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Generals of the Rugby World Cup
A history of the RWC as 'told' by the winning flyhalves
There has NEVER been a book like this one! We know of nothing else like it. This is a world first. The collection of original signatures is unique. It's a superb piece of memorabilia. Download your FREE information brochure here.
This limited edition book celebrates the 25th anniversary of the RWC and covers the history of each tournament. It contains the original signatures of the first five-eighths of each winning country. The great names roll off the tongue – Grant Fox, Michael Lynagh, Joel Stransky, Stephen Larkham, Jonny Wilkinson, 'Butch' James …and now Aaron Cruden and Stephen Donald.
Generals' is also a special record of the Rugby World Cup – a comprehensive appraisal and coverage of every tournament, superbly illustrated and with full results (scores, scorers, teams, officials etc) of EVERY game played over the 25 years since 1987. The first five-eighths of the victorious teams provide extra wonderful input with their analysis and stories and strategies. No other group of players has been more influential. They're the 'generals' who move their players around rugby's 'chessboard' – and the masterminds who share their coaches' thinking and act as his eyes and ears on-field.
A quarter-century has passed since the first Cup tournament was played in New Zealand in 1987. Each of the seven RWCs has been exceptional in its way, with four nations having shared the top honours.
VIEW ACTUAL PAGE SAMPLES HERE Only NZ$295 +pp | ORDER YOUR LIMITED EDITION NOW
A Wonderful Presentation
Generals of the Rugby World Cup reaches the highest standards. YOUR book will come in a handsome presentation:
- It sits snugly contained inside a lined 'cigar box' (lift-up top) outer shellcase. The covers are padded. Superb gold and bronze leather-look colours are involved.
- There is a certificate of authenticity (signed by the author) and a written guarantee that it is restricted to only 590 copies (all the players received limited-edition books) worldwide. Each edition is numbered and there is a money-back guarantee.
All of the players have signed each individual book!
Grant Fox, Michael Lynagh, Joel Stransky, Stephen Larkham, Jonny Wilkinson, 'Butch' James, Aaron Cruden and Stephen Donald.Only NZ$295 +pp | ORDER YOUR LIMITED EDITION NOW


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So I am pretty open about stuff. Lol I will talk poop talk with you. It doesn't faze me. haha
Anyway so I have a lot of issues with my body. I have had multiple colonoscopies.
Something feels different though. I've had IBS since I was 7 and this pain is different.
I've also had issues with my acid reflux disease. So I get both done on the 30th. Day before Halloween. I hope I am good for Halloween.. I want to trick or treat with my kids and honestly.. I love it. I get all witchy and blast Halloween music and lights. I think our house is a hit! haha
Also got a call with my cardiac loop recorder. They said they caught a lot of skipped beats which are pauses. The concern that got it put in. So I am worried he will decide on a pace maker. I just hate the thought that I will have something in my body that my heart will depend on.
They wanted to know my symptoms yesterday so I told them, but after the call in the car my heart skipped 4 times in a row. I called back.. told them the time and symptoms which was a panicked feeling.
Hopefully they got it.
I hope to hear from them today to get all this figured out.
my 5 year old is doing amazing in school. I was told he was the teachers "go to guy". Proud mama!
Still haven't heard from my OOD'ers teacher. Hopefully no news is good news.
and my 7th grader? :sigh: Still keep getting calls that he isn't doing work and being a distraction. 🙁 I have no clue what to do! They are working with me.
The older kids and I have therapy together on Thursday. Hopefully it helps him!

subset: commoncrawl


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Image credit: Galymzhan Abdugalimov
A few months ago, National Geographic's photography blog Proof began publishing a series of posts entitled Artifacts. As they describe it:
"Artifacts is a series about physical items that have meaning to photographers in the field."
I've come across a lot of "everyday carry" blogs over the years, but most aren't as engaging to me as this series. It's not like these photographers are doing anything fancy – in fact the posts are short and sweet – it's just that they happen to carry some very unique and personal items during their travels, and there are often interesting backstories behind them.
The only quibble I have with the series is that its focus (no pun intended) is a bit narrow. There are plenty of other people than National Geographic's photographers who own interesting things, and I want to give them a chance to shine.
With that said, I'm happy to introduce my own Artifacts series, which will take the same idea and broaden the scope of people involved. I've already invited a few of my friends and favorite creative people to share their collections with me, and I'm excited to share them with you too.
I really wanted to find a different name for my series so as not to step on National Geographic's toes, but I just couldn't find another word I liked as much. "Artifact" just feels so right, and it evokes some awesome Indiana Jones imagery in my head. (It may or may not also remind me of the old days when I played Magic: the Gathering...)
I'm hoping they don't mind too much, since a) I'm a comparative nobody, and b) I think these kinds of posts are supposed to be all in good fun, rather than something to be taken super seriously. That being said, I can always change it if they decide to make a fuss.
Anyway, I plan to start publishing some of these very soon, so stay tuned.


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Ex On The Beach star Harriet Harper announces she's pregnant with her first child with boyfriend Taser Hassan
The reality regular has shared her 'beautiful little secret' by posting a snap of her scan
EX On The Beach star Harriet Harper has announced she's expecting her first child with boyfriend Taser Hassan.
The reality regular has revealed she's pregnant by sharing a snap of her scan.
In an update on Instagram, Harriette told fans she's excited to share her "beautiful little secret".
She wrote: "I'm so excited to finally announce my little beautiful secret.
"@taserhassan and I are expecting our first baby 👶🏻 🍼.
"I feel so truly blessed what a way to start 2018! Mummy and daddy love you so much little one...
" I can't stop staring at this picture my little angel waving at me my heart is so full."
Taser also shared a snap of the scan and added his own sweet message in an Instagram update.
He wrote: "Our little blessing my own little world and my beautiful family."
Harriet previously dated Stephanie Davis' model ex-boyfriend Sam Reece.
Their split was confirmed in October when Harriet shared a snap of herself kissing new man Taser.
She captioned the shot: "You was right there all along! Some forces are too strong to fight or to put on hold!
"You have been such a beautiful unexpected gift to my life and you was under my nose this whole time ❤ welcome to my nutty world @taserhassan".
Most Read In TV & Showbiz
The split news came after months of speculation that Harriette had ended her romance with Sam after getting together earlier in 2017.
In May, the couple had sparked engagement rumours after they shared a loved up snap of her wearing a massive diamond ring on her left hand.
But Harriette hinted the romance was doomed when she tweeted "Enough is enough...you almost had me fooled...
"When one door shuts another opens".
Got a story? email firstname.lastname@example.com or call us direct on 02077824220.
We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.


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A Special Guest Post from Sean Anders, Director of 'Instant Family'
We're excited to welcome Director Sean Anders to The Square Deal. Sean is known for some of the funniest comedies in recent years and his latest release – Instant Family – is a heartwarming comedy based on his family's journey of fostering and ultimately adopting three children, something near and dear to the Wendy's family. The Dave Thomas Foundation has one mission: to dramatically increase the number of adoptions from foster care, so it was only fitting we asked Sean to share his story here. Read on below and head to your local theater on November 16th to check out 'Instant Family' for a laugh, and maybe a few feel good tears.
The Real Story Behind 'Instant Family'
My family started with a joke. My wife Beth and I were discussing the possibility of having children, but I was in my 40s and I felt a little too old to be just starting now. I joked, "Why don't we just adopt a five-year-old and it will be like got started five years ago?" It was only a joke but Beth ran with it, did some research online and within weeks we were at an orientation. This led to foster classes and eventually our certification as foster parents.
We thought we would get just one child, but in 2012 we met three siblings. Going from zero to three kids overnight was a rough adjustment for all of us. What had we done to our easy, quiet, orderly life? It was daily insanity. Maybe a huge mistake.
After a few months of being woken up too early, of listening to endless tantrums and fighting, of mess and spills and chaos and frustration, one morning I woke up and all was quiet. Beth was still asleep. I had a weird feeling in my stomach that I could not quite identify. Then it hit me, "Oh my God, I MISS THEM! I actually want them to come screaming into our bed. I'm excited to see them. I think… I kinda love them." And now, six years later we are just a regular, happy family. And just like every other happy family, our kids are the best thing that ever happened to us.
I made a movie about our experience because so few people understand how foster adoption works and the stories behind these children. I made it a comedy because so much of our journey was incredibly funny but I wanted to make a film that touched on the pain as well. Ultimately the laughs and joy that comes from creating an Instant Family outweighs all.


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Helping Your Students Avoid "Big Blobs of Writing"
Today, let's talk about paragraph breaks. When you're an educator and you teach writing, you'll find that students often turn in what we call "big blobs of writing." There might be plenty of words in that essay, but there isn't a paragraph break anywhere to be found!
But often, students merely need to be shown how a paragraph can add a massive amount of clarity for a reader, guiding them through the ideas and arguments. Teach your students that paragraphs change when they get to a new part of the structure of their writing or a new main idea is introduced.
And when your students use Writing with Design's Mind Designs, they know exactly where to break their paragraphs because each box or section represents a new paragraph. It's that simple! This allows them to learn not only when to break for paragraphs but also why to break so that you never have to read another big blob of writing again!
Curious how the Mind Designs can boost your students writing? Give us a shout!


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A great way to get kids to try something new is to get them involved! From planting new veggies in the garden to buying the staples in the grocery store, kids should play a role on a regular basis. I know, I know - it's sometimes easier said than done but in the long run will your kids learn to love a variety of food, you will be able to spend great time with them and instill in them a love for good time together in the kitchen.
If you have children even as young as 2 or 3, they can help wash fruit and veggies (they love to play in water), pour pre-measured ingredients into the mixing bowl and even stir pre-moistened batter (make sure your dry ingredients are moistened to keep the dry ingredients from flying around).
Older kids can help with cutting soft foods, cracking eggs and mashing fruits. If they are beginning to read, have them help to read the directions. (They will be getting a little extra schoolwork in without even knowing it!)
Important too is not only letting them help with the prep and cooking, but clean up as well. And most of all, have fun!!!


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June 21st 2015


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Just a very quick post on thermal overloads and the dangers lurking within some of the functionalities available.
You would no doubt have seen that there is a manual or auto selection available on the front of the overload unit. When set to manual, it means you have to reset the overload by pressing the reset button. When set to auto however, the unit will reset once the bi-metal strip has cooled down.
This is where I get concerned. How many times has the overload tripped and reset itself? How are you going to know that there is a problem on the installation if it keeps on resetting itself? Fair enough to say that you would need to start the unit again but what if it is a pump that will start automatically? This means you may not find out that there is a problem until it is too late!
Another addition to the thermal overload is the adding of a reset magnet. This unit clips onto the overload and when powered, it activates the little plunger and resets the overload. In my eyes this is a far safer method of resetting the unit from a remote location. The magnet can be activated via a relay driven by and output on your PLC. This means you can reset the unit and if it should trip again, you can investigate it before trying again
This leads me to another point. Do Not just reset the unit when it has tripped. There is a reason for the motor drawing too much current and you need to check the installation first. And lastly, as per the previous post on the thermal overload, never turn the setpoint up because it keeps tripping!
Told you this was a short post!
Till next time, stay safe and keep up the good work


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We are Scott and Amanda; a husband and wife team located in Southern CA. Our goal is to work alongside other creative couples who want to make beautiful and authentic images. We want to capture you and your story the best we can, and reflect you both in the most natural way- while still going outside of the box and creating artistic images that you will cherish for the rest of your lives. We invest in our clients, and strive to not only produce beautiful work, but an amazing experience. We are excited that you've stopped by to check out our portfolio and would love to work together to create something beautiful.
Sincerely, The Sanfords
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Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!
What a beautiful picture and words.ReplyDelete
Is this song new to you? It was new to me when I learned it at church. I love it!ReplyDelete
You are right, the words speak volumes.
It wasn't new to me - but I had forgotten about it! I love it, it touches my heart and gives me joy and hope!
I love it too. It always reminds me of my year in England at bible school since that is where i first learned it.ReplyDelete
That's a beautiful sunset too!
I love this song--we have it on a CD....a great reminder todayReplyDelete
A wonderful song full of words that give hope to my soul ...ReplyDelete
*O What a Saviour, that He died for me* sings my heart as I meditate on what He did on Calvary's cross!!
Thanks for sharing!


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By Katrina VanHuss
In our last blog I wrote about how automated marketing techniques produce superior results over traditional marketing. Automated marketing is sonar to the megaphone, scalpel to the machete, shouted raucous come-on to the considerate remark.
Today, I want to look at one of the psychological mechanisms behind automated marketing's superior outcomes. For that, we need to think about construction sites. We need to think about leering men, shouting at uncomfortable young women walking by. This sort of thing is somewhat top of mind given our current political environment, so I am compelled to "use it in a sentence," as my first-grade teacher used to say.
The metric that automated marketing uses to measure success is conversions. A conversion is defined as the point at which a recipient of a marketing message performs a desired action. In other words, a conversion is simply getting someone to respond to your messaging. Automated marketing increases conversions by:
Sending the message at the appropriate time based on the target's behavior.
Delivering content personalized to the target based on information tracked in the automated marketing database.
The call to action can be many things—registering for a walk, posting on Facebook, forwarding to friends and, of course, making a donation. Getting messaging from a well-designed automated marketing campaign is like having an email conversation with someone who gets you.
What is it that makes personalized messages more effective? Is it because people pay more attention if the message is attuned to their interests? Yes, for sure, getting someone's attention is important given the noisy media buzz that we all live with today. But attention alone is not enough. The construction worker shouting at the pretty girl never actually gets a date.
The real value of personalized messaging is that it improves the odds that someone will take action. A personalized message is the construction worker jumping from the scaffold and saying, "Ma'am, I think you dropped your scarf." And once someone begins to respond to you, to move in your direction, it becomes much easier to keep her coming to you, until they've walked through your front door, or said "yes" to a date.
Turnkey human behavior expert and my hubby, Otis Fulton, pointed me at the book, "The Wisest One in the Room," by renowned social psychologists Thomas Gilovich and Lee Ross. They wrote, "Heroic actions and lifelong commitments to noble causes often start with small acts. A child volunteers to walk dogs at the local [Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] because she likes pets. She then responds favorably to a request to donate to the SPCA. Soon she's soliciting signatures to preserve the habitat for a local species of owl and then joins the ranks of Greenpeace activists."
Automated marketing tools provide more efficient ways to reach people by delivering messages to which they are more likely to respond, helping them take incremental steps to conversion. Messages about dogs, cancer survivors, caretakers or global warming, coupled with specific calls to action based on what we know about the person receiving it, is powerful. Maybe the receiver is a retiree living on a fixed income but who has an abundance of time to volunteer. Maybe she is a college student who can mobilize her social network to organize a do-it-yourself. These types of personalized outreaches we have all fantasized about, but accomplishing this sort of personalization was heretofore unattainable. That is no longer true due to technological advances.
As Gilovich and Ross told us, that first small act can fuel strong motivation. Traditional marketing is based on the idea that you have to front load motivation to get action. That you must educate people to a critical mass of understanding that then leads to an action. Social science tells us that the traditional marketing approach to conversion is wrong.
Automated marketing stands this on its head in full agreement with social science; it's all about the conversion, getting the desired action, no matter how small. And there is a reason this approach pays big dividends. It seems counterintuitive, but we know that motivation often comes after starting a new behavior, not before. In other words, motivation is often the result of an action, not the cause of it.
The takeaway? The key to motivating people is making it easy to take that first action. The beauty of doing our jobs in 2016 is that we have technology that makes moving people incrementally attainable. We are the most popular construction worker on site.


text: Bill Bryson, the award-winning author, is using some of the royalties from his book "A Short History of Nearly Everything" to help fund a school science competition. Pupils have to write about science in a way that others outside their age group can understand. The Royal Society of Chemistry's prize is open to schools and sixth-form colleges in the UK and Ireland.


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Germany goalkeeper Kevin Trapp has rejoined Eintracht Frankfurt on a one-year loan deal from French champions Paris Saint-Germain, it was confirmed Friday.
"I'm looking forward to another year with Frankfurt," said the 28-year-old who played for Eintracht from 2012 until 2015 before joining PSG for 10 million euros ($11.6m).
Frankfurt recruited Trapp hours before the transfer window closed in Germany and France at 1800 local time (1600 GMT) and he could feature in Saturday's home Bundesliga game against Werder Bremen.
Trapp, Germany's third-choice goalkeeper behind Manuel Neuer and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, also found himself third in the pecking order at PSG behind Gianluigi Buffon and Alphonse Areola this season.
READ ALSO: Nigeria, Germany sign MoU on agric, commerce
He jumped at the chance to rejoin Frankfurt for 2018/19.
"When I was in Paris, I always liked to remember the great times back in Frankfurt," said Trapp, who has made three appearances for Germany since June 2017.
"The contact never broke and I was very happy for Eintracht when they won the German Cup," he added, referring to Frankfurt's shock 3-1 win against Bayern Munich in the final in May.
"It's important for me to be in an environment where I feel comfortable and where I can play."
Trapp, who was part of Germany's World Cup squad which crashed out in the group stages, could go straight into Frankfurt's starting side as their Danish first-choice keeper Frederik Ronnow is carrying a knee injury.
"The current knee problems of Frederik Ronnow caused us to rethink things," said Eintracht's director of sport Bruno Huebner.
"Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury in pre-season, which is not completely healed and is bothering him.
"We are convinced that he will grow into the role of number one, but we had the chance to sign a goalkeeper, who is not only ready to play, but also figure strongly identified with the club."


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Mr. Nathan
I grew up in Downey, CA and now live in Lakewood.
I am passionate about my faith, my family, teaching kids, swimming, and music (Pearl Jam).
I am inspired by people who are able to lead others by example and with encouragement, not fear.
My enjoyment in teaching comes from the kids themselves. There is no one more honest in their reactions and their joy than an infant or toddler.


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Incline Village: A peek behind the gates
Ever wonder what it must be like behind those ornate gates along Lakeshore Boulevard? Ever wish you could wander through those secluded homes that look so lovely from what little you can see?
The AAUW, (American Association of University Women, Tahoe Nevada) is inviting residents to take the Tahoe Treasures Tour, July 12, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The self-guided tour consists of six stunning properties, including two breathtaking lakefront gardens complete with waterfalls, ponds and sculptures.
Each of the homes offers unique treasures. Among them is a contemporary home with a wine cellar, media room, decorated in an eclectic style. Another lovely custom home, nestled in the pines, boasts an incomparable art collection with rare pieces from around the world.
Also included is the Holman Arts & Media Center of Sierra Nevada College, where the creative process is at work in its galleries, labs and studios.
Further, tea and tapas will be featured in the lakefront garden of the famous chateau known as the Castle on Lake Tahoe, where you can shop the Tahoe Treasures boutique and purchase raffle tickets for valuable prizes.
Tickets are $35, available at The Potlatch, 930 Tahoe Blvd., Raley's Center, or you can mail a check to AAUW Tahoe Nevada, P O Box 5465, Incline Village, NV 89450
Proceeds benefit the AAUW Tahoe Nevada college scholarship fund. American Association of University Women Tahoe Nevada is a nonprofit corporation formed in Nevada, and registered with the Nevada Secretary of State.
For information, email firstname.lastname@example.com or call 775-843-0775.


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M50 partially closed after truck carrying horses overturns
Emergency services respond after incident leaves part of the motorway impassable
The scene after a truck carrying horse overturned on the M50. Photograph: Dublin Fire Brigade
A truck carrying horses overturned on the M50 in Dublin on Saturday, leaving part of the motorway impassable.
The M50 southbound from Junction 12 to Junction 13 was blocked for a time as a result of the incident.
All lanes southbound had reopened by Saturday night, after all of the horses were removed from the road and a crane helped lift the truck back into an upright position.
#DUBLIN Photo of the overturned truck on the M50.— AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) July 21, 2018
📷: @kwheartbreakkid pic.twitter.com/Zlx2M5uLR1
The emergency services attended the scene following the incident.
All of the horses are reportedly fine, and the driver is described as being uninjured.
Drivers had been asked to avoid this stretch of the M50 and to take alternative routes.


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Becoming a champion of the Taskforce
The Blended Finance Taskforce was set up to address systemic challenges which prevent largescale investment in the SDGs.
We know there is a lot happening in this space, and that we can accelerate this agenda if we coordinate.
If you are interested in becoming Taskforce "champion", please reach out to firstname.lastname@example.com and email@example.com
Get in touch
Address: 69 Carter Lane, EC4V 5EQ London, UK // Gran Rubina Business Park 16th Floor, Jakarta
Email: email@example.com
Twitter: @blended_finance


text: Investor Relations Rig Fleet Report PDF Last Updated August 5, 2019 Financial Reports 2018 Annual Report INVESTOR PRESS RELEASES Date Title and Summary Toggle Summary 10/08/19 Diamond Offshore to Release Third Quarter 2019 Results on October 28 HOUSTON , Oct. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. ( NYSE: DO ) announced today that it will issue a press release and host a conference call and webcast related to its third quarter 2019 operating results on Monday, October 28, 2019 . Toggle Summary 08/05/19 Diamond Offshore Announces Second Quarter 2019 Results HOUSTON , Aug. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. (NYSE: DO) today reported the following results for the second quarter of 2019: Three Months Ended Thousands of dollars, except per share data June 30, 2019 March 31, 2019 Total revenues $ 216,706 $ Toggle Summary 08/01/19 Diamond Offshore Launches Stack-View™ Service -- Real-time monitoring and data analytics solution that produces leading indicators for detecting anomalies in BOP performance prior to occurrence, streamlining maintenance and mitigating incidents to improve reliability and reduce cost -- Fully configurable and has future integration capability More News QUARTERLY RESULTS Show all 2019 Q2 EARNINGS RELEASE Q2 2019 Earnings Press Release (PDF) 178.3 KB Q2 2019 Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. Earnings Conference Call 10-Q 1 MB More Results Copyright West LLC. Minimum 15 minutes delayed. STOCK INFO Change (%) Exchange Volume 10/14/19 4:47 pm EDT More Stock Info Copyright West LLC. Minimum 15 minutes delayed. INVESTOR TOOLKIT Print Page E-mail Alerts RSS Feeds Annual Report Contact Information Request Information INVESTOR CONTACTS Investor Relations Samir AliPhone: (281) 647-4035E-mail: email@example.com Transfer Agent 877-812-4207 Shareholder correspondence should be mailed to: Computershare PO Box 505000 Louisville, KY 40233-5000 Overnight correspondence should be mailed to: Computershare 462 South 4th Street, Suite 1600 Louisville, KY 40202 Shareholder Website: www.computershare.com/investorShareholder online inquiries https://www-us.computershare.com/ investor/Contact Accountants Deloitte & Touche LLP


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Christie and I went on our annual Minnesota State Fair trip yesterday. It's the best thing that exists in Minnesota, or maybe the entire country, and we've even decided to go back again in a few days because we didn't get to eat everything we wanted to. I mean, I only had one Pronto Pup. ONE. It's like I didn't even go.
In my defense, however, I also had a thick slab of spicy bacon on a stick, three cups of chocolate milk, a bag of Tom Thumb Donuts, and Bacon Flavored Ice Cream. And I registered to vote, had a blood sugar and BMI screening (I passed both with flying colors), took a vision test, sampled honey, learned about a revolutionary new hose nozzle, pet a baby goat, met my favorite radio announcer, and went down a big slide on a potato sack.
After a few hours, our stomachs became too full to walk anymore so we decided it was time to go home. And then we saw Ye Old Mill.
Apparently it's been a ride at the State Fair for 98 years, and we've never even heard of it, so we decided that it was 100% necessary that we took it for a spin. We paid our $3 and then learned that The Old Mill is actually one of the last remaining Tunnels Of Love in the country.
Now I've never been in a Tunnel of Love, but I understood that they're romantic boat rides that take young lovers through dimly-lit tunnels, accompanied by glowing pink and purple hearts. Most of the couples nervously look around, maybe hold hands, while some of the more confident ones make it to second base. I may or many not have learned all of this from Hey Arnold.
We entered the tunnel, and this is what we saw.
And we continued to see only that for a few minutes. We had no idea how fast we were moving, or whether we were moving at all - just complete darkness. And all of a sudden I realized Oh crap, maybe this is actually a trick Tunnel Of Love that is actually a haunted house. Something's totally going to jump out at me, and I'm going to fall out of the boat and into the dirty State Fair water and drown.
I was a little tense.
Soon enough, we saw light coming around the corner and I thought that maybe, thank God, the ride was over, but then I saw this.
Yes. A dim forest filled with LSD-soaked leprechauns playing a silent "We're Going To Eat You" tune on their pan-flutes. But as soon as they appeared, the current took us away from them and into complete darkness again.
After a short sojourn of terrified darkness, we once again happened upon a forest.
And this continued.
By the end of the ride, I was thinking, My God, these demonic leprechauns are going to come alive and tear my eyeballs out and force my head under water, where I'll drown and reanimate as one of them.
So I tried not to think about it.
ME: Haha, Christie. Let's take a picture.
CHRISTIE: Okay!


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One point to Louis van Gaal: Giving Manchester United's young a chance
Louis Van Gaal was adamant that he would not buy in the January window and instead give youth a chance. Marcus Rashford became Manchester United's youngest-ever scorer in European football.football Updated: Mar 12, 2016 16:45 IST
Managers come in a variety of forms. There are the Jose Mourninhos -- his achievements with Porto aside---who take an already capable squad and get the best out of them, youth development being secondary. Then there are the Pep Guardiolas and Alex Fergusons who would rather bring in youth, nurture them and assemble homegrown stars to blend in with the multi-millionaires they already have and challenge for top honours.
The likes of Claudio Ranieri and David Moyes go another way. They bring in lesser known players and forge a squad which can be the favourites' bogey team if not challenge for the first prize.
When Manchester United announced the signing of Louis van Gaal in the summer of 2014, the club hierarchy and fans would have thought they were getting a man capable of playing the role of all three. A managerial hybrid if you will. Big enough to attract big names that the 'Theatre of Dreams' demands, experienced enough to have the instincts and take a Javier Hernandez (who almost quit football in Mexico before Ferguson signed him) type to the next level and bold enough to send in youth when no one expects it.
If Manchester United were to announce tomorrow that they have parted ways with LVG, it is unlikely many would be found reminiscing 'the good times'.
Read | Louis Saha impressed by Rashford's debut performance for Manchester United
A good win here or there would be outweighed by losses to literally all of them. The banners would be brought down—if there are any left of him at the Stretford End — swiftly.
Van Gaal made a lot of the number of injuries his team has had and how there is a 'big problem every week', but it is precisely these 'problems' that seem to have been the reason why he was in the dugout at press time.
There was a time when winning four games in a row was just another day at Old Trafford. Fans would scan the fixture calendar and look for Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea as the teams to beat in their quest for what would be just another title win. Under van Gaal the situation is something like 'hmmm...maybe we can get a point at Swansea...hopefully we don't lose at West Ham.' How the mighty have fallen.
Read | Under-pressure Van Gaal asks Manchester United players to be 'horny'
Silver lining
This is not to say that van Gaal's reign at Old Trafford as been a complete failure. At least, if one doesn't gauge success by the amount of silverware won. The Dutchman has given debuts to 14 players and should even one of them go on to become a club great --- a Giggs or a Paul Scholes — the next manager, or managers, would be thankful.
Let's get this out of the way: No manager was going to swoop in after Ferguson and carry on winning titles, such was the enormity of the task of succeeding him. Let's also get it on record that the team he left lacked balance.
During his final years at United, Ferguson's hand was forced into buying established players more than ever before due to the huge amount being spent by the likes of Chelsea, and more importantly, four miles away by Manchester City.
The importance of bringing in youth was put on hold to continue to compete at the highest level, so for every ageing Michael Carrick or Ryan Giggs, there was a player in the academy who no one knew about. Lack of chances meant many went unheard of, left for other teams or just passed the stage where they could be groomed into world class players. Paul Pogba, who left for Juventus in 2012, being the latest, and the one that stings the most.
Van Gaal came with a reputation for giving youth a chance, his CV at Ajax backing that claim. Of all his debutants at United, Marcus Rashford is the most notable. The circumstances in which he made his two-goal debut could make for a great story one day---being drafted into the team minutes before kick-off against Midtjylland in the Europa League due to an injury to another young player, Anthony Martial. At 18, Rashford has shown the maturity beyond his years and possesses the hunger that could see him go on but nurturing will be key.
Rashford scored twice against Arsenal on February 28, and the second of those was assisted by Jesse Lingaard, another one van Gaal invested time in. James Weir and Tim Fosu-Mensah were also given debuts to absorb the late Arsenal pressure.
The manager was adamant that he would not buy in the January window and instead give youth a chance. Rashford became United's youngest-ever scorer in European football and the manager says he is to thank for it. One point to you, Sir.
Former United winger Lee Sharpe recently told a heart-warming tale from his time at the club. At the club's training ground, Sharpe was observing the academy 'kids' with senior players like Peter Schmeichel and Steve Bruce. Bryan Robson, another one of the senior players, turned to the coach and asked "Who are you keeping, who are you letting go?"
Read | We didn't cope with the high pressure of Liverpool: Louis van Gaal
"We're keeping (David) Beckham, (Nicky) Butt, Neville (Phil and Gary), this lad, this lad, this lad's going, and we're not sure about the little red-head in midfield," was the reply. That 'little red-head' turned out to be Scholes.
Perhaps we'll hear a similar story about Rashford, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Lingaard or one of the others one day. Maybe the documentary will be called 'The Class of 2016'.
First Published: Mar 12, 2016 16:39 IST


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AN INNOCENT FAMILY was lucky to escape injury after a number of shots were fired into their house in Dublin by a shooter who gardaí believe was targeting a convicted sex offender, TheJournal.ie has learned.
The case of mistaken identity happened on Tuesday night in Crumlin. Around four shots were fired through the front door of the house at approximately 10pm. There were four people in the house at the time. Nobody sustained any injuries.
Gardaí believe the gunman got the wrong home. The family who live at that home have no involvement in crime whatsoever.
Officers are pursuing a line of inquiry that the gunman was targeting a convicted sex offender who is also allegedly involved in low level drug crime in the area.
He lives near where the shooting happened and officers are now investigating how the wrong address was targeted.
The shooter fled the area on a bicycle and gardaí believe he is a local criminal. However, investigations are still at a very early stage.
The sex offender has a large number of convictions including one for sexual assault, and others for robbery.
Gardaí confirmed they are investigating Tuesday's incident.
A spokesman said: "Gardaí attended an incident on the 9th October 2018 at approximately 10pm.
"A number of shots were allegedly fired at the front of a house. Four occupants were in the house at time. No injuries were reported and investigations are ongoing."


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The "retailization of healthcare" took a big step forward yesterday with the close of drugstore CVS Health's deal to buy health insurer Aetna. In his first public appearance after the deal close, chief executive Larry Merlo said this morning at the Forbes Healthcare Summit, "This an opportunity to create a new healthcare model that is easier and simpler to use." The retailization of healthcare has been driven by high-deductible insurance plans pushing decision-making and accountability in the hands of consumers, Merlo said, "yet tools to make decisions are lagging behind expectations of plan designs. We see an opportunity to close that gap."
CVS Health and Aetna announced the deal, which values the insurer at $69 billion, last December. It's taken five days less than a full year to secure approval from shareholders and regulators, including the U.S. Department of Justice and 28 state departments of insurance, and complete the acquisition. To satisfy the DOJ, Aetna is selling its standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans. The final regulatory approval came through on Monday.
Since the beginning, Merlo has emphasized the combined companies' ability to make healthcare services easier for people to access and less expensive. An example of how this might happen: Aetna has a lot of information about what the next best action patients need to take for their health, but insurer outreach with a phone call, letter, or email can seem faceless. CVS is already present in communities where about 70 percent of the U.S. population lives. "If we improve engagement with the right products, services and tools we'll improve heath outcomes, and we know when we improve health outcomes we lower healthcare costs," Merlo said.
"Today people think of a retail pharmacy as a store, and we'll continue to offer products for good health, beauty, personal care and convenience, but think about the store evolving more as a healthcare destination," Merlo said. Perhaps 20 percent of the retail space could be repurposed to expand Minute Clinics and offer services to help consumers understand their insurance benefits and learn about nutrition.
That doesn't mean replacing primary care physicians, he emphasized, but it could mean more pharmacists practicing at the top of their licenses. The trusted relationships consumers have with pharmacists is "part of the dynamic that has us confident that those next best actions, delivered by a trusted resource, will make a meaningful difference to getting patients, customers, to take an action they may not have thought about, or thoughts about as seriously as they need to."
The companies' combined revenue, based on financials from when the deal was announced last year, would be $221 billion. Aetna will continue to operate as its own business unit within CVS Health.


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We are seeing the necessity now more than ever of all of us working together to solve the homeless pets problem
(Vocus) March 26, 2009
Best Friends Animal Society offers networking, resources; urges local involvement to address 'foreclosure pets' issue. The way to battle the economic forces which are driving up the number of homeless pets really may be in your own backyard, an expert at one of the nation's largest animal welfare organizations says.
Since the mid 1980's, the number of homeless pets euthanized annually in this country dropped from some 17 million to about 4 million, but the current increase in foreclosures through which people are forced to relinquish their pets to shelters, combined with drops in donations to animal rescue groups threaten to drive the number of homeless pets higher.
The statistics vary across the country, but the story is the same. Every day the national help desk at Best Friends Animal Society receives hundreds of urgent requests from rescue groups struggling to stay open, people losing their jobs and no longer able to afford their pets, shelters that cannot keep up with flow of animals into their shelters, and reports of cats and dogs left behind to fend for themselves after a foreclosure.
Liz Finch, manager of Best Friends' Community Assistance Department said, "We started the No More Homeless Pets® program nearly two decades ago to share resources and teach people how they could be part of the solution. We realized that our sanctuary in a remote part of southern Utah could not possibly take in the millions of animals who need help."
"We are seeing the necessity now more than ever of all of us working together to solve the homeless pets problem," Finch said. "Here is what we know at Best Friends: the people in this country have an amazing ability to reach out and help. How many times have we seen people turn out in force after a hurricane or tornado?"
"Yes, these are especially difficult times, but Best Friends knows that solving the homeless pets issue is a miracle of many small choices," Finch continued.
Finch outlined six simple steps people can take to help homeless pets in their community. "None of us can solve this alone. Do one small thing and get your friends to do one small thing, too. It's amazing how fast these small sacrifices add up."
6 simple steps to help homeless pets:
1. Make a small donation to your local rescue group or shelter and get 5 of your friends to do the same. Small amounts add up fast.
2. Volunteer at your local shelter or rescue group.
3. Foster a homeless pet and promote it for adoption.
4. Spay/neuter your pets. If you can afford to do so, donate the cost of a spay/neuter for a neighbor who cannot pay to have their pet altered.
5. If you can, consider adopting one more dog or one more cat.
6. Donate to the local pet food bank (in many communities there are organizations dedicated to distributing pet food and some traditional food banks also accommodate pet owners).
To find out more about how you can help on a local level and get involved with the fastest growing online community of people working to help homeless pets, visit the Best Friends Network at http://network.bestfriends.org . Take action by using the online resources: click on the resources tab in the No More Homeless Pets® community: http://network.bestfriends.org/nmhp .
Barbara Williamson (435) 689-0200 (cell) (or) barbara (at) bestfriends (dot) org
John Polis (435) 644-2001, ext. 4858 or johnp (at) bestfriends (dot) org
About Best Friends Animal Society:
Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2009, Best Friends Animal Society advances nationwide animal welfare initiatives by working with shelter and rescue groups around the country. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in southwestern Utah is the nation's largest facility for abused, abandoned and special needs companion animals. On any given day the sanctuary is home to approximately 1,700 dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, birds, and other animals. The society publishes Best Friends magazine, the nation's largest general interest, pet-related magazine with approximately 300,000 subscribers. For more information on Best Friends Animal Society, visit: http://www.bestfriends.org/.


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Monday, December 28, 2015
Welby: "Christians face Middle East elimination"
Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury Cathedral in Kent compared the Daesh to the Biblical King Herod who ordered the massacre of the innocents in an attempt to kill the Christ child, during his Christmas sermon.
"Today, across the Middle East, close to the area in which the angels announced God's apocalypse, Isis and others claim that this is the time of an apocalypse, an unveiling created of their own terrible ideas, one which is igniting a trail of fear, violence, hatred and determined oppression", he said.
Welby affirmed that because Islamic terrorists are "Confident that these are the last days, using force and indescribable cruelty, they seem to welcome all opposition, certain that the warfare unleashed confirm that these are indeed the end times."
More here-
1 comment:
- Leonardo Ricardo said...
++Justin, yes, you are right to be alarmed about the discrimination and persecution and worse of Christians in the Middle East...you are correct to know that elimination of the most terrible variety EXISTS in REAL LIFE and Anglicans are victims along with other Christian denominations...please clear your head as I KNOW YOU KNOW the Anglican Provinces in Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya/others have formed together the GAFCON and Global South movements which preach the exclusion, inmprisonment=death or LGBTI Anglicans/others. Please, try and not rely on the recent sensationalism of murderous terrorists to make us AWARE of the pending demise of ALL Anglicans...everywhere. Your selectiveness is understood because of the nature of your challenge to fully accept the inclusion of LGBTI at ALL levels of Church of England and Anglican life...WE will not be distracted as we continue to pray for ALL tormented ANGLICANS everywhere.
- December 28, 2015 at 9:49 AM


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This is a fascinating map plotting the primary ethnic origins of every county in the US.
More here.
I wonder how American can be an ethnic group, I may be reading it wrong as the print is so small. I would question the accuracy of this map if that is what it says.
I could write something that would be interpreted as politically incorrect or racially insensitive, so I shall refrain. But it is an interesting map.
I wonder if they meant "Native American," or if the people there said "American, by gawd!" when they filled out the questionnaire? (I would!)
Sunny - the map is derived from US census bureau data so it is only as accurate as the number of people who bothered to fill it out correctly.
LL - you... politically incorrect? Insensitive??
Perish the thought!
Gorges - I just about chased the census lady take off my property when she showed up to ask all kinds of additional questions. She got real nervous when I answered, "What the hell business is it of yours?" said thanks and almost ran from my driveway.
The first census was taken in 1790 I believe. Some census takers reported being shot at.
Look at MA, solid purple - Irish. No wonder the Kennedy's always got elected.
Sig, my father used to say that if the Democrats put a jackass in a suit the Irish Americans would vote for him. Disclaimer: Our last name is Ahern, same as the Taoiseach who served from 97-08. If he's a relation its really distant.
Speaking for myself, I ditched all that "Erin Go Braugh" crap and other bilge from my mother's Dutch side (her family lived under "Pegleg Pete" Stuyvestant when he gave New York to the English). I'm an American, thats good enough for me.


text: Clover Stroud is a writer and journalist; her first book, "The Wild Other: a memoir of love, adventure and how to be brave", was shortlisted for the Wainwright prize. She is a regular contributor to many newspapers and international magazines and is currently working on a second book. She lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and five children.


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As writers, our product is also dependent on retail sales to the public. A public that is now strapped for cash and worried about their own futures. So how do we handle this new, added stress?
In the past, writing has been an escape. The place I went to and lost myself in to get away from the daily worries of real life. My hopes and dreams were there. The dream of being a published author, the hope of maybe someday adding to the family income with my writing. Now, real life has invaded that hopeful, imaginary world. And now people in the industry are beginning to openly talk about the financial crisis and how it's affecting the publishing industry. Within the past few days, Bookends and Editorrent both posted on their blogs about the effect the economy is having on submissions. If anyone has more links to articles or posts on the subject, please post them because now it's like a train wreck and I can't look away. Anyway, according to these agents, submissions are up beyond anything they've ever seen, and they say editors at the big houses are reporting the same thing. People who are out of work are writing and submitting. Authors who have been cut loose are submitting. Yet, after all that, both blog posts try to end on an up note by telling us to keep writing and sending in those manuscripts because books are still being bought. All I can say is, thank God for small presses because without them, too many of us would be left out in the cold.
The market was tight fourteen years ago when I first paid my dues to gain entrance to the romance community. I can't imagine what it's like out there now with more and more authors and fewer and fewer slots. But I have a feeling that as more authors turn to other publishing outlets (small press, e-pub, vanity pub), the alternative market will turn into a veritable swampland that few book buyers will dare venture into. On the other hand, if more recognizable authors toss their hat into the small press ring, maybe it will give us more credibility. Who knows what the outcome will be. People who've been in this business for decades have been saying for quite a while that the publishing industry will have to undergo a complete metamorphosis if it is to survive. Is that time now upon us?
How are you handling the economic news that gets worse by the day? How has it affected your writing? Do you see light at the end of the tunnel? If so, please tell me about it.


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Is Grain Free Dog Food Better?
Ask anyone feeding dry dog food these days and they will tell you they feed a "good quality, grain-free" brand. These are often quite expensive, which might make you wonder: is grain-free dog food worth the extra money?
The sad reality is that the majority of dry commercial dog foods are made using corn, wheat or rice. These are the filler ingredients that people understandably want to avoid feeding their dogs.
The problem is that grains are not nutritionally required by your dog. Their digestive tract is designed to break down meat and fat, not grains (which are mostly carbs). Feeding a diet based on grain is basically a waste of money, because your dog doesn't gain nutrition from them!
Here's the thing though: grain-free dog food is still loaded with carbohydrates.
Carbs are what makes the kibble stick together after it's processed, so it's an essential part of dry dog food. Carbs are broken down into sugar, which has been linked to widespread problems like cancer, diabetes and obesity.
Instead of looking for grain-free, we should be feeding low carb instead.
Feeding a low carb diet can help:
- improve digestion
- provide relief from allergies
- improve coat condition
- reduce weight
- increase energy
Most dog food manufacturers don't include the carbohydrate content of their food on the nutritional panel though. Why? Literally, because dogs have no carb requirement. The mind boggles! Which is why it is so concerning when you learn how much carbs are in grain free dog food.
There is a really simple formula for estimating the amount of carbs in dog food - stay with me here!
100 - protein% - fat% - moisture% - ash% = carbs
(If ash isn't listed, assume 6%)
So for this example:
100 -26 (%Protein) -16.3 (%Fat) -10 (%Moisture) -9 (%Ash)
= 38.7% carbs.. 😟
And that ladies and gentlemen, is a LOT of carbs.
While grain-free is a great thing for dog food, the amount of carbohydrate it contains is far more important. As a rule, try to keep your dog's carb intake under 8% of their diet. Any higher and you are paying for food that your dog cannot digest, and there are potential health risks as well.
When you consider the cost of "premium" dry dog food, a properly balanced raw diet is comparable. And so amazing better for your dog's wellbeing. So drop the carbs!


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The French Press: We frequent their State St. location (they have two) nearly every time we drive through Santa Barbara. Consistently good coffee and service - and a great spot to hang out or get some work done! )(@thefrenchpress)
Bobby's pick: Whatever the barista recommends
Alli's pick: Cold brew
Handlebar Coffee Roasters: Two former professional cyclists fell in love, got married, "switched gears" (get it?) and started a coffee roastery. Cute story right? Well, it's an even cuter shop - and their coffee is delicious! (@handlebarcoffee)
Bobby's pick: Cappuccino
Alli's pick: Oatmilk latte
Jeannine's Bakery: This family owned bakery and cafe has been around for over 30 years, and it's not going anywhere. Whether you're just stopping in for baked goods or sitting down for brunch, you're sure to love it. (@jeanninesbakery)
Bobby's pick: Breakfast Burrito
Alli's pick: Buttermilk Pancake Breakfast
Backyard Bowls: Acai bowls, hot porridges, smoothies, and more. If you're craving something fruity and light - "BB" is the spot to b(e)! ;) It's quick and delicious, and a perfect warm weather treat! (@backyardbowls)
Bobby's pick: Power Bowl
Alli's pick: Green Bowl
Los Agaves: Santa Barbara is home to some of the best mexican restaurants we've ever been to, and Los Agaves is one of our favorites. It's authentic and innovative, and everything is made fresh to order. Be sure to make a reservation as it does fill up! (@losagavesrestaurant)
Bobby's pick: Carne Asada
Alli's pick: Garden Burrito
Lucky Penny: Located in the heart of Santa Barbara's "funk zone", Lucky Penny serves up some of the best wood-fired pizzas in the area. Grab a seat in their quaint picnic patio, order a pizza and a glass of wine, and you'll be thanking us in no time! (@luckypennysb)
Bobby's pick: The O.G.
Alli's pick: Lucky Penny Margherita
The Lark: Served family style with artisanal and seasonal ingredients, the Lark is one of those places where everything on the menu is amazing. It's a little on the pricier side, but well worth the splurge! (@thelarksb)
Our picks: Crispy Brussels Sprouts, House Made Tagliatelle Pasta, Wagyu Beef Meatballs, Roasted Sunburst Squash & Farro. (But really, everything is amazing.)
The Good Lion: A classy craft cocktail bar that's contemporary and intimate. You might have to wait a little bit to find a seat - but the innovative drinks are worth the wait! (@thegoodlionbar)
Bobby's pick: House Old Fashioned
Alil's pick: Manhattan Date Night
The Bobcat Room: This is another quiet, cozy cocktail bar with a captivating vintage vibe. Great bartenders, seasonal drinks, and a farm-to-bar approach on the ingredients. If you're looking for a rowdier night, head to the Wildcat Lounge next-door and you'll find everything you need. (@bobcatroomsb)
The Goodland: The cutest, most Instagrammable boutique surf hotel we've ever seen. And it's a Kimpton, so it comes with all of their special extra touches like live music events, daily fitness classes, and evening social hour! (Oh, and it's dog friendly!) (@thegoodlandsb)
Belmond El Encanto: This luxurious hotel has been around since 1918, and spans over seven acres of secluded gardens. It's the ultimate "getaway location" and the views from their iconic pool are unparalleled. (@belmondelencanto)
Spanish Garden Inn: This Spanish-style inn is located in a prime spot, just three blocks from downtown. Three things that bring us back to the Spanish Garden are (1) the fireplaces in every room, (2) the daily complimentary breakfast with delicious quiche and espresso drinks, and (3) the local wines they pour each evening at the wine bar. There's a beautiful garden as well! (@spanishgardeninn)
Canary Hotel: If you've been following us for awhile, you know we are big fans of Kimpton hotels (they do things really well and they're incredibly dog friendly). The Kimpton Canary falls right inline with the others, boasting a rooftop pool and bar with stunning views, luxurious four-post beds, and a hosted wine hour. Next time we'll bring Sally! (@canaryhotel)
The Santa Barbara Zoo: Located across the street from the ocean, it's arguably one of the most beautiful zoos in the country! It's intimate, affordable ($18), and really well designed. The animals have plenty of room to roam, and the zookeepers are extremely knowledgeable. We love going just for the morning or afternoon! (@santabarbarazoo)
Wine Tasting: Downtown Santa Barbara has a buzzing wine scene, with dozens of tasting rooms and working wineries all over the city. Area 5.1 Winery, Deep Sea Tasting Room, Oreana Winery, and Fox Wine Co are a few of our favorites!
State Street: Our favorite thing to do in Santa Barbara is walking up, down, and around State Street. There are so many good restaurants and bars (see above), and it is such a relaxing atmosphere!
VERY! Most Santa Barbara restaurants have patios, and there's plenty of pretty parks, trails, and beaches for you to explore with your pup! Chase Palm Park and Shoreline Park are two spots you should definitely check out, and Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company has a seperate doggie menu - including steak bites and frozen marrow bone!


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Let's discuss what you knew about Islam before reading "Infidel".
Are you familiar with the Qur'an? Did this book pique your curiosity about the religion while reading it?
Do you find her views on Islam to be extremely negative? Are her opinions and descriptions about Islam tainted due to the situations that she faced in a closed society where women's rights are pretty much non-existent?
Family and genealogy apparently play a huge role in Hirsi Ali's life.
How important is it to Ayaan's family to learn the names of forefathers? Discuss how having and knowing members of your clan can be beneficial.
Describe Ayaan's mother. Is her mother loving towards Ayaan and her siblings. How does she treat Ayaan differently than the others?
Sister Aziza's ways of teaching is all about the positive and focusing on the inner intention. Ayaan later admits that although she looked up to Sister Aziza. She tried to be the best Muslim she should be, but she never felt the presence of Allah. For her, there was no inner light. Let's discuss.
"It was shocking, unslamic, unsomali to fall in love." (Page 126) Let's talk about how love and intimacy are described in the book.
Ayaan Hirsi Magan is the daughter of a highly respected Somali nationalist and revolutionary and later she serves on the Dutch Parliament. Do you believe that this book has a political agenda?
Hirsi Ali begins "Infidel" with an account of a murder which took place in 2004. A Muslim fanatic shot Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh on an Amsterdam street and used a butcher knife to stab into his chest a five-page letter to Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Hirsi Ali had worked with Van Gogh on a film of about female oppression under Islam, entitled Submission, that included shots of a naked, battered woman covered with writings from the Qur'an.
Watch the short film below and discuss any emotions that were provoked while watching the film.


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Reso DnB Masterclass Series
The complete Masterclass series from Reso, including his Beats, Bass and Melodies & FX DnB Courses. In this bundle, you'll be guided through how he constructs heavy drums, neuro bass and classic melodic elements & atmospheric FX. There are Logic projects and templates, to allow hands-on inspection or to use as a starting point for your own DnB tracks, plus an assortment of additional materials, including instrument presets, loops and oneshots. See the individual course pages for more details.
Courses in this bundle:
Drum & Bass Beats Masterclass
Reso DnB Bass Masterclass
DnB Melodies & FX Masterclass


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10 of the Best Celebrity Hairstyles on Instagrams This Week
When it comes to learning new hairstyles, we gleaned some chic how-tos this week. For example, we mastered the art of the 30-second coil topknot, the "Bump-it" half top knot, and the wrapped ponytail, just to name a few. Looking for more pin-worthy 'dos to try this weekend? Luckily our fave celebs on Instagram are here to help. From winter braids to slick lobs, these gorgeous manes are the perfect snaps to take your hair game to the next level, whether you're primping up for a casual night out or a fancy soirée.
1. Lily James: Looking for a fresh, regal 'do to try at your next ball? Try these soft tresses, courtesy of our fave style princess James, which go perfectly with a breezy, romantic neckline. (Photo via @lilyjamesofficial)
2. Kylie Jenner: Channel your inner snow princess with the cool twist on the top knot that Kylie 'grammed this week. Throw in a nude lip and a sparkly frock for an extra chic ensemble. (Photo via Frazer Harrison/Getty)
3. Priyanka Chopra: Our favorite agent looks stunning sporting this fishtail braid. Go au naturale by keeping makeup minimal for a fresh daytime look. (Photo via @priyankachopra)
4. Ciara: Femme Fatale never looked so good. Try this blowout with a side-part and finish it off with a red lip and light contouring to serve some *serious* face. (Photo via @ciara)
5. Selena Gomez: Here's a perfect date night 'do. Stay simple with big, flowing locks, add some gloss to your lips and catch your boo's eye with some statement-making jewelry. (Photo via @selenagomez)
6. Meagan Good: Opulence doesn't have to look so complicated, especially when it comes to your mane. Instead, go for this slick, side-swept coiffure, and you'll be sure to look like the belle of the ball. (Photo via @msgood)
7. Gillian Anderson: This "X-Files" starlet showed us a no-fuss way to glam up your lob with this side-swept style. Pair it with a Midas grecian gown to turn heads. (Photo via _gilliananderson)
8. Laverne Cox: We love a little drama, and leave it to OITNB starlet Cox to deliver just that with this show-stopping look, perfectly topped off with an Old-Hollywood 'do that honors the great screen sirens of yore. Gorg. (Photo via @lavernecox)
9. Miranda Kerr: Your squad won't be able to keep their hands off you with this slick hairstyle. Try a middle part and work your curls down to your shoulder for a mid-length, high-impact finish. (Photo via @mirandakerr)
10. Eva Longoria: Add a whimsical spark to your formal frock with an ethereal updo. Keep it light and fun with a smokey eye and bubblegum-pink lips. (photo via @evalongoria)
Tweet us your fave celeb inspo @BritandCo!


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...and so are the solutions.
Be part of the solution.
Our mission
We are training the next generation of global climate leaders!
Our mission is to educate, train, and empower global youth to become leaders in addressing the root causes of climate change and mitigating the effects in their communities and around the world.
Through leadership development, experiential skills-based training, and practical real-world application, we support and mentor youth to take on the most pressing global issues of our time.
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Our programs offer opportunities for youth to:
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Gain valuable leadership skills and experience
Offer and receive peer-to-peer support
Experience the practical realities of working to reduce climate change


text:
Cosney Corporation was founded on the belief that our success is contingent on the complete satisfaction and success of our customers. Our team will be with you every step of the way - from the spark of an idea to your vision realized.
Our growing team of experts are passionate, innovative, and detail-oriented. Our sales and design professionals have tackled a range of large and small scale projects, with the same high quality and professionalism. To view Cosney project highlights, please visit our Cosney News tab featured above. We are confident that we have the team, experience, and resources to make your plan a reality.
Tim McMullen - email@example.com
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You'll be bringing the heat in our cutout bottoms. Sexy cutouts expose just the right amount of skin, but moderate coverage will have you ready to dip in.
• Moderate back coverage
• Low-waist fit
• Oval hip cutouts
Material: 80% nylon, 20% spandex
Our suits are made to last for many years but there are a couple things you can do to make sure your Dippin' Daisy's suit stays fabulous.
1. Rinse your suit in fresh water after swimming in the pool or ocean. Chemicals found in chlorine and the salt from the ocean are known to make fabrics fade.
2. Hand wash your suit. Machines are generally rough on the delicate nature of swimwear and can snag padding and ties. Instead, wash your suit with cold water and a mild detergent and lay it on a towel to dry.
3. Avoid ringing your suit out. This may help it dry faster, but twisting the suit is rough on its seams and can stretch it out. Instead lay it on a towel and roll the towel over the suit like a sleeping bag.
4. Switch up your look and alternate Dippin' Daisy's suits. We all need our beauty rest this allows swimwear the time to take its original shape and keeps it fresh for many sunny days to come.


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Kevin Spacey admits something Liberals don't want to hear, and the Bible has been saying for 1000s of years.
You don't have to be extremely connected to Hollywood's current events to know that the movie industry is corrupt and morally debased. I'm not talking about the movies they make, (although those fall in that same category). But as a rule the lives of those in the limelight often leave us feeling worried about the moral compass of our wonderful country.
Kevin Spacey is no exception.
The intention of this article is not to kick a guy while he's down. Instead I'd like to applaud Mr. Spacey if for nothing else than for his honesty in admitting an ugly truth that people in his industry want to sweep under the rug.
To catch some of you up, Kevin Spacey, successful, award-winning actor, has recently faced multiple accusations of sexual harassment. 8 from people he worked with on the set of his current project, and most damaging, an inappropriate sexual advance made towards a 14-year-old child actor back in 1986. With the flood of Hollywood stars being called out on this behavior, Spacey may seem like just another line in a revolting, but predictable script. Even so, Spacey's surprising response to the then child actor has caused quite a stir.
When news of his actions hit the media, Spacey responded with an apologetic, yet explanatory tweet. I'll let you read it for yourselves.
At the mention of his homosexuality, ABC couldn't drop the victim quick enough to applaud the alleged abuser and headlined their article: "Kevin Spacey comes out in a brave tweet." (This was later edited.) Other news outlets reacted in kind, but Spacey wasn't off the hook yet. He was met with wide backlash online as many people found rage in the fact that He would reinforce a "dated and dangerous stereotype that conflate homosexuals with pedophilia."
The Verge, an online media publication had this to say:
"Spacey is just the latest of powerful man in this line up of alleged abusers, though he's the only one who has managed to link harassment and predatory behavior toward children with an entire group of marginalized people."
I don't say this often, but I think I tend to agree with ABC News. Kevin Spacey's tweet was pretty brave. Did he play his "gay card" at a very convenient and cowardice time? Some have suggested as such. But his bravery comes into play when he's willing admit a widely unpopular truth (about himself) that's been categorically denied since the popularization of the homosexual agenda.
Homosexuality is linked to pedophilia.
You can deny this, stack up a list of professors, and preachers, and psychologists that say otherwise, but at the end of the day, maybe we should believe the one who's in the trenches of this struggle. At least someone in Hollywood is willing to tell the truth. Thank you, Mr. Spacey.
The truth is that if you subject yourself to your sexual preferences and impulses long enough, it will lead you down a path of perversion; perhaps not always pedophilia but perversion nonetheless. God designed sexuality to be a blessing to humanity. But if we want to throw the Book out the window and play by our own rules, odds are we'll end up playing a different game entirely.
Spirituality aside, common sense can be a huge reality check if you let it. If you want to be an activist for the cause of sexual preference, eventually you're going to have to accept and advocate for those who prefer to love children, or siblings, or animals, or inanimate objects.
If we're being consistent with liberal theology, what we believe about sexual preference doesn't matter. Throw the laws out the window and let everyone's banner fly free. If you believe the lie that all truth is subjective eventually you'll have to surrender your truth as well.
The fact of our day is that it isn't just scripture that's being shelved as subject truth.
Science and sexuality are also now subjective under the law of political correctness. In light of this, it's imperative that we accept our call to make camp with the politically incorrect. To call sin, "sin" will only get more uncomfortable and we should expect nothing less.
It's an "inconvenient truth" that Spacey brings to the table. But just because truth is inconvenient doesn't mean it's incorrect. (Al Gore's turn of phrase actually applies better to this situation than global warming.)
Jen Yamato of the Daily Beast wrote on the pedophilia epidemic in Hollywood and it's affect on victims who "recall the uncertainty of not knowing how to defend themselves against the older predatory mentors who were also helping guide their careers, many of whom spent years "grooming" the youngsters and their parents to earn their trust."
Yamato describes the far reaching damage of this environment saying, "All of the now-older victims report feeling distraught, intimidated, traumatized, and even suicidal. Many of them turned to drugs and alcohol to deal with the abuse, or quit the industry altogether to sever ties to their poisoned dreams." These are symptoms of an isolated, yet widely imitated segment of society that has produced a perfect platform of acceptance for the behavior they currently condemn.
We need to stop letting Hollywood off the hook.
We need to call them on their inconsistency. I like the way fellow Apostolic writer Ryan French put it when he said "Hollywood has been making movies that objectified women for decades and now they act shocked when women are objectified."
The same applies to Kevin Spacey connecting his homosexual desires with making sexual advances toward a child. I echo Ryan's sentiment.
Hollywood has been glorifying sexually deviant behavior for decades and now they act shocked when someone does something sexually deviant.
Hollywood has been promoting the sexuality of children for decades and now they act shocked when someone sees a child as a sex object.
Ideas, as it turns out, DO have consequences. and culture, despite its best efforts, continues to testify to the truth of the scripture.
Isaiah's sermon will still preach today: "Woe to them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." Scripture tells us these will eat the fruit of their own ways. Hollywood is reaping the fruit of years of immoral indoctrination. Let this be a lesson to the church that what we sow in our sermons we WILL reap in our saints. If we sow in political correctness and cultural popularity our congregations will be compromised.
At the end of the day, doctrine does matter...but it remains to be seen who will preach theirs with more conviction: Culture or the Church.
Plaugic, Lizzie. (2017, October 10) Kevin Spacey's Response to Sexual Assault Allegations Eclicits Online Backlash. https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/30/16571026/kevin-spacey-sexual-assault-allegations-anthony-rapp-coming-out
Yamato, Jen. (2015, June 5) Hollywood's Pedophilia Epidemic Exposed in 'An Open Secret'. https://www.thedailybeast.com/hollywoods-pedophilia-epidemic-exposed-in-an-open-secret


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- Our Q&A Section allows our dedicated curly community members to post, ask, and answer questions all things hair related. Be sure to stop by to engage with others like you and earn points while doing so! Member Tatiana5C recently posted this question:
Question:"My hair strands are some what thick, but for a while they've been falling out which makes my hair thinner. My mom says it's because I always wash my hair constantly pulling out hair. By the way I haven't flat-ironed my hair in almost a year and my hair still doesn't look healthy or long like I wanted to. But I'm just focused on getting it thick. Any suggestions?
Tatiana, if we explored in depth every single reason you're experiencing excessive hair fall, this article would be dozens of pages long, which might defeat the purpose of a straightforward answer that I'm sure you are looking for. And for the purpose of getting straight to the point, I'll pinpoint these general possibilities and how you may solve the issue:
First of all, know what is normal and what is not.
The average head of hair has 100,000 to 150,000 strands. Losing up to 50 strands is normal, however, anything over that is not. By nature, curly hair sheds more than straight hair.
Stop brushing your hair.The Marcia Brady logic (the more times you brush, the softer your hair will be) doesn't work. Over brushing actually causes friction of the hair, promoting hair shed and breakage. For damaged, weakened, and brittle curls, stop brushing your hair and detangling with a comb. Try finger detangling instead.
Add vitamins A, D, & E to your daily regimen.
While it's important to note that there IS such thing as too much of these, it's also just as important to not neglect them completely from your diet or beauty routine. They both help regulate your hair cycle focusing on length and strength. The antioxidants in vitamin A moisturize the sebum in your scalp. Taking your daily dose of Vitamin E will also promote healthy hair growth, as it increases blood circulation and stimulates the hair follicles. Ask your mom to buy you cantaloupe, carrots, and dark green vegetables. She can also get a multivitamin (containing all of these vitamins in 1 capsule) that can be found at any grocery store in the wellness section.
Don't dye, relax, or straighten.
You mentioned that you no longer flat iron your hair, so we know heat isn't the culprit in this case. I'm not sure if you have experimented with harmful box dyes or relaxers. Right now your hair is in a super fragile state, so I'd suggest staying away from things like ammonia, lye, bleach and chlorine. Here's an easy, natural recipe to color and thicken your hair at the same time if you absolutely must color your hair.
Use a scalp stimulator.
Every few days, add a few drops directly to your scalp (per the product's instructions) to promote faster hair growth and strength. Castor, tea tree, almond , and jojoba oil will be your best friends for the next few months. We like:
- Eden Body Works All Natural Tea Tree Hair Oil
- Mielle Organics Mint Almond Oil
- Nubian Heritage Strengthen & Grow Serum
- Karen's Body Beautiful Heavenly Jojoba Hair Oil
Go see your doc.
Hair shed at a young age can be due to an underlying health situation, like thyroid issues, anemia, alopecia, poor diet, or even genetics. Discuss with your mom if anyone in the family experienced hair loss at a young age, and that may help you understand where yours is coming from. Schedule an appointment to see your doctor.
Have a wavy, curly, or coily Q?
We want you to have your healthiest, happiest hair possible! If you have any questions, feel free to visit our Q&A Section for helpful advice from curlies like you!


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Lebanon Outreach Ministries/
The Altadore Baptist Outreach Ministry Team is pleased to announce that as a church we have started to support two projects in Lebanon this year through Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM) in our 2013 budget. For more details, view the Outreach page
In addition, we are honoured that two of the CBM Field Staff who work in Lebanon, Elie and Marielle Haddad, will be visiting us on Sunday, April 27 for the morning service and a lunch following. Elie Haddad is the principal of the Arab Baptist Theological School. For more information on this event, contact Norma C. or the church office.


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I am not a grandmother…yet. I do have two grown children who are definitely old enough to have children of their own…& who, I suspect, want to. I think their "biological clocks" are probably ticking…maybe even loudly. I know mine certainly was at their ages!
When I was their ages, there was a lot I (& most if not all parents) didn't know about parenthood. We didn't know then that all of our children were being born "pre-polluted." We didn't know about the wide range of toxins children are now born with – or that most of a mother's lifetime body burden (a phrase not then in use) of dioxin (another word I never heard mentioned back then) passes into her first child in the breast milk. (I just looked over Chapter 12 in Sandra Steingraber's wonderful book Having Faith – An Ecologist's Journey to Motherhood. Which brought tears to my eyes. But I digress…)
I was a pretty virtuous pregnant lady. I gave up smoking & drinking & cut my coffee consumption down to one cup a day (this was a challenge, & I should have given it up altogether, of course. Mea culpa). Of course I didn't know then about possible lead exposure from paint (or other sources). Or possible pesticide exposure from nearby sprayed lawns & the corn field behind our house (atrazine was almost certainly in use & very likely also in our well water). I didn't know that our supposedly wonderfully "safe" & tasty well water would soon become polluted (it probably already was) – or due to what variety of substances it would soon become … no longer safe.
I didn't know then that radionuclides suppress our immune system (chemicals too. And the thinning ozone layer (excess radiation, essentially). And various other things. Even sugar!!). Or that our location in the general area of 2 gigantic nuclear plants (Pickering & Darlington) may have had health impacts on us as well.
I was, in a word, rather uninformed. And quite naïve, I must admit, too. In spite of having worked for several years for a federal government agency that, quite frankly, did not inspire confidence or loyalty or truth-telling. But that's a tale for another day entirely; there really MUST be a limit to how much I will allow myself to digress here…
I think I've always been a pretty good Mom to my children. I fed them well & loved them to pieces. Read them tons of stories & ensured they got lots of "fresh" air (heh heh). Played outside with them in the snow when they were little, & always fed them "an apple a day to keep the doctor away" (didn't know then about the pesticides in the apples, mind you…).
Now? Times have changed.
Now, I can't help but wonder, how will I feel if/when they have children??
I think I will likely feel … ambivalent. I'll feel great joy at the prospect of grandmotherhood, no doubt. Also, considerable trepidation.
The world is such an awfully mixed-up place, isn't it?? A person hardly knows what to think about it all.
Or do.
Or say to one's children, even, hmmm?
I recently went to a showing of the film "Toxic Trespass" in Toronto. Both the producer (Dorothy Goldin Rosenberg) & the writer/director (Barri Cohen) were there. I'd seen the film before, but I wanted to see it again with my "thinking like a grandmother" hat on.
It's been a long time since I've placed much trust in our politicians/government to "look out for us." This film illustrates graphically why we would be foolish to do so. Federal government agencies Health Canada & Environment Canada seem to be mostly into "minimizing & denying" environmental problems & their related health impacts. (This is so laughably an understatement to fellow long-time activists that I do apologize. Sometimes I find myself being the mistress of understatement…)
People who live in Windsor, Ontario know what I'm talking about.
And the people of "Chemical Valley" in Sarnia, also. (ecojustice recently produced a report entitled "Exposing Canada's Chemical Valley.")
Jim Brophy sure knows about it. He's the former Director of Windsor & Sarnia's OHCOW (Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario Workers) & has been trying for years & years to make our provincial & federal governments take some responsibility. (He's now with Toxic Free Canada)
One thing I know is that we are not "supposed" to become emotional about such things. Being "emotional" is very definitely distinctly frowned upon. I've been up & down the block on that, trust me. I've been angry; I've been sad. I've even despaired, & I've been resigned.
I think the only way for me to be right now – as I contemplate possible grandmotherhood – is determined.
Determined to keep right on trying to influence & rouse people from their apathy.
As I said to a young Mom at the "Toxic Trespass" showing in Toronto, it's fine to feed your children well (I'm all over organic food, needless to say) & protect them as best you can from bad air & poisoned water & nuclear dangers & lead exposure – & I strongly recommend that we all do so, to the very, very best of our ability. ** see Collections posting for links to the Lead postings on this blog.
But if we are not also working simultaneously on policy change – & very frequently on government or regime change (certainly the case here in Canada!! But don't get me started…) & efforts to make the world safer for ALL of us, I do despair for our grandchildren. All of our grandchildren. Even the grandchildren of the politicians & the corporate polluters & the bloodless, beaten down bureaucrats who carry out the government & corporate agenda.
ALL of them.
'Cos we're all in this darn old leaky boat together, hmmm? The air & the water & the pollution? We all get to … share it all, don't we? None of these things respect our human-drawn "borders."
'Quote of the day' with this post: "A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves." – Bertrand De Jouvenel


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Most industrial managers recognize that a cyber incident could jeopardize the safety, continuity, and profitability of their operations. Many have invested in basic defensive technologies, like anti-malware software and firewalls, and best practices recommended by automation suppliers and security consultants. This should protect operations from common hackers and may be adequate for low-risk operations that can tolerate disruptions. But it is not enough for critical infrastructure facilities facing the threat of advanced, targeted attacks. These organizations need to continuously monitor systems and investigate any suspicious behavior.
Continuous industrial control system (ICS) security monitoring technologies provide defenders with the visibility needed. While some companies may not be aware of these solutions, others are already integrating them into their cybersecurity management programs. Chief information officers (CIOs), chief information and security officers (CISOs), and active defenders in corporate security operations centers (SOCs) are also interested in the real-time plant security visibility these solutions provide. Suppliers support these needs and are working to extend integration with popular cyber-defense tools.
ARC discussed these issues with Nozomi Networks executives during a recent briefing. As we learned, critical infrastructure operators around the world use the company's SCADAguardian platform to monitor their ICS cybersecurity in real time and detect threats.
Critical Infrastructure Needs Prudent Cybersecurity
ARC's Industrial Cybersecurity Maturity Model illustrates the importance of continuous ICS security monitoring. We developed this model to help industrial managers understand cybersecurity challenges without having to become cybersecurity experts. It also provides a way for managers to understand cybersecurity investments with respect to cyber risks and the cost-benefits of different technologies.
ARC's model breaks cybersecurity into a set of steps that reduce cyber risks incrementally. Each step addresses a specific, easily understandable, security issue. These include securing individual devices, defending plants from external attacks, containing malware that may still get into a control system, monitoring systems for suspicious activity, and actively managing sophisticated threats and cyber incidents. Each step has an associated set of actions, technologies, and resources that can be used to accomplish its goals. Continuous ICS security monitoring is the foundation for level four cyber risk mitigation.
Government and industry ICS cybersecurity guidelines and standards generally focus on getting companies to invest in at least a minimum level of protection against common cyber-attack scenarios. This roughly equates to the first three steps in ARC's model and may be adequate for companies in low-risk industries and regions or those that can tolerate some process disruptions.
Operators of critical infrastructure don't have this luxury. They need the additional risk mitigation provided by the higher steps in ARC's model. The potential safety, environmental, compliance, and business continuity impact of an incident in these operations demands that all unnecessary risks be avoided. Recent incidents, particularly in power networks, show that critical infrastructure operations are also targets of sophisticated, well-resourced attack teams that can easily overcome basic cyber defenses.
Requirements for Continuous ICS Security Monitoring
IT cybersecurity teams have many tools for monitoring the security of business systems. But continuous ICS security monitoring has unique challenges and constraints that typically demand a built-for-purpose solution. Following are ARC's requirements for an acceptable ICS solution:
Passive Monitoring – no impact on the flow of time-sensitive industrial network messages or the operation of individual cyber assets
Message Parsing – ability to parse messages at all seven OSI layers and understand all industrial protocols and commands in a company's ICS. This goes far beyond the deep packet inspection (DPI) in next-generation, IT firewalls
Asset Inventory – support automatic building of a cyber asset inventory, including basic configuration data and message connectivity. Manual collection is impractical in ICS given the size and geographic distribution of cyber assets and the need to detect new devices and connections
Anomaly Detection – automatic detection of suspicious system behavior with a low rate of false positives. This includes identifying ICS and process problems. An ideal solution automatically learns normal behavior, helps companies establish a secure baseline, and leverages signature detection to rapidly detect known threats
Alerts – alerting with information about the nature of the suspicious activity and the cyber assets involved. An ideal solution provides incident correlation that combine alerts from a single attack into one incident to speed incident response and minimize operator "alert fatigue"
Dashboard – a user-friendly dashboard that provides a clear overview of system status and enables easy, ad hoc access to all security information and message flows. An ideal solution does this through drillable network diagrams with inquiry capabilities
Integration – bi-directional integration with security information and event management (SIEM) and other security applications to enable security teams to compare information from a variety of sources
Scalability – supports all ICS cyber assets regardless of how they are spread across different networks and facilities. An ideal solution provides operational visibility and real-time analysis across multiple geographies or business units
- Deployment – supports a variety of deployment options and use by plants, corporate security teams, and third-party service providers
Nozomi Networks Meets ARC's Requirements
The Nozomi Networks solution fulfills all the above requirements for continuous ICS security monitoring. The solution includes two key components: SCADAguardian, which continuously gathers and analyzes real-time messages flowing in control system networks; and, a central management console that aggregates data from multiple sites to provide centralized and remote cybersecurity management.
The SCADAguardian product has built-in DPI support for a wide range of popular IT and industrial protocols and the company has a protocol SDK to address other parsing needs. SCADAguardian uses sophisticated machine learning analysis methods to help ensure rapid, reliable detection of suspicious activity. This includes artificial intelligence, rules, and signature-based detection of abnormal behavior patterns and process anomalies.
SCADAguardian supports auto discovery with highly visual mapping of industrial assets. This includes identifying devices and vulnerabilities. Results are presented in the system dashboard in a user friendly way that facilitates visibility and enables users to drill down on all asset and vulnerability information. The SCADAguardian dashboards, reports, and alerts are also customizable.
According to the company, the Nozomi Networks central management console scales to monitor thousands of sites and supports various deployment options and hierarchical aggregation of ICS data. The product can also be used as a multitenancy solution for shared or MSSP (Managed Security Service Provider) deployments and very large-scale enterprise deployments.
Integration has been a key focus of Nozomi Networks development efforts. The company has developed interfaces for a wide range of ICS products, networking devices, SIEMs, and popular security management products, like FireEye and Leidos ASM. The company also has an open API for sharing data with external applications. Integrations with industrial firewalls enable asset operators to automatically block attacks.
Operators of critical infrastructure need to do all they can to minimize the safety, environmental, compliance, and business continuity risks related to cyber-attacks. This includes rapidly detecting and remediating system anomalies to minimize the impact of a successful intrusion.
Continuous ICS security monitoring provides the visibility that defenders need to manage today's sophisticated attacks. Our review of Nozomi Networks illustrates that good solutions are available and ARC encourages operators to consider how this technology might improve their cybersecurity program and provide related operational benefits.
ARC Advisory Group clients can view the complete report at ARC Main Client Portal or at ARC Office 365 Client Portal
If you would like to buy this report or obtain information about how to become a client, please Contact Us
Keywords: Anomaly and Breach Detection, Continuous ICS Security Monitoring, Nozomi Networks, ARC Advisory Group.
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Global Trade Station 2 Saxo Reader Update suffix fix -- 2 - Repost - open to bidding
Budget $30-250 USD
global trade station 2 saxo reader fix for EA
My EA running on MT4 which reads live data from Global trade station 2 (saxo reader software) to make trades.
Since global trade station 2 updated its platform, Saxo Reader No longer works. The view on Saxo Reader should be as shown on "Saxo Reader original view". And the EA view should be as "Arbitrage 2" picture. However, currently both the Saxo Reader view and EA view looks like per "Arbitrage 3" picture.
Would be happy if you can get the Saxo Reader fixed so it can read the Global Trade Station prices properly and also, will continue to work even if the global trade station is updated. If this means building a separate Saxo Reader that will work with my EA, that will also work.
4 freelancers are bidding on average $170 for this job
Please give me this opportunity because my work experience this type so we are comfortably work on this. Around 5+ experience this type of [login to view URL] please


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Obama Will Take Tougher Stands In Future: Jimmy Carter
As part of his media blitz for the one thousandth book he has written since his presidency ended (okay, it's actually 25; it just seems like many more) former President Jimmy Carter told CBS News' Bill Plante that he foresees President Obama becoming a fiercer advocate for his policies going forward.
An excerpt from the CBS News Web story on its interview with the 39th president:
"In the next two years President Obama will be much more independent in fighting hard to prevail and not trying to reach out, which turned out to be fruitlessly, to get two or three Republican votes for this and that," Mr. Carter said in an interview for CBSNews.com's "Washington Unplugged." "I think he'll be a much more tough proponent of what he stands for in the future, giving up on Republicans support and taking his case to the American public."
Meanwhile, in an observation that proves how cockeyed the world is now (or was back then) Carter notes that he actually had more support from some congressional Republicans during his presidency than he had from some Democrats.
He cites Sen. Howard Baker, the Tennessee Republican, and Rep. Bob Michel, an Illinois Republican, who gave him "maximum support."
It was liberal Democrats supporting of Sen. Ted Kennedy whose support he lost in the last two years of his presidency, Carter says. What he didn't say is that it was partly that loss of liberal Democratic support that spelled his political doom.
Of today's Republicans, Carter says they've been "irresponsible" and he seems to use that word in all of its meanings, that they've been reckless and that they haven't had control.
"The Republicans so far have been totally irresponsible. They've not taken responsibility for anything. And they've deprived President Obama of any votes for key issues. Sometimes he hasn't gotten a single vote in the House or Senate, as you know. Now that they have taken control of the House of Representatives, they'll be responsible for a major element of the U.S. government, that is the House of Representatives. How they vote in there, they'll have to go to the American people and say "This is the way we voted and this is why."