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The following is a translation of an article by Juan Torres López, economist and scientific adviser to ATTAC. It was written in the run-up to the recent general elections in Spain, in which an absolute majority in parliament was won by the right-wing Partido Popular, even though they only received one third of the overall vote. It was not some great leap to the right on the part of the electorate that produced the Partido Popular victory, but the massive haemorrhage of votes from the PSOE. The latter translates as Spanish Socialist Workers Party. Of course, it bears no resemblance to parties in other countries with similar names. The outlook of this party can be exemplified by recent declarations of one of its grandees, who said, following the disastrous election results, that the party ought to move in the direction of one of the letters in its acronym (PSOE): the 'E' for España, signalling a sort of Blue Labour a la española.
Izquierda Unida, the main party of the left that opposed the neo-liberal politics of the two main parties, running with slogans such as 'Markets or democracy. You choose' only won around 12% of the PSOE vote. How, then, in light of the fact of a mass irruption of street politics in the form of the 15-M that refuses the legitimacy of parliamentary representation altogether, can traditional left forces operate as a significant countervailing force against neo-liberal capitalism?
This is what Torres's piece, originally published in Mémoire des luttes, seeks to explore. He advocates left forces participating the broadest front possible, uniting all 'the underdogs' (los de abajo), and claims that if all left forces do is talk to each other, and seek refuge in abstract ideas and terminology that are alien to everyday people, they will sink into irrelevance.
Six items for rebuilding the left
The present context – a social and economic crisis of huge proportions- ought to be, objectively and electorally, favourable for the left. And yet it is not. Particularly in Spain, where the polls predict a victory for the right in the general elections of the 20th of November. How do we explain that the greatest calamity in a century for conservative economic theses should coincide with the failure of the left? What should the latter do to rebuild itself?
The period of financial and social turbulence we are living through reveals many shortfalls and frustrations. We can say, as even the conservative leaders recognise, that the capitalist system is showing a failure of extraordinary intensity. One could even talk about historic breakdown. Thirty five thousand deaths every day from hunger and the international financial system on the verge of a generalised bankruptcy would be enough of an argument to support this claim.
Yet, at the same time, it is impossible to avoid acknowledging that there has been a parallel failure in the organisations of the traditional left and of alternative movements, when it has come to resolving the crisis with a substantial advance towards overcoming capitalism and towards a greater empowerment among the working classes and, in general, among the suffering population.
It is true that this failure's origin stems from a large scale attack by the forces of capital, which had no problem ending the lives of thousands of people in order to circumvent any hint of social change that might harm the great financial, economic and media powers. And the defeat of left forces is down, in large part, to the highly anti-democratic forms used by the neoliberal capitalism of our age.
And it is also true that there has not been a total failure, if one bears in mind that the way the crisis is being resolved is lifting a wave of outrage across the planet, a rebellion that makes itself felt with ever greater force, and which may be the starting point of a new space for social struggle and political subjects of a new type, with a greater capacity to drive change, as with the 15-M movement in Spain.
But, at the same time, it is obvious that the latter are still in a very embryonic phase and, at the moment, are not able to generate the necessary force to either put a halt to the forward march of neoliberal capitalism, or to build a desired alternative, credible enough for the ruling powers to fear it.
For this reason, it is unjustified to continue acting from the ranks of the left as if nothing had happened, at a remove from the effective impotence that the left suffers from when it comes to proposing alternatives, to making these alternatives attractive for majorities in society, and to stopping the continued attacks on welfare, democracy, and freedom that are being conducted.
This failure of the left is not only a matter of temporary circumstances. It is the culmination of a series of very serious historical deficiencies and limitations in the discourse and practice that different sensibilities on the left have been adopting.
These limitations can be resumed in one main effect: the inability to influence the conditions that generate hegemony and social consensus. And this is for numerous reasons.
First of all: the discourses of the left are still based on intellectual and formal categories that no longer fit in with the codes society uses to perceive social phenomena. It may be true that this corresponds to an impoverishment in ways of analysing the world and a banalisation of codes of perception and socialisation, but the reality is that the terminology, tones, forms and icons of the more or less conventional lefts do not fit in today with the dominant language in our societies. The proof of this can be found in that, while more traditional organisations adhering to this type of discourse become more distant from the population, others with a more open character, with a more plural expression and a less nominalised language –such as ATTAC or other associations and movements of this type, such as the recent Democracia Real Ya, within the 15-M- are capable to deploy far more influence and capacity to convince and even to mobilise society.
Though it might be true that this phenomenon is the result of unfair attacks, of demonization by large media institutions, it is also true that the old iconography of flags, of hammers and sickles, of discourses of the vast categories of social mechanics of the 19th century no longer allow for conmprehension and empathy between the left forces that take refuge in them and the everyday people to whom they seek to appeal.
In particular, traditional left forces seem to be focused on seeing social changes as produced through the action of collective impersonal subjects (the 'working class', the 'proletariat') without realising that although class is becoming ever more clear-cut and real, changes are not carried out by sociological categorie,s but by people.
Secondly, left forces lack humanity, in the broadest sense of the word: looking people in the eyes and talking to them, clashing with them (as happened, by the way, at all milestones for organised worker movements), enjoying and suffering with them, instead of speaking to them to call them to action from the (false) assuredness that they know their destinies and how they might be conquered. In other words, becoming accomplices, not giving orders.
Nearly all left forces are anchored moreover in maximalist discourses that the majority of people today consider completely outdated, as a consequence of a sort of cognitive dissonance between their respective ways of seeing the nature of social issues and even in the ways of expressing them verbally.
Thirdly, the left has proven incapable of coping with diversity, even its own internal diversity. It is still linked to purges, Cainite battles, divisions, splits, and all kind of ruptures. This is not a coincidence but a consequence of what I have outlined above. Each left sensibility believes itself the owner of the keys for interpreting what is happening in the world and how to fix it. Social democracy is 'betrayal' for those who are to its left, but the traditional communist left is 'reformist' to the left that believes itself more anticapitalist, and the latter sits perfectly alongside the previous one, according to anarchists or autonomists, and so on. A pathology that, in turn, is reproduced within each one, as any observer of what is going on in the left can see, even from a distance.
This results in not only a lack of sympathy from society towards those who behave in this way, but also in a visceral disunity. This prevents the responses to the assaults by capital from being effective.
It is a question of a heavy inheritance that continues to make the left get carried away by the mechanicism that becomes totalitarianism when it unfolds amid anything that has to do with the distribution of power (however insignificant this might be). Not only at the operational level, or that of actions, but in agreement over basic questions, where it is incredible that they have not been resolved by common accord: the role of presence in institutions, of work within unions, and so on.
Fourthly, the left pays very dearly for its inability to present to society what it has to offer, to get across in some way the type of world it wishes to reach. Apart from very exceptional cases, and very worthy ones for precisely that, and above all in processes led by experiences of popular participation rather than the traditional left, we barely have any experiences of new forms of economic, financial, social, urban organisation..apart from cases, I repeat, that are very unique and exceptional. This is very different to what happened in the first steps of organised worker movements when there was a creation of co-operatives, highly visible bonds of personal and social solidarity, and experiences of life in common that allowed workers to realise that it was worth it to opt for another way of living and acting.
All the above relates in some way to the contempt for formative activities, for the scant importance given to intellectual consistency in left militancy. It is as significant as it is lamentable that there are no experiences of schools, of combined seminars, of shared communications media, from magazines…of the left. The important question then, is to reflect on whether these deficiencies can be overcome.
This will not be an easy task because there are many dimensions involved in the problem, and many people and organisations, but it is a matter of a challenge the different currents and sensibilities of the left must face if they do not wish to disappear and turn into relics of bygone eras.
The first requirement is to take on board that this task requires a gigantic and sincere effort at convergence. It is essential to unite forces and bring about a rapprochement in analysis of the situation and proposals. We must overcome fragmentation, self-absorption and being content with occupying one's own unassailable trench with regard to abstract principles that are more and more empty of any content.
The second requirement – to give priority to the broadest social mobilisation possible. The rule of neoliberal capitalism is unfortunately extraordinarily aggressive, but the advantage, from the point of view of confronting it, is that it affects very broad social classes and strata, many of these distant from the spaces with which the left has been traditionally associated.
To address only people on the left, to appeal exclusively to left unity, may be a prerequisite but not a final objective because this would be to limit oneself to mobilising a near negligible percentage of society. It is a matter, rather, of acting as catalysts of the broadest possible social response, of all the "underdogs" [the phrase used here is 'los de abajo', literally, those below. However there is a famous Mexican Revolution novel by Mariano Azuela titled Los de Abajo, which is translated in English as 'The Underdogs'. I have no idea if this is the intended reference]. Bearing in mind that the attacks of neoliberalism are not only carried out against the working classes but also against small and medium business owners, self employed and professionals, passive classes, young people, retired people, women, irrespective of ideology and even social position.
It is necessary therefore that left forces recover their ability to communicate with society and that they do not simply talk among themselves, that they recover the human sense of political life, that they humanise their speech, emptying it of nominalist categories and filling it with fraternity, feelings and closeness to people who do not necessarily share –nor will they ever share- codes of thought and language.
The left, moreover, must realise that it is impossible to produce social changes only with their own partisans or faithful, or playing the match 'at home'. It must make do with whatever it has at any given moment, in opposition to a large part of society that cannot be made disappear, and moving constantly against the current. To realise that one is acting in a complex world, and to learn how to act in these conditions is the great task ahead for the left, without which it is impossible for their proposals for change to succeed.
If the left moves along these lines of convergence and empathy with society it will be able to tackle other steps that are needed to break the system of domination in which we find ourselves; breaking its legitimation, blowing apart the basic consensus points of neoliberalism, showing that its institutions do not work, and presenting society with new alternatives.
The movements of 'indignados' and of the 15-M show that there are many people prepared to confront the challenge of thinking and speaking differently to society in order to unveil and combat injustices and exploitation. They will do this with or without the traditional left forces. So the latter would be better off catching up, casting off their old garments and getting involved, with intelligence and humility, in the new spaces of contemporary politics.


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SC notice on plea seeking SIT probe into Sunanda Pushkar's death
The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Delhi police among others on a petition that sought an SIT probe into the death of Sunanda Pushkar. The court however said that it was leaving the issue relating to the maintainability open.
The court was hearing a petition filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. On 26 October, the Delhi high court had dismissed Swamy's plea on grounds that it was perhaps a textbook example of political interest litigation being dressed up as a public interest litigation.
Swamy had moved the Delhi high court in July last year seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)-monitored SIT (Special Investigation Team) investigation into the alleged murder of Sunanda Pushkar, who was found dead in a south Delhi hotel room in 2014 in mysterious circumstances.
The petition had alleged that Tharoor, along with fellow Congress leader and former Union health minister and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, tried to "mislead" the investigators, and pressurise the head of the forensic department at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences to give a favourable autopsy report.
The Bench said that they would have to be satisfied on the maintainability of the petition before they could start hearing the case on merits.
OneIndia News

subset: commoncrawl


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The Battle to Read Deeply
You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them. Ray Bradbury said that in 1994, several years before the proliferation ... Read More
By Andrew Peterson •
Walt Wangerin, Jr. strikes again.
Several people in the last few weeks have commented to me about how glad they are that they discovered Wangerin's The Book of the Dun Cow here in the Rabbit Room. It really is a remarkable book, and I still can't recommend it highly enough. It won the prestigious National Book Award when it was first published in 1978, and was only the beginning of Wangerin's career.
I just stumbled on his most recent novel, Saint Julian, and was so captured by it that it bumped aside the other four books I'm reading. Last Sunday afternoon–a perfect Spring day–I sat on my front porch swing and read the last half of the book, savoring the careful prose, the pastoral tone, and even the look and feel of the book itself. The cover illustration fits the epic, vivid quality of the story perfectly, and the fonts (I'm a sucker for a great font) added just the right atmosphere.
Saint Julian is a re-telling of the ancient legend of the saint who was cursed with the prophecy that he would one day be the instrument of his parents' death. Julian flees his home for love of his parents and embarks on a journey into war, loneliness, love, and of course, redemption. That this is a saint's tale implies that redemption is coming, but the road Julian takes before it ambushes him is long and heartbreaking, making it that much sweeter when it comes. It's dark, but this book was written with such talent, with such a strong, gentle hand, that I never felt anything but that this story was going to pull me close to the memory of God's faithful mercy in my own life.
Eugene Peterson said of this book:
"Walter Wangerin's storytelling never fails to take us into a world resonant with salvation meanings. With Saint Julian, the worst of which we are capable becomes stuff for the best that God can achieve with us. We read and realize, 'Why, yes–even I could become a saint.'"
John Wilson, editor of Books & Culture:
"Saint Julian isn't a 'historical novel,' nor is it a fable, but rather an act of literary sorcery–white magic, to be sure–whereby a medieval tale speaks to our present moment with a force like the ringing of a great bell."
Walt Wangerin, though thirty years older now and sick with cancer, is still writing words that dance and whirl and fling color across the canvas of imagination; he is serving Christ with the gift of his pen; he is loving us with the stories he is writing. And because of the nature of stories, and words, and books, people will be blessed by the work of his hands for many, many years.
I write this wondering if Walt will stumble on these words, and hope that if he does he finds encouragement here.
As a singer-songwriter and recording artist, Andrew has released more than ten records over the past fifteen years. His music has earned him a reputation for writing songs that connect with his listeners in ways equally powerful, poetic, and intimate. He has also followed his gifts into the realm of publishing. His books include the four volumes of the award-winning Wingfeather Saga.
This particular book, Saint Julian, didn't click with me as much as I had hoped. It seemed very dark at times, but maybe that is because it was meant to reflect our spiritual state prior to God reaching down and plucking us out of our misery. A mirror can be a hard thing to look into.
Thanks for highlighting Walter's work. I first ran across his "The Ragman, The Ragman, The Christ" short story as a new Christian in the early 80's, and I still weep when I read it.
Thanks Andrew! I can't wait to check out this book. I've been such a fan of Wangerin's for years, beginning when I, too, first read The Ragman.
I think you summed his work up best when you say that he is loving us with the stories he tells. I do feel very loved when I close one of his books, like he has gently shepherded me.
Thanks Andrew. "[Writing] words that dance and whirl and fling color across the canvas of imagination" — I loved that line. I'm starting with The Book of the Dun Cow first and will work out from there.
I own this book – I got a sweet deal at Half Price Books, but I haven't read it yet. I really want to!
Yeh, so I finished the book this morning. Really loved it. It still has me thinking. I am in a book club of sorts with a friend of mine. This is our second book to read. I am looking forward to the discussion. I want to buy an axe now and a crossbow.
I started reading this book on Thursday, got sidetracked by tornadoes, and just got back to it last night around 9:30 or 10:00. Finished in the wee hours of the morning.
I want to say thanks for introducing me to this author. I had never read any of his work, and don't know if I would have otherwise. And that would have been a shame, because the two books I have read are amazing. The stories aren't all that complex, but they are told in such an intense and moving way. I have been thinking about mercy and grace all day. This book really gave me a different perspective on them. In some ways it reminded me of Ted Dekker's book, Black. It had that kind of "other-worldly" feel to it, and the intense emotions. I want to start right over and read Saint Julian again, and I must find Wangerin's other books.
Anything by Walter Wangerin has my stamp of approval; Book of the Dun Cow slays me. It also makes me say, "What the hell is the point of ME trying to write anything." I usually almost give up on writing when I read a Wangerine book. There's incredible latent strength in his prose .
Hurts so good!
I read Saint Julian in preparation for Hutchmoot. As Walt told us stories on Saturday night, I was reminded of many passages in Julian that were so bold, painful, and beautiful at the same time and marveled at the great storyteller who kept us spellbound for a rapid hour and a half. It was like having the Apostle John drop in for an evening and then get in his car and drive back to Glory. That may be an overstatement, but still . . .
If you have a Rabbit Room account, log in here to comment.


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Map: Milwaukee, southeastern Wisconsin farmers markets
Farmer's Wife chicken pot pie just like mom'sThe from-scratch chicken pot pie at The Farmer's Wife restaurant is topped with puff pastry. At home you can use a rotisserie chicken if you like.
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- Home and Garden
- June 26, 2016 @ 3 a.m. CDT
Milwaukee's 1st St. Patrick's Day parade had tangled motivesThe parade held on March 17, 1843, was part civic boosterism and part temperance rally.
- Green Sheet
- March 14, 2017 @ 8:21 a.m. CDT
Hosting a formal dinner partyThe bread basket is passed around the table.
- Parties
- March 7, 2017 @ 4:41 p.m. CST
The dinner party livesWhat ever happened to the formal dinner party? The kind featuring good china, candles, fine food, refined manners and all the rest?
- Food
- March 9, 2017 @ 3:18 p.m. CST


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Scientists image bleeding hearts for first timeJanuary 19th, 2009 - 3:59 pm ICT by IANS
London, Jan 19 (IANS) A new scan has helped scientists image bleeding within the heart for the first time after a cardiac attack. The research shows that the amount of bleeding can indicate how damaged a person's heart is after the event.
Researchers from the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre at Imperial College London, hope that this kind of imaging used with other tests will create a fuller picture of a patient's condition and their chances of recovery.
People suffer heart attacks when an artery that feeds blood to the heart becomes blocked, depriving the heart muscle of oxygen. Currently, most people treated for a heart attack are fitted with a metal tube called a stent to keep the blocked artery clear.
Recent research has shown that some people experience bleeding inside the heart muscle once blood starts to pump into it again. However, the significance of this bleeding is currently not understood.
For the study, researchers captured images of bleeding inside the heart in 15 patients from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust who had recently suffered a heart attack, using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
Analysis of the MRI scans revealed that the amount of bleeding correlated with how much damage the heart muscle had sustained.
Patients who had suffered a large heart attack, where a lot of the heart muscle was damaged, had a lot of bleeding into the heart muscle compared with those whose heart attack was relatively small.
The researchers were able to detect the area of bleeding because of the magnetic effects of iron, which is present in the blood, said an Imperial College release.
The study was published on Monday in Radiology.
Tags: bleeding hearts, cardiac attack, clinical sciences centre, healthcare nhs trust, heart attack, heart attacks, heart muscle, imperial college london, jan 19, london jan, magnetic effects, magnetic resonance imaging, metal tube, mrc clinical sciences centre, mri analysis, oxygen, radiology, stent, study researchers, using magnetic resonance imaging


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Join Mary Kathryn McIntosh for this fun workshop! Attendees will learn the history and tradition of making and sending valentine cards and be able to make their own vintage valentines to take home. Authentic valentines from her private collection will be on display.
The format for this two-hour workshop includes a short lecture about the history of valentines followed by workshop time. Participants receives a generous kit especially prepared by Mary Kathryn from sources both here and abroad to create a minimum of three valentines. Sample Victorian verse is included as well. Participants must bring their own pointed scissors.
Bring a friend and enjoy making beautiful valentine cards for your home or to send as a special treat. A wonderful catered lunch is included in the fee for $75.00.
Our facilitator, Mary Kathryn McIntosh, is a College of William and Mary graduate who presents both lectures and workshops on early Christmas and Valentine history. Mary Kathryn founded Lynchburg Historic Tours in 2007. She is active in The Golden Glow of Christmas Past, an international organization devoted to the collecting and study of early Christmas memorabilia.
Cancellation Policy: No refunds will be given to registrants that are cancelling 7 days or fewer from the day of the event.


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The Horatio Nelson Collection
The Horatio Nelson range takes inspiration from the British naval commander's great feats. Celebrating his life, and that of his greatest love, Emma Hamilton, Onoto have created these limited edition pens.
The Story
Both The Horatio Nelson and The Emma Hamilton are crafted with fine detailing and with Victory Silver® retrieved from HMS Victory establishing a unique link with history.


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Forty Millenniums Of Cultivation - Chapter 63
Over a hundred competitors were still noisy and in disorder within the Red Team's communication channel. Each of them vented at, insulted, and complained at each other;it was extremely chaotic just like the clamouring noise of a market.
The sound of the giant explosion coming from the center of Devil Dragon Island intimidated them all simultaneously into silence. No one spoke a word for a long time.
Only after a long time had past did a lazy-sounding voice sound out:
''I've already 'beheaded' the Blue Team's commander. The entire command center has been bombarded to the skies! Right now they're like a flock of dragons without a leader. It's a great opportunity!''
''What y'all must do next is very simple. You don't need to assemble, don't need to form squads, don't need to cooperate. All you need to do is tear your throat screaming the words 'Gao Ye's dead! The Red Team shall prevail!' Scream as if you're a pig about to be slaughtered. Then wave your giant swords crazily and slaughter all in your path. And that will be fine. Understand everyone?''
''Who are you? Why should we believe your words!?'' It was silent for a moment, until someone who was unconvinced had spoken.
''It's up to you if you want to believe me. Anyway, I'm going to go mow some grass. Everyone do as you please~. It's best if you just stay where you're at and not move. Let me take all the points alone. Hahahaha. Gao Ye's dead! The Red Team shall prevail! Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die!''
A pig-slaughtering howl came from the communication channel. From the incomparably arrogant laughter, everyone could imagine this certain fellow heaving a Chainsword to go around chopping down people in a mad slaughter, harvesting all the 'heads' he wishes.
''Look, the opposing Blue Team is acting a bit strangely. They haven't made a movement in a while. It's like they've gone retarded!''
Two Red Team competitors whispered in each others ear at the corner of Devil Dragon Island.
''Damn it! It'll be a dead end if we keep being suppressed like this as the battle goes on!! F*k it! Gao Ye's Dead! The Red Team shall prevail!''
Two Red Team competitors hardened their hearts. They heaved their giant swords and charged over, like hungry wolves throwing themselves at lambs. They blazed and collided with the Blue Team's combat unit!
''Gao Ye's Dead! The Red Team shall prevail!''
''Gao Ye's Dead! The Red Team shall prevail!''
''Gao Ye's Dead! The Red Team shall prevail!''
Berserk battle howls rang simultaneously from far and near on Devil Dragon Island.
The Blue Team competitors just found out the news of the instant annihilation of their entire command center by the enemy through their communication channel. They were shocked into panic from this astonishing news and were caught off guard by the crazed assault of the devils and fiends that is the Red Team competitors. Their ears were filled with the Red Team's hellish demonic howls. They were completely unable to bring forth the least bit of intention to fight!
At first the scales of victory were completely slanted towards the Blue Team. No one ever thought that Li Yao would take this scale and kick it to crap. The remaining Blue Team and Red Team competitors all sank into the ugliest, the most entangled, the most pestering of chaotic melees.
And relying on their high morale and excitement from this miraculous reversal, the Red Team actually began to hold the upper hand !
On the Distant Expanse, both inside and outside of the monitoring center was absolute silence. Everyone was dumbstruck. They were all completely shocked from the brilliant performance that Li Yao had demonstrated just an hour ago.
In the beginning he had killed four scout groups of the Blue Team in succession. Then he purposely showed himself in front of the new Blue Team scout group. Then he tailed Helian Lie and company, infiltrating the Blue Team's command center in utmost secrecy. And he even laid in wait in the command center in the branches above for an entire half an hour. Lastly he continued with two consecutive attacks to distract all the Blue Team members' attention. Upon success, he set up the explosive pack inside the Blue Team's command center. After he safely evacuated the area, he blew the Blue Team's entire command center up in the sky.
This was absolutely a brilliant, outstanding, smooth, textbook-like, and classic 'Beheading Operation!'
And from initial planning to actual execution, it was all actually done solely by Li Yao!
''Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh!''
Several dozen names suddenly faded from the ranking board. And Li Yao's name was rising like crazy! Moving like a hurricane!
This was due to the sudden ''explosive death'' of several dozen Blue Team commanders and powerful members. An astronomical number of points had rushed to Li Yao. He directly blitzkrieged his way through to the number one ranking like a hot knife through butter. And his total points was actually ten times greater than that of second place!
In the history of the Limit Challenge Competition this was an unprecedented high score!
''Amazing. He's too amazing! Let's just focus on the efforts he made to increase the explosive power of his bomb. He filled the pack with rocks, metal artifact parts, and sharp Fiend Beast bones to increase the power of the bomb by ten times! This is something absolutely an experienced military veteran would do! Our Federation's First Military College will want talent as great as this! Who dares fight over him with us!?''
After a short few seconds of reticence, a straightforward howl had broken the silence in the monitoring center. Soon every scout was discussing lively and bellowing simultaneously.
''On what grounds? This kind of genius should belong to our Star Nebula University!''
''Our Empyrean Capital School of Medicine also needs this type of young talent. I've already prepared a special enrollment for him. Your move!''
''Hmph! Special enrollment is nothing special. Our Star Nebula University can offer him an enormous scholarship in addition!''
Countless cultivators had flushed-red faces and ears from vying for Li Yao. The scene was fiery to the extreme.
Only Xie Tingxian was smiling without a word in the corner, keeping a cool head in this tense situation. He held a victory contract calmly in his hands.
And sitting not too far away from him was Ding Lingdang firmly biting her lip. She walked to and fro fretfully and worried. She was like a bound female dragon that could erupt in flames at any moment,
''This kid. Why the hell is he bringing out such an outstanding performance? It's over It's over. With this many schools wanting to give him special enrollment, this kid certainly won't choose our Grand Desolate War Institution! Can it be that I need to knock him out and directly carry him back to Grand Desolate?''
''Ding Lingdang frowned and thought seriously for a second. Then she shook her head, rejecting this plan. ''I can't. With my fist being this powerful, what if I kill him with a single punch?''
In the hallway outside the monitoring center, Li Yao's gorgeous performance set off even more stormy waves.
It seemed as if all the youths were shocked to the max. Quite a few of them rubbed their eyes with force. They did not dare to believe everything they've seen. Some people even let out strange cries:
''Mother of god! One person flattened the entire Blue Team's command center? Isn't this way too abnormal?''
''An evildoer. He's one hundred percent an evildoer. He's really way too dreadful!''
''Where did this monster come from? Floating Spear City? I've never heard of such an expert in Floating Spear City. I've only heard of Helian Lie and a Zheng Dongming. I never thought that even Helian Lie wasn't able to withstand him and was directly screwed!''
''What a fearsome fellow. He must have come from some cultivator family. Compared to us ordinary rich and powerful kids, we're not of the same world! We're no match for him!''
Right when these competitors were wagging their tongues spiritedly, the ejected competitors of the Blue Team command center members, who had just been blown to ''death'' by Li Yao, also returned to the Distant Expanse. The entered the spectator area with faces filled with bewilderment.
Suddenly, they were surrounded in an impenetrable circle by the two thousand competitors.
In an instant they, especially Gao Ye and Helian Lie, turned into the focus of attention of a great many people.
''Gao Ye. You've always been the pride of our East Harmony City. Everyone knows you to be a commander genius. I never thought you would actually be toyed and 'beheaded' by the enemy. You okay? How do you feel?'' A person asked from within a crowd in a voice dripping with sarcasm.
Gao Ye faintly chuckled. Not even a trace of the prior defeat remained on his face. He spoke calmly and peacefully:
''It's really pleasant. Really. To be able to meet such an amazing opponent who made me realize that my own commander skills are too infantile. To know that I still have great room for improvement. If we encounter each other next time, I certainly won't make the same mistake. I will absolutely hunt this Li Yao immediately!''
He paused a bit and looked around him in a circle. Gao Ye's eyes finally focused on Li Yao's figure within the giant hologram. He observed Li Yao for a long time before he spoke with complete seriousness:
''However, I wish even more to fight side-to-side with Li Yao on the battlefield against Fiend Beasts. I even can create several dozen different tactics with him being the core. I am confident that as long as we work together, with my commander abilities combined with his individual combat capability... Needless to say of high level Fiend Beasts, even if it's the King of the Fiend Race... Those powerful Fiend Generals, Fiend Kings, and even Fiend Gods... They won't be able to escape the palm of our hand!''


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Marie Talnack Leads SBIR Phase II Workshop – June 20th, Los Angeles
Success with winning SBIR/STTR grants is a directly related to the quality of the proposed research and ability to stand-out from other applications. This Phase II Workshop will cover the particulars of Phase II grants and focus on preparation of the Commercialization Plan – a key component of the proposal. And this workshop will feature live presentations from NSF SBIR Program Director Dr. Ben Schrag and Frank Barros, SBIR Program Analyst from DHS.
Marie Talnack's career in technology transfer and business development has spanned over 25 years since the SBIR and STTR programs were first established. She has worked at four research universities and two national research laboratories as well as her own consulting firm established in 1991. Working with more than 300 companies, she has assisted in the development of over 500 technical proposals and grants which have been leveraged into $60 million in private capital funding. She is a winner of the SBA and National Science Foundation's Tibbetts SBIR Advocate of the Year award and holds a Doctorate in Science and Technology Policy from the University of Southern California, MBA in Finance and Marketing, and Masters in International Management.
What: SBIR Phase II Workshop with emphasis on the Commercialization Plan
Where: PortTech Los Angeles Training Center, 302 W. 5th Street, Ste 203, San Pedro, CA. 90731
When: June 20th, 2013, 9 AM – 3 PM
Cost: $225 per person with significant discounts for teams.
Register: Please call PortTech Los Angeles at 310.519.1801
Seating for this workshop is limited to make sure that the participants get their questions and concerns addressed directly. Advanced registration is required.


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Summer Swim Lessons With My Toddler
Ryan turned 3 and it was time to get him out of floaties and swimming on his own! He recently completed his first set of swim lessons with Swimming Success and I'm so happy with the results!
The main reason we signed Ryan up for swim lessons was for his safety in and by the pool. We don't have a pool at our home, but we do have a jacuzzi. Even though it's situated on our gazebo, which is closed off by a gate, I want to know that in the off chance that the door is mistakenly left open by our gardener or one of us, Ryan will be safe should he ever accidentally fall in. Scary to even think about!
We're also planning a family trip to Hawaii this summer.. so I'll feel a lot more comfortable knowing at least one of my babies is "pool safe."
Note: Swimming Success may be a sponsor and the products featured in this article may contain affiliate links, but the opinions are my own and I'd recommend them to you anyway!
About Swimming Success
I wanted to share a little more about Swimming Success before I get into my journal of Ryan's swim classes. Firstly, I have to mention how kind and professional everyone on the team is. That was apparent right from the start with our first phone call to schedule classes.
Owner and teacher of the swim school Karalynne was trained 27 years ago in a Swedish swim method and over the years she implemented other techniques to create her own renowned Swimming Success method that gets kids swimming in just 8 days! All of the swim teachers at Swimming Success have to have been on a swim team or had equivalent swim training, taught children before, and trained in the Swimming Success method.
We loved our instructor, Nate, but also love knowing we have a pool of excellent instructors to work with for refresher classes should Nate ever not be available.
Why this method is successful:
Because the lessons are private, the instructor can move at the individual's pace and get them through as many of the 100 skills as possible. The instructor can tailor their focus or personality towards the kid's needs.
Because it's 8 days of instruction close together, the child can learn new skills each day. When it's a once a week program, the instructor has to spend time reviewing what the kids learned the previous week rather than learning new skills.
Because this method is one of persistence and firmness with the kids, but patience and fun at the same time. With this method, the children work hard their entire lesson while having fun. In the end, the parents can expect to see great results.
Believe it or not, the best age to enroll kids is 3 years old. At 3, they can be swimming and water safe in 8 days. Being a busy mama, I love that the commitment is short and sweet!
Swimming Success offers classes all over LA and will also come to your private residence if that is preferred.
Swim Class Essentials
Here are a few necessities that you'll want to have before heading out for your child's first swim class:
The most important thing.. swim trunks. I love the cute styles that Gap has available. Ryan was styling in his shark print swim trunks.
I like to keep my little guy's upper body protected from sunburn with a rash guard.
I love these Native slip on sneakers for pool time, the beach, and when the boys need something to protect their feet when they'd rather be barefoot.
SUNSCREEN! You know which one is my fave!
These little Ray-Ban sunglasses are perfect for summer and protecting those precious eyes.
What's In My #happymom Tote
When you're a mama it's always important to be prepared. My #happymom tote was perfect to bring with me to every class. It's lightweight and able to hold all of the must-haves.
Snacks: When learning to swim kids use up a lot of energy. I made sure to pack a banana or bar for Ryan to snack on after class as well as his water bottle to keep him hydrated throughout the session.
Towels: I bring not one but TWO towels.. It's good to have one ready to go for when your little one comes out the pool for a hug after the lesson... and then, that one's drenched... which is why you need towel #2.
Wet Bag: The Bumkins Reusable Waterproof Wet Bag has been a life saver hands down. I put Ryan's wet swimwear in right after he gets out of the pool and don't have to worry about everything else in my tote getting soaked.
Clothes: A change of clothes is a must for after drying off.
My Swim Journal
There were many ups and downs, but Ryan was a great sport through it all. Even though he was quite nervous a lot of the time during lessons, his instructor, Nate, was there to support him 100% of the time.
Here's my daily journal chronicling Ryan's experience every step of the way:
Day 1: Intro to Swim
Ryan just completed his first day of swim school!!! His instructor Nate made it super fun for him, you could tell Nate had a ton of experience working with kids Ryan's age.
As you can guess, Ryan was a little reluctant at first to get in the water and he did shed some tears (and screams for mommy), BUT there were a lot of laughs and happy moments too. Nate reassured me this was completely normal.
He got to swim around with a rubber ducky which made it super fun for him. He also learned to kick and float on his back in a starfish position with Nate's help. And he went around the pool while holding the wall... what the swim school calls "going on the bunny trail".
Of course the whole time he was enticed by a plate of lollipops waiting for him. We told him that if he finished his lesson successfully that he'd get a lollipop… sure enough day 1 was successful, he did amazing, and he enjoyed his lollipop. We can't wait to experience day 2 with Nate tomorrow.
Day 2: Head Under Water
So today swim class was tougher on Ryan and me as I watched from the sidelines. He didn't even want rubber ducky to swim with today. The little guy had a tough time going underwater. It was tough for Ryan to grasp, but Nate said that's completely normal especially for his age. Kids start to realize pretty quickly that it doesn't feel too good to swallow water and they get tummy aches later on from it and they figure out how to handle being underwater.
Nate worked on blowing bubbles underwater with Ryan while keeping their mouths shut. Semms like a lot for a 3-year-old to comprehend right?! Somehow he figured it out.
Ryan practiced using his hands to walk alongside the rim of the pool, kicked and practiced his arms and swimming forward in the pool, and practiced the starfish floating pose again.
In the end, he was happy, but he was done with it. He made a mad dash to his warm towel and lollipop at the end of class.
Day 3: Practice Makes Perfect
Ryan was reluctant to go to swim class today… he cried and hid under the dining room table. I think it's because he remembered how his head went under the water on day 2 and he didn't want to do that again because it was scary for him.
With Daddy's help, we got him in the car and we were on our way. Through his tears, we had a little pep talk about how awesome class was going to be… how much fun he was going to have… and most important, how great he was doing.
I kinda bribed him a little too. One thing that got him through the first two days was getting a lollipop at the end of class. I said to him, what if today we asked Nate to give you two lollipops at the end of class? He immediately stopped crying when he heard me say that and in his sweet little voice he said, yeah can we do that. I told him on order to get the lollipops that he couldn't cry during class and needed to follow directions. I was so proud, he barely cried, it was more like moments of nervousness.
He did the sweetest thing that I'll never forget… it was in the middle of class when Nate was praising him for not getting water in his mouth, and Ryan asked, "can I give mama a kiss?" Of course, I couldn't resist.
Although the day started out rough, he had a great day 3, there were lots of high fives.
Day 4: Take the Jump
We just completed a fun day at swim class with Nate from Swimming Success! Ryan was still a little bit reluctant to go to class today, but he was amazing once he got into the pool.
He had so much fun with it today. He did a lot of the same things… underwater swimming with Nate's help, walking with his hands along the rim of the pool, and floating like a starfish on his back. He did have a few crying moments today, especially when he first learned that he would be jumping in and swimming to Nate alone. I'm super proud of him... he faced his fears, jumped in, put his head under the water, and swam by himself for a couple of seconds until he reached Nate.
Ryan got a special lollipop from Nate at the end of class today because he was extra good. I think that made Ryan bond with Nate a little more. He even gave Nate a sweet hug today before he left, it was super sweet. Day 4 is complete and he is making great progress thanks to the Swimming Success method!
Day 5: Solo Swim
We just finished swimming success day 5 and Ryan had an awesome day today! We celebrated with some cheeseburgers from In-N-Out Burger!
Although Ryan did cry a lot, I did see him swim a ton by himself to Nate with very little help today. It was super special to see. He would swim all the way to Nate in the center of the pool and back. and climb out by himself. That right there was the reason I signed him up for swim school. I want to know that if he falls into a pool or jacuzzi that he could swim to the wall by himself and be safe.
In addition to swimming far distances by himself under water and making it to his instructor Nate on his own, Ryan also jumped in today, did his bunny walk alongside the rim of the pool, and did his floating starfish.
Instead of leaning his head on Nate's shoulder for the floating starfish, Nate put his hand under Ryan's back and that freaked him out a bit. He cried a lot of the class and I think it was because he had to do a lot more unassisted swimming which scared him. He told Nate a few times that he was going too far because Ryan wanted to know that he could reach Nate with his hands if he needed to.
I'm super happy with what I'm seeing with Swimming Success and can't want to see him progress even further. We're going into the weekend so Ryan will have completed 5 lessons, will have a break over the weekend and will have 3 consecutive days of lessons next week.
Day 6: Find the Wall
So we just got home from day 6 of Swimming Success and today was by far the HARDEST day of the swim training.
Ryan missed swim class yesterday because he threw up on our drive to, so we turned around and went home. We think it might have been a heavier than normal lunch he had at school coupled with his nerves from returning to swim class after a weekend break. (Tip: keep meals before swim light and load them up with a hearty meal after swim class.)
It was hard to watch Ryan today. He cried a lot... and it broke my heart. I talked to Nate about it and he said it was common for two reasons… he had a break for the weekend and it's always harder to get back into the training after that. AND day 6 is the toughest material.
He ended up swimming alone to his instructor, Nate, in the middle of the pool, took a breath and swam back to the wall. The goal today was to teach him, with Nate in the pool of course, that his goal is to get back to the wall no matter what area of the pool he was in.
At one point he was so fearful that he ran towards me saying he didn't want swim anymore. I put him back in the pool and he got out again... this time he tried to make a mad dash for the gate. At least he knew how to get out! Nate reassured me he wasn't the first kid that has tried to escape and that made me feel better.
I'm proud of my little guy for pushing through and getting to the end of class. It was a bummer for him at the end though, because Nate ran out of lollipops.
Day 7: Swim Success!
We just left swimming class day 7 and here are my thoughts after what is considered his final session. It's supposed to be 8 consecutive days of training (5 then the weekend off then 3 more), but as I mentioned we missed Monday because Ryan threw up on the way to class. So instead of 8, he's gotten 7, but his safety training, as I call it, is complete.
He's doing really well swimming to his instructor and swimming to the wall, but he is still crying a bit (because he is still fearful of swimming on his own under the water) but his instructor said that this is very normal for a 3-year-old.
Nate says Ryan is considered pool safe and could swim back to the wall and keep himself safe in the water. He also said Ryan is actually a very good swimmer and he is fast and he gets where he needs to be. The fear is normal.
I've decided to take a week or two off then sign him up for a second series so he can continue to move forward and get to a place where he is enjoying swimming and he's passed the fear. In the meantime, we'll continue to practice in our jacuzzi and bathtub so he doesn't regress.
My goal now is for him to strengthen the skills he has already built and to happily jump in the pool for a swim.
Final Thoughts
I'm extremely happy with how far Ryan has come from when he first started swimming with Nate! Mamas, I want you to know that it's important to be open minded and flexible when doing a training like this.
Remember, at 3 to 5 years old, with initial swim training what's important is that they are able to be safe in the pool and get to a safe place (the wall or stairs), and not to become an excellent swimmer. Your kids are still just itty bitty and can be more fearful than older kids when it comes to water. Be prepared to do a refresher session for your babes to feel more confident.
Swimming Success is so kindly offering Land of Mom readers 10% off classes for your little swimmers, just mention Land of Mom when you call to reserve!
I hope this blog was helpful! Leave a comment below to let us know if you plan on enrolling your littles in a swim school this summer.


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You want a heat pump air conditioning system that is just right for heating and cooling your office or business premises.
The team at TKR have over 35 years of experience. Let us know your requirements and we will find the right solution for you.
Our experienced staff will supply a free, no obligation survey and estimate. We can also:
• Provide a timed delivery at a day and time to suit yourself
• Fully install your equipment, with as little disruption as possible, and remove all packaging for recycling, where possible
• Remove and environmentally dispose of any old equipment and provide traceable documentation
* Important EU Emissions Regulations *
Climate changing gasses can be found in most equipment so if you have refrigeration and/or air conditioning systems, you will have new statutory obligations. Follow this link to find out how we can help.
Explore our website for details of how we can help you or call us now on 01452 739483.
Taking pride in knowing our customers personally.


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Meet the incredible perfumers behind the Ayu
Inspired by the study of the revered Vedic scripts, Ayu is a collection of hand blended scented oils made with natural ingredients to balance mind, body, and spirit.
Dreamt up in India, the birthplace of Ayurvedic medicine, Ayu founders Alanna Quinn and Madeleine Whitter create scents that ground and uplift the wearer with globally sourced and deeply nourishing herbs including Ashwagandha and Amla.
Made and measured with respect for the ancient art of perfume making, you'll find earthy ingredients like jojoba oil, sandalwood, patchouli, rose, jasmine, and ambrette seed that intend to balance the three doshas, which are known as mind-body or energy types in ancient Ayurvedic medicine.
With consumers becoming better informed on the plethora of hidden chemicals often found in perfumes, Ayu is for those that ask for more from their products; who appreciate thoughtful creations with quality and wellbeing in mind.
Here, Alanna and Madeleine share their inspirations and how to find balance as an entrepreneur.
How the Ayu journey began
Alanna: A shared love of Ayurveda and perfume. Madeleine and I came up with the concept while holidaying together a few years back now in India. We were taking about how we could combine our shared knowledge of Ayurveda and our love of perfume and it kind of took a life of it's own from there.
Madeleine: A love for India, Ayurveda and divine scents.
On the ancient practices of Ayurveda
Alanna: Ayurveda focuses on balance, prevention and maintaining wellbeing. We blend our scents with these notions in mind, taking into consideration each persons constitution- Vata, Pitta and Kpaha. Our scents are all aimed to ground and uplift the wearer and are all blended in a base of nourishing Ayurvedic herbs including Ashwagandha and Amla.
Madeleine: Ayurveda encompasses my whole being so its only natural that it would be included in our oils.
On the process of creating a perfume
Alanna: It always comes from a personal preference of what either of us loves wearing, be it a single note or a simple combinaton. We blend and trial out so many scents and combinations until we come up with something we both love.
Madeleine: It starts with sourcing scents from all over the world and blending them together until one of us has discovered something unforgettable. Sharing it with each other and 100% agreeing on everything.
On lessons in business
Alanna: Trust your instinct and never see anything as being a failure, just a lesson learned.
Madeleine: Everything happens for a reason and trust the universe to take care of you.
On finding balance as an entrepreneur
Alanna: Meditating helps me unwind and centre and I also do a lot of yoga.
Madeleine: Remembering to stop and taking time to be present with friends and family
Personal wellness rituals
Alanna: I love a regular massage, it does wonders for the spirit! I never leave home without putting on some kind of scent either.
Madeleine: Yoga, surrounding myself in nature, eating well and keeping negative people and environments far away. Positive thinking.
On the future for Ayu
Alanna: We are currently working on so many exciting new products, from new scemts through to expanding the range into other categories such as body oils.
Madeleine: We can't wait to introduce more lines to our range.
Life lessons they've learnt along the way
Alanna: Life is temporary, don't wonder about what things could be like, just do them and find out!
Madeleine: Make choices carefully as you become the product of the choices that you make and you are the only one responsible for that. Make choices that reflect the life you want to have. Be authentic.
Alanna's Favourites
Book: Just Kids by Patti Smith
Flower: Magnolia
Scent: Jasmine
Place to visit: India
Song: I Think of You by Rodriguez
Wellness ritual: Massage
Madeleine's Favourites
Book: The China Study
Flower: Daisies
Scent: Sandalwood
Place to visit: India
Song: impossible to choose
Wellness ritual: Yoga


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Being a part of Evan and Bri's wedding day was nothing short of magical. It was such an honor to be there to photograph every amazing moment. Their day was a perfect expression of them & their love for God & each other. This wedding was a huge team effort of friends and family taking care of every little detail. I could go on and on about how perfect Evan & Bri are for each other, but I'll leave you with this little paragraph that I stole from their wedding website because the way Evan says it sums everything up perfectly:
"I knew I was in love with Bri on a sunday morning in April. Riding my bike around Pasadena before church, I came across a flower vendor at the Pasadena Farmer's Market. A brilliant display of wildflowers covering every tone of orange, pink, yellow, and green was too beautiful to pass up. Giving those flowers to Bri that morning brought more than just simple happiness. It brought a new kind of joy that I had never felt before. In a kind of cheesy, heart-melting sort of way, I realized I wanted to buy flowers for Bri for the rest of my life. But really - I was in love. I couldn't picture my life without her anymore. I wanted to serve her, to adventure with her, and to serve the Lord together with her. She pushes me to be a better person. I realized that she was my other half."
Enjoy the photos from their day! There are a lot...I just couldn't narrow it down ;)
and all of the vendors that made this wedding amazing:
photographer // likemorningsun photography
videographer // white in revery
venue // thousand pines christian camp & conference center
planner // cherie riley weddings
catering // lucille's bbq
florals // bloomwell & co


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Daniel will be hosting this week's Open Mic Night! Open Mic is open to all, singers, songwriters, poets, comedians and story tellers, and starts at 8 pm. If you want to just get up and belt your heart out, we have karaoke at around 10. Sam's has all Wisconsin beers on tap and great pub food. Come join us!
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: February 28Trivia at Sam's
Later Event: March 8Taste of Milwaukee


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enki products
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- Activated Carbon Filter
- Calcite Filter
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- Softener
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- Membrane Cleaning Unit (CIP)
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- Price List
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المنقي - Enthärter - Adoucisseur - - سختیگیر تبادل یونی
How will be softened hard water?
Hard water is softened by removing the calcium (Ca+2) and magnesium (Mg+2). When hard water passes through the resin bed in softening system. The hard ions (Ca+2, Mg+2) in the water exchanges for soft ones (Na+), so will be softened water. Once the resin bed fills up with hardness ions, it must be regenerated. Salt is typically used in the regeneration process. After regeneration can be used again.
The chemical reaction between hardness and resin;
Ca+2 + 2 R-Na+ -----> R2-Ca + 2 Na+ Service
Mg+2 + 2 R-Na+ -----> R2-Mg + 2 Na+ Service
R2-Ca + 2 Na+ -----> 2 R -Na + 2 Ca+2 Regeneration (NaCl)
R2-Mg + 2 Na+ -----> 2 R -Na + 2 Mg+2 Regeneration (NaCl)
Hard water causes a higher risk of lime scale deposits in water systems. Due to this lime scale build-up, pipes are blocked and the efficiency of hot boilers and tanks is reduced. This increases the cost of domestic water heating by about fifteen to twenty percent. Another negative effect of lime scale is that it has damaging effects on household machinery, such as laundry machines.
The produced high quality softened water is ideal for;
• Boiler Feed,
• Textile Dyeing,
• Cooling Towers and,
• All other applications requiring low or zero hardness water.
The ion exchange system can be classified according to the flow direction;
• Co-current system (Down flow service, Down flow regeneration)
• Countercurrent system (Down flow service, Up flow regeneration )
• Fluidized bed system (Up flow service down flow regeneration)
Range of Water Softener
enki design softener according to custom requirement and specific application.


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You've been on Linkedin for a while, but you haven't found that it has helped you much in your job search. You are beginning to wonder if there is anything that you can do to make your profile a little bit stronger. If you created your profile over a year ago and you've done little to update it, it is no surprise that it's yielding few results. Your Linkedin profile should be a dynamic site that you regularly review and update. If your profile is getting a little stale, follow these tips to freshen it up:
Post a new picture. Is your picture clear, bright and professional? Does it capture your personality? If you've had it up for more than a year, then everyone is bored with it; get a new one. You may even consider getting a professional picture done. Remember, it is often your first impression to people who are checking you out online.
Update your skills summary. Your skills summary should be updated at least every year. What courses have you taken since last year? Which skills have you developed? Have your goals changed slightly? Make sure that your skills summary reflects all of that.
Clean up your groups. Go through your list of groups, delete those that no longer interest you, and find new ones to replace them. Engage in the groups that you join. Participate in the discussions and connect with people.
Ask to be recommended. Recommendations can significantly strengthen your profile. It is more credible when someone else lists your strengths, and it proves that your past managers and coworkers have enjoyed working with you. Recommendations are better than endorsements because they require more of a time investment and they are more personal. Most people won't just take it upon themselves to recommend you. You have to ask them and in some cases remind them, but it is worth the effort.
Share and like articles. You should post something on Linkedin almost every day. It doesn't have to be time consuming; even liking or sharing an article will show up on your activity feed. Just be sure that it is something that showcases your professionalism and your industry knowledge. In order to be visible on Linkedin, you need to be active.
Expand your contacts. You want to always be expanding your contacts on Linkedin. The more people you know, the more opportunities will be available to you. Use the "People you may know" function to expand your contacts.
Social media can be a useful tool in your networking efforts, but you need to be consistent in order to use these sites effectively. Set aside a few times a week to login to each site. At first, it will feel like a chore, but once you get used to it and start seeing results, you'll actively engage with the sites without even thinking about it.
(Written by: Karen Bivand)
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Design/build architecture runs in Mark Kohler's family. When his father hung his shingle in 1963, he was one of the first to handle both sides of the business at a time when, according to his son, such a practice was frowned upon. Mark Kohler, who joined his father in 1984, eventually took the reins and with Tom Flach, who joined in 1996, built a thriving business. Both are licensed architects.
Today, KohlMark Group is divided into two parts: KohlMark Architects and KohlMark Builders. "We think of ourselves as architect-builders," Kohler says, "not builder-architects. We have a design focus."
KohlMark's work is almost entirely residential, and they build in a variety of architectural styles, depending on the client's wishes. "We thrive on challenging or unique sites," says Flach, who is now vice president of the company. "From Skyline Drive to the Delaware beaches, we try to work within the context of each neighborhood."
Case in point: the Clifton, Virginia, renovation pictured here. Rather than redirecting the water that drained from behind the existing house, Kohler constructed a bridge beneath the home's addition for the water to run under—truly an innovative solution.


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The Phoenix, Denmark Hill:
Lifestyle shots from their launch party and the first day of trading. A large pub in an old ticket office, there's a spot for everyone here. With beautiful natural light streaming through the windows I aimed to create a natural feel that really evokes what it's like to drink there for prospective guests.


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Kim Madden, Jan Wilson, Jill Cairns and Trisha Clarke have quite a few things in common – they're all artists, they're all extraordinarily talented, they all form a deep emotional response to the sights they see, and they all travelled together to Alice Springs and the MacDonell Ranges for a shared art/travel experience. The Heartfelt exhibition is the result of this trip to "the Alice" – and it's truly stunning …
What were the reasons you decided to travel to Alice Springs together?
Kim: I'm a keen traveller and have seen quite a bit of Australia, but I hadn't been to the MacDonnell Ranges. I love to paint, although I find painting outdoors a challenge. I've been painting outdoors with Jan and members of HVFAA's Paint out Pals for a couple of years, but all that green, all those trees, all that blue ocean had me bluffed. I thought the desert heartland of Australia with its magentas, ochres, umbers and purples would suit me – and it did. I also do classes with Jill, initially drawing and now oil. It's natural to want to go on a painting adventure together with so much in common.
Jan: HVFAA sometimes organise a painting trip where members gather in a location for a week's art experience. Two years ago Kim suggested the MacDonnell Ranges. I jumped at the chance, as I had been there before and loved it. I knew it would be fun with the girls (plus friend Anne and my husband, Col). Col and I had travelled by campervan via Birdsville and the Plenty Highway on our way over, and the SA salt lakes on the way home (another paint trip sometime in the future!) It was a wonderful trip, so I was hyped up by the time I met the girls at Alice airport.
Jill: The initial decision to travel to Alice Springs was inspired by conversations amongst friends to experience working together as a group, in a location that would motivate the senses. Alice Springs certainly succeeded in that! We wanted a connection to a new landscape that offered a contrast in palette, textures and above all, the light.
Trisha: My trip to Alice Springs was a last-minute decision by me and thanks to the generosity of my friends Jill, Kim and friend Anne, I was able to share their accommodation and hiring of their vehicle, for which I am very grateful. I had travelled several times overseas, but have never really explored what Australia has to offer the artist. I had always wanted to visit the Alice Springs area to experience the majesty and richness of this magical, awesome place and to photograph the amazing rock formations in all their varied colours and shapes and to take in the spirit of timelessness and space. On the flight there I was struck by the land forms of rivers, mountains and salt pans – a wonderful sight from up so high.
What are some of your favourite memories from the trip?
Kim: When friend Anne and I arrived at Port Macquarie airport to catch the plane, Trisha was already sitting there wearing riding boots and a cowboy hat. I thought to myself, "This is going to be interesting!" From the first day to the last, we were blown away by the magnificence of the place, so strong and structural, so different, quiet, even ethereal. We were constantly sketching, taking photos, painting, walking, talking about what we'd seen, and enjoying each other's company. Once I'd seen the colours, I felt I had a better appreciation of the marvellous Aboriginal art in the local galleries. We'd had no thought of doing an exhibition before we left home, but we saw the beauty, colour and majesty of the landscape and said we have to paint this and share it with others.
Jan: My favourite memories are the walks in the gorges with light spilling down over the old formations – intense colours with generally close tones. Texture everywhere. I noticed that the red earth wasn't as prominent as in my earlier visit, due to the planting of Buffel Grass in Alice to keep the dust down, and this has now spread to the ranges and is competing with the native Spinifex for floor space. It does provide the artist with the use of a lighter tone.
Another memory is being chased away from a beautiful painting site by a swarm of native bees! The evenings together provided comic relief, and a chance to reflect on the day's work.
Jill: The flight in to new country inspired me from above. Seeing the colours change into a traditional, indigenous palette gave me a sense of sharing with the custodial owners of the land. There were many memories, as each day took us to an amazing location, but, for me a highlight was our evening display of our daily efforts and the discussions that came from that about our art making. Over a glass or two of red wine, our positive banter was an inspiration and the beginning of new bonds. Watching the sun set from the John Flynn lookout whilst drawing and photographing the event in this vast place was stirring.
Trisha: Ellery Creek Gorge was our first outing – a beautiful start to our adventure. I was particularly taken by the water reflections and the bushland surrounding it. The ochre pits also struck a chord in me. The colours and eroded sides of the pits and the silence of this place are still with me.
The idea of having an exhibition based on our trip to The Alice didn't take long to surface, and we all felt the need to share, through our paintings, what we had seen and felt there. Seeing, photographing and painting this land has brought me closer to my travelling companions and given me a better understanding of what motivates the artist in them to reproduce their emotional responses to such a beautiful place.
Overall, it was the quietness and the spirit of this timeless land and the sense of being where Albert Namatjira stood, walked and painted that stays with me. To me, it was a valuable insight that we should travel our own country first to appreciate its beauty and the challenges that our forebears faced in opening up this beautiful country.
Describe a few of the artworks you'll be presenting in the Heartfelt exhibition.
Kim: We drove along Larapinta Drive and The Red Centre Way most days; they follow the MacDonnell Ranges for hundreds of kilometres. The layers of rock twist and writhe and have been crushed and forced upwards by powerful and violent natural forces. It is capped by layers of undulating rock like the medieval fortifications you can see along hilltops in Rajestan. The Aborigines call it the Caterpillar, and one of my favourite paintings is Chasing the Caterpillar in watercolour and crayon.
In 2017 I returned to Alice and travelled to Glen Helen Gorge – an amazing place where towering terracotta gorge walls rise like castle ramparts above the Finke River, which floats serenely below. The Finke fascinates me and is reputedly the oldest river in the world; it peters out in Lake Eyre. My oil painting Gorgeous Glen Helen is an attempt to capture some of this mystery and majesty. It's the largest painting I've done so far.
Jan: Ellery Creek Waterhole is a medium size pastel of this beautiful place we visited first – a very cool oasis among the warm rocks. I enjoyed a paddle – very bracing! Trephina Gorge is another pastel/ink work from the East MacDonnell. We spent a day underneath the big River Gums, taking in the texture and colours of the walls of this gorge. Ochre Pit is a medium sized oil I did in the studio on my return home. It is a special place of myriad earth colours. I was intending to work a figure into the composition, but eventually decided to capture the texture of the earth wall with yellow tones in a close up view. I did add some footprints to indicate human activity along this important Aboriginal site.
Jill: My artworks consist of a variety of mediums, but, a large charcoal, ABOUT JAN, enabled me to expressively render the landscape with strong marks. This work is the largest in the exhibition, and my portrayal of Jan's figure gave an insight into the special qualities in this vast scape. Another large oil, ROOTS, depicted the Ochre Pits and the sacred nature of what happens there. I used the shape of hands to symbolise the activity of gaining these pigments for ceremonial and creative purposes. I always felt that I was borrowing this environment!
Trisha: My painting Ormiston Gorge was the last I did for Heartfelt. We were fortunate to be able to visit Ormiston Gorge when it held water. Again, it was the reflections that caught my attention, as well as the beautiful, mature gum tree with the beautiful pattern of lights and darks on its twisted limbs.
Another favourite painting is Trephina Gorge, which is in inks and gouache. When we visited this gorge, it was awash in oranges and reds, against which the greens of the white limbed gums and other plants made a standout statement. I am planning to revisit the MacDonnell Ranges with my husband, so that he can experience for himself the beauty of this part of our country.
Where can we see more of your work?
Kim: My work can be seen at www.hastingsvalleyart.net at HVFAA Gallery above Oxley Beach and from time to time at Masterpiece Framing and Gallery on Hastings River Drive.
Jan: I display some works at the HVFAA gallery in William St., Port Macquarie. I also enter local and regional art exhibitions.
Jill: My practice can be viewed at the HVAA Gallery and website, Oatley 101 Art Society and website. I enter many competitions between Port Macquarie and the Gold Coast and west to Currabubula. I also have a studio, where anyone is able to make an appointment for a viewing.
Trisha: My work can be seen at the Hastings Valley Fine Art (HVFAA) Gallery, Oxley Beach end of William Street, Port Macquarie. I enter local art exhibitions and those further up and down the coast. I will also be adding images of my work to our HVFAA website.
Thanks ladies.
Interview by Jo Robinson.
Heartfelt will be on display at the Glasshouse Regional Gallery until March 18.
Landscape inspired mixed media workshop with Jill Cairns and Jan Wilson, March 3 at 10am. Costs $45 (materials provided).


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How Much Should I Stress Over My Content?
andrew mackay
Okay, look: we believe in editing. When we meet an indie author who feels like their books are under-performing, the first question we ask is, "Did you have your book edited?"
We believe in editing. It's easy to get your head around the value of a great cover -- if the cover is bad, no one will pick the book up. But editing, what does it do for your readers? Here's how I explain it: an unedited or poorly edited book will almost never get a word-of-mouth recommendation. Good editing is the most effective long-term marketing strategy I've ever met. You can only expect to convince so many people to read your book. But if your book is poorly edited, those people won't ever talk about your book to anyone else.
So, how much should you stress over your content?
The only right answer is a lot. Too much.
Now, there's a caveat that needs to go here: It is possible to get frozen up about your content. It's possible to worry that it'll never be good enough. it's possible to lose your ability to separate yourself from the need for your content to be very good. So, you have to know when to quit.
But you cannot afford to go to market with unedited or poorly edited content. You've got to spend time on making it as good as it can possibly be. How can you do it?
- Hire professionals
We believe in the power of professional editors. An editor is someone whose bread and butter is helping authors create great content. They understand the market, they understand the rules and conventions of the market. And they come alongside and help you be better than you could ever be on your own.
- Crowd Source
I feel like this method is finally starting to get the credit it's due. More and more people are talking about beta readers, or using a group of readers to gather feedback. This can be tremendously beneficial in two areas. First, readers can help you identify "that doesn't make sense," problems in your story. Secondly, they can help you catch the dumb errors you'll overlook when you're reading the same content for the seven-hundredth time. Use your friends! Wait... that sounds wrong.
- Develop great instincts
Self-editing is really hard. In fact, I think it's dangerous when publishing professionals allow authors to think they can effectively edit themselves. You'll never be able to identify ALL your own blind spots. But you can learn to identify more and more of your blind spots. You do this by reading technical books about good writing and good editing. But more importantly, you do it by reading great books and developing an ear for great writing.
How much should you stress over your content? Lots. I promise, the remaining stigma around indie-publishing would completely disappear if every indie author decided to obsess over really great content.


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In the past couple of weeks, we have outlined what Green leadership truly means and the significant impact adopting a Green Leadership mindset will have on your business. This week you will be given a flavour of the approaches green leaders like ourselves must undertake to complete green and sustainability projects. These projects are not just to improve on the surface benefits such as brand image but to transform businesses and business owners into becoming Green advocates for a more sustainable future.
GES Energy adopt a very simple but very effective and efficient approach to every project,
1. Audit
2. Assess
3. Plan
4. Retrofit
5. Install
6. Maintain
With these steps and our expertise, we create and complete a project which is tailored and specific to your business needs. Next week we are going to delve further into green project approaches using green leadership.


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Version 5.5 of VMware vSphere ESXi requires slight modifications in order to work properly. Please see the following steps.
Error message
If you get the following error message there are a few solutions. Please see below.
Unsupported hardware family ´vmx-10´errror
You created the Virtual appliance using VMX-11 and didn't set the VM version to 10 or below before creating the OVF.
Solution - alternative 1:
1. Unzip the .OVA file
2. Open and edit the .ovf file. Look for "VMX-XX" (most likely VMX-11) and change it to "VMX-10:.vm file.
3. The hash needs to be changed in the .VMDK file or the ESXi will notice that the file has been changed. Run HashTool creation tool (see creation tools below).
4. Create a Hash using SHA-1. Copy that back in to the .VMDK file.
5. Save your changes and deploy both files in your VMware workstation, the server will let you deploy it without errors.
Hash Tool (external website):


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Let me begin by admitting that I wrote this article so I could use the headline in an official company post.. and get away with it! Also, I'd like to take the politics out of the situation by saying upfront that this is an article about the how and why of current legalisation processes happening around the world, and the million insights into the systems needed to drive it.
Recently, many US states have started legalising, or decriminalising, certain previously illegal drugs, with marijuana being the one most people are familiar with. Whilst many understand the obvious changes such as dispensaries in cities, there are also some very complex systems required to manage these businesses.
In a state such as Colorado for example, those people who are producing, selling or distributing these new legalised substances must track and trace almost every single area of their operation. These laws have been created to strengthen the security of the drug distribution supply chain, by adding controls such as a national track and trace system, and establish national standards for licensing of drug distributors and third-party logistics providers. Under the laws, manufacturers, re-packagers, wholesale distributors and dispensers must provide transaction information to subsequent purchasers.
In the future, track and trace technology will become a new global standard for pharmaceutical and decriminalised drug distribution. India is already planning to adopt track and trace technology, whilst America is moving towards one system for all 50 states, instead of each having their own requirements.
From the moment any individual product, component or raw material is ordered, the distributor must report the supplier information, as well as track all of the customer details for the sale. Whilst most inventory systems are designed to do just that ('track and trace' that is), these new legal requirement will add a whole new layer of complexity.
And it's what happens inside the business where things begin to get complicated.
Within a business, there may be many different areas, including where production can happen, as well as storage areas and the like. Every single movement of product inside the warehouse must be tracked. In addition, when production occurs, every single batch that goes into that production must also be tracked. This means that if somebody purchases a product and encounters a problem, it can be traced back to every single source ingredient and right back to the supplier. In addition, you must be able to identify every other affected customer, plus every other batch in stock containing the same raw material.
Whilst this is obviously a government requirement in order to stop people producing the drug equivalent of Moonshine, there is no doubt this presents a huge opportunity for new, scalable inventory solutions. If you look beyond the fact that we are dealing with newly legalised drugs, this operation is not too dissimilar to several other industries we have helped to set up in the past. Industries such as breweries, wineries, food production, and many more all have the same requirements.
Providing you have met all the federal and state legal requirements in your area of operation, Waypoint are happy to work with any wholesaler, no matter how complex the inventory requirements are of any newly legalised industries. Over the years, we have set up a number of systems with many of these intricate requirements, including all of the above plus multi-currency assemblies, third party logistics, expiry dates and battery calls.
Although it's a sensitive area on many levels (yes, we're talking about drugs here), let's put that aside and simply create an efficient system for your business. Whether it's drugs you're dealing, or perhaps beer, wine or cheese, give us a call and we'll set you up to do it well.
Feel free to contact us here for further discussion, or leave a comment below.


text: The Vancouver Canucks are a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League. The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place, which has an official capacity of 18,860. Henrik Sedin is currently the captain of the team and Willie Desjardins is the head coach. The Canucks joined the league in 1970 as an expansion team along with the Buffalo Sabres. In its NHL history, the team has advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals three times, losing to the New York Islanders in 1982, the New York Rangers in 1994 and the Boston Bruins in ... more on Wikipedia


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The Maryland Intellectual Property Legal Resource Center provides services from its locations at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, and the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to offering academic courses for law students at the University of Maryland School of Law, the Center also presents workshops and lectures on intellectual property issues of relevance to high technology and biotechnology start-up companies. The Center was designed to have three distinct components: an academic program, a clinical program, and a public policy and ethics program.
- Through its academic component, the Center offers academic courses for credit to law students, as well as presenting workshops and lectures on intellectual property issues of interest to start-up companies. In the future, the MIPLRC may develop academic offerings for local attorneys, entrepreneurs and scientists, and it may also provide in-house training programs for employees and management of emerging companies.
- Through the Center's clinical component, law students provide intellectual property and related legal services to high tech start-up companies and individual entrepreneurs. All services are provided free of charge. Since July 2002, approximately 300 clients have received legal services provided by more than 90 student attorneys.
- The Center's public policy component is still evolving. The MIPLRC plans to provide a forum for discussion of ethical and public policy issues relating to the biotech industry, such as gene patenting and licensing, privacy of genetic information, and use of human tissue and human subjects for research. We seek to accomplish this goal by sponsoring seminars and roundtable discussions on relevant topics and by providing information to local companies on relevant legislation pending at the state and national levels.


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Will Smith's 'After Earth' flops at US box office
M Night Shyamalan's sci-fi movie achieved sales of $26.5 million
Will Smith's After Earth has flopped at the US box office, earning sales well below the studio's projected amount.
The M Night Shymalan-directed science fiction movie, which also stars Will's son Jaden, achieved opening week sales of just $26.5million – around $40million less than Sony had predicted.
According to Deadline, the film, which came in at Number Three in the US box office behind Fast And Furious 6 and Now You See Me, has performed "2.5 times worse than Jaden Smith's Karate Kid reboot and half of Oblivion's opening".
After Earth is a sci-fi thriller set 1,000 thousand years after the human race was forced to leave its home planet. Will Smith stars as a legendary soldier called Cypher, whose son Kitai is played by Jaden Smith.
The movie is the first film from M Night Shyamalan since his notorious 2010 flop The Last Airbender. The director's previous hits include The Sixth Sense, Signs and Unbreakable.
The screenplay was written by Gary Whitta, a former video games journalist, and Stephen Gaghan, whose previous credits include Traffic and Syriana. After Earth is scheduled for release in UK cinemas on June 7, 2013. You can watch the trailer by scrolling down and clicking 'play'.