text:
Barder, Brian, Brian Barder's Diplomatic Diary, ed. Louise Barder (privately published: London, 2019), pp. 307. Paperback ISBN 978-1-944066-29-1; hardback ISBN 978-1-944066-25-3. Available from Amazon, as well as other booksellers.
Sir Brian Barder, the senior British diplomat and author of the always sage and sometimes gripping What Diplomats Do, died in 2017 but, courtesy of the professional editorial hand of his daughter Louise, has left us another treat. This is what he called a diary and which for the most part has the form of a diary (dated daily entries), although originally it was a series of letters sent to friends from foreign parts. Compared to diplomatic memoirs, diplomatic diaries are a rarity. And since this one is the product of an acute observer who loved the English language and used it in a vigorous and creative style, the appearance of this volume is doubly welcome.
The diary does not cover Barder's early career, which started in the Colonial Office in 1957, but begins when he arrived in Moscow in February 1971. In that important embassy he was first secretary political, number two to the head of chancery and also press attaché; in September, when his immediate boss went on leave, he became acting head of chancery and right-hand man of the ambassador just as the crisis began in Anglo-Soviet relations provoked by the expulsion of 105 Soviet intelligence officers from London (at almost 100 pages, the Moscow diary is the longest in the book). The next chapters deal with Australia in the mid-1970s, where he was counsellor head of chancery and a little over two years after his arrival faced the political crisis prompted by the sudden sacking of prime minister Gough Whitlam by the governor-general, who looked 'as always like Mr Micawber, portly in morning coat and top hat, his thick snowy hair flowing out of it and setting off his florid petulant baby face, plum-coloured with tan or anger or both.' There follow chapters covering an eleven month sabbatical in 1977-8 with the Canadian National Defence College while awaiting the outcome of a radical report on the Diplomatic Service; and finally all of his head of mission appointments bar the last one. These were in Ethiopia, where in the mid-1980s Barder substantially overlapped with an appalling famine that attracted world-wide attention; Poland, in the last years of its Communist regime; and Nigeria, stagnating under yet another military junta at the end of the 1980s. Were it not for the relative stability prevailing at the last two postings, Barder might have been thought of as a diplomatic storm crow.
As a diary not remotely composed with a view to providing a record for historians, this volume has obvious weaknesses from the scholar's point of view. Diplomatic historians will lament that it contains little on the policy questions that Barder was involved in with his local interlocutors or advice given to London; area specialists on South Africa during the later apartheid years will regret that he kept no diary at all during his London postings, for he was head of Southern Africa Department in the FCO from 1978 until 1982 when the future of Namibia was in the balance; and harried scholars generally might be annoyed that the volume has no index. But for historians of diplomatic method, lovers of travel writing, students who wish for a companion volume to bring more colour and humour to the author's What Diplomats Do, and finally for the many followers of the author's well known blog who would like to know more about the man behind it, this book is a must. (The blog has been archived by the British Library because of its 'high quality'.)
Barder did a vast amount of travelling while at his various posts, some for holiday with his wife Jane and their children but most on duty. And his descriptions of the landscapes and townscapes he saw are vivid and discerning; for example, Leningrad (formerly St. Petersburg) was 'like a vast disintegrating museum: the great facades are crumbling as fast as the palace next door is restored, nothing is used for the purposes originally intended, the life-style of the society which camps out in all this baroque splendour is all at odds with its spirit, and the only new buildings are a desecration.' The difficulties and occasional perils of travelling and finding accommodation, especially in the Soviet Union and Africa, also find much space in the diary and are often the targets of his dry wit. Typically self-deprecating, he refers at one point to the time when 'diplomats were travellers rather than tourists' but there are passages in this book which show that Barder did not always travel with the comfort and carefree attitude of the tourist. Even his Moscow flat was no paradise: 'The cockroaches are drawn up in orderly ranks to receive us,' he noted of his return to it on 10 May 1972.
What comes out with particular force from the diary is just what a huge, unvaried and often unappetising chore can be the representative work of a conscientious ambassador like Brian Barder. This is because – aside from information gathering and reporting and, in exceptional circumstances such as those in the Ethiopian famine, supporting a major aid mission – this is what the duty of travelling is all about. By April 1990, while in Nigeria, he was beginning to describe his official visits and courtesy calls as 'identikit' tours. 'Much of the time,' he records on 26 August 1989, 'we were escorted by police cars with flashing lights and howling sirens, government protocol cars with protocol officials leaning out of the windows trying to bash passers-by with truncheons …'. Courtesy calls to traditional rulers also had a habit of ending on the same note, he wrote from Lagos in April 1990: 'Your Excellency, it is a great honour and pleasure … my people are suffering from … because of our historic connexions we look to Britain … just a modest residential school complete with staff [would be very welcome]… before We wish Your Excellency Godspeed, hope We may seek your immediate intervention to settle a small problem over Our niece's visa … .' With the completion of one more tour inside Nigeria, he added to this entry, 'we shall have visited and done our official calls in all 21 of the State capitals and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja' – a sigh is almost audible. As generous as ever, however, he acknowledges an upside to his representational duties, not least in Nigeria: there were 'also plenty of friendly and often impressive people to meet.'
While I have said that there is little in the diary for diplomatic historians, those with an interest in Anglo-Soviet relations will get from it the flavour of the atmosphere in the Moscow embassy in September and October 1971 when the sensational news was received about the 105 Soviet intelligence officers to be expelled from the UK. As acting head of chancery, Barder accompanied the ambassador, Sir John Killick – only just arrived in Moscow – to the Soviet Foreign Ministry during these weeks and also had to field a British press corps clamouring for information. He was relieved that he was not among those expelled from Moscow in retaliation, for it would have been 'pretty disastrous financially, disruptive for the children, and generally unsettling'; besides, it would have been disagreeable to be treated 'like a thing' in a tit-for-tat exchange. There is far more detail on this affair here than in the transcript of Barder's interview for the British Diplomatic Oral History Programme (BDOHP), instructive though this is on other stages in his career.
The diary is also illuminating on the pleasures as well as the trials an ambassador might find in accommodating streams of visitors from home, and on the trials devoid of pleasures in dealing with business and press moguls gate-crashing such tragedies as the Ethiopian famine.
This brings me finally to note a reflection made by the author in his Ethiopian diary of 19 April 1983 after he had described, almost with envy, the affection and respect reported to have been earned by a relief worker he had just encountered. 'Not for the first time in one's dealings with relief workers,' he wrote, 'diplomacy is made to seem a superficial, shallow, almost shameful occupation. Definitely not one of the caring professions, anyway.' This is a clear echo of the outlook that ripened when he joined the Colonial Office in the Home Civil Service in 1957. Unique among Whitehall departments, this prided itself on putting the interests of colonial peoples before narrow British national interests. As Barder, a life-long socialist and for the greater part of his career a member of the Labour Party, explains in his BDOHP interview, it was only with reluctance that he switched to the Diplomatic Service in 1965 after the Colonial Office had been made obsolete by decolonization. He did not believe that diplomacy was truly a shameful occupation and his own career, much of which is illuminated by this diary, is eloquent testimony of the opposite. But the fact that he could muse on the idea shows just what a fundamentally decent and thoughtful man he was, as well as an outstanding diplomat. I strongly recommend this book.


text:
How did the Brookings/Urban Institute Tax Policy Center go from being a purveyor of "objective third-party analysis" to being just another "liberal" group? In Romney-land, it was easy. When TPC analyzed Rick Perry's tax plans and found that they would be disastrous for the middle class, that was objective analysis, according to the Romney campaign. When the same group did the same analysis of the Romney tax plan and reached the same conclusion, that was just liberal spin.
[Cross-posted at The Reality-based Community]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Dakota Fanning is filming her new flick, which is said to be little bit over the edge for a 12 year old girl. In the movie (Hound dog) Dakota makes a boy drop down his pants, shares bed with a fully grown man, tells two kids to take their cloth off and on top of it all she gets raped.
Even tho Dakota's mom is saying this would be one of those films that will insure her path to the Oscars, there are others who think the movie is way too sexual.
Here is the full article.


text:
How to create a business-oriented integration strategy
Creating a successful business-oriented integration strategy requires more than the implementation of behind-the-scenes application or cloud integration technologies. According to Forrester Research Inc. Vice President and Principal Analyst Randy Heffner, you should be "focused on the design of your business, which then gives you perspective on the best way to integrate applications to bring them together."
This e-guide outlines how to construct business goals to drive integration strategy and discover a better collaboration tactic for a new era of application integration. Get advice from Heffner and other analysts about how to use business-oriented integration technologies, including recommendations such as:
- Build SOA business services
- Use BPM to optimize business design points
- Adopt a business capabilities architecture mindset
- And more


text:
- This event has passed.
Virtual Happy Hour: Cookbooks & Cocktails
October 13, 2020 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT
Grab a beverage and join us from the comfort of home as our booksellers preview some of this season's great new culinary and cocktail titles. We are passionate about cookbooks and can't wait to share our new favorites with you!


text: Do you know what this website is about? It's about Wichita escorts. Whether it's your first time looking for an escort in Wichita or you are a regular visitor, you won't be disappointed with the stunning choices available. Rest assured that you'll find your perfect Wichita escort girl for an unforgettable and passionate night, day or whenever the mood takes you.


text:
Connecting California, Featured »
New Skyscrapers in L.A. and S.F. Tell Tall Tales About California
This is a tale of two new skyscrapers—and of two cities that have more in common than they care to admit.
The Wilshire Grand Center towers 73 stories and 1,100 feet over downtown Los Angeles, making it the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. A project of the conglomerate that owns Korean Air, it opened this summer.
In San Francisco, the Salesforce Tower, which takes …
Headline, What It Means to Be American »
Why Americans Love Diners
Driving north on Route 95 through Connecticut, I noticed a billboard advertising a local diner. Its immense letters spelled out: "Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free and Diner Classics." I knew a seismic shift had occurred when Blue Plate Specials—hands-down favorites for nearly a century such as meat loaf, hot turkey sandwiches, and spaghetti and meatballs—were last on a list of diner offerings.
Over their long history, diners …
Headline, Poetry »
O the mornings I wasted/ Reading about how to give birth #poem
This matzah ball soup
Reminds me of my grandmother
I'm so close to her here in Brooklyn city of her birth
Darling as she called everyone
Let's be sentimentalists together
And forget about her personality disorder
Forget her in the attic on St Marks Avenue
Thinking her baby was a bouquet of flowers
Instead regard the mama bird
Feeding her openmouthed chicks
Who is the worm I am the …
Essay, Featured »
I'm Counting My Family's Thanksgiving Blessings. My Neighbors Aren't All So Fortunate
In November, 2013, Shanice Joseph wrote an essay for Zócalo about how her financially challenged family was preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving. This year we asked her for an update, and she obliged.
With the holidays approaching I thought that I couldn't be any happier. Over the past four years everything has been going great. My family and friends are happy and healthy. I made supervisor at …
Featured, Readings »
Zócalo's Ten Favorite Nonfiction Books of 2017
If 2017 was the year the world stopped making sense to you, Zócalo's 10 favorite nonfiction books of this new era are exactly what you need. They all, in some way, make sense of phenomena, past and present, that intrigue and confuse us. What is it we love about ghost stories? Where did life come from? Who is Barack Obama, really? Why are Trump supporters …
Connecting California »
A Very Cheech Marin Thanksgiving
This week, California should give thanks for Cheech.
Richard Anthony Marin deserves our gratitude not just because his new autobiography, Cheech Is Not My Real Name … But Don't Call Me Chong, turns out to be the best California book of the year. And not just because his career should give you hope that no matter how short, bald, or brown you are, you can be …
Headline, What It Means to Be American »
How Norway Taught Me to Balance My Hyphenated-Americanness
During the year I spent studying at the university in Trondheim, Norway, I sometimes learned more about my own country than Norway. One day, in my immigration studies class, my professor David Mauk, who hailed from Ohio, asked, "What does it mean to be American?"
I braced myself to hear the usual stereotypes from the news from the Norwegian students in my class. Then the …
Featured, The Takeaway »
China Soon Could Dominate the Global Economy—but Leading It Will Be Tougher
For China, pursuing global economic leadership is not just a goal. It's an imperative.
That was the message from panelists at a Zòcalo/UCLA Anderson School of Management event, "Is China Prepared to Lead the Global Economy?" at the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy in downtown Los Angeles.
China is seeking global economic leadership, panelists said, as Chinese President Xi Jinping made clear at the recently …
Featured, Poetry »
My room was a palace of stickers/ & small stuffed toys #poem
*This poem includes text in italics from "Drug War on Doorsteps All Over Ciudad Juárez," by Stephen Holden and "Ciudad Juárez, a Border City Known for Killing, Gets Back To Living," by Damien Cave, both published in The New York Times.
Natalie Scenters-Zapico is the author of The Verging Cities (Center for Literary Publishing 2015) and Lima :: Limón (Copper Canyon Press, forthcoming). She has won …
Essay, Headline »
Want to Take My Civics Class? Get Ready to Squirm
In many conversations, the topic of civics education comes with its own halo. The conventional wisdom is that it's good, clean medicine, and if our children just get enough of its inoculation, the American body politic will be healthy enough to survive another generation.
But after nearly two decades as a middle-school and high-school history teacher, I've come to understand through teaching civics—and studying how it's …


text:
Hizbul Islam leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys.
A senior Islamist leader and ally of al Qaeda has called for additional suicide attacks against African Union peacekeepers operating in Mogadishu.
Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, the leader of Hizbul Islam, or the Party of Islam, called for more suicide attacks during a sermon in the town of Elashabiyah, just outside Mogadishu.
"I also call upon the people to carry out more attacks against the African forces; they came to Somalia to assist our enemy, kill them … in any way possible and use suicide attacks to kill them," Aweys told the crowd, according to a report in the Pretoria News.
Awey's remarks occurred just days after Shabaab suicide bombers penetrated security at an African Union base in Mogadishu and killed 21 people, including the deputy African Union commander and 16 other peacekeepers. The suicide bombers used United Nations vehicles to pass through the checkpoint and enter the compound.
In the fall of 2006, Aweys and Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, the current president of Somalia, started using suicide bombers against the Transitional Federal Government and Ethiopian troops operating in the country. Aweys and Sharif, the co-leaders of the Islamic Courts, took control of southern Somalia but were ousted during an Ethiopian offensive in late 2006.
Shabaab and its predecessor organization, the Islamic Courts, have conducted 18 suicide attacks since September 2006, when the first suicide attack was recorded in Somalia [see list below]. Over the past 12 months, Shabaab has conducted two effective suicide attacks: the June 18 strike outside a hotel in Beletwein that killed the security minister, a former ambassador, and 33 others; and the Oct. 29, 2008, strikes against government installations and a UN headquarters in the semi-autonomous regions of Somaliland and Puntland that resulted in the deaths of 28 Somalis.
Aweys has sought to merge Hizbul Islam with Shabaab. Hizbul Islam was created in January of this year with the merger of four separate Islamic groups: Aweys' Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia-Eritrea; Mu'askar Ras Kamboni (the Ras Kamboni Brigade); Jabhatul Islamiya (the Islamic Front); and Anole. Hizbul Islam was formerly led by Sheik Omar Iman Abu Bakar but was ousted by Aweys earlier this year for being too moderate.
Aweys is known to have trained in al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan during the 1990s. In November 2001, Aweys was identified by the US Department of State as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. He is also thought to have participated in the infamous "Black Hawk Down" incident in Mogadishu in 1993, when Somali fighters ambushed a US raiding party, resulting in a two-day-long battle that killed 18 US soldiers and several hundred Somalis.
Suicide attacks in Somalia since September 2006:
Sept. 17, 2009: Shabaab suicide bombers penetrated security at an African Union base in Mogadishu and killed 21 people, including the deputy African Union commander and 16 other peacekeepers.
June 18, 2009: A Shabaab suicide bomber killed the security minister and a former ambassador during an attack outside a hotel in Beletwein that killed more than 35 people.
May 24, 2009: A Shabaab suicide bomber killed six policemen and a civilian in an attack on a police station in Mogadishu.
Feb. 22, 2009: Shabaab claimed to have conducted a dual suicide attack on Burundi troops in Mogadishu; the African Union claimed the attack was a mortar strike.
Oct. 29, 2008: Five suicide bombers struck four compounds in the semi-autonomous regions of Somaliland and Puntland, killing 28 and wounding scores. Three suicide car bombers struck the presidential palace, the UN Development Program compound, and the Ethiopian Consulate in the city of Hargeisa in Somaliland. Two bombers targeted an intelligence facility in the city of Bosasso in Puntland.
April 8, 2008: A Shabaab suicide bomber rammed a car into the gate of the complex that housed peacekeepers from Burundi; one soldier was killed.
Oct. 11, 2007: A suicide bomber killed three Ethiopian soldiers near a base in Baidoa where the Prime Minister was visiting.
June 4, 2007: A suicide car bomber attacked the Somali Prime Minister's home; seven were killed. Another suicide car bomb was detonated near an Ethiopian Army base.
April 25, 2007: A suicide bomber killed 11 during an attack on a hotel south of Mogadishu.
April 20, 2007: A suicide car bomber attacked an Ethiopian army base in the capital.
Nov. 30, 2006: A suicide bomber killed eight in an attack in Baidoa.
Sept. 18, 2006: In the first recorded suicide attack in Somalia, one or two suicide bombers attacked the convoy of the president of the Transitional Federal Government as he was heading to speak to parliament in Baidoa; six Somalis were killed.
Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.


text:
Language selection
Search veterans.gc.ca
My VAC Account / Mon dossier ACC
While on duty, Major Feyko provides details of the attack where he and his fellow comrades were injured and the personal impact of the wounds he incurred and the care he received.
Mr. McCue shares a very personal and heart wrenching story of witnessing the ambush that killed his fellow comrade, Nichola Goddard.
Ms. Dupuis shares an emotional experience while on patrol where two of her comrades are killed.
Corporal Kerr provides detail of his roles and responsibility while on duty as gunner.
Corporal Kerr provides detail in the different types of patrols exercised by infantry and the sense of emotions experienced on return to the base.
Corporal Kerr speaks about how training takes over in combat situations.
Arthur speaks about the significance of Remembrance Day and how he chooses to acknowledge it.
Finding comfort within the walls of the gym, Arthur tells of how he became an entrepreneur in a business benefiting himself and fellow comrades.
Arthur shares a powerful response to the emotions felt and the difficulties encountered in return to civilian life.
Experiencing emotional flashbacks, Arthur shares the difficulty he faced in dealing with his family and community because of some horrific experiences overseas.
With mixed emotions upon return home from deployment, Arthur shares his personal opinion on how he felt about his own accomplishments.
While on deployment, Larimee shares his feelings about witnessing the extreme cultures of the Afghan people and how it affected him


text:
Sterling Silver tiny spiral triskelion stud earrings-Celtic-triskelions, triple
$ 14.00
Sterling Silver tiny spiral triskelion stud earrings-Celtic-triskelions, triple
This is a darling pair of sterling silver tiny spiral triskelion stud earrings. The triskelion measures approx. 1/4 inch. All of the metal on these is sterling silver. A beautiful gift for yourself, or your favorite Celtic lover in your life.
The photo may make the item appear larger or smaller than the actual size. I usually have the size of the item in the listing. Please be sure to ask any questions on size before you order.
All of the jewelry in my store is shipped free in the US. International customers are responsible for customs and any local taxes. International orders have one rate for shipping no matter how many pairs you buy. Please see my important info for ordering page for current International shipping rates. I usually ship within 1 business day of receiving payment. Please ask any questions before purchase. Thanks so much for shopping with me!


text:
Telltale Signs You Need a New Home
- (1) House is too small for bigger families
- (2) House size is an issue
- (3) House is too big
- (4) House is too much maintenance
- (5) House is getting too expensive
- (6) House is now in a bad neighborhood
- (7) House is too far from work
Moving into a new house can really give you that fresh start that you have been longing for all these years.
For many, it is a wonderful feeling, but for most, it can be a very stressful time – a time that they would rather avoid completely. A house is an investment and usually people who buy a house plan on staying there for longer periods of time.
However, sometimes it is necessary to put the house on the market and pack up to move on to a new adventure. But how do you know when it's the right time?
(1) House is too small for bigger families
The most common sign might be that your family has grown out of the home.
Suddenly, the house seems too small for your too-big children. They might want their own bedrooms or you might need your own office for professional purposes.
Young adults also tend to stay in their parents' home (too) long after they have finished their studies.
Plus, if you still need to look after your own aging parents, the house might become too small too quickly.
It is definitely time for a bigger home if you find yourself in this position.
(2) House size is an issue
You might have been living alone in a bachelor flat and then you met someone!
As soon as you decide to move in together, you find that your space is now being shared by someone else and they are taking up most of the room. You will probably want to move to a trendy studio or a bigger townhouse.
New marriages, relationships, or partnerships are also one of the main reasons why people move out from their smaller homes into bigger homes – especially if they are thinking of starting a family.
(3) House is too big
Another situation might be that your family has now grown up completely and that they are looking for other places to stay.
You realize that you have too much space once everyone has found their own little nest.
Even though it might sound idyllic, it can be a bit of a pain, especially when it comes to keeping it maintained and clean. If you are ready to retire or if you have already done so, you might want to think about selling the place for a smaller home.
A unit in a complex will give you better security and peace of mind as you enter the golden years.
(4) House is too much maintenance
Some people love home improvement and DIY, but if you are someone that would rather chill in front of the TV on your off days, then consider moving to a place with low maintenance.
A new home in a complex will definitely allow you to enjoy your off days.
(5) House is getting too expensive
If you are struggling to pay your bills at the end of the month and can't keep up with your bond repayment, it might be time to scale down.
Consider moving to an affordable home so that you can get a better grip on your finances.
(6) House is now in a bad neighborhood
If the neighborhood that you are living in is busy declining and showing an increase in crime, you might want to move to a different area.
You might have to scale down in size, but at least you will be in a safer environment.
(7) House is too far from work
If the daily commute has you down every time you get to work or come home, then it might be time to move closer to your office.
You will save money on petrol and you can cut down on driving time.


text:
stuck to my shoes
In my life there are things I can let stand. They might be things others wouldn't be able to live with, but in the overall view of things, they are not harmful. Unfinished laundry, cluttered closets. They can feel familiar and even comforting. But some big things need constant raking. Things with deadlines. School work, paper work, bills.
The reassessing of daily life can be exhausting. We plug away at things that need our attention only to go to bed and do it all again the next day. It's all good. Sometimes we rake, but often we let the golden flakes stick to our shoes.


text:
How to Know When You Should Figure it Out as You Go (and When You Should Ask for Help)
Navigating tricky workplace decisions can be often feel just as stressful as trying to coordinate a get-together with all your friends in one email chain. There are so many (conflicting) messages about how to be a professional. Be proactive, but also measured. Take initiative, but also collaborate. "Just figure it out," but also, "know what you don't know."
Small wonder that sometimes we don't know whether we should charge forward on our own or ask for help. Thankfully, there are some guidelines you can follow to know when you should go it alone—and when you should reach out for support.
1. If You're Capable, But a Little Afraid—Go for It
Seize these moments! A little dose of fear keeps you motivated and helps you learn. If you've been given an assignment or responsibility that'll stretch your abilities, but you have a pretty good idea of how to accomplish it, take it.
Are you a web copywriter being given a chance at crafting your first landing page? Take it on and learn about conversions, calls-to-action, and more. Are you an administrative professional who's been in involved with every company event for months and are now being asked to run point? Say "yes" and add event planning skills to your resume.
Professional challenges—like projects just a bit little outside of your comfort zone —can lead to new opportunities and knowledge. While it's true that you don't want to commit to something you can't follow through on, if there's only a slight skills gap from having never done something before, challenge yourself to step up to the plate. After all, that's how you'll learn.
2. But if You Don't Understand the Project Parameters—Ask for Help
If you flat-out do not understand what you're being asked to do, you should always ask for clarification. It's easy to feel pressure to project independence and competence. But if you say, "Got it!" and head off with no clue what you've even been assigned, everyone will suffer in the end.
Whether your boss left you a cryptic memo or a client meeting was full of more cliches than clear feedback, if you don't ask for clarification, your final efforts will disappoint.
So, reach out sooner rather than later. Try calmly repeating back what you think you heard: "What I'm hearing you say is that I should pull the new dataset before next Friday. Is that correct?" Then, let the other person correct you and clarify if necessary.
3. If Resources Abound and You Can Teach Yourself—Go for It
So you've been given an assignment you're not entirely sure about. Is it something plenty of people have done before? Have they written about it?
If yes, then do your research. A task that seemed beyond the pale for you may suddenly become a lot clearer after some time watching instructional YouTube videos and reading a few in-depth blog posts.
Before you tell your boss, "But, I've never written a business plan!" Google how to do it. Keep in mind, if your manager is coming to you with a new task, it's likely because there's no go-to person on the team and she thinks it could be a good fit for you. You owe it to yourself to at least explore if this could be your new thing. (Bonus: Having an expert niche makes you more valuable.)
4. But If You Don't Know How to Do it—Ask for Help
This one gets a bit confusing, because you just read that if you're on the bubble as to whether or not something is within reach, you're supposed to stretch yourself and consult online resources. And if you think you could maybe do something, ask your boss if you can get back to him. Then, take some time to think through how you might approach it and see if some reading will answer your questions.
If after that step, you feel like you could be involved in the project, but you'll need guidance, ask for help! Take advantage of the people around you who may have done similar projects before. Is there someone in another department who could give you pointers? Can any of your teammates or coworkers show you how to get started?
Now, if a project falls on the other side of the spectrum (a.k.a., you know offhand just asking for help won't be enough), be honest with yourself—and your manager. If you've been asked to write a code in Python and you don't know the language, it's not the right assignment for you. So, rather than accepting and plan to ask for loads of help, your best bet is to suggest someone else with more experience run point—and ask if you can play a supporting role or help in some other way.
5. If Only You Can Do it—Go for It
"I'm the only one who can do it!" may sound like the classic refrain of the office martyr, but sometimes, it's true! You could quite literally be the only person in the office who can do the task, for whatever reason.
These cases will come up, and sometimes you just have to set aside all the well-meaning advice about asking for help when you're overloaded and learning to delegate. If you're it for the project, because your teammates are out sick, stuck in meetings across town, or some key position on your team was vacated and has yet to be filled; you'll just have to rise to the occasion.
There are two things to keep in mind in this situation. First, if you do nothing, there'll be zero people working on the task—and one is always better than zero! Second, once you pull off your impressive one-woman show, don't be overly humble. You deserve credit for stepping up and adding this project to your list. Make sure your boss knows you're going above and beyond.
The workplace can feel full of "shoulds." You should develop the right skills. You should be assertive. You should be humble. You should be engaged. You should be a team player. You should be a leader. You should ask for assistance. You should take initiative and do it yourself.
Truth talk: There's no one-size-fits-all answer. But a little self-awareness and a heavy dose of common sense can usually point you in the right direction when you're unsure whether to charge ahead independently or ask for help.


text:
Residential Termite Protection Services
Tudor's PC services which are available to residential clients include all general pests such as cockroaches, silverfish & spiders, rodents, Ants & others. Tudor's PC responsible application policy ensures your family & most valuable assets are always protected.
Tudor's PC specialises in Termite & Timber Pest Inspection & also Termite Treatments towards residential dwellings.
Tudor's PC has available the latest in technology such as Thermal Imaging Cameras & Termatrac meter, making us a leader in the pest control industry.
Get the Tudor's team to look after your Pest and Termite needs today.


text:
Tony Lama Men's Black Ostrich Dress Belt 1373L
Regular price$64.00
- Low stock - 1 item left
- Inventory on the way
- Black Ostrich
- Leather
- Handcrafted in America
- Silver buckle
- Leather keeper
This black ostrich belt from Tony Lama features a silver buckle, it is leather, and has a leather keeper. This is a great belt for the man in your life.
In the early 1900s, Tony Lama joined the U.S. Cavalry as a cobbler for the soldiers stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. After the army phased out its horse soldiers, Tony Lama concentrated solely on making quality Western boots. To meet the growing demands in the 1930s, Tony Lama developed methods to produce greater quantities without sacrificing the key steps in hand crafting. The legacy created by the humble cobbler, a hard working entrepreneur with a fierce pride in his craft, lives on in the corporation that bears Tony Lama's name today.


text:
Welcome To
Cherry Tree Inn B&B
We are a famous & Historic Victorian Bed and Breakfast where your enjoyment and comfort is our priority. Experience for yourself why all of our guest ratings are 5 stars since opening in 2017. Great food is prepared by award winning cooks and every detail of your stay is looked after by our attentive team. You may recognize our home from "Groundhog Day". Yes, this is where Bill Murray stayed. Same house, yet anything but stuffy and repetitive!
Sit back, unwind, and forget about your troubles as you enjoy an ice tea on the front porch of this Historic Victorian home. Classic Americana is alive and well, and just waiting for you to take part in celebrating life.
Founded in 1844, Woodstock enjoys brick paved streets, classic architecture, and a welcoming town square surrounded by period lighting. Experience live events at the Opera House, down home pleasures at the Farmers Market, or discover the legend and history of Chester Gould's "Dick Tracy".
What We Offer
You have found your home away from home here at The Cherry Tree Inn Bed and Breakfast! Enjoy luxury and attention to the finest details without the usual expectation of other B&Bs. No rigid schedules, stuffiness or hovering. Your comfort and desire for a relaxing getaway are our priority.
We are here to serve you with kindness and friendship. You are welcome to spend time in the common rooms enjoying a nice drink and playing cards or just relaxing with a book. Feel free to sit and chat with us while cooking anytime we are downstairs. We would love to get to know other social butterflies. The better we know you, the better can serve your needs. Requests for little extras are always considered. You will have all of the local event information you could want readily available at our local publications and resource counter. Our information packet along with fabulous upgrade list is available for your ease and enjoyment.
Each morning you can enjoy waking up to the smell of fresh baked goods and a scrumptious homemade breakfast. Get up early for coffee in the parlor, sit on our lovely wrap-around porch, go for a stroll to The Square, or just sleep in. We will offer a fabulous family-style breakfast at 9 am in the dining room for all guests interested. We have separate dining options available and take to your room trays upon request. We can cater to vegetarian and vegan diets, so please do not be shy and let us know your preferences or dietary limitations.
We've met our farmer's and you can too. We will proudly be serving the freshest and finest locally sourced eggs, organic foods, meats and goods from our bi-weekly farmer's market. We also acquire items from the ever-growing organic co-op in the surrounding farmland as well as our own backyard herb and small vegetable garden seasonally.
Hear What Our Guests Have to Say
Opening Weekend
What a wonderful holiday at The Cherry Tree Inn.We have loved our time here on your opening weekend! Have a wonderful time on this adventure in Woodstock. We will share your wonderful place with friends in Grand Rapids, Michigan & Thailand.
Merrily & Janet
GREAT spot to house a corporate guest
We had someone come into town for a meeting, and had them stay at the Cherry Tree Inn. Our guest could not use enough superlatives! He initiated the conversation at the start of our meeting, thanking us for putting him up in such a wonderful inn… He said it was incredibly comfortable, spotlessly…
Don't Miss The Bliss!
Don't miss the bliss that the Cherry Tree Inn has to offer! Lori and George were wonderfully hospitable. We felt very welcome there. We thoroughly enjoyed the weekend together in this beautiful home. It felt like we went back in time, to a time when life was much simpler and wholesome. We danced…
Ed and Leslie N.
Lori & George, Thank you for allowing us to be guests in your historic Woodstock B&B. We celebrated our 37th anniversary in one of the nicest and most beautiful places in all our year together. We wish you much success in your years ahead as innkeepers and caretakers of this iconic home. Eagle, WI


text:
Advice 1: Make sure you start your new Hong Kong business with a model that will end up having a regular revenue stream. This is essential for the long term survival of the business. At this stage, you should not be thinking yet how and where (in HK or elsewhere in other markets) you are going to sell.
Advice 2: Getting and opening a business bank account is a start for your Hong Kong company to receive cash from your customers. Traditional, it is the local bank account that you will need. In this internet world, customers may pay you through other methods such as PayPal, Stripe, etc. In some countries such as Mainland China, customers get used to pay through WeChat Pay or Alipay. Depending on the nature of your business and how you want to receive payments, you may have to set up a bank account alongside some other online payment mechanism.
Advice 3: Before the bank lets you register with your business, your business has to be legally registered at Hong Kong's Companies Registry. Company formation is essential. At later stages you company will need a lot more capital for expansion and growth in the Hong Kong local market or other international markets in the world. A formal company incorporation will let external investors who are interested in your business to be able to quickly offer fund to you that are necessary for growth.
Advice 4: Set up your accounting system. When you have a business bank account for your company, you should make use of an accounting program. There are the most sophisticated and expensive system out there. But these days every small business would start with or convert to using one of the cloud based accounting systems. They are much less heavy and inexpensive to use for businesses that haven't yet become the big corporate. Keep in mind that using an accounting software is a good practice as you don't want things including your money to go into a mess.
Advice 5: Split the responsibilities among the early co-founders. You cannot do it all alone. The first approach is to split the job responsibilities to all co-founders and business partners. Set up regular meetings to communicate about the progress from each individual person. Each co-founder has his choice to work from the rented HK office or from home. The aim is to get the part of their job done in time.
Advice 6: Rent an office space. The office space can be as few as a 2-3 seats/desks to begin with in a co-working space somewhere in town (in Hong Kong).
URL: https://www.companyincorporation-hongkong.com/
Keyword: Company formation


text:
Siedah Garrett who worked with Michael on the 'Dangerous' tour, and sang with him on 'I Just Can't Stop Loving You,' also co-wrote 'Man In The Mirror.' We told you recently about her Artist Share fan-funded project site.
She has co-written a tribute song, 'Keep On Lovin' You,' for Michael with Dapo Torimiro, who also produced it. See their creative process here.
Source: artistshare.com & MJWN, with thanks to Paula


text:
Pictures provided by Tom Bombria Photography. Please visit his site!
Audiences looking for a rocking good time can always count on David Foster & The Shaboo All-Stars. A long-established force in the Connecticut music scene, Foster has assembled a team of top-notch musicians who provide a solid night of entertainment.
Joining them are legendary Hartford Rock N' Roll band Duke & the Esoterics. These two great bands come together for a night of musical fun to raise money and awareness for Work Vessels for Vets, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting returning vets to start a business or return to an education pursuit. Tickets are tax deductible.


text:
Comparison Data
2018 Nissan Qashqai S FWD 6MT
2018 Nissan Qashqai SV FWD CVT
Engine Displacement2.0L
Engine CylindersI4
Peak Horsepower141 hp
141 hp
Peak Torque147 lb-ft
147 lb-ft
Fuel Economy10.0/8.1/9.2 L/100 km city/hwy/cmb
8.8/7.3/8.1 L/100 km city/hwy/cmb
Cargo Space648 / 1,730 L seats down
566 / 1,500 L seats down
Base Price$19,998
A/C Tax$100
Destination Fee$1,950
Price as Tested$22,048
Optional EquipmentNone
Photography by Jacob Black and Justin Pritchard
A manual makes everything better. Except when it doesn't. Fuel economy and stop-and-go traffic are almost always better served by an automatic, but if you want to feel engaged and connected with your ride then the only real solution is a manual gearbox. It can make a sluggish car feel peppy, an SUV feel like a sports car. It enhances your connection to the road by enhancing your connection to the car underneath you.
The things that make the Qashqai great, and helped us select it as our 2018 Compact SUV Top Pick, are that it is well-sized for the city, handles nicely, rides well, and has a decent little engine.
I like manuals. And I already quite like the 2018 Nissan Qashqai. So, when they offered us a sample of a stripper model, complete with front-wheel drive and a manual transmission, I said, "Um… heck yeah!" [He didn't say "heck". – Ed.]
And then, because we know that many Canadians shop with their wallets, I resolved to do double duty in this base-model Qashqai and a higher trim, to nut out the differences.
The two trims offered were a $19,998 2018 Nissan Qashqai S FWD and a $24,598 2018 Qashqai SV, also FWD.
There are three AWD trims available – they start at $24,298 for the S, $26,798 for the SV, and $29,498 for the SL – but we'll be ignoring those for the moment at least. Only the base FWD S gets a manual option; all other trims are CVT only. Freight and PDI for all trims is $1,950.
If you're paying attention, you probably feel like my allegiance is to the manual, and at first glance, it is. But creature comforts mean a lot to me and my family – pampered as we are. So which Qashqai is the right one?
No matter which Qashqai you get, it is powered by a 2.0L naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine good for 141 hp and 147 lb-ft of torque. It's an engine which is right at the cusp of sufficient – on paper at least. Any less, and this wouldn't be enough. As it sits, this engine is adequate for the 1,331 kg chassis.
The manual transmission is light, smooth, and better defined than you might expect. It's very user-friendly, with a clutch that is light without feeling vague. I quite enjoyed this shifter, and the best explanation I can give is that it rewards finesse. That gearbox allows easy access to the limited grunt from the naturally aspirated engine.
In traffic, the 2.0L was quite happy to lug along cleanly at just over idle speed, which meant less clutch work and less stress, and made me less likely to want to jump over to the CVT.
And yet trade-offs are inevitable. Manual Qashqais cruise at around 3,250 rpm at 120 km/h, as opposed to the CVT which hovers closer to 1,800–2,000. That in itself is a point to the CVT, as is the dramatically improved fuel economy. Manuals are rated at 10.0/8.1/9.2 L/100 km city/highway/combined, while autos earn a figure of 8.8/7.3/8.1 – a solid 10 percent better.
Your ears will pay the price for the fuel-saving though, and I found that the drone of the CVT was even more pronounced after a week in the manual. That sensation that the engine is losing power to the drivetrain is there, even if that sensation isn't rooted in reality. The noise, the lag, and the lack of punctuation make accelerating in a CVT feel less brisk than in a manual. Of course, reality is that it is in fact better, but without a stop watch to measure by, perception outranks reality here.
Handling and Ride Comfort
The only mechanic difference in the handling department is the 16-inch steel wheels with hubcaps (you can call them wheel covers until you're blue in the face… but they're hubcaps) on the S. The SV gets 17-inch alloys. Both trims get a front stabilizer bar and independent struts up front, as well as independent multi-link rear suspension out back.
Ride comfort is surprisingly good. I found myself pleasantly surprised by the lack of jounce and clatter on some of Toronto's worst roads in both models. Steering is accurate, though light, and handling is better than you might expect. The Qashqai is an entertaining drive if you wish it to be. Is it a sports car? No, despite the lairy paint. It's a compact/sub-compact SUV – but it drives very nicely.
Inside Stuff
Visibility and ergonomics are strong in the Qashqai, and that doesn't change with the trim level. The seating position, ease of use of the radio and the gear shifter are all well situated.
Both Qashqais get a 5.0-inch colour monitor in the centre stack, but the one on the S has only four speakers connected to it and is missing SiriusXM. The one on the SV has six speakers and gets SiriusXM.
The SV's steering wheel also has a steering-wheel heater. Or at least, a button for one. The S has no steering wheel heater at all, but Nissan's steering wheel heaters have been neutered so hard by that company's over-zealous and paranoid legal department that they are utterly useless. That same legal department, by the way, is responsible for Nissan's industry-worst door lock logic. It will not unlock the door with the ignition on, period, no matter how many times you pull the handle. Nope, you must find and press the finicky little lock button, every time. Other cars open the driver's door any time you pull the inside handle, or at the very least, any time you double-pull it.
The only other significant difference is in the back, where the SV has Nissan's Divide-N-Hide cargo system. It provides a false floor for more security, and for a fully flat surface when the rear seats are folded. The S does not have this.
Both trims get cloth seats – six-way adjustable drivers, and four-way passenger. The SV has automatic climate control, while the S has a regular old air-conditioning/heating system.
Either trim gets you text-to-voice and voice-to-text handsfree SMS messaging, and Siri. No Android Auto or CarPlay yet.
So yes, the SV has more interior creature comforts, but the two key ones are SiriusXM satellite radio, and the weak-sauce heated steering wheel. Whoop-de-doo!
Outside Stuff
Exterior upgrades are more prominent. For example, the SV gets a power moonroof and fog lights.
Actually, those are the only differences. Maybe the differences aren't that pronounced after all.
Safety Stuff
Dear e-brakes, you suck. Love Jacob. I'm sorry, but electronic parking brakes are just plain annoying. I never feel confident they're engaged properly, they're fiddly, and they don't let you do handbrake turns – not that I would, of course. And, despite having a manual gearbox, the S has an e-brake. If you like e-brakes, that's a good thing. I don't.
All Qashqais also get Trace Control brake-based torque distribution for handling, ride control, stability control, brake assist, and hill-start assist. It's a wash between these trims here, too.
So, the S then?
The fact is, the things that make the Qashqai great, and helped us select it as our 2018 Compact SUV Top Pick, are that it is well-sized for the city, handles nicely, rides well, and has a decent little engine. Those things are actually enhanced by the base model, where the manual gearbox is well suited to the motor, and the lack of creature comforts fits its cheerful personality.
The SV is a small leap in content for a bigger jump in price.
If you do want all the mod cons and funky features, frankly, you'd need to go all the way to the top trim SL, where things like blind-spot warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist become available in the $2,700 SL + Platinum Package. That's the only Qashqai with Nissan's excellent AroundView Monitor too.
What we're trying to say is this: The Qashqai is a well-executed compact SUV. Size-wise it sits right in the sweet spot that things like the CR-V and RAV4 used to occupy before they ballooned. Its bones are strong, and you don't need the full feature list to make this a good choice. For my mind, your choices are simple: Go the base-model manual FWD S if you can handle not having all the big-ticket features. But once you do decide to add on bonus bits, you may as well go the full beans AWD SL with the Platinum package. And skim over the middle ground.


text:
Ever keen to push the boundaries, this year Naked Marshmallow Co has created a gourmet Marshmallow Advent Calendar .
Each door reveals a handmade festive flavour, with an extra special sumptuous surprise behind the final door on Christmas Day.
That's 25 deliciously gooey pieces of heaven to savour this Christmas and a great motivator for getting out of bed first on a winter's morning.
The gourmet Marshmallow Advent Calendar features six sumptuous alternating flavours which include s'mores, candy cane, humbug, gingerbread, mint choc chip and choc orange.
The gourmet marshmallows are handmade in the UK using the finest natural ingredients and no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives.
The calendar joins the brand's new prosecco and gin flavoured marshmallows which are already proving a hit with fans of the sweet treat.
Price: £13
Available from: nakedmarshmallow.co.uk


text:
As winter draws near, there is more and more need for people, especially Christians, to provide aid to the tens of thousands of refugees from eastern Ukraine. Our ministry has been blessed to receive a large amount of aid during the summer for refugees and much of it was winter clothing, which the refugees declined at the time as they had limited storage space in the cabins they were living in on our property. Now, most of our refugees have moved into apartments or returned to their homes. The aid remains and we have a container load of aid from America on its way.
Jeremiah's Hope has been receiving weekly updates from Dema Grischuk, a Christian and founder of Let's Love Ministries. Our ministry team has have known Dema for many years because Jeremiah's Hope would not exist if it was not for the help of Dema when Steve Taliaferro and Andrew Kelly. Dema now teaches at a Bible training school and runs Let's Love, a ministry also dedicated to orphans and at-risk children.
Let's Love is operating several small warehouses (think apartment sized) and are distributing aid to refugees. We are blessed to be able to help them help others!
Leave a Reply.
April 2016


text:
At Red Stag TimberLab, we provide comprehensive structural timber solutions; everything from fence posts to complete supply packages for both local & international markets, organising freight to wharf of destination.
Do you have a project you'd like to discuss?
We'd love to talk with you about it.
CLT (Cross-laminated timber)
CLT is the lowest carbon building material. It is made by layering wood panels alternating in 90 degree angles to each other, and bonding them together with adhesive. It is usually 3-7 layers but more layers can be done if required. From recent independant assessment, Red Stag TimberLab's CLT carbon figures are significantly better than those of our competitors and definitely, other building materials.
Glulam is the process of lamination that maximises the benefits available in timber construction in a unique way. Glue laminated timber is an engineered structural material consisting of a number of graded, kiln dried and selected full length laminations. Laminated Timber is also noted for its inherent ability to withstand the effects of fire. It has a superior fire resistance rating when compared to steel. The process of manufacture is carefully controlled requiring conformance to internationally recognised standards; TimberLab's plant is regularly inspected to ensure ongoing compliance.
Red Stag TimberLab is once again pioneering a new era in the manufacture of Glulam and Engineered timber Solutions. With experience in Glulam and Engineered Timber since 1958, Red Stag TimberLab brings to New Zealand the first large scale 5-axis CNC Gantry Bridge for the automated processing of solid wood elements.
Red Stag TimberLab has a commitment to provide our customers with solutions that are clearly and accurately defined; the finished product will only be as good as the design & drawing it was made from. To make sure the finished structure is as accurate as it can be, Red Stag TimberLab has invested in state of the art 3D CAD modelling. This is transferred to the CAM program that drives the CNC processor so that items are produced accurately and reflect the original drawing.
Fabricating LVL panels into beams and columns requires specialist techniques that Red Stag TimberLab has incorporated into its expertise. Slabs of LVL are glued together to form large wall panels, beams and columns up to 1200mm deep and almost any width and length. The results are strong energy-absorbing structures especially suited to provide seismic resistance using post tension frame systems or large shear walls.
L-Bond® Project Panel is a timber panel designed for use in various interior design applications and can be utilised by joiners / carpenters to satisfy a number of end products. Its vertically orientated 3mm thick veneers provide a unique finish with strong linear pattern. The panel is a solid timber product so it can in most cases, be self-supporting.
Efficient and accurately produced connections are essential for the successful installation of engineered timber solutions. With Red Stag TimberLab's new 5 axis CNC gantry bridge we are able to ensure the repeatable accuracy of complex connections. Precision cutting, drilling, rebating, grooving mortising and bevelling can all be achieved to demanding tolerances.


text:
There have been countless events over the last few years about a subject thats remains a point of contention within the games industry: what is the best way to make a Facebook game? I don't pretend to have a 'one-size-fits-all' answer, because what works for us at Wooga may fail elsewhere. But for those working on a project that looks as if it may just tail off, I'd strongly advise you to consider a few core principles that have helped teams at Wooga guide projects to success.
Last year I held a presentation with Mattes Groeger, one of Wooga's Engineers, at Flash on the Beach in Brighton. There he talked about the numerous practical challenges of developing massive games with Agile methodology. He demonstrated these difficulties using one of our former Flash-based projects, although it can be adapted to any other language or platform.
My focus was on the overall view, and on what challenges occur during the production process and how to invigorate a project with efficient development. Highlighted in particular was a philosophy that has enabled Wooga to create great teams that achieve amazing things.
Philosophy of software: from Waterfall to Agile
It must also be noted that these learnings are not only based on my experience as CTO of Wooga, but also on my five years at Jamba where I used several project methodologies; from freestyle software development, to Waterfall (sequential planning and processing) and soon after Agile methodology (communicative processes and flexible software) at Berlin based Rocket Internet.
Before going into the specifics let's first look at where Wooga stands today in terms of monthly active users (MAU) – the widely accepted standard for measuring the rank of a Facebook developer. We're the number one social games developer in Europe, and have been for quite some time now. Worldwide, we are flittering between second and third place with EA, but for argument's sake let's say we're the third biggest in the world. Now these might sound like marketing facts but they also have important technical consequences.
Translating MAU into requests
With 48 million players worldwide a month, one of our titles – one game – may see over 14 billion requests per month, or 100,000 DB operations per second. More information about this can be seen in the presentation '1,000,000 daily users and no cache', held by Jesper Richter-Reichhelm, the head of engineering at Wooga, but the technical ramifications of these sorts of numbers are immediately apparent.
[slideshare id=9875360&doc=2011-10-24-splash-jesper1024x768-111025103448-phpapp01]
The work environment plays an important part in helping us deal with the weight of these numbers – in particular, how we create an efficient and successful developer team.
Making games work
The process of making games presents a multitude of unique challenges software-wise. One issue is having to quickly conceptualise and develop prototypes, not necessarily knowing what the end product will look like. Secondly, accepting that some features might have to be removed and then carrying out this task can have its difficulties for the team responsible.
Additionally, dealing with complex configurations or different business logic can create a lot of difficulties. A fourth challenge can be seen in extensive a/b testing that can take away time a team doesn't necessarily wish to invest, or that simply appears to be a waste of time when there are other pressing situations that seem to have greater significance. These are all fair points, but I can't stress the importance of taking that time to monitor and optimise the performance of a product before, and especially after, it has been released.
The Manifesto for Agile software development
Personal experience has taught me that dealing with these challenges requires a dynamic approach to management, or even better, a lack thereof entirely. Therefore we have applied the Manifesto for Agile software development as deeply as possible within Wooga's work philosophy.
We try to put emphasis on individuals and interactions. This can be seen in our work environment where we always try to emphasise effective internal communication, and get away from caring too much about work tools and processes that have no purpose other than that of being a means to ponder subjectively about the best route forward.
Continuing on that point, the process of building prototypes (in effect creating working software through iterations) is more important to us than excessive and time consuming documentation.
"Move fast and break things"
"Move fast and break things" is a quote from Mark Zuckerberg that has since become infamous among tech companies. We encourage new employees to adopt this attitude right from the get-go. Making mistakes is allowed, and may even be necessary, in a work environment if this mantra is to be taken seriously.
Another important aspect of creating new software is to respond quickly and effectively to changes. Never follow a plan, choose the best solution and use that instead. Staying flexible is absolutely crucial for success.
A day in the life of Wooga
Wooga isn't an ordinary company, and that's something we've always been proud of. The cornerstone of this approach is the way our teams are structured. It allows freedom and flexibility – two fundamental elements for success – but it also surprises people.
At Wooga, we believe in small game teams consisting of only three roles: game designer, engineer and artist. No leader, frameworks or processes in the traditional sense are needed as the individual takes responsibility for the work done.
If something goes wrong, the team members cannot blame each other because all have participated. Equally, if the group does well, all share the success. As mentioned before, apt communication among the team members is vital for a team to work together well and for the outcome to be successful.
Over the years I've learnt that getting things accomplished is not about processes, and that being Agile always comes first. Our philosophy when dealing with all things from a/b testing to QAs is based on being Agile. Being open to new ideas, communicating efficiently and being able to react flexibly has helped Wooga create great social games that anyone can enjoy.
To appropriate Mark Zuckerberg once more: "Stay focused, and keep shipping".


text:
Von Duprin 5100 Electric Strike
The Von Duprin 5100 Electric Strike has been designed and manufactured to meet the needs of locksmiths and security professionals. This easy-to-install electric strike was created for medium duty applications, specifically to control traffic flow through interior and exterior openings in retail and commercial environments. And because it's the Von Duprin brand, you know that you can depend on the product quality and performance.
Fewer products to inventory and more value for your money.
• Three faceplates included for hollow metal, wood or aluminum frames.
• Internal 12/24 dual-voltage solenoid.
• Adjustable keeper.
• Fail-safe/fail-secure selectability.
The right parts in the box means getting the job done right the first time, every time.
• Reduce labor expense.
• Fewer return trips to the job site.
• Reduces SKU's.
Developed with Von Duprin's high standards and engineering expertise.
• Heavy-duty construction.
• Tamper resistant design.
• Tested to over one million cycles.
• 1300 lbs. holding strength.


text:
The largest gathering of Manitoba and Saskatchewan artists ever presented outside the Prairies!
Video, audio and performance: Freya Bjorg Olafson
Lighting Design: Hugh Conacher
Costume: Norma Lachance
AVATAR is inspired by the mantra, "I post, therefore I am," referencing the way Internet users legitimize their existence by documenting their lives and uploading the data to personal webpages and blogs. In a striking audio/video/dance performance, Freya Björg Olafson moves intimately through software, opening files on her personal computer and interacting with a built-in camera to explore methods of creating, validating, and disseminating one's identity through the use of technology and the Internet. The performance inherently becomes a technological duet as the artist makes use of live video feeds and projections to magnify, manipulate, and effectively broadcast persona and image.
Freya Björg Olafson is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist based in Winnipeg, whose work has been presented to critical acclaim nationally and internationally.
Olafson...transforms from a lonely Friday-night vlogger to a ghoulish, empty eye-socketed figure that's a cross between a Marilyn Monroe impersonator and a drag queen from hell. [She] crafts a theatrical persona that's as riveting as a train wreck.
Holly Harris, Uptown Magazine
The AVATAR series began at Studio 303 (Montreal) during a workshop lead by 2boys.tv (video/performance duo, Montreal) in March 2008. Since then the series benefited from significant time at PAF~Performing Arts Forum (St.Erme-Outre-et-Ramecourt, France), SIM – The Association of Icelandic Visual Artists (Reykjavik, Iceland) and at La B.A.R.N with Tedd Robinson of 10 Gates Dancing Inc (Ontario).
The development of AVATAR was generously supported by The Canada Council for The Arts, The Manitoba Arts Council, The Winnipeg Arts Council and Video Pool Media Arts Center.


text:
The Year is 2041
Welcome to The Suspicious Society
Only 150 will be a part of this printing and is only available from the publisher: PTW Publishing Co LLC
* As of 5-28-17, less than 37 copies remain
Price is $20 (+$3 s/h) which includes:
- Your copy signed and numbered.
- Personalized if you choose.
- A FREE EBOOK edition (available NOW).
Price is $9 (+$3 s/h) which includes:
- Your copy signed by the author.
- Personalized if you choose.
Bobcat Den - WVWC Campus, Benedum Center
Josh Spencer and Paul Smith on their C92-FM (92.1) radio show "Fire in the Booth," interviewed Peter Galarneau Jr. about "Dr. One" and the writer's experience in March. Spence and Paul, DJ's from the United Kingdom, had many interesting question requests from the UK. Here is their March 3 interview in three parts.
In the spring of 2041, a technophobic teenager, on his eighteenth birthday, is forced from the comfort of his West Virginia Greenbrier Valley home when he must travel to New Pitt to help a brilliant computer scientist uncover the reason for her uncle's mysterious death.
The novel "Dr. One" (written in 2016) takes place in a world that is 25 years away.
In 2041, some of the more common terms used to refer to historical contexts, place names and digital devices are listed here.


text:
3 A/B Testing Ideas Using The 'Webers Law' Principle
This is the ultimate library of the Best A/B Testing Ideas: We have compiled 250 A/B Testing Ideas that you can try on your website to optimize your conversion rates and increase your revenues.
A/B Testing Idea #119 - Augment prices more often, but by smaller increments
Avoid waiting until the moment of desperation to suddenly raise your prices, anticipate and increase them gradually. Using frequent but small price increases will reduce the impact that these could have…
A/B Testing Idea #175 - Delete up to 10% of features but maintain previous, identical pricing
People are unlikely to notice changes as long as these are kept below 10% so you are able to reduce the content and features offered in your pricing plans by 5 to 10% without many visitors noticing that…
A/B Testing Idea #176 - Show lower-quality products near higher-quality ones
To make your higher-end products seem even more attractive, display them alongside your lower-end products so that customers can compare the two together. The difference in quality will be larger and …
Oops, you have reached your limit of 1 free tactic per hour
To get unlimited access to our 250+ tactics,
Join our FREE mailing list
Or wait 00:59:59


text:
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
China Pearl
This painting was done on location in Chinatown in Boston one Saturday with a few other painters. I don't paint in the city enough.
6 comments:
- Marian Fortunati said...
Wow Paula..
Well done!! I find architecture so very daunting, but your painting is fabulous!!
- November 11, 2010 at 6:53 AM
- Paula Villanova said...
Thanks so much Marian! Now I just need to learn how to photograph my art properly...and eliminate any glare! Thanks for stopping by.
- November 11, 2010 at 5:25 PM
- Yvonne Bakale said...
That is beautiful!
- November 12, 2010 at 12:36 PM
- Kelley Carey MacDonald said...
I think there's some glare on the photo - all I can say is when you see it in person IT BLOWS YOU AWAY! The colors are so vivid and skillfully placed - well, just try to get to Paula's next show and see it in person! It is awesome!
Oh, I didn't notice till now you mentioned the glare..
- November 16, 2010 at 5:44 AM
- Paula Villanova said...
Thanks Yvonne (hey, I love your avatar!) and Kelley...and yes Kelley, that glare...I need to break down and buy my own camera, I really haven't been taking the time to photograph my work properly which is not a good thing...I don't know if my old one can be fixed...
- November 16, 2010 at 5:37 PM
- Peter Lee said...
Very nice!
You really captured the atmosphere of the China town. I love those blue lines sneaking out through strong reds.
Can't wait to see more of your urban paintings.
- November 27, 2010 at 9:28 PM


text:
January 12, 2016
Hoax highlights failures of military, security approaches to terrorism
Photos, video, and talk text: www.theyesmen.org/project/totalterrorism/
Contact: email@example.com
Today in the European Parliament in Brussels, a "defense and security consultant" (actually Andy Bichlbaum of the Yes Men, working together with Greek MEP Stelios Kouloglou) presented an industrial solution to terrorism" which—unlike all other military and security solutions—is guaranteed to actually work
During the presentation, Bichlbaum described the failures of military action, drone operations, assassinations, surveillance, and policing to reduce terrorism in any way—before presenting the "solution": a fully-defended orb called the "ENDURAsphere," that gives well-heeled citizens the ability to outlast any terrorist attack. The audience, which included media, members of the public, and several MEPs, asked over 10 minutes' worth of questions.
"This hoax was about highlighting that there really is no solution to terrorism within the defense and security paradigm," said Bichlbaum. "Military 'solutions' backfire badly."
Bichlbaum wore a colonial-era moustache. "Any 'solution' to terrorism that doesn't take colonial history into account is bound to fail completely," said Bichlbaum. "From the parcelling of the Middle East after WWI to the invasion of Iraq by the US, there are reasons things are as they are."
Speaking to press after the event, MEP Kouloglou highlighted some actual solutions to terrorism. "Bombing is a recruiting tool for ISIS," he said. "If we want to undermine terrorists, we need to end the war in Syria, welcome Middle Eastern refugees, and marginalize extremists by establishing better relationships with moderate forces in Islam. We also need to better integrate the youth of our most disadvantaged communities."
Today's hoax, part of a Charlie Hebdo commemoration organized by Kouloglou together with MEP Martin Sonneborn, represents the first action of its sort to take place within the European Parliament. It's also the first time the Yes Men have collaborated with any national representatives to develop an action.
Video and high-resolution photos are available on request.


text:
A historical inventory: How the "conspiracy theory meme" was de facto intentionally created by govermental think-tanks in order to steer public discourse
Professor Lance deHaven-Smith (professor emeritus of political science at Florida State University) writes the following about the history of the "conspiracy theory " in his peer-reviewed book entitled which was published by the University of Texas Press in 2013:
The term "conspiracy theory" was invented and put into public discourse by the CIA in 1964 in order to discredit the many skeptics who challenged the Warren Commission's conclusion that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by a lone gunman named Lee Harvey Oswald, who himself was assassinated while in police custody before he could be questioned. The CIA used its friends in the media to launch a campaign to make suspicion of the Warren Commission report a target of ridicule and hostility. This campaign was "one of the most successful propaganda initiatives of all time".
Chronological Ngram chart for the "conspiracy theory meme" (Google Books Ngram Viewer) in support of the hypothesis by Professor Lance DeHaven-Smith. The x-axis represents years in chronological order; the y-axis represents the percentage of books that a particular word or phrase appears in during that given year.
Argumentum ad hominem
Ad hominem (Latin for 'to the person'), short for argumentum ad hominem, is a term that refers to several types of arguments, most of which are fallacious. Typically this term refers to a rhetorical strategy where the speaker attacks the character, motive, or some other attribute of the person making an argument rather than attacking the substance of the argument itself. This avoids genuine debate by creating a diversion to some irrelevant but often highly charged issue. The fallacious attack can also be direct to membership in a group or institution.
The conspiracy theory meme as a tool of cultural hegemony:
A critical discourse analysis
A recent systematic discourse analysis published as a PhD dissertation substantiates this analysis with evidence from a plurality of sources.
2018). The conspiracy theory meme as a tool of cultural hegemony: A critical discourse analysis. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering. (
Abstract (Summary)
Those rejecting the official accounts of significant suspicious and impactful events are often labeled conspiracy theorists and the alternative explanations they propose are often referred to as conspiracy theories. These labels are often used to dismiss the beliefs of those individuals who question potentially hegemonic control of what people believe. The conspiracy theory concept functions as an impediment to legitimate discursive examination of conspiracy suspicions. The effect of the label appears to constrain even the most respected thinkers. This impediment is particularly problematic in academia, where thorough, objective analysis of information is critical to uncovering truth, and where members of the academy are typically considered among the most important of epistemic authorities. This dissertation tracked the development and use of such terms as pejoratives used to shut down critical thinking, analysis, and challenges to authority. This was accomplished using critical discourse analysis as a research methodology. Evidence suggesting government agents were instrumental in creating the pejorative meme conspiracy theorist was found in contemporary media. Tracing the evolution of the conspiracy theory meme and its use as a pejorative silencer may heighten awareness of its use in this manner and diminish its impact.
- URL: https://www.proquest.com/openview/55ccdf26dcda24e7190a0e99ffb88a87/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
- Free access PDF: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322682499
Psycholinguistic Tools & Deceptive Memes
For further detailed information the see the attached official CIA document (Warren Comission Report) which was released in response to a 1976 FOIA request by the New York Times. The document shows how the term "conspiracy" was intentionally utilised to prevent critical rational analysis and "dissenting perspectives".
Video: Secret service was called off shortly before Kennedy was killed.
On April 27, 1961 in New York City, Kennedy said, in part:
The very word "secrecy" is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths and to secret proceedings. We decided long ago that the dangers of excessive and unwarranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweighed the dangers which are cited to justify it. Even today, there is little value in opposing the threat of a closed society by imitating its arbitrary restrictions. Even today, there is little value in insuring the survival of our nation if our traditions do not survive with it. And there is very grave danger that an announced need for increased security will be seized upon by those anxious to expand its meaning to the very limits of official censorship and concealment.
Excerpts from the Warren Commission Report:
Conspiracy theories have frequently thrown suspicion on our organization, for example by falsely alleging that Lee Harvey Oswald worked for us. The aim of this dispatch is to provide material countering and discrediting the claims of the conspiracy theorists, so as to inhibit the circulation of such claims in other countries.
Conspiracy on the large scale often suggested would be impossible to conceal in the United States, esp. since informants could expect to receive large royalties, etc. Note that Robert Kennedy, Attorney General at the time and John F. Kennedy's brother, would be the last man to overlook or conceal any conspiracy.
A conspirator moreover would hardly choose a location for a shooting where so much depended on conditions beyond his control: the route, the speed of the cars, the moving target, the risk that the assassin would be discovered. A group of wealthy conspirators could have arranged much more secure conditions.
In his book Professor Lance deHaven-Smith provides further historical facts on how the CIA succeeded in manipulating public opinions and how they created an uncritical, reflexive, automatic, stigmatization in the public mind towards those who challenge official government explanations (i.e., the systematic use of ad hominem stratagems such as social exclusion and ostracism based on linguistic labeling and social categorisation).
Plain numerical DOI: 10.1080/13569775.2010.523939
directSciHub download
Show/hide publication abstract
URL: https://zero.sci-hub.ru/4203/d9fc53386d750041db5a26ed22c79a48/dehaven-smith2010.pdf#navpanes=0&view=FitH
Here is a classical epistemological (philosophical) argument which concisely highlights the importance of free access to information (e.g., free press, media, and internet):
Nihil est in intellectu quod non sit prius in sensu
(Transl.: Nothing is in the intellect that was not first in the senses)
This postulate is known as the "Aristotelian Peripatetic Axiom" and it highlights the importance of information (input) for reasoning and knowledge. To put it simply, if information (which is perceived through the senses, e.g., eyes and ears) is not available to us, then we obviously cannot think about it. Accordingly, knowledge is fundamentally based on information. The opposite of knowing is nescience (ne-science = not knowing). The human mind is thus furnished by sensory impressions which in turn form the basis of ideas. In other words, the data which impinges on our sensory organs "determines" our worldview (i.e., our holistic perspective on reality; a Gestalt; German: Weltanschauung). Ergo, the peripatetic axiom is obviously of great pertinence in the context of the "information revolution" (the information age). Per analogiam to the agricultural revolution and industrial revolution, the digital revolution heralded the beginning of the information revolution. According to this ancient principle, any form of information censorship is thus a limitation of possible knowledge. In addition, the selective propagation of information can be used to create specific worldviews in the human mind (cf. cybernetics).
This ancient axiom of how the mind is furnished has been corroborated by fundamental research in 20th century neuroscience. For instance, the path-breaking work by Donald Hebb emphasises the importance of experience in learning. The neuronal circuitry in our brain is "wired" by incoming information. The Hebbian mantra is: "Cells that fire together wire together".
Connected cells become engrams. Multiple cells become cell assemblies. Hebb stated the following to describe his approach:
"The general idea is an old one, that any two cells or systems of cells that are repeatedly active at the same time will tend to become 'associated' so that activity in one facilitates activity in the other."(1949, p.70)
He wrote further:
"When one cell repeatedly assists in firing another, the axon of the first cell develops synaptic knobs (or enlarges them if they already exist) in contact with the soma of the second cell." (op. cit. p.63)
In other words, repetition of specific information consolidates specific information processing pathways in the brain (per analogiam to a path in a forest which becomes more defined and more widely used the more people walk people walk on it, similarly, the ocean washes specific grooves into cliffs over elongated periods of time). Thus, our worldview is shaped by the information we are exposed to. Again, it is thus possible to "design" the available information in such a way that it creates a specific worldview (via neuro/synapto-plastic changes in the brain via the associative neuronal process of "long term potentiation"). Repetition is a key concept. The German propaganda expert Joseph Goebbels (who studied Bernays work on propaganda) understood this principle intuitively. He stated "If a lie is repeated often enough it becomes true". The manipulative and highly centralised mass-media (see Prof. Noam Chomsky) makes systematic usage of this principle. Think about the almost hypnotic repetition of the term "weapons of mass-destruction" before the invasion of Iraq (which later turned out to be a complete lie – but by then the imprint in the public mind was already created and extinction is a cumbersome process).
Interestingly in the broader context at hand, Hebb had close ties with the CIA and his methods were applied for the amoral and inhuman KUBARK torture manual of the CIA which was recently declassified. Sensory deprivation is one of several torture methods to "break down the psyche of human beings" discussed in this manual. Hebb participated in the CIA project "Bluebird" (which had the objective to make people "sing like a bluebird" even against their will). Project Bluebird was the predecessor of Project Artichoke which was then preceded by the notorious MK-Utra program which, inter alia, tested psychedelics compounds on non-consenting naïve populations (prisoners, mental patients, homeless, etc.). Hebb's work thus laid the groundwork for later CIA programs which were primarily concerned with the manipulating the human mind (and consequently human behaviour).
Hebb's Rule can be mathematically generalized as follows:
or the change in the ith synaptic weight wi is equal to a learning rate η times the ith input xi times the postsynaptic response y.
Often cited is the case of a linear neuron as:
The crux of the argument is that the brain learns by repetition and that information shapes our brain and hence our worldview (our mental model of reality).
Nihil est in intellectu quod non sit prius in sensu
(Transl.: Nothing is in the intellect that was not first in the senses)
, 43(2), 205–213.
Plain numerical DOI: 10.1002/jhbs.20225
directSciHub download
Show/hide publication abstract
, 43(4), 401–417.
Plain numerical DOI: 10.1002/jhbs.20271
directSciHub download
Show/hide publication abstract
, 51(30)
Plain numerical DOI: 10.1037/a0003712
directSciHub download
Show/hide publication abstract
, 63(4), 633.
Plain numerical DOI: 10.2307/1418888
directSciHub download
Show/hide publication abstract
, 1(2), 43–47.
Plain numerical DOI: 10.1016/S0950-5601(53)80053-5
directSciHub download
Show/hide publication abstract
Open the application fullscreen mode for optimal graphical performance
, 2(11), 1019–1025.
Plain numerical DOI: 10.1038/14819
directSciHub download
Show/hide publication abstract
, 11(12), 520–527.
Plain numerical DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2007.09.009
directSciHub download
Show/hide publication abstract
, 11(10), 1129–35. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18828191
Show/hide publication abstract
- Bernays, E. L. (1928). Propaganda. Horace Liveright.
- Bernays, E. L. (1936). Freedom of Propaganda. Vital Speeches of the Day, 2(24), 744–746.
- L'Etang, J. (1999). The father of spin: Edward L. Bernays and the birth of public relations. Public Relations Review, 25(1), 123–124.
- Lippmann, W. (1920). Liberty and the News. Museum.
- Lippmann, W. (1970). The Phantom Public. Politics.
- Clark, M. W. (2006). Hero or villain? Bertolt Brecht and the crisis surrounding June 1953. Journal of Contemporary History.
- Hunt, T. C. N.-. (2004). Goodbye to Berlin: For 200 years, German thinkers have shaped British intellectual life - but their influence is fading fast. The Guardian.
Plain numerical DOI: 10.1111/hcre.12000
directSciHub download
Show/hide publication abstract
Plain numerical DOI: 10.1177/0267323111433566
directSciHub download
Show/hide publication abstract
• Douglas, K. M., & Sutton, R. M. (2008). The hidden impact of conspiracy theories: Perceived and actual influence of theories surrounding the death of Princess Diana. Journal of Social Psychology, 148, 210–221.
• Goldzwig, S. (2002). Conspiracy rhetoric at the dawn of the new millennium: A response. Western Journal of Communication, 66, 492–506.
• Hayes, C. (2006). 9/11: The roots of paranoia: Conspiracy theories and public mistrust. The Nation, 283, 11–13.
• Hellinger, D. (2003). Paranoia, conspiracy, and hegemony in American politics. In H. G. West, & T. Sanders (Eds.), Transparency and conspiracy: Ethnographies of suspicion in the new world order (pp. 204–232). Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
• Keeley, B. (1999). Of conspiracy theories author(s). The Journal of Philosophy, 96, 109–126.
• Lindemann, K., & Renegar, V. (2006). Play, pleasure, and hypertext resistance: Internet conspiracy theory and ''the real story'' of United Airlines Flight 93. Paper presented at the National Communication Association Annual Convention, San Antonio, TX.
• Mason, F. (2002). A poor person's cognitive mapping. In P. Knight (Ed.), Conspiracy nation: The politics of paranoia in postwar America (pp. 40–56). New York, NY: New York University Press.
• McCauley, C., & Jacques, S. (1979). The popularity of conspiracy theories of presidential assassination: A Bayesian analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 637–644.
• McGuire, W. J. (1961a). The effectiveness of supportive and refutational defenses in
immunizing and restoring beliefs against persuasion. Sociometry, 24, 184–197.
• McGuire, W. J. (1961b). Resistance to persuasion conferred by active and passive prior refutation of the same and alternative counterarguments. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 63, 326–332.
• Melley, T. (2002). Agency, panic and the culture of conspiracy. In P. Knight (Ed.), Conspiracy nation: The politics of paranoia in postwar America (pp. 57–81). New York, NY: New York University Press.
• Miller, S. (2002). Conspiracy theories: Public arguments as coded social critiques: A
rhetorical analysis of the TWA fight 800 conspiracy theories. Argumentation and
Advocacy, 39, 40–56. doi: 10.1177/0267323111433566


text:
Optimum Clarity
|Optimum Clarity
Ever feel like you're not quite on top of your game mentally? Need to focus and be more alert? Maybe you should try Optimum Clarity. It's an all natural supplement to enhance mental clarity and focus.It's safe for all ages, moms, students, seniors,business professionals and athletes.
The all natural ingredients include Ginko Biloba, St. John's Wart, Vinpocetine , Acetyl-L Carnatine , Phosphatidylserine complex , Bacopa monnieri , L-Glutamine , DMAE Bitartrate.
I like to stay on top of things as a mom and grandma, so I really like this approach to mental alertness. I don't like to take harsh chemicals so knowing anything I take is all natural makes me feel so much better.
Just one capsule a day. Mental clarity, improved memory and alertness is that simple.
I received this product for free and was compensated for my honest unbiased review.


text:
Here are the Top 3 Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Deposit and Play.
1) Thinking that your funds are unlimited:
Play Money, faucet, tips or rain will make you to believe that its ok to lose and funds are unlimited. But its usually the opposite these freebies make you to lose more when you deposit and play as in your mind you are already brain washed that its ok to lose and you can always get more funds to play. That's why most crypto gambling sites have some sort of system it may be faucets or others even when they are losing a lot from those that abuse it.
My advice will be never bother with these freebies from the start, deposit some and learn the real risk involved in the game. You will never learn anything valuable or make some good profits by being a freeloader.
2) High Risk Works:
Yes, high risk works but it only works when you have free money to do that. With real deposit most likely you will hit that risky win once you have lost enough balance already chasing for that big win.
I am not saying that you must not take risk but taking high risk is not healthy at all for your balance. You might be lucky once or twice but its extremely rare that you will profit most of the time.
You might end up chasing for that high payout for several thousand bets and still it might not show up. So high risk is only good with free money but with your own deposit money its best to avoid it. Do not get yourself stuck in a recovery game chasing the high payouts.
3) Playing Carelessly and Recklessly:
When playing with free money one can be careless, reckless and still win as there is no strings attached.
The main problem is that when you deposit and try to do the same, you will definitely lose as you will be definitely attached emotionally to what you deposit. Do not translate your carefree and reckless play style with your deposit money you will definitely lose it all.
When you are depositing your hard earned money, at least be responsible. Take some time to calculate your bets so that you do not end up busting too early and that the fun last longer.
Profits are not that important but if you are good at it, you definitely make some profits while having some fun at the same time.
Want to add something or have any doubts, leave a comment below.
Follow @smartgamblingedge on Telegram, Never Miss Any Updates!
Do share the post with a friend that might benefit from it!
Top 3 Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Deposit and Play. Reviewed by Amar Singh on October 17, 2018 Rating:


text:
Cultivation of Japanese giant oysters in new innovation project
Can Japanese giant oysters increase the profitability of Swedish mussel and oyster farms and contribute to sustainable aquaculture? Outside Lysekil on the west coast of Sweden an innovation project is underway in which IVL will test new methods for cultivating foreign species in the sea.
– The project will look at different cultivation methods and evaluate submerged cultivation systems, a technology which is new to Sweden. If we are successful this may give rise to a whole new industry here, says Åsa Strand, researcher in foreign species and aquaculture at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. Åsa Strand will draw up methods to inhibit propagation of the cultivated Japanese oysters. She will also explore ways in which production of cultivated domestic blue mussels and oysters can be improved and effectivised, and whether it will be possible to reduce problems with fouling found in the crops today. According to Åsa Strand, the Japanese giant oyster is a promising candidate for both the diversification and expansion of the Swedish shellfish industry. Since 2006, the species has established itself in Swedish waters, but because the authorities are responsible for monitoring activities that may lead to the spread of invasive species, new methods must be developed before it can be cultivated in Sweden. In addition to positive effects on actual production, cultivation may have a number of additional benefits, says Åsa Strand. – Because oysters absorb nutrients they can have positive environmental effects in areas suffering from eutrophication. Another important aspect is that cultivation below the surface of water does not compete for land space and therefore may be more easily accepted. Expanding this type of aquaculture could in turn contribute both to economic and social development and provide job opportunities at a local level and support viable coastal communities. The project is financed via the Swedish Board of Agriculture. It starts in September 2017 and runs until December 2020. For more information please contact: Åsa Strand, email@example.com, +46 (0)10-788 66 05


text:
The right to own guns is not an absolute right. As a personal right it always has to be balanced with the legitimate rights of other people, and with protecting the common good. That's a principle that applies to all individual freedoms.
For example, we're guaranteed the right to free speech, but it's not an absolute right. It was decided a long time ago that because of the common good and for reasons of public safety you can't yell "fire" in a theater. And you want to test your freedom of speech? Try talking about your fascination with bombs the next time you're boarding an airplane and see what happens.
As a society we need always to achieve a proper balance between individual freedom and the common good. Pope John Paul II addressed this in his 1993 Encyclical, Veritatis Splendor, where he wrote: "Freedom must halt before the 'tree of the knowledge of good and evil,' for it is called to accept the moral law given by God." And in a homily given in Baltimore in 1995, the Pope taught that the basic question before a democratic society is how the members of that society can live together peacefully. "Every generation of Americans needs to know that freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought," he said.
The question about the "right to bear arms," the ownership of guns by individuals, has been forced into public debate once again by the horrific slaughter of 27 people, including 20 little children, in Connecticut by one deranged young man. We'll all be thinking about and praying for the victims of that terrible event for a long, long time.
The crime in Connecticut raises lots of societal questions that need to be earnestly addressed – ensuring the safety of children in our schools; improving the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness; the rampant violence that's glorified in our popular culture these days; the stability of the family unit; and the general lack of respect for human life and dignity in our society, come quickly to mind.
It's the control of guns, however, that's emerged as the most emotional and politically divisive issue of the lot. It seems to me, though, that it's an issue where a little bit of common sense would go a long way in restoring a proper balance between individual rights and the common good of society.
In response to the tragedy in Connecticut, the Bishops of the United States issued a statement in which they said, "The events in Newtown call us to turn to the Lord in prayer and to witness more profoundly Christ's perfect love, mercy and compassion. We must confront violence with love . . . We call upon all people of goodwill to help bring about a culture of life and peace." In their statement the Bishops also addressed a number of practical issues related to the violent attack, including gun control.
It's important to note, though, that the Bishops are not new to the discussion about firearms. In the year 2000 they addressed the issue of gun control and they are on record for supporting legislation that would: control the sale and use of firearms; make guns safer, discouraging, especially, their use by children; protect society from the violence associated with assault weapons; and confront the consequences of addiction and mental illness in causing crime.
I've addressed this issue before as well. In a "Without a Doubt" column on June 25, 1999, I wrote the following:
Doesn't the proliferation of guns in our homes and neighborhoods, and the increase of violence in society argue for some limits, some restraints? I know, I know . . . "Guns don't kill people, people kill people," the tiresome saying insists. But the fact is that people use guns more than any other weapon to kill people. In thinking of the terrible violence that has occurred in schools over the last few years,
I can't recall even one case in which students were stabbed or bludgeoned to death by a crazed classmate.
The National Rifle Association (the NRA) has again emerged as a key player in the current debate. Despite its influence, however, the NRA is not a fourth branch of government. If the Association wants to be a respected and credible part of our community, it has to be part of the solution, not the source of the problem. It has to promote the common good; not protect its own interests. The NRA, too, is subject to the law of God.
One of the signature songs of the iconic folk group, Peter, Paul and Mary, was "Blowin' in the Wind," written by Bob Dylan. There they ask nine questions, including: "How many times must the cannon balls fly, before they're forever banned?"
In a similar way we can ask ourselves, "How many children must die, how many families must suffer, how many communities must be forever scarred," until we as a society agree to reasonable limits on firearms? If the answer's not clear now, it never will be. It's time for our nation, state and local governments to enact legislation that will severely limit the number and nature of firearms available to the general public.