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People's lives change completely once they have children. It is a huge responsibility to raise a child, not only because you have to take care of their expenses but also because you have to guide them at every step until they develop cognition. Children require the biggest commodity in today's world and that is time. Everyone is racing against time to make the most of their lives. The more time you put in work, the more you will earn. But we have to put limits on things in life or we would have to suffer the consequences. When it comes to work and personal life, there has to be a balance. And once you have kids, you need to think about these things thoroughly.
Adopting children is the scariest step that one can take in life because there are so many ways you can go wrong. You have to take each step very carefully. You have to build a relationship with a child who has no reason to trust you, or even love you. You have to prove to them that you are worth their love and trust. Actions surely speak louder than words but when it comes to children, you must use both your actions and words to show them how much they mean to you.
Although your real test begins after the completion of the adoption process, everything else that comes before the completion is also no less scary and complicated. You have to prove to adoption agencies that you are fit to take care of a child. You also have to provide proof of your financial status so they can trust you with the upbringing of a child. Then there is also the legal process that helps you officially make the kid a part of your life.
Adoption laws vary from country to country but when you are adopting a child from another country, you have to follow that country's laws, not the laws of the land where you live. The reason there are so many documents at play is to provide security to the child and the parents both. Sure, they also provide security to the adoption agency but the basic purpose of these laws is to protect the kid who is going off to live with strangers and has no idea what kind of life he will have to live.
When you are adopting someone from a foreign country, you will need documents like birth certificate of the child, police clearances, letter of intent of adoption etc. You will also have to provide your documents to the child's birth country. If these documents are not in the same language as is the official language of the birth country of the child, you will have to get them translated. When it comes to adoption, there will be a lot of documents that need translation but don't let that overwhelm you. Your task is only to gather around the documents or get them issued from a government body. After that, qualified translators can handle everything.
Adoption is a special process and that means you have to start your effort for your future child even before they become a part of your life. There are plenty of documents whose translation you will need when you are adopting a child from a foreign country. The documents will be different for single parents than they are for couples but the difference is not huge. The adoption agency and the birth country of the child has to make sure you are capable of not only providing for the child but also taking care of them. That's why they not only need proof of your financial status but also your criminal background check. You will also need translation of documents like your birth certificate and home ownership or lease documents. If you are adopting a child from the US, you will also need approval notices from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
We, at Certified Translations, know how difficult the process can be for parents. There is the stress of making sure everything goes smoothly but also the tension of proving to their child that they are good parents. This is why we want to help you during this complex time of your life and ease some of your worries. Sure, you can get the translation of adoption documents from anywhere but it is up to you to choose a reliable agency that won't care more about their interests than yours. We have a long history of serving our clients and placing their interests above everything else. Our staff understands that each translation has a purpose and we want it to fulfill that purpose as much as our clients do. That's why all of our interpreters give their best each time they are assigned a project.
Accuracy is everything when it comes to translations. Certified translations are required in official matters. It is a type of interpretation that comes with the signature of the translator as proof that the document is accurate. We have experienced interpreters on our team who have handled hundreds of certified translations and will translate adoption documents for you in the best way possible. So, if you are in need of interpretation of adoption documents, and want accurate work at affordable rate, don't hesitate to get in touch with us and get the best customer experience of your life.


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I just felt like taking a look back to last season at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week New York Fall'12 and a few months later to mid May. In this collage of photo's formatted like a post card, I am sending you a look of mine that I absolutely love. Most of what I'm wearing I purchased on sale minus my Louis & LongChamp! Gotta love a sale – hooray! I am also sporting bangles I designed: Dara Senders Collection
I just really love this outfit and I wanted to share with you the few times I wore it. the Plaza Hotel During MBFW – & 5th Avenue in may! Many think you can only wear things once, but if you love it…why not repeat it! Clothes are for wearing & for loving!

subset: commoncrawl


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21 Funny Pillowcase Designs For An Entertaining Bedroom Décor
The pillowcase is the element that can give the bedroom a fun and interesting atmosphere without being purely decorative. Its double function allows you to use it both as an accessory and as an actual pillow on which to sleep. There are lots of fun designs to choose from. They can have funny quotes written on them, funny shapes and all sorts of other details that make them stand out.
Who wouldn't like to spend a little more time in bed after they wake up? It's something we all think and now it's written on the pillow.Available for 35$.
You can also create all sorts of fun combinations using two pillows. For example, these two form a mustache and your bed looks like a pampered French man.Available for 34$.
This set of 2 pillowcases is perfect for those couples where one partner just doesn't seem to respect the space boundaries. So which side is yours?Available for 50$.
Dog owners will appreciate this design. It's a set of 2 pillowcases, one of which extends beyond and marks the area on which the dog usually sits.Available for 44$.
Of course, there are also couples that share their space equally and these pillowcases show it in a simple and fun way.Available for 50$.
This set of pillowcases would make a perfect gift for a wedding. It's a set of Mr. and Mrs. pillowcases on which a couple can rest their heads proud of their status.Available for 42$.
Although the real situation is not exactly funny, you can still see the fun part in it. It's a set of pillowcases that showcase a space invader's actions. A fun gift for new parents.Available for 43$.
Pillows are so soft and cozy and all that's missing is for them to actually invite you to lean your head on them for you to have the perfect excuse for doing so. This pillow actually does that.Available for 60$.
Here's another cute set of pillowcases designed for couples. It features a pillowcase for a sensitive and romantic boyfriend who dreams about his partner sitting next to him. Of course, you can reverse the roles.Available on site.
Another fun combination, also for couples. One of the pillowcases is for the girl, the symbol of beauty, and the other is for the man who, in this case, is represented as the beast. Sometimes making fun of things can be very healthy.
For those that wear glasses, these pillowcases would be perfect. They were designed for couples were both members wear glasses, one pair featuring a more girly type of frame.
It's fun to think of your bed as an entity. You can give it all sorts of looks with the help of pillowcases. These ones will make your bed look like it's gently sleeping, inviting you to do the same.Available for 34$.
Here's another variation on the "my side/your side" pillowcase sets, this time with different words. The message is the same: one of you doesn't seem to be able to sleep in his/her half of the bed.Available for 25$.
The fact that people sleep better when there's no one invading their space, when there no one whose arms and legs don't sit where they should is a fact and it's very well represented by sets of pillowcases like this one.Available for 45$.
This time the message remains the same but there's no need for words. It's a simple way of delimitating your space and hoping that the boundaries will be respected.Available for 45$.
Every person has one characteristic that usually prevails over all the other. In a couple, you can often make fun of that. For example, let the pillows speak for you and embrace the fun side of the situation.Available for 40$.
When there are two people involved in a situation, one of them is bound to be better than the other and this makes the other one bad. However, these two attributes complement each other perfectly. We'll let you decide which one is which.Available for 40$.
When a prince marries someone, she becomes the princess and vice versa. It's also true even when it's just a metaphorical title.Available for 40$.
It's not nice to call names but it's fun to do it. Although it's a cliché, "lazy" and "horny" can sometimes be applied to couples and it's better to acknowledge it and to make fun about it than to get mad.Available for 40$.


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Are you ready for a fun bubble popping game! Pop the colorful balloons wildly and have the fun.
How To Play
Played with Mouse.
Popping Balloons Casual Game Features
✓ Fun graphics
✓ Infinity level
✓ Fun sounds
✓ 2D graphics
✓ Basic control
Finally, you can enjoy these game for free (and more requests will be added)! Popping Balloons Casual Game extension does not contain any hidden ads.
Help and Contact
Contact with us at firstname.lastname@example.com and share your thoughts and problems.


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75 Bug Out Bag List Essentials [2022 Update]
A Bug Out Bag List is Not One Size Fits All Quite simply, we at Bug Out Bag Academy believe an excellent bug out bag starts with a great Bug Out Bag List. It doesn't necessarily mean everything you put on the list will end up going into your bag, but at least you've got a pretty good idea of where to start. The last thing we want is for people like you to not start because you don't now... Keep reading


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Medical Aid
Having medical aid cover is essential for every person. You can choose one of the 23 plans that will suit your needs whilst still offering cover for you and your family. Our medical aid plans cover all your approved chronic medication, certain health checks, and emergency visits depending on your medical preferences.
Unlimited Hospital Cover
All health plans offer unlimited hospital cover unlimited hospital cover and includes the hospital account and any other related accounts. Some plans might depend on you using network hospitals and doctors, and for planned admissions outside the defined network you will have to pay a portion or the full amount of the hospital account. Emergency admissions that is life threatening is covered in full.
Screening and Prevention
Preventive screening tests are important to make sure that a range of medical conditions are detected early. You will have access to some of these tests and it will not affect your day-to-day benefits.
Condition-Specific Programs
You have access to a range of network GP's if you are registered for the Diabetes Care, Cardio Care, Mental Health Care and HIV Care programs. This allows you to unlock additional services and benefits to help you manage your condition.
Chronic Disease Cover
You are covered for defined list of 27 chronic conditions. You can get full cover if you use a network provider for approved chronic medicine on the medicine list.
Additional Benefits
You have access to a range of additional benefits and it includes the following:
- International travel cover as well as Africa evacuation cover
- Overseas treatment for if you need treatment that is not available in South Africa on the top plans
- Home-based care and Compassionate care
- Specialised medicine and technology
- Maternity Benefit that includes certain healthcare services while you are pregnant and after the birth of your baby.
Comprehensive Cover For Cancer
The oncology benefit is specifically designed to help you in the time you need it most.


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06 August 2018
A Valuable Lesson: Teaching Your Little Ones About Saving
6 comments:
My son has been really good about saving since he was a kid he is 30 now and still is saving.ReplyDelete
Leading by example is a huge one. I think one of the biggest things and favors you can do is besides just saving teach them the difference between a NEED and a WANT. Wants can be fleeting, needs are things you likely cant do without.ReplyDelete
This is great advice. A person needs to be intentional about teaching/modeling in this area. Children grow up soooo fast. Before you know it, you turn around and they are graduating. Don't wait to begin teaching money-management skills.ReplyDelete
Consumerism is not a good thing even for the environment because it makes please think they always need something new. Wear your clothes til you wear them out....ReplyDelete
Saving is important so we had our child take $1 out of her allowance to put into a savings account.ReplyDelete
Start them savings early and that compound interest should add up!ReplyDelete


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Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Pricing and Features – What's New in 2014
What's New with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online?
During Microsoft Dynamics Convergence in Atlanta in March 2014, Microsoft unveiled a great deal of exciting new products, soon to come features and new licensing options for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. Some of the major highlights announced were:
Microsoft Dynamics Marketing
A brand new, end-to-end marketing automation solution including campaign management, email marketing, lead nurturing, marketing list management, assets and media management, marketing budgeting, marketing analytics, ROI and reporting, and much more.
Learn more
Microsoft Social Listening
A new CRM feature providing powerful insights into social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, and allowing marketers and sales reps alike to track products, brands, competitors and marketing campaigns across the social web.
Learn more
With the acquisition of Parature, Microsoft brings enhanced customer service capabilities to Dynamics CRM, including features such as a self-service knowledgebase, live chat, case management, social care and a unified service desk.
Learn more
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Enterprise
Along with the many rollouts of new products and functionality, Microsoft is introducing a new SKU called Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Enterprise. This new package includes Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Professional, Dynamics Marketing, Social Listening and the customer service features available in Parature.
The chart below provides a high level overview of the new features, product enhancements and licensing for the 2014 spring release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online.
How much does Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Cost?
With the many new products and feature enhancements to be rolled out with the CRM 2014 spring release, Microsoft is introducing new licensing options for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Professional Pricing
Microsoft introduced Dynamics CRM Online Professional in 2013 priced at $65/user/month. The 2014 release of CRM Online Professional brings additional functionality to the package in the form of Microsoft Social Listening – at no additional cost (please note that a minimum of ten users is required to get Social Listening for free).
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Professional including Microsoft Social Listening: $65/user/month*
(a minimum of ten users is a requirement to get Microsoft Social Listening)
For on-premises Microsoft Dynamics CRM customers there's an incremental fee of $20/user/month for Microsoft Social Listening.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Enterprise Pricing
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Enterprise is a brand new SKU introduced with the 2014 spring release. The package comprises Dynamics CRM Online Professional, Dynamics Marketing, Parature and Microsoft Social Listening.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Enterprise: $200/user/month*
Microsoft Dynamics Marketing (Stand-Alone) Pricing
Microsoft has announced that Dynamics Marketing will be available as a stand-alone solution for $125/user/month*. This option does not include Dynamics CRM licensing, Microsoft Social Listening or Parature.
Microsoft Dynamics Marketing (Stand-Alone): $125/user/month*
(*) The prices shown for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online are list prices per user per month in USD. Actual pricing may vary by geography. Additional fees may apply for add-on services such as additional storage, additional test instances, additional email messaging etc.
Please contact FMT Consultants for more information about Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
Written by: Jakob Bechgaard, Marketing Manager
FMT Consultants


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Habit Of Health And Wellness
Do you have good eating habits? How do you know if the foods & nutritional supplements you always take are working. Of course one way is to stop and listen to your body: When You Feel Good, You Do Good
Life is full of adventure and discovery, but to truly enjoy those adventures can sometimes be challenging, especially if you have lingering health concerns like low energy and fatigue.
The Habit of Health is a unique and flexible approach to wellness that gives you the essential daily nutrients that build a strong nutritional foundation.
Many companies want you to believe that the solution to all your wellness needs can be found in one little pill, a tablet, a capsule or one sip of (some newly discovered) nutritional juice.
You are far more complex that that!
Your body is an intricate combination of tissues, organs and systems.
Each body system has special needs that must be addressed to achieve an optimal state of balance. We help people develop the essential habits of well-being.
Healthy habits will help you be and feel your best every day, naturally. Here's a few natural products you might want to consider when changing your habits of wellness. If you want to develop a formal program with nutritional coaching that can help you kick the old habits, please call.
Essential Fibre Nutritional Supplement
Fibre is vital in supporting intestinal function and proper digestion, which helps you get the most out of the foods you eat. It adds bulk to the diet and promotes regularity. Fibre has also been found to help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of colon cancer. The recommended daily intake of fibre is 25-40 grams, yet studies show that most people consume less than half of that amount.
Vital Health #2946-3 (120)
Super Omega-3 Nutritional Supplement
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are just that, essential. Your body uses them in a variety of ways to support the nervous system, improve circulation and even build healthy cells. Omega-3 fatty acids regulate heart rhythm, keep arteries from clogging and help maintain a healthy bloodstream. They improve the function of cells that line the arteries and reduce cholesterol. With so many benefits, it's surprising that 8 out of 10 people don't get enough EFAs in their diet.
Vital Health #1515-7
Garden Essence Plant Enzymes Nutritional Supplement
Enzymes are specialized proteins that help accelerate necessary chemical reactions within the body. Digestive enzymes work to transform foods into simpler, more usable materials. All the food and nutritional supplements you consume won't be as beneficial if they are not sufficiently broken down and absorbed by the body. Enzymes unlock the benefits of vitamins, minerals, and proteins and put them to work inside the body.
Essence Enzymes (100)
Vital Health #1643-9
Bifidophilus Flora Force Probiotics Nutritional Supplement
The human body is home to a host of microorganisms that work together with the body to create and maintain optimal health. Probiotics are dietary supplements that contain these helpful microorganisms that work to improve overall healthy. Probiotics are most prominent in the intestinal system. They act as natural health promoters by populating the gastrointestinal tract with friendly microbes which strengthens intestinal defenses, boosts immunity and promotes greater health on several levels.
Flora Force Probiotics (90)
Vital Health #4080-4
Liquid Chlorophyll Nutritional Supplement
In plants, chlorophyll absorbs sunlight and converts that energy into life-sustaining carbohydrates. Structurally, chlorophyll is amazingly similar to hemoglobin, the red pigment in human blood. Due to this similarity, chlorophyll provides most of the raw ingredients required to make healthy, vibrant red blood cells in the human body. Chlorophyll supports the body's immune response, promotes circulatory healthy and has amazing pH balancing benefits.
Liquid Chlorophyll (946 ml)
Vital Health #1689-6
Antioxidant Supplement
Antioxidants are a special class of nutrients that protect your body against harmful free radicals. Left unchecked, free radicals cause cellular damage that may lead to an impaired immune system and a host of our health concerns. Antioxidants may also help reduce heart disease, and they work to heal and maintain healthy, flexible cell membranes. The National Academy of Sciences recommends five or more servings of antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables per day. With today's standard diet rich in processed foods, most people consume far less.
3- Pack
Vital Health #4104-13 (3 x 15oz)
Super Trio Multivitamin & Minerals Supplement
Vitamins and minerals are the basic building blocks of a healthy body and greatly impact your overall health. They may help reduce diabetic tendencies, lower colon cancer risk and reduce the risk of heart disease. Many vitamins and minerals also help the body overcome the effects of stress. Studies show that, with the increasing prevalence of processed and refined foods, less than five percent of the world gets enough vitamins and minerals from their diet.
Super Trio Multivitamin & Minerals (60 PACKETS)
Herbal Combination
Digestive System/Vital Health #20-5 (120) (#3035-9 in USA)
Got questions about your habits of health, need some guidance? Call (905) 855-3000


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Regeneron says that a combination of Eylea and nesvacumab being co-developed with Bayer will not move into Phase III testing for two eye conditions following disappointing Phase II data.
The drugmaker said adding the angiopoietin2 antibody nesvacumab to Eylea (aflibercept) did not provide sufficient differentiation to warrant further development in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) and those with wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD).
The studies assessed two different doses of nesvacumab in combination with aflibercept, both administered as a single co-formulated intravitreal injection, as well as aflibercept monotherapy.
The primary endpoint for both trials was change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) between week 12 and 36 as measured by the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letter score, but the combination failed to significantly improve the result.
"We knew from the start that it would be difficult to improve on the already high bar set by Eylea, which is the market-leading branded therapy in its approved indications, providing significant improvements in vision and strong long-term outcomes in patients with wet AMD and DME," said George D. Yancopoulos, president and chief scientific officer of Regeneron.
The firm is expecting to report results from a Phase III study evaluating Eylea in diabetic retinopathy, "which represents a growing patient population with significant need," Yancopoulos noted.


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Professional photography by Cozumel Photographers
For destination Weddings in Cozumel, special events, family reunions, underwater cenote photography, groups and conventions, Cozumel photography will make your vacation memories a one of a kind experience with amazing photos for ever!
VIVA MEXICO!!! QUIENES SOMOS??? We are happy people, outgoing, friendly, enthusiastic and with charismatic personalities. We have a passion and love for Cozumel photography.
Specializing in wedding photography, group photography, beach photos, family photos, model portfolios, engagement photos and many more lifetime events, makes Cozumel photographers your best choice for a photo Studio in Cozumel, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Tulum and Isla Mujeres.
Our staff of professional Cozumel photographers will create unforgettable memories for you. Our mix of traditional photography and photojournalistic photography create the perfect balance for a style of images only the most demanding clients desire.
With breathtaking Cozumel sunrises and the most romantic Cozumel sunsets, we pride ourselves for capturing the most artistic Cozumel photos using the beautiful golden light and scenarios the island has to offer!!!
We provide great customer service from beginning to end. We have a storefront business location and many years of experience in Mexico and the United States, where our business first originated. We understand how difficult it can be when dealing abroad and we offer you peace of mind and a 100% guaranteed service!
Our complete photography service allows us to be at the cutting edge of technology and gives us the backbone for a well-established reputable company.
We will be honored to be your photography choice for your Cozumel wedding!
We guarantee to provide professionalism, customer service and a quality product!
We are destination photographers!


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Untangle UTM IPS Update Script
Posted by johnhomer
This script will generate an .sql file from emergingthreats.net ready for dumping to Untangle Postgres database. Although this script may not be needed as Untangle will auto-update itself, but for those who want to be cutting-edge, this script is for you. You will have to manually update the table by:
psql -e -f newrules.sql uvm postgres
Now for the script:
#! /bin/bash # John Homer H Alvero # Feb 13, 2010 # Change to working directory cd /root/emergingthreats RULEFILE='emerging-all.rules' LIVE="t" LOGGING="t" /usr/bin/wget http://www.emergingthreats.net/version.txt if [ "$?" -ne "0" ]; then # failed download - abort run exit fi exec < version.txt read CURRENTVERSION echo $CURRENTVERSION exec < oldversion.txt read OLDVERSION echo $OLDVERSION if [ ${CURRENTVERSION} -eq ${OLDVERSION} ]; then echo "same release available - checking next for updates to exceptions" rm -f version.txt* else echo "new version available" rm -f $RULEFILE /usr/bin/wget http://www.emergingthreats.net/rules/$RULEFILE if [ "$?" -ne "0" ]; then echo "failed retrieve of new files - exiting" exit 3 fi mv version.txt oldversion.txt rm -f version.txt* # Process file now echo "delete from n_ips_rule where Category = 'EmergingThreat';">newrules.sql RACK=( ) DATA=`psql -c "SELECT settings_id from n_ips_settings;" uvm postgres` for d in $DATA do if [ -z "$(echo "$d" |\ sed 's/[0-9]//g;s/[0-9]//g;s/\.//' \ )" ] ; then RACK=`echo " $RACK $d" ` fi done CUSTOMSID=50000 exec <$RULEFILE while read RULES do CHAR1=`echo $RULES|awk '{print substr($0,1,1)}'` WORD1=`echo $RULES|awk '{print $1}'` if [ "$CHAR1" = "#" ]; then DESCRIPTION=`echo $RULES|awk '{gsub(/\047/,"");print substr($0,1,60)}'` elif [ "$WORD1" = "alert" ]; then RULE=`echo -e $RULES|awk '{sub(/alert /,"");gsub(/\047/,"");print}'` SID=`echo $RULES|awk '{FS=";";;print $(NF-1)}'|awk '{sub(/sid:/,"");sub(/;/,"");print $0}'` NAME="Name" CATEGORY="EmergingThreat" ALERT="f" SETTINGSID=$CURRENTVERSION for r in $RACK do echo -e "INSERT INTO n_ips_rule (rule_id, rule, sid, name, category, description, live, alert, log, settings_id)" \ " VALUES ( $CUSTOMSID, \047$RULE\047, $SID , \047$NAME\047, \047$CATEGORY\047," \ " \047$DESCRIPTION\047, \047$LIVE\047, \047$ALERT\047, \047$LOGGING\047, \047" \ "$r\047);" >>newrules.sql CUSTOMSID=$(($CUSTOMSID+1)) done fi done fi echo "Done generating SQL" echo "Load SQL with psql -e -f newrules.sql uvm postgres"
You can also view the file from here.
This entry was posted on October 4, 2009 at 12:14 pm, and is filed under linux, security . Follow any responses to this post through RSS. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Written by Samiux
January 8, 2011 at 1:28 PM
The url of the emergeringthreat.net has been updated in your script. The script seems working fine for the first run. However, the number of rules are keeping at something like 11644 and it cannot be updated at Untangle even there are new rules.
I have tried /etc/init.d/untangle-vm force-reload with no hope.
Any idea?
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|How IVR is reshaping Revenue Generating Contact Centers
Wednesday, April 25, 2012 02:00 PM EDT / 11:00 AM PDT
Voice Automation has not traditionally played a significant role in revenue-oriented contact centers. The prominent thinking is that 'people do a better job selling than machines'. While that point might be true, an effective automated system can play a key role in a sales center even if it does not take on the role of 'selling'.
Join this webinar to learn about voice automation trends in sales centers that improve sales efficiency, self-service resolution, and customer and employee satisfaction.
What Attendees will learn:
Who should attend:
Dan Miller
Senior Analyst and Founder
Opus Research
Dan Miller has over 25 years experience in marketing, business development and strategy surrounding "Conversational Commerce," a term he coined to cover speech processing, customer care, e-commerce and mobility. He's held management positions at Atari, Warner Communications, Pacific Telesis Group (now AT&T) and The Kelsey Group (now BIA/Kelsey).
He founded Opus Research in 1985. Today Opus Research offers continuous advisory services to companies involved in customer care, mobile search and e-commerce.
Dan received his BA from Hampshire College and an MBA from Columbia University.
Phil Gray
EVP of Marketing and Business Development
Interactions Corporation
Phil Gray is responsible for Marketing and Business Development at Interactions. Phil is a successful startup executive with extensive experience in speech and call center technologies. His accomplishments include founding and leading Versay, a speech applications company. He also drove many of the speech industry's earliest deployments as a sales executive at Nuance. In addition, as a Vice President at eLoyalty, he helped launch the industry's first speech analytics continuous improvement service.
Chris Hale
VP of Reservation Services
Chris Hale is the Vice President of Reservation Services for Hyatt Hotels with responsibility for call center management, customer service delivery and distribution relationships. His mission is to ensure that the over 40,000 guests who contact Hyatt, whether via telephone, e-mail, Twitter or other channels receives Hyatt's promise of genuine hospitality.
Chris has over 20 years of experience with Hyatt, which has given him personal and diverse operational experiences from reservation agent to call center director. This experience has allowed Chris to develop insight into how to manage the important resource of any service organization - the associates who handle each guest interaction.
Stefania Viscusi
Stefania Viscusi is an established writer and avid reader. She is a 2005 graduate of Albertus Magnus College, Magna Cum Laude. She currently holds a Bachelor's degree in English and a Bachelor's degree in Communications. Stefania has had four of her poems published by "Breakwater" (an Albertus-run literary magazine) and completed a successful internship with the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation as a Public Relations Specialist.
Sponsored by:


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There have been several interesting reactions to Ramco's mobile leave application. We tried Ramco HCM Suite's leave application feature with several users internally and we have seen some amusing reactions as well:
- Users get a little perplexed that there are just 3 fields in the screen.
- They pause before hitting 'Apply' and check for any links or scrolls.
- They hit 'Apply' and are surprised that the application goes through without any further information!
At the end of the process, the users realize that this is all they require to apply for a leave. They also realize that they are filling more than this in their current application.
Software of yesteryears has made us expect details after details for even the simplest transactions that we carry out. Perhaps, there's nothing wrong with that. But, when there is just one way of doing things, it becomes cumbersome, especially with the most frequent of tasks.
We at Ramco believe in simplicity and have decided to keep our mobile leave application simple, so that a user does not spend considerable time filling details over a small screen space. We want to ensure that leave applications is not what keeps a user away from doing what is more important to them,
And we are glad that people who have seen it, like it. You will see us saving a lot of time for you!
Blog by: Shankar Bharathan, Principal Consultant, Ramco Systems


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Prynt Case for iPhone 6s: Print Photos From Your Phone0
In the past few months, we have covered plenty of portable printers for mobile devices. The Prynt Case for iPhone 6s is another device that lets you print photos conveniently. Just attach your smartphone to your case and you are ready to print photos. Prynt also saves a video inside each photo, allowing you to see it using the Prynt app.
More like this ➡ here
Prynt does not require ink cartridges to work. It is available for Android devices as well. The above video gives you a quick look at Prynt.[Source]
**Disclaimer: Our articles may contain aff links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please read our disclaimer on how we fund this site.


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Earlier, we took with the Yes Go USB dongle for a spin and we'll be the first to admit that we were quite impressed with what the Yes network has to offer. In our stationary tests, we managed 5Mbps downloads and 2Mbps uploads with only two bar reception with the test done on the 17th floor. We know that the network is still new and there's still very little load on it but even by this measure the speeds that we're getting are rather impressive for a wireless network.
This was stationary tests but since Yes touts its 4G network as mobile we wanted to know how mobile is mobile. Yes' closest competitor — P1 — has been in the market for the good part of two years with a claimed population coverage of around 40% and even with a good head start, P1 still can't claim its network as a mobile network.
How does Yes fare in comparison? First up, Yes already has a lead in terms of coverage with a claimed 65% of the population covered. Next, Yes offers an all-4G mobile phone and a 4G MiFi, two devices P1 doesn't have in its product arsenal at the moment. Based on this, it seems to us that Yes has their sights set on taking a few chunks of the mobile market from the 3G boys. And so, that will be the bar that we will measure Yes with.
We're expecting the Yes 4G mobile network to deliver strong and consistent performance in places where 3G would as well as while traveling in between these locations — just like 3G. We will be looking for seamless connectivity and we will also be looking to answer some of the questions that you've asked in our comments section. How does the Yes Go and the Yes 4G network handle hand-overs between sites? Does it disconnect when switching base-stations?
Find out the answer to this and more in our road test of the Yes 4G network within Klang Valley.
Test 1: KLCC Drive-around
For the first test, we started at KLCC on Jalan Ampang. Before we went on the road, we took some stationary baseline figures we at KLCC with an average signal strength of 4 bars. Below are the results.
From the KL servers, we got a very impressive peak of 10.99Mbps downloads and 2.49Mbps uploads. This is the highest figures we have ever seen for wireless broadband and it is probably the fastest Yes speedtest result recorded in public.
But numbers are rudimentary, what we're looking at in this test is how does the Yes network stake up when subjected to a mobile test. With that and a baseline established, we took the Yes Go on a drive circling KLCC from Jalan Ampang heading towards Jalan Pinang, followed by Jalan Kia Peng before turning into Jalan Tun Razak covering a distance of 2.5km
Tracing this route, our Go USB dongle was able to stay connected while we surf the web. All along we didn't experience any disconnection until we reached Jalan Pinang right before the Jalan Stonor junction. We lost connectivity here as a result of being out of coverage. We tried to connect multiple times at this point but the connection manager confirmed that we were out of coverage.
Test 2: Jalan Tun Razak
In our next test, we proceeded to drive further away from Jalan Tun Razak towards Jalan Kuching, a distance of 3.3km. In this test we tried to download a file while maintaining an average speed of 70kmh. We're amazed with the dongle maintaining connectivity all the way, we were able to download files along the whole stretch of the test route without disconnecting.
In our single thread download test, we managed to get an average speed of 350KB/s (about 2.8Mbps) on this route. Each time we saw the signal bars dropped to one bar, we braced for the connection to drop but it didn't and we could see the connection seamlessly switch to the next base station showing as the signal strength indicator go back up to full bar.
We did notice some slowdown or pauses during some base station handovers but the what's important is that our session remained active throughout and we didn't get disconnected. It's worth pointing out that we unchecked the automatic "Reconnect" feature in the Network Manager so that we are able to note any disconnection during the test.
Upon joining Jalan Kuching, our connection got dropped again right before we pass Merdeka Square. This means that Yes currently does have some coverage gaps considering that we're testing in urban area. We hope this will be addressed quickly as Yes expand their coverage to 80% next year.
Test 3: Jalan Kinabalu to MRR2
In our third test we wanted to look at the quality of the mobile connection further away from the city centre. From Jalan Kinabalu we drove out of the city centre towards Cheras. On the way, we encountered several blind spots and we lost network connectivity several times along the way. It gets more severe on this stretch that if we tried to connect, the session probably lasts less than 2 minutes especially along Jalan Loke Yew and Jalan Cheras.
The situation however changed after we turned into MRR2. From Pandan Indah onwards, we were able to regain back full seamless connectivity for about 5KM continuously until somewhere near Ukay Heights.
Although we can maintain connectivity, we found that speeds were not consistent overall. We managed speeds between 50KB/s to 230KB/s (about 400kbps to 1.9Mbps) on this stretch. We can't tell for sure what is causing this but it could possibly a combination of vehicle speed, distance to base station and various other factors that affect wireless performance. Our test stops at Ukay Heights when we go disconnected once again.
While making a U-turn back, we tried to load a standard definition youtube video. We were quite impressed to see the video load smoothly with no buffering. As expected, we unfortunately couldn't finish loading an entire 34 minute video before we hit another blind spot. We can only imagine once all major highways are fully covered, a MiFi device will be perfect to stream internet radio or video content while driving.
At the end of the day
So what can we say about the Yes network after all this driving around? One thing is for sure, Malaysia, we now have a fully mobile WiMAX network and it's called Yes. Looking back at our walkabout test with a WiMAX Inside laptop on P1's Network, we can say that handovers are handled much better with the Go.
How does Yes compare with other 3G networks? For one we can see that the performance is unlike any wireless 3G network we've tested. But with 3G, where there are no coverage, you can fall back to EDGE to stay connected (albeit painfully slow). With Yes, there is no such fall back, you are either connected or you are not. And depending on your usage pattern this could be no issue or it could be a major issue.
There are still gaps in between certain areas which obviously causes disconnections. We will argue that with 3G there are gaps and blind spots as well but maybe not as pronounced as what we've experience on Yes. This leads us to wonder how the Yes Buzz will perform considering the fact that network usage on a mobile phone is very different from a modem. We would think, in its early days, a Buzz user may experience more dropped calls than he normally would on a 3G mobile phone. We hope to get a review unit and find out when the device is released next month.
On another note, we also noticed signs of speed deterioration when switching sites which probably may not be the best experience for those who seek consistent speeds while moving but considering that this Yes network was opened to the public less than a week ago, the performance and mobility that Yes is delivering now is admittedly impressive now.
This is a good start for Yes and of course, over time, we would expect these gaps to be filled when at its coverage grows, our only hope is that it grows fast. The Yes network is, for now, the brand's saving grace. And it s a fundamental one because as Yes is now being inundated with problems and issues, its good to note that the most important part of the business is intact and is capable of delivering the goods.
We mentioned before that Yes should look at the series of
disasters mishaps that they are working very hard to address now as an opportunity, an opportunity to forge a great brand our out of the monumental pressures of public criticisms. If they can get their marketing and other elements of the business back into shape, then maybe, just maybe, they will do alright.
Keep it locked on to SoyaCincau.com as we follow how Yes try to overcome these initial challenges and start bringing some heat to the big boys. Also we will continue to test yes 4G network more extensively so look out for that as well.


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Rent an apartment in Barbados on Dover beach in the heart of St. Lawrence Gap at Maresol Barbados Apartments.
Rent an apartment in Barbados on Dover beach in the heart of St. Lawrence Gap at Maresol Barbados Apartments.
You can compare fifteen (15) family-friendly apartments with your choice of one and two bedroom apartments.
-- In the summer months apartments range from US$131 to US$245.
-- In high season apartments range from US$226 to US$420.
-- 20% discount offered for bookings during June and September.
- 10% Value Added Tax (VAT)
- 5% Service Charge
- $4.45 US per night, per bedroom - Room Levy
- Minimum stay 3 nights
- Cancellation Policy is Sixty (60) Days
You can make your search even quicker if you know how many bedrooms you are looking for in your apartment.
Simply sort the filters to see "All Barbados Apartments" at Maresol.
Or click on "One Bedroom Apartment" to show only 1 bedroom apartments.
Or click on "Two Bedroom Apartment" to see 2 bedroom apartments.
Sleeps 2, maximum 3 guests
Sleeps 2, maximum 2 guests
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Sleeps 4, maximum 6 guests
There are a number of ways you can get in contact with Maresol Barbados Apartments.
Please call the office number: +1-246-428-9300 for any Inquiries. When the staff is on the grounds or occupied elsewhere, please call +1-246-245-8431, the mobile office number.
Our office hours are 8:30 A.M.- 5:00 P.M. Monday to Friday and 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 on weekends. After hours, please call +1-246-245-8431.
Thank you for your interest in Maresol Barbados Apartments. We welcome your inquiries and feedback regarding our apartments, rates, reservations, or generally about Maresol Barbados Apartments.
Whether this is your first visit to Barbados, or you are a returning guest, you are sure to fall in love with our beautiful island and all it has to offer. Feel free to drop by during regular business hours if you wish to talk.


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Lupin III: Seven Days Rhapsody
Can one review take down a website? It's bizarre to say so, but writing this review has taken far too much of my life. You see, rarely do I sit down after a showing and just bleed onto the electronic paper. I think about my reviews. I work through what I'm going to say in my mind, usually over the course of a couple of days. This is a fine process with programming that I love or hate -- it's not going to leave me. But for shows that are in that grab bag of mediocrity? It can become a challenge, even a chore. And writing this review was what led me to say, "Wait a minute. Reviewing mediocre anime is not my life's work -- nor should it be."
The surprising thing about all this is that I liked Seven Days Rhapsody, yet another chapter in the fifty-year saga that is Lupin III. It wasn't awful. The action was pretty exciting (save for the draggy middle). The concept was good. The humor wasn't wonderful, but there was still some wit. There were even some moments that played against the standard, such as Lupin and Jigen being pitted against one another. It's going to get my lowest recommendation just because it's not bad Lupin by any stretch. But so many of the Lupin conventions showed up -- including a high concept that the script just couldn't support -- that writing about it, even in the feeble recesses in my brain, became a non-starter. It's damning with faint praise to say I'd watch it again, in large part because I didn't remember it well even a few days after watching it.
In this adventure, Lupin is under a time crunch. He's in the midst of a horse-racing scheme to gain loot, but there are also two (three?) other gigs that demand his attention. He's got to get them all done within one week...which wouldn't be a problem except that they are all in different parts of the globe. He trots off to various locales, but in a classic Lupin scenario, he finds himself protecting a beautiful, young, naïve yet street-smart girl from her daddy who's the head of a crime syndicate. (Naïve yet street-smart? I know, I know.) There are explosions, guns, and plans to kill Lupin. Oh, and Zenigata. And Jigen. And Fujiko. You know the drill.
Anybody who's seen a Lupin film pretty much knows what to expect from this one...more hi-jinks, double-crosses, etc. I like this sort of thing. And yet the malaise I had about it bothers me. Perhaps the key issue is that the seven-day concept from the title is such a waste. It's not until the credits that we even see the last caper come to fruition. Had the movie stuck to its guns and given the audience what it promised, I would have been happier. But quite frankly, the main plot has been done to death in Lupin territory. Ever since The Castle of Cagliostro (if not before), Lupin has been dealing with damsels in distress, and yet none of the following features hold up to that seminal film. Why must we go back to the same well each time? If you're a Lupin fan, this may not bother you. I've always considered myself one. But are the yearly TV specials wearing me out? Oh yeah.
Strangely enough, shortly after viewing Seven Days, I found myself watching the first episode of the original Lupin III series -- the 1971 one that's barely animated with character designs much more like those of creator Monkey Punch, meaning they are far more cartoonish. While the plot was simple and the art laughable, it was a lot of fun. There's also hope with the wave of positivity surrounding The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. I think from here on out, I may go back into the far past for my Lupin escapades or enjoy what is to some extent a reboot of the franchise through fresh eyes...but I think I'm done with the yearly specials.
Lupin III: Seven Days Rhapsody -- violence, mild profanity -- B-


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A Note from Dr. Abalone: Whilst you all have been frolicking along the shores and diving in the sea, as is your way, I, Dr. Abalone, have been scouring the moviesphere for the perfect entertainment to enlighten your decadent souls. After extensive research I unleash upon you a slew of films so pathetic in their attempt to entertain, they win the piscatorial prize for perfidy: movies so awful you'll love to hate them. Because only those that truly love the sea and live daily at its mercy, such as yourselves, can transcend the blood and gore and celebrate their essence of utter stupidity.
Most science fiction movies are based loosely on science. Usually, this means they make a few technical or impossible leaps to move the plot forward but generally adhere to the basic laws of science. But in most cases, filmmakers are forgiven for their science-defying sins as long as the story makes up for it. In contrast, Endless Descent (aka The Rift) seems to delight in making so many impossible and incredulous scientific leaps, that they grow to a level of absurdity that transcends the believable. As such, the plot moves this movie into a category of films that are entertaining by being amusingly awful. A movie you love to hate.
Spoiler Alert: this review reveals details of the plot which may ruin and/or enhance your viewing pleasure.
Born in the late 80s, along with a slew of deep-sea legends such as James Cameron's The Abyss, and MGM's Leviathan, and a host of lower budgeted marine monster flicks, including Sean Cunningham's Deepstar Six, and Juan Piquer Simón's Endless Descent. This film, like others, sought to exploit new interests in the mysterious deep-sea and all the unknowns that went with it. It claims to take you on a misson that leads to an "endless descent" to "the very depths of terror." I was excited to watch this flick, at least at first.
The plot revolves around the adventures of a NATO rescue submarine, the Siren II, on a mission to find out what happened to the (appropriately but fatally named) Siren I, which disappeared earlier. For the mission, they recruit the scientist that designed the original sub (Wick Hayes) who conveniently was not briefed on the military mission add-ons to the original Siren (nukes, gene replicators, etc.) that become key in the plot. Right from the start, the science is controlled through the"Big boys" in DC as the Navy takes charge through Capt. Phillips (Full Metal Jacket's Lee Ermey) ) and Lt. Nina Crawley (biogenetics expert). As it turns out, Nina and Wick are past lovers, which adds an unexpected sweet twist to the plot.
To imagine the movie, picture 1980s hairstyles and music with 1960s controls (aka Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea). As they search for the Siren in the spacious interiors of their submarine, they chase the fated sub's "black box" down to the abyss until they encounter (wait for it) kelp beds at 27,000 feet and decide to explore with (even better) SCUBA gear. Even though the geneticist points out that photosynthesis is impossible at those depths, it's all chalked up eventually to the fact that the Siren I fiddled with…DNA! OMG, once you do that virtually anything is possible, as we'll see. Especially with a "transgenic accelerator."
So, at 27,000 feet a single SCUBA diver goes out completing the deepest dive ever where he encounters a jet stream of warm water. Maniacal screaming is quickly followed by "Captain, there's something wrong here," and a second diver is sent to "collect a sample" so they figure it all out later. Blood surrounds the first diver in the kelp bed and he dies a horrible death as he is "assimilated" by the kelp.
Meanwhile, a big, spongy, amorphous white thing attacks the sub; sparks fly, and people fall down, The external pressure has increased two-fold and somehow the sponge pulls the sub deeper (sponges are like that). Luckily, they hit the creature with an electrical shock and it lets go but not before the ship loses power and falls toward the bottom at 45K feet. [which is deeper than the deepest part of the ocean, 36k feet, but let's move on]
Luckily Wick pilots the ship to safety on a ledge at a mere 28k feet where they enter a recessed, "naturally pressurized" submarine cavern. In fact, it's huge and well lit which makes it hard to reconcile how the black box got there in the first place, not to mention all the high tech Siren I gear piled in the cave. As they enter the cavern the crew is attacked by…..flies, honeycombed in the walls. But wait, now they have long bunt tails No, now long, sharp teeth! OMG! No, now it's a swimming eel-like fish that attacks like a shark. Apparently, DNA can do just about anything, even create giant, marine, deep-sea air-breathing, insects. What imagination!
Meanwhile, in the sub, the seaweed sample takes over and begins assimilating the crew through the ship's aqueduct system (whatever that means) as the remaining crew explores the scary caverns. They are surprised to find animal cages and a huge "accelerator" as one crew member is sucked into the machine. Eventually, they locate neatly arranged stacks of amniotic sacks with "some kind of fetus" that looks like it has evolved for "surface dwelling." In the end, it's all chalked up to Biowarfare research which required the DOD to hide their work, which apparently is only at extreme depths at impossible latitudes (such much for area 51). This explains the bulk of the defense budget.
Now for the climax! They are attacked by the giant mother hanging on a wall, which has the pieces of all the critters described above (polymorphism run amuck). Somehow they kill it and the remaining crew dash back to the sub as the cavern begins to collapse. The ulterior motive, as it turns out, was to abandon the crew using the escape pod and conceal the rift with explosives. But (luckily) Wicks and Crawley foil the plot. They trick Capt. Phillips into a cabin and throw him in with infected others where he dies a miserable kelp-fungal assimilation death. In the end, as huge bubbles rock the pod, they are pushed to the surface while holding hands to eventually repopulate the earth made destitute by rampant biowarfare (no, wait, sorry that's not in the plot; stops at "hands")! Amen.
Here are a few of the improbable or impossible facts from the video:
- At one point their console shows Lat 103 43 35, Long 12 35 90, which is impossible. All latitudes above 90 degrees would be outside earth's north and south poles.
- At 33,000 ft depth, the pressure reads 4 Atm and 44C, which is also impossible. At 33,000 feet pressure, it would be about 1,000 Atm and 1-4C (unless they were next to a hydrothermal vent).
Screen capture from the movie "Endless Descent" showing impossible instrument readout at 33,000 feet.
But please don't trust me, check out the trailer and decide for yourself! Plus, as I mentioned, although this film is largely outside the realm of scientific probability it is still within the realm of human entertainment so you might find it fun to watch.


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There is something new, upcoming this spring. After my trip to Aitutaki last year it will be hard for every location to compete. Los Roques is different in many cases but in one case I'm sure it will offer me the same. Fun to fish!. Let's see!
I was thinking about Los Roques and saltwater fly fishing already when I startet with Fly fishing many years ago. But somehow when it came for decisions in respect to the destination we always decided for something else, unintentionally. Since last years trip was a mammoth project in many aspects we wanted this year something more easy, more closer, .. less expensive. But also more dangerous. Venezuala and especially Caracas is treated as one of the most dangerous places on the planet. Not so good. Nevertheless I read only positive things about Los Roques. At last a friend of me, who visited Los Roques last year, told me so many fabulous things about it that I couldn't resist to choose this as my next distination for some decent saltwater fly fishing. Tarpon, Bonefish, Jacks and as final touch some sharks! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzttt. yeah!!!
I will keep you updated with flys and tackle I will prepare for it.


text: The Work Management of CMMS is purposed to ensure that help workforce can regulate and configuration moving toward work requests and furthermore thus created work from preventive upkeep programs. Work Planning is fundamental to ensure that work, materials, mechanical assemblies, delineations and subcontractor essentials, and furthermore prosperity information, can be recognized on work solicitations to help proactive help works out. For Upgraded PPSTW, the CMMS engages chairman staff to use the work request as a fundamental electronic device to pass on a necessity for organization to the help office by making Work Orders from pre-orchestrated Work Order Templates. Work Orders are made in a couple of courses, to be particular; Simple Work Orders that contain only a solitary errand for a single component while Multi-Task Work Orders are gotten when various substances are impacted or distinctive task are required. The CMMS perceives the component to be repaired, refreshed, supplanted or kept up on the Work Request and Work Order with condition checking features combined. Also, to ensure the prosperity of care staff, the CMMS makes and gives security rule of any potential risky or perilous condition related with an employment, the component on which the works is to be performed, or the materials or gadgets required with the work. The CMMS moreover gives the material trades value which involves issues and returns from the stockroom for loaded things and acquisition for non-supplied material. When closing a work mastermind, the CMMS records the area of administered costs with depictions for future obvious examination. The CMMS in like manner incorporates with Planned Preventive Maintenance (PM) work which relies upon customer portrayed activities to be performed with basic resources information, for instance, work essentials, material necessities, security information, et cetera. The CMMS triggers PM Works Orders depending upon customer described repeat criteria. Various initiating is possible. Subsequent PM based Work Orders are made normally and put in the Work Request Backlog for execution reason. The CMMS is outfitted with real limit by keeping up different commitments for each substance in a database for investigative use.


text:
Asus may already be preparing to launch a follow-up to the MeMO Pad ME301T tablet which launched just a few months ago. A new tablet called the Asus K005 showed up at the FCC website this week, and judging by the label drawing, it appears to be a 10 inch tablet.
The same tablet has been showing up at regulatory bodies elsewhere in the world, and the folks at VR-Zone in Taiwan seem to think they have a good idea of what to expect from this tablet.
According to VR-Zone, the Asus K005 is the same tablet that up until recently we were calling the Asus MeMO Pad ME302KL.
If that's true, then the tablet is expected to have a 10 inch, 1920 x 1200 pixel display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, Adreno 320 graphics, 1GB of RAM, and at least 16GB of storage.
It's said to measure 0.4 inches thick and weigh 1.3 pounds, have front and rear cameras, a 5050mAh battery, and feature WiFi, Bluetooth, and optional cellular 3G or 4G.
The last bit is in keeping with what we've seen from the FCC and NCC. Asus seems to be seeking WiFi, Bluetooth, and GSM/WCDMA/LTE certification for the K005 tablet.
I suspect we'll hear more about this model once Computex begins in a few weeks.


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Ethiopian Wins Bombardiers "Airline Reliability Performance" Award
Tigrai Online
May 26 2011
Press release
Ethiopian Airlines has won the 2010 Annual Airline Reliability Performance Award from the Bombardier Aerospace. According to Bombardier, Ethiopian Airlines achieved the highest overall dispatch reliability and stood first in the overall Q-400 product category for the Middle East and Africa region. The award ceremony was hosted by the Canadian Embassy in Addis Ababa on May 21, 2011.
Ethiopian Airlines has been playing a pivotal role in bringing the different regions of Ethiopia within easy reach of Addis Ababa, the capital. This effort has been further enhanced with the introduction of the brand new Q400 NextGen aircraft. Ethiopian has been operating eight Q-400 Bombardier aircraft for domestic and regional services since March 2010. Currently, the dispatch reliability (on-time performance) has reached 99.3% enhancing its customer services to new heights.
With the introduction of the Q-400 aircraft, which has the quietest engine in its category, Ethiopian not only has enhanced the comfort and safety of its customers but it has also effectively addressed the need for additional capacity spurred by the countrys double digit economic growth which continued on for over six years in a raw.
The 78 seater Q-400 aircraft has been supporting the ever increasing tourism market of the country and domestic as well as regional business travel, which is growing fast along side the economy. Enhancing further its domestic and regional services, Ethiopian Airlines will connect Ethiopian regional states to neighboring countries in the near future.
Bombardiers Airline Reliability Performance Awards are presented each year to operators of CRJ services and Q-400 series aircraft in recognition of outstanding dispatch reliability. Each winner must succeed in delivering an average dispatch reliability rate of 99 percent or better on revenue passenger flight in 2011 and the highest dispatch reliability performance in their respective product class and region.
About Ethiopian
Ethiopian Airlines, one of the largest and fastest growing airlines in Africa, made its maiden flight to Cairo in 1946. With the addition of new flight services to Hangzhou, Milan, and Madras Ethiopian will provide dependable services to 62 international destinations spanning four continents.
Recently, Ethiopian won the 2011 "AFRICAN CARGO AIRLINE OF THE YEAR" Award for its excellence in air cargo. Ethiopian won the NEPAD Transport Infrastructure Excellence Awards 2009 and the 2009 "Airline of the Year" award from the African Airlines Association (AFRAA). In August, 2008, Ethiopian won "the 2008 Corporate Achievement Award" of Aviation & Allied Business for setting the pace towards the development and growth of the African aviation industry. Ethiopian is also the first African carrier to win the 2008 Brussels Airport Company Award in recognition of its distinguished long haul operations witnessed through the introduction of new routes, new products, and close cooperation with Brussels Airport in marketing activities.
For more information about this press release, please contact:
Manager PR & Publications
Ethiopian Airlines
Tel: (251-1) 517-89-07 (251-1) 517-81-65
Fax: (251-1) 661-14-74
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Sponsored Links


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National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. NEW!Most but not all artists in the NGA database have works online
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Blackstone to Present at the Morgan Stanley Financials Conference
Blackstone to Present at the Morgan Stanley Financials Conference
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Blackstone (NYS: BX) announced today that Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Blackstone, is scheduled to present at the Morgan Stanley Financials Conference on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 at 1:55 pm ET.
A live webcast of the presentation will be available on the Investor Relations section of Blackstone's website at http://ir.blackstone.com/. For those unable to listen to the live audio webcast, a replay will be available on Blackstone's website shortly after the event.
Please direct any questions regarding the webcast to Blackstone's Investor Relations group at firstname.lastname@example.com.
About Blackstone
Blackstone is one of the world's leading investment and advisory firms. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, the companies we advise and the broader global economy. We do this through the commitment of our extraordinary people and flexible capital. Our alternative asset management businesses include the management of private equity funds, real estate funds, hedge fund solutions, credit-focused funds and closed-end funds. Blackstone also provides various financial advisory services, including financial and strategic advisory, restructuring and reorganization advisory and fund placement services. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow us on Twitter @Blackstone.
Blackstone, New York
Public Affairs, + 1 212.583.5263
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The article Blackstone to Present at the Morgan Stanley Financials Conference originally appeared on Fool.com.
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Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Amazon Wikified
New York Time
(you need to register) reports on how Amazon is boosting its user generated comments capability through product wikis to complement its shopping experience with a social experience.
See comprehensive article on the
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Anonymous said...
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Written: October 20, 2015
Updated: August 17, 2021
Wait, there are two of them? Why yes, yes there are! This could be very confusing for the new blogger or website owner. There are some major differences between the two and it's best to get it right the first time. Some of the main and very important differences are: ownership, cost, freedom and limitations, maintenance and development.
Just like Blogger, WordPress.com is free and is hosted on their own servers. WordPress.com is perfect for the casual or hobbyist blogger who simply wants a creative outlet.
- It's free for 3GB of space
- No hosting fees
- No custom domain fees
- No maintenance or security worries, the folks at WordPress.com takes care of it all: updates, backups, optimization, spam fighting, and more
- Built-in plugin like features
- A repository of free themes to choose from
- You can start and stop blogging at any time and your blog will always be there
- Free WordPress.com community support
- You have no ownership to your blog, it's owned and maintained by Automattic
- Your blog address will, by default, include WordPress.com
- You (or a designer) can not upload any custom free or paid themes
- You (or a designer) can not use any free, paid or custom plugins
- You (or a designer) can not customize the css or modify the PHP code behind your site
- Limited ways to customize the look and feel of the free theme
- Limited selection of free themes, so everyone looks the same
- No FTP access
- Ads are not allowed unless you receive over 25,000 views per month
- Can not track your stats with Google Analytics
- WordPress.com displays ads on your site unless your visitor is logged in
- No real eCommerce capabilities
Premium Plan Upgrade: $99 per year
Please note: Pricing IS approximate as of this post date!
A Premium Plan upgrade includes your own domain name, powerful customization options, and lots of space for audio and video. Learn more about the Premium Upgrade here.
- Custom Domain Name/Address: Yes
- eCommerce Capabilities: No
- Space: 13GB
- Ad Removal: Yes
- Can Customize Design: Yes
- VideoPress: Yes
- Premium Themes: No
- Google Analytics: No
- Type of Support: Direct Email
Business Plan Upgrade: $299 per year
Please note: Pricing IS approximate as of this post date!
A Business Plan upgrade includes your own domain name, powerful customization options, lots of space for audio and video, live chat support, and unlimited access to our premium themes. Learn more about the Business Upgrade here.
- Custom Domain Name/Address: Yes
- eCommerce Capabilities: Yes
- Space: Unlimited
- Ad Removal: Yes
- Can Customize Design: Yes
- VideoPress: Yes
- Premium Themes: Unlimited
- Google Analytics: Yes
- Type of Support: Live Chat
WordPress is the option you want to choose if you want a more "professional" website and want to show off your professional photo galleries, have lots of recipes to share, or want to sell your products and SO much more!
- You own your own site.
- You can monetize your blog/site the way you want, there are no forced advertising.
- You have complete freedom and control of every aspect of your blog/site.
- You have access to a ton of Free and Premium WordPress Themes.
- Your blog/site can be customized to whatever you want.
- You can install WordPress plugins to transform your blog into almost anything you can imagine and almost all of them are free.
- You don't have to pay any licensing fees as WordPress is an open-source software.
- If compatible, you can add any custom scripts or codes to your blog/site.
- You get a huge SEO advantage when compared to free hosted blogs.
- You can transform your blog/site into an eCommerce or membership website.
- You get FTP access
- The WordPress software is free and very easy to install, one click!
- You have to buy a domain name which can cost you approximately $10-15 per year.
- You have to buy a web hosting plan which can cost at least $100 per year. You can always select a once a month payment plan to make it easier.
- WordPress is a full fledged Content Management System; therefore, features are much more extensive than Blogger and there is going to be more to learn.
- You may find it difficult to learn if you are totally new to blogging. But you can always get help from the official WordPress.org Support Forum (they're really nice).
- You are responsible for the security and maintenance of your blog/site. There are free plugins for that!
- You have to make sure that the WordPress software and all your plugins are up-to-date otherwise it may be vulnerable to attacks. It's not hard and can be done in few clicks.
- You are responsible for backing up your whole site regularly in case it breaks
- You have to fight spam as spam is a big problem for WordPress.org users. There are free plugins for that!
- You are responsible for resolving problems with your site and server if they arise
WordPress is better for a long-term, professional commitment. Yes, there is alot to learn and some money to be spent, but in the long run for a business, it's worth the cost.
If you just want a simple site or blog for your personal use or hobby, don't want to fuss with regular maintenance or security and don't want to customize your site too much, then WordPress.com is your best bet.
If you plan on developing a eCommerce, membership, social media or large business site and need full control over your site, the design, plugins, files and database with total freedom to change and tweak to your heart's content, then WordPress.org is the way to go because in the long run it will be cheaper and will offer more flexibility.


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Some places celebrate May Bank holiday with parades, or dancing, maypoles and ribbons. Forest Hill and Sydenham Societies decided to join forces to celebrate with.... a group litter clear-up.
Millennium Gardens, a little visited green oasis at the end of Albion Villas Road, off Sydenham Park Road, was the venue. And, true to Bank Holiday tradition, on a grey, overcast day, enlivened with occasional drizzle, a small group of stalwarts turned up armed mainly with eagerness to sort out any mess.
If that all sounds a bit grim, well, it really wasn't. With a freshly mown grass meadow, a copse of deciduous trees, bluebells, lilac, frothy masses of mayflowers and the remains of a tennis court with benches, we set to hacking through stinging nettles to retrieve the miscellany of rubbish which had been dumped over the perimeter wall. An hour or so later, a now warmed-up people-chain had passed old sofas, defunct computers, bags of domestic and garden refuse and other junk into a clearing near to the exit from where it could be collected.
It's amazing what people throw away – and where they choose to throw it. Why would anyone dump their junk into a lovely public space like Millennium Gardens? But discarded old chestnut paling was quickly identified by gardeners in the group as recyclable for bean or netting supports. And a couple of wooden pallets, separated by bricks and stuffed with other debris, were reconstructed into a bug hotel.
There were about thirty of us for the picnic lunch, tucking in with a satisfied air after a job well done. Revels it wasn't, but a junior cricket match on the meadow green and senior boules on the old tennis court rounded off the afternoon.
Maybe next year we could have dancing and ribbons and maypoles?


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Take your celebration to the next level by renting our Bandwagon Stage! The bandwagon is a mobile covered trailer with a stage. The rental includes many useful features like speakers, microphones and so much more!
View the Bandwagons availability and submit a request
The rental includes:
Any organization requesting 501 (c)(3) designation must be able to provide a copy of their 501 (c)(3) designation letter along with the rental form. We reserve the right to refuse service for any event or organization that does not support Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission's mission statement.In order to rent the bandwagon, the renter must first become a verified PARKS DIRECT Customer and provide valid proof of residency, age and identification. All rentals made through the Park Permits Office must be paid in full at the time of reservation and all fees are subject to change.


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The thought of amputation is one that the mind does not want to dwell on. However, it does happen and it is done when a limb is damaged beyond repair or when not removing it could lead to other medical complications. Of all amputations,those of the leg are most common. Losing one or both legs is a hugely traumatic experience, both physically as well as mentally and spiritually. That is why physiotherapy and counseling are essential components of any amputation procedure.
|Image Courtesy : Pexels
Be Prepared For Change
Change is not limited to the way your body is now different. It is in the way you interact with the world and the world interacts with you. You should be prepared for:
- Getting used to the prosthetic. It will never be the same as a real leg, but it is, literally, the next best thing.
- People treating you differently. People you don't know and even those you do, will not be sure how to treat and respond to you. It is not that they feel sorry for you or have pity. It is usually because the situation is unfamiliar to them as it is to you and they are not sure of what to say or do. Give it time, once everyone is used to the changed situation, relationships will develop naturally.
- New opportunities. Keep an open mind and opportunities that did not exist earlier will appear. From helping those in similar situations to participating in special sporting events and working on developing devices, systems and policies/processes for those who have lost a limb, the opportunities to make a positive impact will present themselves.
- Frustration. There will be challenges that did not exist before. Overcoming them will often take time and patience. Getting frustrated because things are not as they were will do you no good. Being told that "these things take time" or that "it will all work out" can often just add to the frustration. The fact is that both statements, however trite, are true. Do not be in a rush for your first success – it will come in its own time. After that, the rest will fall into place sooner than you hope.
Get Back To Normal Soon
Getting back to normal when you have lost a limb may sound absurd. However, it is surprising how soon the human body and spirit can adapt to the change. Making a positive effort to return to the pre-amputation life is critical. A large part of this is leaving the home and going back to the outside world to once again and do the things you did in the past. Yes, there may be special precautions you have to take and some limitations on what you can do, but by and large, you will be able to return to your life as it used to be. One important factor in that is travel. This will be difficult at first because getting back in the driver's seat will take time and practice. Relying on friends and family to take you around will rob you of your independence. This is where Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) comes in.This is like a taxi service for those with mobility limitations. The service will provide specially equipped vehicles for taking you where you want to go. With doorstep service, event standby and specially trained drivers, NEMT is the way to regain your mobility and get your life back on track.


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The transition to senior living is an exciting process for older adults. Active senior living communities provide more than just attractive personal residences and dining arrangements. Helping residents build an active lifestyle is an important component of a modern, active senior living program.
Staff Who Care
The staff members who interact with seniors on a daily basis make the biggest difference in the happiness of seniors. Staff facilitate fun activities, keep residents motivated, and help make life easier whenever possible.
When senior living communities focus on building community among all their members, residents are happier. The Senior Solutions Management Group suggests that meals are a key part of socialization because they provide a time for seniors to interact with each other on a regular schedule. Providing time, space, and structured activities for families to participate in also helps fulfill seniors' social needs.
Whole-Person Care
When senior living communities cater to the whole person, they create opportunities for exercise, artistic expression, spiritual expression, and intellectual pursuits as well.
The best place to start building happiness in a senior living community is with the seniors themselves. Ventura Townehouse focuses on this by treating seniors with a person-centered mindset. When seniors are treated in all areas of their lives, they feel more comfortable and happier.
Staff in senior living communities can take small steps daily to increase seniors' level of happiness. For example, they can create community events or serve seniors at shared mealtimes. They can also make sure to greet seniors by name and speak with them about their lives. These changes may seem small, but they surely help seniors to grow happier bit by bit!
If you're searching for an active senior living community in Ventura, please contact us for more information or to tour our community.
"Resident Councils in Residential Care/Assisted Living ." CanHR, 14 Apr. 2016, www.canhr.org/factsheets/rcfe_fs/PDFs/FS_RCFE_Resident_Councils.pdf.
"Creating a Sense of Community in the Senior Living Dining Room." Assisted Living, Senior Dementia Care in Georgia & Tennessee – Senior Solutions, 26 May 2016, www.ssmgrp.com/blog/creating-a-sense-of-community-in-the-senior-living-dining-room/.
My grandmother lives at the Ventura Townehouse and I feel confident that she is in good hands. They get her to her appointments and provide any aftercare that she may need. Everyone there is friendly and like family. I feel like I'm at home when I go there to visit her and eat with her in the dining room.
Recently, I visited my Mom from Chicago. Each day I offered to take us out and about in Ventura. We found ourselves having such an enjoyable time at the Townehouse we didn't leave. The dining room was so lovey to enjoy with her friends. Patios welcoming and the activities kept us busy. We laughed and had fun all day! Thank you everyone for making me feel at home and making my visit special. It's always hard to leave my mom. But not as hard when I know she is so happy! Until my next visit!
Staff is very helpful and always concerned about my Mother's needs, the interior and grounds maintenance is exceptional. Dining provides healthy menus to choose from. Front desk staff is always friendly and helpful. Best decision we ever made was bringing my mom here.


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On a perfect Friday night at Wrigley Field, I stood arm in arm with some of my favorite women and sang the Piano Man with the Piano Man and more than 40,000 new friends.
Those moments stood as some of the coolest of the summer, and kicked off a weekend in which we toasted the sweet reliability of family, tender joy of friendship, and prolific nature of Marquette University.
During an uptown girls night out, my daughter Katherine, sister Kathy, and sisters in-law Carol, Elaine and Donna enjoyed the Billy Joel concert, a two-hour trip through my formative years. The concert set the tone for a weekend in which I was able to hang out with my oldest daughter, celebrate my niece's eighth birthday and enjoy the aged-to-perfection laughter of college friends.
Thanks to the timeless relevance of his lyrics and contagious energy of his live performance, Billy Joel generated a little summer weekend magic that lasted long after the final strains of music faded into the hot summer night.
Here's a little taste of the Piano Man in action.


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Laser marking machine's introduction and its performance analysis
- 2014-12-26 15:02:13
Laser marking machine's introduction and its performance analysisWhat is the laser marking machine? Laser marking machines use a laser beam in a variety of different material surface type permanent marker. The laser marking machine advantages and disadvantages which to have?Talk below:Laser marking machine is mainly composed of semiconductor laser, semiconductor laser marking machine is the use of international advanced semiconductor light-emitting diodes, semiconductor laser module of the machine, the scanning mirror, acousto-optic Q switch, Q drives and other key parts are imported, the supplier with the relevant industry ofthe worlds leading technology, first-class accessories to ensure high marking precision and speed, stable performance, can work for a long time.The integrated design structure, new ways of the sealing of the overall,stable and reliable, pleasing in appearance grade.Laser marking machine and using a CO2 laser, the laser has the advantages of: work without cooling equipment,simple maintenance, and electricity can be used, cheap price, long service life, high conversion efficiency. Laser marking machine disadvantages are: printing effect is not good enough, printing plastic pipe when there is a lot of smoke, not printed metal,using long-focal-length print lines thicker.Laser marking machine, another is more used in optical fiber laser, the laser has the advantages that: the working stability,long service life, high conversion efficiency, printing fine lines. The disadvantage is that the price is higher than YAG and CO2laser marking machine.Small volume, compact configuration, can conveniently, securely mounted to almost all of the production line, a little changecan be satisfied with the existing production process requirements, suitable for high speed,flexibility and demanding applications.
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As shown in my review of the recent film The Wrong Missy most Netflix comedies are not my cup of tea. However, in the case of The Lovebirds I had more hope as it is an acquisition by Netflix not an original film. Indeed, Paramount originally planned to release The Lovebirds into theaters before COVID19 closed everything down.
The film also stars Issa Rae who I recently enjoyed in The Photograph and Kumail Nanjiani who was so great in The Big Sick with the same director Michael Showalter. So how did it turn out? Were my high expectations met? Honestly not really but it had just enough laughs and chemistry to give a mild recommendation.
The plot of The Lovebirds is similar to 2018's Game Night but not nearly as funny. Both movies are about a couple who want a simple night of fun and end up in a mad-cap race for their lives with all kinds of violence and over-the-top comedic set pieces. In this case Jibran (Nanjiani) and Leilani (Rae) are a couple who have lost their mojo after 4 years together. Unfortunately just as they are breaking off their relationship they hit a man with their car and then one thing after another happens until they end up in all kinds of shenanigans including a sftrange cult ceremony of some kind.
Most of my favorite parts of the movie came from the dialogue particularly from Nanjiani. He was just manic enough to make me laugh without being shrill or annoying. Nanjiani and Rae also have wonderful chemistry together, and I bought them as this established couple struggling with their relationship.
The problem with The Lovebirds is not all the comic-action set-pieces worked. In particular there's a sequence where the 2 are tortured by Anna Camp and forced to chose between getting hot bacon grease on them or get kicked by a horse. This kind of body humor isn't for me and it went on way too long.
I also didn't love the long sequence at the cult. Basically whenever the plot or the action was supposed to carry the film it didn't work for me. When they relied on the dialogue and the witty banter between the 2 leads it did.
The Lovebirds earns its R rating with vulgar language and violence so it will not be for everyone. Although obviously I had problems with it, I did laugh out loud quite a few times and that's enough to give it a mild recommendation. No masterpiece but if you are looking through Netflix for a comedy you could certainly do worse.
6 out of 10


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Munchkin Hoodie
A warm hoodie plus four Munchkin cards!
Suggested Retail Price $59.95
Stock # SJG9187 * UPC 837654322345
November 2014
Show off your Munchkin fandom in style, and keep warm at the same time! It includes four new Munchkin cards (inside the tag, so don't throw that away!), and you can even wear the hoodie with another piece of armor!
Image Gallery
- Munchkin FAQ
- Munchkin Errata
Doors (2)
- Casual
- Robin Hoodie
Treasures (2)
- Oversized Hoodie
- Welcome to the Neighborhood
- Retailer Resources for Munchkin


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Cacti Cupcakes
I typically don't accept cupcake orders for my cacti cupcakes, but when the request came in for them to be sent to one of my favorite fashion designers this week – I ecstatically took on the job. Yesterday, I recreated my cacti cupcakes for the amazing Mara Hoffman to celebrate her incredible (seriously, INCREDIBLE) New York Fashion Week spring 2015 collection…which also had some strong cacti vibes. And while these cupcakes are beautiful on their own, I decided to hand-paint the cake box for an added personalized touch. I was so honored to be thought of for this job – Mara's designs have always been such a huge source of inspiration for me and it was just so dang awesome getting to make these for her.
Unfortunately I didn't get to take any photos with my real camera, but here's a few lo-res iPhone shots from the delivery box.
If this is your first time seeing these, you can find a DIY for the cupcakes HERE.
Pluja of Links - December! | Pluja of LinksDecember 10, 2014 at 5:31 am
[…] them or them, these cacti cupcakes are […]
averyJanuary 8, 2015 at 9:22 pm
I love them!!!!!
from me to vuuJune 18, 2015 at 10:50 am
Alana—These are AMAZING! I just discovered your blog and am SO in love. Your work is great, looking forward to more posts.
Pluja of Links - December! | Vera CiriaSeptember 8, 2015 at 6:29 am
[…] them or them, these cacti cupcakes are […]
Links December 2014 - The Weird and the Wonderful OnlineAugust 4, 2016 at 4:14 am
[…] them or them, these cacti cupcakes are […]
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In his Defense of Purity, Dietrich von Hildebrand distinguishes between the purposes of sexual intercourse for man in quantum animal (procreation), in quantum homo (the union of man and woman in wedded love), and in quantum fidelis (the reflection in Christian marriage of Christ's love for the church). Von Hildebrand describes the disasters that ensue when these purposes or meanings are severed from one another; the disasters are a result of the deep illogic or incoherence of the sexual sin involved.
That has led me to wonder whether this insight regarding the sexual act can apply to questions regarding the priesthood or ordained ministry. It seems to me that many people in my church -- I am a Roman Catholic -- will grudgingly admit the necessity of having a man serve in quantum sacerdos or in quantum imago Christi -- insofar as he is a priest or an image of Christ -- but not in quantum homo. But man, as man, needs a father, not merely to reflect the Father, or Christ who is the image of the everlasting Father, but for perfectly human purposes too. I don't want to labor the obvious here; should anyone be inclined to doubt our deep need for fathers (and I am not speaking only of fathers in blood), I suggest visiting the local penitentiary in the company of someone with a ministry to those lost men.
Now the three staunchly orthodox priests serving the communities on the island in Canada where we spend the summer are being recalled by their order to their mother house in Quebec. For eight years they have served as best they could under trying circumstances. Their order is not yet recognized by the Vatican (though the priests are all well educated and validly ordained); the local bishop invited them here on a trial basis; the people had been running the parishes their own way, seeing nothing untoward in having a woman teach catechism to children, though she was separated from her husband and living with another man, nor anything untoward in allowing a local doctor to receive communion, although she is an unbaptized Hindu; the divorce rate is over fifty percent, and cohabitation is a yawner; the hymnals are at best debased and at worst heretical; the parishes are relatively poor and the buildings have needed repair; young men are nowhere to be seen in the church. So the priests have done a great deal -- they have reinstituted important Catholic devotions, and have gently let the scandalous catechizer go, and have run seminars on proper liturgical music, and have refused to marry cohabiters unless they separate and abstain for a certain time, and so on.
But I can still say, barring a miracle (a qualification which must hold true of all human predictions), that these parishes will not produce a vocation to the priesthood in the next fifteen years, and that they are rapidly reaching the point, if they have not already reached it, at which one might confidently say that these parishes will never produce another vocation again. That's because, among many of the people, the idea of a father has diminished, and the idea of a spiritual father has vanished altogether. They have been taught from all sides except their priests that the laity ought to be in charge of everything but those few minor functions that have to do with certain parts of the Mass. (From what I hear, many a Protestant congregation suffers from a similarly incoherent wish to have a minister as a presentable officiator at service, but not a teacher; a fellow that would look like a pillar of the community, but no leader.) Now the good people of our island are in pretty dire need of strong paternal leadership, but the inertia of a declining culture, and the tacit acceptance of this severance of priest-as-priest from priest-as-man, will ensure that strong paternal leadership is exactly what the people are not going to get.
Given Roman Catholic teaching regarding the valid operation of the sacraments, everyone will acknowledge the need for a priest: without him (or without a "him" on call from someplace or other) you can't have Holy Communion and a few other incidental things that the old folks especially want. So they need a priest around, and if he just sticks to his minimal Sunday duties he'll be all right. But it's strange; this ignoring of the priest's role in quantum homo, as a father and leader of his flock, tends not to exalt his supernatural calling in quantum imago Christi, but to debase it to the level of a brute superstition. In other words, when we sever the idea of ordained ministry in quantum imago Christi from its foundation in human nature, we revert to the barbaric idea of the minister as magician or ritual functionary. He is a father no more, but the sacerdotal equivalent of a sperm donor.
"Just consecrate them hosts, fella," says the pious Madame, crushing her Marlboro into the thurible, "and don't let the door hit you on your way out."