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The Book of Truth
- Chapter 578 -
There Will Be Different Levels in the New Paradise of 12 Nations
Friday, October 12th, 2012 @ 23:15
My dearly beloved daughter, My Love is so powerful, that it is now being felt by those who do not know God.
Despite the evil present in the world, man now feels a love in their hearts for others, which is at odds with the corruption, which is present in souls, and which will surprise them.
So unexpectedly will this love surge through their souls, that many will be reduced to tears. These tears of love, so pure in their hearts, will tear them in two. They won't know why they feel like this towards their brothers and sisters. They will also feel this real and unique love for their Creator, God the Father. Yet, they will not acknowledge that He exists. Instead, many will wander and ask themselves.
What is this incredible, but powerful, love that I feel in my heart? How can this be, if there is no God? How can I feel this love, if I am merely a product of evolution; a product of particles made up of the earth?
The Truth, My children, is this. You are not a particle of the earth, a remnant of time. You are a living being, a living soul, who has the capacity for eternal life, without end.
You suffer because of the sins of Adam and Eve, your original parents. You may smile, ridicule, or make fun of what you believe to be a story of fiction, but the Truth is that you are living a life of imperfection. This life of suffering is because of the sins of your original parents. Tainted with their sin, you are blinded to the Truth of God, by the same serpent, who deceived them.
You believe that you live in a real world, a world of matter, which has limited durability. Your life on earth is short. Your bodies age. Your health deteriorates. In time your body dies. Neglect your spirit, your soul, and you are nothing.
Accept that you are a child of God, and your life on earth will become more important, when you live a life according to the Laws of God. Your life will be extended, and you will be given a great Gift, Eternal Life.
Were you to be shown a glimpse of this life, for just one hour, you would never offend My Father. You must know that you will receive these Gifts.
You will live with your entire family, those who have died in a state of grace, and those who will form My remnant army on earth.
Your body will be purified and re-created into a state of perfection, based on the age in which you accepted the Love of God.
You will live in love and peace with your loved ones and your neighbours. None of you will want for anything.
There will be different levels in the New Paradise of 12 nations. At the bottom level there will be towns and villages, all working in a well of peace, love, happiness and contentment. No one will want for anything. I will be their King, their Master, and I will reign among them, in Mystical Union.
Then there will be the higher levels. They will keep all nations together, in union with My Teachings, and all men will mingle in complete harmony with each other, and with the beasts of the earth, both large and small.
All will survive by eating from the Tree of Life. No one will lack nourishment.
Then there will be the governments of the nations. They will ensure that all will be in accordance with My Teachings. My governments will be ruled by My saints and apostles.
This will continue until the very end, when the second resurrection of the dead will take place, for the final confrontation.
Satan will be released, along with his demons, for a short period. Then all evil will be destroyed. My Mercy will, finally, be presented to the world, in the New Heavens and the New Earth combined.
Then all will be revealed, as the mystery of God will be shown to all, in its full and final Glory.
Your Jesus


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India's antitrust body is looking into allegations that Alphabet Inc's Google is abusing its market position to unfairly promote its mobile payments app in the country, five sources familiar with the case told Reuters.
The complaint was filed in February and the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has kept the identity of the complainant confidential, the first source with direct knowledge of the case said.
The complaint alleges the U.S. tech giant more prominently showcases its Google Pay app inside its Android app store in India, giving it an unfair advantage over apps of competitors which hurts consumers, the source added.
Google Didn't Respond
Google did not respond to a request for comment. Two of the sources said the watchdog informed Google about the case being filed a few days ago and the company will respond in due course.
A source said the case filing is currently being reviewed by senior CCI members. Typically in such cases, Google will appear before the watchdog which will then decide on the way forward.
The CCI can direct its investigations unit to conduct a wider probe into the allegations, or dismiss the case if it finds no merit in it. "It is at a consideration stage," the source said. The CCI did not respond to a request for comment.
Third Major Antitrust Challenge
This is Google's third major antitrust challenge in India. In 2018, the CCI fined Google $21 million for "search bias", but a company appeal against that is pending. The CCI last year also started probing Google for allegedly misusing its dominant position to reduce the ability of smartphone manufacturers to opt for alternate versions of its Android mobile operating system.
Google Pay allows users in India to do inter-bank fund transfers and bill payments. It competes with apps such as Softbank-backed Paytm and Walmart's PhonePe in India's crowded digital payments market, where Facebook's WhatsApp is also planning a similar service.
Google said on its blog in September that its payments app had rapidly grown in India to reach 67 million monthly active users, driving transactions worth more than $110 billion on an annualised basis. Use of such apps has surged in India.
The Google antitrust complaint alleges the company is able to leverage its strong position in the Android market to promote the app, the first source added.
98% Smartphone Penetration
Android mobile operating platforms power around 98 percent of the 490 million smartphones in India, data from Counterpoint Research showed.
The complaint also alleges Google is promoting its payments app using search manipulation, the source added, without elaborating whether the allegations detail how the company did so.
One of the sources, however, said users in India have options to select one of the several digital payment apps available on Android, something that Google can use to defend against complaints over its dominant position.
Earlier this month, Reuters reported that the CCI was looking into allegations that WhatsApp was abusing its dominant position by offering payment services to its vast base of messaging app users in the country.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Added-Value Theory of Business
(originally published by Booz & Company)There is nothing so practical as a good theory. A good theory confirms the conventional wisdom that "less is more." A good theory does less because it does not tell people what to do. At the same time, it does a lot more because it helps people organize what they know and uncover what they do not know. A good theory gives people the tools to discover what is best for them.
The word "theory" comes from the Greek for "I see." A theory is a way of organizing and explaining (not necessarily predicting) facts and data. To quote Albert Einstein: "A theory is more impressive the greater the simplicity of its premises is, the more different kinds of things it relates, and the more extended its area of applicability."
Here we offer a theory of business. It's a way to think about creating value and capturing value. There is a fundamental duality here: whereas creating value is an inherently cooperative process, capturing value is inherently competitive. To create value, people cannot act in isolation. They have to recognize their interdependence. To create value, a business needs to align itself with customers, suppliers, employees and many others. That is the way to develop new markets and expand existing ones.
But along with creating a pie, there is the issue of dividing it up. This is competition. Just as businesses compete with one another for market share, customers and suppliers are also looking out for their slice of the pie.
Creating value that can be captured is the essence of business.
The best way to capture value will obviously be different for different businesses. But one idea that we emphasize is working with what we term "complementors." A complementor is the opposite of a competitor. It is someone who makes your products and services more rather than less valuable. Not surprisingly, the complementor concept is especially relevant to the builders of the Information Economy. Hardware needs software and the Internet needs high-speed phone lines. No one, alone, can build the infrastructure for the new economy. It's a whole new system made up of many complementary parts.
In thinking about the new economy, we realized that there is a special connection here. The connection is with one of the great intellectual figures of this century, John von Neumann.
Game Theory
Von Neumann -- mathematician, genius, polymath -- died in 1957, well before he could see the emergence of the Information Age he helped create.
Co-inventor of modern computer architecture -- today's programmable computer -- von Neumann also did pioneering work on self-reproducing systems, presaging the discovery of DNA. Together with the economist Oskar Morgenstern, von Neumann was also the inventor of game theory. Von Neumann and Morgenstern's game theory provides a model of the pie and how it gets divided up.
Game theory provides a different way of looking at the world. In contrast, conventional economics takes the structure of markets as fixed. People are thought of as simple stimulus-response machines. Sellers and buyers assume that products and prices are fixed, and they optimize production and consumption accordingly. Conventional economics has its place in describing the operation of established, mature markets, but it does not capture people's creativity in finding new ways of interacting with one another.
In game theory, nothing is fixed. The economy is dynamic and evolving. The players create new markets and take on multiple roles. They innovate. No one takes products or prices as given. If this sounds like the free-form and rapidly transforming marketplace, that is why game theory may be the kernel of a new economics for the new economy.
One of the key concepts of game theory is added value. Here is the definition:
Added value equals total value created with you in the game, minus total value created without you in the game.
Game theory says that if competition is unfettered, no player will get more than his or her added value in a game. Thus, added value allows us to characterize who has power and who does not. It allows us to understand how the pie is created and how it is divided up.
If truth be told, this one equation seems simple, perhaps even too simple. But its simplicity is deceptive.
The first thing to note is that added value is an allocentric concept. ("Allo" means others and is the reverse of "ego," or self.) Instead of asking what you can get on your own, it requires you to ask what others will lose if you go away. It forces you to imagine a world without you -- not a pleasant task -- and to consider just what it is that you bring to others.
For example, what is the added value of the glass that makes up the screen in a laptop computer? Without strong and lightweight glass, there would be no laptop computers. So the added value of the glass is the same as the added value of laptop computers, which is enormous. The only problem is that there are several makers of computer glass. So for any one of them the right question is not what is the added value of glass, but what is the added value of their particular glass?
Here the answer tends to be pennies, reflecting small manufacturing cost advantages.The computer makers would not miss any one manufacturer very much. Of course, that would be changed if one of them could develop a glass that was even slightly less likely to break than that of its rivals. A broken screen renders a laptop practically useless. Thus the added value of a tougher glass would equal the whole pie multiplied by the reduction in the chance of breakage, which is likely to be dollars per computer rather than pennies. What this illustrates is the gain from thinking about one's added value over the entire value chain (the laptop computer) rather than one's link in the chain (making glass).
Added value may seem new but it is, in fact, connected to many of the ideas in the strategy of negotiation. To our minds, the premier book on negotiation is still Fisher and Ury's "Getting to Yes," written in 1981. A key concept in their book is "Batna," or best alternative to a negotiated agreement. A Batna is one's walk-away number or reservation price. It turns out that in a two-player game, Batna and added value are mirror images:
AV Player 1 =
Total Value Batna Player 2
AV Player 2 =
Total Value Batna Player 1
Think of it this way: what happens if Player 1 walks away from the table?
Player 2 is then left with his or her best alternative to a negotiated agreement. Thus, the amount the pie shrinks when Player 1 walks away is the difference between what the two of them can create together (total value) net what Player 2 can get individually (Batna Player 2). The second equation is based on the identical logic.
With three or more players, added value and Batna are no longer equivalent, at least they are not if you continue to think in terms of individual walk-away numbers for the other players. That is because when you walk away, the other players are left with the value that can be created without you, which is typically much larger than the sum of what each of them can do individually. You need to think in terms of a group Batna, if you like, and that brings us back to added value.
Along with its links to negotiation, added value can also be tied to some of the best-known concepts in business strategy. Take the concept of "competitive advantage," as defined by Harvard's Michael Porter. This is typically understood to mean some activity or set of activities that one organization can do better or cheaper than others. If you can do some things better or cheaper than others, then without you in the game, the total pie would indeed shrink.
Doing something better or cheaper than others is an important source of added value, but it is not the only one. Consider the Microsoft Corporation, for example. Whether or not it does things better or cheaper than others is somewhat beside the point. A key reason for Microsoft's enormous added value is the existence of the Intel Corporation and the complementarity between both companies' products. Similarly, the existence, or lack thereof, of complements will be a key determinant of whether the network computer, electric cars, DVD players, digital cameras and a host of other new technology products succeed or fail.
Added value also fits nicely with the concept of core competence as advanced by C.K. Prahalad and Gary Hamel. You can think of a core competence as a source of added value. What would be lost if you, along with that competency, were out of the game? How well can others fill in?
While added value is on the abstract end of business concepts, that abstraction has its own rewards. It is a simple idea that relates to many different spheres, and, in the end, is highly practical. For chief executives, the important questions to ask are: What is your added value? Where does it come from? And how can you make it bigger, much bigger?
Adam M. Brandenburger, Adam M. Brandenburger is a professor at the Harvard Business School and is the co-author of "Co-opetition" (Currency/Doubleday, 1996) with Barry J. Nalebuff. Please follow up at their Web page, http://mayet.som.yale.edu/coopetition Barry J. Nalebuff, Barry J. Nalebuff is the Milton Steinbach Professor at the Yale School of Management and is co-authors of "Co-opetition" (Currency/Doubleday, 1996) with Adam M. Brandenburger. Please follow up at their Web page, http://mayet.som.yale.edu/coopetition |


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Styx Deny Playing 'Mr Roboto' to Satisfy Concert Promoters
Styx are refuting the claim made by former lead singer Dennis DeYoung that they only added their 1983 hit "Mr. Roboto" to their current set list because promoters "demanded it." They've issued a statement that echoes guitarist James "J.Y." Young's original line that they're playing it due to years of fans requesting it.
Through their management, they told Billboard that "we have not had any promoters suggest that Styx play 'Mr. Roboto' at all and promoters had nothing to do with the band adding the song to the set. The band did know that some fans did want to hear 'Roboto' and over the years they have added many songs to the Styx set that had not been being played."
In the same story, DeYoung repeated his belief that the promoters got involved. "They had gotten so many complaints from the fans that the guys weren't playing the hits because they leave out 'Mr. Roboto,' 'Babe,' 'Don't Let It End' and 'Show Me the Way' and 'The Best of Times,'" DeYoung, who wrote all of those songs, said. "The fan base is not interested in parsing it down to who did what; They're just digging the music and want to hear all the hits."
Although it took Styx 35 years to bring the polarizing Kilroy Was Here hit back into their show, DeYoung has had a different approach in his solo shows. "Listen, I play 'Mr. Roboto' at every show and people go mental," DeYoung continued. "They love it because it's insinuated itself somehow into the culture, which is beyond my comprehension because when I wrote the thing it was never intended to be a single. But if I could write four more of those tomorrow, I'm doing it."


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Gurudeva Interviewed by Loni Petranek, Part II
Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami , 2001-03-05
This is Part II of a radio interview conducted by Loni Petranek with Gurudeva. The interview gives an overview of Gurudeva's worldwide mission. Today Loni asks Gurudeva to tell a little bit about the historic background of his lineage. She then also asks him about the books that he is working on now.
Unedited Transcript:
Loni: Now if someone is not familiar with Hinduism or the temple here on Kauai, could you maybe, just give a brief overview, historically, about the lineage and the temple?
Gurudeva: The lineage comes from Sri Lanka, Loni. Basically, 'One God, One world' is the theme of the temple. The Sri Lankan people who were my Guru's devotees and now are my devotees, are scattered throughout the world because of the war in Sri Lanka. There are over two million of them. We have been working very hard through the years, to get them settled in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand and Canada and built temples. So from our temple here on Kauai, we oversee over 47 temples, not only in America and Canada but other countries too, as well in Sri Lanka and India as well. Overseeing temples means, we help get the temple started. We work out major difficulties with management and with priests that are hired for the temple. Then, once it is rolling along we don't have a lot of contact except on very special festival times.
Loni: So, you are the spiritual leader for forty temples, I have read, as well as the Publisher of 'Hinduism Today'.
Gurudeva: International magazine.
Loni: Yes, yes. So, you are very busy.
Gurudeva: Well, I have a lot of help.
Loni: You have a lot of help.
Gurudeva: If you were to paint a picture of me, you would draw a circle and put a dot in the middle - that would be me. I am trying to always stay in the center and do as much of nothing as I can.
Loni: Sort of the nuclei.
Gurudeva: Yes, that is it.
Loni: Now, you also write?
Gurudeva: Yes, we have just been on the island, not travelling for three years, to put out 'Lemurian Scrolls'. We finished that book. We finished a beautiful translation in American English, of a ancient scripture called 'Tirukural', which teaches us how to live daily life, all aspects of life. 'Dancing with Siva', 'Living with Siva' and 'Merging with Siva' and lots of other books and pamphlets.
Loni: Now, Siva seems to be a central theme for you. Can you explain?
Gurudeva: Sanskrit name for God.
Loni: Oh, okay, okay.
Gurudeva: To explain Siva very simply - the energy in your body, Loni, and my body, comes right from Siva. The light that lights up your thoughts, Loni, and my thoughts, comes right from Siva or right from God. So, there is no place in the Universe where Siva isn't. But, there is one thing He cannot do.
Loni: And what is that?
Gurudeva: He is so powerful. He creates the Universe, preserves the Universe and can absorb it back into Himself. But, He cannot take Himself out of you. That is pretty reassuring, isn't it?
Loni: That sure is.


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NBC's Ben Popken explains how to economize when shopping for airfare. Uncover a world of holidays with Expedia's packages and trip ideas. Expedia makes it straightforward to ebook cheap flights to 1000's of locations all over the world. It's a low-travel interval after Labor Day," he says, so there have been already much less seats out there now than last week. I can't clarify airline pricing however I do know some plane tickets will be cheaper relying on where you buy them or, even higher, the place you seem to buy them from.
Once you start looking for the most appropriate deals, there are several points that you must get aware of. U.S. tickets: Shop between 3 months and 30 days earlier than departure. Our flexible date search helps you to seek for costs 3 days both aspect of your chosen departure dates, and test a variety of departure and arrival occasions to see when is the very best time to ebook flights.
The International Air Transport Affiliation is the standard setting organization. Signal as much as the e-mail newsletters of your favourite airways and journey providers so you do not miss out on low-cost airline tickets in a sale. Calling all fliers: If you happen to're trying to find inexpensive airline tickets, is the place to be. Jet off to any nook of the globe with our unbeatable collection of flights and airfare.
Search & compare most cost-effective fares air aircraft on all domestic flight routes. Infants G Passengers underneath 2 years previous during the entire journey. Extra flights = extra airways = extra possibilities of snagging the deal of your dreams. Domestic flights dropped about $12 to $15 on common, and international flights noticed savings of about $20 per ticket. With over 400 airlines in our search, Travelocity makes it simple to ebook the very best offers on airfare, so you can spend your time planning adventures as massive as Half Dome.
Due to falling ticket prices and a better capacity of planes and airline companies, that dream trip is not out of your attain. So whether it is a local flight to Spain or top notch tickets to New York at Expedia we now have the best deal for you. Please ask us to substantiate what safety might apply to your reserving. Big Ben and Piccadilly Circus are waiting for you with our low-cost flights to London.


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Mac OS X only: Turn your desktop into a photo slideshow using freeware app Wallsaver. Wallsaver is a very simple application written in AppleScript that replaces your wallpaper with the current screensaver. Setting the wallpaper as Flurry (shown above) is pretty annoying, however, using your pictures folder is an excellent way to use your desktop as a digital picture frame. A few months ago we showed Linux users how to get the same effect using a nautilus hack. Thanks, NineTailedFox!
Wallsaver [NWW Network]


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This week:
Big Impact
Let's learn the best ideas from the brightest leaders in social change. Vivien Hoexter is co-author of the book "Big Impact" and she shares lessons and reflections from the authors' interviews for their book.
There's more at tonymartignetti.com
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:32 — 53.8MB) | Embed
Subscribe: RSS


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Basics - Add It Up in Rainy Day
Cotton + SteelCotton + Steel Basics are perfect for those that love simplicity. The prints are timeless, the colors are spot on, and the end result will be something to wear or decorate that you can be proud of. This fabric is lightweight, soft, and makes the BEST quilts. We also love to use Basics for garments or to add interesting detail to a variety of sewing projects.
44" wide
100% cotton
* Our fabric is sold in 1/2 yard increments. Therefore, the price shown is for each 1/2 yard. If you wish to purchase 1 yard, please be sure you have 2 in the quantity field (2 QTY = 1 yard). Fabric quantity ordered will be shipped in one continuous piece, unless quantity exceeds the length available per bolt or as requested otherwise.
* Please know that despite our best efforts to create the perfect natural light photo representing true color, variations in your monitor's color settings can impact the appearance of our products. Because of that, which is out of our control, we can't guarantee that the fabric's exact colors will be what you see on your device.


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Vagus Nerve, Emotions & Mindful Practice
Posted by: Tracy A. Andrews, MSOM, Lac - Re-posted by Tallgrass
Vagus Nerve. Last week, during a two-day deep cleaning/paint prep binge (see the kitchen ceiling to the right!), I listened to a recorded talk by Bessel van der Kolk given at the May 2011 22nd Annual International Trauma Conference. The title of van der Kolk's title is a mouthful: "Putting neuroplasticity into clinical practice with neurofeedback: rewiring the brains of children and adults who lack safety, self-regulation, capacity for play, and executive functioning." The lecture in itself was interesting enough to keep me attentive for its length, but what particularly captured my interest is the manner in which he described the relationship of the vagus nerve to our emotions.vagus nerve innervation.
As I remembered from anatomy, the vagus nerve (cranial nerve x) innervates the diaphragm but what failed to register in class is that the vagus nerve also innervates much of our viscera – in fact all of our internal organs with the notable exception of the adrenal glands. It supplies parasympathetic fibers to these organs, meaning that the vagus nerve is a "rest and digest" nerve, not a fight or flight nerve. Van der Kolk quotes from Darwin's work, "the heart, guts and brain communicate intimately via a nerve" – the pneumogastric or vagus nerve – "the critical nerve in the expression and management of emotions in both humans and animals…. When the mind is strongly excited it instantly affects the state of the viscera." This is, of course, why our guts react strongly to our emotional state.
Van der Kolk continues with the statement that grabbed me: "what makes life unbearable is not emotions but physical sensations." "When you have a persistent sense of heartbreak and gutwrench, the physical sensations become intolerable and we will do anything to make those feelings disappear. And that is really the origin of what happens in human pathology. People take drugs to make it disappear, and they cut themselves to make it disappear, and they starve themselves to make it disappear, and they have sex with anyone who comes along to make it disappear and once you have these horrible sensations in your body, you'll do anything to make it go away."
"If these sensations last long enough, your whole brain starts fighting against emotions. And what happens in the long range is that traumatized people who continuously have a state of heartbreak and gut wrenching feelings learn to shut off the sensations in their bodies. And they go through life not feeling their physical presence."
He then touches on a very important point and one that strongly resonates with me – "it's a beginning of understanding why traumatized people have such a hard time with mindfulness and why mindfulness in principle doesn't work for traumatized people because they cannot feel." Van der Kolk had sent many of his highly traumatized patients to do mindfulness exercises with Jon Kabat-Zinn and found that many of them were returning in a state of upset and agitation.
"As they became silent and started to pay attention to themselves, they get overwhelmed with the physical sensations and they would flee, because being mindful means that you get confronted with your internal world." In other words, the sensations of the internal world can be so intense that, lacking the tools to work through those sensations, people dissociate during mindfulness exercises. This is not limited to mindfulness exercises but happens in other types of movement, meditative, or healing practices, such as qigong, yoga or massage.
What van der Kolk has found to be a useful tool for moving through this difficulty is neurofeedback, which helps individuals learn to self-regulate by utilizing a feedback tool very similar to a video game that rewards the user for achieving target states such as relaxation, alertness, or focus (for more information on neurofeedback, see http://www.eeginfo.com/). While neurofeedback is a very useful tool and may be a major breakthrough in trauma recovery, it is not always easy to access. Although I am less familiar with them, there are other therapies such as Hakomi method and SomatoEmotional Release that help individuals work with the emotions and physical sensations that often trigger dissociation. A major focus of my studies at this point is to understand better how Chinese/Traditional East Asian medicine works with trauma and the emotions. I suspect that many different modalities can be useful for learning to be present and integrated with our bodies, but also argue that the role of the practitioner and power of intention are key ingredients in the process.
I also believe that bodywork and somatic re-education (acupuncture, massage, tuina, qigong, sotai, et) are essential components to releasing and restoring function to tissues and organs that have lost mobility due to years of fleeing from those physical sensations that van der Kolk describes. We may learn to stay present with our physical sensations, but if the diaphragm is hypertonic (or too tight, just like your shoulders) or the stomach can't move properly in the abdominal cavity, we will have to work really hard to achieve calm presence when we could instead work to unblock stagnation and release tissues. However, the issue is often truly much more complex than this and healing for many people occurs not by a magic button but through many interwoven processes that may include acupuncture, movement work, EMDR, neurofeedback, nutritional counseling, talk therapy, and meditation or mindfulness practices. I've been unable to get Van der Kolk's talk out of my mind. Although none of the concepts are unfamiliar to me, there is a sense that I'm missing something or that this visceral-emotional relationship needs to be more closely explored. In Traditional East Asian Medicine (TEAM), the emotions closely affect and are affected by the viscera but I have yet to truly explore the many classical references to this relationship. Spending some time sitting with the classics may help shed some light on how and why acupuncture, moxibustion and other TEAM modalities have been known to treat trauma and shock.


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Jason Aldean's Toddler Goes All in on 'Old Town Road' Playtime [Watch]
It's hard not to get pumped up when one hears Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" — the song, especially the version featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, was inarguably the single of 2019. Jason Aldean's two youngest kids seem to feel the same as everyone else when the song comes on, particularly toddler son Memphis, who took the lyric "Ride til I can't no more" a little too literally.
In a funny video Aldean posted to social media, 2-year-old Memphis is shown riding a wheeled stuffed pony wildly around the house to the strains of the song. Baby sister Navy (who just turned 1 this month, and also just started walking recently as well), toddles along behind him. All is fine and well .... until poor Memphis gets a little too fast for his own good and ends up eating it, head over heels, right on the front hallway mat.
"When u go too hard in the paint," dryly observes Aldean, tossing in a basketball slang reference that connotes giving one's all to the task.
Aldean launched his 2020 We Back Tour on Jan. 30 in Columbia, S.C., and he's set to perform across the U.S. through the end of September. Morgan Wallen and Riley Green serve as opening acts during the winter dates before Brett Young and Mitchell Tenpenny take over in the summer. Dee Jay Silver joins Aldean on the road for the duration of the tour.
See Pictures of Jason Aldean's New Home, Under Construction:


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I have been lax about updating this here blog (obviously) because I wanted to convince you folks to swing by the Free Beacon's Editor's Blog all on your own (a strategy that appears to have worked, judging by traffic stats). But it's been a few months so I figured I'd throw up a few links for any stragglers. Here's the homepage and here's my archive. A few pieces of note over the last couple of weeks:
- I'd describe my review of Fast and Furious 6 as "sneeringly positive." Though most people have (wrongly!) chosen to focus on the sneering, I enjoyed it just fine. And, in the end, isn't that all that matters? (The Editor's Blog is also host to a more enthusiastic two-part defense.)
- Do I think Star Trek Into Darkness' writers/director intentionally made a case for the morality of drone strikes? Well, no. More likely, it was just sloppily plotted. But they certainly did a good job of accidentally making the case.
- I am, as you know, a leading apologist for Zack Snyder. Here are 700 words or so on the weirdly optimistic outlook of his films.
- "You're often wrong. Deal with it."
Anyway, make sure to keep reading the Beacon. We can use all the eyeballs we can grab.
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Instructables.Com = Exhibit Inspiration
If you don't already know about "Instructables.com" check it out!
This site gives step-by-step instructions for all sorts of cool and wacky projects ranging from a Giant Match(!) to simple mechanical devices and technology hacks.
If you ever get stuck for exhibit inspiration or programmatic ideas this site is a great resource.
Have fun ... and be careful!


text: Akira's father, an archaeologist, has remarried, giving him a new stepmother and three stepsisters, Yuki, Nana and Miu. While on his honeymoon, Akira's father makes an archaeological find and decides to stay on site in order to supervise and leaving Akira at home alone with his new family members. After being discovered in bed with Yukie, his stepmother, Akira finds a box containing a scroll and three bottles. Using the knowledge his father taught to him, he reads the Sumarian language on the scroll and finds himself in a contract with the goddess Inana, who tells him to collect the love juices of his sisters in the bottles before the next full moon or else a terrible horror will befall him.


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Sometimes when you are reading – a few words give pause for thought. This morning it was an observation of the General Court that "fashion is not concerned with beauty care products". These words can be found at the end of paragraph 24 of the Decision in Trinity Haircare AG v European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) [Case T 453/15 : 15th September 2016]: admirably reported by MARQUES. It's an invalidity action where (for much of the case) the Applicant for invalidity appears to be trying to push " vogue " towards being generic for (any and all) goods in Class 3 e.g. to have " … those cosmetics are vogue … " sit alongside phrases like " …… it hoovers up dust … " and " I'd like to xerox that page … " and " … pass me the sellotape … ".
I used the excellent search engine of BAILII to check that I'd not missed the word "generic " in the Decision. The fact I hadn't isn't too surprising given that argument centred on Article 7(1)(b) ("not distinctive") and Article 7(1)(c) ("descriptive" and "other characteristics") rather than Article 7(1)(c) ("customary in current language or in bona fide and established practices of the trade").
But "fashion is not concerned with beauty care products" ? Reading a little more of paragraph 24 provided the Court's explanation : "EUIPO … is entitled to state that beauty care products are not fashion products, given that consumers buy them for their 'result', that is to say, the fact that the product moisturises well, deodorises well or has a pleasant scent ……… EUIPO rightly notes that the notion of fashion is connected with the permanent change linked to every season and every year. That is not the case with the goods at issue, in respect of which change is rarely linked to the change of season or year but to innovation, that is to say, the appearance of a new product in a position to satisfy the consumers' unmet needs".
I was hoping to find that "fashion is not concerned with beauty products" was a weak translation : but the Decision is only available in one other language – French – where the text is "la mode ne concerne pas les produits de soins et de beauté".
I thought I might find a Tribunal of three male judges – but it's two male and one female.
I was wondering whether I could simply delete "fashion is not concerned with beauty products" from the end of paragraph 24 but that doesn't do away with the preceding explanation which (surely) is WRONG ? Try typing "cosmetics for winter" into a search engine : even VOGUE advertises cosmetics linked to season !
A few words gave pause for thought – I wish they hadn't !
Dutch firm, Trinity Haircare sells very fashionable hair colouring products as VDT vogue de TRINITY.


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Internet librarians have been revolutionizing the Net for many years, and are poised to transform their communities in exciting new ways. As our technologist and keynote speaker David Weinberger says, we have to build networks that make us smarter. Hear about leading-edge tools, strategies and techniques for transforming campuses, communities and organizations at Information Today, Inc.s 16th annual Internet Librarian. This conference provides the ideal opportunity to gather insights and ideas to ignite our imagination and spark innovation. It showcases creative and exciting new internet technologies and techniques and features lots of opportunities for connections and conversations.
Internet Librarian 2012 caters to all interests and all levels of knowledge with five simultaneous tracks, including Internet@Schools, plus many workshop and networking opportunities. Join us at the most comprehensive conference for library and information professionals interested in technology to discover the insights, strategies, and practices that allow us to push the envelope in transforming the Net, managing libraries and digital information, and enhancing the information sharing and learning experiences of people in our communities. Internet Librarian 2012 provides attendees with many chances to meet and hear from leading-edge information professionals in all types of environments leaders in the information industry who are integrating content and delighting their clients, organizing and managing digital content in creative ways, setting the context for excellence in information utilization within their organizations, revolutionizing the roles of info pros, building strong collaborative communities among their customers and colleagues, and using new technologies in imaginative and exciting ways. This conference encourages you to share your ideas and champion new practices this is where ideas and action come together, where innovation ignites!
Information Today Inc., a key provider of technology conferences for more than 30 years, is pleased to announce the 16th annual Internet Librarian the only conference for information professionals who are using, developing, and embracing internet, intranet, and web-based strategies in their roles as information architects and navigators, webmasters and web managers, content evaluators, digital managers, developers and integrators, taxonomists, searchers, community builders and managers, information providers, trainers, guides, and more. This comprehensive conference and exhibition offers a wide-ranging program designed to meet the needs of librarians, information managers, systems professionals, researchers, content managers, and information specialists.
Games, Gadgets & Maker Spaces: Transforming Our Libraries
Join our gamers and gadget lovers for an evening of fun, playing, and learning. See how you can transform your thinking, your programs, and your spaces with the latest games, gadgets, and programs. Led by Aaron Schmidt, Amy Buckland, Erik Boekensteijn, Jaap van de Geer, and Brian Pichman, come and enjoy the networking, learning, but most of all the laughing! Refreshments included.
Opening Reception
Information Today, Inc. invites all conference registrants and exhibitors to a special Exhibit Hall opening reception on Monday, October 22nd from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. This is a great time to gather with fellow Internet Librarians and suppliers, renew acquaintances, meet new colleagues, sample tasty goodies, and check out the latest products and services in a relaxed atmosphere.
The transformational power of Internet Librarians relies on the ability of like-minded, technology-oriented peers to find each other, collaborate, engage in critical discussion, address current challenges, and work together in the profession at large to meet the changing needs of libraries. With the ever-forward drive of new technologies and unique circumstances of each organization, the role of librarians varies widely and evolves rapidly. Three leading experts in the field of library systems and technology and three from information services present key themes and lead an active discussion with audience members about the changing role of information and systems librarians today, what it means for the future, and the risks, rewards, and realities of the journey.


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If there is one thing you can guarantee around the holiday season in Vancouver & Coquitlam, it is that you will have a lot of access to candy and sweet desserts.
It is a great time of year to indulge in these things but if you are not careful, all of that sugar can cause some damage to your teeth.
If you are going to enjoy some sweets this holiday season, our Doctors reminds you of these tips to keep your teeth healthy and cavity free.
1. Eat Sweets in Moderation
– There are sweets everywhere this time of year, but that does not mean that you need to eat them every time they are available. Remember to consume these things in moderation. Try only having one dessert a day or having a smaller portion of a few items if you really want to taste everything at a holiday party. The more sweets you eat, the more you will be prone to excess plaque buildup. With more plaque, there is more of a chance of dental damage.
2.Brush Your Teeth Often
– No matter how many sweets you eat, you still want to maintain the proper dental hygiene that is recommended. Beyond that, you will likely want to brush your teeth even more often. You may find that it is a good idea to carry a smaller toothbrush with you so you can brush after you eat sweets. By doing this, you can remove the harmful sugar from your teeth after you have had that sweet snack.
3. Use Mouthwash Soon After Eating Sweets
– If you do not want to carry around a toothbrush with you at all times, a good alternative for removing the sugar from your teeth is to use mouthwash. This is not something you should even do in place of brushing your teeth but when you are on the move without a toothbrush and you want to help your teeth stay healthy, this is a good option for you.
4. Chew Sugar-Free Gum
– Another good alternative to brushing after you eat some delicious desserts is to chew some sugar-free gum. You can keep this in your wallet or purse for quick access and the gum will help to remove some of the sugar from your mouth. It will also increase the production of saliva in your mouth which can help with removing the sugar from the surface of your teeth.
5. Change Your Toothbrush at Home
– You want to change your toothbrush at home often anyway but if you are going to be eating a lot of sweets, you may want to get a powered toothbrush to help combat the sugar and plaque buildup. If you do not want to get a powered toothbrush, you may consider getting a toothbrush with triple-action bristles or diamond-shaped heads to help get into those hard to reach places.
The holidays are a fun-filled time of year but don't forget to take the time to make sure that your teeth are well cared for during all of the holiday eating. If you do have a bit too much sugar this holiday season, be sure to schedule an appointment with our Doctors right away. Happy Holidays from all of us at BC Perio Dental Health & Implant Centre!


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Sold Out
Bruichladdich Black Art 06.1 / Aged 26 Years
Brand Bruichladdich
This product is sold out
A cryptic composition of casks, the legendary Bruichladdich Black Art reaches its sixth edition. This unpeated single malt has undergone a parallel journey with our head distiller, Adam. Having worked closely with these casks in his early days in the warehouses, under the guidance of then Master Distiller Jim McEwan, Adam has had the honour of learning and developing alongside this spirit. The substantial task of hand-selecting and blending our very best spirit now falls to him alone.


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Target debuts in East Peoria
MINNEAPOLIS — Target is opening its first store in East Peoria, Ill. in March 2013. The 135,000 sq. ft. store, located at Clock Tower Drive and West Washington Street, will be part of the 86-acre East Peoria Downtown development.
According to Target, the new store will feature the typical Target assortment along with a selection of fresh produce, fresh packaged meat and pre-packaged baked goods as well as a Starbucks and a Target Pharmacy to further enhance guests' experience. The store will employ approximately 150 to 200 team members.
"Target is excited to open its first store in East Peoria," said Bryan Everett, Target's SVP stores in the Midwest. "We are committed to being a good neighbor to the East Peoria and surrounding Illinois communities, and to developing long-lasting relationships with our guests."


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Growing Cereal Crops
Winter cereals are an excellent option to provide grazed and conserved feed for dairy herds. Depending on the feed demand, farming system and water availability, cereals could be an alternative to help manage risk by diversifying the feedbase.
There are a number of management steps to consider before sowing a winter cereal.
Grazing requirements
What is the herd feed demand during autumn, winter and spring? Winter cereals can fill the early-autumn feed gap that exists in perennial ryegrass based systems and are able to produce more feed over winter than most perennial pastures. Having a proportion of the milking area sown to winter cereals reduces the pressure on the existing pasture during autumn when it is crucial to establish pasture cover leading into winter. Cereals can also combine with summer crops as part of a double-crop rotation in a paddock renovation program.
Silage or hay requirements
Cereals can be grazed and then locked up for silage or hay if required. Maximum yields of cereals can only be obtained by single-cut silage-making. Most forage cereals are able to remain as a standing crop without lodging for a longer period than annual ryegrass (from early September to mid-November), even when a high biomass has accumulated (more than eight tonnes of dry matter a hectare).
Choosing a variety
Any variety of cereal can be sown for grazing and fodder production. There is a huge range in cereal species and cultivars available. Some varieties have characteristics that are more suited to fodder production, such as higher forage yields and quality and regrowth after grazing. The choice of early, mid or late maturing varieties will be determined by the feed requirements of the individual farm.
Soil preparation and sowing
Cereal crops are tolerant of a range of soil types and conditions, but any stresses need to be kept to a minimum in order for the crops to reach their full potential. Cereal crops are not suited to paddocks that suffer from waterlogging. Cereals can be direct drilled into existing paddocks or planted into prepared seedbeds. Cereals can be sown in combination with other species such as legumes to increase protein content or quality.
Water and fertiliser
A soil test is highly recommended before determining the fertiliser requirements of a cereal crop. A standard 0 to 10 centimetre soil test will indicate if there is sufficient phosphorous (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S) and other nutrient levels, as well as soil pH (acidity). The higher water-use efficiency of winter cereals can drive a higher return on water applied and the versatility in the end product can provide options if water availability decreases at the end of the season.
Weed control
Broadleaf weeds in a cereal crop decrease production through competition for nutrients, space and light, but there are plenty of cheap and expensive control options.
Grass weeds are more problematic and should be controlled when they are small (2–3 leaf stage). Most grass weed control should be done the year before and followed up with pre-emergent herbicides early in the season.
Pests and diseases
There are many diseases that can affect cereals. However, most cereal diseases can be managed by careful species and cultivar selection combined with early identification and timely control measures such as fungicides.
Pests are usually a minor issue in cereals. Earth mites can cause damage but cereals are not a preferred host and aphids, while they rarely do too much damage, can be a source of viral infection.
Most pests and diseases can be managed with regular monitoring of crops (every two weeks) before they become a major problem.
Cereals are often grazed once or twice and then conserved as hay or silage. There is a trade-off between yield and metabolisable energy content with cutting time when making cereal silage or hay. Generally, yields tend to increase with the stage of growth at cutting, but energy and protein content tends to decrease.


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What Is A VoIP Gateway?
A VoIP gateway is used to build a bridge between the worlds of legacy telephony and the VoIP. Gateways are typically used to connect legacy phone systems (PBXs or ACDs) with VoIP resources, or to connect modern VoIP phone systems with legacy phone lines. VOIP Gateway Dubai
Adding VoIP to a legacy PBX system is a great way to add features and reduce costs. The gateway connects to the legacy system through either analog or digital trunk ports. The PBX sees the gateway as either the phone company or as another networked PBX. Calls from the PBX to the outside world are converted into VoIP calls and sent over the Internet to a VoIP service provider or other VoIP peer. Calls coming from VoIP sources are converted into the appropriate legacy protocol and delivered to the PBX.
Using a gateway to connect a VoIP phone system to traditional phone lines makes sense in situations where SIP trunks are not available or where your application requires the reliability of the PSTN. It also makes it easy to build redundant systems. The gateway normally communicates with a primary IP PBX. In the event of a failure on the primary the gateway can communicate with a backup system.
Other uses for VoIP gateways include staged migrations, where the gateway acts as a bridge between the PSTN, a legacy PBX and a new IP PBX. In this case, the PSTN trunks are connected to one interface on the gateway. Another interface connects to the trunk port on the legacy PBX. The new IP PBX is integrated over a VoIP protocol (generally SIP). The gateway directs some incoming calls to the legacy PBX and others to the IP PBX. It also passes calls between the two PBXs. This allows some department or other subdivisions of the company to remain on the legacy system while others move to the IP system.
Key Facts & Features
Gateways come in several formats. Analog gateways convert between VoIP protocols and traditional analog phone lines and/or phones. Digital gateways convert between VoIP and various kinds of digital phone services: T1, E1, PRI and/or BRI, depending on the gateway.
Gateways can typically connect to multiple VoIP endpoints (devices or services), which allows PSTN resources to be shared between multiple IP communications systems.
The routing functions built into a gateway allow it to intelligently adapt calls from one medium to another. For example, they can add or remove digits in the dial string when passing a call. They can also recognize various patterns and route them across different interfaces.
Gateways can be used to convert VoIP calls from one code to another, a process known as transcoding. This can be useful when bridging multiple VoIP solutions together.
Key Benefits
Gateways can extend the life of legacy equipment by "VoIP enabling" it. This can include replacing traditional trunk lines with SIP trunks or routing some subset of traffic over VoIP to a remote PBX or gateway — a process known as toll bypass.
Gateways enable flexibility. Rather than moving from a traditional PBX to an IP PBX in one step, a company can stage the migration using the gateway as a bridge between the two systems.
Asterisk As A Gateway
Asterisk can be used to build a gateway using a standard computer and one or more telephony interface cards. Alternately, Digium offers a line of turnkey VoIP gateways built using Asterisk. In either case, the end product is significantly more flexible and significantly less expensive than legacy gateway products. Asterisk's modular, multi-protocol architecture is particularly well suited to building gateways.


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Auction Information
Sat. Sept. 7 Antique Auction
Rentzel's Auction Service, Inc.
Auction Listings provided by AuctionZip.com. Although the information published herein is from sources deemed reliable, AuctionZip.com expressly disclaims any liability for errors, omissions or changes regarding any information provided for this auction. Potential buyers are urged to verify auction date, time, and content directly through the auctioneer's website or by contacting the auctioneer directly. The terms and conditions of the auction may or may not be published in this listing. ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS MADE THE DAY OF THE AUCTION ARE BINDING AND TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ANY INFORMATION FOUND HEREIN.


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0 Used ram-3500 Salinas California
Sorry, no exact matches were found
You can modify your search criteria and try again. Otherwise you can use our Auto Finder to be notified of new matches by email or call our sales team at (855) 998-2494 for help locating the perfect fit at MY Cars Auto Group!
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All pricing and details are believed to be accurate, but we do not warrant or guarantee such accuracy. The prices shown above, may vary from region to region, as will incentives, and are subject to change. Vehicle information is based off standard equipment and may vary from vehicle to vehicle. Call or email for complete vehicle specific information.


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Terra Experience Collection
Regular price $35.00 Sale
<<< Right click on top photo - choose "open picture in a new tab" to see full screen picture of the beautiful belts!!! <<<
Beautiful Sash Belts (faja's) from Chichicastenago, Guatemala. Choose your favorite (by number) from Rack 18i of belts found during our 2018 trip to Guatemala. Flowers, birds, geometric patterns and much more hand-embroidered on sturdy black and white sash belts. Table (below) includes belt dimensions and condition. Belt length does not include fringe. Decorated belt length is the portion that is embroidered. Most are used belts in good or very good condition.
Width: 1.25"Length: 81" (33" decorated)Condition: Good used
Width: 2.0"Length: 101" (37.5" decorated)Condition: Good used


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The 1600 COMBO Chair and Stand Units provide a unique solution to the space vs functionality challenge, all at an affordable price. A small 44.8" (113.7cm) footprint provides total functionality in instrument delivery and patient comfort by combining features of the S4OPTIK's Examination Chairs and the spectacular engineering of S4OPTIK's instrument arms.
The S4OPTIK 1600-CH Examination Chair's pneumatically assisted pivot tilting mechanism with one-handed release/control mechanism allows simple patient positioning up to a 40 degree recline. In addition to featuring this Pivot Tilt System with convenient Tilt Release Controls, the 1600 features a strong, yet silent Power Lift System, intelligent Rotation Lock, robust Foot Rest, functional Armrests, sensible Height Control locations, and improved Headrest design.
intelligent SLIT LAMP ARM
An engineering achievement, this fully counterbalanced arm, incorporates the full function and range, with the lock/release mechanism conveniently located at your fingertips. A 13" (33cm) range of travel and counter balance up to 60lbs (27.2kg), this arm easily accommodates all, including wheelchair patients. A chair up/down switch is located on the front of the arm and is reversible for left handed set up.
elegant HALOGEN OVERHEAD LIGHT
The overhead light completes the modern appearance of the combo, yet offers a long-lasting halogen lamp, providing bright, direct light for general lighting or minor procedures. Metal lamp arm construction allows stable, one handed movements with superior durability. The overhead lamp is low voltage (12V) for safety.
ergonomic UPPER (REFRACTOR) ARM
Engineered with natural, and comfortable hand movements in mind, the lock/release lever engages a single lock mechanism in all three dimensions (forward/backward/vertical). A 12.5"(31.75cm) vertical range, and counter balance up to 20lbs (9.1kg) ensures precise and effortless positioning.
convenient CONSOLE
The included instrument stand console features: three rechargeable wells for hand instruments, up/down and auto return for chair, BIO power source with rheostat, overhead light control with rheostat and main power on/off switching.
Ships in: 2-5 business days
Wratten Number: 12
Mount Type: Thumbscrew
Compatible With : HAI SL-5000p, SL-5000s, SL-5000b


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Anchorage, Alaska
Senator Begich and distinguished colleagues, thank you for the opportunity to join you today. I am pleased to discuss Coast Guard Arctic responsibilities and operations. This past summer we prepared for Arctic activity driven by the oil industry's planned drilling operations in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. Partnering closely with Federal, State, Local, and Tribal government partners, and working with industry as the regulated parties, the Coast Guard was ready for operations in the Arctic with Operation Arctic Shield. The lessons we learned this year will inform our planning and strategy, to ensure we remain always ready to ensure the safety, security and stewardship of the emerging maritime frontier of the Arctic.
Operation Arctic Shield 2012
Arctic Shield 2012 was a three pronged interagency operation in Alaska's coastal Arctic domain consisting of outreach, operations, and assessment of capabilities from February through October 2012. Outreach was comprised of delivering education, awareness and health services for Arctic communities and outlying native villages. Operations involved deployment of major cutter forces, air assets, communication equipment, and mission support to conduct the Coast Guard's missions. Assessment of capabilities involved an analysis of our front-line operations and mission support assets in Arctic conditions. Additionally, an oil spill contingency exercise in Barrow, Alaska, tested Coast Guard and Navy skimming equipment launched from a 225-foot Coast Guard buoy tender. Arctic Shield 2012 was carefully tailored to deliver the appropriate set of capabilities to this remote area. I am very proud of our team in the Seventeenth Coast Guard District for bringing the Arctic Shield plan to fruition.
The following unclassified schematic outlined our planned force lay down for Arctic Shield 2012. The graphic demonstrates our key challenge – moving Coast Guard resources from our long-established bases in south Alaska to the emerging frontier of northern Alaska.
Planned Force Lay Down for Arctic Shield 2012
For the first time, we had two MH-60 helicopters in Barrow standing the watch and ready to respond. This meant that, readiness and weather permitting, we could meet a 30-minute launch window for imminent missions such as search and rescue, environmental protection and law enforcement. The following photo shows the MH-60's in their leased hangar in Barrow.
MH-60 helicopters in their leased hangar in Barrow
We deployed USCGC BERTHOLF, the first National Security Cutter, to the southern Arctic region, providing persistent operational presence, and command and control, in areas where we lacked the permanent infrastructure of a coastal Sector. We also deployed two light-ice capable 225-foot ocean-going buoy tenders to increase offshore operational capability in the region.
The Coast Guard in Alaska and the Arctic Region
The Coast Guard has been operating in the Arctic Ocean since 1867, when Alaska was just a territory. Then, as now, our mission is to assist scientific exploration, chart the waters, provide humanitarian assistance to native tribes, conduct search and rescue, and enforce U.S. laws and regulations.
In Alaska, Coast Guard aircraft and vessels monitor more than 950,000 square miles off the Alaskan coast to enforce U.S. laws. We patrol an even larger area of the North Pacific Ocean to stop large-scale high seas drift netting and other illegal fishing practices, including foreign incursions into the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. We also conduct marine safety and environmental protection missions in the region.
To protect the Arctic environment, we are engaging industry and the private sector to address their significant responsibilities for pollution prevention, preparedness, and response. Recognizing that pollution response is significantly more difficult in cold, ice, and darkness, enhancing preventative measures is critical. Those engaging in offshore commercial activity in the Arctic must also plan and prepare for emergency response in the face of a harsh environment, long transit distances for air and surface assets, and limited response resources. We continue to work to improve awareness, contingency planning, and communications. We are also actively participating in the Department of Interior-led interagency working group on Coordination of Domestic Energy Development and Permitting in Alaska (established by Executive Order 13580) to synchronize the efforts of Federal agencies responsible for overseeing the safe and responsible development of Alaska's onshore and offshore energy.
While prevention is critical, the Coast Guard must be able to manage the response to pollution incidents where responsible parties are not known or fail to adequately respond. In 2010, we deployed an emergency vessel towing system north of the Arctic Circle. We have also exercised the Vessel of Opportunity Skimming System (VOSS) and the Spilled Oil Recovery System (SORS) in Alaskan waters, but we had yet to conduct exercises north of the Arctic Circle until this summer. Both of these systems enable vessels to collect oil in the event of a discharge, however, these systems have limited capacity and are only effective in ice-free conditions. As part of Arctic Shield 2012, we conducted the furthest northern deployment and testing of the SORS in the vicinity of Barrow.
Fisheries are also a concern in the region. The National Marine Fisheries Service, based upon a recommendation from the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, has imposed a moratorium on fishing within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone north of the Bering Strait until an assessment of the practicality of sustained commercial fishing is completed. The Coast Guard will continue to carry out its mission to enforce and protect living marine resources in the high latitudes.
We are employing our Waterways Analysis and Management System to assess vessel traffic density and determine the need for improved aids to navigation and other safety requirements. We are also moving forward with a Bering Strait Port Access Route Study, in coordination with our international partners, which is a preliminary analysis to evaluate vessel traffic management and appropriate ship routing measures.
The Coast Guard continues to support international and multilateral organizations, studies, projects and initiatives. We are actively working with the Arctic Council, International Maritime Organization and their respective working groups. We are leading the U.S. delegation to the Arctic Council Oil Spill Task Force that is developing an International Instrument on Arctic Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response. We are also conducting joint contingency response exercises with Canada and we maintain communications and working relationships with Canadian and Russian agencies responsible for regional operations including Search and Rescue, law enforcement and oil spill response. We maintain bilateral response relationships with Canada and Russia, and last month we hosted representatives from the Russian State Marine Pollution Control Salvage and Rescue Administration to sign an expanded Memorandum of Understanding and Joint Contingency Plan to foster closer cooperation in oil spill response. We will continue to engage Arctic nations, international organizations, industry, academia and Alaskan state, local and tribal governments to strengthen our partnerships and inter-operability.
Our engagement with Alaska Native Tribes continues to be highly beneficial. Our continued partnership has made our operations safer and more successful. We are working hard to ensure tribal equities are recognized, and that indigenous peoples and their way of life are protected. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our partnerships with our Alaskan Native partners.
The Coast Guard continues to push forward and assess our capabilities to conduct operations in the Arctic. Since 2008, we set up small, temporary Forward Operating Locations on the North Slope in Prudhoe Bay, Nome, Barrow and Kotzebue to test our capabilities with boats, helicopters, and Maritime Safety and Security Teams. We also deployed our light-ice capable 225-foot ocean-going buoy tenders to test our equipment, train our crews and increase our awareness of activity. Additionally, each year from April to November we have flown two sorties a month to evaluate activities in the region.
Looking ahead over the next 10-15 years, the Coast Guard's regional mission profile will continue to evolve. Increasing human activity will increase the significance and volume of maritime issues, such as freedom of navigation, offshore resource exploration, and environmental preservation.
The coast Gaurd in Context of National Arctic Policy
U.S. Arctic policy is set forth in the 2009 National Security Presidential Directive 66/Homeland Security Presidential Directive 25. For the past four years, as we are today with Arctic Shield 2012, we have been conducting limited Arctic operations during open water periods. However, we face many challenges looking into the future. Some Arctic operations demand specialized capabilities and personnel trained and equipped to operate in extreme climates. Our assessments of the Nation's requirements for operating in ice-laden waters will consider infrastructure requirements to support operations, and requirements for personnel and equipment to operate in extreme cold and ice.
Given the scope of these challenges, we have been conducting oil-in-ice research since 2010 to evaluate, develop, and test equipment and techniques that can be used to successfully track and recover oil in any ice filled waters, and have explored promising technologies, such as heated skimmers. The Coast Guard's strategic approach is to ensure we pursue the capabilities in the future to perform our statutory missions so we can ensure the Arctic is safe, secure, and environmentally sustainable. This strategy is consistent with our Service's approach to performing its Maritime Safety, Security and Stewardship functions.
Arctic Shield 2012 was an appropriate plan to meet projected mission requirements this year. Moving forward, we will continue building our strategy using a whole-of-government approach that will inform national dialogue and policy development for this critical region.
While there are many challenges, the increasingly open Arctic Ocean also presents unique opportunities. We look forward to working with the Congress on how our Coast Guard can continue to support our national Arctic objectives, protect its fragile environment and remain Semper Paratus – Always Ready in this new ocean.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I look forward to your questions.


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Just this side of Heaven is a place called RainbowBridge
When an animal dies - one that has been especially close to someone here - that pet goes to RainbowBridge. There are meadows and hills for our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food and water, sunshine and cozy beds, and our friends are warm and comfortable.All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they each miss someone very special, someone who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; his eager body quivers. Suddenly, he breaks from the group, flying over the green grass - his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain on your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet - so long gone but never absent from your heart.Then you cross the RainbowBridge together.Author Unknown
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You'll get access to your personal hyperTracker control center.
Tour 1/10: How to Create a Campaign
No more throwing money away on ineffective marketing strategies. Hypertracker allows you to analyze marketing strategies and shift through ads in a matter of minutes. Therefore, you can concentrate on your money-making campaigns and discard the nonproductive campaigns.
Hypertracker is a feature-packed system that tracks statistics from the Ad through the sale. It can be implemented into any Internet marketing campaign in less than two minutes.
Let's get started. Begin using Hypertracker by creating a new campaign. Choose your campaign identifier then enter a campaign name, cost and target URL. If you like you can also enter a campaign description, contact information and more.
Hypertracker now lets you define a campaign as pay-per-click. That means the campaign cost will be computed dynamically, depending upon the number of clicks made by your customers and the cost of one click.
You can now add up to 128 target URLs that can be rotated through Hypertracker. This allows you to track the profitability of numerous pages.
Mr. Gold sells computer components online. He just bought a banner ad at Cnet for $200 and has placed a banner on a friend's web site called Zipit in exchange for a banner to be placed on his site. He has a third campaign at GoTo that is pay-per-click. Mr. Gold signs in to his Hypertracker account and sets up each campaign using the Create a New Campaign button in the Campaign menu.
CnetBanner: He assigns his first banner campaign an ID called CnetBanner. His campaign name is Banner at Cnet. He enters a description stating that this banner is placed on the left menu at Cnet. His campaign cost is $200. He only wants to count one click per person per day. Therefore, he chooses once per day in the Count Clicks box. He then enters his target URLs (two different sales letters) separated by pressing Enter: http://zipstorage.com/index.html and http://zipstorage.com/welcome.html. Now he clicks on the Create a New Campaign to create . . .
ZipitBanner: Mr. Gold creates ZipitBanner in the same fashion. However, this time his campaign cost is $0.00. He decides to keep all other aspects of the campaign the same as CnetBanner. After all the information is entered, he clicks on the Create a New Campaign to create . . .
GoToPPC: He calls his pay-per-click campaign GoToPPC and describes it. His campaign cost is $.10 per click. Therefore, he enters 0.10 in the Campaign Cost and checks the PPC box next to it. Mr. Gold chooses to have clicks on counted Always because he is paying for each click. His target URLs are http://zipstorage.com/index.html and http://zipstorage.com/index.html.
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The definition of invalidation is: refuting or degrading or discrediting or denying something someone else considers to be fact. Basically it is no attention. It actually acts as force and is equivalent to being struck.
I have seen invalidation take a couple of different forms. The first is obvious: Loud outright words and actions that let someone know they are wrong! The recipient of this force should be doing things the way the person sending the force wants, whether the other is in agreement or not. It is outright bullying.
The second form is more subtle and insidious. It is the smiling, "helpful" criticism, the lack of attention or dismissal of something important to another.
Children and teens are particularly susceptible to invalidation in ways we as adults do not recognize. Because we are not standing in their shoes and "being" them we just fail to see it. But in counseling, this comes up as a problem for a lot of kids, which is why I am addressing it now. Mind you, we can all be guilty of this one, even kids and teens themselves with each other.
Let me give you some examples of this so you can perhaps recognize it better in the future:
I will start with one I myself was guilty of. I love my kids so much and I am so happy to have them in my life. I enjoyed playing with them when they were little. They were so cute that sometimes when they came to me really angry about something, their mannerisms, and sometimes even the words they were using, to me seemed above the vernacular of their age level and would make me smile! Or they would say a word wrong and it would make me laugh. But they were angry!!!!!!! At four years old my daughter pointed out to me just how invalidating this was. She felt I wasn't taking her seriously and I was making light of her upset. I was shocked! Here I was feeling so much love for her that it brought a smile to my face but to her it was literally a slap in the face. When I put myself in her shoes I realized how bad that would make me feel. So from that time on, I worked hard to listen to her rather than "observe her" so I could really get what she was saying. Was I always successful? I don't know, I guess we can ask her, but the point is that the invalidation was inadvertent and unintentional and definitely unrecognized.
Another one that comes up with teens sometimes is that they want to talk to their parents about their feelings for some guy or some girl or even perhaps the loss of a friend. Adults, having been through all that and on the other side of it, tend often to make light of it. Or if it is approaching a subject they themselves don't feel comfortable with, try to side step it. This leaves the teen with the feeling of "no attention given", "I don't matter," or "no help". Some actually express feeling badly. The person they feel should be helping them the most, their parent, is the last person they can turn to!
If this happens enough, they go out of communication, hang on to their secrets and fears, and turn elsewhere for answers.
The last one I will point out is something you might hear your children and their friends do with each other. Children like to share their wins and accomplishments. It is joyful and it is a pleasure to get acknowledged for their successes. But sometimes in doing this you will witness the "one up-man ship" invalidation. Someone gives a win then the next child tells how his or her own accomplishment is better or more important. Whether it is intentional or not is not the issue any more at that point. The fact is the win is now invalidated and the child feels bad. They might not even know why exactly, they just don't feel happy any more.
There are probably a million little subtle ways kids can be invalidated. Rather than always look for it, the best way to address and handle it is to: 1) just always be attentive, present and listen well. 2) Acknowledge appropriately all communication given. 3) If there is a handling needed that you don't know how to address or don't feel comfortable addressing, then tell them so and then find the answers together. Or bring them to a place you trust to have the correct answers such as Mace-Kingsley Family Center. 4) And when you hear children besting each other with their accomplishments feel free to step in and make sure each child is accepting and acknowledging each other's wins.
To get the exact technology on this subject of invalidation: what it is and how to handle the upsets, stress and fears that can result from it, please feel free to contact Mace-Kingsley Family Center at 727-442-3922.


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It isn't always easy being a runner. It isn't always easy being the Penguin. Sometimes it's almost impossible to be both and to be true to either.
One of the canons of the Penguin philosophy is that running – all running – is joyful in its own right. It's the act of running, being in the moment of the motion, that brings satisfaction. And it's the process that matters most, not the outcome.
But some runners wrongly think that this focus on participation rather than competition means that performance doesn't matter. Folks who routinely finish races before I reach halfway sometimes believe all that matters to me is being out with friends on an easy jog with water tables and police protection. That isn't the case.
I get the greatest satisfaction from races when I have given my honest, best effort. Other midpack runners tell me the same. Consequently, we feel bitter disappointment when we don't achieve a goal. Our devastating sense of failure is no less profound when our goal is solely personal.
Such was the case for me at mile 18 of the Tucson Marathon last December. As I walked off the course, the pain in my body was no match for the pain in my spirit. A sense of failure – the feeling that my legs had betrayed me, that my training had failed me, and that my strategy had been flawed – overwhelmed me. It was of little consolation that my goal of running my first sub-5-hour marathon in nearly 2 years meant nothing to anyone but me.
Those around me were quick to point out the objective reasons for my failure. I'd run a very difficult marathon (as a training run!) only 4 weeks earlier. I'd run an on pace half-marathon the week before. I'd also taken two international trips in 4 weeks and had come down with a monster cold and sinus infection just a few days before the race. Yes, there were reasons.
But on Sunday morning as I walked to the starting line, those reasons seemed like excuses to me. I'd trained hard, planned carefully, and dreamed about this moment for months. I was ready. I'd done all the work necessary to succeed.
In the months leading up to the race, I'd calculated how much I could push my body. I arrived at the start prepared for, and expecting, only one outcome: a sub-5-hour marathon.
The race initially unfolded according to plan. I hit the halfway point at 2:27:32, right on target. At mile 15, I was still there. By mile 17, I was 3 seconds off pace, but still hopeful, even though I was beginning to feel the signs of impending disaster.
Then in one sputtering, stuttering moment, my dream shattered. My legs, my lungs, my entire body gave out. My will was no match for them. As I hobbled and wheezed my way to mile 18, I was forced to concede defeat. I would not succeed on this day. My race was over.
As friends and colleagues congratulated me on my wisdom to stop, I smiled wryly. Yes, I know I did the right thing. I know I'll run other races. I know that it's never smart to push through that kind of pain. I know that I showed respect for my body. I know I acted like a true athlete. I know.
But somehow that didn't keep my heart from aching. In the end, knowing you've done the right thing doesn't stop you from wishing you hadn't had to.
Waddle on, friends.