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Let me tell ya, I've participated in many workshops over the course of the last 10 years. But there's one workshop that I will always remember and I've told the facilitator many times how valuable this workshop was. He always brushes me off and tells me it was not that great, I don't know why he does that. Yes, I'm talking about you Patrick Prill, Principal Grumpster (go follow this good man on Twitter). I have thought about his workshop, Context Eats Process for Breakfast, so often that it warrants its own lesson. Hah!
Lesson 9 – Context Eats Process for Breakfast
Okay I'll be the first to admit that I have a strong dislike for process. It's not that I don't want to use any process at all, but not more than I need. I also strongly believe that any process is just a heuristic and will yield different results depending on each person doing their best to follow said process. This way of thinking has gotten me in clashes with many people over the years, as you can imagine. I always thought Agile was my ally in this, but Agile no longer means what we think it means, as so many agile coaches shove "one way of working" bullshit down your throat, it's not even funny anymore. I've come to the conclusion that many people just looooove processes and seem to think that many IT tasks fit into rigid processes, even in so called agile environments.
Here's one funny story of how a process went too far and then we'll get to the point of this lesson (or skip this paragraph, dear reader). You know how you can put all sorts of rules in your CI/CD process, right? Such as: you can't deploy in Jenkins without a JIRA-issue number. Yeah, that one can easily be avoided by using JIRA-666 as ticket number. Ok. Then there's the setting that you cannot merge a PR unless certain people give their checkmark of approval (because only they own the code or some bullshit?). Imagine having a problem in the weekend that requires immediate fixing but you cannot just push code to master. You HAVE to create a branch and you HAVE to get the PR merged, but those required people are off, enjoying their well-earned weekend so good luck with your fucking problem. Yeah, that's why I hate plastering processes all over the place out of some idea that a developer might accidentally do something wrong, security amirite. Gotta prevent all mistakes! Imagine trusting the people you hire and accepting the fact that mistakes can happen. CRAZY! Ughhhhhh.
The point of this lesson is that in his workshop, Patrick finally gave me a way to get back to the people who are more than happy to increase the amount of processes or the level of detail in already existing processes. In the workshop, we had to draw the process of toasting a slice of bread. Turns out, it is impossible to draw exactly each step you have to do to get toasted bread. There's always something you forget. Lesson: every process, no matter how detailed, requires implicit knowledge and/or implicit steps. No matter how detailed the process is described, it can be done differently by different individuals. A process is a guideline, not a guarantee. Context matters more. And because you are becoming more rigid the more you double down on processes it can open you up to all sorts of unintended side-effects. The biggest side-effect, that happens so often it's almost a law, is this: "People will find a way to work around a process when the process doesn't serve their needs".
I can imagine you don't really get how this can happen. Watch this hilarious YouTube video to get a feel of what "drawing the process of toasting a slice of bread" feels like.
Armed with the new intel Patrick gave me, I finally had a way to show people how processes can often do more harm than good. So yeah, context eats process for breakfast. The Agile manifesto is in line with this too, but the manifesto seems to become a myth more and more compared to daily "agile practices" at large companies. Sad.


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Kathmandu- Matthew Elliott produced an exceptional penultimate over, conceding just one run and picking 3 important wickets that won the match for Nepal Red by 1 run in an epic encounter in the Phillip Hughes tribute match at T.U. ground, Kirtipur on Saturday.
Nepal Blue led by Binod Das were set for a win, requiring only six runs from 9 balls with six wickets remaining. Bowling the 30th over, Elliot went on to pick the wicket of well set Mahesh Chhetri who scored 58 runs, Paras Khadka 20 runs and Dipendra Chaudhary for a duck. Aarif Sheikh bowled the final 3 balls successfully giving away just 3 runs to win it for Nepal Red led by Ryan Carter.
Binod Das, playing his last innings had made almost sure that his team will win the match with a blistering innings of 41 runs from just 27 balls that included six fours and a six but Matthew stole the show with his spin. Nepal Blue were 158/4 after 30 over.
Earlier a composed half century from Sharad Vesawkar helped red team post 163/9 in 31.3 overs. He made 52 runs off 53 balls with six fours. Prithu Baskota was another good contributor with 17 not out from just 6 balls. Binod took a wicket while Karan KC and Ram Naresh Giri picked 2 wickets each.Matthew Elliott and Basant Regmi bagged 3 wickets each for Nepal Red.
Binod was honoured with a cash prize of Rs 63,000 from Dish Home. In his emotional farewell speech he thanked his parents, wife, friends and all his well-wishers for supporting him throughout his career. His 17 years career as a player for Nepal Cricket came to an end.

subset: commoncrawl


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I agree with a previous post. Rollover budgets are vital and I hope this option will be available soon.
I have expenses that occur every other month but I want to add them to a monthly budget. During the months I have the actual expense I overspend that category by 100% while the month the budget does not occur I don't encounter the expense.
This makes the budget function pretty much useless for any category where the expenses occur at different periods.
Rollover budgets
Discussions about iCompta on iOS
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18,000+ Sign Petition Against Swan Elimination Plan
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's plan to eliminate the free ranging mute swan population in the state by 2025 has, predictably, been met with opposition, including one change.org petition that was amassed more than 18,000 signatures in 10 days.
GooseWatch NYC, which started the petition, asks state residents to sign onto a letter to the DEC that reads, "Killing New York's mute swans and other wildlife is wrong – it is cruel, and not how New Yorkers want our taxpayer dollars spent. The rationales used to support killing these animals are deeply flawed. New Yorkers value our wildlife, and cherish the free-living animals we share our environment with. We believe these creatures should be protected, not slaughtered. I oppose New York State's plan to kill mute swans."
GooseWatch says the DEC has overstated its reasons for wanting to get rid of mute swans.
"Swan attacks resulting in serious injury to humans are so rare and near physically impossible that the government insults the public's intelligence by presenting this as a major justification for extermination," according to the petition. "If you approach a swan nest they might get aggressive and hiss and flap their wings to protect their young, but this is a greatly exaggerated threat."
The petition further states, "The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's case against the Mute Swan falls flat in the face of reason and responsibility. Its plan to utterly eliminate this majestic creature from the face of its land reflects an agency that has lost touch with its core mission as well as with the greater voices to which it must ultimately answer. Their plan's pathetic attempt at simplifying or reducing management to utter elimination of what's to be managed is a dereliction of duty and a crime against nature and public trust and a very grave cause for concern."
According to the DEC, the mute swan is an invasive species, brought to North America from Eurasia in the 1800s for their aesthetic value. In addition to aggressive behavior, the DEC says other issues caused by mute swans are, "destruction of submerged aquatic vegetation, displacement of native wildlife species, degradation of water quality, and potential hazards to aviation."
Statewide, the DEC said, the mute swan population was placed at 2,800 in 2002 and is estimated to be 2,200 now. Mute swans are the largest birds in New York, with an average adult weight of 20 to 25 pounds and a wing span of nearly 7 feet.
The plan is still just a draft. Comments may be submitted in writing through February 21 to NYSDEC Bureau of Wildlife, Swan Management Plan, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754 or emailed to [email protected].


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From New York with Love3 Comments Published by Cedric Benetti on Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 6/19/2008 05:23:00 PM.
Labels: Erik stuff, New York, travel
"Infotainment? What the hell are you talking about?"
Labels: Erik stuff, New York, travel
places to go and weird stories to know about the city of lights... Improve your brain's useless knowledge parts, impress your neighbors, raise the roof, and anoy your friends with these funny facts and places
The not yet complete map of all the places I have had the joy (or disgust) to get food.
Museums, galleries, hot spots, places of interest. And don't forget vernissage nights!
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♡ Custom girl pink aesthetic tote bag - 100% cotton canvas ♡
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This All-Over Print Tote has dual black handles made from 100% natural cotton bull denim and ensure easy-carrying.
This bag can carry up to 44lbs of weight.
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I had a little issue with an user insulting me in this question:
@jordi-castilla : hey dumb :) read question and answers properly before poking your nose unnecessarily in someone else's business :) File you mentioned exists only while creating a file and person who has asked the questiuon does not have any issue while creating a file :) he has issue while checking if file exists :) and in checking file exists he is not checking getFilesDir(). I pray God to give an IQ atleast of room temperature :) may god bless u :)
But ok I flagged comments and tried to be polite:
1) please learn some education and how to be polite. (you're flagged btw) 2) please check createFile method in FileUtility and explain to me what new are you giving to OP and why you ignore the utility class specially created by OP
file = new File(context.getFilesDir(), "//" + fileName);3) god has nothing to do here and either in my life, thanks.
and help OP...
@Joe, you already have an utility class doing this job and passing context correctly.... simply add extra info to question in order we can reproduce your mistake...
Finally OP found a solution:
Thanks for the help guys, "root" was null and after setting root = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory(); the code works perfect now.
But commented this:
I will upvote ye all now. I have another account with my gmail I think that I haven't touched in a couple years. – Joe 52 secs ago
A minute later, all answers (and the question) were upvoted, as announced.
- Is it legal to upvote yourself with another own account?
- Should I flag the comment? User? Question?
#UPDATE: I've flagged question asking for a mod (still no action) BUT OP's user has been deleted few minutes ago... WTF???
My apologizes and thanks to Brad and BoltClock, I didn't know deleting user was a mod action. My thought was: user jon was specially created by a more rep user to ask a silly question, after, more rep user upvotes all actions in question and deletes user jon when question was answered... my apologizes, and thanks. :)


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It is on how Construction products and services could contribute to sustainable development through ESG as an investment driver for real estate and construction. This is Business Day of South Africa covering a few days ago that ground. Let us see how.
The picture above is for illustration and is on Linkedin.
ESG is an investment driver for real estate and construction
By Carla Clamp and Richard Walker
Building back better means ensuring sustainability is at the heart of every decision
The pandemic has reshaped the real estate and construction sectors. As organisations embrace remote or hybrid working models, the need for physical office space and industrial buildings is decreasing. Many companies, on both the occupier and owner side, have had to quickly shift into revenue-protection mode as cash flows have slowed.ADVERTISEMENT
With lockdowns and movement restrictions, construction projects are also facing immediate and midterm impacts, such as dormant construction sites, labour restrictions, a disrupted global supply chain and missed project milestones. This has brought to the spotlight the need for enhanced agility, digital transformation and a renewed approach to the environmental aspects of environmental, social & governance (ESG) strategies.
According to the 2020 Global Status Report for Building and Construction, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the construction sector contribute 38% of global energy-related CO2 emissions, while electricity consumption in building operations represents nearly 55% of global consumption. Though these numbers are alarming, exponential technologies and global policies are giving rise to positive developments towards building decarbonisation and energy efficiency as the world sprints towards becoming more carbon neutral by 2050.
Financial institutions and real estate companies are realising the investment opportunities and strong growth potential of sustainable construction. New projects offer developers the opportunity to integrate sustainable strategies into building design from inception, to maximise the financial benefits that come from sustainability savings and to avoid the need for costly retrofits in future. Buildings that do not adhere to sustainable practices may take longer to sell and may incur higher sale prices, as well as lower rental occupancy rates, resulting in a loss of market share.
To truly reap the long-term benefits that come with developing ESG policies, organisations must remain firm on the implementation and continued compliance of their chosen framework. Investors need to understand how each ESG strategy creates value and whether the entire framework, from start to finish and across the entire value chain, is sustainable — from the suppliers (raw material suppliers and building contractors) to the operations, rollout and management teams, as well as industry regulators, and eventually the landlords and tenants. Investors want to see how the chosen ESG framework lives and breathes within the organisation. Much depends on the level of trust between all of these players and how they prioritise these sustainable processes.
With ESG at the top of the global agenda, responsible investing is also gaining momentum in SA. A recent risk landscape report conducted by BDO SA reflected that 22% of Middle East & Africa participants were more likely to implement more rigorous ESG policies than those in any other region. The government plays a critical role in unlocking further opportunity alongside organisations such as the Green Buildings Council of SA to inspire the development of environments in which people and the planet survive harmoniously. While the pandemic has brought with it many challenges, it also presents a shift towards incorporating decarbonisation measures into recovery packages that can dramatically increase renovation rates, channel investment into zero-carbon buildings, provide jobs and increase real estate value.
Organisations looking to implement or improve their ESG frameworks can turn to more than 1,000 indices that benchmark ESG performance globally. Depending on the type of investors an organisation is trying to attract, they can be held accountable to any number of these. The lack of a solid framework can result in companies creating their own processes that do not account for proper risk management infrastructures, which may add significant compliance burdens. This results in inaccurate reports that don't only damage reputation but also hinder investment funding opportunities.
The key to accurately and transparently tracking ESG risks lies in an integrated approach to risk management through centralised and integrated technology solutions. ESG frameworks must intrinsically link every aspect of the business, from the business model to strategy, performance, risk and governance. This includes, among other things, identifying risks within the supply chain, making purchasing decisions with an eye to suppliers' ESG credentials, implementing policies to improve diversity and inclusion, and ensuring strategic objectives include ESG considerations. Ultimately, compliance is just part of an organisation's social licence to operate. It is not something that should be approached separately, but rather needs to be systematically integrated into day-to-day operations.
Another key driver for local business sustainability is being able to react and adapt quickly, essentially being agile. Success in an uncertain environment means being able to effectively evolve with the changing world. Risk management frameworks must be adaptable and organisations must look at strengthening their risk awareness. One way to do this is to implement early-warning monitoring systems that use data to stress-test a wide matrix of scenarios. The only way to achieve stable growth and sustainable success is by being agile, because as recent events have shown, risk is inevitable and continuous.
The global economy is in survival mode. As businesses emerge and focus on their recovery strategies, ESG will be key to navigating a path forward. The companies that come back stronger will be those that focus on long-term sustainability and resilience. ESG has a pivotal role to play in enabling post-Covid economic recovery in the real estate and construction sectors, particularly if long-term investors align recovery with sustainable outcomes.
The implementation and compliance of sustainable business practices that attract long-term investment to SA should be front of mind as businesses plan for the future and our economic recovery. The businesses that will thrive tomorrow are likely to be those that understand and respond to these trends today.
• C. Clamp is director and R. Walker head of risk advisory services at BDO SA.


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Rapid application mobilization and delivery for smartphones
Rapid application mobilization and delivery for smartphones
Tsao, Cheng-Lin
Sivakumar, Raghupathy
Supplementary to
Permanent Link
Smartphones form an emerging mobile computing platform that has hybrid characteristics borrowed from PC and feature phone environments. While maintaining great mobility and portability as feature phones, smartphones offers advanced computation capabilities and network connectivity. Although the smartphone platform can support PC-grade applications, the platform exhibits fundamentally different characteristics from the PC platform. Two important problems arise in the smartphone platform: how to mobilize applications and how to deliver them effectively. Traditional application mobilization involves significant cost in development and typically provides limited functionality of the PC version. Since the mobile applications rely on the embedded wireless interfaces of smartphones for network access, the application performance is impacted by the inferior characteristics of the wireless networks. Our first contribution is super-aggregation, a rapid application delivery protocol that in tandem uses the multiple interfaces intelligently to achieve a performance that is ``better than the sum of throughputs' achievable through each of the interfaces individually. The second contribution is MORPH, a remote computing protocol for heterogeneous devices that transforms the application views on the PC platform into smartphone-friendly views. MORPH virtualizes application views independent of the UI framework used into an abstract representation called virtual view. It allows transformation services to be easily programmed to realize a smartphone friendly view by manipulating the virtual view. The third contribution is the system design of super-aggregation and MORPH that achieve rapid application delivery and mobilization. Both solutions require only software modifications that can be easily deployed to smartphones.
Date Issued
Resource Type
Resource Subtype


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Profile by Gottex 2016
The 2016 collection contains exotic wildlife inspired prints alongside geometric prints, all linked together by a group of solids whose colours compliment perfectly those found in the prints. New for this season are two new cover ups, a deep plunge tunic with lace fastening and a full length jumpsuit, both in lace/crochet. As always, Profile by Gottex focuses on creating the perfect silhouette with a wide range of styles and shapes, offering full mix and match whether it be bikinis or tankinis – the choice is yours
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Baidu Releases EZDL, an Automated Machine Learning Tool for Non-Programmers
- Chinese giant Baidu has released it's own automated machine learning platform
- Currently EZDL allows two kinds of models to be built: image classification and object detection
- Model building and deployment is a 4-step process, and takes less than 15 minutes on average!
Automated machine learning has carved a massive space for itself in the industry and it shows no signs of slowing down. Led by Google Cloud's AutoML platform, most of the big tech companies have launched their own tools to spice up the competition. AutoML can no longer be considered a fad, it's extremely useful and it's here to stay.
The latest release comes from Chinese giant Baidu, who have previously made the news for breakthroughs in deep learning. From open sourcing the world's largest self-driving dataset to building a 'Deep Voice' AI system that can clone your voice within seconds, they are well respected in this domain.
And now they've announced their entry into the autoML space with the launch of EZDL. EZDL is a simple drag-and-drop platform that allows users to design and build custom machine learning models. Even if you don't have any programming background (and no time to learn it either), this tool will feel like a godsend. Their aim is to help those companies which are struggling to scale up their AI operations and don't have access to a ton of data (which, frankly, is most companies these days).
Currently EZDL offers the option of building two kinds of custom models:
- Image Models: This includes image classification and object detection models
- Sound Models: This includes speech recognition and sound classification models
One of the best features of EZDL is that it takes just four steps to build and deploy a model:
- Create a model
- Upload the image(s) and label the object(s)
- Train, validate, and test the model
- Deploy the model with cloud API of offline SDK
The company claims that it takes less than 15 minutes on average to train models and that more than 2/3rds of the models give an accuracy score of more than 90%. Quite a bold claim, and one that will certainly be tested as the user base grows.
The below video is a nice concise summary of what EZDL does (the audio is in Chinese with English subtitles):
Our take on this
The offerings of EZDL are still fairly limited but I'm impressed with what's on show so far. I tried out the Object Detection service and it went like a breeze. Granted the set of images in my data was small, but it clearly shows EZDL has potential and Baidu will most certainly be hard at work to expand and improve the platform.
AutoML tools are a boon for all non-programmers and the competition in the market makes it easy to try and choose what suits you and your business. What data scientists think of this tool is another matter, as it takes away the mathematical aspect of the domain completely.
Subscribe to AVBytes here to get regular data science, machine learning and AI updates in your inbox!


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"I am pleased to advise the Adoption Act 2009 was passed by the Parliament on 18 August 2009. The new law will come into effect on 1 February 2010.
The passage of the Adoption Act 2009 heralds the most significant reform to Queensland's adoption law in over 45 years. As Minister for Child Safety, I am honoured to have been given the responsibility of leading the debate and passage of this historic legislation through the Parliament on behalf of the Government.
The Adoption Act 2009 is available for download free of charge from the Queensland Legislation website (www.legislation.qld.gov.au under 'Acts as passed for 2009) and printed copies can be purchased from the Queensland Government Bookshop (www.bookshop.qld.gov.au).
A team is in place to undertake the range of activities that are required to prepare for the delivery of adoption services under the new law. The Adoption Reform Implementation Team is working closely with Adoption Services Queensland to develop the new policies and practice that will support service delivery under the new law.
Now that the Adoption Act 2009 has been enacted, the reform team's priority is to develop information and resources about the changes to the law and how they affect various client groups and other people with an interest in adoption. This information will be distributed through a range of communication activities to ensure as many people as possible are aware of the changes and how they will be affected.
The best source of information about the key areas of change introduced by the Adoption Act 2009 is the department's website (www.childsaftey.qld.gov.au), which will continue to be updated with new information leading up to the Act's commencement on 1 February 2010.
You can also contact the Adoption Reform Implementation Team for information or confidential advice on how the law might affect you. The team's contact details are listed at the end of this letter. Until the new law takes affect in 2010, adoption services will continue to be delivered in line with the Adoption of Children Act 1964.
Yours sincerely,
Phil Reeves MP
Minister for Child Safety
and Minister for Sport
Minister for Mansfield
Contact the Adoption Reform Implementation Team
Postal address:
GPO Box 806 Brisbane, Qld 4000
1800 811 810 (Qld only)
(07) 3224 8045
Phone (TTY):
(07) 3012 8655
(07) 3235 9422
Thursday, October 22, 2009
1 comment:
I'm so amazed that the Adoption of Children Act has not been at least updated since 1964!! That is just crazy!
well that just shows exactly what you are fighting for.
changes to come! hopefully they'll make some better decisions for the future.
- Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 10:02:00 AM GMT+10
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Scouts Sail Camp
by Scouter Jim on Jun.11, 2014, under Scouts
Here are some of the details for our Sail Camp.
Date: June 13 -15, 2014
Departing: SJRUC at 2PM
Arriving: Midland Sailing Club at approx. 5:30pm
Driving Route Map: Click Here
Sailing: Midland to Beausolei Island
Approx Sailing Route: Click Here
Emergency Contact information: Please email firstname.lastname@example.com
2:00 Depart Church
4:00 to 4:30 Dinner at Park in Stayner or snack
5:30 Arrive Midland Sailing Club
6:30 Depart Midland Sailing Club
8:00 Arrive Beausolei Island (Cedar Springs)
8:00 to 8:30 Unload and move to site
8:30 Setup Camp
Anarchy – Hikes, swim, cook and eat
7:00 Breakfast
8:00 Break Camp
9:00 Load Boat
10:00 Depart Beausolei (Cedar Springs)
1:00 Arrive Midland and Unload – Possible Swim at Park if early/no wind
2:00 Depart Midland
5:00 Church
Cost: $60.00/Person
Link to Packing List: SailCamp2014PackList
|Booking Number:
|National Park:
|Georgian Bay Islands National Park of Canada
|Type of Reservation:
|Frontcountry Camping
|Total Number of Nights:
|2 nights
|Arrival Date:
|Friday, June 13, 2014
|Check-in Time:
|Anytime after 2:00pm (local park time). Visitors who would like to arrive at the campground earlier may enjoy the rest of the park while waiting for their campsite/accommodation to become vacant (a valid national park entry pass is still required)
|Departure Date:
|Sunday, June 15, 2014
|Check-out Time:
|Anytime before 11:00am (local park time)
|Number of people:
|4 (2 Adult, 2 Youth)
|Arriving on Friday, June 13, 2014 and departing on Sunday, June 15, 2014 ( 2 nights ):
|Campground Name:
|Cedar Spring
|Reserved Campsite
|50 – Walk in with Fire Pit
|Camper's Reserved Equipment:
|Medium Tent
- Tent-camping only – cars and trailers cannot access the campground or cabins.
- Access to the campground and cabins is by passenger boat only.
- Boat transportation for campers is not included with a reservation. Campers must arrange boat transportation before they make a reservation.
- There is a two night minimum stay for the rustic cabins.
- Maximum Persons per Site:
- Cedar Spring Campground – 8 people
- Cedar Spring Cabins – 5 people with a maximum of 4 adults
- Christian Beach Cabins – 2 people
- Maximum Vehicles per Site: No vehicle access to Beausoleil Island. Boat mooring fees are extra
- Maximum Camping Units per Site:
- Cedar Spring Campground – 2 tents (no wheeled camping units);
- Rustic Cabins – No additional camping units are allowed.
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Sooke, BC — The problem with ministers in the PCC?
"You've got a bunch of ministers and administrators," says Rev. Gord Kouwenberg. "We need vision catchers who understand the prophetic role of the clergy. We're not prophetic in casting vision before the people so that the people are stimulated to act."
Not that he takes the credit for building an $11.3 million affordable housing complex beside his congregation, Knox Presbyterian Church. It's God's hands that provided direction, and those divine hands are working with the community and the provincial government — which is providing half the construction cost — to make it all happen. He's just listening and acting. "If you do what's required, God will bless it."
When Gord was called to Sooke in 2007, the congregation told him "we have enough money to pay you for two years." He got to know the community. He saw gaps in medical and urgent care, no laundromat, a 40-minute drive to the nearest hospital and a lot of mortgage-poor people, seniors and a significant transient population. "We are called as humanity to care for the widows and orphans, the needy, those who live on the fringes." said Gord. The vision was for a "campus of care." Red tape and regulation forced the original plan of 192 units to be whittled down to 42 units. To make it happen, Knox formed a not-for-profit agency, the Knox Vision Society, with each member as a shareholder. Strictly following Canada Revenue Agency standards, the Society will manage the complex. It's a way of serving the community for decades to come while assisting the congregation: the complex administrator will also serve as church secretary.
Affordable housing complex beside Knox Sooke
Don't think of this as traders in the temple: no one's making a profit. Rent will be considerably below market costs, and with completion several months away, there's already the makings of a waiting list to get in.
And don't get the idea this is merely social justice. None of this would happen without a solid spiritual foundation. "You know how renewal happens? It's when people start studying scripture." Sure enough, his small congregation, which sees approximately 40 people on Sunday, now has two weekly Bible study groups in which half the congregation participates.
And what of the congregation? "We will provide a legacy to the community even if we close the doors."


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Company Information
Blue Pine Construction Corp specializes in a range of construction and renovation services for multifamily housing. Located in the Los Angeles area, the Blue Pine team also brings value to multifamily properties in Houston, San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Chicago, Denver and more.
Current job openings at Blue Pine Construction Corp
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Sometimes in the morning I am so tired when I take a shower and just can't seem to open my eyes. I recently found on Amazon a LED Shower Head from InnoTech this shower head changes colors based on the temperature of the water so When the water temperature is under 32 C, the lights will be blue. When the water temperature is 33C - 41C, the lights will be green. When the water temperature is 42C - 45C, the lights will be red. When the water temperature is equal to or higher than 46C, the lights will flash red.
My Opinion: I really like this shower head as if someone can't feel the water temperature all they have to do is look at the shower head and will show you what color the water temperature is. I also watched the shower head as the temperature increased and I was impressed on how quickly the colors changed. The size of the head is nice and so is the water pressure.
To see more visit http://www.amazon.com/changing-temperature-Hand-Held-showerhead-bathroom/dp/B014QNTJ9O ;where you can also purchase this cool but inexpensive showerhead.
Disclaimer: I was in no way compensated for this review and this is solely my own opinion which may differ from yours


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text: Unfortunately, I'll have to miss my third game in Tiger Stadium since 1995 this Saturday. I know most of us boast of our raucous crowds in Tiger Stadium but that's not always the case. If the game doesn't have a "big game" feel or isn't at night, the electricity is missing. I didn't perceive this game as being a big game just a few weeks ago but it looks like it's turned into one. I hope everyone gets into the game early because there's a good chance we'll need it. Especially with a talented (but young) QB looking to make a name for himself. I'll be listening to Hawthorne on the internet and hopefully will hear the stadium making things difficult for the Redhawk offense the first time they get the ball.


text: FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions Company Logo Home FAQ About Us Our Company Contact Us HOME Open Menu HomeFAQAbout UsAbout UsOur CompanyContact UsTop Menu FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions FAQ headline What are Voice Drops?Your White Label Name Here is an innovative system which delivers your voicemail message directly to the cell phone voicemail box of the recipient, without ever ringing their phone. This is because a cell phone is actually a mobile computer. How does Voice Drops work?Since a cell phone is actually a small mobile computer, Your White Label Name Here is able to get your pre-recorded message from our cloud server computer to their computer without needing the user to answer the phone first. So the phone does not ring, but your message is delivered and waiting for the user to play their voicemail messages. Currently it works in USA and Canada, and soon in Europe as well. What about Compliance issues with the FTC and the TCPA?Your White Label Name Here is totally FCC and TCPA compliant because your pre-recorded message goes directly into voicemail without ringing the phone. So it is not bothering the person by constant ringing, nor are there any costs to the recipient because it does not use any airtime. Is this considered a Robo call?No, this is not a robo call. A robo call actually rings the phone, and when the person answers, the robo call plays a pre-recorded message. That means that a robo call is an interruption for the user, as well as consuming their airtime minutes. This is bad. Your White Label Name Here does not ring the phone, does not interrupt the user, and does not consume airtime minutes. That is why Your White Label Name Here is compliant with FCC and TCPA regulations. Where do we get the list of cell phone numbers?You can easily import cell phone numbers from anywhere. We can also help you with your lists if you let us know what you need. How Many Caller ID numbers can I have in one account?With Your White Label Name Here, you can have as many Caller ID numbers as you need. How many Ringless Voicemail messages delivered for me per month?You can have Your White Label Name Here deliver as many voicemail messages as you want. Each successfully delivered Ringless Voicemail message costs you one credit. If you run out of credits in any given month, it is easy to purchase additional credits. How many different contacts or contact lists can I have?There is no limit to the number of contacts or contact lists you can have. Can I create a custom delivery schedule for my local area?Yes, you can create a custom delivery schedule for your local area. FAQ answers (accordian layout) Contact Us Name Phone Email Comments Comments SUBMIT Contact Us Form Module FREE CONSULTATION (561) 123-1234 Consultation Banner Contact Us Your Company Name Here Sandalfoot, Boca Raton, Florida, 33428 Call Us: (561) 123-1234 Address MENU Open Menu Home HomeVertical Menu Other Points To Consider No Monthly Fees No Website Charges Free Local Events Product Training Business Training Better Business Bureau Rating of "A" or Above Other Points To Consider FTC Considerations Since 2015 the FTC has been cracking down on home based businesses. They have strict regulations. Unfortunately many companies are not in compliance and are restructuring or shutting down completely. Its imperative the company you select is in total compliance. FTC Considerations Contact Us Name Phone Email Comments Comments SUBMIT Contact Us Form Module Home Select MenuHomeFooter Links © 2018 ChoosingTheRightBusiness.com Footer Text


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CARMICHAEL ARENA/CHAPEL HILL It's a very important day in ACC women's basketball, and the biggest game is here.
No. 13 UNC (22-3, 8-2 ACC) is playing No. 20 Miami (21-3, 7-2), with the probably being effectively eliminated from the race for the top seed in the conference tournament.
- Photo courtesy UNC athletics
- UNC forward Laura Broomfield
And it's UNC's annual "PinkZone" game, with the Tar Heels in pink-trimmed white uniforms, Miami in pink shoelaces and the occasional pink hair accoutrement.
The Tar Heels' only loss at home this season has been to defending NCAA champion Connecticut.
Miami beat the Tar Heels 80-69 last season in Coral Gables, but finished last in the league before finishing second in the WNIT. The Hurricanes are coached by former Duke All-American Katie Meier.
And today belongs to the Hurricanes again, as Meier gets her first coaching victory in Chapel Hill in a 78-66 romp.
Miami takes over after the first few minutes, taking a 16-point lead at 34-18 on Morgan Stroman's second straight layup with 5:14 left in the half.
But the Tar Heels rally, slicing the margin to 38-34 before Stefanie Yderstrom's 3-pointer at the buzzer for the Hurricanes.
Riquna Williams has 11 points at the break and Stroman 10 for Miami, which shoots only 32.5 percent but is 7-for-15 from outside the 3-point arc.
UNC, led by Chay Shegog's 10 points, shoots 46.4 percent before the break but is 0-for-9 outside the arc. Miami leads the rebound battle 26-18.
The Tar Heels are better to start the second half, tying the contest at 44-44 on a Shegog bucket at 15:33.
But the Hurricanes shrug it off, scoring the next 10 points including Williams' layup from Stefanie Yderstrom that makes it 54-44 with 12:02 left.
The Tar Heels' closest approach is six after that, and the visitors lead 77-59 on a pair of Stroman free throws at 1:48.
Williams leads the Hurricanes with 25 points on 9-for-31 shooting and nine rebounds. Stroman adds 16 with 11 rebounds, while Shenise Johnson adds 16 points and six rebounds and Yderstrom 14 points.
Laura Broomfield paces the Tar Heels with 18 points and 15 rebounds, followed by Shegog with 14 points and eight rebounds.
Miami shoots only 35.7 percent but is 10-for-24 from 3-point range, while the Tar Heels shoot 39.7 but are an icy 2-for-22 outside the arc. Miami wins the rebound battle 46-40, and commits 20 turnovers to UNC's 23.
They said it …
Miami coach Katie Meier: "The significance of this win is not lost on me or the team. I absolutely think Carolina is an awesome team, and we've had a stretch here where we've played an awesome team after an awesome team after an awesome team. My assistant coaches — every time I go and get prepped for a game — say, "Oh, this team is unbelievable!' We've had three in a row here that are just great basketball teams and we've had to adjust how we play and ask a ton from my kids."
UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell: "I think Johnson is probably the best player in the league. Not only does she score, but she does so many things out there. In my book, I think that she is the best player in the league without a doubt. I say all the time good shooting cures a multitude of sins, and we're 2-for-22 from the '3' and they're 10-for-24, so there's the difference. You've got to make your shots. They out-hustled us, they played harder than we did, and they made shots."
Stroman: "This means a lot. My whole family (from Hopkins, S.C.) was here. So the fact that we had fans on the road and were just having fun out there made everything easier."
Broomfield: "It was pretty frustrating. Our defense was the most frustrating thing for me. They just kept getting easy layups. We weren't shooting well tonight, but easy layups (by Miami) don't help us when we're trying to make a comeback."
What does it all mean?
That Miami moves ahead of the Tar Heels in the conference race. UNC has a seven-day layoff before traveling to N.C. State, and still could finish first in the league by beating Duke in the regular-season finale if Duke loses another game first.
Stars of the game
1. Stroman.
2. Johnson.
3. Williams.
Play of the game
Yderstrom's 3-pointer to make it 69-55 with 5:28 left.
Series record
UNC leads 9-4.
UNC: Lost 1.
Miami: Won 2.
Up next
Miami at Boston College, Thursday, 7 p.m.
UNC at N.C. State, Feb, 21, 7 p.m.


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Marie Magnin
Sep 06, 1942 - Apr 24, 2019
Marie Magnin, 76, Oconto Falls, died suddenly Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at home of natural causes. The oldest child of Leo and Helen (Kapalin) Wendt was born September 6, 1942 in Suring. Marie grew up in Suring and Kelly Lake, attending Oconto Falls Public Schools, graduating from high school with the class of 1960.
On January 12, 1963 she married Orrie "Chub" Magnin and together they raised two sons, Tim and Bart. Marie and Chub owned and operated the family business, Magnin Hardware in Oconto Falls until its closing in 2010. The couple were once active members of the local Boat and Sno-Jokers snowmobile clubs and led efforts to bring the first Snowmobile Drag Races to Oconto Falls (Mini Series became World Series) where Marie always served in prominent positions. She was a member of the Oconto Falls United Methodist Church where she once taught Sunday School, served on the Board of Trustees and as funeral dinner chair. Marie was always active in the betterment of her community by starting the Avenue of Lights at Christmas with her good friend Mary Oninski, serving on the local Oconto Falls FBLA, Hospital Foundation and Cemetery Boards for many years and helping to organize Friends of Oconto Falls Fire Department events. As a member of the American Legion Auxiliary 302, she took a lead role in the Oconto Falls Veterans Monument Project. She also enjoyed many good times with her lady friends in the 60's Girls, M & M's and Bridge Club. Marie will be lovingly remembered for her welcoming manners when hosting numerous family, friends and community members for holidays, special occasions and various business meetings for good causes.
She is survived by her two sons who she dearly loved, Tim (Kim) and Bart (Nancy Fish) Magnin, all of Oconto Falls; Eric Bliske, who she thought of as a son; five grandchildren, Brittany (Nick) Shaffer and Cole Magnin, Tyler, Hunter and Bailey Magnin; three great grandchildren, Brody, Easton and Lennon Shaffer; one brother, Jerry (Jill) Wendt, Suring; one very special brother-in-law, Dr. George (Ann) Magnin, Marshfield; four nephews and one niece, Matt (Stefanie) Wendt, Gretchen (Dave) Karcz, George (Kay) Magnin, Dan (Sandy) Magnin and David (Linda) Magnin; four special great nephews and nieces, Landon and Laikyn Wendt, Harrison and Collin Karcz; other relatives and many good friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Chub in 2010, one brother Tom Wendt and in-laws, Ernest "Porky" and Martha (Garnier) Magnin.
Visitation will be held 3-8pm Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at Jones Funeral Service in Oconto Falls. Visitation will continue after 9am Wednesday, May 1, 2019 at the Oconto Falls United Methodist Church until the time of service. Funeral services will be held 11am Wednesday at the church with Pastor Dave Henke officiating. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery, Oconto Falls.
In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials may be made to the Oconto Falls Veterans Monument Project or Friends of Oconto Falls Fire Department.


text: volcanohunter Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 It's kind of like the Spessivtseva solo of Giselle. Yeah it wasn't always there, but now it's become of the Giselle tradition. I think it's a bit more than that. For historical reasons I also don't like steps being altered or substituted. So many changes have crept into Swan Lake over the years that it's becoming increasingly difficult to know how much of the original choreography remains. At least we know for certain that the 32 fouettés were present in Petipa's original, so let's not hurry to toss them out. Link to comment


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Choose additional country / region / language Milwaukee Tool websitesSelect Other Site
Choisissez des sites Web supplémentaires de pays / région / langue pour Milwaukee ToolSélectionnez un Autre Site
Elija sitios web adicionales de Milwaukee Tool por país / región / idiomaSeleccione Otro Sitio
#4 Step Drill Bit, 3/16" - 7/8" by 1/16"
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Israel's Treasure (Paperback Copy)
What happened to the Ark of the Covenant and the other holy relics from the Jewish Temple? They aren't listed in any conquering nation's inventory.
An ancient letter written by the prophet Jeremiah gives a clue and leads Josh Winslow and his best friend, Caleb O'Connell, on a dangerous search for the Jewish Tabernacle and the articles of worship it once contained. If it is found it may open the floodgates of Jewish immigration into Israel from around the world.
Will the dark forces of a new world order and Islam end their lives to prevent this discovery? Only the God of Israel can ensure their success.
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In more than 150 countries around the world, Sesame Workshop is reaching girls who may have no other means of education. Investing in girls' education isn't just the right thing to do; it's the smart thing to do for overall economic and social development. From India to Mexico to Afghanistan-and in many other countries-local versions of Sesame Street are teaching basic skills that are critical for both girls and boys, in a context that values women and girls and their contributions to society.
More than 130 million girls around the world are not in school-and the adult illiteracy rate for women is nearly twice that of men. What causes this disparity? Girls often face barriers to education due to cultural conventions. Early marriage, gender discrimination, lack of adequate sanitation, and differences in how parents value educating girls and boys keep girls from starting or continuing school.
Local versions of Sesame Street are designed to counter negative attitudes and the gender gaps that stem from girls' limited educational opportunities. From clever Chamki on India's Galli Galli Sim Sim to curious Zari on Afghanistan's Baghch-e-Simsim the powerful girl characters featured in our radio programs, print materials, community viewings, and other mediums helps empower girls, while also opening minds, influencing attitudes, and planting the seeds for long-term societal change.
When girls are seen learning and succeeding, social expectations shift. Afghan children who watch Baghch-e-Simsim test 29% higher on gender equity attitudes than those who don't watch. Fathers have changed their minds about sending daughters to school after watching the show, based on qualitative research. In Afghanistan, where 3.1 million children age 3 to 7 children watch Baghch-e-Simsim, female characters like Zari inspire an entire generation of girls and boys to see each other as equals.


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Welcome to our website.
thecultureequation.com.au is a people and culture consultancy and provides thought-leadership, facilitation and coaching to help organisations become sought after companies to work in.
An outline of this information is provided within this site. The information is generic in nature and we take no responsibility for its usage. By accessing and using this website you acknowledge that you have read these conditions and agree, without limitation, to be bound by them.
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Learn how to travel light is an important issue, because the biggest downside of traveling is having to lug around a suitcase. While the goal is almost always to keep personal items restricted to a carry-on, this is much easier said than done.
If you have multiple destinations on your itinerary, packing light is crucial for making the stressful part of traveling manageable. As everyone has their own sense of style and comfort, packing is something that is different from person to person. However, there are a number of tried-and-true strategies for preparing with a minimalist mindset.
Even though you might not be able to bring EVERYTHING you want on your adventure, your sanity will thank you. Without further ado, here are eight tips to become a master at packing light.
Travel Light – Tip #1
Start with a checklist
While this may seem obvious, creating a list beforehand forces you to figure out which items are absolute needs, and which are commodities. Begin by considering the intangible factors. What will the weather be like? How long will you be gone? Then, write down the essentials (e.g. socks, underwear, toothbrush, ect.) Once you have prioritized your inventory, place it next to your bag and assess the space you're working with. Once the necessities are packed, you can see is there's room for the extras.
Travel Light – Tip #2
Plan on doing laundry
Clothes are typically the items that claim the most real estate in any given travel bag. Unless you're only traveling for a couple days, you don't need to bring a different outfit for each and every day. Chances are, there will be plenty places to wash your clothes. Most hotels and hostels have machines you can use for a fee. Worst case scenario, you can wash them in a sink. Just be sure to pack a small bottle of detergent!
Travel Light – Tip #3
Roll the clothes!
Even though it won't lighten your load, rolling articles of clothing can save an incredible amount of space – as opposed to folding. Start by taking the bulkier items, such as sweatshirts and jeans, and pack them into the corners of your bag for proper weight disbursement. Then fill up the middle with your lighters items.
If you're going on a business trip, it's recommended to fold the clothing that cannot be wrinkled. You can also place a sheet of tissue paper between the articles to help prevent creases while in the bag. Be sure to place all rolled clothing at the bottom, with the dressier items at the top.
Travel Light – Tip #4
Pack Shoes Wisely
It can be extremely tempting to travel with several pairs of shoes. But, footwear takes up A LOT of space in a bag. Truth be told, you can almost always get by with two pairs, regardless of whether it's a business trip or vacation. For business, stick to dress shoes and casual footwear. For a vacation, consider close-toed shoes and pair of sandals or slip-ons. Remember, always wear the bulkier pair while you're in transit to save room.
Travel Light – Tip #5
Keep toiletries to a minimum
While your bathroom routine at home is probably heavily influenced by the products you keep, you don't need to bring them ALL when traveling. If you're staying at a hotel, there will likely be soap and shampoo provided in the room. With this in mind, most guys can get by with a travel-sized stick of deodorant, toothbrush, and mini tube of toothpaste. Girls, however, have it a little tougher. Try to look for products that serve multiple functions. For instance, baby oil is great for both moisturizing and removing makeup. Also, leave the big hairdryer at home!
Travel Light – Tip #6
Ditch the guidebooks!
Even though guidebooks are definitely worth buying and reading, you don't need to travel with a library. Back in the old days, it was recommended to tear out only the useful pages to save room in your bag. Now, you can simply take a picture of the information you want with your phone.
Travel Light – Tip #7
Use Your Smartphone As Much As Possible
Cell phones can do things today people only dreamt of 20-30 years ago. These days, the "calling" function seems to be secondary. The average smartphone can currently serve as a computer, camera, music player, gaming device, ticket holder, and much more. Try to use your phone for all the essential tasks. There's no point in hauling around a bag full of electronics if you don't need to. A camera is an obvious exception. If you want to capture ultra-quality pictures, a smartphone will only take you so far.
Travel Light – Tip #8
Don't Pack For The Worst Case Scenario
This may be the only time the Boy Scouts led you wrong with their "Be Prepared" motto. Preparing for the absolute worst when traveling is a common American thing to do. While it may be tempting to pack an extra charger or pair of headphones, do your best to resist. Unless you are going to a super remote location, you can buy replacement items as needed.
In addition to saving time and stress on the road, packing light is crucial for making the most of the traveling experience. When you look back on your adventures, your memories will be about the places you went and people you met. You won't be thinking about material things you wish you had. Have fun and enjoy your trip!
Don't forget to take nice pictures on your trip, these tips for travel photography might be helpful!


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eat the blame #reframing
The story goes that some stuff happened one day which delayed the preparation of a dinner being hosted for a Soto Zen master, Fukai, and his followers.
Ina hurry the chef went to out to the vegetable garden with his knife and quickly cut some green vegetables, chopped them together and made some soup.
What he failed to notice was that he had accidentally chopped a part of a snake into the vegetables and ergo into the soup.
Anyway, the guests ate up the soup, and enjoyed it.
But when Fukai, the master found the snake's head in his bowl, he summoned the chef.
'What the **** is this?' he demanded, holding up the head of the snake.
'Oh, thank you, master,' replied the cook, taking the snakes head and eating it quickly.
Another perspective on eating one's own dogfood.


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5 Iconic Bands From New York City
New York's music scene offers something for everyone. From hip hop, RnB, and rap to rock, blues, and house, this musical kitchen prepares treats for all. If you ever thought about moving to NYC, you must know what to expect. This alive and bustling city hides many secrets. Over the years it became a home to many famous musicians. Some you heard of, while others may be unfamiliar. Either way, today we'll look at 5 iconic bands from New York City, who shook the world with their music and live performances.
5 Iconic Bands From New York City
When moving to and leaving in Manhattan, you will be exposed to different types of music. With so many quality performers it is hard to pick the top 5, as it mostly depends on peoples' taste in music. However, these musical giants rocked the world in the past decades, and some of them are still performing:
Beastie Boys
The first on our list of 5 iconic bands from New York City is the Beastie Boys. This hip hop band from NYC is performing since 1981. Original group members were Michael "Mike D" Diamond on vocals and drums, Adam "MCA" Yauch on vocals and bass, and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz on vocals and guitar.
Over the years they toured with many great artists, like Madonna. They also sold over 26 million records in the US and over 50 million worldwide. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the year 2012. Soon after that Adam Yauch died from cancer. The band finally disbands, which was confirmed by Mike D in 2014.
Beastie Boys left a deep print in NYC's music scene, and many people listen to their songs even today.
Next on our list of 5 iconic bands from New York City is Blondie. Singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein are original creators of the band. They were pioneers in the early American punk and new wave scene. Their first albums contained strong elements of these two genres. Blondie was considered to be an underground band in the US, and they were more popular worldwide. Nevertheless, this changed with the release of Parallel Lines in 1978.
Later, they incorporated musical styles of reggae, disco, pop, and rap into their songs. The band broke apart in 1982 after Chris Stein was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune skin disease. Debbie continued to pursue a solo career, but she also took great care of Chris.
The band re-formed in 1997, and they reached old fame with the hit song Maria in 1999. They are still active, performing worldwide events every year, and they sold over 40 million albums. Blondie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.
What can I say about Kiss that isn't already familiar? This rock & roll giant was formed in NYC in January 1973, by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, and Ace Frehley. They are most known for face paint and wild stage outfits. Kiss included fire breathing, smoking guitars, shooting rockets, levitating drum kits, and pyrotechnics into their live performance.
The band went through a couple of lineup changes, but Stanley and Simmons the only remaining original members. When wearing face paint, they were taking personae of comic book-style characters, The Starchild (Stanley), The Demon (Simmons), The Spaceman or Space Ace (Frehley), and The Catman (Criss).
After some time they also performed without costumes, as it was time to move on. Still, it is their signature look, and it's what makes them unique. Currently, they are embarking on their final tour after 45 years of performing. If you want to listen to them today, do not miss the End of the Road World Tour, in 2019.
The Ramones
Another musical giant on our list of 5 iconic bands from New York City is The Ramones. This American punk rock band that formed in the New York City in 1974. Despite being the first real punk-rock group, they achieved only limited commercial success. However, the band was influential in the US and the UK through their nonstop touring over 22 years.
All of the members of the band adopted the Ramone surname, but they were never actually related. They performed a farewell concert in 1996, and in the next 18 years, Joey, Dee Dee, Johnny, and Tommy Ramone died.
Rolling Stones magazine has them on the 26th place of 100 greatest artists of all time. In 2002 they are rated as the second-greatest band of all time by Spin magazine. They lost the first place to the Beatles. On March 18, 2002, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They are influential to many new musicians even today, and if you wish to know more about music and their musical legacy, feel free to search online.
Simon & Garfunkel
I leave the best for last. Again, this is my personal opinion, but Simon & Garfunkel were one of the bestselling music groups of the 1960s. This amazing American folk rock duo consisted of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. Alongside the Beatles, Beach Boys and Bob Dylan, they were one of the counterculture icons of the decade's social revolution.
Paul and Art met in elementary school in 1953, where they started working together. In the beginning, they were known as Tom & Jerry, performing in 1957. They changed the name to Simon & Garfunkel in 1963, but their first debut sold out poorly and the group disbanded. Simon continued his solo career at this point.
One of the best concerts of Simon & Garfunkel was in 1981 in the Central Park
Later in the future, they formed the band again, working on the hits like The Sound of Silence and Mrs. Robinson. However, they had artistic disagreements, and they broke apart a couple of times. One of their most famous reunions was the concert in Central Park in 1981. With over 500,000 people attending, it was the seventh largest concert in history. With over 100 million sold records and 10 Grammy awards, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. Even today they are one of the best music-selling artists of all times.
We can't live without music
Here is where I end my list of 5 iconic bands from New York City. If you ever find a way to NYC, do not miss the opportunity to investigate more about these bands. There are many museums and monuments in honnor of these musical giants. However, if this is your first time hearing for them than you are lucky! You are about to discover true greatness in the musical world of NYC.
We'd love to hear from you


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While 2011 was a strong year for cigar enthusiasts in terms of all of the new products making it to market, there was a lot on the news front surrounding the cigar industry. Below are 12 major stories that had an impact on the cigar industry. They are listed alphabetically by title/theme and are not ranked in any particular order Some of these stories have closure, while other stories will be on-going into 2012. In some cases, the story is more of a theme topic – in other cases, it is more specific
Note: These stories are based on the calendar year (January – December, 2011). This differed for what we did on cigars which was Thanksgiving, 2010 – Thanksgiving, 2011.
1.Cigar Industry Goes Pro-Active
For years, tobacco has been taking it on the chin when it comes to the legislative battles involving smoking bans and tobacco marketing. This year, we've seen a significant change in that the cigar industry is now taking a pro-active role instead of a reactive role in these legislative battles.
The obvious offensive mode is the proposed HR 1639 and S 1461 bills to stop the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) from maintaining control over the premium tobacco industry. We will give that its own topic below, but this legislation was a pro-active move that has been taken in order to prevent the FDA from implementing policies that could potentially damage the cigar industry.
Two significant hirings took place in 2011 that demonstrate that the Cigar industry is serious about protecting the industry. First, Bill Spann was been named Chief Executive Officer of the IPCPR replacing retiring Executive Director Joe Rowe. Spann is a someone with a strong political background and no doubt the IPCPR was looking for someone with this type of experience. With Rowe's retirement, the IPCPR quietly renamed Spann's title from Executive Director to Chief Executive Officer. No doubt homework was done on naming Rowe's replacement, and Spann represents the change in direction.
On the Cigar Rights of America (CRA) front, Mike Copperman was named CRA Legislative Director Copperman will be initially focusing on the he CRA federal effort to advance legislation that will exempt premium cigars from regulation by the FDA.
Jeff Borysiewicz, president of Corona Cigars has spearheaded the formation of a Super PAC (Political Action Committee) to help ensure political candidates support this industry. This Super PAC is called the Puro PAC. This represents another example of the cigar industry going proactive.
Finally the election for Jose Oliva to the Florida State House represents a huge win the cigar industry. No doubt he will be keeping an eye out for cigar enthusiasts – and the cigar industry that is based in his backyard.
2. Ecuadorian/Connecticut Shade Wrapper Cigars
While Ecuadorian/Connecticut ShadeWrapper cigars are nothing new, they were this year's "fashion" trend with many of the cigar releases for 2011. Ecuadorian/Connecticut Shade wrapper traditionally have a reputation for being smoother and milder. In some cases manufacturers stuck to this traditional formula. In other cases, manufacturers looked to try to make Ecuadorian/Connecticut wrapper cigars bolder and stronger.
There were many cigars released in 2011 that featured Ecuadorian/Connecticut Shade wrapper. At Cigar Coop, there were many assessments we did. Here are some of the assessments done on cigars that fall into this category:
- Room 101 Connecticut
- 601 White Label
- Alec Bradley American Classic
- Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Limited Edition 2011 CT Shade
- E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut
- Lou Rodriguez Edicion Reserva Connecticut
- JD Temptation Habano Claro
- San Cristobal Elegancia
- Gurkha Royal Challenge
- PDR 1878 Cubano Especial Capa Natural
- Xen by Nish Patel
- Pedro Martin Gold
3.El Rey de Los Habanos Lawsuit
Back in May, it was announced that Eduardo Fernandez had filed a lawsuit suing the Garcia Family. The Garcias and Fernandez are partners in the El Rey de Los Habanos. In the lawsuit, Fernandez had accused the Garcias of taking trademarks and assets from the factory into My Father Cigars. Don Pepin Garcia and his children Jaime and Janny are named in the lawsuit.
In September this was settled out of court. Fernandez, who owned 50 percent of the Miami-based El Rey de Los Habanos factory and 50 percent of Tabacalera Cubana S.A. (TACUBA) in Nicaragua, agreed to sell his interest in those companies to the Garcias. The Garcias would become sole owners of this industry.
4.FDA Control of the Premium Cigar Industry
When I talked to many cigar enthusiasts, many still do not understand that the FDA already has control over premium tobacco. And many do not realize that President Obama is the person who signed this into law. A pro-active movement of legislation known as the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act is now gaining momentum. This bi-partisan proposed legislation decrees that premium/traditional cigars should be off limits to FDA regulation and, 'to clarify the Food & Drug Administration's jurisdiction' in the 'sale, manufacturing and distribution of traditional and premium cigars.' There are two bills (that were mentioned in Item #1) to support this act. HR 1639 is the bill going through the House of Representatives and has a 135 co-sponsors. S 1461 is the Senate companion bill that has gotten 4 co-sponsors. Expect the Senate piece to be a big focus in the first part of 2012. To date, 137,000+ cigar enthusiasts have signed a petition supporting this legislation.
This is the most grave threat the cigar industry has ever seen. The FDA seems prepared to implement a timetable to put policies in place. We covered some of the possible repercussions if the FDA is allowed to implement policies over premium cigars.
Not all legislators are getting on-board with this. We've seen two actions by a trio of Senators – Dick Durbin (IL), Frank Lautenberg (NJ) and Richard Blumenthal (CT) against the premium tobacco industry. In December, these Senators wrote a letter to the FDA urging them to ban the sale of flavored tobacco. This same group then leaned on the Orange Bowl to drop Camacho Cigars as a sponsor of the game (more to follow on this below).
5.Fuente Fire
A fire destroyed two tobacco warehouses near Santiago, Dominican Republic of Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia (Arturo Fuente). It destroyed some tobacco that was irreplaceable to many Fuente blends. The fire impacted aged tobacco as well as caused smoke damage to other facilities. Carlos Fuente Jr. has said that the damage was extensive and that they lost a lot of tobacco. There were no injuries.
Shortly after the fire, Carlito Fuente on Kiss My Ash radio last week and he anticipated production would have to be cut back about 15% to maintain the consistency standards set forward by Fuente cigars.
2012 and 2013 will probably be the time when enthusiasts of Fuente Cigars see some of the after-effects of the fire in terms of availability and consistency. Not only could this have an impact on Fuente Cigars, but possibly JC Newman and Ashton Cigars for whom Fuente makes cigars for. At the same time, this is a topic that bears watching because Fuente is about to have their centennial celebration in 2012.
6.Honduran Tobacco
In terms of the cigar blends, Cigar Coop beated the drum hard for Honduran tobacco in 2011. While Honduran tobacco has never gone away, it has taken a back seat to Nicaraguan tobacco – especially in the past few years. In 2011, while Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper cigars got all of the attention, what didn't get a lot of attention was the renaissance of Honduran blends.
Cigar Coop's 2011 Cigar of the Year, the La Palina El Diario featured a large concentration of Honduran tobacco. There were two exceptional Honduran puros that were released in 2011. While Cigar Coop didn't have it until after the deadline for the 2011 Cigar of the Year countdown, the Rocky Patel Edicion Unica was an all-Honduran puro that really shined. The Humo Jaguar by Miami Cigars was another Honduran puro that ranked as Cigar Coop's #29 Cigar for 2011.
7.In Memoriam
The cigar industry lost two big names in 2011. In February, Sal Fontana passed away at age 86l. Fontana was one of the brain-trusts with Camacho Cigars. In fact Camacho President Christian Eiroa referred to Fontana as his "Consigliere".
The La Fontana line under Camacho bears his name. Fontana came to Camacho
when his La Fontana line was acquired by Camacho back in 1992. Fontana was also part of the brain trust behind the Camacho Triple Maduro.
In August, Edgar M Cullman Sr. passed away at age 93 years old. Cullman was the former chairman, chief executive, and president of the General Cigar Company. Under his leadership, General Cigars underwent great expansion as the company acquired Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, and Partagas. Cullman is also responsible for the launching of the Macanudo brand – a brand that became one of the biggest in the industry. Cullman is also credited for introducing the appeal of premium cigars to a younger audience.
This past October – following the passing of Mr. Cullman, Cigar Coop voted Cullman into the Cigar Coop Hall of Fame. He was the first industry leader/industry ambassador voted in.
This past April, the cigar industry lost Gary J. Arzt. Arzt was one of the more popular figures in the cigar industry – especially in social media circles.
In September, long-time Oliva sales representative Bert Gottfried passed away at age 73. Gottfried was also an extremely popular figure within the industry and at events.
On a personal note, Cigar Coop would like to pay tribute to Larry Amoruso. Amoruso passed away in January 2011. Amoruso owned of New York's Florio's Restaurant and Three Little Indians Cigars .Amoruso was a passionate crusader for cigar rights and one of the biggest supporter of our Armed Forces out there.
From a personal standpoint, Amoruso got Cigar Coop a start in cigars. Without Amoruso and his cigar lounge, this web-site would probably not exist.
8.Maryland Internet Sales Ban
Back on May 1st, a restriction went into effect in the State of Maryland that would have prevented cigar enthusiasts from purchasing cigars on the internet.
This past May1st, a pretty significant restriction went into effect
in the State of Maryland. Simply stated – cigar enthusiasts in Maryland would have no longer be able to purchase cigars on the internet.
Once the ban went into effect. Maryland comptroller Peter Franchot received over 800 calls, letters, and emails complaining on this. After receiving the complaints, Franchot
came out and said he did not want to enforce the ban of internet sales
of premium cigars. In June, a letter was released indicating that he will refrain
from enforcement of the law until the Maryland legislature votes on
this. There has been no vote at this time.
9.New York, New York
New York was a the forefront of two major cigar stories – one involving smoking bans and one involving taxation.
On the smoking ban front, cigar enthusiasts suffered a huge blow when in February, the New York City Council passed an outdoor smoking ban. It took effect in May, 2011. The ban is considered a huge loss because of the domino effect it might have in other large cities. The irony is shortly after this was passed, Bloomberg would announce that this would be a "self policing" law.
On the taxation front, efforts were made to try to implement a $1.00 tax cap on premium cigars. In 2010, an insane tax increase was passed on cigars – 75% on the wholesale price. In April 2011, a bill was proposed in the New York State legislature by by Assemblywoman Michelle Shimel, Assemblyman Michael DenDekker (House Bill A 1093) , as well as Senators Martin Golden and Tom Libous (Senate Bill SB 3410) to implement a $1.00 tax cap. The Senate Bill (SB 3410) passed through the New
York State Senate. The Assembly portion (A 1093) was unfortunately tabled by the New York State legislature. Ron Melendi, President of the NYTA did a great job at leading the charge here to get this passed.. Here is an open letter he wrote to the NY Cigar Community. Melendi also put together a powerful video on the struggles in New York of dealing with the high taxes.
10.On the Move
Several big names switched companies during the 2011 year.
Gary Hyams: Gary Hyams, left CAO Cigars (now a part of the General Cigar Family) in January. To the surprise of many, he surfaced in June as the new President and CEO of Beach Cigar Group (parent company of Gurkha) Hyams immediately launched three new Gurkha cigars in 2011 that were assessed on Cigar Coop (Royal Challenge, Seduction, and Cellar Reserve). He also launched a new the Wicked Indie cigar which is under a new cigar under the East India Trading Company.
Hyams would later be joined by his son Oliver Hyams, who would leave Torano Family Cigars as Marketing Manager to take a similar position with Beach Cigar Group.
Jon Huber: Jon Huber, who had left CAO late last year annnounced the formation of Crowned Heads Cigars in February. He was joined by three other former CAO employees. In November, their first release, Four Kicks made it to retailer shelves and we were able to assess it. The Four Kicks cigar was probably one of the most hyped cigars of the year.
Jose Blanco: In June, Jose Blanco, long-time Director of Sales at La Aurora announced he was retiring from the company. Two months later, Blanco surfaced as the Senior Vice President at Joya de Nicaragua.
Sam Leccia: When Sam Leccia parted ways with Oliva Cigars back in November, 2010,
there was a lot of speculation where Leccia would wind up. In May it was announced tha Leccia would form his own cigar
company as and release his first cigar "The Debut". Unfortunately the launch never occurred as Oliva Cigars – the company Leccia was formerly with has filed an injunction against Leccia and his company. This is still in litigation.
Sherwin Seltzer: Seltzer who spent over 50 years in the cigar business
retired as Vice President of Trade Development at General Cigar.
11. Orange Bowl Forces Out Camacho Cigars as a Sponsor
This was another blow that was suffered in the cigar industry that occurred at the end of the year. The Orange Bowl has abandoned plans to go forward with a sponsorship deal with Camacho Cigars beginning this year. Apparently this was as a result of pressure from U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (IL), Frank Lautenberg (NJ) and Richard Blumenthal (CT). All apprently made a plea to the NCAA and the Orange Bowl stating that tobacco has no place in sports.
The decision sparked outrage from the Cigar Rights of America and cigar enthusiasts on a nationwide basis. Much of the outrage was focused around the hypocrisy that alcoholic companies would continue to be sponsors – and that the cigar industry is located in the Orange Bowl's backyard.
12.Torano Family Cigars Expansion
Torano Family Cigars had a very busy year and clearly has positioned the company for growth. The year was highlighted by two releases – including the Torano Vault (ranked #27 by Cigar Coop) and Torano Loyal.
In addition this past May, Torano Family Cigars entered into an agreement to handle distribution in the United States for Graycliff Cigars.
In June, Torano Family Cigars entered into an agreement to handle distribution for Sam Leccia Cigars. However, due to the pending litigation against Sam Leccia Cigars by Oliva Cigars, this project has been put on hold.
Our review of cigars and the cigar industry has concluded. Thank you for your support.