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I've red that quote also on Facebook.SupaEZ wrote:I am using bits and pieces of a quote i recently read:
"When you live by the internet marketing sword...you die by it too"
Now my 2 cents
There is a lot of truth in that
Better watch out...there could be another camera on you from a "different vantage point"
Summary: Naples November 25th the V3 falls in and you have only yourself to blame..not the SUP
Cape Canaveral December 11th the V3 can't reverse launch on beach in 5kn
the V3 can't keep you riding in onshore 8kn winds
You could have saved that kite from getting wet and you know it
You messed up...not the board...or lines becoming slack.....excuses...excuses
I know going from starboard to port in a turn is not your strength...
....because you can't carve your turn...you have to step jibe it..(more acrobatic in supa LW)
During that lull when it was time to turn...(P.S. you ventured too far...you did not play safe)
...you should have "dropped yourself" in the water beside the SUP and kept the kite up by sining
While doing that with kite all you had to do is turn around that "barge" manually to the other tack
Wait patiently for a puff to water start and return to the beach like a champ
That low wind was spotty and full of holes....you knew that i hope
The most important thing for you to do was to" keep that kite flying" in that 4kn lull...
....no matter what....but unfortunately for you....you failed to do so..and it was caught on camera
Was the GoPro in your mouth somehow leashed around your neck in case of emergency......
....like if your kite was about to go down...and it was time to FOCUS on keeping the kite up instead
Ok, it's getting pathetic now. Your need for attention is tragic, and despite saying you were done with the post, the need for you to be the center of attention has drawn you back. Can we all see this sad quest for attention?SupaEZ wrote:Check this out..i have a new best friend in NAPLES
He reminds me... of me..not afraid to to take on the Epic puppet master
Debunking the myth is necessary...because KF deserves accurate information
That is now the second video showing the inferiority of the V3
I wish i would have been there ...Cabrinha18 LW and Core19 LW kite simply crush the V3 bucket
I just love the water texture form that angle...force 2....close to 3
Typical side shore conditions...no wind on beach...but over the water different story
Definitely KNOT less that than 5 KNUTS...(even though Dimitri claims to have 3 of them)
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.ph ... 7135&saved
Hey, did that video show him sining that monster while the Infinity was parked? Yes, I believe it did.SupaEZ wrote:Both kites were flying on the water at the same time
The LW Cabrinha 18m2 kite stayed UP the whole time...the V3 fell in the water
Proof the the V3 does not stay UP better...... than all the other kites in the world...
...as claimed by the CEO/CFO of Epic
It is so refreshing to SEE a different vantage point
We just want to SEE the COMPLETE TRUTH....and that video IS IT
You need to pay closer attention....PMU said he was done ...not MEFlight Time wrote:
and despite saying you were done with the post
Your inexperience in LW is really starting to showFlight Time wrote:
Hey, did that video show him sining that monster while the Infinity was parked? Yes, I believe it did.
For those who missed this epic vantage point...video....he it is againUKSurf wrote:latino wrote:


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The Egotistical Priest had a nice guest blogger the other day, a tank from his guild. He makes an excellent post on tanking and has some good info and links inside. The post borders on a rant, but it is a fun read which rings true through and through.
Tanking, first of all, is knowledge. Simply leveling a tank class to the cap and putting points into some talents that look like they might help doesn't even begin to cut it. Gestalt said it best; "A Protection (or Feral) heavy spec indicates one and only one thing about one's suitability for a Main Tank role: the person in question is familiar enough with the game to find their talent window and allocate points. That is all."
Egotistical Priest : A World of Warcraft Priest Blog : » Blog Archive » EgoTank – Lern2Tank

subset: commoncrawl


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If Obama is Mr. Darcy, with "his pride, his abominable pride," then America is Elizabeth Bennet, spirited, playful, democratic, financially strained, and caught up in certain prejudices....If we're going to get all English proffy, heavy on the race-and-gender talk, shouldn't we critique Dowd for portraying the black man's pursuit of political office as a sexual exploit?
In this political version of "Pride and Prejudice," the prejudice is racial...
So the novelistic tension of the 2008 race is this: Can Obama overcome his pride and Hyde Park hauteur and win America over?
Can America overcome its prejudice to elect the first black president? And can it move past its biases to figure out if Obama's supposed conceit is really just the protective shield and defense mechanism of someone who grew up half white and half black, a perpetual outsider whose father deserted him and whose mother, while loving, sometimes did so as well?
Can Miss Bennet teach Mr. Darcy to let down his guard, be more sportive, and laugh at himself?
I like this little statement at the end of Dowd's column:
Frank Rich is off today.Isn't Frank Rich always off?


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The mother of two would often drive back and forth between her suburban Scarsdale, New York, home and the bleak-looking, one-story brick warehouse in Queens. Sometimes, she drove the route in her Mercedes SUV. She probably thought about her girls, 3 and 13. Maybe she was thinking of the horseback riding lessons with her teenager, and the new horse they were hoping to buy.
One thing perhaps not on her mind was being arrested and accused of living a double life: as a suburban mom and also as head of a multimillion-dollar marijuana growing operation. She faces federal narcotics charges.
Federal authorities say Andrea Sanderlin, 45, ran the marijuana operation from the warehouse, where they found two rooms packed with more than 1,000 marijuana plants and large amounts of dried marijuana, along with state-of-the-art lighting, irrigation, and ventilation systems to facilitate the hydroponic growing of the plants, according to court documents.
"The warehouse was filled with over $3 million worth of hydroponic marijuana and the organization covertly produced 3,000 marijuana plants," Brian Crowell, special agent in charge at the Drug Enforcement Administration, said in a statement Tuesday. When agents raided Sanderlin's home on May 20, they found books on how to grow marijuana and how to launder money, according to the DEA.
Sanderlin was arrested the same day, after agents followed her to the warehouse and entered on a warrant, court documents say. She is charged with narcotics trafficking, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Sanderlin has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody pending a bond hearing.
She is a "full-time mom," attorney Joel Winograd said of his client, and added she is "very concerned" about her girls.
Originally from Virginia, Sanderlin was living in the upscale neighborhood of Scarsdale and driving a 2010 Mercedes SUV. According to court documents, she also had a 2004 Jeep Liberty and a 2005 Chevrolet van registered in her name.
Sanderlin had recently picked up the sport of horseback riding and took lessons with her teenage daughter at Twin Lakes Farm, a riding academy and competitive show stable in Bronxville, according to owner Scott Tarter.
Tarter described Sanderlin as a "beginner adult rider" who came to the academy in January after buying a Friesian horse for recreational riding. Tarter said on Tuesday that Sanderlin seemed like a normal, caring, local mother who boarded her horse at his stables.
Tarter said he thought Sanderlin was in the interior design business.
"She was just like all the local moms here," he said. "She wasn't loud. I never saw her smoking or drinking or anything that would have made me believe this."
Sanderlin participated in small horse shows at Twin Lakes, but decided to sell her horse in April. Tarter said they had planned to start looking for a new horse for Sanderlin but he hadn't seen her or her daughter since late May.
Authorities said a confidential witness tipped them off to Sanderlin's alleged crimes. The witness, who has been charged with participating in a conspiracy to possess and distribute marijuana, told investigators in April that a person named "Andi" operated at least one marijuana grow house in Brooklyn or Queens, according to court documents.
The witness also said "Andi" lived in Scarsdale and drove a Mercedes SUV, officials said. Later, when shown a picture of Andrea Sanderlin, the witness positively identified Sanderlin as "Andi."
Law enforcement agents said they contacted Con Edison about electricity accounts under Sanderlin's name. The electricity company told them about an account connected to Sanderlin's telephone number in the name of "Fantastic Enterprises" in Queens, at a location that was using "an unusually high amount of electricity."
Con Edison also said bills for the account were paid in cash.
Officials found that Fantastic Enterprises was a registered New York corporation from 2007 to 2011 and that the address provided for the business was an address listed under Sanderlin's name in insurance claims.


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Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act: hearings before the Subcommittee on Energy and Power of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, One Hundredth Congress, first session, September 10, 22, and 23, 1987
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Sept. 1, 2000
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -
The No. 2-ranked Santa Clara men's soccer teams dropped its season opener to an emotionally-charged Sacramento State squad in the match's second overtime by a 2-1 margin Friday at Hornet Soccer Field.
The win marked the first time for Sacramento State to defeat Santa Clara in 21 tries. SCU owned a 20-0-1 record against the Hornets since the first meeting in 1974. Three of the last four meetings between the two schools have been by a one-goal margin and twice tduring that time he two teams have played into overtime.
"Sacramento was really charged emotionally and gave us their best shot," said Santa Clara head coach Mitch Murray. "It was the first game of the year for us and I thought we played a little tight. We really looked like we were playing not to lose. You really have to give them credit, though. They scored to tie the game late in the second half and that really lifted them up and that confidence carried them into overtime."
The two teams battled through a scoreless first half before sophomore Jamil Walker (Rochester, N.Y.,) scored off a Joe Ascolese (Sr., Chattaroy, Wash.) assist just three minutes into the second half. The Bronco defense held Sacramento State scoreless until Hjalti Kristjansson tied the match with under 13:00 remaining. After a scoreless first overtime, Sacramento's Danny Gehm scored the winning goal off a rebound. The two overtime match lasted 112:54, while Santa Clara outshot the Hornets by a 16-8 margin.
"I thought as the game went on we lost our concentration at times," said Murray. "At times, though, we played very well. I really thought we were playing our best soccer as we went into overtime. We had a couple of opportunities but we couldn't put it away."
Next weekend, the Broncos travel to the University of San Francisco for matches against Alabama A&M and Cal Poly in the San Francisco Diadora Classic Sept. 8-10. SCU opens its home season Sept. 21-23 in the Santa Clara adidas Classic. Tickets to all SCU matches are available by telephone at 408-554-4660 or online at www.SantaClaraBroncos.com.


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It has come to our attention that a Crestmark phone number has been portrayed as being used by an unscrupulous actor in an phone scam. We have notified the authorities. If you have been affected by this phone scam and would like to file a complaint, please contact the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov.
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European Commission
Brussels, 21 June 2012
Commission launches "Science: it's a girl thing!" campaign
Why is the Commission launching this campaign?
Women continue to be under-represented in research at a time when Europe needs more researchers to foster innovation and bolster its economy. The goal of the campaign is to attract young women to research careers in order to increase the total number of researchers in Europe. The European Union has set itself the goal of increasing R&D spending to 3 per cent of GDP by 2020, compared with around 2 per cent now1, and will need an extra 1 million researchers to make this a reality2. Some businesses already complain about a lack of researchers and skilled technical workers.
There is a growing pool of female talent in Europe from which research and innovation should benefit. There are many factors at work explaining the lack of women in research in general and in some sectors in particular. Some are linked to the practices of research institutions and others to persistant stereotypes which affect the culture and image of science. The campaign intends to address these stereotypes.
Why are you directing the campaign at girls?
Young people typically make critical career decisions between the ages of 13 and 17. At this point in their education they orientate towards or away from science and technology studies. Recent analysis of education data from OECD-PISA shows that at age 15, both girls and boys have roughly the same preference and ability in science and technology. However, then a large number of girls drop out of science, engineering and technology to pursue other subjects.
How big is the problem?
Since the 1990s the majority of university graduates have been women but the proportion of women in top positions in European science is still very low3. In the EU, well over 50 % of all graduates are women in most areas of study, and significantly more in some (for example 78 % in education)4. They also make up the majority of masters students, and 45 % of Ph.D. graduates5. However, female graduates are severely under-represented in the areas of engineering, manufacturing and construction, with women making up just 25.5 % of graduates in these fields. Women are also under-represented in the areas of science, mathematics and computing, where they constitute 40.2 % of all graduates6.
Furthermore, EU-wide, women make up only about 32% of career researchers. Most countries acknowledge that this is a problem, not only now but for the future of research. With businesses in many countries already reporting shortages of skilled workers, Europe cannot afford to waste any of its young talent.
Proportion of female PhDs (2007)
What is the role of FP7 in relation to female scientists?
There are several initiatives in FP7 to encourage the participation of women in research and innovation. The Science in Society initiative provides financial support to research organisations to establish gender equality plans. The programme also funds training to researchers to better integrate gender issues in research projects. It is within this programme that a monitoring of the situation of women in research is ensured, with the publication of so-called SHE Figures. The next edition is planned this year.
FP7 also provides financial support to the mobility of male and female researchers within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions encourage women to work in research and through a set of measures help them to balance their career and family life. Fellows have attractive working conditions with full social benefits including maternity leave, in line with the principles of the "European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers". Under specific conditions, Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellows can also work part time to combine their personal lives with their career development. Finally, women who wish to resume their career after a break can return to research; their applications to the Intra-European Fellowship Marie Curie Actions will be treated in a specific restart panel. Nearly 40% of Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellows funded so far under the EU's current research framework programme (FP7) are women.
What is the situation in different countries?
Researchers are defined by the OECD as professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge, products, processes, methods and systems and also in the management of the projects concerned. There are roughly 1.5 million researchers (Full Time Equivalent, FTE) in the EU, of which 524,000 are in the business sector, but the number of researchers per country and sex of those researchers varies greatly. In Latvia more than 50% of researchers are women, while it is less than 30% in the Netherlands or Luxembourg.
Source: Eurostat Science, technology and innovation in Europe 2012
There are fewer female researchers in the business / private sector than in the public sector.
What is going to happen in the campaign?
The campaign will be anchored by an informative and dynamic website and a Facebook page. The website will contain:
Is this only running in Brussels and online?
No. In the first pilot phase there will be events in six countries. Following the launch in Brussels, a 'Science: It's a Girl Thing!' mobile expo truck will wind its way through Austria, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. It will visit Vienna, Krakow, Warsaw, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Munich, Milan and Rome between September and December 2012. The truck will offer fun, on-the-spot scientific activities demonstrating the connection between science and music, cosmetics, food, fashion and more. For example, girls are invited to make their own lip balm or visit our oxygen bar to identify the smells of different food aromas such as mint, chocolate and strawberry. Boys are of course also welcome!
In addition 'Science Café' will be organised for schools to meet inspirational role models: female researchers from the country, who will talk about their careers and the great opportunities for women. Participants also have the chance to take part in a flashmob-style 'Chain Reaction Dance', take the 'Discover Your Inner Researcher' quiz on a tablet and pick up goodies and giveaways.
Did you work on the campaign with Member States? Will they tie in or take it forward at the national level?
Member States have been informed about the campaign and we hope they will get involved. Around two thirds of EU countries already have gender equality policies in place in order to increase the number of women in engineering and science. The campaign does not replace national activities but intends to create synergy with national initiatives which promote gender equality. Member States share the same challenges relating to stereotypes on gender in science and learning from each other will help them progress towards the same goals.
Statistics – EU and first phase focus countries 7
Women represent 45. 9 % of PhD graduates in the EU (% of total PhD graduates)
Women represent 32 % of total researchers in the EU
Women represent 39 % of researchers in Higher Education in the EU
Women represent 39 % of researchers in Government in the EU
Women represent 19 % of researchers in Business Enterprise in in the EU
Women represent 49.1 % of PhD graduates in Poland (% of total PhD graduates)
Women represent 40 % of total researchers in Poland
Women represent 42 % of researchers in Higher Education in Poland
Women represent 42 % of researchers in Government in Poland
Women represent 25 % of researchers in Business Enterprise in Poland
Women represent 52.4 % of PhD graduates in Italy (% of total PhD graduates)
Women represent 33 % of total researchers in Italy
Women represent 36 % of researchers in Higher Education in Italy
Women represent 44 % of researchers in Government in Italy
Women represent 20 % of researchers in Business Enterprise in Italy
Women represent 42.5 % of PhD graduates in Austria (% of total PhD graduates)
Women represent 26 % of total researchers in Austria
Women represent 36 % of researchers in Higher Education in Austria
Women represent 39% of researchers in Government in Austria
Women represent 14 % of researchers in Business Enterprise in Austria
Women represent 41.9 % of PhD graduates in Germany (% of total PhD graduates)
Women represent 23 % of total researchers in Germany
Women represent 33 % of researchers in Higher Education in Germany
Women represent 30 % of researchers in Government in Germany
Women represent 12 % of researchers in Business Enterprise in Germany
Women represent 41.7 % of PhD graduates in Netherlands (% of total PhD graduates)
Women represent 17 % of total researchers in Netherlands
Women represent 29 % of researchers in Higher Education in Netherlands
Women represent 30 % of researchers in Government in Netherlands
Women represent 13 % of researchers in Business Enterp
European Council conclusions June 2010
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Once upon a time the saying "Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite" was a cute and loving way of saying "sleep safe". Today it is more of a warning, as bed bugs have invaded and the United States is facing a national infestation. According to Smart Style Living, "The incidence of bed bug infestation has risen 500% in the last few years alone, and they're not just in dirty hotels – they're at the 5-star ones as well and swarming the public places you visit every day." They're in clothing stores, movie theaters and the public places we visit daily.
Bed bugs are small pests that feed on human and animal blood, causing itchy and irritating bites. The bugs can be as small as the size of a pinhead or as big as a penny. Bed bugs are nocturnal and avoid light, therefore they come out at night to feed off people or animals.
According to the EPA, identifying a bed bug infestation is not as simple as seeing bites on your skin. Bites on the skin are a poor indicator of a bed bug infestation. Bed bug bites can be misidentified, which gives the bugs time to spread to other areas of the house. Bed bug bites can look like bites from other insects (such as mosquitoes or spiders), rashes (such as eczema or fungal infections), or even hives. Some people do not react to bed bug bites at all.
A far more accurate way to identify a possible infestation is to look for physical signs of bed bugs. For example, spots on bedding, as described below, are one of the earliest and most accurate methods.
When cleaning, changing bedding, or staying away from home, look for:
- Dark spots (about this size: •), which are bed bug excrement and may "bleed" on the fabric like a marker would
- Eggs and eggshells, which are tiny (about 1mm) and white
- Skins that nymphs shed as they grow larger
- Live bed bugs
- Rusty or reddish stains on bed sheets or mattresses caused by bed bugs being crushed
When not feeding, bed bugs hide in a variety of places. Around the bed, they can be found near the piping, seams and tags of the mattress and box spring, and in cracks on the bed frame and head board.
For more information on bed bugs, visits the EPA Website HERE.
To protect yourself, your family and your organic mattress and pillows from invaders like bed bugs invest in an organic cotton mattress and pillow barrier covers. Our barrier covers are made from tightly-woven 100% certified organic cotton and closes with a heavy-duty zipper. Unlike similar synthetic products, our soft, breathable organic cotton barriers offer a more healthful sleep. Available in different depths and sizes to meet your specific needs.
OMI Mattress Barrier Covers Prices Starting at $220
OMI Pillow Barrier Covers Prices Starting at $69
For more information on the OMI products, visit our website HERE.


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Dear Perplexed:
The goal of workforce planning and succession planning is the same: putting the right people—across the organization—in the right jobs, doing the right things at the right time. However, the difference between workforce and succession planning is distinct. Workforce planning is typically budget-driven and focused on staff-level jobs, hiring forecasts and internal resource projections.
Workforce planning also focuses on:
- Understanding trends that will impact clients, customers, products, services, funders, regulators and investors.
- Developing individual- and team-work plans that align with department goals or organization-wide strategies.
- Understanding how changes will impact job requirements, internal activities and costs.
- Understanding labor-market demographics, workforce readiness, training needs and talent resources.
- Hiring, recruitment-plans processes, orientation and onboarding plans.
Succession planning is a systematic approach to professional development with the express purpose of ensuring that selected (typically senior) staff is trained, experienced and ready to assume future leadership positions. Succession planning also focuses on individual and team transition needs and effectively guides implementation.
Succession planning includes aspects of workforce planning but also requires:
- Identifying anticipated vacancies and backup resources for management and leadership.
- Redefining management profiles to include competencies, success criteria and behavior traits.
- Accurate assessment of the readiness of senior staff and middle managers to assume greater responsibilities: an efficient process for assessing skills, competencies, interests and motivations, organization-wide, for investments in emerging leaders.
- Assessment of organizational culture and the leaders within: cultural competencies for diversity and inclusion management.
- Developing individualized training, professional development and mentoring opportunities to reduce gaps in skills and experience: identifying required support to ensure succession plans are workable while in current job.
- Focus on individual and team transition to ensure a successful transition and performance in the new or expanded roles.
Although many organizations do annual workforce and "headcount" budget planning, fewer than 1 in 10 large organizations proactively integrate management development and succession plans with strategic business objectives, according to a survey of 1,098 senior managers and executives by the American Management Association.
For organizations that do, the results can be transformative. Increasingly, more boards of directors, investors and funders are now demanding documented succession plans for top management of public corporations and nonprofit organizations. Succession planning is a critical component of workforce planning. And it is a trend that experts consider to be a best practice and sound investment for any organization intent on sustainability, beyond the limits of a selected few people.
SOURCE: Patricia Duarte, Decision Insight Inc., Boston
LEARN MORE: Changing the behavior of managers is possible, but it's not easy and it takes time.
The information contained in this article is intended to provide useful information on the topic covered, but should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion. Also remember that state laws may differ from the federal law.


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Your roundup of all the hottest hot-stove items of the day (and whatever shit Ken Rosenthal is throwing against the wall). This is ... HOT FUCKING STOVE!!!
• Grady Sizemore will remain in the cozy confines of the Indians' training room for another year.
• John Baker could not be happier about leaving Miami.
• David Freese, briefly a national hero according to St. Louis, finds his way onto yet another red carpet.
• Baseball's new collective bargaining agreement allows players to chew tobacco as long as they promise to do it discreetly.
• Neftali Feliz is already being compared to Chuck Knoblauch and Byung-Hyun Kim.


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achnacarry castle is in scotland (in case you couldn't guess by the name) – these photographs are by michael prince and were taken with a hasselblad 503cx. i know three things from these photos: 1. michael prince is talented 2. they instantly made me think of my grandmother and 3. i really want a hasselblad.
all photographs by michael prince


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LONDON, April 23 (UPI) -- India now leads the world in junk e-mails, becoming the world's biggest source of Internet spam, a report by a British computer security company says.
The security firm Sophos ranked countries by the amount of junk e-mails routed through computers in each nation, and found about 10 percent of all junk mail flowing around the Internet came from or passed through computers in India, the BBC reported.
India has overtaken the United States as the top spam source in less than a year, the Sophos report said, propelled by the rapid growth of the Web in the country.
The inexperience of the many first-time Internet users in India has made their computers attractive targets for high-tech criminals, Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, said.
"The latest stats show that, as more first-time Internet users get online in growing economies, they are not taking measures to block the malware infections that turn their PCs into spam-spewing zombies," he said.
The United States is second behind India in spam and junk mail, with South Korea third, Sophos said.


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Bien Living Design is an interior design firm based in Austin, Texas and Chicago, IL. We focus on creating practical and comfortable, yet inspirational and beautiful design environments.
Kristin Tavrides of Bien Living Design will work with you to design new or existing spaces that meet your needs and feed your soul. A living or business environment is only a success if it works for you, the client. Whether your tastes lean towards bold and colorful or neutral and serene, whether you prefer the patina of antiques or the sleek shine of modern pieces, Kristin provides practical, sensible design services that fit within your budget and lifestyle.
Your home is where you live - it's not a museum or art installation! It's important that everyone feels happy, comfortable, warm, and welcome in their living environments. We'll brainstorm with you instead of for you to come up with the perfect space for you and your family.
We are located in the Austin and Chicago area, but are more than happy to travel to work with you. We also provide Long Distance Design services, where we'll design a room for you no matter where you live.
For more information about Bien Living Design, take a look at our portfolio, design services, and blog. And learn more about Kristin here.


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New: Chevron Gets Almost $1 Million in State Fines for "Serious, Willful" Worker Safety Violations
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health has fined Chevron nearly $1 million for worker safety violations related to a massive Aug. 6, 2012, fire at the company's Richmond refinery.
The $963,200 in fines are in the form of 25 citations issued against the oil giant, which a Chevron spokesman said the company plans to appeal.
"Ensuring worker safety is the employer's responsibility," said Christine Baker, director of the Department of Industrial Relations, which oversees Cal/OSHA.
"Refineries must take the steps needed to prevent incidents like the August Chevron fire," she said. "Failure to do so can pose great dangers to workers, surrounding communities and the environment."
The proposed fines are the maximum allowed under state law and the highest fines levied in Cal/OSHA's history, according to division representatives.
Cal/OSHA officials said the hefty fines are for 25 safety violations that occurred before, during and after a pipe in the Richmond refinery's crude oil unit ruptured and began leaking. That leaked sparked an explosion and fire that endangered workers and caused 15,000 people to seek medical treatment after inhaling emissions from the fire.
"The fines fit the violations," said Peter Melton, a Cal/OSHA spokesman.
According to Cal/OSHA, "Chevron did not follow the recommendations of its own inspectors and metallurgical scientists to replace the corroded pipe that ultimately ruptured and caused the fire. Those recommendations dated back to 2002."
In addition, Chevron failed to test pipe thickness in areas of the crude oil unit that were known to be vulnerable to corrosion due to the high temperature and high sulfur content of the crude oil sent through the pipes, according to division officials.
Once the pipe leaked on Aug. 6, 2012, refinery managers didn't follow Chevron's own emergency shutdown procedures but instead kept the equipment running and told workers to remove the leaking pipe's insulation.
Managers also ordered on-site contractors to erect scaffolding near the leaky pipe and let workers into the area without the proper protective gear, according to Cal/OSHA.
The division's investigation found that this wasn't the first time Chevron had failed to properly address leaking pipes at the refinery.
Cal/OSHA investigators found several pipe segments where someone had used a clamp to temporarily fix a leaky pipe. In some cases, refinery managers left the clamps in place for years, rather than replacing the pipes.
Chevron spokesman Sean Comey said today, "Although we acknowledge that we failed to live up to our own expectations in this incident, we do not agree with several of the Cal/OSHA findings and its characterization of some of the alleged violations as 'willful'. Chevron intends to appeal," he said.
The oil company has so far paid out $10 million to cover medical treatment and other costs incurred by hospitals and area residents due to the fire that spewed toxic smoke into the air for miles. Some 23,900 claims have been filed against Chevron in connection with the fire, according to company officials.
Chevron announced Monday that it is focusing on tightening its safety procedures, from pipe inspection to employee training, to prevent another fire.
Comey said today that the company is reviewing the citations issued by Cal/OSHA and is continuing to cooperate with additional local, state and federal investigations into the refinery fire.


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Brussels, 20 December 2011
Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the award of Concession Contracts – Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are concessions?
Concessions are partnerships between the public sector and mostly private companies, where the latter exclusively operate, maintain and carry out the development of infrastructure (ports, water distribution, parking garages, toll roads) or provide services of general economic interest (energy, water and waste disposal for example). Concessions are the most common form of Public Private Partnership (PPP) – for more details, see also question 16.
2. What is their economic importance?
Concession contracts underpin an important share of the economic activity in the EU. However, the fact that Member States use different labelling for concessions and the current lack of transparency on their award makes systematic and precise measuring of their economic and social importance difficult. According to studies carried out in 7 Member States on 4 main sectors (water, waste, health and transport), concessions awarded were estimated to be worth € 138 billion annually. Other studies estimate that over 60% of all PPP contracts in Europe are to be qualified as concessions.
What we observe is that where clear rules exist, they are commonly used by contracting authorities. 50% of waste management services in the EU are concessions. 6,169 concessions advertised in the Spanish national Official Journal between 2006 and 2010, 817 in Italy in only in 2008, while in France there is a stock of approximately 10,000 concessions contracts running.
3. Why do concessions need to be regulated at all? Why at EU level?
Unlike public contracts, which are regulated by Directives 2004/17/EC and 2004/18/EC and public works concessions, which are partially covered Directive 2004/18/EC, the award of service concessions is not subject to any clear and unambiguous provisions, being guided only by the general principles of transparency and equal treatment of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. This loophole gives rise to potentially serious distortions of the Internal Market such as direct awards of contracts without any competition (with associated risks of national favouritism, fraud and corruption) and generates considerable inefficiencies.
This effectively means that EU citizens may not be benefitting from quality services at best prices. Economic operators (in particular SMEs) may be discriminated against on access to concession contracts and public authorities may fail to guarantee the efficient spending of public money.
The above problems fundamentally affect the efficient functioning of the EU Internal Market. Therefore, in order to eliminate discrepancies among national regimes and ensure homogenous understanding of the Treaty principles across Member States, a European framework is necessary. It is the most appropriate way to overcome existing barriers to the EU-wide concession market and to ensure convergence and a level playing field in the EU, ultimately guaranteeing the free movement of goods and services in all 27 Member States.
4. What evidence is there of distortions to the internal market justifying rules on the award of concessions?
The impact assessment carried out by the Commission shows that rules and practices of Member States concerning the award of concessions are very different and that the principles of the Treaty are not understood and applied in the same way everywhere (for example, Germany, Belgium, Estonia, the United Kingdom, Finland, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands have no rules on concessions).
The impact assessment has shown that the absence or inadequacy of national rules for awarding concessions prevents the integration of national markets with regard to concessions, increases the risks of national favoritism, fraud and corruption and is also at the source of violations of the principles of the Treaty.
Furthermore, the public consultation conducted by the Commission shows that a third of participants (particularly businesses, associations, public authorities) were aware of cases of direct award of concessions, without any transparency and without competition. Direct award of a concession is a serious violation of the Treaty principles.
The Court of auditor has also singled out public procurement as the principal source of errors (43%) in the spending of EU's cohesion funds, of which concessions contracts represent a significant share. Over the last years, a number of Member states have had significant infrastructure projects delayed or cancelled because of inadequate procedures in the attribution of concession.
Finally, the multiplication of the Court's judgments on concessions (25 since 2000 mostly on the definition of a concession) shows that the current situation is far from satisfactory and that the problems cannot be adequately addressed on a case-by-case basis.
5. Why do we need these rules now?
At a time of pressing demands for efficient spending of public money there is an urgency in establishing a clear European legislative framework allowing for delivery of works and services under conditions of sound financial management and at best value for money. This will be ensured through a Union wide competition for high value concessions where the most efficient providers are given a fair chance of winning the contract.
The new rules will facilitate the conclusion of concessions and therefore of PPP, encouraging new investments, promoting a quicker return to sustainable economic growth and contributing to innovation and long-term structural development of infrastructures and services.
6. Will this proposal force public authorities to outsource the provision of services of general economic interest?
No. Under EU law, including the new proposal for a directive on concessions, public authorities will remain entirely free to carry out public tasks assigned to them by using their own means or resources.
However, if a public authority decides to outsource (e.g. to a private company) and concludes a contract with such an entity, the provisions of the new directive would have to be complied with.
For more information on SGEI, see also IP/11/157 and MEMO/11/929 published today and also IP/11/106.
7. Will the proposal affect the freedom of public authorities to organise services of general interest?
No, public authorities in each Member State must retain the possibility to define and enforce public service obligations and to organise the provision of services of general interest. By imposing public service obligations, public authorities remain free to define the characteristics of the service to be provided, including any conditions regarding the quality of the service, in order to pursue their public policy objectives.
Public service obligations are defined as «specific requirements that are imposed by public authorities on the provider of the service in order to ensure that certain public interest objectives are met, for instance, in the matter of air, rail and road transport and energy. These obligations can be applied at Community, national or regional level.»
8. Why new EU rules on concessions instead of an Interpretative Communication?
Our judgment is that simply relying on the Court's existing case law is insufficient as it does not address many of the problems related to the award of concessions.
An interpretative communication would state the Commission's understanding of the applicable EU law and the Court's case law on concessions, but could not establish new rules. This clarification of the Treaty principles would commit the Commission only and would not bind third parties. Already in 2000 and 2008, the Commission adopted communications on concession contracts. Neither of these Communications has improved the persisting situation of legal uncertainty or tackled existing entry barriers in Member States to the award of concessions. That is why EU level legislation is necessary.
9. Why is a separate proposal on concessions necessary on top of the wider proposals on public procurement?
Concessions have specific features compared to public contracts which justify a special and more flexible set of rules for their award. Concessions are typically high-value, complex and long-term contracts which require appropriate flexibility during the award procedure to ensure the best possible outcome.
A specific proposal for concessions helps distinguish between the rules applicable to concessions and those applicable to public contracts and therefore makes them simpler to use.
In addition, a proposal on concessions is addressed to contracting authorities and economic operators particularly concerned by the concession market (which are not necessarily also active also in the public contracts market).
10. What are the main elements of the proposal?
11. Will contracting authorities need to follow a specific tendering procedure for the award of concessions?
No, contrary to what has been established for public contracts, the present rules do not set out any specific procedure. It will be for Member States to define the applicable procedures for the award of concessions in observance of certain general rules concerning selection and award criteria and procedural guarantees.
12. Will SMEs benefit from this proposal?
Today, the absence of a clear obligation to advertise service concessions in Europe hampers the cross-border access of undertakings, particularly of SMEs, to business opportunities in the Internal Market.
The proposal aims at facilitating such access to all economic operators, including SMEs. Larger companies usually have the means to obtain information on business opportunities in the EU. It is precisely SMEs which do not have the same means that stand to benefit the most from the publication of a concession notice in the Official Journal of the European Union. They will be able to decide whether and how to organise themselves (group of SMEs, joint venture with local businesses, subcontracting, etc.) to take advantage of the new opportunities. In addition, the light rules proposed for the award of concessions will not impose undue new obligations or excessive costs on SMEs.
13. Will the proposal on concessions increase complexity and transaction costs, in particular for SMEs?
No, according to studies available on the economic impact of Public Procurement legislation, it appears that although detailed rules necessarily provoke certain additional costs (e.g. costs of publication, processing and evaluation of a higher number of bids), more intense competition and greater legal certainty improve the value for money for purchasers (on average by 5%). In particular, any additional costs are compensated by lower transaction costs in cross-border provision of services, improved efficiency and an increase in the number of business opportunities resulting from the Union wide harmonisation of rules. The net effect for undertakings and in particular for SMEs is positive. The same phenomenon with regard to economic value can be expected in the case of concessions.
14. What is the relationship between concessions and Public-Private Partnerships?
Concessions involving private partners are a particular form of Public Private Partnership (PPP). Although PPPs have never been defined in EU Public Procurement legislation, they are usually understood to be cooperation between a public authority and a private partner, where the latter bears risks that are traditionally borne by the public sector and often contributes to financing the project. Some PPPs are structured as public contracts, but most PPPs take the form of concessions. Based on estimations carried out by the Commission services, over 60 % of all PPP contracts would qualify as concessions.
15. Will the proposed directive result in a deterioration of public service, by promoting the award of concessions on the basis of the lowest price?
The proposal on concessions does not impose any specific award criteria. It only requires award criteria to be objective, non-discriminatory and related to the subject of the concession. Contracting authorities may, within these limits, choose the criteria they find most suitable to the award of the concession notably with reference to the quality of the services or works, their environmental performance or even social considerations.
While the proposal requires that award criteria deliver an overall economic benefit to the public authority, it does not impose the use of the criterion of the lowest price, which in most cases does not permit to take into account the complexity of such contracts.
16. Will the new Directive apply to existing concessions?
The new Directive will have no retroactive effect. Concession contracts in place at its entry into force will not be affected for their entire duration. However, an extension of their duration may qualify as a new concession and therefore will have to comply with the rules of the new Directive, once the latter comes into force.
17. What are the rules on modifications of concessions during their term?
The proposal will clarify, in line with the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union what is a substantial modification of a contract during its term and when such a modification will correspond to the award of a new contract.
It will provide a «safe harbour» for minor changes to the contract (those not exceeding the threshold of the proposal and inferior to 5% of the price of the initial contract) which will always be acceptable.
Finally it will clarify the scope of acceptable contractual clauses and set out the conditions to substantially modify the contract to take into account unforeseen circumstances.
18. What are the next steps?
The Commission's proposal is now sent to the European Parliament and Council of Ministers for adoption under the co-decision procedure.
More information on concessions and public private partnerships is available at:
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OKLAHOMA CITY – Warm temperatures, calm winds and sunshine may sound like ingredients for a perfect summer day, but they are also the makings for unhealthy air quality called ozone. Ozone season – April through September – signals trouble for one in 10 adults and children with asthma in Oklahoma who will suffer from increased lung inflammation and have difficulty breathing.
Like most six-year-olds, local kindergartner Luke Brewer loves to run and play outside, especially when kicking around a soccer ball. But unlike most children, Luke has to keep a rescue inhaler nearby when he plays outside because he suffers from asthma. "His asthma fluctuates with the seasons, so we have to monitor him closely during ozone alert season," says John Brewer, Luke's father. "Ozone is extremely harmful to kids with asthma. He's an active, energetic boy, and I would hate for it to reach a point where he couldn't go outside. But as a parent, you'd rather be safe than sorry."
One simple but effective way Oklahoma City residents can help Luke and the other 32,000 central Oklahoma children suffering from asthma enjoy their summer outdoors is to leave their car at home as much as possible during ozone season, and especially on ozone alert days. EMBARK is making it easy for Oklahoma City metro residents to do their part to improve air quality. On June 19, EMBARK is offering free bus rides on all regular routes and will continue to offer free rides every third Friday through September – July 17, Aug. 21 and Sept. 18. On Free Fare Fridays, you can still commute, run errands and attend events around the city while doing your part to help your friends and neighbors breathe easier, simply by taking the bus.
Breathing ground-level ozone is akin to getting a sunburn on healthy lungs and can cause irritation, burning, inflammation and difficulty breathing. According to the EPA, 10 to 20 percent of summertime respiratory-related hospitalizations are associated with ozone pollution. Oklahoma City ranks 15th highest in the country for high ozone days according to State of the Air 2015 - a report by the American Lung Association.
"When it comes to air quality, Oklahoma City has a poor ranking in part because it is built around a car culture," says Jeremy Hughey, executive director of American Lung Association in Oklahoma. "Oklahoma's air pollution won't go away without some behavioral change. Driving less and taking alternative transportation options like buses and bikes are great ways to improve air quality and lung health for adults and children like."
"It's unfortunate Luke and other asthma sufferers might have to spend beautiful afternoons inside taking breathing treatments because the poor air quality makes it so much more difficult for him to catch his breath," adds Brewer. "I'm so thankful when I hear about people making small changes that can make a big impact on Luke's health."
Stephen Morrow, a professor at Oklahoma City Community College, ditched his car in favor of the bus more than seven years ago after learning about the negative impact emissions have on our health and environment. By taking the bus, he produces 95 percent less carbon dioxide than driving himself.
"I thought it would be difficult to leave the comfort of my car, but it's been one of the best decisions I've ever made," says Morrow. "Being chauffeured to work every day by the bus is less stressful, saves me money and gives me valuable time to catch up on reading and emails."
Morrow doesn't expect everyone to quit driving their cars and join him on the bus immediately, but he challenges his students and fellow professors to try the bus.
"Free Fare Friday is a great time to try our city's public transit system and change your perceptions about the best way to get around our city. It's motivating to hear stories about how a simple trip on the bus can make breathing easier for Luke and so many others. It's a very simple way to make a huge impact."
About EMBARK
To learn more about EMBARK and view bus schedules and routes, visit www.embarkok.com or call (405) 235-RIDE (7433) for personal assistance from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
# # #


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Ode To The BoleynAll you need to know about West Ham United FC's potential move to Stratford.
Moderators: Rio, Gnome, chalks, -DL-, bristolhammerfc, the pink palermo
15 posts • Page 1 of 1
Follow That.
One of the great nights at the Boleyn .Perhaps the greatest .
As the thread title says .
Re: Follow That.
Only 99 years to wait.
Unless of course we renew..
Re: Follow That.
Hope the 85% are happy today...
Re: Follow That.
I voted for it, and whilst last night was the greatest thing I've ever witnessed, I'm looking forward to the future and what it holds for us. That's all I'll say, no need to get into the pros and cons about it all but for me personally, I'm excited about the future, onwards and upwards.
Re: Follow That.
i'm really annoyed to sell a perfectly fitting property house and rent another one that wasn't taylor made for us.
that said, plenty of **** nights at the Boleyn too, and as the san paolo regulars could testify, a running track is no excuse to lose your voice.
Re: Follow That.
I am happy..... It was a great send off for The Boleyn, could not have been better! Now it's a case of onwards and upwards, and I'm looking forward to getting into the new place! Now that it's over, I do hope certain posters stop with their constant negativity!
Re: Follow That.
Pinky you won't be saying that in a couple of years when on a Champions league night I leave the Champagne Bar in Westfields and saunter down to the Mata Steel Olympic stadium with my jester hat and foam hand .
Re: Follow That.
What a fantastic day me and mine had. Got there about 1pm and ticked off so many boxes for that 'last time'. The game, result and atmosphere were just the cherry on the cake. I know what you mean Pinky, the OS has got some bloody big boots to fill in getting anywhere near the emotion of 'that', BUT without the OS we would never have experienced 'that'. The 2 things go hand in hand.
...........I still don't wanna move though, I mean really don't wanna move as I feel although bigger doesn't mean better. I just pray we can retain our soul. Our DNA. Block 139 here we come.........
Ode To The Boleyn
The Rumble of feet walking down Green Street
And the noise of the crowd was always so loud.
We had north Bank Norman"s and south Bank Stans.
And each to a man, true West Ham Fans.
Wev"e had some magical nights.
Here under the lights.
And Julian Dicks with his penalty kicks.
The great Billy Bonds with his rolled down socks.
Not letting anyone get into the box.
Then theres Tricky Trev (OH GENO).
Our very own true Maestro.
Phil Parkes in goal stopping all the shots.
To unsung heroes like Stevie Potts.
TC, McAvennie, Dev & Paulo to name just a few.
Of the legends to wear the Claret n Blue.
With the Lads in the Chicken Run.
Trying to shade from the Sun.
To the Lads in the Pub For so many years.
Sharing stories and laughs, and of course a few Beers.
Wev"e had good times and bad times with Cheers and Jeers.
But now I'm afraid its time for some Tears.
Our time at the Boleyn has come to the Fore.
And the place that we love will be no more.
112 Years of a Glorious past.
But our Upton Park Memories will always last.
So Many Legends Have Answered the Call.
But we will Never Forget the Best of them All....
By James Stewart......10-05-2016..
By James Stewart.. 10-05-2016..
Re: Ode To The Boleyn
I've still got the photo I took of that on the night. Shame we;'ll all be sitting in different parts of the OS. I'm not anti the move but I know it won't be the same as the BML.
Mind you the BML wasn't the old north/south bank/west side...
Re: Ode To The Boleyn
Very nice mate
Re: Ode To The Boleyn
A great piece of work,but sadly not complete! Sir Bobby was not mentioned? After that ending at the old girl when he fittingly switched the lights off, I thought that was truly fantastic way to end our time there. Sir Bobby needs to be in there!!!
Re: Ode To The Boleyn
First there was Gilbert and Sullivan , then came Lennon and McArtney - now we have Ageing and Geo .
Well done , Geo , - an excellent effort !
Re: Ode To The Boleyn
The last two lines refer to the Greatest of them All . Sir Bobby of course .
Re: Ode To The Boleyn
Ever thought of Lego mate?
15 posts • Page 1 of 1
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Being a part of the EXCEL Partnership provides Bell with an opportunity to share best practices and learn how to further improve our corporate responsibility performance. Strong…
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Thursday, October 3, 2013
49 comments
What is it with girls crossing their legs in your pictures?
Third look, for sure!!
Xoxo! Cory
gorgeous shots!
Daniel; Not a single 0ne of the people in these pictures have their legs crossed. The first picture comes the closest, but I would call it standing with one leg in front of the other. Why do you ask? is it more typical for people to have their legs spread in your opinion? What a totally weird statement.
i like the degrade hair! very 2013! :)
That's an original way to wear a leather tank top. I do like her socks with the those see-through oxfords. And let's not fail to mention that the first woman's hair rocks.
Really cool! Love the tank top!
Kisses from
Love the action photo of the woman putting on her coat! Great shot.
I love the shape of the last jacket, and I'm also really flinging the denim trench coat.
not loving these looks – they look worn out. but i am fascinated by those shoes in the second to last image
ladies in navy
Very nice looks. Great day.
hehe first and second shots are just two completely different universes… :)
…originals captures…
Gian Luca M
Love these looks!
Very nice!Very love!
Very nice!
A lot of different style, all beautiful! Love the tatoos, the red birkenstock, and the layering!
i love the little heels in the 2nd photo – does anyone know who makes them?
As I scrolled down on the first photo, I was like Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! … and then I got to the Birkenstocks. (sad trombone) so I moved the image so I couldn't seem them on my screen anymore. I love everything else about her!
"…sad trombone". Hahaha… great audio cue.
I love the see-through shoes! It is a whimsy touch, although you will have to always think about what type of socks you wear! :)
Nice pictures! I love the contrast between the elegant outfit and the edgy look of the tattoos and the hair in the first picture! :)
The print on the first dress is absolutely amazing.
Love the first and third photo to bits.
x Joana When You Dream Big
i love the orange-yellow hair!
un outfit molto street e punk addolcito dalla fantasia flowers , un mix perfetto e un contrasto riuscitissimo !!
Very cool!
The red Birkies are adorable!!!!!! I bet she is just loving the comfort too. Comfortable shoes are much, much more sexy then wobbling around on high heels every time.
Love the way in which the color of his hair changes.
Originality is something I try always to appreciate, however, the first photo- every piece of this ensemble is waging war with the rest! Nothing works together and while I'm no huge fan of outré hair color or massive tats, that rather massive personal style commitment manages to get lost here when flung up against the patterned dress, cowboy belt, giant yellow school bag and those awful red Birkenstocks- a trend which I rather hope dies a quick and painless death. Even when produced by Marni, this shoe style is hideo.
I promise I am gonna try this colour with my hair before the 2013 ends!
In love with the shoes in the second pic <3
Well, I can't say I'm a fan of the sandals in the first photo but her hair makes up for it, in my opinion. However, those see-through shoes with adorable little pokka-dot socks in the third photo (actually that whole ensemble), magnifique!
I like the first look! The belt is great with the dress. Her hair is beautiful. And the red Birks seem like the organic choice here–they fit the vibe of her hair & ink and keep the look style-y, not fashion-y.
The first outfit is so dope!! TIBI NY…
So strange outfits, I just like the second a bit.
same show, different people!
Adore the dress in the first shot!
I normally disdain tattoos but that first tattoo seems to be made for that print dress, or vice versa – a great match!!!
Love the dress and birks in the first one!
Hi Jo,
The shoes at the second picture are from Zara. I have the same shoes, i bought them this summer in Madrid (Sapin). I think Zara did a clon from Valentino shoes, much more cheaper the Zara version ; )
-gasp- That first one.
That color of blonde with that dress? So amazing!
beautiful clothes like me
The pair of red Birkenstocks ruin the look
Birkenstock? Really? Whether red, blue, or purple with yellow dots – Birkenstocks are absolutely hideous! No attempt whatsoever, regardless of how beautiful the wearer, can turn these dreadful health shoes into anything other than – well… hideous, dreadful healthy catastrophes.
The coffee quality is sweet but it looks like the picture. In the day I order, it took 37 days to input our house (My home is the location of Belo Horizonte – MG – Brasil). I might definitely buy from this seller again.
http://www.cardellino.it/rss.htm http://www.cardellino.it/rss.htm
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City of Normandy Park Arts Commission holding Reception Thursday night
The City of Normandy Park Arts Commission will be holding an opening night reception for 'Without Limitations – Visions of Many: An Exhibit Showcasing Artwork of Established and Emerging Artists With Disabilities' this Thursday, March 27 from 7 – 9 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers (801 S.W. 174th Street).
"The City of Normandy Park Arts Commission invites you to join us at this reception for refreshments, conversations with some of the artists and truly enjoyable surroundings," reads an announcement.
Visitors to City Hall can view the exhibit during business hours Monday through Thursday during March and April.
Arts Commissioner Robert Frey curated and sponsored the exhibit and reception for SoCo Culture to celebrate this under-represented group of artists. The exhibit includes a retrospective of both professional and emerging artists, mostly local. You will have the pleasure of seeing works from the 1970's as well as those recently completed.
NOTE: Please RSVP your reception attendance to:
- 206-248-8248
- [email protected]


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Sophomore Morgan Cooper
Final Stats
WILLIMANTIC, CT-Host Eastern Connecticut State defeated the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's women's swimming, 148-106, in a dual meet at the ECSU Sports Center Pool Saturday.
Sophomore Morgan Cooper (Sunderland, MA/Frontier Regional HS) led the way for the Corsairs, finishing first in the 50 yard breaststroke in 33.73 seconds. Cooper was UMass Dartmouth's only winner against the Warriors.
"We knew coming into the meet that Eastern was a strong team," said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Cathy Motta. "Some of our swimmers are injured, and we are swimming tired coming off our training trip. We are looking to improve with three home meets next week."
UMass Dartmouth's women are now 2-5, while the Warriors are now 5-1. The Corsairs will return to action when they host Gordon Tuesday evening.


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It's still unclear whether Bills DE Chris Kelsay will be able to play on Sunday with a neck injury he suffered in practice on Thursday.
The Dolphins will try to extend to 23 their streak of games without allowing a 100-yard rusher against Tennessee RB Chris Johnson.
Pats LB Jerod Mayo says his team isn't taking the Bills lightly. (But was he able to keep a straight face when he said that?)
Jets exec Terry Bradway was so enthralled with QB Russell Wilson before the draft that some in the organization started referring to him as "Russell Bradway." (Instead, they ended up with "Woody Tebow.")
The NFL career of Browns LB Tank Carder has occurred despite serious injuries sustained in an automobile accident at age 13.
The Muscle Hamster's 251-yard performance against Oakland has gotten the attention of Ravens RB Ray Rice; "Obviously, you look at it and you start to get excited when you see it happening," Rice said. "Anybody goes over 200 yards, you have to figure there is a problem there."
Steelers CB Keenan Lewis is helping out a high school in his hometown of New Orleans.
The Bengals will be welcoming LB Keith Rivers back to town on Sunday, and he hopes to prove they made a mistake when sending the former top-ten pick out of town for a fifth-round draft choice.
Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey says his 1-8 teams are consistently beating themselves; "We're making too many mistakes," Mularkey said. "We have to overcome ourselves first. Before we can beat anybody, we have to stop beating ourselves." (You know, that one is just too easy. So I'll pass. For a change.)
The Colts' bandwagon wasn't empty for long.
When Titans LB Colin McCarthy returns to the place where he played college football on Sunday, he won't be the guy he was because of his injured ankle.
With Shaun Cody out, Texans NT Earl Mitchell will make his first career start.
The Broncos' "Wildcat-Wildcat" nickel package is anchored by a pair of former Kentucky linebackers: Wesley Woodyard and Danny Trevathan.
The Chiefs will know the Steelers offense, given the presence in Pittsburgh of former K.C. coach Todd Haley; the question is whether the Chiefs will know how to stop it.
As the Chargers prepare to face WR Vincent Jackson, QB Philip Rivers wishes him well, sort of; "He was a great teammate, a good buddy of mine and obviously a great player for us," Rivers said. "You miss having him here. He's having a heck of year, and you pull for him every week except this one."
Sunday's game in Baltimore will be a homecoming for Raiders WR Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Sunday's game in Cincinnati will be a homecoming for Giants LB Chase Blackburn.
The Redskins worked out three defensive backs and two linebackers, but signed none of them.
A UFC event could be headed to Cowboys Stadium. (As part of the undercard, Jimmy Johnson will face Jerry Jones.)
Former Eagles S Brian Dawkins says that, if anyone had called the defense "pretty" when he was there, things would have gotten ugly.
The Bears will try to be the first team to score a rushing touchdown against the Texans this season.
The Vikings are trying to get the ball more to TE Kyle Rudolph.
Packers great Paul Hornung will be selling some of his memorabilia via auction.
CB Stanford Routt visited the Lions on Friday but left without a contract; we've reported Thursday night that he'll visit an unnamed AFC team on Monday.
Falcons RT Tyson Clabo is leading the Pro Bowl campaign for C Todd McClure.
Even though the Buccaneers can't fill up Raymond James Stadium, the team is planning some major upgrades.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera wants the team to ignore the fact that they're facing their former coach on Sunday.
The still-lingering bounty brouhaha hasn't been a distraction for Saints LB Jonathan Vilma.
Seahawks RB Leon Washington isn't fazed by the fact that he's facing his former team on Sunday.
49ers coach Jim Harbaugh says he has nothing to do with the creation of the team's injury report. (But does he hover over the shoulders and make faces at the folks who do?)
The Rams are going at moving to the so-called "fringe area," but they have trouble moving it much deeper than that.
Cardinals CB/PR Patrick Peterson quietly is in a slump this year. (The team is in a more conspicuous one.)


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Oct. 13, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format
The Schedule
Friday, October 15, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
UC Santa Barbara at Pacific (10-7, 3-3)
at Pacific's Alex G. Spanos Center (6,150)
Series record vs. the Tigers - 25-48
Streak - Lost 1
Last time out vs. the Tigers - W, 3-1 (11/14/09)
Match available on Gametracker
Saturday, October 16, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
UC Santa Barbara at UC Davis (12-6, 4-2)
at UC Davis' The Pavilion (8,000)
Series record vs. the Aggies - 13-1
Streak - Won 1
Last time out vs. the Aggies - W, 3-1 (11/13/09)
Match available on Gametracker
The Short and the Long of It
After winning in five games for the second time in as many weeks, the Gauchos continued upon their trend this season. When playing in three-game matches UCSB is just 2-6. However, when stretching things out to five games the Gauchos are a perfect 5-0.
RPI Report
In the latest official Ratings Percentage Index released by the NCAA on Monday, UCSB checks in at No. 46 in the nation, up five spots from last week. Santa Barbara is rated as the third-highest Big West team (behind Long Beach State at No. 26 and Cal State Fullerton at No. 28). The Gauchos play at Pacific (No. 85) and UC Davis (No. 77) this weekend.
Hello Old Friend
When UCSB visits the Spanos Center on Friday night, they will be facing a recognizable face. In his first season as Pacific's head coach, Greg Gibbons will lead the Tigers against UCSB. Gibbons was the Associate Head Coach at UCSB the previous four seasons.
V is For Vargas
Senior setter Dana Vargas, has had a magnificent career already at UCSB. An honorable mention All-America along with an All-West Region First Team pick and All-Big West First Team in 2009, she was also a member of the All-Big West Freshman Team in 2007. She added to her legacy with a career-high 63 assists on Saturday at Cal Poly, tying her for fifth-most in UCSB rally-scoring history with Mari Bell (at UC Irvine, Oct. 17, 2003) and Ashley Dutro (vs. South Dakota State, Nov. 26, 2005). Vargas is third all-time in UCSB history with 4,244 assists while ranking fourth in the Big West - and 55th in the nation - with her 10.43 assists per set average, while tallying 10.95 in Big West play. The Seal Beach, Calif. native has nine double-doubles this season - including three of the past four matches - and ranks fourth on the team with her 2.43 digs per set. Vargas is just one of three Gauchos to reach 4,000 career assists and there is a chance she could become just the third setter in UCSB history to reach 5,000 assists, joining Liz Towne (1985-88) and Brooke Rundle (1998-2001).
Doing It All
Junior opposite/middle blocker Stacey Schmidt leads the Gauchos in Big West play with her 3.48 kills per set average and is second overall with 3.04 kills per set. Schmidt is sixth in the conference in overall hitting percentage at .335 - and tops on the team with a .306 percentage in conference play - while also pacing the team in blocks (61 combined overall and 22 in Big West matches). On top of all that her 21 service aces this season top the squad and her average of 0.30 per set is third in the Big West.
A Sherr Thing
Kara Sherrard posted her fifth double-double of the season in Saturday's win at Cal Poly with a career-high 16 kills to go with 14 digs. She has been terrific in conference play, averaging 2.95 kills per set (second on the Gauchos) and 2.48 digs per set (fourth). The Lancaster, Calif. native ranks third on the team in overall kills per set (2.14) and digs (2.52). The redshirt freshman has six service aces in conference action, which is second on the team.
Char Broiler
Senior outside hitter Charlene DeHoog leads the team with her 3.06 kills per set and is second on the Gauchos with her 2.72 digs per set. The Bakersfield, Calif. native has recorded double-digit kills in 10 of the team's 18 matches this season and has 11 matches with double-digit digs. She recorded her eighth double-double of the year with 12 kills and 12 digs at Cal Poly. DeHoog ranks third on the team in conference play with 2.71 kills per set and her 3.14 digs per set are second.
Not Little in the Middle
Middle blockers Kasey Kipp and Lily Lopez combined for 22 kills in Saturday's win at Cal Poly, the most by the duo this season. Kipp, a senior from Newport Beach, Calif., is averaging 1.47 kills per set in conference play to go with 0.84 blocks per set. Lopez, a junior from Santa Ana, Calif., is averaging 1.82 kills per set and 0.73 blocks per set. Kipp and Lopez rank fourth and fifth, respectively, on the Gauchos in total kills this season.
Getting Defensive
As a team UCSB is averaging 15.17 digs per set, which is third in the conference while the team's 16.52 dig per set average in conference play ranks second in the Big West. Leading the way has been freshman Kelly Heenan. The newcomer from Costa Mesa, Calif. is averaging 3.42 digs per set, which ranks eighth in the Big West and 3.86 in conference matches, also placing her eighth. Heenan has been impressive lately, recording double-digit digs in 12 of her past 13 matches.
Top Five After Five
Through five matches of Big West play, UCSB finds itself ranked no lower than fifth in any of the following team categories: kills, hitting percentage, assists, digs, blocks, aces and opponent hitting percentage.
Solid Start
By opening conference play 4-1, it marks UCSB's best start in the Big West since the team started 8-1 in 2005. That 2005 squad finished the year 21-9 overall and 12-2 in the Big West.
Ace in the Hole
With 83 total aces through its 18 matches and an average of 1.20 per set UCSB ranks fourth in the conference in both categories.
In Her Sights
UCSB's legendary head coach, Kathy Gregory, is fourth all-time amongst active Division I coaches with 841 victories and by the end of the year could become just the sixth coach in NCAA Division I history to achieve 850 in a career. Gregory is also one of just five active coaches in women's volleyball history to coach at least 1,200 matches.
Stay in Touch With the Gauchos
UCSB players are frequently updating Gaucho fans about the team through the school's website - UCSBgauchos.com, or by clicking here. Defensive specialist Katie Ring will regularly write in her "Ring it On" blog and libero Chelsey Lowe provides constant Twitter updates. Follow her at twitter.com/ucsbvolleyball.
The Intercollegiate Athletics Ticket Office has two parking spaces adjacent to the building and is now open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., making it easier than ever for fans to purchase tickets. The two parking spots, designated specifically for the Ticket Office, are also available during weekday hours, which are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Gaucho Fund, launched as part of the Dare to Be Great strategic plan, is UCSB Athletics' annual giving program to provide vital funding support for scholarships, academic success and leadership development for Gaucho student-athletes. The Gaucho Fund is the anchor to the Dare to Be Great campaign.
GKids is the official kids club of UCSB Athletics. Members receive a free GKids t-shirt, free admittance to tons of Gaucho games, opportunities to be ball boys and girls at games, a special birthday greeting from Olie (the GKids mascot) and much, much more! For more information on GKids, or to become a member, please click here.


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It's rewarding for an author to be published. It's also rewarding for a teacher when a student succeeds.
February is proving doubly meaningful for emeritus professor Jack Ridl of the Hope College English faculty. Wayne State University Press is publishing not only his latest collection of poetry, "Practicing to Walk Like a Heron," but also a collection by one of his former students: "Earth Again," by 1998 Hope graduate Chris Dombrowski.
The conjunction is even providing opportunities to reunite. "We've already been invited to several places to read together as prof and student," said Ridl, who retired from Hope in 2006 after 35 years on the faculty.
Both writers have multiple publishing credits, including work published previously by Wayne State University Press, which released Ridl's "Broken Symmetry" in 2006 and Dombrowski's "By Cold Water" in 2009.
This time, though, they're even listed on facing pages in the publisher's catalog, each part of the "Made in Michigan Writers Series." Dombrowski noted that he is honored to have his latest collection appear at the same time as his mentor's work.
"He's one of the lasting and durable influences on my life, and I'm extremely grateful to have come into contact with him and have had his spirit in my life for so long," he said.
"I remember him being a friend to me even before I had him in class--he was my advisor from the time I arrived on campus," he said, describing Ridl as a master teacher whose guidance he's continued to value in the years since college as well. "He and his wife Julie would even host many of us at their home, and together cultivated a community that was extremely meaningful as we developed as writers."
"A great teacher's like a great song or a great poem: there's a density of inspiration," Dombrowski said. "The better a teacher is, the longer you remember the things they said or didn't say. If you're 15 years removed from sitting in someone's classroom, and you remember what they said on a given afternoon. That's pretty incredible."
Ridl, in turn, noted that Dombrowski made it easy.
"Chris was a writer immediately. I had no idea what in the world I could teach this guy," Ridl said. "At 18, he was writing rich poems that showed that he already knew the elements of the art. So, I just kept trying to get out of the way, and if he got in his own way, I'd shove him back on course. Chris was one of those rare students who help you to be a teacher."
The joint appearances prompted by the publication of their newest books won't be their first. Dombrowski and Ridl had also both participated in a reading together at Michigan State University in the spring of 2008.
In Ridl's collection, "Practicing to Walk Like a Heron," the familiar comforts of life—a warm fire in winter, a lush garden in summer—become the settings for transcendent and universal truths as moments of grief, sadness and melancholy trigger a deeper appreciation for small but important joys. Many of the poems take solace in nature—quiet deer outside in the woods, deep snow, a thrush's empty nest in the eaves—as well as man-made things in the world—a steamer trunk, glass jars, tea cups and books piled high by an easy chair.
"What a gift it is to have this impressive collection from Jack Ridl," poet Li-Young Lee has said. "Reading his poetry is like hearing from a neighbor who has lived his entire life with the most profound attention and care."
In "Earth Again," Dombrowski explores our connection to the environment and one another. While he writes from a number of points of view and employs both male and female speakers, much of the collection's insight centers around masculine identity and being a husband and father. Readers are challenged to consider spirituality alongside Scooby-Doo Band-aids, and to meditate on death after the mower has chewed up a plastic dinosaur.
"Memory should not be called knowledge, Keats wrote, and yet in Chris Dombrowski's patient hands, the memory of the natural world is knowledge indeed… Beautiful poems," said poet Ilya Kaminsky.
Ridl, who taught at Hope from 1971 until his retirement, is the author of several collections of poetry, and has also published more than 300 poems in journals and has work included in numerous anthologies. In addition, he has read his work and led workshops at colleges, universities, art colonies and other venues around the country.
He has received multiple awards for his previous collections of poetry. His 2009 collection "Losing Season" (CavanKerry Press) was named the 2009 "Sports Education Book of the Year" by the Institute for International Sport at the University of Rhode Island. The Society of Midland Authors named "Broken Symmetry" one of the two best volumes of poetry published in 2006. In 2001, his collection "Against Elegies" was chosen by U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins as the winner of the "Letterpress Chapbook Competition" sponsored by the Center for Book Arts of New York City. Ridl's other volumes include "The Same Ghost," "Between," "After School," "Poems from 'The Same Ghost' and 'Between,'" and "Outside the Center Ring."
In addition to his volumes of poetry, Ridl is co-author, with Hope colleague Peter Schakel, of two textbooks, "Approaching Poetry: Perspectives and Responses" and "Approaching Literature." They also co-edited two anthologies.
Ridl also received recognition both at Hope and beyond as a master teacher. In 1996, he was chosen Michigan's "Professor of the Year" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The college's graduating class presented him with the "Hope Outstanding Professor Educator" Award in 1976, and the student body elected him recipient of the "Favorite Faculty/Staff Member" Award in 2003. He was chosen by the graduating seniors to be the Commencement speaker in both 1975 and 1986.
More than 75 of Ridl's students are now published authors themselves.
The college's Visiting Writers Series, which he co-founded in 1982 with his wife Julie Garlinghouse Ridl, was named in his honor in 2006. In addition, Westminster College, from which he holds both his bachelor's and master's degrees, presented him with an "Alumni Citation Award" in September 2005.
Dombrowski read through the college's Jack Ridl Visiting Writers Series in September 2011, presenting the Tom Andrews Memorial Reading along with memoirist Mira Bartok, who had also been one of Ridl's students at Hope.
In addition to "Earth Again" and "By Cold Water," Dombrowski is the author of two chapbooks of poetry, "Fragments with Dusk in Them" and "September Miniatures with Blood and Mars." His poems have appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies, including "Beloit Poetry Journal," "Crazyhorse," "Gulf Coast," "Making Poems," "Michigan Quarterly Review" and "Poetry."
His awards include the Associated Writing Programs' Intro Award, Alligator Juniper's National Poetry Prize and a writing fellowship from the UCross Foundation. In addition, "By Cold Water" was a finalist for "ForeWord Magazine's" "Poetry Book of the Year award.
Dombrowski majored in English at Hope, and completed a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing at the University of Montana. He currently teaches at Interlochen Center for the Arts, and, with his family, divides his time between Michigan and Montana.