict with the Confederados Teddy let go in the last episode. Their storyline is pretty inconsequential except for the fact that it marks the beginning of a change in the Man in Black. At first, the Man in Black isn't too concerned with that fact that the Confederados are tormenting the people of Las Mudas, but after a while it starts to get to him. Ultimately, he ends up sacrificing his alliance with them to help the common folk, which is a very non-Man in Black thing to do. He's nowhere near a white hat (yet), but the very fact that he makes a decision which could jeopardise his ultimate endgame tells us a lot about how his character might change in the future. Is it the fact that he finally found his Dolores at the end of season 1 once she remembered who he really was? Or maybe now the stakes are real for him, he's starting to see that they've always been real for the Hosts? Either way, it hints at interesting developments for this characters. And that's not all - his daughter (AKA, the woman who escaped imperialist India World in episode 3) has found him! Again, this is a revelation some will have seen coming and Katja Herbers's Grace - one of the most interesting things about season 2 so far - only appears in this episode long enough to entice us even more, but boy, it was enough! More of the Daughter in Black please.
The best new TV shows coming in 2018 - from Luke Cage to Luther
An incredible amount is packed into The Riddle of the Sphinx, but whether it's pushing the story forward by revealing the true purpose of the park, or instigating changes in some well-known characters and introducing new ones, it was needed. This episode will remind fans why they couldn't stop talking about season 1 and, sadly, I think it's only helped by the fact that Dolores and her so far uninspiring season 2 storyline is absent. The fact that some seemingly huge revelations happen in this episode is surely a good sign as well. It might feel a little early to be spilling all of Westworld season 2's secrets, but that might indicate that showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy have something else hidden up their sleeves. Something we hopefully won't see coming. We're not even halfway through the new season yet and most of the major questions we had after season 1 have been answered. Fingers crossed this means the second half of the season will be taking us into exciting territory unknown...