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Legislation Will Boost Exports to the Large and Growing Russian Market
Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) sent a Key Vote letter to senators urging passage of the Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal Act (H.R. 6156). This legislation will grant the United States Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with Russia to grow U.S. exports and secure market access to help create American jobs.
"After overwhelming support in the House for PNTR, the Senate can now move us another step closer to ensuring market access in Russia for manufacturers in the United States," said Alcoa Inc. Vice President for Global Public and Government Affairs and NAM Russia Trade Relations Task Force Chairman Daniel Cruise. "The fast-growing Russian market offers a tremendous opportunity for the growth of U.S.-manufactured goods exports. The faster we can get this legislation to the President for his signature, the sooner U.S. manufacturers can begin to realize the benefits of Russia's WTO membership."
"This week the Senate can pass a jobs bill that will help manufacturers increase exports and level the playing field in the ninth largest economy in the world," said NAM Senior Vice President for Policy and Government Relations Aric Newhouse. "We have a significant opportunity for growth in the Russian market as last year only 5 percent of Russian imports were U.S. goods. The President's Export Council says we can double exports to Russia in the next five years with PNTR. Failure to pass this PNTR legislation will only set us further behind in the growing Russian market and hurt American jobs and manufacturing workers."
Please click here to read the Key Vote letter.


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Raudus › Forums › Erros or Bugs › bug-fix to version RaudusInstall0.9.9q-windows.exe
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An error was encountered while activating autamic themes. When this option is enabled TRaChecBox is not rendered. After installing Raudus Install version 0.9.9q-windows.exe
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subset: commoncrawl


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Lady Gaga Reportedly Shot A Secret Music Video With 'Real Housewives' Cast
Lady Gaga filmed a top secret music video starring cast members of The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills, according to Us Weekly. The Bravo series features Lisa Vanderpump, Kyle Richards, Kim Richards, Brandi Glanville, Yolanda Foster, Joyce Giraud de Ohoven and Carlton Gebbia. For what it's worth, Gaga is an avowed Real Housewives fan.
A separate report doesn't corroborate the Real Housewives angle, but does indicate Gaga is filming her next video. On Tuesday night (February 11) roughly 100 dancers, crew members and security staff took part in a Gaga video shoot at Hearst Castle in California. The dead giveaway that it was a Gaga affair? Large, metallic inflatable swans and a giant plaster seashell.
Could this be the long rumored "Venus" video? Could this be for expected single "Gypsy"? Could it be a "Do What U Want" re-do? Or maybe she's going Beyonce on us and doing all of 'em. Leave your theory in the comments below.
Get an eyeful of even more pop music coverage, from artist interviews to exclusive performances, on Idolator's YouTube channel.


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On June 30th in Umbria the yearly Convention of MPI Italia Chapter.
"Let's meet in Umbria, the Heart of Italy" is the title of the 26th Convention of MPI Italia that is held from June 30th to July 1st, with the support of Umbria Region. The main topics discussed will be Destination Marketing, Re-branding, events sustainability.
The venue is particularly atractive because it is the ranch in the countryside of Umbria property of Daniela and Giulio Mogol that will welcome the guests of the MPI Convention, associated and supporters.
"This Convention is a good opportunity of comparison among us operators on the best practice in the MICE industry – President Mauro Bernardini says – and as always we want to give the impulse to the congressual sector looking at the future and proposing to the Meeting Professionals the best solutions in planning events".
Three are the themes of the Convention: Destination Marketing, Re-branding and the importance of events' sustainability. They will be discussed in a Talk Show moderated by the business coach Andrea Baldo with the managers of Umbria, Marche and Abruzzo Regions.
With "Let's meet in Umbria, the Heart of Italy", MPI Italia wants to express the solidarity to Italy who was involved in the earthquake and to give a direction for its recovery with the help of the Tourism industry and in particular of the MICE one.
At the end of the convention an excursion in Valnerina ai Bagni di Triponzo with old Roman hot springs, which were re-opened last year.
On Saturday afternoon July 1st, exam session for the professional certificate.
MPI Italia Chapter: founded in 1991, Mpi Italia Chapter is the Italian Chapter of MPI International (Meeting Professionals International, founded in Dallas, USA in 1972). With more than 17.000 partners in 24 countries, organizzaed in 90 Chapters, MPI represents all the professionals involved in the events, congress and tourism fields.
MPI Italia Chapter has been recognized and registered in the list of the Italian Economic Development Ministry.


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Surayya asks Aaliya to leave from Zain's life as she wants to see him happy. She tells her how much Zain did for her by saving Aayath from Rocky and helping her family. Aaliya is upset and writes a letter to Zain saying she is going away from his life forever and maybe its Allah's wish. Zain is shocked and runs to stops Aaliya. Aaliya is at the train station and Zain reaches there looking out for her and shouting Aaliya……… Will he stop her from leaving from his life? Will he tell her that he loves her? Stay tuned to your favorite show Beintehaan.
[dailymotion id=k6M3ga13Vt4JSi6eWDn]


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BoxJul 8, 2020, 03:36 AMThese are great, but not as good as the ones from this same shop a few years back. Extra untrimmed flashing and short shots were never prevalent in the old ones, but had to discard a handful of these ones for that reason. Order extras. The newer caps from here fit far tighter than they used to, be aware you may need to use a rubber mallet or press of some sort to save your palm some grief. They were so tight I didn't have to use glue at all, they're next to impossible to pull back out. They're still far easier than dealing with gluing the paper caps, that really becomes tedious on large projects, but the tradeoff is losing 1/2" of tube space vs the shallow profile of paper caps.
The United States Government and our shipping service both restrict our sales to within the United States. Shipping rates are calculated by the carrier (USPS, UPS, etc.), not by CannonFuse.com or any of its employees.
Fuse and other "hazmat" items MUST travel via USPS Ground Advantage HAZMAT, which typically takes 5-15 business days to deliver. East Coast orders may take longer. We can make no guarantees on delivery.
Please ensure the shipping address you enter is correct. We often received returned packages due to inaccurate addresses. In most cases, if your package is returned to us because the entered address was incorrect, you will have to pay shipping charges again to have it re-shipped. If you choose not to, your original order will be refunded minus your original shipping charges. We have to pay every time we ship a package, and so will you.
In the unlikely event that you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, you are welcome to send unused product back to us within 90 days. However, we don't pay return shipping, we don't refund the original shipping, and there may be up to a 15% restocking fee, depending on the reason for the return.
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Bitcoin & Crypto Derivatives
Learn about crypto derivative exchanges and how traders use them.
What are derivatives?A derivative is a standardized contract whose value is based on an underlying crypto asset, such a Bitcoin or Ethereum. Exchanges like BitMEX, FTX, Binance Futures/Options, Huobi, and OKEx have all introduced many kinds of derivative products into the crypto space. This article will give an overview of these financial tools.
What are the advantages of trading derivatives?Most notably, leverage allows traders to amplify their risk/reward ratio. BitMEX famously offers up to 100x leverage, and some exchanges are taking that even higher.
Trading derivatives allows an investor to have no direct ownership of an asset. Since a derivative represents a contract that has value relative to another asset, this ends up being a way to have price exposure to an asset while not having direct custody it. This may have legal and regulatory advantages for some.
Going short means that traders can profit from downward price movement. Being able to trade off both positive and negative price swings allows for twice as many trading opportunities.
FuturesA futures contract is a standardized legal contract to buy or sell something at a predetermined price at a specified time in the future. These contracts are rarely executed directly. Rather, they are simply bought and sold as their value fluctuates.
OptionsAn options contract gives the buyer the right (but not the obligation), to buy or sell an underlying asset such as Bitcoin, at a specific "strike" price. Options typically expire at a pre-determined date in the future. The value of an option is determined by its strike price relative to the current price of the underlying asset + a premium for how much time remains before the option expires.
Buying a "put" gives the holder the right to sell an asset at a specific price and date in the future. Buying a put means the owner is bearish. Buying a "call" gives the holder the right to buy an asset at a specific price and date in the future. A call is bullish.
Leveraged TokensCertain exchanges such as Binance and FTX offer leveraged tokens. These simply represent leveraged (multiplied) exposure to another asset, and have names such as ETHBEAR, BTCBULL, ETHUP, and BTCDOWN. The amount of leverage applied to these tokens is typically 2-3x, but that may vary over time.
Perpetual SwapPerpetual Swaps are essentially a futures contract with no expiry date.
Spot MarketsWhen talking about futures and perpetual swaps, a "spot" market is the name given to a standard crypto asset exchange. Spot markets trade crypto assets for immediate delivery. Typically you can't withdraw a derivative off of an exchange, whereas crypto assets themselves can be withdrawn into personal custody.
Prediction MarketsPrediction markets allow traders to bet on real-world event outcomes that haven't happened yet. Common examples are presidential elections, sports betting, or even the weather at a pre-determined date in the future. Projects like Augur have taken this notion into the crypto space.
More Resources
- Learn more about BitMEX terminology.
- Get customizable price alerts across dozens of exchanges.
- Create crypto volatility alerts across thousands of digital assets.


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I was working on a story about birds.
Watergate, this was not.
So I wrote to the state ornithologist, Andrew Vitz, who works for the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, asking if he'd be willing to chat.
"I would be happy to talk with you," he responded in an email.
I just needed permission from a state public relations person, he wrote.
This was not unusual, particularly since Governor Charlie Baker came into office. But I wasn't optimistic.
For years now, as the environment reporter at the Globe, I have repeatedly requested to speak to a range of state scientists and other officials, hoping they might shed light on the often-complex subjects I write about and answer questions about the state's positions.
The response I nearly always receive from the administration — as do many of my colleagues — is a self-serving statement with background bullet points. Rarely do the answers address my questions.
Still, I wrote to Katie Gronendyke, a press secretary at the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, who has long had the unfortunate job of having to respond to my requests.
I explained what I was reporting and wrote, "I would love to speak to Andrew for the story. Would that be OK?"
I even sent her questions I hoped to ask.
I called her as well, without luck.
Five hours later, I received a response, one that — as usual — ignored my request to interview the ornithologist.
She sent me four bullet points on background, one of which answered a question I had asked. The last bullet point referred me to a federal agency for further information.
"Can I speak directly to Andrew?" I wrote back. "It would be useful to have his voice in the story."
I also repeated the questions that I hoped he might answer.
She responded, again, without answering my question. "I will refer you to the background information I provided earlier," she wrote.
I have had the same experience reporting stories about more sensitive subjects, including mercury pollution, nuclear power, carbon emissions, etc. I ask questions and seek comment from our public officials, and the Baker administration routinely won't allow them to speak to me.
I don't blame Gronendyke. It's the policy from her bosses that's the problem. They have made it clear that they won't allow me, or many of my colleagues, to speak directly with the experts in government who can often best answer our questions — even when it's a story about birds.


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PDF The Power of a Woman's Words Download
- Author: Sharon Jaynes
- Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
- Category : Religion
- Languages : en
- Pages : 242
Your Words Echo in Hearts and Minds Long After They Are Spoken Have you listened to yourself lately? Did you know that your words are shaping other people's lives? That they are the mirrors in which others see themselves? Every day you can speak life into their souls or suck the life right out of them. The choice is yours. In The Power of a Woman's Words, bestselling author Sharon Jaynes will show you how to exchange careless words that hurt for intentional words that help others succeed recognize words that tear down confidence and replace them with words that build others up overcome the negativity that pushes people away and become a well of positivity that draws others in tame your tongue by practicing practical principles that help you think before you speak stop being disappointed in your lack of control by taking hold of the power of the Holy Spirit Words are one of the most powerful forces in the universe, and God has entrusted them to you! How will you use this gift? Your words can change the course of someone's day…even someone's life.


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Life is too short to drink bad coffee. And luckily, in no small part thanks to the Aussie/ Kiwi style cafes branching out across London, we never have to.
From full bodied flat whites to creamy cappuccinos that promise just the hint of pistachio ice cream, this post shares some of my favourite coffee haunts in central London.
1. Lantana Cafe, Fitzrovia
One of the clearest signs of the Antipodean takeover of London's coffee culture has to be the proliferation of the flat white, a drink which has gone from relative obscurity to immense popularity in under a decade. One of the best I've had is at Lantana, a cheerful and homely Aussie hideaway in Fitzrovia, serving a bespoke blend co-developed with the coffee roaster, Alchemy. A New Zealander, Lantana's Head of Coffee, Celeste Wong really knows her beans, and with her direction the coffee is bodied yet balanced, with depth and acidity.
In case you're wondering about the nuances between a flattie and a regular cappuccino or latte (I know, I was), Celeste breaks it down quite simply, explaining that a flat white is essentially "a double espresso with heated, textured milk in a small cup so there isn't too much milk. The milk needs to be creamy but still thin "flat". So not as thick as say, a latte which should be milkier." If your passionate about all things caffeine, then I really can't recommend her blog, the Girl in the Cafe, enough.
13 Charlotte Place, London W1T 1SN
2. Kaffeine, Fitzrovia
Another Australian-style cafe, many a Londoner have developed a Kaffeine addiction ever since it opened its doors on Great Titschfield Street back in 2009, as the queues even today go to show. It's small – I prefer my coffee to go – but the atmosphere seems almost electric, no doubt due to all those highly charged Square Mile beans jumping around.
66 Great Titchfield St, London W1W 7QJ
3. Department of Coffee and Social Affairs, Carnaby Street
It's all in the name. A trendy – some may say, hipster – hangout with granite counter tops and street art decor. Go for the Colombian stargazer beans. The hint of cherry and almonds lends both a sweet and sour taste when had as back coffee, while the sweetness is really enhanced when combined with milk, making for a velvety cappuccino.
3 Lowndes Court, Carnaby Street, W1F 7HD
4. No 193, Soho
In the heart of Soho, TAP's Wardour Street outpost perpetually buzzing, drawing in coffee enthusiasts by the hordes for the high quality coffee roasted in-store in the Probat at the back. This is a rustic space with skylights running along most of the long length of the ceilings. It's busy but laid back at the same, making it all-too-easy to stay on for hours too once you've bagged a table.
193 Wardour St, London W1F 8ZF
5. Soho Grind, Soho
The all day and late night espresso bar is another Soho favourite for its edgy vibes, not to mention its cracking selection of cocktails and olives served from evening onwards in the small but atmospheric basement area.
19 Beak St, London W1F 9RP
6. Notes Coffee, Trafalgar Square
The independent music store turned coffee shop and wine bar, roast their own coffee – Bokasso espresso beans that lend a deliciously buttery texture to cappuccinos; offer a formidable selection of wines by the glass and bottle; AND host live jazz evenings on a regular basis. If that doesn't give you enough to reasons to check out this chic cafe off Trafalgar Square, then I don't know what will.
31 St Martin's Lane, London WC2N 4ER
7. Timberyard, Covent Garden
Cosy armchairs, vintage suitcases for tables, a gorgeous display of locally supplied treats, including a mouthwatering lineup of crodoughs (the best of a croissant and doughnut), and matcha lattes that are by far among the best in London… Quite a lot to love really, about this airy cafe tucked away from the bustle of Covent Garden.
7 Upper St Martin's Lane, London WC2H 9DL
8. Fleet River Bakery, Holborn
In case you were wondering about the conspicuous absence from this list of the Holy Grail that is Monmouth Coffee, it's because I usually get my fix from Fleet River Bakery, (they use Monmouth's beans). Queues often spill out and around the corner, with LSE students and nearby office goers alike patiently waiting for their morning fuel and/ or afternoon boost. They usually have a fantastic choice of quiches at lunch too, while the cakes and brownies are just scrummy.
71 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3JF
9. Workshop Coffee, Marylebone
Although many remain loyal to Workshop's original Clerkenwell store (where they still roast all their beans), I'm more than a little partial to their Marylebone coffee bar which stands out as an oasis in the commercial trap that is St. Christopher's Place. It feels a bit like an industrial (but very approachable) coffee lab here, with a majestic powder-blue synesso at the centre and a very knowledgable team of baristas – conversing with them is definitely an education, while you wait for your coffee. I opt for the Guatemalan La Parroquia beans since you ask, with the promise of a hint of pistachio ice cream – the resulting cappuccino is about as creamy as it gets.
1 Barrett St, Marylebone W1U 1DN
10. Mount Street Deli, Mayfair
This charming cafe on the beautiful Mount Street is one of my favourite places to while away a rare free afternoon in London. Early birds nab the much-sought after tables on the mini terrace, but pulling up a stool by the counters against the big glass windows is just as ideal for a spot of people watching and window shopping, with the likes of Louboutin and Balenciaga just opposite the street. The Deli is part of Sir Richard Caring's Caprice Holdings, so you can expect a selection of soups and small dishes from the nearby kitchens of 34 and Scott's, not to mention the incredibly rich and decadent chocolate cake from Annabel's club in Berkley Square. It always goes down a treat with a cup of strong Volcano coffee.
100 Mount Street, London W1K 2TG
What about you guys? Do spill the beans on your favourites in the comments below!


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This HMS carabiner is an excellent match for any belay device. This screw lock carabiner features the forged I-beam construction and no-snag keylock nose.
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Today's special guest is a farm girl, a motivational speaker and an author of a daily devotional series. Continue reading to learn more.
I'm proud to announce the following guest for your listening pleasure.
Please be sure to read onward after the following message to learn how you can be my guest here on INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEYS.
Thanks for listening and do write to let me and my guest know what you thought of this presentation.
Mary Rodman
Monday July 22, 2019
MORE ABOUT GUEST AUTHOR MARY RODMAN…
Mary resides in Radnor, Ohio with her husband, Jim. Together they enjoy family, friends, farm life, and vacations. She is a farm girl at heart who discovered her niche as a Christian author and Christian speaker. She is the author of the Bloom Devotional Book Series which includes Bloom Where You're Planted, and #1 New Release Amazon Best Seller, Live Life in Full Bloom. Her devotional books are filled with flickers of laughter and moments of tears as you relate to her daily life with Jesus. Her unique style of writing intertwines the gospel with life stories as she turns your path of the mundane and the mayhem into extraordinary living with Christ.
She is an active member of the Central Ohio Emmaus Community and her local church. Her greatest joy is helping others cultivate and grow their relationship with Christ.
As a speaker, Mary provides insights from her own life and challenges you to live an extraordinary life for Jesus. Her topics range from a season of grief where she made "Something out of Nothing" to "Bloom Where You're Planted" where she shares how to BLOOM through all of life's circumstances. Book Mary for your next event at maryrodman.com/speaking and learn more about her weekend retreat, "Who Are You? Discover the woman God created you to be."
Her Bloom Daily Devotional Series includes the following titles:
Book 1 – Bloom Where You're Planted released in October 2016
Book 2 – Live Life in Full Bloom
Bloom: A flower, especially one cultivated for its beauty.
Use these devotions to discover a renewed awareness of Jesus in your life. Through her words, Mary will remind you to BLOOM in all of life's situations. Experience the joy of seeing God daily and transform your life into extraordinary living with Jesus.
God calls us to be a beautiful flower in the mundane and the mayhem of life. Mary challenges you to look past the tragedies in your life, your humdrum routines and your daily chaos to see Christ. These devotions point to His presence in every part of our lives, when we simply take the time to notice.
Rediscover the awe of God's creation of the white iris and be humbled by the hidden blessings that can be found through tragedy as you join Mary on this journey.
The phrase "remember the toilet†will become a reminder to look at the positive side of an ungrateful person or a challenging situation in your life.
Chuckle as Mary shares her rotisserie experience at the sleep clinic, and how she was humbly reminded of the blessings in her life which she had taken for granted.
Purchase link:
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:1-2 (MSG)
I visited a different church Sunday and the pastor closed with the scripture above. I am familiar with this passage of scripture but not from The Message. As I followed along, I highlighted the reference so I could focus on it later. As I reread the passage again it occurred to me, the reason this scripture spoke to my heart is because it is the theme of my books! Bloom! Stop what you are doing—the daily grind—and focus on God.
Often times we walk through life in a blur. Our daily lives become routine. You brush your teeth, grab your coffee, and drive to work. Routine is good, but look beyond your routine for the aspects of God. He is everywhere, every day. He is even with you in the dull daily routine. He doesn't want your life to feel monotonous. He wants you to feel alive.
The next time you brush your teeth, thank God for the toothpaste on your brush. Thank Him for the job (whether you like it or not) which provides the money to purchase your toothpaste. Are you stuck in traffic? Take a look around. Do the other drivers look happy, sad, frustrated? Rather than post the traffic jam on social media, say a prayer for them as you patiently wait. Is there a long line at the coffee shop? Have some fun, pay it forward and purchase for the car behind you.
Rather than constantly asking God, "What do you want me to do?†Get involved where you are—BLOOM today. God isn't waiting for you to go on a mission trip to Zimbabwe. He wants to use you at this current moment in your life and in your current circumstances. Include God in your day to day, routine, humdrum, life because, "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones (Luke 16:10a).â€
By all means have hopes and dreams to serve God in big ways. I believe He desires for us to grow and plan for the future, but He also expects us to accept our current situations and see Him in the small pieces of life.
God wants you to be patient and focus on Him, so you will learn to bloom. Once you begin to see God the small parts of your life, you will find yourself able to Live Life in Full Bloom! When you live this way, when you understand God is with you all of the time: "You'll be changed from the inside out.†You will begin to grow and serve in ways you can't even imagine. Amen!
Connect with Mary at the following links:
Tweets by MrsMaryRodman
Mary's resources:
One of a kind book covers and great customer service at https://selfpubbookcovers.com
Legacy Lane Publishing…Diane is not only a publisher, she is a teacher of how to self publish. And now…she is a great friend.
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Free pictures available. I used their resources to build free giveaway downloads, email blasts, etc.
BE A GUEST…
As authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs, we often find it hard to stand out above the constant chatter on the internet. If that sounds like you, I'd like to help you boost the visibility of your brand. My name is Ann Harrison-Barnes and I run a podcast called Inspirational Journeys. On my podcast I post solo episodes of value to my listeners, led by the Holy Spirit. I also talk to authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs who want to share their inspirational journeys with the world. If you're interested in being a guest on my show, please send an email to email@example.com or fill out the form found at:
Please be sure to leave Inspirational Journeys in the subject line of your email or in your comment on my contact form so that I can send you my interview framework.
If you're launching a book, please let me know and I'll send you my featured book questionnaire. I ask that you do this, so I can feature your book in the show notes blog post associated with the podcast
Thanks for listening to Inspirational Journeys and have a Blessed Day.
Podcast cover art photo provided by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash:


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submitted by John Coroneos on 07.07.2005
James (Jim) Coroneos
Jim was born on 1st May 1925 in Gunning, NSW near Goulbourn.
His parents were Christophoros Melasofaos Coroneos & Melopomeni Comino from Karava in Kythera, who came to Australia, where they started a café in Gunning, named The Busy Bee.
Jim was the oldest of 6 children, and was very close to his brothers and sisters and their spouses - Charles and Mary, Annie and George, Matty and Mick, George and Betsy, Peter and Lyn. He will be sorely missed by them and their families.
Jim began his schooling at Gunning Primary School where he showed a lot of promise and ability.
He then continued on at Goulbourn High School, where he lived with his Aunty Georgina and Uncle George. He would arrive home on the weekends, help out in the café, and play Rugby with friends, which he had a passion for throughout the years.
Due to his high intelligence, he was able to win a scholarship to Sydney University. There he achieved a Bachelor of Science and a Diploma in Education.
As you would be aware, Jim excelled in Mathematics, and commenced his teaching at country schools, including Goulbourn, Leeton and Yanko High Schools. He then taught in Sydney at North Sydney Boys, Cleveland St, Fort St, South Sydney and Vaucluse High Schools.
He found that many students had missed the fundamentals of mathematics, and he seemed to have a natural ability to teach them these basic concepts. He was a dedicated educator, and was passionate about helping his students reach their full potential.
He used to prepare detailed worksheets for his classes, which were well sought after by many teachers from different schools. This is when he decided to put these worksheets into a book. So, in 1964 he compiled them into his first publication, originally in his own handwriting (not typed).
He discovered that the market for these books were far beyond his expectations. So he had to learn the new skills of publishing and distribution to bookshops, schools, parents and students.
Because of his ability in Mathematics, he was invited to join University professors in setting the Higher School certificate examination papers. He also lectured at the Technical College and Sydney University.
In 1972, he chose to leave teaching and continue publishing and writing due to his wife Toula's encouragement. He and Toula formed Coroneos Publishing, a leader in the field of Mathematics and educational books.
Jim was a prolific author, writing over 120 titles himself & publishing more than 300.
Jim's name is synonymous with Mathematics & teaching in NSW, something for which he felt a great honour. His family and friends are very proud of his achievements and all that he has accomplished throughout the years. His committment and service to providing students, and parents, with the best educational information and advice was exemplary. To Jim, "everyone was a pupil". A well known catchcry in NSW schools was not to bring out your maths books, but to "bring out your Coroneos".
Jim met his wife, Toula at a Greek dance in Sydney, and they married in 1959. That union brought about 3 children. John, who is a medical doctor, Paul, who is a pharmacist and Suzanne, who is married to Michael. They have 3 beautiful girls who adored their grandfather, and who were adored by him. He often said he was lucky to see his grandchildren grow up in front of his eyes every day.
Jim always tried to guide his family in the right direction, and was very supportive and pleased with his children's achievements.
He was the central figure for his family and friends, and the organizer of many get togethers and reunions.
He had a special place in his heart for his oldest friends and Koubari, Peter and Tina Andrew, and for the camping trips and family outings they used to share together. And he was also very grateful to know and have so many other close friends.
He belonged to various charitable organisations, including the Order of AHEPA, the Grand Lodge of AHEPA, and he was a President of Chapter Prometheus for some considerable time.
He was also a great supporter of the St George Greek Orthodox Chuch and St Spyridon's College in Adelaide.
But we feel his greatest bond was with the Kytherian Brotherhood of Australia, of which he was a President and committee member for many years. He organised the Karavitiko Symposium over many decades; acting as both President and Patron. He he felt very strongly, and was very passionate about, his Kytherian heritage.
He was very much a people's person, always active and full of energy. He always had the time to do whatever was required and asked of him. His generous heart was experienced by many people throughout his life.
He has and always will be highly respected and loved by many, and today we are paying our respects to a unique man, who had so much to offer us all.
He will forever remain in our hearts and minds. All of us who knew and were influenced by Jim have been blessed and privileged. He will be sadly missed, not only by his family and friends, but by everyone who had the pleasure to know him.
Jim Coroneos died on the 13th May, 2005.
Photographs of Jim, Jim's parents, brothers and sisters, the family tree, family documents, and the Busy Bee are all available at other locations on the web-site. [Search internally under Coroneos, or Melasofaos.]
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Complete the FKAA Lien Search Form (PDF) or use a form standardized by your agency. The request must contain the property owner's name, address, property ID number, and your agency information.
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How much should I charge?
Hi guys,
so basically I landed a potential job with a very well established author. They have worked in the industry for over 20 years but only recently started self publishing. They have only worked with industry professional illustrators, but through a twist of fate I was recommended to them by a close friend. So The job will be Illustrating just a cover I believe, and maybe some black and white illustrations inside. I wanted to know what you guys would charge for just a cover alone for a children's book?
I know everyone will have different rates but I could just use something as a jumping off point.
As the author is very experienced and worked with a lot of professionals I don't want to look amateur by charging too cheap, but I don't want to charge too much as there was a reason they wanted someone with less experience doing the book.
Any help at all would be great, thanks guys x
NessIllustration Pro last edited by
Will Terry has a very good Youtube video about pricing that explains a lot of the stuff you should take into account to decide for a price. I highly recommend you find it and give it a listen! Some of those things include:
-How long will it take you to make? (ask as many questions as possible to be able to determine that)
-How much creative freedom will you have?
-How much fun will you have doing it?
Etc. Those are all things you should consider, but also when you're ready don't hesitate to give her a first price a bit higher that that - worst thing that could happen is she'll negotiate down.
Personally if I were in your shoes, I think I'd probably the author for an hourly rate kind of deal. Since it's only the cover, it's a small-ish project but in my experience it has a lot of possibility for scope creeping. That's when the client keeps changing their mind and making you change things until the price you're getting paid definitely isn't worth it anymore. Authors often want a cover to look just right, so it often happens that they'll request several tweaks (covers and tattoo designs are the worst in that aspect!). An hourly rate protects you against that. But again, there are many ways to do this and you should evaluate all the factors to make a decision that's god for you. That's only what I would do and I'm sure you'll get replies from other artists who would do something completely different!
Good luck with the project and congrats!
smceccarelli Pro SVS OG last edited by
The industry standard for covers is between 1000 and 5000 USD (though I'm sure there are people who price above and below that). In their cover course, Lee and Jamie Zollars say it shouldn't be below 2000, but I've been offered 1000 from an established UK publisher, so obviously it goes below that (I had to pitch too, and didn't get the job in the end). I would advise against doing hourly rates in illustration for any job - it positions illustration in the category of handywork, and you would not want that: you open the door to clients who treats you as hired hands.
The common going is to specify a maximum number of revisions (one or two at the sketch phase and one at the final phase) as well as the number of options you're going to offer (for covers generally more than one - I normally offer five or six options as sketches). Make it clear that more revisions will be charged extra.
For B&W interiors there are going rates too - the one that was in the contract with this UK publisher I mentioned before was around 70 USD/drawing, but I'm sure that is at the lower end. Why don't you write an e-mail to Jamie Zollars, here at SVS. She teaches the cover course and she his a specialist on covers and interiors.
NessIllustration Pro last edited by
@smceccarelli I was certain other people would come in with an completely different view on that one hihi I agree with you that charging by the hour can position yourself differently and I also would never do it with publishers! Working directly with an author though, I find that it's a very different experience where an hourly rate can be very positive... A lot of authors already tend to view illustrators as handy workers - because it's their project, their baby, and they view themselves as the creative force behind the project and the illustrator as a means to an end (not all of them!!). In this instance, having an hourly rate can make them understand the value of your time better, and they can also end up giving you more freedom and avoid many revisions that would skin them alive. The problem with setting a maximum of revision when working directly with authors is that they can be picky and you run the risk of them running through all their available modification rounds and leave with a cover they're not completely satisfied with - and in that case you can be sure they won't recommend you to anyone else!
@nessillustration Thank you so much for the help! I'll make sure to watch those videos again and think about breaking the price down in terms of hours etc. thank you!
@smceccarelli Thank you for the tips! That was really helpful. I'll see if i can contact that teacher, I've not seen that class on here either.
Also on a side note I just need to say, your artwork is AMAZING, so talented, im just in awe of your website


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Find Treatment
Substance Abuse Blog
Drug Rehab Conversations: How Do I Talk to My Family About My Drug Addiction Before Rehab?
Laurae Webb
There are obstacles in an addict's life once they've decided to get clean. One that was particularly difficult for me, after I had made the decision to stop using drugs, was how to go to my family and honestly ask for the help that I needed. By the time you are ready to take this step you have gotten so used to lying and shutting loved ones out, that coming out with this problem feels terrifying. However, this is an important first step in recovery and in rebuilding the trusting relationships with your family and friends. It takes several steps.
Step one:
Realize that this "secret" you believe you've been hiding isn't always as big of a secret as you think. People who have known you your whole life have probably seen a big change in you throughout the time that you've been using. Even if you have lied to them in the past about your drug addiction, now is your time to tell the truth. Choose a day to gather your family together and make sure to stick to that day.
Step two:
Have a written plan for your family. Have an exact date that you plan to enter rehab. Keep in mind that just saying that you plan to get clean "someday" or that you are "completely done with drugs" are things that your family may have heard you say to them before and never followed through with. Let your family say what they feel like they need to say and do your best not to become defensive.
Step three:
After discussing your plan and listening to your family's input, this will be the time to follow through with whatever decisions have been made. It is important for your family to see action and willingness to stay true to your word. Though it may seem like your drug use has only affected you, in reality, it has affected all of your loved ones.
Every situation and every family dynamic is unique. For me, having my family be involved in my recovery was important. Not everyone wanted to be involved, and although that was painful for me, I had to remember that each person heals at their own pace. I had hurt some more than I realized at the time. My family's decision and my own was for me to go to rehab. I have been clean and have repaired many relationships but all of this started with an honest conversation. You can, too.
Laurae Webb
is a former Heroin addict, actively involved in Narcotics Anonymous meetings and focused on continuing her recovery process. She is also the wife of a former addict and a stay at home mother of one child.
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After Rehab: What if I Need Anxiety Medication or Other Valid Prescriptions?
Drug Tests and Rehab: What Will They Do If I Fail?
I'm An Addict. I Admitted It. Why Do I have to Keep Going to Meetings?
Withdrawing From Narcotics In Jail
Drug Rehab and Honesty After Relapse
Drug Rehab Conversations: How Do I Talk to My Family About My Drug Addiction Before Rehab?
Three Days: Withdrawing from Opiates
Opiate Addicts in Recovery: What If They're Given Pain Medications During Medical Emergencies?
What is Life Like After Rehab?
How Do You Build Trust After Getting Clean?
My First 12-Step Meeting
What Happens When 12-Step Rehab Meetings Aren't Enough?
Detoxing for Rehab
How Do I Explain Rehab To My Kids?
How Can I Prepare for Drug or Alcohol Rehab?
What is Rapid Detox?
Vitamins and Detoxing
Exercising During Detox
Effects of Smoking Marijuana
Working Your Program While Working a Job
Holiday Help With Sobriety
Cutting Ties With the Old Life
Staying Sober at Functions
Telling Family Members About Your Drug Use
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What is it Like to Withdraw from Benzodiazepines?
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What is Residential Rehabilitation for Substance Abuse?
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Why is Quitting Drugs So Hard? Part 2
Why is Quitting Drugs So Hard? Part 1
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How Do You Quit Using Drugs Cold Turkey?
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Behaviors That Indicate That An Addict Is Still Sober
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Arizona's Medical Marijuana Rules
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Oregon's Medical Marijuana Rules
Washington's Medical Marijuana Rules
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There are many ways Nuffer, Smith, Tucker team members volunteer their time, talents and funds in our community. Some hold positions on nonprofit organizations' boards of directors – like Price Adams for HomeAid San Diego and Bill Trumfpheller for American Red Cross of San Diego/Imperial Counties. Others participate in races or fun runs to benefit a cause; support the local military community; donate annually through United Way; or volunteer time on the weekends to local programs that need assistance. Each of these individual "donations" make a difference, but imagine what a difference we can collectively make.
The morning of June 27, NST will take to the streets of downtown San Diego to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego, an NST client. This annual Red Shoe Day fundraiser features not just a dozen or so NST employees, but 1,500 volunteers positioning themselves at major intersections to collect cash donations in iconic red shoes. The money raised (more than $100,000 was raised last year, but we can beat that this year – right?) helps provide meals, lodging and other supportive services to families with a critically ill or injured child being treated at a local hospital. You, too, can help the 12,500 family members who rely on our local Ronald McDonald House. Here's how:
- Volunteer – Grab your friends, families or coworkers and create a Red Shoe Day team to pound the pavement from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. June 27. Register at RMHCSD.org.
- Open That Wallet – Keep an eye out for enthusiastic volunteers waving big red shoes on San Diego street corners June 27, and unload your spare change and dollar bills for this worthy cause.
- Donate Online – As an extension of NST's Red Shoe Day participation, we're collecting online donations through this fundraising page. Pull out the plastic and help make a difference in the lives of families suffering medical crises.
We hope you'll join us! In the meantime, feel free to check out these photos of NST volunteering during the 2012 Red Shoe Day fundraiser.


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We do not usually found in kitchens pictures, usually a decorative addition to the hallway we booked the room, and in general for the rest of the room, where we spent most colorful and longer. However, thus decorating our kitchen can serve to give life to a place that is normally filled with furniture and purely functional. We can use the pictures to create a certain atmosphere, and of course to relax in a job that can sometimes be stressful.
More often place pictures of fruits and other foods. This artistic movement known as still life and comes from ancient Rome, but reached its peak between Juan Alberto Diaz losBodegón seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. People often think that the still lifes are dark and sad pictures, especially when looking at that were made in those centuries, but nothing is further from the truth. A still life can be as happy as the author has tried to show. One example is that we see along these lines, created by Juan Alberto Diaz, a sample of Canarian folk tradition.
The world of cooking has been one of the favorite motifs by numerous artists throughout history. Not hard to find reproductions of paintings that show what it was in earlier times, from very different perspectives. For example, the work of Carl Larsson (1853 – 1919), painter of Modernism, which is a nice scene of two children in a typical kitchen of his time.
Carl Larsson Kitchen Table
We may also use landscapes that radiate tranquility, contemplation of which allows us to make our mind wander for a moment. There are many valid choices, but of course we must consider the overall aesthetics of our kitchen before deciding on one.


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Sometimes, when analysing your data the visualisation that you choose can end up as being a bit of an afterthought.
After all, you've got your answer, so why waste time playing around with graphs when you can just get out there and change the world!
Well, I guess you know the answer already – it's the graph that will change the world, not the numbers that sit behind it.
But only if done correctly!
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Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple of decades it shouldn't have escaped your attention that there's quite the debate raging about climate change, whether the planet is warming and whose fault it is. Whether you choose to believe that the fault lies with man, cow farts or blue-green algae, the fact is that the planet is warming.
We know that that's true because of this graph that shows how the world has been warming since the Industrial Revolution:
Quite how anybody can look at this graph and claim with a straight face that the planet isn't warming is beyond me.
And yes Donald "How Can The World Be Warming When It's So Cold Today?" Trump, I'm looking at you!
That's like saying "how can there be a global recession when I'm so rich" or "how can there be so little water in Africa – there's plenty when I turn on the tap…".
Anyway, I digress.
OK, so the point is made – graphs are important and they deserve all the respect we can give them. But is there really a sure-fire way to make sure that the graphs we choose are appropriate for the situation, give context to the underlying data and convey the story of the data truthfully and accurately?
Why, yes, yes there is!
And that's where we're going right now…
How to Lie With Numbers, Stats and Graphs
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In these eye-opening books, award-winning statistician and author Lee Baker uncovers the key tricks of the trade used by politicians, corporations and other statistical conmen to deceive, hoodwink and otherwise dupe the unwary.
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But don't expect the answer to be a simple one.
You did, didn't you? Hands up all those that thought this would be easy!
Well, actually, it isn't that difficult, but it is a process that will take time, patience and perseverance.
You see, data analysis is more about the journey than the destination. Your data is trying to tell you a story, but you need to learn how to listen:
Once Upon A Time...
There Was A Beautiful Princess
The End
Well it's a story alright, but it doesn't really paint an enduring picture, does it?
It needs more. A dragon, a castle and an eager knight who turned out to be a prince in disguise after all. Maybe even an evil queen, a travelling salesman and an angry elephant.
There. Isn't that better? Is the picture in your mind getting bigger, fuller and rosier now?
Creating a graph – the right graph – that paints a lasting image in your mind is very much like writing the princess-in-distress novel. It takes attention to detail and an eye for making sure that what is seen is just what needs to be seen to tell the story of the data, and no more.
I'm still talking about a graph that tells the truth here, but one that gives your audience the precise context that is needed to 'read' the graph correctly with a single glance.
Introducing… Some Data
OK, so let's have a look at some data and see how we can find a visualisation that does it justice.
Let's say that we have a medieval salesman travelling around the country selling, er, I don't know – magic pixie dust. His boss, the evil queen, wants to know if her idiot minion is getting to his appointments on time to sell her magic pixie dust (which is actually just snake oil in disguise).
Obviously, if he's consistently late, he will pay for it with his head. That's where the elephant comes in…
Every day he is given a medieval parchment with his appointment times scribbled on it in the blood of her enemies. At each sales meeting he records his arrival time in an app on his iPad, which uploads the data in real time to an evil database via the cloud, where the queen's personal Data Science elf can compare the expected with the actual arrival times.
The evil queen may be a traditionalist, but she's nothing if not efficient…
Got the back-story?
OK – let's begin.
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Use Scatter Plots to Visualise All Your Data
Let's start by having a look at the data. The first thing we should do is plot the data on a scatter plot to see if there are any obvious patterns that jump out at us:
The first thing to notice is that there are a few extreme values that are stopping us from getting a really good look. So what should we do with these values? Should we keep them in and analyse the data regardless, or consider them as evil (statistical outliers) and obliterate them entirely by the judicious use of an angry elephant (exclude them from the study)?
In terms of a travelling medieval salesman, a seasoned professional would never arrive to a sales pitch hours early or late, especially as he knows that the status of his head depends on it. He would be much more likely to send word ahead with one of the evil queen's flying monkeys, explaining that his carriage had broken down in the cruellest of circumstances (probably due to a leaf on the track), and can we please re-schedule for later in the afternoon?
Given the
cowardice professionalism of the hero of our story, I decided to exclude any visit that was 2 hours early or late, on the basis that the visit was likely re-scheduled and the data, therefore, inaccurate and misleading.
So now let's go ahead a do a Scatter Plot of the new data:
That's a little bit better, but can we really see an obvious pattern or trend in the data? Something the Data Science elf can get excited about? Is it something he can comfortably take to the evil queen and use it to bargain for a raise?
No. Not even close. It's not a graph that sets pulses racing, that's for sure…
What we have here is a lot of noisy data. We need to be able to cut through the noise so we can see the signal more clearly, and one of the best ways of doing that is to aggregate the data in categories.
Histograms Are Great For Visualising Counts in Aggregated Data
The easiest way to aggregate the data is by counting how many times our downtrodden trader was early, how many times he was late and how often he was on time. We can then plot these on a Histogram (also known as a vertical bar chart or a column chart), like this:
Hmm, very interesting. It seems as though the salesman is mostly early or late and rarely turns up on time. That's not good!
Now here's the thing – graphs don't lie. But evil Data Science elves do. Graphs will plot the data in exactly the way that you tell them to without caring what the consequences are. In this case, the 'On Time' data are exactly that – our salesman turned up precisely on time. Not a minute early and not a minute late. That's not very realistic.
If we want the data to properly represent the reality on the ground then we should be a bit more tolerant of the salesman being a few minutes early or late. Also, in this model there's no difference between the salesman being 1 minute late and 2 hours late. Practically, there is a huge difference.
So we need a new model.
Instead of having 3 categories, let's try 7 categories, and we'll tolerate the salesman arriving within 5 minutes of his scheduled time (but don't tell the queen). This is what we get:
Wow – that looks great. The graph is symmetrical and normally-distributed. That's a fabulous result. It's everything an elf dreams of – data that behaves itself and doesn't fight back.
So why did I choose 7 categories when 9, 11 or 13 would do just as well? Actually, there wasn't a good reason to choose 7. I just did. I tried 3 and 5, but 7 gave a nice result with plenty of data in each bin (so any results I get will be robust), and I didn't go any further.
When you categorise data like this you need to choose how many 'bins' you're going to put your data into, and the number of bins usually depends on the range and the number of observations in your dataset. If you really want to be strict about it, then you can calculate the number of bins to use by Sturges' formula, the Rice formula, Doane's formula, the Freedman-Diaconis Rule or Shimazaki-Shinomoto's choice.
Or you can bury your head in the sand and let your favourite stats program do it for you. As practiced by Data Science elves the world over for generations…
Incidentally, when I asked for a Histogram of these data in Minitab, it gave me 41 bins and an equally beautiful Gaussian curve, but there's a very good reason why we don't want to work with that number of bins, and it'll become obvious very soon.
Histograms of Counts Can Get Complicated Very Quickly…
OK, so now we have a really good idea of what the salesman has been up to, it's time to delve a bit deeper and really make him sweat...
Let's now do the same thing as before, but look at the results by month. Here's the graph:
Oh dear, it's starting to look really ugly now. There's a lot of information here and we're getting overloaded by it. Can you see any nice patterns emerging? No, me neither. There might be some and there might not, but it's really difficult to tell.
Do you see now why I didn't want to work with more than 7 bins? Just imagine what this graph would have looked like if I'd gone with Minitab's suggestion of 41 bins. Urgh!!
And Line Charts Aren't Much Better Either…
Maybe if we change the type of graph it might be easier to see what's going on. Let's try a Line Chart instead:
Well, it might be a little bit better, we can at least see some trends, but it's still a mess.
It seems to me that it's not the graph that's the problem, but rather the way we're analysing the data.
Yet again, we need a new model.
Be Mean – Find Your Centre!
If we look back to the monthly Histogram, there's a clue in there about what our favourite Data Science elf might like to try next. Notice that each of the monthly distributions are normal. This means that rather than plot all of the data, we can represent each month by the mean.
Let's plot that and see what it looks like:
This graph tells us by how much, on average, the salesman is late (or early) in any given month. We have lost a lot of information by representing each month by a single number rather than 7 bins, but we've got a graph that still tells us a lot, and – better still – it looks nice. We can work with that!
The Big Picture
Free to try - no need to buy or register!
Don't Be Mean – Spread It Out!
A few years ago I was working as a medical statistician in a large teaching hospital (no, I wasn't an elf and there were no elephants), and one of my biggest missions was to persuade researchers not to bring me graphs like this. They tell you nothing.
"This mean is bigger than that one".
Whatever dude…
"The difference between this mean and that one is huge".
Sure it is, and I bet you didn't manipulate the axes to accentuate that difference, did you…
The question we need to ask is whether the difference in means is a real difference, or whether it occurred by chance.
To explain, let me give you an analogy concerning two of the evil queen's favourite dogsbodies.
Edmund is tall and thin, while Baldrick is short and broad, but they both weigh the same amount. You might wonder if the difference in the spread of their body masses is significant, whether Baldrick, the rotund gentleman, is significantly broader than the more slender Edmund.
The meaning of the word 'significant' is important here. We can test these guys by pointing them to a narrow gap in the fence and asking them to squeeze through. If Edmund gets through and Baldrick doesn't, then Baldrick is significantly more portly than his friend.
This is significant because Edmund can escape the evil queen's favourite angry elephant and live a long and fruitful life, whereas Baldrick doesn't survive long enough to pass his genes to the next generation.
In other words, the details are important!
What I'm trying to get at is that the mean without a measure of the spread is meaningless – the confidence intervals give us the context that we need to make sense of the data.
Always Use Confidence Intervals
My biggest mission as an
elf statistician all those years ago was to teach researchers to think not in terms of the central point of the data (mean, median, etc.), but in terms of the spread of the data. It might seem like putting confidence intervals on graphs is a geeky thing to do (spoiler alert: it is!), but if you want to convey the correct message rather than deceive your queen and risk the wrath of the elephant, then this is what you must do.
So let's go again with the graph of the means, but this time put 95% confidence intervals on:
That's better – now we can really see what's going on with these data.
The next critical thing is knowing how to read confidence intervals.
Two things must ye know about confidence intervals:
- 1If there is a clear separation between the confidence intervals, there is likely to be a statistically significant difference between the means
- 2If a confidence interval does not straddle zero, the mean is significantly different from zero
Let me explain these two points from the opposite perspective:
- 1If there is an overlap between the confidence intervals, then the means are not significantly different from each other
- 2If a confidence interval straddles zero, the mean is not significantly different from zero
Interpreting The Results
Let's put these into practice and compare the data for the months of May and June. For these months, the confidence intervals overlap and they both straddle zero.
This means that there is no difference between the average times for May and June, and that they are not different from zero. In practical terms, during May and June our salesman was (on average) bang on time, and his head is safe.
If we were to have looked at the heights of the plots for May and June we would not have come to this conclusion – we would have said that he was early in May, but late in June – his performance was slipping and the elephant would have been sent to limber up and do a few preparatory stretches.
The evidence does not support this conclusion though. The confidence intervals tell us that May and June were indistinguishable from each other.
OK, let's move on to July and August. These confidence intervals overlap, but neither of them straddle zero. Although the means are not significantly different from each other, they are significantly larger than zero. In other words, our under pressure salesman was consistently late in July and August.
Oh dear.
Note also that July and August were significantly larger than June.
Oh dear, oh dear.
Looking at the results from May to August it's clear that there is a pattern emerging. Our salesman was becoming increasingly late in his sales visits during the summer months, after which he went back to his usual pattern of being on time.
He has a wonderful excuse, though. A Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free Card, if you will.
Our hero insists that he was increasingly late during the summer period because he had an increased burden of sales visits while his colleagues were away on holiday.
In other words, the bell tolls not for the salesman, but for the scheduler, or more likely the
fool poor soul who decided that staff should be allowed time off for holidays. A frivolous pursuit that should not be tolerated, if you ask me…
Whatever the reason, it seems that our favourite pixie dust salesman will live to sell another day.
CorrelViz - All The Correlations in Your Data In Minutes, Not Months
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Quality is an Iterative Process
Whenever you read a journal article or a textbook (medieval or otherwise) and it takes you through an analytical process, it often leads you to think that the author must be really smart or you must be a bit dumb, because:
"it's never that easy when I do it…"
Let me reassure you that it's not so easy for any of us statisticians or Data Science elves either.
When you want to reach the correct conclusion, the path is never as straightforward as going from A to B. It's often a convoluted path, and many times you'll go down dead ends and have to go back to the beginning and start again.
For example, when analysing the data I didn't start by doing a scatter plot (the first step above).
Nope, I jumped straight into other analyses first – some more sexy analyses, if indeed analyses can be described as being sexy…
"A data visualisation that captures imaginations and changes worlds is an iterative process that takes time, effort and a willingness to scrap it all and start again." #datascience #dataviz @eelrekab @chi2innovations
It was only after I realised that things weren't working out nicely that I had to go back to the beginning and do things properly. It was then that I noticed there were issues with the data, and I needed to sort them out before I could progress.
Once I sorted out these issues I did a scatter plot and spotted some outliers that were messing up the analyses. So I had to deal with those too.
Then I investigated other avenues of analysis before abandoning them and trying something else.
Finally, after I had finished the analyses and all the results and graphs were complete I decided to zone in on the important information. I had done analyses for a whole year, but only the summer months had any actionable information in them, so I went back to the beginning and excluded January to April from the graphs.
And you were wondering why all the graphs started at May, weren't you?
What you see in this blog post is the successful path. There were many unsuccessful paths, and it will be the same for you too.
My Biggest Data Visualisation Mistake
One of my biggest failures with these analyses was getting to the end and choosing a Box and Whiskers plot to show the distributions of the data (and notice that I had to switch to a different stats program to get it too!):
These plots correctly show the data in all their glory. There is the median, the Inter-Quartile Range, the maximum and minimum values, and all the statistical outliers. Fab!
Ah yes, but what can you tell from these plots? Can you see that our salesman was increasingly late during the summer months? Not really.
And can you make informed business decisions about scheduling? Absolutely not.
You see, choosing the correct data visualisation is more than just about showing the data. It's about context and perspective.
Ask yourself what information you really need from these data, because choosing the wrong perspective gets the wrong person's head squished!
Here, the Box and Whiskers plot contains too much data, and this is obscuring the valuable information that we need to see and make decisions from, so I simplified and plotted the means on a Histogram – with 95% confidence intervals of course!
This plot doesn't contain as much information, but it does highlight the most important information that we need.
And critically, our hero remains intact. With a pulse to prove it…
The most important message here is that choosing the correct data analysis and visualisation methods are not always obvious.
A data visualisation that captures imaginations and changes worlds is an iterative process that takes time, effort and a willingness to scrap it all and start again.
And again, and again and again!
The End
data analysis, data visualisation, dataviz, numerical data, quantitative data, statistics, stats


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Blake Beltram was meditating for years before he realized it.
The wellness entrepreneur and true-believer grew up with a love for the outdoors (despite a steady diet of processed food), but it wasn't until college at UCLA that he began to consciously consider taking care of his body. And, though he had long felt a spiritual connection to something greater, he didn't fully connect to and comprehend it until a decade later.
At that point, he was on a downswing—frustrated by his career as an actor and writer—when he experienced a kind of calling to take his fledgling "computer tutor" gig and turn it into a proper company. After creating client management software for a Pilates studio, he realized that there really wasn't existing software for fitness and wellness destinations. Ultimately, with the help of his high school best friend, Rick Stollmeyer, he co-founded MindBody—a recognizable platform for anyone who regularly books studio classes and spa treatments. Now, he's expanding that concept to include MindBody One, a worldwide community of wellness business owners and staff.
Here, he shares his story of physical, spiritual and entrepreneurial enlightenment:
Live The Process: Please tell us a bit about your upbringing. Can you describe how, on one hand, it was "all Wonder Bread and catechisms," but, on the other, it taught you to get outside—and even to meditate?
Blake Beltram: I was born in a small, central Oregon town and was raised by my mom and two older sisters in the suburbs of Los Angeles. In rural and middle-class suburban America, I think Wonder Bread, Coca-Cola and Twinkies were just standard fare, along with lots of hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta and processed foods. Other than "eat your vegetables" and "clean your plate," I don't remember healthy nutrition being discussed much or anyone talking about what was actually in what we were eating. Food was fuel, and it was mainly supposed to taste good.
Thankfully, the next thing was usually something active because it was pre-smartphones, pre-computers—in fact, even video games were just coming on the market. You couldn't keep most kids in the house if you tried; that stagnation felt like death. TV was a bit of an inside draw, but we were much more inclined to be outside, play whatever sport was in season, ride our bikes, learn tricks on our skateboards or pack a lunch and take ourselves on a hike in the nearby hills. Hard to believe now, but childhood obesity wasn't even really a thing—we were burning way too many calories.
After we moved to California, I still spent summers in Oregon with my dad and grandparents. Those were the lucky years when nature taught me how to meditate: standing in silence with your grandfather in the middle of a pine forest, as the sun rises, contemplating the crunch of your own footsteps on a mostly forgotten dirt road; giving all your attention to the sound of crows calling, sitting for hours by a lake staring at a fishing pole and the way the wind ripples the water. These are the meditations nature teaches, and they are so sublimely profound and yet so subtle.
It took me years to realize what I'd been taught. It's an experience we search desperately for in every yoga class, in every meditation, in every sound bath—and nature gives it to an open and curious boy for nothing. I realize now how truly blessed I was.
LTP: How did you come to find a different way of approaching health, spirituality and the world?
BB: The first big shift in my approach to health, and the world, began when I went to UCLA. Suddenly, I found myself around people who were thinking and talking about what they were putting into—and how they were treating—their bodies. Friends were taking dance classes and working out at the Wooden Center gym—a foreign concept to me.
I was naturally thin and fit, luckily. I remember a female friend asking me how I got six-pack abs and I was like, "What's a six-pack?" I eventually started dating, and later married, someone who is super health-conscious. She really helped me evolve my entire mindset around fitness and nutrition. That became critical once I got a little older, became less active and saw my body change. I was probably a slow learner, and it took a health crisis a few years ago to stoke the fire further, but the cumulative effect has been that I'm now super conscious about what I feed my body—inside and out.
My spiritual evolution is another story altogether. I had some mystical experiences at a young age and, for whatever reason, just always felt there were unseen hands guiding my path. This mindset was supported and necessitated by the fact that I came from a broken family, and was raised mostly by my mom and two older sisters. I felt very alone. The universe I experienced seemed to be different than the one my friends and family were talking about. I had a gift for seeing into a deeper aspect of reality, which could be quite terrifying because I had no context for what I was experiencing and no one to guide me through it.
When I was about 13, I found a book called, Seth Speaks, and it became my cornerstone in terms of starting to grasp the true nature of reality. It took me 10 years to read it because it was so deep, but, as my perspective matured, I delved further into the book. It gave me a perspective that made more sense than what I was experiencing in my outer world, but, of course, I was still left with mostly questions and doubts. By the time I was 29, I was fairly depressed and had taken to calling myself a "devout agnostic"—or even "atheist" in the context of organized religion.
Then, that year, on February 22nd, my whole world was blown open. I had a mystical encounter in the middle of the night that forever changed me and became my true North. A light came to me. She smiled gently and knowingly and immersed me in a field of complete unconditional love. I called her an "angel" for lack of a better word, but, to this day, I don't know what she really was. All I know is she changed me on the most profound level, and I will always think of my life in terms of before and after that encounter.
Before the angel, I was an expert at pointing out where God clearly was not. After, I became an expert at seeing and pointing out where God clearly is, which is just about everywhere, in one form or another. For me, "God" does not refer to an entity, but rather an energy and territory—and all words, all conversation, all religious and spiritual pursuit, are signposts and maps attempting to lead to that territory. Having had that experience, I now know that it is a journey beyond all words, and worth all costs.
LTP: How did you come to launch MindBody and how has it evolved?
BB: With a degree in theater, film and television from UCLA, in 1998, I was pursuing acting and writing in Hollywood, when a friend from my acting studio hired me to help "computerize" Mari Winsor Pilates in West Hollywood and Santa Monica. I called myself "The Computer Tutor" at the time and made a living doing trainings, hardware installations and odd jobs. I was helping to run a spinning studio (with my college sweetheart), and a yoga studio had moved in next door. All of these boutique wellness businesses needed similar software. I searched and, to my surprise, nothing existed that met their basic needs.
I was feeling very broken and unhappy at the time in terms of career; I felt like an abject failure. It had become clear to me that my mind/ego were not getting me where I wanted to go in life, so I had adopted the personal mantra, "Show me the way, and I will follow," and I repeated it daily for weeks, maybe months. When I saw an opportunity to make software and start a business, I knew intuitively this was "the way" and, for awhile, I resisted. It made no logical sense whatsoever. I was an actor and a writer; I knew nothing about making software or starting a business, and an internal battle took place between my ego-mind and what I now know was spirit, guiding me. My ego-mind tried to convince me that this was all a distraction and that I needed to double-down on getting a new agent and working on my next screenplay, but the direction from the still, small voice was quite clear to me. It went like this: "Shut up. Sit down. Start making the software and do not ask where it's going."
Somewhat reluctantly, I did as I had promised: I followed. I made a deal with Winsor Pilates, bought a $64 book called the Access 97 Bible and taught myself how to make software for client number one. Once installed in West Hollywood and Santa Monica, I quickly adapted the software for spinning and installed it at our studio—RPM Fitness in Studio City (client number three and still thriving today). Revolution in Santa Monica was the first to purchase the software as a product, followed quickly by The Yoga House in Pasadena and "HardBody SoftWare" (as it was called then) was off and running.
I sent out cheesy mailers and carried my huge tower PC and clunky CRT monitor and keyboard around doing demos because I couldn't afford a laptop. Almost everyone I showed the software to bought it; it was absolutely thrilling! In 1998, I charged $1,998, and in 1999 I raised my price to $1,999. Yogatime, an early client, insisted they needed point-of-sale to support their retail boutique in their Beverly Hills location, and I somewhat foolishly got out my legal pad and pen once again. I asked them what they needed and began a module, which I sold for an additional $800 per location.
By June of 1999, I had about seven to nine clients, with no end in sight. I felt like I had a tiger by the tail, and I knew I needed a business partner. I approached one of my oldest and best friends, Rick Stollmeyer, asking for his guidance. I really wanted him, but someone had advised me to ask for his "help" instead to alleviate any pressure. He went home and told his wife that I was looking for a partner with certain qualities and skills, to which she replied, "Well, it sounds like he's looking for you."
After consulting for awhile, Rick eventually quit his job at Vandenburg Air Force Base, took out a second loan on his house to fund the startup and we launched HardBodySoftWare, LLC. Our official business launch was 01-01-01, after which Rick set up a desk, computer and filing cabinet in the corner of his garage in San Luis Obispo—our new "world headquarters."
Rick was a force of nature. He pushed our growth rapidly and successfully—we were a pretty dynamic duo. Today, my role is the "MindBody Evangelist." I created and am the executive lead of MindBody One, a peer community for our clients. When all is said and done, I think it could be the technology that houses all the other technologies. I think One is the reason I was "called" into this thing in the first place.
LTP: Do you have any products, practices or rituals that keep you feeling balanced and healthy?
BB: Yoga, meditation, spiritual study, exercise and great nutrition are my rituals. I'm a member at my local yoga studio and keep a running 10-pack at the other. I like to go four to five times a week.
I spin, occasionally, and go on hikes. I've been hitting the climbing gym too and really enjoying that. Lately, I do community acupuncture once or twice a week, and I participate in sound baths on a regular basis. Regular breathwork has been a big part of my life and healing journey, as well, over the last three years. Insight Timer is my mediation app of choice, and I lead mediation at work every Wednesday.
I eat pretty healthy: no gluten, dairy or meat (except for dehydrated bone broth) and minimal processed sugar. Lots of green drinks, acai bowls and daily supplements. I consider all of these rituals my personal "medicine" and, while I'm human and continually ebb and flow, fail and succeed, I'm pretty diligent these days. If I fall off, it generally doesn't take me long to get back on it.
LTP: What does happiness look like to you?
BB: My greatest happiness comes in moments of experiencing myself and the world around me from the perspective of the larger "me"—the me that observes myself fretting and stressing. and knows the silliness of that. In those moments I see that there is beauty in simply existing, and the miracle of getting to experience reality in human form, if only for a short time.
LTP: What does it mean to you to "Live The Process" and how can we all do that more each day?
BB: Life is the process, in my view. Living it means being aware, being conscious, dropping back into the role of "observer" on a frequent basis and consistently showing up, facing the crap we are confronted with or bring on ourselves, and proactively working toward a higher version of ourselves. This stuff is so easy to say and pontificate on; easy to pretend that we have it mastered. If someone has it mastered, I haven't met them yet. I certainly don't, so I don't know that I'm qualified to advise anyone else on it, but I do think the more we can be real with ourselves, and vulnerable with each other, the more we can continue to learn from each other and ascend together. The process really is the point, and I choose to live it.


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Phuket Night Life - Tips and GuideLines
Girlie bars in Patong (mostly bar beers are girlie bars) have up to 10 'bar hostesses' willing to go with tourists for money. Many girls are looking for a boyfriend, some for a short time, others longer term - mainly as a financial asset. If you get on well, she may well accompany you on trips around Thailand, providing fun company and local insight but you will have to negotiate a rate first. You will also have to pay a 'bar fine' each time for a 'date'. After that, it's up to you!
Bar fine - This is the fee to cover a bar's 'loss' when taking a girl out of the place for a date and can vary with each establishment. Usually 200 -500 baht for the evening. If you're planning to spend a few days or longer with the lady, you'll need to negotiate the fine with the bar. This does not cover her fees which are best discussed directly. Night rates vary between 1,000 - 4,000 baht and like everything else, are negotiable.
Katoeys (transvestites or ladyboys) resemble beautiful girls of Phuket due to modern surgical techniques, you just can not make out who is who. Often taller, slimmer and sexier than real girls, and clearly with more volumes and shape, they also tend to be more a lot more 'feminine' than necessary and sport a flouncing walk. Usually wearing large and fancy colourful dresses when walking up and down the street to attract customers, their outfits shrink to the bare legal minimum when working in bars.
Beyond these tips, if you are still not sure, a good way to catch them out is from their voices... but here too, after years of practice, some might just fool you. Ladyboys might even invite you to judge the quality of the silicon job, so it is up to you to give a fair opinion... note that at this point, a lady drink would probably be in order.
CAUTION : - The seemingly friendly katoeys (ladyboys) are infamous for lifting wallets and having sudden bursts of nasty behaviour, so be extra careful around these 'ladies'. Just use your common sense and make sure your belongings are secure. If you take photos of katoeys, be prepared to pay or things could turn nasty.
At night Soi Bangla turns into a pedestrianised walking street with tuk tuks and motorcycle taxis waiting at both ends to provide a ride home. Prices are negotiable and tend to increase with the number of passengers, the distance and the lateness of the hour. Many tuk tuks try to charge excessive and inflated rates so it's best to check with other visitors and locals first. ALWAYS agree on the price before you get in as it's difficult to negotiate after the journey.
Both motorcycle taxis and tuk tuks can be flagged down anywhere along any of the streets. Head for Banana Disco on the Beach Road (Thaveewong Rd) where most of the tuk tuks and motorcycle taxis park. Or at the other end of Bangla (near Tai Pan.)
While Patong is pretty safe for women. It's not advisable to travel alone by tuk tuk or motorbike late at night.
The streets of Patong are quite safe at night. In fact, safer than in many Western cities. Incidences of violence against tourists are very rare, though there have been cases of purse snatching and pickpocketing. In discos, it's rare to see any problems as the crowd is very international and not obsessed with drinking themselves to oblivion.
The most common visitor complaint is of harassment by local touts trying to lure people into anything from Indian restaurants to timeshare presentations to tailor shops to tuk tuk tours. Ignoring these characters usually does the trick. Women are generally safe to go out at night, though it's not advisable to travel alone in tuk tuks and motorcycles.
Dedicated to visitors' safety, there's a Police Information Centre at the bottom of Soi Bangla on the Beach Road. If you are victim of a negative situation or witness an accident, just dial 1155 and speak slowly and clearly. The Tourist Police will help you.
Police Emergency: 191
Tourist Police: 1155


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TeamLogic IT Denver is a woman-owned IT services company ranked top 1% globally for Managed Service Providers. We are your trusted ''best in class 24/7 virtual CIO focused on your success & security.
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Here's the latest article from the Quick Cooking site at BellaOnline.com.
30 Minute Spaghetti & Meatball Soup Recipe
Homemade meatballs from the meatball module and convenience products from the pantry are combined in a delicious soup that is quick enough for a weeknight.
Please visit quickcooking.bellaonline.com for even more great content about Quick Cooking.
To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Quick Cooking located here -
I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback!
Have fun passing this message along to family and friends, because we all love free knowledge!
Karen Hancock, Quick Cooking Editor
One of hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com


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SNIPEF elected its president for 2015/16 at the Annual General Meeting which took place last month.
John Leonard of Belfast was elected at the meeting held on 29 May 2015 and takes over from Raymond Leslie.
Mr Leonard is the fourth National President from Northern Ireland. His father, Joe, was SNIPEF President in 1996/97 and was present at the AGM to see his son being installed. This is only the second time in the history of SNIPEF that a son has followed his father in taking the national presidency.
Mr Leonard, said: The past year has seen considerable change within SNIPEF at what has been a challenging time. There have been a number of positive results of these changes including an increase in membership and greater participation in some of the schemes and services that have been arranged for our members.
"However, there is no room for complacency and…we need to ensure national policy reflects the needs of our membership. I look forward to playing my part in this."
SNIPEF currently has 379 businesses approved on WaterSafe. The businesses employ 907 WaterSafe recognised individuals, which is 27 per cent of all those registered through the seven schemes on WaterSafe.


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About Us
I started Chez Mana to open a conversation between people through art.
Chez Mana connects people to unique events whose themes relate art to everyday life concepts to engage people in meaningful conversations. The design of the events and the connections that they create foster thinking out of the box. Metaphorically, the interaction is like a Feynman diagram, where two electrons approach one another, exchange a photon, and then disperse.
Chez Mana also represents individual artists who do not reside in the United States and connects them with the public here.
In some countries, the freedom to express one's individuality is greatly restricted. The talented artists living under such conditions cannot share their works with the public. Giving a voice to these artists is another goal of Chez Mana .
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