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Veneta Rangelova Fonts Downloads
- Guess Goodies W00 RegularPackages
Veneta RangelovaCopyright
Copyright 2015 by DearType, Veneta Rangelova. All rights reserved.Regular Veneta Rangelova50.79 KB
- GuessSans-RegularPackages
Veneta RangelovaCopyright
Copyright 2015 by DearType, Veneta Rangelova. All rights reserved.com.myfonts.easy.dea Veneta Rangelova92.95 KB
- GuessSans-ExtraBoldPackages
Veneta RangelovaCopyright
Copyright 2015 by DearType, Veneta Rangelova. All rights reserved.com.myfonts.easy.dea Veneta Rangelova92.87 KB
- Guess Sans W00 UltraPackages
Veneta RangelovaCopyright
Copyright 2015 by DearType, Veneta Rangelova. All rights reserved.Regular Veneta Rangelova67.42 KB
- Guess-BoldPackages
Veneta RangelovaCopyright
Copyright 2015 by DearType, Veneta Rangelova. All rights reserved.com.myfonts.easy.dea Veneta Rangelova181.3 KB
- Guess W00 RegularPackages
Veneta RangelovaCopyright
Copyright 2015 by DearType, Veneta Rangelova. All rights reserved.Regular Veneta Rangelova943.16 KB
- Guess Sans W00 BlackPackages
Veneta RangelovaCopyright
Copyright 2015 by DearType, Veneta Rangelova. All rights reserved.Regular Veneta Rangelova68.03 KB
- BeachBar-MediumPackages
1.000;PS 001.000;hotconv 1.0.88;makeotf.lib2.5.64775;com.myfonts.easy.deartype.beachbar.medium.wfkit2.version.4BcVCompany
Veneta RangelovaCopyright
Copyright 2016 by DearType, Veneta Rangelova. All rights reserved.com.myfonts.easy.dea Veneta Rangelova35.22 KB
Caflisch Script Web V2
Caflisch Script WebStyle
Adobe Systems, IncorporatedAuthor
Robert SlimbachTrademark
Caflisch Script is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.Copyright
Copyright 1993-1997, Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.Description
This typeface is based on the lettering of Max Caflisch, one of the foremost graphic designers of the twentieth century. Caflisch, a teacher of graphic arts for over three decades in Zurich, is author of several books on typography and designer of the 1952 Columna typeface. Caflisch's handwriting has a free flowing yet disciplined character, the result of years of practice and devotion to the calligraphic arts. Designer Robert Slimbach retained the subtleties and natural letter joins of Caflisch's original handwriting while adapting it into a typographically sound and highly practical script typeface. Caflisch Script Web has been optimized for onscreen use.
Stone Sans II ITC W01 Bk It
International Typeface CorporationTrademark
ITC and Stone are trademarks of International Typeface Corporation Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain other jurisdictions.Copyright
Copyright 2002, 2007, 2009 International Typeface Corporation. All rights reserved.License
NOTIFICATION OF LICENSE AGREEMENTThis typeface is the property of International Typeface Corporation (ITC) and its use by you is covered under the terms of a license agreement. You have obtained this typeface software either directly from ITC or together with software distributed by one of the licencees of ITC.This software is a valuable asset of ITC. Unless you have entered into a specific license agreement granting you additional rights, your use of this software is limited to use on up to five (5) workstation for your own publishing use. You may not copy or distribute this software.If you have any questions concerning your rights you should review the license agreement you received with the software or contact ITC for a copy of the license agreement.General information:www.itcfonts.comFor license terms and usage rights, please visit our web site at:www.itcfonts.com/license
Crayonista W00 Regular
David KerkhoffAuthor
David KerkhoffTrademark
Crayonista is a trademark of David Kerkhoff.Copyright
Copyright (c) 2012 by David Kerkhoff. All rights reserved.License
END USER LICENSE AGREEMENTBy installing, copying, or otherwise using fonts by David Kerkhoff, you agree to be bound by the terms of this EULA. This license agreement represents the entire agreement, concerning the font, between you and David Kerkhoff (a.k.a. Hanoded Photography), (referred to as licenser), and it supersedes any prior proposal, representation, or understanding between the parties. If you do not agree to the terms of this EULA, do not install or use fonts by David Kerkhoff. Any font by David Kerkhoff is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties. The fonts are licensed, not sold.1. GRANT OF LICENSE.The font is licensed as follows:(a) Installation and Use.David Kerkhoff grants you the right to install and use the font(s) for any purpose you see fit (except those mentioned in (d) exceptions), commercial or non-commercial, on websites or in print, as long as you do not sell or resell the font(s) on their own, or claim them as your own. You can install the font(s) on up to five (5) computers only.(b) Backup Copies.You may make copies of the font(s) as may be necessary for backup and archival purposes.(c) EmbeddingFonts by David Kerkhoff may not be embedded in software, games, computer programs or the like. For this a special license is required. Embedding in PDF or print, in graphics, images or vectors is granted and no special license is required.(d) Exceptions Fonts by David Kerkhoff may NOT be used for pornographic, derogatory, defamatory or racist material (in any form, printed or virtual); fonts by David Kerkhoff may NOT be used by individuals or companies involved in child abuse, child pornography or child labour; fonts by David Kerkhoff may NOT be used by individuals or companies involved in destruction of natural resources and/or habitat, logging (even legal), palm oil exploitation/harvesting, tuna fishing, whaling, animal trafficking (be they wild or domesticated), oil and/or gas drilling or transporting and mining. Fonts by David Kerkhoff may NOT be used by missionaries, individuals or institutions of any creed or faith for the purpose of converting others to their creed or faith. Fonts by David Kerkhoff may NOT be used to instigate terror, hate, intolerance, fear or racism.2. DESCRIPTION OF OTHER RIGHTS AND LIMITATIONS. (a) Maintenance of Copyright Notices. You must not remove or alter any copyright notices on any and all copies of fonts by David Kerkhoff and you may not alter any information contained within the font itself. (b) Distribution. You may not distribute registered copies of fonts by David Kerkhoff to third parties in any way; not for free/as a gift, nor for money/exchange of goods. (c) Prohibition on Modifications, Enhancements, Alterations. You may not alter, modify, enhance or decompose any fonts made by David Kerkhoff, except and only to the extent that such activity is expressly permitted by applicable law notwithstanding this limitation.3. TERMINATIONWithout prejudice to any other rights, David Kerkhoff may terminate this EULA if you fail to comply with the terms and conditions of this EULA. In such event, you must destroy all copies of David Kerkhoff's fonts in your possession.4. COPYRIGHTAll title, including but not limited to copyrights, in and to fonts by David Kerkhoff and any copies thereof are owned by David Kerkhoff or his suppliers. All title and intellectual property rights in and to the content which may be accessed through use of fonts by David Kerkhoff is the property of the respective content owner and may be protected by applicable copyright or other intellectual property laws and treaties. This EULA grants you no rights to use such content. All rights not expressly granted are reserved by David Kerkhoff.5. NO WARRANTIESDavid Kerkhoff expressly disclaims any warranty for the font(s). Fonts by David Kerkhoff are provided 'As Is' without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including but not limited to any warranties of merchantability, non-infringement, or fitness of a particular purpose. David Kerkhoff does not warrant or assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any glyph, character, picture or accent within the fonts. David Kerkhoff further expressly disclaims any warranty or representation to Authorized Users or to any third party.6. LIMITATION OF LIABILITYIn no event shall David Kerkhoff be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, lost profits, business interruption, or lost information) rising out of 'Authorized Users' use of or inability to use fonts by David Kerkhoff. David Kerkhoff shall have no liability with respect to the content of any fonts by David Kerkhoff, or any part thereof, including but not limited to errors or omissions contained therein, libel, infringements of rights of publicity, privacy, trademark rights, business interruption, personal injury, loss of privacy, moral rights or the disclosure of confidential information. 2010/2012 David Kerkhoff / Hanoded Photographywww.hanodedfonts.com
Steampunk font by *hannarb
Steampunk font by *hannarbStyle
1.00 January 1, 2010, initial release, www.yourfonts.comCopyright
Made with yourfonts.com. Copyright 2010 *hannarbDescription
This font was created using the online font generation service from yourfonts.com
1.00 June 7, 2013, initial releaseCopyright
Made with Scanahand. Copyright FontPanda.com 2013. All Rights Reserved.Description
This font was created using Scanahand from High-Logic.com
OricNeo W00 Bold
Jonathan HillAuthor
Jonathan HillTrademark
OricNeo Bold is a trademark of Jonathan Hill.Copyright
Copyright (c) Jonathan Hill, 2009. All rights reserved.License
By Installing any of The Northern Block fonts on your computer, you agree to the terms of use set forth by The Northern Block. Details can can be found at: http://www.thenorthernblock.co.uk/fonts_faq.htm. Use of this font software by unlicensed parties is expressly prohibited.
LUELLA Ornaments A W95 Regular
Cultivated MindAuthor
Cindy KinashTrademark
LUELLA Ornaments A is a trademark of Cultivated Mind.Copyright
Copyright (c) 2013 by Cultivated Mind. All rights reserved.License
By downloading this font package, you are agreeing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement. This Agreement, in conjunction with the receipt that accompanies each purchase from MyFonts.com (MyFonts), constitutes the complete agreement between you and the respective Foundry.1. Allowed usesYou may use the licensed fonts to create images on any surface such as computer screens, paper, web pages, photographs, movie credits, printed material, T-shirts, and other surfaces where the image is a fixed size.You may use the licensed fonts to create EPS files or other scalable drawings provided that such files are only used by the household or company licensing the font.2. Number of usersThe maximum number of simultaneous users is specified in the applicable receipt. All users must belong to the same company or household purchasing the font.3. Third partiesYou may provide the font to a graphic designer, printer or other service bureau that is working on your behalf only if they agree to use the font exclusively for your work, agree to the terms of this license, and retain no copies of the font on completion of the work.You may not provide the font or make it accessible to any other third parties.4. EmbeddingYou may embed the licensed fonts into any document you send to third parties. Such documents may be viewed and printed (but not edited) by the recipients.You may not under any circumstances embed the licensed fonts into software or hardware products in which the fonts will be used by the purchasers of such products. Such use requires a different license which may be offered by the Foundry through MyFonts. Please contact email@example.com for further information.5. ModificationsYou may import characters from the font as graphical objects into a drawing program and modify such graphical objects.You may not modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or create derivative works based on the licensed font itself without Foundry's prior written consent. 6. Copyright The font and the accompanying materials are copyrighted and contain proprietary information and trade secrets belonging to the foundry owning the font. Unauthorized copying of the Product even if modified, merged, or included with other software, or of the written materials, is expressly forbidden. You may be held legally responsible for any infringement of the foundry's intellectual property rights that is caused or encouraged by your failure to abide by the terms of this Agreement. 7. Termination This Agreement is effective until terminated. This Agreement will terminate automatically without notice from MyFonts or the Foundry if you fail to comply with any provision contained herein. Upon termination, you must destroy the written materials, the Product, and all copies of them, in part and in whole, including modified copies, if any.8. Product UpgradesMyFonts may, from time to time, update the Product. Product upgrade pricing may apply. 9. Disclaimer and Limited Warranty MyFonts warrants the Product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of twenty one (21) days from the date of delivery as shown on your receipt. MyFonts' entire liability and your exclusive remedy as to a defective product shall be, at MyFonts' option, either return of purchase price or replacement of any such product that is returned to MyFonts with a copy of the invoice. MyFonts shall have no responsibility to replace the product or refund the purchase price if failure results from accident, abuse or misapplication, or if any product is lost or damaged due to theft, fire, or negligence. Any replacement product will be warranted for twenty one (21) days. This warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may have other rights, which vary from state to state. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED ABOVE, THE PRODUCT, IS PROVIDED AS IS. NEITHER MYFONTS NOR THE FOUNDRY MAKES ANY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the Product rests upon you. Neither MyFonts nor the Foundry warrants that the functions contained in the Product will meet your requirements or that the operation of the software will be uninterrupted or error free. NEITHER MYFONTS NOR THE FOUNDRY SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FROM LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION, AND THE LIKE) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE PRODUCT EVEN IF MYFONTS OR THE FOUNDRY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Because some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitation may not apply to you. 10. Governing Law This agreement is governed by the laws of the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
1.00 December 30, 2011, initial releaseCopyright
Typeface (your company). 2011. All Rights ReservedDescription
This font was created using FontCreator 6.0 from High-Logic.com


text:
I forgot my password.
Don't have an account?
Advanced Interconnections Corp. is an ISO 9001 certified designer and manufacturer of innovative interconnect solutions with technologically advanced features.
From prototype to production volumes, solutions are produced to customer requirements in our fully integrated manufacturing facility in the USA. All of our standard and customized designs provide high reliability in development, test, validation, and production level device-to-board and board-to-board applications.
Advanced Interconnections is proud to work with industry-leading companies worldwide, supporting a variety of high reliability interconnect applications including:
Advanced Interconnections specializes in IC Sockets and Adapters for BGA, PGA, CSP, PLCC, SOIC, QFP, DIP, and SIP packages as well as IC Package Conversion Adapters and Board-to-Board Connectors. Standard and customized designs are available, all featuring screw-machined terminals for superior quality and field-proven performance.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Sin City Yoga necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 66 diseños de 23 diseñadores freelance.
Sin City Yoga is Las Vegas' most eclectic Yoga studio. We offer a wide variety of classes for all levels. We love Las Vegas and you'll find that everything about us exemplifies that love by entrenching ourselves in the culture of Las Vegas.
I wanted to update the contest and let you know a little more of what I'm looking for. I don't want a traditional, peaceful, mellow yoga logo. I'm looking for something that exemplifies the beat of the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, the idealogy of a gambler's paradise, the daring prowess of the city. This studio is going to be completely themed around Las Vegas and the history of Sin City. If you haven't been to Las Vegas before a little bit of research on the city might be helpful before submitting a design.
Sin City Yoga
I am looking for a logo that will be the essence of my yoga studio. This logo will be used for my facade sign, a street sign, website, business cards, stationary, schedules, brochures, magazine advertisements, and t-shirts.
I'm a yogi for the past 18 years. I lived in Las Vegas previously and am moving back to open the studio in the next 6-24 months. The company Sin City Yoga is meant to be fun and exciting and highlight Las Vegas and it's interesting past. Creating a place for locals and tourists to come and enjoy a yoga/Las Vegas lifestyle.
maybe adding the tagline "For Yogi's and Sinners" maybe not, I'm not totally attached to that, and am not very creative myself, so I'm not sure how that will look.
If the logo can have the tagline, but that can be easily taken off for the facade and street signage that might be nice.
I'm just not sold on the tagline on the logo. It might be better without it.
I was thinking purple and black for the colors, but if you have something you think is better, please try, I'm open
The logo needs to be bold so that it can be seen from the street easily.
I had the idea of maybe the name and a woman doing a sexy looking yoga pose, but the woman in like a single color cutout style, like a shadow person all one color, but again, not attached to that.
I was thinking that for signage purposes it would be better for the logo to be straight across like Petsmart verses together like HomeDepot's. But again, I'm open to anything.
This logo will need to be resized a whole lot without any distortion. Like I said, it's going to be on a business sign to a huge overhead sign above the business doorway. It could be 20feet long! I don't understand a lot about design yet but I guess that means it should be vector or something and on Adobe?? You know better than me. Please make sure it suits the needs. Jpegs and Gifs won't work.
It should somehow be Las Vegas and be yoga at the same time. Good luck!
- You are free to try anything you want!
- Traditional yoga logos
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
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text:
An injured kangaroo managed to make its way into Melbourne Airport in Australia on Wednesday, ending up, fittingly, in a pharmacy.
Astonished travelers watched as the kangaroo stumbled around the aisles, only to be captured by a dark-clad woman and a man in a Qantas vest, who can be seen on video casting a cloth over the ailing animal and then gently tackling it. It was placed under the care of a veterinarian.
The airport is ringed partly by bushland that is apparently frequented by kangaroos. This one chose to end up at the Qantas terminal, an apt destination since the airline's symbol is the kangaroo and it is known among Australians as the "Flying Kangaroo."
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the animal had been hit by a vehicle outside the terminal. Wildlife Victoria, an animal emergency response service, said it sent two trained rescue volunteers to help capture the creature, and that the kangaroo, nicknamed Cyrus after "one of the helpers at the scene," was tranquilized before being turned over to the veterinarian. Cyrus was later recorded resting comfortably at a wildlife shelter.
Naturally, the episode was fodder for social media. An Australian comedian, Julia Morris, who happened to be at the airport when the kangaroo came by, was reduced to clever hashtags to try to top the reality of the situation. "Ok, so I'm at Melbourne airport & a KANGAROO has just jumped into the chemist," she wrote on Twitter, adding, "#notajoke #soundslikeajoke #mustneedaprescriptionfilled."


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You would think that Myron Rolle, the NFL super-stud who also happens to be a Rhodes Scholar, would be the kind of man who makes us proud. You would expect that his status as being the man who represents the future of the black athlete in America would make the NFL happy to have him on the roster of one of their teams. Not only is Rolle brilliant, but he is also tough as nails and fast as lightning. The man has the whole package.
But at least according to some NFL coaches, Rolle may not be committed enough to be a part of their league.
"We'll have to find out how committed he is," an NFC assistant coach said, repeating the sentiment of five other NFL officials who said the same thing.


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Jinkee on Mega Magazine January 2012 Issue
Photography by Seven Barretto
Scenes behind the photo shoot of Jinkee Pacquiao
Source of Images: Megastyle.ph
the first time i saw this pic. i couldn't believe she's jinkee.
she's pretty with or without make up. it's okay to have beauty regimen but she doesn't need any further enhancements because her strong personality is more than enough.
I love that first coat, so chic and elegant.ReplyDelete
Thanks for the thoughts guysReplyDelete
Number 1 sa Photoshop Beauties. Haha. She looks good when she first appeared on TV. I like her simple personality before.ReplyDelete
Elegant! Ang pretty nya. I like the coat. :)ReplyDelete
alam mo bang nagwork ako sa Mega Publishing noong nasa Pilipinas pa ako?
Kudos to my co-worker at Mega, thanks for this post Chris
Basahin mo dito :)
Not much of a fan, but I also (almost) didn't recognize her. :) She's still pretty but I think she has had a lot of improvements done on her face.ReplyDelete
Grabe, parang hndi na nya kamukha. nagiba na face nya. Pero pretty na nya lalo. :)ReplyDelete
photoshoot , photoshop, but in person you see her she's pretty in fairness...ReplyDelete
Jinkee looks so sophisticated!ReplyDelete
i like the suit she's wearing on the cover.ReplyDelete
she looks totally different .maganda na siay dati pero mas maganda dahil sa make up at damit.iba nga naman pag celebrity ang asawa pati mga kamag anak sumisikat din.ReplyDelete
she's pretty na dati pa, pero iba talaga if you have the money, dami na eenhance. =)ReplyDelete
ganda! She's enjoying being a model na. haha and she's prettier now!ReplyDelete
grabe and retoke ni jinky ano. iba talaga pag may pera ka.ReplyDelete
Jinkee is more confident of her looks now albeit her many changes physically. i am starting to love her. Meron sya kahawig na artista din as seen in this photoshoot.ReplyDelete
i love her dressesReplyDelete
ang bongga!hindi ko sya namukhaan!
a lot of improvements!
she looks so chic.. I almost can't recognize her..
You can't blame photoshop bcoz Jinkee looks the part..
from photographers perspective, people who normally blame pictures to photoshop are the one's who can't handle it.
Okay I can die! She's so pretty!ReplyDelete
maganda rin naman si jinkee without the make up 0_oReplyDelete
Ah the controversial mega cover. I read about this and also about Charice. Well, I just don't understand why people is making a big fuss about it. But she definitely looks gorgeous here.ReplyDelete
she's pretty but she's prettier in the enhanced cover... everyone knows that every cover girl gets photoshopped naman ;-)ReplyDelete
wow trully she's jinky???!!! the credit should go to dr. belo and of course manny (money) peace :))))ReplyDelete
hmmn dati na syang maganda, I mean medjo nanibago lang iba dahil sa hair and make-up, parang biglang naging foreign itsura nia but still the same, wala naman sigurong major surgery of whatever, opinion langReplyDelete
technology has it!LOL! plus the money..wehehehehe..kaya super daming issue ng cover image nya.. :D
thanks for dropping by at my site!
She's beautiful. She knows how to carry herself in modelling. She has the poise. I know she knows that she's been exploited to pose for others to earn money, though she'd a share of royalty of such modelling.ReplyDelete
Looking good. I love the dress. :3
xoxo, Grysh (http://gryshco.com)
Never thought that she was Jinkee Pacquiao... Pera nga naman.. :DReplyDelete
I can't believe that's her! Grabe nagagawa ng cosmetics at of course ng medical tech. as I have last seen her way back in 2006 and she drastically look different!
xox, Angel || koreandoll
nice post
new follower of ur blog
follow my blog
Ang laki ng changes. Iba talaga ang nagagawa ng pera. May Fame na additional fortune pa.ReplyDelete
tulisannnya tentang jinkee sangat bagus, Thanks
Obat Mata Herbal
Can't even recognize her... And na over Din Sa photoshop.. She's pretty in her own way Dami Nya na pinagawa tama na sana Baka lalong ma over.., hene ;-)ReplyDelete
aba! umiibang level na si Jinky aah hahaha!ReplyDelete


text:
Troops opposed to repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" cannot opt out of their service because they disagree with gays and lesbians serving openly. Defense Secretary Robert Gates made the announcement during his farewell trip to Afghanistan, reports Reuters.
"Sir, we joined the Marine Corps because the Marine Corps has a set of standards and values that is better than that of the civilian sector. And we have gone and changed those values and repealed the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy," the sergeant told Gates during the question and answer session.
"We have not given the Marines a chance to decide whether they wish to continue serving under that. Is there going to be an option for those Marines that no longer wish to serve due to the fact their moral values have not changed?" he asked.
"No," Gates responded. "You'll have to complete your ... enlistment just like everybody else. The reality is that you don't all agree with each other on your politics, you don't agree with each other on your religion, you don't agree with each other on a lot of things," he added. "But you still serve together. And you work together. And you look out for each other. And that's all that matters."
When do ground troops set policy?
The U.S. Army just launched a DADT repeal micro-site with FAQ, policy guidance, vignettes and implementation planning resources.
In related news: Open service advocates are urging Gates to certify "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal before his June 30 retirement.
"Waiting for certification after Gates retires, advocates said, could further delay repeal because Leon Panetta, the incoming defense secretary who currently serves as CIA director, may want to examine the issue further before signaling the military is ready for open service," reports Chris Johnson at the Washington Blade.


text:
A report on Profootballtalk.com is intimating Steve Wisniewski's departure from the Raiders staff may have been more of a forced resignation than a decision of personal choice.
There were no reasons given for his exit just as the team was reporting to training camp, but it would be prudent to hold off on any speculation that there was friction or philosophical differences on Dennis Allen's staff where Wisniewski is concerned.
"Personal reasons" in Wisniewski's case probably has quite a bit to do with family and faith, two reasons I was surprised he ever became a coach in the first place.
Toward the end of his career, I sat down with Wisniewski following practice on a bench at the club facility for probably the only extended interview we ever had. Wisniewski was notoriously tight-lipped with the media, sticking with cliches and platitudes whenever possible.
At that point, Wisniewski explained that he was "old school," and simply didn't believe in flashy quotes or doing anything at the expense of a team. Wisniewski said there was no memorabilia at his home giving any hint he was a professional football player, and that when he walked away from the sport, he'd be gone for good.
Wisniewski said he'd instantly lose at least 50 pounds and then move on to the next phase of his life, which included becoming a church minister and getting back to a family life that was not always made easy by the demands of a professional football player.
But there was also the pull of the sport Wisniewski loved, and he occasionally began showing up at training camp, watching the line coaches do their job. He got a job on Jim Harbaugh's staff at Stanford as a weight training assistant and worked his way back to the Raiders.
Because of his team-first attitude, Wisniewski was a favorite of every coach he ever had in Oakland, a career which spanned Mike Shanahan, Art Shell, Mike White, Joe Bugel and Jon Gruden. He thrived in any scheme, carried out orders and was a Pied Piper of sorts to the rest of the linemen who followed him dutifully on distance runs following practice.
The chances of any sort of issue with Wisniewski is contrary to pretty much everything he is about.
Pollack becomes one of eight coaches without a line assistant, and he'll miss a guy who in the middle of practice thought nothing of dropping to the ground and doing push-ups during breaks in the action.


text:
Simpler Slower Silver by Soma Mo
April 15 - May 27, 2017
Discovery Gallery
Lotus . 2016
Pure silver & copper earrings . $180
Lotus . 2017
Fine silver neckpiece . $800
Lotus . 2016
Pure silver cuff . $360
Simpler Slower Silver, 2017
10186-106 Street NW
Monday - Saturday: 10am - 5pm
Thursday: 10am - 6pm
Free customer parking at back of building
cSPACE King Edward
1721 29 Avenue SW, #280
Wednesday - Friday: 11am - 5pm
Saturday: 10am - 5pm
Street parking available
Participating artists: Nicole Baxter, Linda Chow, Robin Dupont, Milt Fischbein, Matt Gould, Terry Hildebrand, Brad Keys, Eveline Kolijn, Diane Krys, Darren Petersen, Jean-Claude and Talar Prefontaine, Shona Rae and Simon Wroot.
Feature Gallery - Edmonton
Discovery Gallery - Edmonton
Calgary Gallery - Calgary
Around Alberta
Calls for Entry
Feature Gallery
The Alberta Craft Council operates the only public galleries in the province dedicated to exhibiting Craft and is Edmonton's second largest public gallery. The Feature Gallery hosts 3+ exhibitions per year.
10186 - 106 Street
Free Parking & Admission
Discovery Gallery
The Discovery Gallery is dedicated to showing new work by established and emerging fine craft artists as well as small group exhibitions. The Discovery Gallery features 7+ exhibitions per year.
10186 - 106 Street
Free Parking & Admission
Calgary Gallery
The Alberta Craft Gallery - Calgary is located in cSPACE King Edward. The gallery showcases both Feature and Discovery Gallery exhibitions and is on an 8-week rotation.
1721 - 29 Avenue SW
Street Parking & Free Admission
© 2019 Alberta Craft Council, All rights reserved.
The Alberta Craft Council gratefully acknowledges
the support of its funders and sponsors.
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text:
Professional Sports In Las Vegas: Safe Bet Or Shaky Gamble?
By Barry Janoff, Executive Editor
(originally published in MediaPost)
June 23, 2010: Of all the things that are forbidden in pro sports — no spitting in the opposing player's eye, no running with scissors on the base paths, no hitting below the belt (except in MMA) — perhaps the strictest forbidden has been association with and/or links to gambling. There has always been an ultimate price to pay for real or perceived associations to gambling: "Shoeless" Joe Jackson was banned for life from baseball due to his alleged role in the 1919 World Series Black Sox gambling scandal; Pete Rose, baseball's all-time hit leader, in 1989 was banned from baseball due to his ties to gambling as a manager; and Tim Donaghy, a 13-year NBA referee, in 2007 came under fire due to allegations of gambling and spent more than a year in prison.
Except for boxing, which traditionally has seen retired fighters working as spokesmen for casinos (for reasons we won't get into because I value my thumbs), pro sports even frown on retired players from doing marketing for casinos. Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, for example, were retired from baseball in 1983 when they were banned by then MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn for working as greeters and autograph signers for Atlantic City establishments. (Both were reinstated in 1985 by then-Commissioner Peter Ueberroth.)
But times have changed. On June 23, the NHL will hold its post-season awards ceremony at the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for the second consecutive year. On July 10, the WNBA will hold its All-Star Game at the Mohegan Sun resort and casino in Connecticut. And Nascar last year moved its post-season awards ceremonies from New York to Las Vegas, where they again will be held this November.
The NHL said it moved the ceremony to Las Vegas last year "in part to raise the profile of this yearly event, attract bigger stars and to cement it as pillar in our event calendar that serves as a call to action for hockey fans everywhere."
These decisions are not isolated. The NBA played its 2007 All-Star Game in Las Vegas, the U.S. national basketball team trained there in 2009 to prepare for the 2012 Summer Olympics, the United Football League held its inaugural title game there last year and the Arena Football League held its 2005 and 2006 ArenaBowl championship games in the city.
And the distinct ties are not limited to one-time events. The WNBA's Connecticut Sun is owned by the Mohegan Sun, and the league's New York Liberty recently signed a marketing deal with the Foxwoods Resort Casino, also in Connecticut, which includes jersey-front sponsorship. Mohegan Sun also has a members-only sports bar located in the new Yankee Stadium (no gambling, but perks that tie back to the main casino).
"I think that many pro leagues and venues have accepted the once forbidden gaming market because these casinos themselves have become more acceptable in the United States," said Robert Tuchman, evp for marketing and sponsorship firm Premiere Global Sports, New York. "It was only a short time ago that you had to go to Atlantic City or Las Vegas. Nowadays there is gambling in so many markets."
"These casinos have a lot of money and sports teams and leagues are the perfect demo for them." — Robert Tuchman, Premiere Global Sports
A larger factor, of course, is the bottom line. "These casinos have a lot of money and sports teams and leagues are the perfect demo for them," said Tuchman.
However, like any marketing or sports sponsorship, aligning with the category must be done with due diligence.
"Personally I don't think it's necessarily the best category with which to align, but I also realize that business sometimes leads to such deals," said Sue Rodin, president at Stars and Strategies marketing consultancy firm and president of Women In Sports and Events, both New York. "We've crossed a threshold, and it is up to marketers to be careful as to how these affiliations are leveraged and positioned."
Although the city is home to the fledgling second-year UFL's Locomotives, Las Vegas itself has no professional teams at the level of the four major North American team sports. But there are strong ties to mainstream sports, including the Las Vegas 51's AAA affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, regular stops for Nascar, the PGA and the Pro Bull Riders finals and home to the the University of Nevada Las Vegas, which has several NCAA teams. Plans to build a state-of-the-art arena to attract an NBA or NHL team have been proposed by Mayor Oscar Goodman, Harrah's Entertainment and Texas-based IDM. On June 15, the Clark County Commission rejected all plans that were before them, but proponents said they would continue to woe city planners.
"Partnerships with gambling venues is the new world order," said Rodin. And as Tuchman stressed, "It was only a matter of time before it happened. I think the financial downturn making teams and leagues scramble for revenue opportunities only enhanced the need to sign deals with casinos."
Bring The Chips And Ice: NHL Rolling Into Las Vegas Again
Is The WNBA Taking A Gamble With New York Liberty, Foxwoods Deal?


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* Rivals file suits to assert influence over VKontakte
* Social network has been forum for anti-Putin protest
* Founder has teamed up with Putin ally Usmanov
By Maria Kiselyova
MOSCOW, April 7 (Reuters) - A dispute between shareholders in Russia's biggest social network escalated on Monday, as the rivals took legal action to assert their influence over a business that has been used as a platform for opposition groups.
Known as Russia's answer to Facebook, VKontakte has been the focus of an ownership battle since last April when the United Capital Partners (UCP) fund bought 48 percent of the shares, becoming its then biggest shareholder.
Rival Mail.Ru, which has in the meantime joined forces with VK founder and chief executive Pavel Durov to become the biggest investor, contested the UCP transaction in a lawsuit filed by a subsidiary.
Durov has clashed with authorities for providing a forum for opposition activists to organise protests against Vladimir Putin, including in 2011 when tens of thousands came out on to the streets in the biggest challenge yet to the Russian leader.
But Mail.Ru is controlled by a Putin ally, Russia'a richest man Alisher Usmanov, prompting liberal commentators to portray the alliance between it and Durov as part of a wider Kremlin clampdown on dissent.
Durov and Mail.Ru say they had pre-emptive rights to the stake that UCP bought from VK co-founders last year.
The deal was followed by months of friction between UCP and Durov that seemingly culminated last week in Durov's resignation which he later revoked, saying his departure would have threatened the company's future.
"I have repeatedly said it and will repeat it today, the sale of 48 percent of shares was illegal, and UCP is not a legitimate shareholder of VKontakte," Durov said on Monday on his vk.com page.
VK, the second largest social media network in Europe after Facebook, has 240 million separate user accounts and attracts around 60 million users daily who log on to share news, views and photos.
Durov, whose success in building VK has drawn comparisons to Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg, sold his 12 percent VK stake in January to Bullion Development Limited, a company beneficially owned by Usmanov's ally Ivan Tavrin, the CEO of mobile operator Megafon.
Tavrin later sold Bullion to Mail.Ru, which now owns 52 percent of VK shares.
Konstantin Belov, an analyst at Uralsib, said the dispute would likely have a limited impact on Mail.Ru shares but could hamper the long-term development of the social networking site.
"Taking into account that the Internet market and social media in particular are changing very fast, could it be that VK will miss some of the changes on the market because of this mess?" he said.
In a statement on Monday, Mail.Ru's Bullion said it had filed a lawsuit against two VK shareholders in turn owned by UCP and its managing partner Ilya Sherbovich - Blesmir Developments Limited and Palagon Limited.
Bullion alleges that the sale of these firms to UCP was in breach of the VK shareholder agreement, including a requirement to offer shares in VK to the other shareholders first, and is seeking to reverse the deal.
A spokesman for Bullion declined to name the court or say in which jurisdiction the lawsuit had been filed.
UCP said its deal was legitimate.
"This is nothing more than an awkward attempt by Durov to defend himself against our legitimate claims against him," said UCP partner Yuri Kachuro in an email.
UCP said earlier on Monday it had begun legal action against Durov and Mail.Ru over the launch of the Telegram instant messaging application, developed by Durov.
UCP said Durov had "improperly diverted to himself corporate opportunities which he was duty bound to pursue, if at all, within the business of VK.Com" and that VK was "the proper owner" of the Telegram business, the fund said in a statement. (Reporting by Maria Kiselyova and Anastasia Teterevleva; Editing by Elizabeth Piper and John Stonestreet)


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This tutorial is intended for MSSQL, but the code contents could be modified to work with Oracle, PostgreSQL, and any other database that handles CTEs (Common Table Expressions). Unfortunately, MySQL does not, so handling hierarchical data in MySQL must be achieved using different methodology. To find out if your DB handles CTEs, Wikipedia has an excellent resource available.
What you will need
- An intermediate knowledge of SQL, including use of the WITH clause, indexes, and variables.
- A database to work with where you have CREATE permissions for both tables and views.
- A coffee and a cushy chair.
The problem
When we want to create relational (normalised) data in a database, we create multiple tables to accomplish this. Take, for example, the scenario where we want to store the countries of the world, divided into continents. We could use a table schema such as this:
- Continents
This is all well and good if we know that we only ever want to store continents and countries, but what happens if we want to store states/provinces also? Well, we could create another table for these, but then what happens if we need districts, cities, suburbs, streets, street addresses, buildings, rooms, etc? You can see how the data schema might become extremely cumbersome very quickly.
A table-by-table data schema does not hit the mark when it comes to storing dynamically nested hierarchical data. Also, when it comes to querying this data, it can become extremely problematic for the SQL coder, and even the smallest schema change may have drastic trickle-down effects on applications that utilise the data schema.
The solution
We can avoid the problems associated with table-by-table relations by mapping out a single table schema that is self-referential. By this, I mean that instead of having a "Countries" table that references a "Continents" table (and so on), we simply have a "Locations" table that references itself.
For this, we need to structure our data in a specific manner. Each data node will require these attributes as a minimum:
- An ID
- Its parent's ID
- A name
- A sortkey (optional - the name could be used as the sort key)
Once we have alloted these values to our nodes, we will be able to create an extensive self-referential tree structure that can have dynamic depth. Note that this data is kept in one simple table, so to work with the data we can use Views, CTEs, and even table variables to quickly and easily query the hierarchy structure.
Let's begin by creating the Locations table in the database, along with a foreign key constraint against itself:
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Locations]( [ID] [int] NOT NULL, [ParentID] [int] NULL, [Name] [nvarchar](1024) NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED ( [ID] ASC ) WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS = ON, ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS = ON) ON [PRIMARY] ) ON [PRIMARY] TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY] GO ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Locations] WITH CHECK ADD CONSTRAINT [FK_Locations_Locations] FOREIGN KEY([ParentID]) REFERENCES [dbo].[Locations] ([ID]) GO ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Locations] CHECK CONSTRAINT [FK_Locations_Locations] GO
Next, we'll insert some values into the table, so we have a nice structure to work with:
INSERT INTO LocationEntities VALUES (1, NULL, 'North America'); INSERT INTO LocationEntities VALUES (2, NULL, 'Europe'); INSERT INTO LocationEntities VALUES (3, 1, 'USA'); INSERT INTO LocationEntities VALUES (4, 1, 'Canada'); INSERT INTO LocationEntities VALUES (5, 3, 'California'); INSERT INTO LocationEntities VALUES (6, 2, 'United Kingdom'); INSERT INTO LocationEntities VALUES (7, 6, 'England'); INSERT INTO LocationEntities VALUES (8, 7, 'East Midlands'); INSERT INTO LocationEntities VALUES (9, 8, 'Derbyshire'); INSERT INTO LocationEntities VALUES (10, 9, 'Derby');
Running that query will produce the simple data structure that this tutorial will continue to work with. Note that I have set the ParentID of North America and Europe as NULL. This is because we are defining these two Locations as root nodes. Here's a visualisation of that data:
+---North America | | | +---USA | | | | | +---California | | | +---Canada | +---Europe | +---United Kingdom | +---England | +---East Midlands | +---Derbyshire | +---Derby
Creating Views for the hierarchy
So now that we have the data that we are going to work with, how do we work with it?
Well, there are two main tools you will need to work with this data effectively - a Tree View, and an Entity Parents View. Both of these Views will utilise CTEs, but in different manners. One will use top-down recursion, and the other will use bottom-up recursion.
Let's start by creating the Tree View:
-- "Top down" recursion CREATE VIEW [dbo].[LocationTreeView] AS WITH LocationTree( ParentID, ID, Depth, Name, SortKey, Indent ) AS ( -- Start with all the root node Locations SELECT ParentID, ID, 0 AS Depth, Name, CONVERT(nvarchar(1024), Name) AS SortKey, CONVERT(nvarchar(1024), '') AS Indent FROM Locations WHERE ParentID IS NULL UNION ALL -- then recursively add the children SELECT Children.ParentID, Children.ID, Parents.Depth + 1, Children.Name, CONVERT(nvarchar(1024), RTRIM(Parents.SortKey) + '|' + Children.Name) AS SortKey, CONVERT(nvarchar(1024), Parents.Indent + ' ') AS Indent FROM Locations AS Children INNER JOIN LocationTree AS Parents ON Children.ParentID = Parents.ID ) SELECT TOP (100) PERCENT ParentID, ID, Depth, Name, Indent + Name AS IndentedName, SortKey FROM LocationTree ORDER BY SortKey GO
And there we have it, a View that contains the Locations data as a hierarchical tree. SELECTing this view will show you the entire hierarchy, with one row per node sorted by the sort key, which in this case is alphabetical by name over node.
The next View we will create is the Entity Parents View. This View, when combined with the TreeView, enables a vast array of functionality, including SELECTing a part of the hierarchy, determining the depth (distance) between two Locations, and determining traversal paths between Locations:
-- "Bottom up" recursion CREATE VIEW [dbo].[LocationsEntityParentsView] AS WITH EntityParents( ID, ParentID, Depth, IsLocalRootNode ) AS ( -- Add an entry for each entity, with itself as it's 0-depth parent SELECT ID, ID AS ParentID, 0 AS Depth, 1 AS IsLocalRootNode FROM Locations UNION ALL -- Add an entry for each entity, with it's ParentID as it's 1-depth parent SELECT ID, ParentID, 1 AS Depth, 0 AS IsLocalRootNode FROM Locations AS Locations_1 UNION ALL -- Finally, recurse up EntityParents to get the furthest grandparent, which should be the nodes with ParentID IS NULL -- Note that because the root nodes have ParentID IS NULL, this is where we stop the recursion SELECT Children.ID, Parent.ParentID, Parent.Depth + 1 AS Depth, 0 AS IsLocalRootNode FROM Locations AS Children INNER JOIN EntityParents AS Parent ON Parent.ID = Children.ParentID WHERE Parent.IsLocalRootNode = 0 ) SELECT TOP (100) PERCENT ID, ParentID, Depth FROM EntityParents GO
Querying against the Views
Now that we have our Views written, we can start looking into some common queries. The most common queries tend to be selecting the tree under a particular node, the parenting above a particular node, and the parents and children of a particular node. Note that I have not included a query to select the entire tree, since we can just SELECT * FROM LocationTree
-- Select a node and it's children SELECT Tree.IndentedLabel FROM LocationTreeView Tree INNER JOIN ReportingLocationsEntityParentsView EP ON EP.ParentID = @Node AND EP.EntityID = Tree.ID ORDER BY SortKey -- Select a node and it's parents SELECT Tree.IndentedLabel FROM LocationTreeView Tree INNER JOIN ReportingLocationsEntityParentsView EP ON EP.EntityID = @Node AND EP.ParentID = Tree.ID ORDER BY SortKey -- Select a node and it's children and parents (slow method) SELECT Tree.IndentedLabel FROM LocationTreeView Tree -- Note that this method is slow due to the use of the OR operand in the INNER JOIN. -- Disjunctions (ORs) are generally slower than conjunctions (ANDs) and unions. INNER JOIN ReportingLocationsEntityParentsView EP ON (EP.ParentID = @Node AND EP.EntityID = Tree.ID) OR (EP.EntityID = @Node AND EP.ParentID = Tree.ID) ORDER BY SortKey -- Select a node and it's children and parents (fast method) -- We need to SELECT the sortkey here, as it's being used to ORDER a UNION set. -- The slowdown caused by SELECTing two columns is far outweighed by the speed -- increase from utilising a UNION instead of a disjunction. SELECT Tree.IndentedLabel, Tree.SortKey FROM LocationTreeView Tree INNER JOIN ReportingLocationsEntityParentsView EP ON (EP.ParentID = @Node AND EP.EntityID = Tree.ID) UNION SELECT Tree.IndentedLabel, Tree.SortKey FROM LocationTreeView Tree INNER JOIN ReportingLocationsEntityParentsView EP ON (EP.EntityID = @Node AND EP.ParentID = Tree.ID) ORDER BY SortKey
Optimising data retrieval
Once your tree gets up to several thousand nodes, these CTE queries can start running slower. The first method of optimising your queries should be creating indexes on the appropriate columns. I have found that no matter what additional attributes you have on your Locations table, there is one index that you will almost certainly benefit from - a unique non-clustered index on ID and ParentID:
CREATE UNIQUE NONCLUSTERED INDEX IX_Locations_IDParentID ON Locations (ID, ParentID)
Indexes are a great way of easily speeding up your queries, but sometimes an index isn't enough. In cases like this, the main problem is that, even though we have indexed the table, we really need an index on the CTEs.
We have a problem here, because CTEs cannot be indexed, even if we create the index using the WITH SCHEMABINDING clause. This is very unfortunate, as CTEs are prime candidates for indexing, given that a single query may JOIN against a CTE multiple times.
There is a workaround though! It involves the use of something called a table variable. Just like you can have integer or varchar variables, you can also have table variables. Table variables are good because they can be indexed, though the index must be clustered. Table variables also automatically get flushed at the end of a script execution, so there's no need to do your own garbage collection at the conclusion of a query.
By using iterators wisely, we can circumvent the usage of CTEs by building our own table in a table variable, with full indexing, and all the information that a CTE ordinarily provides:
-- Set @StartNode to the ID of the absolute parent you want to capture -- Set @StartNode to NULL to capture the tree from the absolute root nodes DECLARE @StartNode AS int = NULL; -- Set @MaxRecursions to the relative depth you want to traverse to from the @StartNode -- Set @MaxRecusrions to NULL to capture the entire depth of the tree DECLARE @MaxRecursions AS int = NULL; -- @Counter is used during the recursive iterator to map out the depth of nodes DECLARE @Counter tinyint = 0; -- @Indent is the string you wish to indent with. I have chosen a double space as the indent DECLARE @Indent AS nvarchar(8) = ' '; -- @SortKeySeparator is the character used as a separator between node descriptions -- The pipe symbol is a good choice, as it resides after most common ASCII characters, and is rarely used in descriptions DECLARE @SortKeySeparator AS nvarchar(1) = '|'; DECLARE @ParentIDPair table ( ID int NOT NULL, ParentID int NULL, Depth tinyint NOT NULL, PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED (ID, Depth) ) DECLARE @LocationTree table ( ID int NOT NULL, ParentID int NULL, Depth int NOT NULL, Name nvarchar(1024) NULL, SortKey nvarchar(1024) NULL, Indent nvarchar(64) NOT NULL, PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED (ID, Depth) ) -- Set the root nodes INSERT INTO @LocationTree ( ID, ParentID, Depth, Name, IndentedLabel, SortKey, Indent ) SELECT ID, ParentID, 0, CONVERT(nvarchar(1024), Name), CONVERT(nvarchar(1024), Name), CONVERT(nvarchar(1024), Name), @Indent FROM Locations WHERE ( @StartNode IS NULL AND ParentID IS NULL ) OR ( @StartNode IS NOT NULL AND ParentID = @StartNode ) -- Set the root node parenting relationships INSERT INTO @ParentIDPair(ID, ParentID, Depth) SELECT Locations.ID, Locations.ParentID, @Counter FROM @LocationTree AS Parent INNER JOIN Locations ON Locations.ParentID = Parent.ID GROUP BY Locations.ID, Locations.ParentID -- Recursively populate the tree WHILE @@ROWCOUNT > 0 AND (@Counter < @MaxRecursions - 1 OR @MaxRecursions IS NULL) BEGIN SET @Counter += 1 INSERT INTO @LocationTree ( ID, ParentID, Depth, Name, IndentedLabel, SortKey, Indent ) SELECT Locations.ID, Locations.ParentID, @Counter, CONVERT(nvarchar(1024), Locations.Name), CONVERT(nvarchar(1024), Parent.Indent) + CONVERT(nvarchar(1024), Locations.Name), CONVERT(nvarchar(1024), Parent.SortKey) + @SortKeySeparator + CONVERT(nvarchar(1024), Locations.Name), Parent.Indent + @Indent FROM Locations INNER JOIN @ParentIDPair AS Pairing ON (Locations.ID = Pairing.ID) LEFT OUTER JOIN @LocationTree AS Parent ON (Parent.ID = Locations.ParentID) WHERE Parent.Depth = @Counter - 1 INSERT INTO @ParentIDPair (ID, ParentID, Depth) SELECT Locations.ID, Locations.ParentID, @Counter FROM @LocationTree AS Parent INNER JOIN Locations ON Locations.ParentID = Parent.ID WHERE Parent.Depth = @Counter GROUP BY Locations.ID, Locations.ParentID END SELECT * FROM @LocationTree ORDER BY SortKey
I have found that, in practice, this table variable usage tends to speed up tree-building by around 75%. I normally work with trees that have thousands to hundreds of thousands of rows. On my development box, this query can build a tree with 5000 nodes, 15 attributes per node (5 calculated) in around 500ms. Compare this with the 2500-3000ms build time of a CTE, it is well worth it the trade-off of having to embed the table variable generation before a large query that utilises the tree.
One thing that has to be kept in mind with the use of table variables, is that they have to be explicitly cast during JOINs by using the AS keyword. If we don't rename the table variable, MSSQL has a bit of a whinge, so we need to do something like this:
SELECT -- Whatever rows you require FROM Persons INNER JOIN @LocationTree AS LocationTree ON LocationTree.ID = Persons.LocationID
Hope you've enjoyed the tutorial, and happy hierarchical querying


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Villardompardo Palace
Contact details
Plaza de Santa Luisa de Marillac s/n
23004 Jaén (Andalusia)
Tel.:+34 953248068
The palace that hid some Arab baths
The palace was built in 1592 on the orders of Fernando de Torres y Portugal, ex-Viceroy of Peru.
This 16th-century palace was found to conceal beneath it some Arab baths dating from the 11th century. These baths were declared a National Monument in 1917. They are known as the Baños de Alí (Ali's baths), and are considered the most important in the city. They were an important place for personal hygiene, but also for social life. They were laid out in four different rooms: the marble lobby with red and white arches, then the cold room and the warm and hot rooms. There were boilers next to the hot room that filtered the heat through a system of shafts placed between the rooms' walls. The floor of the room is supported on three brick pillars, allowing hot steam to circulate. Today they house the Manuel Moral International Museum of Naïf Art and the Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions. It was declared a Historic and Artistic Monument in 1931. The Arab Baths Cultural Centre reopened in 2014 and now offers a varied programme of exhibitions, concerts, lectures and demonstrations.
- Construction: Palace
- Artistic period: Renaissance
- Historic period: 16th century
Practical information
From Tuesday to SaturdayFrom 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM
SundayFrom 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Public holidays From 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Closing days: Monday
- Admission free
Conference room, Left items and cloakroom service, Shop


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Moms RUN This Town is a blog and website created to encourage moms in all their running endeavors. Whether you are an experienced running mom - or a mom who has never run, but is looking to start running - we are the club for you!!
Interview with Moms RUN This Town
1630 Votes


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The tornado that wreaked havoc in north Minneapolis and other metro communities one year ago Tuesday cost taxpayers, private donors, insurance companies and property owners more than $80 million, a Star Tribune analysis has found.
The human toll of the May 22, 2011, disaster was visible from the moment the twister touched down, but the public and private costs to restore the community are now coming into better focus. The $80 million estimate is based on a review of state and federal government reimbursements, charitable donations and insurance payouts.
Insurance companies doled out the bulk of the money -- $64 million -- largely to repair private homes, according to the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
"Given the geographic impact, this is the worst we have seen in a natural disaster in the city in the last generation," said Thomas Deegan, director of housing and fire inspections for the city of Minneapolis.
He noted that 7,000 properties in the city were "in the footprint" of the tornado and 3,700 were damaged. "Insurance helped a lot," Deegan said.
The cost to taxpayers, largely to repair public infrastructure, will exceed $8 million. Of that, $6 million is expected to be reimbursed by FEMA and the state government.
That damage is illustrated by dozens of FEMA reimbursement requests archived at the state's emergency management office in St. Paul. A sampling:
More than 8,500 feet of sidewalk were removed and replaced; 15,440 pounds of damaged street lights and traffic signals were sold for scrap; 4,530 hours of Minneapolis police overtime and comp time were reimbursed; at least 150,000 cubic yards of debris were hauled away.
Other costs will not be reimbursed by the state and the federal governments, such as the $380,000 spent by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to plant 3,800 new trees. The Park Board spent about $1.1 million not reimbursed by FEMA, while the city spent about $800,000 extra and is expected to commit more.
Private help
The tornado also brought an outpouring of thousands of volunteers and many private donations, which flooded into the area to pay for home repairs and such essentials as water, food and funds to help people find housing elsewhere in the city. Last week, 100 employees from Target planted trees on the North Side.
The Star Tribune, surveying the major donors and records, calculated that $3.75 million was donated by philanthropic entities, including $1.7 million from the Minneapolis Foundation and $793,000 from the American Red Cross, both of which received large donations from corporations based or doing business in Minnesota.
But there were small donations as well. "Book clubs pooled their gifts, kids hosted lemonade stands and a group of teens recorded a song and put on a hip-hop concert," the Minneapolis Foundation said in a report it issued last week.
Jo-Anne Stately, director of grant making and special projects for the Minneapolis Foundation, said "it was the largest amount of money raised and contributed for a disaster in the foundation's history." The foundation was created in 1915.
More than 60,000 people received assistance, she said.
Chad Schwitters, executive director of Urban Homeworks, the Christian nonprofit that helped coordinate much of the repair efforts on the North Side, said the low-income demographics of the neighborhood made philanthropic funding even more important for homeowners with little or no insurance. Plus, insurance didn't cover tree and stump removal, backfilling holes, or fences that were destroyed by the storm, he said.
"What [Urban Homeworks] has done is unbelievable," says Hillary Thomas, 53, a sales manager for a company that rents beverage machines, who lives at 1240 Vincent Av. N. with his wife, Pamela, and four children. Contractors were working at his house last week, replacing windows, sheet-rocking and painting.
The biggest single tornado expense was the $64 million in payouts from resolved insurance claims, 90 percent of which had been settled as of Jan. 1, 2012, according to the Department of Commerce, which gathered the information from insurance companies.
Noting that there were still 355 open claims, Commerce Commissioner Michael Rothman said, "My hope is that insurance companies process the remaining costs quickly." The breadth of the devastation underscores the need for people to make sure they have insurance on their property, he said. On average, it took 41.7 days to process the claims.
Several variables
Actual FEMA and state payouts resulting from federal and state obligations could vary from current estimates depending on local projects; Minneapolis is going to demolish one commercial building rather than spend $309,000 in approved funds to renovate it, for example.
Uninsured building improvements are also hard to track. The city said there were $28.7 million in building permits issued, and Deegan estimated that about $6 million of that represents work not paid by insurers.
Some jurisdictions also were unable to calculate how much they spent on the tornado that was not reimbursed by the state and federal governments. And there is no single agency keeping a running total on private donations.
The infrastructure costs are much less than initially outlined. FEMA and the state emergency management agency have approved about $6 million for public infrastructure costs, a far cry from the $16 million initial estimate released after the disaster. A spokesman for Minneapolis, Matt Laible, attributed that partly to minimal "under the surface" damage to infrastructure like sewers and a less-than-expected cost to haul and dispose of fallen trees.
Five thousand loads of trees were brought a short distance to a former lumberyard along the riverfront owned by the Park Board, said Park Board spokesperson Dawn Sommers. Two companies then ground the wood for free in exchange for keeping most of the wood chips.
"All disasters start local and end local," said Kris Eide, the state's director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, of some of the cost savings. "And Minneapolis, I think, did a terrific job of doing exactly that."
By comparison, FEMA paid nearly $13 million for infrastructure repairs in the wake of the 2010 tornado that ripped through Wadena, Minn. That figure does not include the state contribution.
For the north Minneapolis tornado, labor and construction costs often accounted for a large chunk of the public reimbursements. But FEMA also paid huge sums to local entities at various rates to use their own equipment, a policy for the agency.
FEMA set aside about $4.5 million of the $6 million in public damage costs, leaving Eide's agency with a tab of about $1.5 million. A lot of that money has yet to be paid out.
email@example.com • 612-673-1732 email@example.com • 612-673-7382


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3 sparkly nail art hacks to try now
These nail art ideas go from subtle to full-on shine, whether you prefer a hint of gold or want 24K cool.
Gold flecks elevate a simple nude nail. Cut small strips of gold leaf paper, the more jagged the better. Paint nails your favourite shade of nude. While still wet, carefully place the paper strips onto nails with some tweezers. Finish with a clear top coat to completely fix the gold leaf.
Paint outside the lines to go for (avant-garde) gold. Use clear polish to paint your nails and over the nail bed. Sprinkle H&M's gold glitter dust over the nail and the top of the finger. Use a brush to sweep away the excess and finish with another coat of the clear polish.
A sparkly nail bed is instant disco. Paint your nails your preferred colour. While still wet, use tweezers to place a mix of gold and silver palettes on the bottom third of your nail. Finish with a clear top coat.


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Latest News
Who'll control Libya's oil economy if Gadhafi falls?
WASHINGTON — If Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi falls, his nation's ability to return to normal will depend in no small part on who controls its production of oil, which is synonymous with the Libyan economy.
Oil accounts for anywhere from 70 percent to 90 percent of Libya's earnings from exports, and the shutdown of oil deliveries amid a widening conflict has sent global prices soaring.
Though it has Africa's largest reserves, Libya isn't a major oil producer. It exports only about 1.2 million barrels a day, largely to Europe, while daily world demand totals about 88 million barrels a day, according to the International Energy Agency.
Libya is, however, the first member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to teeter on collapse. Several others_ including larger producers Algeria and Iran_ face growing unrest, and markets are alarmed at the possibility of instability spreading perhaps even into Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest producer.
Oil prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange soared above $103 a barrel in intraday trading on Thursday, but settled at $97.28 after assurances from Saudi Arabia that it could replace lost Libyan production.
Because Gadhafi has ruled Libya for so long, there's no natural heir to the oilfields. Several Western oil companies — including Occidental Petroleum and Chevron_ have drilled in Libya at some point since 2005. Gadhafi on Tuesday declared force majeure on oil exports, a provision in contracts that allows him to break commitments made to oil companies or buyers of oil.
Next door in Egypt, the military long has been active in the economy, and when longtime leader Hosni Mubarak was forced out, the military remained at the center of power, providing some economic continuity. In Libya, the military has no such status and is subservient to Gadhafi, who's repeatedly purged and reshuffled leaders.
Now with key oil regions in the hands of opponents or seemingly heading that way, there's no clear idea of what will happen to oil production in a post-Gadhafi world.
"At the moment, oil exports appear to have stopped, partly because the foreigners are leaving and partly because of strikes by Libyan workers. If the situation stabilizes, oil will start flowing again," said Simon Henderson, a Middle East expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a foreign policy think tank. "If Gadhafi is still in power, at that point the question is, do we pay him for his oil? If it's another government, we pay the revenues to the Libyan national oil company and it goes into the central bank."
That's a best-case scenario. A worst-case scenario is protracted civil war, long disruption of oil production and exports, and a conflict that could spread beyond its borders. Libya could quickly become a failed economy and state.
Even under the better scenarios, it's not clear what sort of power struggle might emerge for control of the engine of Libya's economy. It's a country where tribal affiliation matters, but under an entrenched and maniacal dictator, the tribes never have been power centers as they are in Iraq or Afghanistan.
"The tribal relationships are limited to marital issues, somebody kills somebody . . . they don't really meddle in any control of one thing or another," said Omar Turbi, a Libyan-born businessman in California who's championed an opening of the North African nation to the global economy and foreign investors.
Pointing to Benghazi, the large eastern city now in the hands of Gadhafi's opponents, Turbi said tribal influence is limited because so many people emigrated there in search of economic opportunity. He doesn't think the Gadhadhfa tribe, to which Gadhafi belongs, would retain any lingering power.
"It does seem to me that the tribes are a component in society, but they are not a foundation for building a new political government," said Henderson. "One of the problems of Gadhafi is that he's trashed civic society, which means it's so much more difficult to think how the hell this is going to work."
As the only significant economic engine in Libya, oil must be part of any solution.
Most of the oil in Libya is concentrated in the north-central region, with significant fields also to the east, which are already in opposition hands. There were reports Thursday that Zawiyah, an important oil city west of the capital of Tripoli, had fallen into opposition hands, although a fierce counter-attack by Gadhafi loyalists also was reported.
Turbi didn't anticipate a power struggle over Libyan oil.
"The Libyans have learned the script of the Tunisians and the Egyptians," he said, suggesting that there are civilians who are ready to step in and establish rule by the people and a functioning government.
Western oil companies have evacuated foreign personnel from Libya, but appear to be operating off and on with Libyan staffers.
In 2005, Chevron it announced to great fanfare that it had won bidding for Libya's first exploration license. When it was unable to find oil, however, the company relinquished the license four years later. Chevron also operated a joint venture, Amoseas Libya, in the early 1970s until its operations were nationalized. It settled claims with the Libyan government in 1977 and walked away from its prior holdings.
Occidental Petroleum and its Austrian partner OMV signed a 30-year deal in 2007 with the Libyan Oil Corp. to redevelop and explore oil fields in the Sirte Basin. At the time they pledged a $5 billion investment. Los Angeles-based Occidental has said its project produces about 13,000 barrels of oil a day.
Gadhafi pounds 3 Libyan towns as he rails at bin Laden
Frantic resident describes attack on town near Tripoli
Obama to seek economic sanctions against Gadhafi's regime
McClatchy's probe into roots of financial crisis, a Pulitzer finalist
To ask a question about this story or any economic question, go to McClatchy's economy Q&A
For more McClatchy politics coverage visit Planet Washington


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UConn crushes Hartford 102-45
WEST HARTFORD -- It had been more than 20 years since the UConn women's basketball team had played an in-state road game. The site had no bearing on the final outcome as the second-ranked Huskies continued to roll.
Freshman Breanna Stewart had a season-high 27 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals to lead UConn a 102-45 victory before a sellout crowd of 3,508 at Chase Family Arena. The Huskies had four players reach double figures in scoring in the first half in building a 51-15 lead at halftime.
With 169 points this season, Stewart is the highest scoring freshman in team history after 10 games. Maya Moore scored 165 in 2007-08.
UConn (10-0) will now take six days off before facing No. 1 Stanford on Dec. 29 in Palo Alto, Calif.
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis added 21 points, three rebounds and four assists for the Huskies. Kelly Faris had a season-high 18 points, four rebounds and two steals. Bria Hartley had 15 points, three rebounds, six assists and a season-high five steals.
Stefanie Dolson finished with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals for UConn.
The Huskies scored 36 points off of 25 turnovers by Hartford (8-3).
Kiah Stokes (stress reaction right shin) Morgan Tuck (right knee bruise) missed their second straight game for the Huskies.
Former Fairfield Warde star Daphne Elliott led Hartford with 10 points (3-of-5 FG) in 24 minutes.
STAR OF THE GAME: Hartley. She has scored in double figures in back-to-back games for the first time this season. She also has five steals in back-to-back games.
KEYS TO THE WIN: Leading 12-7 with 14:38 left in the first half, the Huskies used a 24-1 run to finish the Hawks. They scored 18 straight points as Hartford went scoreless for 5:18 and without a field goal for 9:06. The Hawks, who are coached by former UConn All-American Jennifer Rizzotti, were 0-3 from the field with 11 turnovers during their scoreless spell. ¦ The Huskies were 12-of-20 from 3-point range.
WORTH NOTING: UConn coach Geno Auriemma improved to 35-0 when facing a former player serving as either a head coach or an assistant. ¦ It was the first time UConn has played at Hartford since a 57-43 win Dec. 23, 1990. The announced attendance at that game was just 439. It was also Auriemma's 99th career win. Rizzotti was a junior at New Fairfield High in the process of leading the Rebels to back-to-back state championships. ¦ Auriemma is 29-0 against in-state opponents during his 28-year tenure.
NEXT: Dec. 29 at No. 1 Stanford, 4 p.m. (ESPNU)
email@example.com; http://twitter.com/elliottctpost; http://blog.ctnews.com/elliott/


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Creature offers his CDs to passersby free of charge on 6th Avenue between 8th Street and 9th Street. "Do you like hip-hop?" he asks. If you say yes, he might tell you about how he appeared on Viktor Vaughn's 2003 album Vaudeville Villain on the song "Open Mic Nite, Part 2." And if you take one of his homemade CDs, he'll ask for "a modest donation" in return.
An underground rap artist, Creature peddles his music on compact disc, a format made commercially available in October 1982. But in the independent record store upstairs, the walls are coated with vinyl records, a format which rose to dominance 40 years prior.
According to Nielsen SoundScan data, vinyl records posted record breaking sales numbers on November 8. Two million records were sold, which is 37% more than at the same time last year, and the most since Nielsen began tracking vinyl sales in 1991.
"Not in our market," scoffed DJ Eclipse who oversees retail at Fat Beats, an independent record store specializing in hip-hop.
Even though vinyl plays an integral role in hip-hop production and DJing, Fat Beats has not enjoyed a share of the surge in vinyl sales. Music industry experts predict vinyl will play a significant role in the recording industry while hip-hop fans and record collectors don't foresee vinyl expanding beyond a niche audience of audiophiles and enthusiasts.
"[Vinyl] helps to re-emphasize the music as opposed to the promotion or the sales," said Sam Howard-Spink, Clinical Assistant Professor of Music Business at NYU. "To show that you're a professional musician, it helps to hold up a vinyl copy of a record, because everyone can burn their own CD. So in a way, it's a physical manifestation of the proof that you are a working band and there's a label behind you."
In July 1994, Joseph Abajian opened Fat Beats as a record store specializing in hip-hop and hard to find vinyl. The store's website says its mission is "to become the international Mecca for true lovers of hip-hop." Today, Fat Beats has locations in New York City, Los Angeles, and Amsterdam, as well as a distribution label and an online store.
"It's more than just a store," said Grant DeWilde, a record collector. "It's one of the centers of the hip-hop scene in New York." Artists regularly show up at Fat Beats to meet the fans or perform. The staff comprises a hip-hop group called Brown Bag AllStars.
"It's funny because the numbers they're quoting with the groups that are selling 20,000-25,000 units on vinyl – that's cool, but we were doing that with hip-hop releases in the late 90s," said Eclipse. "D.I.T.C. and Mos Def and all the stuff that was being distributed through Fat Beats that was of quality was doing those kind of numbers, but I'll be damned if any of those artists are doing those kind of numbers now on vinyl," he said.
Records attached to big name underground producers like DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and J Dilla still enjoy moderate success, according to Eclipse, but unestablished hip-hop acts have more trouble selling vinyl records. "It's really hard to get stores to even take the stuff in, especially when you [see] stores are closing left and right." Some Best Buy locations have begun carrying vinyl, but the stores that carry independent hip-hop vinyl are struggling to survive.
"We sell probably a bigger percentage of CDs and then clothing, DVDs, stuff like that, other tangible items that you can't necessarily download," said Eclipse, "We still try to support the vinyl scene, but it's hard when the customers don't support it back."
"I think vinyl sales are up more in the rock genre." said The Audible Doctor, who works at the store as a manager and at Fat Beats Records as an A&R. He placed the reason for hip-hop's struggling sales elsewhere; "Hip-hop is not doing as well, because the majority of it sucks," he said.
Part of the value of vinyl lies in its superior audio quality. "MP3s, for those of us who care about these things, sound like crap," said Howard-Spink. "[With vinyl,] there's a warmth and the bass notes come out cleaner," said DeWilde.
Releasing a vinyl album also states an artist's credentials. "It's like, 'Yes, our music is so good that we want to put it out on vinyl because it actually sounds better,'" said Howard-Spink. "It [also] has a lot to do, I think, with the fact that no one can hold an MP3 in their hand," he said.
"It's about collecting," said Eclipse, who estimated that he has 30,000 records. "It's a sickness, but it's part of who I am," he said. "Personally, I only collect records that are original. I won't buy represses," said DeWilde.
Though vinyl sales are up overall, Howard-Spink doesn't believe they are strong enough to supplant declining CD sales. "The industry is irretrievably digital," he said.
David Purcell, Assistant Director of Music Business at NYU, believes that the lack of portability ultimately hinders vinyl. "One thing that I think would interesting is if more younger consumers that were interested in vinyl actually started purchasing newer releases on vinyl…and then instead of downloading it, either legally or illegally, [they] just had either a turntable or an adapter that allowed them to make digital copies of it," he said. "I think if that became easier and more fluid of a process, I can see [sales] still increasing a bit."
Eclipse and Howard-Spink agreed that licensing and publishing are the future revenue streams of music businesses. "We're going to continue to change with the times. As there's been less and less hip-hop vinyl coming out, we've started making more room for more hip-hop related items," said Eclipse. "More t-shirts, more DVDs, more books or magazines that are related to hip-hop, hip-hop paraphernalia, hip-hop belt buckles or watches, anything that has to do with hip-hop."
"We represent hip-hop culture, so we're going to make Fat Beats continue on with that premise," he said.
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[...] Vinyl sales are on the up and up, however, that is not the case for hip-hop. [LINK] [...]
Have you read this?
Goodbye, Fat Beats.
[...] wrote about Fat Beats and the business of hip-hop vinyl last year. DJ Eclipse told me that hip-hop wasn't part of the niche resurgence of vinyl, but [...]


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diablosnuevos necesitaba un nuevo diseño de botón o icono y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 108 diseños de 22 diseñadores freelance.
Phone Pranker
I'm an independent app developer about to release "Phone Pranker" for the iPhone. This app allows the user to perform several pranks such as simulating a YouTube video that never loads.
You can see one app I have already released (and designed myself)
iPhone users -- anywhere from age 18 to 60. Usually tech-saavy, modern style and aesthetics.
-iPhone icon - designed at least 512x512 pixels, but should look right at 57x57
(please see http://developer.apple.com/library/…1686.html)
-The icon art should be adapted for an app startup screen: 320 x 480 or proportionally bigger
I'm looking for an attractive, possibly cartoonish icon that gets across the idea of playfulness or mischief combined with a phone. One idea could be a guy holding the phone in a discreet manner, featuring a playful smile. However, feel free to come up with any other concept that you feel can work. The icon should not have the name of the app, but the starting screen should.
I would prefer to have the original vector files for any needed future modification.


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A decade after her alleged sexual abuse ended, a Southern California woman says she mustered the courage to not only confront her abuser, but also do it publicly by recording their conversation and posting it on YouTube.
The woman, who asked to be identified only by her first name, Jamie, 28, said she wanted to expose the woman because she continued to work with children as an assistant principal at Alhambra High School.
"She shouldn't be around other kids," Jamie said during a Monday press conference with her attorney and fiancé. "I kept thinking about my own kids and how I wouldn't want anything to happen to them."
The woman accused in the case could not be reached for comment on Monday. NBC4 is withholding her name because she has not been arrested or charged with a crime.
Jamie says she was only 12 years old and in the eighth grade in 1999 when her basketball coach began abusing her at her middle school in Riverside.
Jamie's attorney Dave Ring said that there was "some sort" of investigation into the former coach's relationship with Jamie and that the relationship ended with her agreeing to resign from the middle school in 2006.
In the YouTube video, Jamie confronted her former teacher, who she said admits to abusing her.
"Do you realize you brainwashed me and manipulated me and that what you did was wrong?" Jamie asked in the video. The woman on the other end of the line can be heard saying, "Yes and I regret it."
Once they received a link to the YouTube video, Alhambra school officials contacted police who opened an investigation into the case, and the alleged abuser resigned, according to a statement by Laura Tellez-Gagliano, the superintendent of the Alhambra Unified School District.
A second woman, Brianna, came forward Monday night alleging that she is a victim of abuse by the same woman.
"I'm not trying to hide my identity, I'm going to be brave," Brianna said in a written statement to NBC4.
Brianna alleged that her abuse took place years ago at a middle school in the Inland Empire.
"Tonight, all I want to say is when I first heard that video, there was no doubt about it. My world spun because I can see myself in Jamie," Brianna said.
Alhambra police were handing the case over to the jurisdiction where the alleged crimes took place, Tellez-Gagliano said.
"This alleged action took place in another school district, without any report prior to her employment to the Alhambra Unified School District," the statement read.


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Amazon gets cut a lot of slack by a lot of people. It's held up as a paragon of the web2.0 age - a fabulous disruptor.
Its stated mission is to become the most customer-centric company on Earth.
Sounds wonderful.
But let's get the reality stick out.
Like so many people in a snow-affected UK, I've been let down recently by Amazon.
And when I've tried to email customer services I've found an un-usable form to fill which fails to send unless I complete an 'add your name' field - and there isn't one!!! (I generally use Mozilla Firefox for this - not exactly a rare interface with the internet...)
And when I've called, I've found a 'computer-says-no' attitude among staff - having to demand escalation to more senior people within a short but frustrating period of time.
Customer centric is as customer centric does, my friends; not as it says it does.
I'm an Amazon Prime user. At the moment.
Little did I know (and neither is it clear in the Amazon purchasing process) that when you order 'First Class' from Amazon they get to choose how they are going to send your item to you. I do wonder if trading standards have ever challenged this. Royal Mail ought to have a word, in my view.
Amazon chose to send me this last package via CityLink. Now, I don't know about you, but for me and most folk I know in the UK, when I select 'First Class' delivery I expect delivery by the Royal Mail. Indeed the very last courier company I want deployed is CityLink because they have a 'local' depot furthest from me. And their website fails to record requests for redeliveries from their customers. And they don't answer the phone. And they close for pick-ups from the depot when the going gets touch. And they don't try to fix their backlogs by going out on Sundays.
No, Amazon, when I request 'First Class' I mean by Royal Mail - because if I'm not in when the the postie tries to deliver there is a depot I can go pick up from about a mile from my home.
So Amazon, I want a 'Not by CityLink (and for other folk not by x, y or z courier) option - at the very least made available to Prime users.
But why am I blogging about this rather than just dropping Amazon some customer feedback?
Well, first because that bloody email form keeps failing for me (I hate email forms with a vengeance, by the way - no record of what I sent and never a clue as to whether they are being picked up or dealt with).
Second because when I went looking for senior Amazon UK folk to make contact with they were, how can I put this, virtually absent from the internet.
The MD, one Brian McBride (you know, the chap who dropped you an email apologising for poor service a week or so ago), is not discoverable on LinkedIn even - let alone on google or any social media. It's alright for you to send your customers an email then Brian - but not to get one back?
You will find a few relevant and pertinent folk for Amazon UK on Linkedin - the Marketing Manager, for example. But their profiles are, for the most part, marked 'private' - not even a name on show.
Guys - you are operating in the exact opposite direction of your organisation's stated aim. You cannot become customer centric when you don't listen and respond. You certainly can't listen if you don't engage in social media and you hide from contact with your customers.
No one appears to be monitoring and managing response to the deluge of outcry about your services on twitter etc right now. A real shame because there is one hell of a wikifixing opportunity happening for you right now.
You cannot become customer centric when you don't listen and respond.
Seriously, taking online payments and enabling user reviews does not a customer centric organisation make.
Step up - start listening, start responding, open your doors - then you can start leading the way to customer centricity.
In the mean time, feel free to contact me by any means you choose. I will respond.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Amazon acts exactly like a customer-centric org shouldn't
Posted by David Cushman at 3:16 pm
Labels: Amazon, Brian McBride, CityLink, customer centric, customer service, linkedin, Mozilla Firefox, Royal Mail
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