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And the Infidelity Valentine's Poetry Winners Are…
You guys are a twisted bunch. It was hard to choose the snarkiest fractured Valentine, but I winnowed it down best I could. Thanks to everyone for playing!
And Happy Valentine's Day to you all. xoxoxo
Limerick Runner Ups…
Dave Pope
My wife, good hearted thespian,
said she was suddenly a lesbian.
So she started to date,
Her co-worker/mate,
And gaslit me so Machiavellian.
I give this points for rhyming Machiavellian.
I once had a wife called Claire,
Who once caught gave me the dead-eyed stare,
An affair with her boss,
She couldn't give a toss,
And now my children I half share
For the whole D-Day trajectory in one limerick.
As soon as I had paid for your schools
You went out and found some new tools
Your own money you could now make
And there was nothing left of me to take
Now, I'm still your #1…but just in a series of fools
That ending! Way to deliver a punch!
He thought he was king of the gym
She taught bikes and flashed him her quim
He tore the family apart
Just to be with his tart
Now he's broke and his future is grim
I had to look up "quim." And it rhymes with grim. Nicely done.
Left for a Dumpling Queen
There was a homewrecker named Yi
Took my ex on a dumpling spree
Hundreds of dollars he spent
But not a penny for rent
Now he mooches off her and not me
Oh the karma.
Pepe Le Pew
Can't emphasize enough you're the worst
Served your dick to the girls like bratwurst
Did you make them all cum?
Haha, you're such a fucking bum
Step aside, I'm now putting ME first
Way to be mighty! And way to turn me off bratwurst.
There once was a sparkle-dick master
Whose love-bombing turned into disaster
now she's the one stuck
with that old mother f**k
and I'm happy alone ever after
Sparkle-dick master is delightfully snarky.
She began acting all shady,
We could get through this, reconcile maybe?
alas, with regret,
I should have bet,
that within weeks she'd be having his baby.
Call Jerry Springer! Unicorns cannot save this.
Way back when I married a plumber
Couldn't see there was nobody dumber
He could not tame his zipper
Ran off with a stripper
And now I'm a bright up-and-comer
Tame his zipper and stripper — love!
It was rather shocking to find
several teenagers with which you were entwined
you'd already bought a ring
made sure I'd found everything
motherfucker you're one of a kind
Oh FT, your cheater is not singular as the CN blogometer can sadly attest.
Porn to assist masturbation
Stripper and hooker intoxication
My ex is a slime
His lying divine
My middle finger as salutations
Nice fuck off.
No Virginia, there is no Unicorn
An ex wife I'll tell you about,
Hiked her skirt for a smooth talking lout.
Much to her surprise,
His promises? Lies!
He's *still* married and she's long thrown out.
Under the bus, huh? Shocker.
My life free of you is a joy
No longer your optional toy.
It's full steam ahead.
How I love my own bed!
My soul's not yours to destroy.
That's the attitude! LACGAL.
Haiku Runner-Ups…
He says I love you.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
I know about her.
Seven-syllable ha ha — love it.
Household work was mine
I was your wife appliance
You were just a tool.
Ooh. Clever turnabout on "tool."
I feel sad for the
children involved in the three
marriages you broke
Tragic and to the point.
Crabby Tabby
Dear God up above,
What did I see in that narc?
Alone is better.
We all ask ourselves that, Crabby.
Still I Rise
"I should get credit…
For the years I didn't cheat!"
Have a bitch cookie
What was the longest interval? Weeks? Months?
I cleaned my bathtub.
Came home to find a whore's pube.
On my brand new soap.
Many thanks Schmoopie!
His lies are now your problem.
Good luck with that shit.
No tag backs.
I wanted to live!
Happily ever after.
So I had to leave.
Damn straight!
Ellen Rassiger
Lawyer not sailor
Got that nautical tattoo
boat already sold
Hahahahahahaha! He probably can't afford a ballpoint pen or a box of crackerjacks now. #tattoosadz
And the LIMERICK WINNERS ARE:
To my ex, in honor of the apparent abandonment of the "sexual evolution podcast" that was being planning for 2019 —
In drumming up buzz for the podcasts,
And spotlighting both of your odd pasts,
They ain't so spellbinding.
I trust you're now finding:
Who cares how long R-P-D's rod lasts?
Podcasts, odd pasts, rod lasts — genius! And a collective ewww.
You thought a younger wife would look cool.
But really you look like an old fool.
When you come down with dementia,
I'll be happy I sent ya'
away, and Schmoopie can wipe off your drool.
I think he'll die in a puddle, Polish. Well done!
And the HAIKU WINNER IS:
Diarrhea AND Dead Phone?
Try Whore Stop
Ain't GPS a Bitch?!
So much cleverness distilled into three lines. The lame excuses. The savage snark. And how you busted him. Standing ovation!
I'll be in touch, winners!


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Like so many times in the past, you may be telling yourself "this is the year I'm going to have a terrific vegetable garden". North Texas soil and climate can put some obstacles in your way when it comes to vegetable gardening, but if you follow these tips you should be well on your way to some tasty eatin'.
Helpful Tips for Vegetable Gardening
Choose a sunny spot
There's no way around it – vegetables need lots of sun. And "lots" can be translated into at least four hours of sunshine. Six+ would be better.
Good drainage is vital
A vegetable garden will not flourish in a waterlogged site. Check the elevation of the spot you have chosen to ensure that water will not back up and accumulate. Roots need to have dry time between watering so they do not rot. If possible, build yourself raised beds. All you need is about 6 inches in height and you will eliminate drainage issues.
Start slow
Many new gardeners are too eager to harvest a huge crop and they over burden themselves. If you can't keep up with ongoing maintenance, your crops won't thrive. Pick your favorite 2-3 veggies and start with those. Next year you can expand once you know your limitations and energy level.
Soil prep is vital
Good soil will be the key to your successful vegetable gardening. Turn over or till your spot to at least six inches deep. Then you need to work in a good amount of organic matter. This can be compost, manure products, or a bagged soil amendment that has been developed to enrich North Texas soil. Every season you will need to add more organic matter in the beds.
Plant at the appropriate time for each crop
Yes, different vegetables grow better in certain weather conditions. Each crop will have a 2 or 3 week window in which it should go into the ground. If you plant too early certain veggies will not survive cool weather. But others need a cool climate to thrive. This is where you will need to do a bit of research and think through your planting schedule.
Here are some of the main crops and their timing for vegetable gardening in North Texas:
- Late January: English peas, asparagus (perennial), onions.
- Mid-February: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Irish potatoes.
- Late February – Early March: leaf lettuce, Swiss chard, radishes, carrots, turnips, beets.
- Late March – Very early April: beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, cucumbers.
- Mid-April – Early May: sweet potatoes, okra, southern peas.
Chose vibrant varieties for each crop
If you go to the Texas A&M website you will find lists of hybrids that do well in the North Texas climate. They have been chosen for productivity, flavor, pest resistance and yield. Many of the charming heirloom vegetables, especially tomatoes, are poor producers in our conditions.
Veggies need regular care
New plantings should be checked daily. The first week or two in the ground they need to be watered regularly – a deep watering, not a sprinkle. Plants that are allowed to wilt will have altered flavor. You will need to keep an eye out for pests and keep weeds eliminated. North Texas soil is typically lacking in nitrogen which is an important nutrient. A soil test can tell you if adding nitrogen rich plant food is necessary.
Harvest at the peak of maturity
Maturity for many veggies can be before full size is reached. This is true for cucumbers, okra, lettuce, green beans and summer squash. Leaving produce on the plant too long will diminish the flavor. Get familiar with harvest timing for each crop you plant.
Extend your harvest with fall crops
Many fall vegetable gardens are often more prolific than spring efforts. The produce will come to maturity when hot weather, insects and drought aren't so dramatic. The only drawback is that you will be doing your planting in the heat of late summer. Give it a try and you should be very pleased with the results.
If you follow these basic vegetable gardening guidelines for North Texas you should be successful in your efforts. And there is nothing more rewarding than biting into a tasty home grown tomato or impressing friends with the bountiful results of your labor.

subset: commoncrawl


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San Francisco Corporate Entertainment and Professional Speakers
If you would like major speaker or performer ideas for an event in San Francisco, Celebrity Talent International (CTI) can help you with a large range of options, such as motivational, business, and keynote speakers, corporate entertainment, comedians, professional athletes, celebrity chefs, or top musicians, bands and acts. CTI can offer national acts and speakers in San Francisco or in the local area to save on fees and travel costs.
Why Choose CTICTI has been helping companies for over 25 years with their concerts and speaking engagements at the Moscone Center, the South San Francisco Conference Center, and other major event centers and venues. CTI will suggest and then contract the best names for you to help motivate your target companies to attend a conference and also assist in having the celebrity support your group before and during the event.
What We OfferCTI can offer our buyers San Francisco and Silicon Valley speakers, CEOs, published authors, a great name in technology, or other major media names from the local area. CTI can offer all the major San Francisco athletes, like Joe Montana or Jerry Rice from the 49ers, or an appearance by one of the World Series-winning San Francisco Giants.
If you are considering an event at one of the major San Francisco hotels or conference centers, CTI can suggest great names, help you with the celebrity details on riders, travel, technical needs, and make sure you have a great meet-and-greet with the celebrity for your top executives and clients.
How We HelpUnlike agents and managers, who represent the celebrity's interests, the main goal of CTI is what is best for YOU, as our client. CTI's job is to help you with more choices, better prices and also help connect you to other routed dates when possible. We offer the widest range of choices in all areas of talent, videos for you to review, and help in the selection process. CTI, in addition to booking talent, can assist clients with sponsorship ideas, organizational materials. Because of these services, we can ensure a more successful event.
Our ProcessWe start off by getting your event details, the type of celebrity you are interested in and help establish a budget range. We send you an updated list of your options, in your price range, and specific bios on the final choices. After you review, discuss and prioritize the names for us, we confirm the celebrity for you. Once a firm offer is made to the celebrity and the celebrity has agreed to the date, we work out the contract points, payment schedule, send you current promo materials, and help coordinate travel and technical needs.
Providing the best and most current names for your event.
Quick confirmation of talent
Superior customer support through the entire process.
Arrangement of telephone interviews, sponsor support/meet and greets and advertising materials.
Air and ground transportation coordination.
Submit a Request for Information
We would enjoy working with you as your talent booking agency for your next event. Please tell us some details about you and your event, as well as your working budget and the type of talent you are interested in.
Joe Montana is routinely regarded among the greatest quarterbacks of all time. He led the ... read bio
Former NFL player Jerry Rice is considered the game's greatest receiver. A three-time Supe... read bio
Music ActsCTI can book any music act, from the latest Grammy Award performers to the best Nostalgia performers.
Business SpeakersAdd intrinsic value to any corporate event or tradeshow by hiring a celebrity guest speaker.
Sports FiguresWe have access to 100's of high profile professional athletes, race car drivers and Olympians.
Motivational SpeakersYou want your attendees to remember your event, book a motivational speaker to energize your audience.
Corporate ComediansComic relief is an effective tool to get your message across & leaves your event goers with something to remember.
MagiciansTurn an otherwise boring corporate event into something magical. Your event will not disappear from memory.


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In SCRUFF version 5.1 and up, you can share animated GIFs in chat. For the best experience, we recommend sending animated GIFs using a 3rd party GIF keyboard or sending a GIF file saved on your device.
Saved on your Android device
- Open the message with the member with whom you want to share an animated GIF
- Tap the Send Photo icon at the top of the chat screen
- Tap Library and select the saved GIF file from your library
- Tap the checkmark to confirm your GIF file selection and tap Send
Provided below are a few recommended apps and 3rd party keyboards that support animated GIFs on Android.
Download & send files
- From a chat message
- Tap the icon in the chat bar
- Search for your desired GIF
- Tap on the GIF you wish to send
NOTE: Sending links to GIF files in chat is not currently supported.


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A tale of two leaders
"They fought the same war and both lied about why, yet Bush marches on while Blair has been fatally wounded "
Ah, but if – or should I say when – Blair falls, Bush will have no international allies left, and could easily fall too.
More on the dastardly duo –
"Global warming is now a weapon of mass destruction. It kills more people than terrorism, yet Blair and Bush do nothing."


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Technical / White Paper
Pour More Flavour with Britvic
Over the last year our initiative in association with Britvic Soft Drinks, Pour More Flavour, has given you practical tips and advice on maximising soft drinks sales. From making the most of the Dry January opportunity to the rise of the 'conscientious consumer', we've been looking at all the ways to excite drinkers within this important category and increase your sales. Take a look at our summary here, or search for Britvic Soft Drinks on the website and click the 'Products' tab to download the individual guides.


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I don't know if you remember me writing about Acoustic Lakeside festival last year but its HERE. Art Brut introduced the festival to the drinking game Buffalo. It's a game in which if you have your drink in your right hand when someone yells 'Buffalo' it means you have to finish it. It seems we might have created a monster.
I returned to Acoustic Lakeside this year with Everybody Was In The French Resistance…Now. The festival has gone Buffalo mad. Absoloutely everybody I met with no exception was drinking with their left hands.
Possibly because they had puts signs up everywhere warning people the game was in progress.
At one point I was watching a band and switched my glass to my right hand to applaud. Immediately some young girls appeared out of the shadows and shouted Buffalo at me. This happened to me about three times. The man you can see pointing at the 'Attention Buffalo' sign is the king of Buffalo'ing he got Ian three times with pints of wine. I'd show you a photo but Ian would not appreciate it.
I truly love the Lakeside festival. I wish I could have had more time there. The whole event just feels like a brilliant party. Along with Indietracks its my favourite festival to play. The brilliant atmosphere brings out the best in the bands that play too. Lakeside and Indietracks were both my favourite EWITFR...N shows of the year.
I've made some Buffalo themed postcards for Lakeside. They come as a pair and cost £38 (including postage) One canvas is the front of the postcard, the other is the back, which I fill in. They are made of acrylic paint and 100% cotton canvas (5 x7") They look less expressionist than the photo. I only have a camera on my phone
I will be writing Buffalo on the postcard so don't open it with a drink in your right hand.
Contact me at email@example.com


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Thank You For Visiting Our Testimonials Section,
browse the testimonials below to see what our clients are saying!
I was able to downsize from leasing an office for over 25 years with a 5-year minimum lease each renewal and all of the overhead associated with it to 3 offices at Office Alternatives all-inclusive. This move helped me as I get closer to retirement age, be able to reduce overhead by thousands of dollars annually. The ability to expand or downsize further, frees up my business model and allows for growth when I need it or to streamline further. The professional onsite staff are always there to help me, my staff and my incoming clients. They act as an extension of my team and are always willing to serve with a smile. I like the fact that the office is in a professional business and the location cannot be beat. I also like that the company is locally owned and not a big chain or corporation.
Richard Esterly
Advanced Brokerage Services
Prior to Office Alternatives answering our phones, our clients called in and got a robotic phone tree system telling them to Press 1 for Richard, 2 for Sharon so and so forth. Looking back, I can see that was probably frustrating for those calling in to not get a live person, and who knows how many sales we lost because the caller got voicemail. Office Alternatives seamlessly took over our phone answering and within hours we had a professional team of highly trained, friendly receptionists answer our phones live and route our calls as the robotic phone tree system would have. Actually, even better because now we can tell the receptionist how to handle the call if we don't want to take it right on the spot. We've even been able to stop calls from coming in and purposely send them to voicemail if we needed to be able to have a set of focused work hours with no interruptions to meet deadlines. There are many other benefits as well to be named. Overall, we love our phone reception at OA and feel it's an amazing value for such a small price.
Capitas Financial Partner
Office Space onsite client
I would say that client's prefer getting a greeting from a live person on the other end and having their calls routed instead of hearing a recording with "press this number to reach this person, press this number to reach this person, etc.is the biggest improvement by joining Office Alternatives. When I've called into the office or would be near the front desk when calls come in, everyone seems to do a great job of answering the phones in a friendly, professional way.
Sharon Carr
Advanced Brokerage Services
My business has been located at Office Alternatives for several years. I assist folks with their Medicare Insurance needs, I am an insurance agent with Applied General Agency. Office Alternatives has been absolutely wonderful.
Their staff always answers the phone on my behalf when I am not here to take the call, which tremendously helps to capture missed sales calls and service calls. Their team is knowledgeable and pleasant to work with!
Also, I help insurance agents that I train on a monthly basis, and the usage of the [hourly] conference rooms are a must have for my commitments.
And if my agents and I double up on appointments, we can spill over to an available [hourly day] office and conduct appointments simultaneously.
The facility is clean and professional and definitely gives an impression of excellence!! I am super happy with Office Alternatives.
Monte Perez
Managing General Agent
Regarding: Temporary Office Space
I can't thank you and your team enough for helping Reel Security establish the New Mexico operation. The location at Riverside Plaza is convenient, and tastefully professional – yet warm and inviting.
I can't say enough about helpful and accommodating the office manager, Christine, and admin assistant Toni have been every day our team has been there. Judging from the interactions with other tenants, I'd have to say that Christine and Toni perform at that level on a continual basis because satisfaction appears to be commonplace every day.
The total picture of the "temporary" space has exceeded my expectations to the point that our company will be extending our planned stay at Office Alternatives. Reel Security will most likely continue to utilize the facility even after opening our permanent office.
I can't thank you enough for the professionalism your team displays.
Gerald W. Bus
Western Regional Manager
Reel Security Corporation
Office Alternatives allows for flexibility and lower overhead costs, which are important to our company's success. The money we save helps us pass on savings to our clients.
Office Alternatives provides excellent customer service and were very responsive to not only our needs, but our customers as well.
"I moved into Office Alternatives in April and have been so pleased with my decision. The attention to detail that the office manager Christine and receptionists Toni and Faith give is amazing! I moved into an established well-oiled machine and plan on staying for a while."
Leah Zehnder
Leah's Wax and Lash
6300 Riverside Plaza Ste 100 Aesthetician
One of the great things about Office Alternatives is that the entire staff is very amicable – you can always count on the staff to greet you and your visiting clients with a smile.
When a potential web development client suggests we meet at a coffee shop, it really gets their attention when I suggest we meet at my office… and ask if they prefer east or west of the Rio Grande.
I called a colleague recently who had a really cheerful receptionist answer the phone. As we spoke, he told me he uses Office Alternatives to answer his phones. I have used national services in the past and they were both very expensive and in some cases got terrible reviews from my callers. I was impressed with the service as a caller and am looking forward to using it for my law firm.
An Absolutely stunning building! The office spaces are big and the rent is reasonable. The reception is super friendly and the space is clean. Looking for a good place to make a good impression for your company start here!!!
The reception team is absolutely amazing!! They are on top of all the incoming calls for their clients, answering every single call. Office Alternatives presents a very professional atmosphere. I am super happy with the offices and services they provide!
Very help full and knowledgeable about renting out office space. Really nice area and good staff to work with. I would recommend Office Alternatives for any type of businesses needs. I talked with Bobby Lucero, throughout this process and he guided me through everything I needed to rent out some space. The best in town by far for what I was looking for.
I was at a very frustrating point of my career when I was trying to relocate and expand my business when I found Office Alternatives at Riverside. The minute I walked in the building and met the people there I knew I found my business home! Within the first week my clients raved about how much better of a fit my new office is for me. I am so happy I made this decision. And more importantly I know it will help my business grow. I can see myself here for a very long time!
Everyone was very kind, well organized and professional. They stayed in contact and were very helpful with me renting out a space. Would highly recommend them.
Professional Atmosphere and a friendly staff Michelle is wonderful and the location is great and prices! I will be referring anyone who needs to meet clients or needs a professional work space!
Office Alternatives is an excellent way to enhance your business and business needs, if you're looking for a professional location to meet your clients or even a quiet workspace away from the hustle and bustle of a coffee shop then this is the perfect place for you!
Highly recommend this place to conduct business! A professional atmosphere and all clients are greeted with a smile by the lovely staff!
The receptions is very kind and friendly, they go out of their way to make you and your clients feel welcomed!
Everyone is very professional, friendly and helpful while providing personalized assistance for each customers needs.
Professional phone service, affordable pricing, and always a pleasure to see smiling faces!
Professional staff, very nice facility and great location.
Friendly staff, welcoming atmosphere, professional environment!
Staff and facilities are top notch!
Great place to rent office space from. They have a wonderful staff and go out of their way to meet your business needs.
Affordable and professional!
Really good service
Excellent hosts for a remote class
I like having an office here because its nice, always clean, the staff members that greet my customers are consistently professional, courteous and inviting to me and my clients. I also appreciate that there are always plenty of parking spaces outside.
Very easy to work with and the facility is beautiful.
Office Alternatives is a wonderful place to office and the people and the general atmosphere are marvelous!
My experience with OA Office Alternatives ( Albuquerque, NM ) was not very "positive".
First I found many companies online and OA was one of those. I contacted and spooked with Joe Pellegrino (sales rep)
At the beginning we agreed in month/month with no setup fees. Right on the first payment I received something around $ 40 for setup fee. I had to get the phone and call them and explain that we agreed (on written) that will be no setup fees.
OK – after I wasted my time and my cell minutes they agreed with no setup fee ( I don't think this was very honest, but…) I used the Virtual Office for 3 months. The only time I really need OA services was when I received a check and had to be forwarded to my address in another state. They "pledge" they did forwarded the mail, but I never received. When I called to discuss about this "ghost mail" they said that they send and it out through USPS – Priority mail ( the cheapest way money can buy) and charged me almost $ 10. They knew I had a check inside and didn't even sent with delivery signature so I could
get a hold of my check securely – they preferred save some money on shipping – so they could "pocket more".
I do not recommend this company to anyone – specially if you have something important to receive and have it forwarded to another address. They will try to "cheap you out" as much as they can.
I opted this company based on reviews on the internet – I guess those reviews didn't reflect the truth. Maybe posted by themselves to promote the company.
Stay away from this company.
D.C Environmental was very knowledgeable and helpfull!
Better than an office
Professional office space
Awful customer service. The lady I spoke to was extremely rude and actually hung up on me! Would never recommend a place who treat people so terribly.
Amazing Experience! Really willing to work with small businesses. Everyone who worked for Office Alternatives was always friendly and professional. (I spoke to people and visited both locations). Locations were both always clean and even decorated for the holidays. I liked that special touch for clients. Special Shout out to Christine and Faith at Riverside Plaza
If you are looking for a professional atmosphere managed by caring and helpful professionals, this is your place. Christine (Office Manager) has bent over backwards to make us feel welcome and help us get adjusted. Quiet, easy access, great location. The snacks that show up in the kitchen are a plus as well!
I have been using office space at both current locations (Riverside and Lang) for the last 7 months. The staff is super accommodating and helpful. The facilities are clean and nicely decorated. Plenty of parking at both convenient locations. This is a great place to start a business or schedule meetings if you run a home-based business.
Really hoping to become part of the friendly atmosphere. This marketing agency knows the business well. I highly recommend them.
My experience with Office Alternatives at Riverside Plaza has been superb. They make sure they go out of there way to make sure everything is being accommodated for you and your business. The staff is very friendly and always great to be around.
I just joined Office Alternatives, and set up my office there. The process was a very smooth and easy. The people you deal with their make you feel like family. I highly recommend this option if you need a smaller office.
Christine and her staff are a joy to work with! Faith is the perfect office receptionist, and together, this group is on their A GAME! I would highly recommend Office Alternatives Riverside for your next office space.
Very professional and courteous staff! Christine and Faith put a smile on my face every time I go into the office!
Office Alternatives is a great way to support any business! The staff is very friendly and the reception area is warm and welcoming to any client!
The staff and owners here really take care of you and emphasize a friendly atmosphere.
I love my space here. CLEAN, professional, and great to work with.
Great customer service. Felt welcomed.?
Your front desk Concierge Faith is beyond Amazing,
The team at Office Alternatives is top notch!!! They are so friendly and responsive always!!!!
Nice Friendly welcome . Clean clean clean. Nice place
Very friendly and helpful staff!
Love how this place caters to small businesses at every level. From virtual mail packages to meeting space when I need it, there's something for everyone's business level.
Everyone was great!
Love it
It's helped me immensely..?


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Monday 28 April 2008
Mutant black squirrels giving Britains' greys a run for their money
Posted by Joanne Casey at 21:33
Labels: news
5 comments:
how sweet!!ReplyDelete
Thanks for your email. It meant a lot!!
You're welcome! I'm going to have a look at those blogs now.ReplyDelete
cool!! you B Da Sweetest friend!!ReplyDelete
He's a grey squirrel who just came out from the coal shed.ReplyDelete
He's a mean ghetto squirrel....and he's playing a...harmonica?ReplyDelete
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Scarface's Grandma Inspired 'Mind Playing Tricks On Me'
Scarface and the Geto Boys inspired so many up-and-coming rappers with their 1991 classic "Mind Playing Tricks on Me." The Notorious B.I.G., 50 Cent, Prodigy, Game, Killer Mike and the Clipse have all either sampled the track or referenced it in their lyrics, but fans might be surprised to learn that it was Scarface's grandmother who inspired him to write the influential track.
"He came to the room. I think I was just mumbling to myself, my lips were working or something, and he said, 'Mama, what you talkin' about?' I said, 'Oh, nothing, my mind's just playing tricks on me,' " the rapper's grandmother told MTV News as her famous grandson looked on. "I didn't have no idea he was gonna go out and make a song about it."
In the song's memorable video, 'Face experiences hallucinations, running from a shadowy figure he believes is out to get him. The clip was a mainstay on "Yo! MTV Raps" back in the 1990s. On Sunday, the iconic video show is making a comeback with a new special "MTV2 Presents: Yo! MTV Raps: Classic Cuts." The show will examine the stories behind some of rap's most influential records, including "Mind Playing Tricks On Me."
While the world loved the Geto Boys' breakout single, Mama 'Face had a little problem with the profane language. "When I heard it and he came out with it, I tell you the truth, it just overflowed me, I tell ya, and then I heard some little ol' words to it, and I thought I'd bring it to his attention," she said before she told MTV News the advice she then shared with her rapping grandson: "Now that you got your foot in the door, clean your act up a little bit."
Watch "MTV2 Presents: Yo! MTV Raps: Classic Cuts" on Sunday, December 4, at 12 a.m. ET, immediately after the "2011 Sucker Free Awards."


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Massachusetts' highest court will decide the fate of a judge who admitted to having an affair with a clinical social worker that included sexual encounters at the courthouse.
The Commission on Judicial Conduct is asking for Judge Thomas Estes to be suspended indefinitely without pay to give lawmakers time to decide whether to remove him from the bench for his relationship with Tammy Cagle, who worked in the special drug court where Estes sat before she was reassigned last year.
If the Supreme Judicial Court agrees, it will be the first time in three decades it has taken such action against a judge for misconduct.
Lawmakers are weighing on whether Judge Thomas Estes should be suspended indefinitely without pay
The case comes amid the #MeToo movement that sparked a national reckoning over sexual misconduct in the workplace.
'This case couldn't come at a worse time for Judge Estes,' said Martin Healy, chief legal counsel of the Massachusetts Bar Association.
The Supreme Judicial Court will consider Estes' case Tuesday.
'This case couldn't come at a worse time for Judge Estes,' said Martin Healy (Pictured), chief legal counsel of the Massachusetts Bar Association
Cagle has accused Estes, who's married and has two teenage sons, of pressuring her into performing oral sex on him in his chambers and her home.
Then after she tried to end the relationship, she asserts he treated her coldly and pushed her out of the drug court.
Estes is fighting for his job and urging the Supreme Judicial Court for a four-month suspension.
He denies ever harassing Cagle or causing her to be removed from her job. He says that Cagle initiated their first encounter and he was 'wracked with guilt,' but that Cagle pressed to continue their relationship.
'I hardly have the words to express the shame and sorrow that I feel,' Estes, who was first justice of the Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown, said in a statement before the Commission on Judicial Conduct. 'I've brought disrepute to the bench that I am so proud to be a part of.'
The decision to oust Estes from the bench would be up to state lawmakers, who could either impeach him or issue a 'bill of address' calling for his removal. Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, who supports Estes' removal, and the Governor's Council would both have to sign off on a bill of address to strip Estes from the bench.
Demonstrators from The People First protest demonstrate against Judge Jerome Troy outside the courthouse in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston on Aug. 3, 1971
The last time a Massachusetts judge was removed through a bill of address was Judge Jerome Troy of the Dorchester District Court in 1973.
Troy was removed after the state's Executive Council found that he had committed six 'extremely serious offenses,' including lying under oath, neglecting his judicial duties and soliciting a contribution to a political candidate from a lawyer practicing in his court.
Five years later, the high court sanctioned Robert Bonin, chief justice of the Superior Court, for attending a lecture that served as a fundraiser for a group of defendants, but Bonin resigned before lawmakers could kick him out of office.
The Commission on Judicial Conduct found that Estes used his judicial email account to arrange some of his sexual encounters with Cagle and strategize on how best to communicate in order to hide the affair from his family.
Estes was confined to administrative duties last year before news of the affair became public, prompting speculation that it was related to a sentence he handed out in a sexual assault case that sparked outrage.
Judge Estes' lawyer David Hoose (pictured), who didn't respond to phone messages from The Associated Press, told the court that the humiliation Estes has experienced in the exposure of the affair calls for a more lenient punishment
A petition called for his removal in 2016 when he sentenced a former high school athlete to probation after the athlete pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting two classmates.
The case drew parallels to that of former Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner, who got just six months in jail for a sexual assault conviction.
Judge Estes' lawyer David Hoose, who didn't respond to phone messages from The Associated Press, told the court that the humiliation Estes has experienced in the exposure of the affair calls for a more lenient punishment. His attorney argues the affair had no impact on Estes' judicial duties, saying Estes' evaluations are 'nothing short of superlative.'
'Judge Estes has taken a terrible beating in the press and on social media, most of it from people who know neither the law nor the facts of his case,' Hoose said in court documents. 'But these pundits and cranks do not determine the appropriate sanction – this court does.'
But Healy, of the Bar Association, said he doesn't see how Estes keeps his job based on past cases of judicial misconduct.
'I can't think of another position in society that has more power and the potential for abuse of that power than someone who is sworn in for as a judge for life,' Healy said.


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With the unveiling of the NCAA tournament bracket this afternoon, it's time for that time-honored tradition of making a fool out of yourself by trying to pick the results of the games of the Big Dance.
Or maybe that's just me. Whatever.
Without a doubt, that's the thing I both love and hate the most about the NCAA tournament. On the one hand, I like looking smart. I mean, who doesn't like looking smart? But the NCAA tournament will almost inevitably make you look dumb. When you consider the fact that Yahoo! is dangling $5 million for anyone who can come up with a perfect bracket, that alone should let you know what a seeming exercise in futility this is.
But every year, like clockwork, I fill one out. Why? Because I might nail it this year! When that bracket sits in front of me, perfect in its blankness, the possibilities for glory are endless. Sure, $5 million is great -- I certainly won't turn it down when I my perfect bracket comes to fruition this year -- but even just having some bragging rights on the line makes the tournament a heck of a lot more fun to watch.
My recent track record, though, hasn't been strong. Like a Cougar basketball player trying to make a free throw in the last five minutes of one of the last five games of the season, I tend to overthink it. I look at every piece of data I can find, waffling back and forth, eventually settling on a pick.
And then I change my mind. Maybe twice.
The hardest part for me is finding the upsets. You know there will be some -- but where will they be? And when do you cut bait and let the higher seeds carry you into the Final Four?
See -- there I go thinking again. Maybe I'll just resolve not to think this year, because thinking clearly hasn't gotten me far.
If you're ready to try your hand at potentially looking very smart -- or equally dumb -- join the CougCenter Bracket Challenge. We don't have any prizes at CougCenter, but you will be eligible for the two prizes Yahoo! is offering: the $5 million grand prize and a $10,000 prize for the best bracket out of all the entrants.
Here's how you participate:
Click on this link and fill out your bracket. (If you don't see a link, disable your adblocker.)
- After you click "Save Bracket," please name your bracket with your user name at CougCenter -- this helps us all keep track of who is doing what. Join the SB Nation group if you so desire. (You'll be joining the CougCenter group momentarily.)
- Click "Register" and sign in with your Yahoo!, Facebook or Google account. (Or get an account if you don't have any of those.)
- Optional: Click "Enter Contest" where it says "$5 MILLION." (But why wouldn't you?)
- Move your mouse over "My Brackets And Groups" at the top of the page. Pull down and click on "Join A Group."
- Enter group number 99960, password rpisucks.
- If you want to do a brand new bracket, fill it out. If you want to use the bracket you've already filled out, go to the Autofill option on the right and pull it down to your previous bracket.
That's really it. Looking forward to competing against all of you -- and remember to name your bracket with your CougCenter username. Makes it more fun for all of us.
Yahoo! Tourney Pick'em supports SBNation and the best college sports tournament of the year. Join the bracket pools of Drew Brees, Michael Phelps, and Lil Wayne-- all while competing in the $5 million Perfect Bracket and $10,000 Best Bracket Sweepstakes. Be part of the best and biggest Yahoo! Sports tourney game yet – sign up today!


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ST. LOUIS — The Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District has found in favor of a man who claimed that a lender that provided him financing of two vehicles failed to give proper notice as required by the Uniform Commercial Code when it repossessed them and sought a deficiency judgment.
According to the Feb. 27 ruling, Show-Me Credit Union had taken action against Dustin Mosely when he stopped making payments for the cars it financed for him. Show-Me argued that it sent Mosely a right to cure letter containing statutory notices and that he voluntarily surrendered the cars. It also claimed that it later sent Mosely a statutory notice of intent to sell the two cars and that after selling them and applying payments and credits due to Mosely, $12,535.96 remained due on his account.


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1940 Lewisham , SE London
Two young Irish girls join the thousands leaving their native land to take up nursing posts in war torn London. How will they fair amongst the bombs and rationing as they care for TB patients in the Lewisham hospital to which they are sent?
This' imagined play' is a tribute to the real life Staff Nurse Mary Fleming and Senior Assistant Nurse Aileen Turner, two Irish women awarded the George Medal in 1941.
Mary's citation when she received the honour read: "for her quickness, coolness and courage in rescuing seventeen patients from almost certain death after the Grove Park Hospital was shattered by a German bomb"
Jessica Kearney (Mary) and Lauren Cardiff (Aileen)
Jessica Kearney (Mary) and Lauren Cardiff (Aileen)
The cast take a bow at the Lewisham Irish centre.
Jessica Kearney and Louis Rayneau(Martin) in rehearsal
Alex Stevens (Bert) and Lauren Cardiff (Aileen)


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"Connected to the self and connected to nature," this is how LINNÉ (pronounced lah-nay) Botanicals founder Jenna Levine describes the spirit of her luxurious and wildcrafted skincare line. Formulated to safely and effectively promote healthy radiant skin, each formula is made in small batches from a diverse collection of natural and organic plant ingredients.
So much of the brand's ethos and mission revolves around Levine's love of learning about the relationship between humans and plants — even showing in the line's namesake as it's named after Carl von Linné, a Swedish botanist known as the father of modern botany and biology.
"Linné was an amazing teacher. He taught in Sweden and was always inviting non-students and people from the town into the classroom to learn, taking them out into nature to explore," Levine explains, before offering her own mission: "Today, our whole M.O. is to share the wonders of the plant world with our customers and encourage them to make the best decisions for themselves."
Growing up in downtown Chicago, Levine spent much of her childhood in the kitchen with her mother, cooking as a form of play. At 10, after a friend's mother gave her the book The Herbal Home Spa by Greta Bredlove, plants became a part of young Levine's very foundation.
"I was absolutely fascinated with plants," she laughs. "I have memories of being young and silly with friends and doing things like rubbing papaya all over our faces."
As she grew older, Levine further developed her passion, educating herself on plants mechanisms and the way they could help humans. She even shadowed a traditional Tibetan doctor and spent a summer in Ecuador and the Amazon exploring the forest.
"Travel was an amazing way to experience the world of plants. I think that's why we use so many plants that are sourced worldwide for LINNÉ — because we want to promote species diversity and we love how plants can connect us to a place," explains Levine.
When her sister developed painful cystic acne and was on a course of Accutane, Levine knew she wanted to use her studies in herbal medicine to help her sister and began concocting a plan. It was then that she developed her first product, the BALANCE face oil.
The seed had officially been planted for the budding entrepreneur and she was hooked. After being given the opportunity to work with Hillary Peterson, the founder of True Botanicals, she decided to give her own skincare line a shot and headed to NYC to launch LINNÉ Botanicals with a goal of creating products that would not only help her sister, but the skin issues of her entire family, as well as others.
And she's succeeded tenfold. Today, the brand has a full line of eight products consisting of ACTIVATE body wash, PURIFY face wash, SCRUB face mask, REFRESH face mist, RENEW face serum, REPAIR face oil, BALANCE face oil, and SMOOTH body balm. And that's not all… next on the horizon is a holiday lip product launch.
Sign us up… plant you very much!
Sable Massingill is a writer, creative connector, and entrepreneur exploring the intersection of wellness, culture, and travel. Visit her at sablemassingill.com or on Instagram at @sablemassingill.


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Philia Love vs Agape Love
If we had to choose one word, one thing, one feeling that was and will forever be the greatest inspiration for almost all the things that matter in life, that word would undoubtedly be love. It is something that moves us, something we search for our entire life. Since the beginning of our time on … Read more


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I have sold a property at 126 45900 SOUTH SUMAS RD in Chilliwack.
2 bed/ 2 bath Rancher in the prestigious, gated, 45+ community, "Evergreen by Ensley." Nice & bright spacious "Spruce" floor plan. Tall ceilings w/ vaulted ceiling in living room & rock faced gas fireplace. Open concept kitchen w/ eating bar, SS appliances & large pantry for extra storage space. Spacious master bed offers ensuite and full walk-in-closet. Good sized laundry room w/ sink & cupboards for storage. Central Vac & Central Air. French doors off the kitchen lead to large backyard space and covered deck area. Extra storage available in the sizable crawl space. Vistor parking & RV parking. Just steps away from Kinkora Golf Course & Minutes away from shopping and recreation!


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Thyroidectomy is the removal of complete or a part of the thyroid gland. It produces hormones that regulate body metabolism. Thyroidectomy is used to treat thyroid disorders, such as overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), a noncancerous enlargement of the thyroid (goiter) and cancer. If only a part of the thyroid is removed (partial thyroidectomy), the thyroid may be able to function normally after surgery. If the entire thyroid is removed (total thyroidectomy) it requires daily treatment with thyroid hormone to replace your thyroid's natural function.
Related Journals of Thyroidectomy
Journal of Thyroid Disorders & Therapy, Journal of Autacoids and Hormones, Endocrinology & Metabolic Syndrome, Family Medicine & Medical Science Research, Health Care : Current Reviews, Journal of Radiology, Thyroid Disease and Diabetes, Thyroid disease, Thyroid Journal Program, Journal of Endocrinology, Thyroid Science, Thyroid, Endocrine Practice


text: Certified Inspection Expert Video Form Video Order Form 2016 Contact Name * Company Name * Phone Number for Video * Website for Video * Slogan/Tagline If left blank, we will use "More than just an Inspection". General Service Area * Do you want these mentioned in the video? ASHI Member InterNACHI Member Services to be added into the video (Check all the apply): * RecallChek 90-Day Warranty 100-Day Warranty MoldSafe SewerGard Platinum Roof Protection Plan InspectorLab Termite Protection Plan Home Owners Resource (HOR) Concierge Program Ultimate Home Book Radon Protection Plan 100% Guarantee 200% Guarantee 18 Month Warranty SMART Home Service Plan Have you received a CIE video in the past? * Yes No If so, please provide link to past video. * Please upload a high resolution logo for use in your video. * Uploading Files. Please Wait. Special Instructions for the video


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Chances for admission despite horrible first semester
- This has become our largest and most active forum because the physics GRE is just one aspect of getting accepted into a graduate physics program.
- There are applications, personal statements, letters of recommendation, visiting schools, anxiety of waiting for acceptances, deciding between schools, finding out where others are going, etc.
Post Reply
3 posts • Page 1 of 1
Chances for admission despite horrible first semester
I did poorly my first semester ( I had an overall gpa of 1.8 and I withdrew from a course so I have a 'w') because my parents forced me into biology pre med and I gave up. I switched to physics and my last three semesters have been great. All A's and I'm involved in research. Will I be able to overcome that terrible first semester and be considered at top physics graduate programs if I continue doing well? By top I mean top 20, whatever that means to you. Thanks in advance for the advice I receive.
- Posts: 1203
- Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:44 am
Re: Chances for admission despite horrible first semester
See this post by Grae313:
http://www.physicsgre.com/viewtopic.php ... 294&#p9294
Long story short, I dropped out of a shitty state school my second semester with a 1.4 GPA, came back two years later and got into Stanford, Berkeley, and Cornell.
Post Reply
3 posts • Page 1 of 1


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The Latin America and Caribbean-OECD Investment Initiative aims to increase the contribution of private investment to economic and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean. It does so through peer dialogue, both between governments as well as between governments and investors.
The Initiative helps governments create better policies at three levels:
The Initiative was officially launched in September 2010 in Santiago, Chile.
The Initiative inscribes itself into and supports the OECD LAC Regional Programme.
How to Solve the Investment Promotion Puzzle
OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
Policy Framework for Investment
OECD Principles for Private Sector Participation in Infrastructure
Private sector participation in the water and sanitation sector
Any questions relating to the Latin America and Caribbean-OECD Investment Initiative should be addressed to Andrea Marín Odio (Tel: +33 1 85 55 60 14, firstname.lastname@example.com)
Web page in Spanish: Iniciativa América Latina y el Caribe-OCDE para la Inversión
Documents connexes


text: If you ever wanted empirical proof that money can't buy happiness, spend a little time in first class. One leg should be sufficient--no need to burden yourself with the experience more than that. There are exceptions to every generalization, of course, but I hardly expect there is a more concentrated collection of wealthy and comfortable, … Continue reading First Class


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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (PRWEB) January 03, 2017 -- Lief, a San Francisco-based startup, has been recognized as one of the top crowdfunding wearable projects to watch. The innovative stress patch can track and optimize a user's resiliency to stress by increasing their natural heart rate variability (HRV) and help guide a user back to their heart's restorative rhythm. This week, the Lief Therapeutics team will be heading to Las Vegas to debut Lief at CES 2017.
"Stress can have a devastating long-term effect on our health and productivity," Lief Therapeutics Co-Founder Rohan Dixit said. "With Lief, users can actually manage their stress as it's happening and better understand their heart rates and breathing patterns. Eventually, users should be able to pinpoint their triggers and use Lief to calm down."
Perhaps one of the most intriguing features is Lief's overall design. The patch is soft, flexible, and sports an adhesive backing, which means users simply place the Lief on their chest in the morning and go about their day. Whenever a wave of stress hits, Lief will emit quiet vibrations to help guide a restorative and healthy heart rate and breathing pattern. After a three minute exercise, a user can improve their natural stress response and ability to continue with their day. With Lief, there are no screens necessary.
After traveling to the Himalayan Mountains and studying Tibetan monks for nearly a year, the Lief Therapeutics team was able to study various meditation techniques and understand how a trained mind can greatly impact an individual's mind and body. Once the team arrived back to the states, they worked closely with Stanford and UCSF clinicians to develop the Lief stress patch. Now, the team is prepared to debut Lief at CES 2017 in Las Vegas this week.
The team recently announced a $300K stretch goal reward for their Kickstarter backers. Once the campaign hits its new goal, the team will add a sleep analysis feature to Lief for users to collect their HRV overnight. Measuring HRV while asleep will help users gain greater insight into their quality of sleep. Those who are interested in backing the project have the opportunity to purchase Lief at a discounted price starting at $189. For more information, visit the campaign at bit.ly/Lief_KS.
About Lief Therapeutics
Lief Therapeutics is a San Francisco startup that specializes in healthcare wearables. Their flagship product, Lief, is a soft smart patch that measures a consumer's heart and breathing. Lief can teach consumers how to control their body's natural stress response, reduce triggered responses, be mindful and stay in control throughout the day. Lief also supports clinicians in monitoring and treating their mental health patients. Lief is insurance reimbursable and FDA Class II Exempt, minimizing the startup's regulatory burden and barrier to market. For more information, visit http://www.getlief.com.
Sarah Hunter, Lief Therapeutics, +1 704-497-4980, [email protected]
SOURCE Lief Therapeutics


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Submission Category: External Corporate Brand/Image Advertising/Marketing
To distinguish Risk Placement Services (RPS) as leading specialty broker of choice, we wanted to build clear and creative brand positioning, differentiated in voice and look from the competition, creating a recognizable identity for RPS producers and service teams.
After research, we produced an entirely refreshed brand message and creative execution that directly answered the needs of our target audience while conveying the energy, enthusiasm and approachability of the RPS culture with a modernized, bold style.
The brand campaign built upon these refreshed brand fundamentals, showcasing the new RPS brand message and establishing our new brand promise. With the objective and measurable outcomes simple to quantify, the campaign generated 5.84 million impressions and achieved a .20% CTR (above Google benchmarks).
What is not measurable is the sense of pride and enthusiasm expressed by our employees about the visibility of the RPS brand, standing as one of the leading specialty products distributors, and the differentiating and energetic tone expressed in the creative.
View this submission
Submission Category: Integrated Digital Marketing Campaign
Find this a-peeling? Quit monkeying around and vote for the Zoos & Aquariums campaign for the SAMMY!
Zoos & Aquariums are responsible for exposing people to the world of nature, and that opens organizations up to a wide variety of unique risks. Recent events highlight the need for organizations to proactively prepare for security threats to avoid significant financial loss and reduce the potential of legal liability. We developed a lead generation campaign highlighting Gallagher Crisis Protect for Zoos & Aquariums, which provides 24-hour consultative support immediately following a security event to reduce business interruption and minimize adverse publicity resulting in severe damage to reputation. As the exclusive insurance sponsor of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums conference, we reached influential zoo institutional directors, with 89% having insurance buying/decision-making power. Check out Gallagher's multi-faceted campaign to educate institutional directors on Crisis Protect for Zoos & Aquariums.
View this submission
Submission Category: Employee Corporate Communications
The Foremost Marketing Team created a Brand Style Guide to clearly communicate our brand's image, voice and standards.
It's a key document to help our team members — both veterans and newcomers — create on-brand content. It also empowers other groups — like Product and Sales — as a guide for providing customers with a consistent experience. For company leadership, it illustrates the strategies we use to ensure all of our work communicates Foremost's vision of delivering A Better Insurance Experience®.
Based on feedback from various teams, the Brand Style Guide has become a staple, and is used frequently when creating content, reviewing communications and sharing messages with our Independent Agents and customers.
The Foremost Marketing Team facilitated several sessions with other teams and departments to discuss and explore the Brand Style Guide. These sessions led to valuable, mutually beneficial conversations between Marketing, Sales and Product as we discussed on-brand practices for voice, tone, logo use, web standards, and more.
Overall, the Brand Style Guide has helped us build more connections between business units, creating a more unified, focused Foremost team, and — ultimately — accomplishing our goal of cultivating a stronger, more consistent brand.
View this submission


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Have I Been Wrongfully Terminated?
While California is an "at-will" employment state (meaning either the employer or employee can end the employment relationship at any time), there are certain circumstances under which an employer is not legally allowed to fire an employee. For many people, in the days and weeks that follow being fired, questions start rising about why they were fired. Did I actually do something wrong, or did my boss find a reason to fire me?
What Are Examples of Wrongful Termination?
An employer cannot fire an employee as a form of discrimination, harassment or retaliation against the employee. This could include situations where:
- An employer is hostile or unfair to the worker due to race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, orientation or disability
- The employee gets pregnant or has certain family obligations
- The employee refuses the employer's sexual advances, no matter how masked they may be
- The employee has reported unethical or unsafe activities in the company
- The employer has violated employment agreements, whether oral or written
- The employee has needed special accommodations for a disability
At Nelson Law Group, our attorneys will carefully review your situation and all evidence that could point to why your boss fired you. This includes emails, personnel files, witness accounts and other documentation of illegal employment practices.
If we find that your employer wrongfully terminated you, we will explain how we can seek compensation or other damages for how you have been treated and the effect the termination will have on your career.
For more information about how we can help you fight a wrongful termination and protect your rights as an employee, please contact our law offices today at 415-689-6590 or toll free at 866-290-0424 to schedule a consultation.


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Women of VICTORY
Women of Victory is a ministry that was started in 1997 by Dr. Hazel Hill. This ministry seeks to encourage, build up and release women into their God-given callings. Over the years this ministry has helped to establish various outreach programs, provided missions opportunities and build orphanages as well as reaching out to women all over the world.
The Women of Victory e-Magazine is a new thing the Lord is doing. It's a way for us as Women of Victory to CONNECT! It is our intent to cover as many areas that relate to women as is possible in each edition. With your help we will accomplish that very thing. When we have good news we ought to share it!
To stay up to date with all the latest news pertaining to Women of Victory be sure to follow us and like our pages.
Facebook Page:
Victory Children's Homes
Victory Children's Homes, in partnership with people like you who have a heart for the world's children, endeavours to build children's homes and schools in as many nations as is needed, to give a safe home, pure drinking water, food, clothing, medical attention, education and loving arms to hold them.
We endeavour to create family for these little ones where ever they are found. Our intent is not to bring our North American culture to the nations, but to work within the frame work of the culture of its people.
"We are not giving them a hand out,
but a hand up and out of poverty and humiliation.
We do not give people a fish,
but a hook so that they can catch their own fish"
victorychildrenshomes.com |
For sponsorship information please contact Lori Peters:
VCHIF Sponsorships
Box 638 Swift Current, SK, S9H 3W4
Phone: 306.773.7271 | Fax: 306.773.4451


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Grant announcement: Support for the promotion of other film culture
To whom?
Support may be granted to a corporation or association registered in Finland for projects promoting Finnish film culture.
Application period
Application time ends on 27.9.2021 23:59
The decisions are made on week 46.
Application period
The application period ends on September 27, 2021 at 23:59. Applications received after the application deadline will not be considered.
The aim of the support
The aim of the Finnish Film Foundation is to promote the diverse and professional production of films in Finland. The Foundation's values include participation, pluralism, cultural diversity and artistic freedom.
The aim of the support is to promote Finnish film culture and its development.
To whom?
Support may be granted to a corporation or association registered in Finland for projects promoting Finnish film culture.
For what purpose and how much?
The support is intended for Finnish projects that diversify and strengthen Finnish film culture and film industry. This form of support cannot be used to replace or supplement other support granted by the Foundation for the same purpose.
The amount of support
The maximum amount of support for an individual project is €30,000.
Previous support decisions can be viewed on the Foundation's support decisions page.
How to apply?
Applications are submitted to the application system by submitting the application and appendices to Finnish Film Foundation before the deadline noted in the grant announcement.
Applicants fill in an application in the application system that consists of an electronic application form and the necessary appendices that are uploaded into the system.
Instructions for the application system
Prior to submitting an application, the applicant must read the relevant grant announcement and support guide carefully.
The applicant must submit the following appendices to the online application system by the final deadline:
- an overall plan for the project
- an itemised budget and financial plan for the project
- agreements or binding contracts of other funding in accordance with the financial plan
Obligatory appendices related to the applicant:
- a verified and audited financial statement (if the Limited-liability Companies Act, the Audit Act or the articles of association necessitate an auditor) covering the latest financial period.
- a valid extract from the Trade Register no older than six months
- a certificate of paid taxes no older than three months
- a certificate of paid pension insurance premiums no older than three months
- a current shareholders' register (Limited Liability Companies Act, chapter 3) (delivered only once and updated if changes in ownership occur)
How are the applications evaluated?
The support for the promotion of other film culture is discretionary. Granting the support is based on overall evaluation and comparison of the applications. The following guidelines are used to evaluate the applications:
Evaluation takes into account the project's production and economic feasibility as well as its significance to the development of Finnish film culture and film industry. In addition, the applicant's professional and financial means to complete the project and the available funds are evaluated.
Other funding and self-financing of the project are viewed as an advantage. Other support previously granted to the applicant by the Foundation is also taken into account.
The Finnish Film Foundation's Board decides on the support for the promotion of other film culture based on the CEO's presentation.
The applicant receives a written decision that includes the conditions of the support and a claim for correction order with instructions.
The decisions are made on week 46.
The decision is based on the Act on the Government's Support for the Promotion of Film Culture (1174/2018), the Act on Discretionary Government Transfers (688/2001) and the Administrative Procedure Act (434/2003).
Further information
Matti Paunio
Head of Production
• management of the production department
• coordinating the Foundation's international training and co-production projects
• the Finnish representative in the Eurimages Fund
• support for the promotion of other film culture
+358 9 6220 3038


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Vendor- Bruni, Frank
Beauty of Dusk: On Vision Lost and Found
Bruni, Frank
Regular price
One morning in late 2017, New York Times columnist Frank Bruni woke up with strangely blurred vision. He wondered at first if some goo or gunk had worked its way into his right eye. But this was no fleeting annoyance, no fixable inconvenience. Overnight, a rare stroke had cut off blood to one of his optic nerves, rendering him functionally blind in that eye—forever. And he soon learned from doctors that the same disorder could ravage his left eye, too. He could lose his sight altogether.
In The Beauty of Dusk, Bruni hauntingly recounts his adjustment to this daunting reality, a medical and spiritual odyssey that involved not only reappraising his own priorities but also reaching out to, and gathering wisdom from, longtime friends and new acquaintances who had navigated their own traumas and afflictions.
The result is a poignant, probing, and ultimately uplifting examination of the limits that all of us inevitably encounter, the lenses through which we choose to evaluate them and the tools we have for perseverance. Bruni's world blurred in one sense, as he experienced his first real inklings that the day isn't forever and that light inexorably fades, but sharpened in another. Confronting unexpected hardship, he felt more blessed than ever before. There was vision lost. There was also vision found.
Hardcover, March 1st 2022


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I tried setting the lb worker method=T (Traffic) and found that it was
not being honored.
A review of the code found that the jk_lb_get_method() function is never
being called to set the lb worker->lbmethod.
Is this feature just not enabled yet?
No it's not enabled.
I had a local copy, but it seems I did not commit the change.
Inside jk_lb_worker.c::init you will need to add:
p->method = jk_get_lb_method(props, p->s->name);
Bug fixed in CVS.


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Sunday, August 23, 2015
Lookin' Good!
11 comments:
- Anet's Crafting said...
Gorgeous card Deonna. Thank you for playing along with our Challenge at Chocolate, Coffee & Cards. We would love to see you again ... Anet DT x
- Sunday, August 23, 2015
- Rae Ann said...
Great idea for a card and gift in one! Love the bottle cap closure for the card.
Thank you for joining us at Crafty Gals Corner for our Anything Goes challenge.
- Monday, August 24, 2015
- JanR said...
Great card! The paper piecing is really cool. Thanks for joining us at Melonheadz Friends.
- Monday, August 24, 2015
- JanR said...
*Piercing, I meant piercing. :-)
- Monday, August 24, 2015
- Jackie T said...
Hi this is a gorgeous card the image is very striking. Thank you for joining us this month at Not Just Cards . Hugs Jackie DT
- Tuesday, August 25, 2015
- chanya13 said...
Fabulous card with lovely colors and design.Thanks for sharing with us at Crafty Gals Corner Agnieszka DT
- Tuesday, August 25, 2015
- Heather said...
Wow! what a great card! Super fun layout and I really love that tag. The image is gorgeous and so is your coloring. Thanks for playing with LTSCB.
- Tuesday, August 25, 2015
- Kristina said...
Fantastic Project! Thanks so much for joining us over at the Art by Mi Ran Challenge Blog.
- Friday, August 28, 2015
- NanaConnie said...
Oh, Deonna, these are perfectly adorable projects for Halloween! Really love that wide eyed witch. :-D I want to say thanks for playing in our "Anything Goes" challenge at Pattie's Creations this month and good luck. Hope to see you again. :-D
NanaConnie DT
- Friday, August 28, 2015
- Lillian A said...
Adorable - and perfect for Halloween. Thank you for your entry into our anything goes challenge at Love To Scrap.
- Saturday, August 29, 2015
- Tracy Wray aka Trak said...
Thank you for taking part in our art by miran challenge,
I very much enjoyed looking at your project and all
the time and detail you put into it, good luck hugs tracy
- Monday, August 31, 2015


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Read Our Review Of LikeToCheat.com: Find Out How LikeToCheat.com Missed Our "Top Married Dating" List
A name like this just makes us want to start punching something. None of us like to cheat. Unfortunately, a name like LikeToCheat.com isn't discreet, and it isn't exactly the most appealing name either, and we're pretty sure that this is the reason this site is very, very dead.
It's virtually a ghost town.
We're not sure how anyone would sign onto LikeToCheat.com and think that it's going to work for them. This site is really just unappealing to the core, and that's something we uncovered more and more as our LikeToCheat review went on. It's full of scammers, but mostly that's because old profiles were taken over and converted into scam bots. This makes the whole site itself very unsafe, and really, really unpleasant to use.
See The Results We Got For Married Dating On LikeToCheat.com
We ended up spending a total of 3 months on our LikeToCheat review, and during this time, we sent out a total of 180 e-mails to women that we really hoped weren't just LikeToCheat scams.
We were probably wrong.
From those 180 e-mails, we only received a total of 36 responses. Those numbers just made us gawk for awhile, because seriously, that's just pathetic.
Considering we didn't have a single woman ask us out, we're sure that we only ran into a bunch of LikeToCheat scams again. This site is just a complete time waster, through and through.
This Is Why We Did Not Like LikeToCheat.com: Is It a Scam?
Maybe this site was active back in the day, but it certainly isn't now. This makes for a very unsafe environment, because every single 'dead' profile has been taken over by some kind of scam bot.
These bots will spam you and give your viruses.
If that isn't bad enough, there's also the threat of annoying cam girls and escorts all over this site. It's basically just a giant scammer hole, and that means that there's really no way for you to meet any real women on here if you're serious about having an affair.
LikeToCheat.com in the News
Picturesque romance in the media can really ruin your love life, and that's something to keep in mind even if you're using horrible sites like LikeToCheat.com: http://voices.yahoo.com/media-romance-ruin-love-life-5380245.html?cat=41
It's not always easy to show your mistress that you care about her, but this article will help you find a few ways that sites like LikeToCheat.com would never think of: http://voices.yahoo.com/how-her-realize-care-5568247.html?cat=41
In-Depth Review Of LikeToCheat.com: Why You Should Think Twice Before Using LikeToCheat.com For Married Dating?
There's nothing redeemable about this site, and that means that there's absolutely no chance we'd ever recommend a site like LikeToCheat.com for someone that really wants to have a successful affair.
Instead, we highly recommend that you check out our number one site for affair dating, AffairsClub by Xpress.com. We've thoroughly tested it, and our results don't lie: it's the best of the best, and it really does work to help you find the kinds of women that you're looking for.


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A FIDE Arbiters' Seminar is going to be organised from 21/12/2023 to 24/12/2023 in Kishinev, by the Moldavian Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.
The Lecturer will be IA Tovchyga, Oleg (UKR), FIDE Lecturer, and Local Assistant Lecturer will be IA Sanduleac, Vasile (MDA.
The language of the Seminar will be Russian.
The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.
Arrival day
10:00-12:00 Regulations for the Arbiters Titles
12:00-14:00 Arbiter Disciplinary Regulations
15:00-18:00 Anti-Cheating
18:00-19:00 English conversation
10:00-12:00 System of Games, Tie-Breaks
12:00-14:00, 15:00-18:00 Swiss System and Pairing Rules
10:00-12:00 Swiss System and Pairing Rules
12:00-14:00 Regulations for the player title
16:00-18:00 Tournament Rules
18:00-19:00 English conversation
10:00-14:00 Laws of Chess
15:00-19:00 Exam
Departure day


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________ Information on stocks, bonds, real estate, investments, gold, startups, & money ________
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
How to Invest in Hockey
Viewers of the hockey events at the 2014 Winter Olympics at Sochi saw that Canada won gold medals for both men and women, and the United States garnered a silver medal for women's hockey. Since we are still in the middle of hockey season, investors are wondering if there is a way to play the hockey stock market. If you are looking to take a swing at hockey stocks, here are some worth watching.
Although a small part of their business, Bell Canada, a division of BCE Inc. (BCE), and Rogers Communications (RCE) own the Toronto Maple Leafs. BCE trades at 17 times earnings and yields 5.2%. Rogers Communications trades at 12 times earnings and pays a yield of 4.3%.
The Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League is owned by a company called Comcast-Spectacor, of which 63% is owned by Comcast (CMCSA). They also own the Wells Fargo Center where hockey is played. Comcast has a price earnings ratio of 20 and a yield of 1.8%.
The New York Rangers are owned by the Madison Square Garden Company (MSG). They also own the Madison Square Garden sports and entertainment arena and the Hartford Wolf Pack, an AHL professional hockey team. Madison Square Garden has a forward P/E of 29.
Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. (DKS) sells hockey equipment along with numerous types of other sporting goods. Dick's has a P/E of 20 and a yield of 1.0%.
Sport Chalet Inc. (SPCHB) also sells hockey equipment along with other types of sporting goods including snowboarding, mountaineering, and SCUBA equipment. The company recently generated negative earnings. This is a very low cap stock that should be considered very speculative.
If you like sports related stocks, you should check out basketball stocks, tennis stocks, racecar motorsports stocks, and horse racing stocks.
Author does not own any of the above.
By Stockerblog.com
Posted by Stockerblog at 9:43 PM
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SM Cinema gave moviegoers a sneak peek of the freshest movie theater complex everyone can look forward to at SM Mall of Asia with a special screening of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
In the epic ending to the saga, the surviving Resistance faces the First Order once more as Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron's journey continues. With the power and knowledge of generations behind them, the final battle commences.
"In this day and age when people find comfort in watching movies from their homes, coping with the changing times allows us to further innovate on what we can offer to our customers. Now, SM Cinema Mall of Asia utilizes its unique position to provide people the premium movie experience that they deserve, giving the same feeling that is close to home," said Ruby Ann Reyes, SM Cinema Vice President for Marketing.
SM Cinema Mall of Asia's Regular Cinemas will feature the most comfortable spectator seats, complete with 7.1 Surround Sound setup and RGB Laser Projection System, so viewers can immerse themselves in an upgraded silver screen experience.
Meanwhile, the premium Director's Club Cinemas will each house leather full-recliner seats, with a large advanced laser projection system accompanied by Dolby Digital Surround Sound. Moviegoers can also enjoy an in-theater butler service, enabling them to have an uninterrupted and intimate visual storytelling experience.
Once opened, SM Cinema Mall of Asia will be an entertainment complex where moviegoers can find all cinema formats including regular cinemas, Director's Club, IMAX, Large Screen Format and Event Cinema.
Soon people can enjoy the luxury of seeing their favorite movies come to life with state-of-the-art facilities, year-round installations, and movie-centric activities.
Karina is not your ordinary supermom. She juggles her time bonding with her three amazing kids while being in the loop on the latest happenings in the tech and lifestyle scene. Follow me on Instagram (@digitalfilipina) regularly visit www.digitalfilipina.com for daily dose of updates not just for moms but for everyone!


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Recent findings suggest a novel positron emission tomography (PET) imaging approach determining epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status for improved lung cancer patient management. The findings are published in the Mar. 7 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
This study was performed in the lab of Baozhong Shen, the TOF-PET/CT/MR Center of The Fourth Hospital of Harbin Medical University and the Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRC) of Harbin Medical University. The senior authors are Dr. Baozhong Shen, Harbin Medical University Professor of Radiology, Dr. Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, Professor & Chair of Radiology, Stanford University, School of Medicine and Dr. Zhen Cheng, Associate Professor of Radiology, Stanford University, School of Medicine. Dr. Xilin Sun, Harbin Medical University Professor of Radiology, is the lead author. Drs. Baozhong Shen and Xilin Sun are scientists at the Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRC) of Harbin Medical University.
The estimation of EGFR mutation status is essential for the identification of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients who may benefit from treatment with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and hence for improving therapeutic efficacy. While several techniques are currently available to assess EGFR mutation status, these methods require tumor biopsies and can often fail or have poor reproducibility due to insufficient material for mutation analysis. Additionally, intra- and inter-tumor heterogeneity over space and time makes it even more challenging to assess EGFR mutation status in real time. Plasma samples of patients with NSCLC is a less invasive method and has been used as surrogate tumor tissues for detecting genetic alterations. However, many studies have found the inconsistency of EGFR mutation status in plasma DNA samples as compared to tumor tissue DNA samples. Plasma samples also cannot address the issue of expression heterogeneity (primary tumor vs. metastatic site(s)).
"How can we overcome the limitations of tumor tissue biopsy and plasma samples for detecting genetic alterations, and obtain comprehensive tumor EGFR profiling in real-time?" asked Dr. Baozhong Shen. "Can this technique provide both EGFR mutation status information at the molecular level and precise anatomical information such as size, shape, NSCLC tumor location(s), and their relationship with adjacent structures?."
"Molecular imaging with PET shows the potential for non-invasively detecting cancer biomarkers in primary or metastatic tumors, and therefore for identifying patients who are likely to respond to specific treatments." Shen said. "We wanted to develop a novel strategy with PET imaging for non-invasively determining EGFR mutation status in real-time, predict NSCLC patients who may benefit from EGFR-TKI therapy, and monitor EGFR-TKI treatment outcome."
The researchers designed and synthesized a novel small molecule PET tracer, 18F-MPG, with high specificity to activating EGFR mutant kinase. The preclinical studies showed that the newly developed 18F-MPG allows one to noninvasive and repeatedly detect activating EGFR mutational status in mouse models of NSCLC with high sensitivity and specificity. More importantly, the researchers then translated this strategy to NSCLC patients. The first-in-human PET/CT imaging of 75 patients with 18F-MPG was performed to show that this tracer can be used as a companion diagnostic to identify NSCLC patients with EGFR activating mutant tumors (primary tumor or metastatic) with 84.3% accuracy. Good patient outcomes were observed after EGFR-TKI therapy in the subpopulation with very high pretreatment 18F-MPG uptake, which demonstrates the potential of using 18F-MPG PET/CT to predict treatment response. These results demonstrate that noninvasive imaging of EGFR activating mutation status in primary and metastatic tumors with 18F-MPG PET/CT is a valid strategy for stratifying NSCLC patients for EGFR-TKI treatment. This strategy achieves: (i) differentiating of tumor EGFR-activating mutation status with non-invasive, whole-body PET imaging; (ii) prediction of EGFR-TKIs sensitivity/resistance and patient survival; and (iii) monitoring of the dynamic changes in EGFR mutation status during therapy and guidance of precise treatment.
"There currently are no methods to predict EGFR-TKI therapy response in patients and design effective EGFR-TKIs therapies when a genetic test is not feasible or ambiguous." Shen said. "With 18F-MPG PET/CT imaging, we were able to quantitate EGFR-activating mutation status in NSCLC patients (primary tumor or metastatic) and directly determine/visualize the location(s) and morphology of the NSCLCs."
This new study is believed to be the first reported to analyze the association between EGFR mutation status in tumor tissue and 18F labeled EGFR-TKI tracer uptake in NSCLC patients.
Funding for the study was provided by the National Basic Research Program of China (2015CB931800) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (81101088,81471724).
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Materials provided by Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRC) of Harbin Medical University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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Winter Haven City Hall
Structure 8 (A1)
451 3rd Street, NW
Year Built 1960
« back to structures
« back to works
Tour Narrative
Track Eight
To get to Winter Haven's City Hall from the Garden Center, continue driving south on 3rd Street NW, or exit left if parked in the public parking lot, and travel another few blocks. The building is on the right. The best view of City Hall can be found by parking on the street in front of the building. You can also park on the side streets or in the rear parking lot. The building is open to the public during business hours and evening meetings.
Gene Leedy didn't have to fight City Hall, but he did have to meet their 1960 budget. He recalled the challenge:
"But I did The City Hall before I started the pre-stressed concrete work. And that was a tough thing to do because they had a budget, would you believe, of $150,000? And they told me, if you go one dime over $150,000.00, you're going to do the building overat your expense. So it came in at $145,000.00."
Note the courtyards on each side. Their white walls serve as a backdrop for the vibrant green color of the creeping fig. The exterior walls are surrounded with built-in raised landscaping beds. Large concrete columns appear to be growing up out of the thick grass adding stately drama to the one-story building.
You may also note the four large skylights on the flat gravel roof. This type of roof design was intended to function much like a body as it perspires, drawing heat up and out from the interior, allowing it to be cooler inside. The building was originally constructed with a central and open-ended sky-lit atrium that stretched from front to back. Large sliding glass doors led in all along the two sides, making a beautiful oasis for business and community functions. These days, these aluminum framed doors are taken for granted but they were actually invented by Gene Leedy. Intended to bring the outside in and people together in a natural setting, they also brought this important element of modern architecture into our own City Hall. Unfortunately, this courtyard was later filled with offices for the growing City Hall staff.
There was another price for Leedy to pay in the form of original design intentions:
"Well, I wanted to make a Florida building out of it. I wanted to make it open and the breeze goes through and out. I actually wanted to have fountains in there, but we didn't have the money to do it."
Even without the fountains Gene wanted, the building won the Florida Association of Architects Award of Merit in 1962 -- quite a large accomplishment for a building in such a small town.
Ken Triester, Miami architect and now Winter Haven resident, offered these comments about Leedy's accomplishments:
"Gene's are very simple. They're down to earth. They're rectilinear. The columns go straight, and the roof goes horizontal, and it's in line with the earth because the lines are horizontal. So you put all those together. And one other thing that is important in his architecture is that he can have a glass wall, because he has the courtyard which is private. And he has the flat roof which is very horizontal, and there's no need for gables and things. So therefore he has the outdoors, which in Florida is very beautiful, and the indoors which can blend together very nicely. So all in all he's a great architect, and he's made a great contribution, not only to Winter Haven but all of Florida, and to some to degree the United States. I wish more architects would learn from Gene and emulate his work."
Let's move on to the next building. However, before you leave downtown proper, you may want to stop in for a coffee or snack at one of the many local eateries.


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Return HomeEast China University of Science and Technology -> Course Lists
1. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree
2. Be in good health and aged 18 or above
3. HSK level 6 or above
1. Photocopy of valid passport
With photo, passport number &expiration date and name included.
2. Passport-sized photo
A passport-sized photo taken recently of the applicant.
3. Bachelor's degree diploma
Graduation certificate should be in Chinese or English.If not, it should be translated into Chinese or English and be notarized.
4. Transcript of undergraduate school
5. HSK Certificate (No need for English-taught program)
Level 6 or above
6. Health certificate(optional)
Photocopy of physical examination record.
7. Two recommendation letters(optional)
From professor,associate professor or equivalents.


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Whole Foods' "foragers" would scour their areas looking for and signing up brands that most times did not have the wherewithal to pay for promotional allowances or slotting fees. Whole Foods took these brands under their wing and waived the costs. That's changing.
Originally published on Forbes.com.
Some Whole Foods suppliers are pointing the finger at Amazon for changes that are threatening their products on the chain's shelves. But let's remember that Whole Foods' operations and profits were broken long before Amazon came into the picture.
Few doubt that Amazon's food strategies at Whole Foods will be successful; in fact, most food retailers are scrambling to compete with Amazon Whole Foods. From a consumer standpoint, the chain is on target as it rolls out its Amazon Prime delivery, Amazon lockers and new offerings like fresh meal kits. The challenge that faces Amazon is how to run the business side of Whole Foods.
Whole Foods has always worked closely with small and local food brands to nurture them and make them successful – to the brands' benefit and often to Whole Foods' disadvantage. Whole Foods' "foragers" were buyers who would scour their areas looking for and signing up unique brands that most times did not have the wherewithal to pay for promotional allowances or slotting fees. Whole Foods took these brands under their wing and waived the costs, unlike most other large chains.
That's changing.
Amazon was able to purchase Whole Foods because it was "broken" — let's not forget that — and now Amazon is building best practices to solve those problems, and its suppliers are complaining.
Two significant communications were sent in the past weeks from Whole Foods to the brand community. The first was that it would not be attending Expo West, the largest "natural products" trade show in the country. In the past, this was the home turf for Whole Foods buyers, and Whole Foods brought more associates than any other food chain to taste, buy, mingle and build relationships.
Jeffries' Industry Note, released earlier today, discussed Expo West from the first-hand perspective of Christopher Mandeville, Jefferies senior analyst covering the food and convenience retail/distribution sector, and noted:
Confounded by their [Whole Foods] lack of attendance, we spoke to a wide array of vendors only to learn that WFM sent a letter out to the CPG community several wks. ago stating that it would not be present as the company has chosen to freeze all merchandising plans for the next several quarters (no changes to planograms) as it seeks to rework/refine its new centralized buying program.
We believe such a decision poses a great risk to the grocer's reputation as a retailer that partners w/ and grows small, innovative brands, and in turn, this could negatively affect how shoppers view WFM as a narrow brand assortment might detract from the overall experience.
The other communication from Whole Foods was to announce a meeting on March 19 with many of its most important brands where the chain will discuss their relationship and presumably address concerns of the vendors. There have been glitches in Whole Foods' Order-to-Shelf inventory management system, which was initiated before Amazon took over and has resulted in out-of-stocks (a retailer's worst nightmare). In addition, there is the shift from local to national buying, which was also in place before Amazon, and a new merchandising fee that would be paid to the chain to ensure the brands' products would receive proper attention, with rotating stock and better display in the store and on the shelf.
Typically, this is a service executed by food brokers; some are small, and some, like Acosta, are national, with 100-plus offices and over 30,000 employees. (Disclosure: My dad was a food broker when I was growing up, and I did that type of work in many stores for the brands he sold in the New York/New Jersey area.) The groups most likely to be hurt by this merchandising fee move are the brokers. Brands have a choice to pay both the broker's fee and the Whole Foods fee (thereby increasing their costs dramatically), or reduce the broker's commission and pay the Whole Foods fee, or eliminate the broker entirely on sales to Whole Foods and work directly with the chain.
Amazon is a data monger for sure, and what this move allows it to do, aside from helping the brands' merchandising efforts and conceivably adding to their bottom line, is protect the sales and merchandising data in its stores and keep it out of the hands of others, which is critical as retailers including Walmart, Aldi and Kroger go after Whole Foods' customers.
Aldi has mailed out a $5 coupon promoting its fresh and healthy foods, and Walmart has opened Shannon Allen's Grown – the first all-organic fast-food restaurant in its Orlando store.
So what will happen to these smaller brands that have relied on Whole Foods for their existence and may not be able to afford the new merchandising fee or other changes that Amazon may bring? Obviously, they are scrambling to build their business with other retailers. Some are exploring direct-to-consumer platforms or e-commerce through Alibaba or Jet.com.
The unique opportunity, however, may be in the most intriguing food delivery startups. Good Eggs and Thrive in San Francisco and Milk & Eggs in Los Angeles are just a few of the startups that offer a very different service than that of, say, Instacart or Shipt – they curate their offerings. They are not looking to offer tens of thousands of products but rather to carefully select brands to build a relationship with and grow together. Oftentimes these brands are not found in stores or other deliver services and on their ordering platforms tell the story about the company, the brand and the people behind it — much like Whole Foods did so long ago.


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This article is more than 1 year old
From Wittering to ogling, and beyond
But what of West Wittering? As villages go, it is one of those quintessentially English places, boasting a combination of sandy beaches and ancient monuments: a Parish Church whose oldest bits were laid down in the 12th century, and rock guitarist Keith Richards, about whose older bits it may be wiser not to speculate.
Their website appeared to contain an entire directory given over to "discussion" of topics such as growing cannabis and "hot babes" – not, we suspect, a reference to climate change. Briefly, we toyed with the idea of some Ealing Comedy-style denouement: a local parish councillor, bored by endless rounds of WI jam-making, finally gone over to the dark side.
Far more seriously, the lead link turned up by Google claims to take the viewer on to child porn - in fact, having looked at one of the less explicit (adult) links, we suspect that clicking on it could well have popped up indecent material immediately.
We reported the matter to the Clerk to the Parish Council, Mrs Brown, who declared herself "horrified" and, after consultation with her Chairman, arranged for the site to be taken down straight away. The Chairman of West Wittering Parish Council added: "We had no idea that such material was on our site, and have acted immediately the matter was brought to our attention."
We also raised the matter with the IWF, who felt, as the site is now down, that there was little more they can do.
Councillor Bill Hinds, lead member for customer and support services at Salford City Council said it was investigating how the link spamming had gone undetected on its site.
"We empower community groups to have their own sites and as a means to develop their web skills," he added. "However, we need to ensure that we are continually moderating them. We will now be reviewing our policies and procedures to minimise the risk of this happening again."
This episode illustrates two issues that are likely to become more prominent over the next few years. First, this went beyond simple spamming. Someone had made use of an onsite exploit – possibly via their contact form – to gain access to their server and set up a directory and chat forum that would be invisible to the public, and act as host to a series of links to other material.
If some of the forum counts are to be believed, these posts – over 1,000 related to porn alone - were being actively browsed. West Wittering's innocuous little website had been infiltrated and was now host to an international porn business.
Why? Because as filtering becomes cleverer, those behind such business have almost certainly calculated that sheltering behind a ".gov.uk" designation may keep them safer for longer than if they stay public.
Expect more such infiltrations in future. As for the websites concerned, our sympathies go out to West Wittering – although we wonder why even a humble Parish Council did not have in place the simple security measures that would have blocked such a takeover. The same applies to other sites, but much more so.
Worcestershire appears to have been compromised over a fortnight ago – yet no one in their IT department has yet noticed. Salford appears to be hosting well over 1,000 porn-related links, as aforementioned. Again, no one in their IT seems to have noticed.
No doubt these weaknesses will now be fixed, but it would be surprising indeed if other councils do not fall prey throughout the year. ®