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Hotel Operations, design adjust to social distancing
We at Cornerstone are here for you. We look forward to hearing from you.
Please stay safe and well!
We at Cornerstone are here for you. We look forward to hearing from you.
Please stay safe and well!
Press page text snippet: On the heels of my previous article, biophilia continues to heavily influence design, product and material trends in 2023 and beyond. After almost three years of social distancing, quarantining and remote work, humankind is ready to embrace a more natural and comforting sense of day-to-day reality. Biophilic design celebrates the innate human desire to connect with nature, and should always be part of the design conversation for hospitality.
Press page text snippet: I've always been fascinated with lighting, both natural and artificial. The symphony that design professionals conduct when creating spaces and experiences for clients and guests is one of those exponential intangibles that elevate life and also keep people coming back for more.
The sweet summertime — with all of the sunshine, warm air, long days and outdoor activities that hospitality has to offer — is winding down. What did you most look forward to in your travels and stays this summer? Chances are it included plenty of time soaking in the natural beauty of our world, sometimes reveling in the simple pleasures of life.
Have you ever wondered where architects and interior designers begin to create their incredible visions? It usually starts with inspiration. This inspiration can spark creativity through many means — travel, nature, history, fashion and more. A good narrative is strong on imagination and prose. An excellent narrative is long on describing and curating the journey of the hotel guest — from booking through departure and everywhere in between.
Natalie has over 30 years of experience designing interior spaces for multiple types of built environments. Her broad project experience ranges from corporate, government, institutional, retail, healthcare and residential. Despite the numerous projects she has designed over the years, she always seeks a fresh perspective for each new project.
She manages and coordinates projects from the design concept to installation. Her strengths include conceptual design, communication of design intent and client relations. She is passionate for the profession of interior design as she sees it as essential for the best quality of life.
Shaina Kay is an exceptional interior architect & designer with more than 13 years of fast-paced industry experience. Specializing in high-end hospitality design with a demonstrated history of working in the architecture, interior design & planning industry. Skilled in multiple design sectors including hospitality, multi-family, residential, commercial office, educational, and public buildings. Shaina believes our built environment effects our human experience and natural elements must be incorporated for a successful design.
Patricia is a fresh designer who is interested in learning new things. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of San Carlos and has worked on big-scale projects such as resorts and commercial projects. She also has a background in working on residential projects. During those times, she has been working in the finance industry which gave her a foundation in sales and personal finance. Her background in design and strong personality makes her versatile in different operations and back-office support.
While studying at the university, she traveled to Japan for her internship program and has grown a deeper appreciation for trying new cultures, opportunities, and design challenges. She enjoys different forms of art and is curious to know about different life perspectives and concepts.
Madison is the Marketing Specialist and Design Assistant at The Cornerstone Collective. She is a recent graduate from the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, BC, receiving her Bachelors in Environmental Design. Throughout her studies, Madison has focused on various sides of the interdisciplinary field of design from architecture and landscape architecture to interiors and product design. These studies have allowed her to accumulate numerous invaluable skills such as critical thinking and design visualization along with the use of multiple digital media programs. Madison is enthusiastic and detail oriented with a passion for design, communities, and sustainability.
Outside of work you can usually find Madison on the slopes, skiing and snowboarding mountains all around North America.
Joanne Gravina is a Senior Interior Designer with over 32 years of experience in the hospitality interior design sector. Joanne has an established track record of effectively designing/managing, as well as providing procurement services for a multitude of cutting edge, tech savvy and aesthetically beautiful hotel brands and properties. Her projects include all levels and brands of hotels, resorts, restaurants, spas, as well as many renowned casino entertainment venues. Due to Joanne's extensive history in the industry, she knows how the business works. Her "SUPERPOWER" is the know-how to create customized FF&E products that give each property that one of a kind, unique look and feel, all the while functional, durable, code compliant, and within the client-established and approved budget. Her expertise and knowledge allows her to take her assigned projects from programming to completion with the confidence and ease necessary for success.
Joanne grew up in the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts and earned her degree in Interior Design while attending Mount Ida College in Newton, Massachusetts. After attending college she began her career as an interior design assistant for Bloomingdale's Interior Design and been a Senior Interior Designer for many years. Some of her favorite mottos are, "where there is a will, there is a way" and "think outside the box".
Kinley is the Summer 2021 Design Intern at The Cornerstone Collective. She is from Kearney, Nebraska and is currently working towards obtaining her Bachelor of Science in Design with a specialization in Interior Design at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Throughout her time in the CIDA accredited interior design program, she has learned the importance and impact of creating thoughtful interior spaces. Kinley is interested in hospitality design and the way these spaces influence a vast range of people with diverse personalities and backgrounds. She focuses on placing focus on the user first when facing a design problem and remaining adaptable to changes within the design process.
Outside of school and work, Kinley loves studio cycling, yoga, and traveling all around the world.
Megan is skilled in operations and office support within the architecture, finance, and tech industries. She also has a background in residential construction and project management and has a keen eye for design. With her wide variety of skills, she can be found supporting many entities of the Cornerstone Collective team. She received her bachelor's degree at Sam Houston State University and is a Houston native that recently made the move to Boise. She and her family can be found RVing scenic Idaho on the weekends and enjoying the beautiful weather.
Madison is the Design Intern at The Cornerstone Collective. She grew up in Boise, Idaho, although she can now be found in Vancouver, Canada working towards her Bachelor of Environmental Design degree at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Throughout her studies, Madison has focused on various sides of the interdisciplinary field of design from architecture and landscape architecture to interiors and product design. These studies have allowed her to accumulate numerous invaluable skills such as critical thinking and design visualization along with the use of multiple digital media programs. Madison is enthusiastic and detail oriented with a passion for design, communities, and the environment.
Outside of work you can usually find Madison on the slopes, skiing and snowboarding mountains all around North America.
holds a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Interior Design from Montana State University, and has been associated in the design field for the last thirty eight years. He has successfully completed and satisfied all requirements of National Council of Interior Design Qualification Board. Prior to 1990, he spent six years with A & E Architects, advancing to Associate in 1987. As a project manager and interior designer with A & E Architects, he was involved in numerous historical and new structure projects throughout the Intermountain Region. Most notable was Lake Hotel in Yellowstone National Park.
In 1990, Mitch started RIVER RUN INTERIORS, a full service interiors retail store. He was responsible for all aspects of Interior Design for Retail Stores, Law Offices, Restaurants, Residential as well as large monumental work such as interior design of the guest rooms at the Old Faithful Inn – Yellowstone National Park. In 1993, Mitch was recognized for his work by a national publication, Hospitality Design Magazine. As the owner of RIVER RUN INTERIORS, Mitch Thompson directed an interior design/retail business supplying both residential and commercial businesses with furniture, accessories, etc. as well as offering a wide range of design services for all types of clients.
From 1994 until recently, Mitch has been the Founder and Owner of Mitch Thompson Associates, specializing in the interior design of FFE procurement for boutique and luxury hotels, as well as many award-winning restaurants. As a Senior Designer with The Cornerstone Collective, Mitch provides conceptual, schematic and design development services, along with FF&E selection and specification. He is well-known for his highly custom design capabilities in numerous signature projects throughout the world.
Molly Paschal, a lifelong Hoosier and graduate of Indiana University, obtained her degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management with a focus in Sales and Event Planning. After graduating, Molly moved to Chicago where she began her career in Hospitality. Molly joins The Cornerstone Collective with extensive industry knowledge and 15 years of professional experience with brands such as Hilton, Marriott, and IHG.
Her genuine passion for hospitality and serving others is apparent through the unparalleled dedication she offers her clients. Skilled in identifying needs and recommending the appropriate solutions, Molly prides herself on being an authentic service provider and trusted advisor. Outside of work, Molly is an avid-runner and donut connoisseur who loves spending time with her pup and planning trips to see the world! (post-pandemic suggestions welcome)
From a young age, Stefanie has always had a passion for helping people. She is committed to providing the ultimate client experience while delivering quality results in her role of business Development for Cornerstone.
Stefanie earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management at Northern Arizona University. She brings a wide range of hotel knowledge, specializing in management operations, account sales and event management. Her hard work has been positively recognized throughout more than a decade of experience in the hospitality industry. Stefanie's relationship driven personality and kindhearted approach sparks joy to our team!
A true Arizonan, Stefanie enjoys the summer months and breathtaking sunsets. During her free time, she enjoys DIY projects, listening to music and exploring the outdoors.
Elena Pikor is a versatile executive with over 20 years of experience in established, startup, and on/offshore environments. Elena possesses broad expertise in the hospitality industry and holds an MBA degree in Financial Analysis, Accounting, and Audit. She held leadership roles at Intercontinental, Omni, and Four Seasons Hotels. Elena's unique and wide-ranging skill set has enabled her to successfully contribute in a variety of roles, including asset management, market intelligence, and revenue management, talent acquisition and development, service operations and customer relations management, financial services, project and product management.
Elena gained substantial global experience managing cross-functional teams on large trading projects in Germany, Turkey, China, India, and Russia. She is a strong motivator with well-developed influencing and consensus-building skills. Elena excels at generating and maximizing revenue, creating effective distribution strategies while delivering unparalleled customer service.
Heather has always had an interest in the built environment and a curiosity about how people are affected by their spaces. She was introduced to design when she participated in Take Your Daughter to Work Day, solidifying her desire to learn more about the design profession.
While studying at the University of Texas School of Architecture in Austin, Texas, Heather began working with clients on residential and commercial projects before graduating in 2007. Since then her experience has expanded to also include multifamily and hospitality design. She is passionate about the spaces she creates and how people interact with them – from the interior architecture down to the tiniest details that elevate a design.
Another passion of Heathers is traveling and she loves a good road trip. This has led to her to move to Seattle, Washington, and then on to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. When she is not in her home state of Texas you will find her in Cabo enjoying the sunny beaches with her photographer husband and 2 rescue dogs.
NCIDQ, ASID, Fitwell Ambassador
Beth is an experienced and knowledgeable interior designer that has designed exclusively for hospitality interiors over the last 11 years. With a broad understanding of both the interior design and procurement processes, she is able to expertly plan for the entire project from inception through completion. What she enjoys most about hospitality design is that it is always evolving and there is always something new to learn! She is dedicated to creating beautiful and interesting interiors that also meet the budget and schedule.
A recent transplant to Scottsdale, AZ, Beth grew up in Central Florida where she earned three degrees in Interior Design: a BAS in Interior Design, an AS in Kitchen & Bath Specialization and an AS in Interior Design Technology. Beth is an NCIDQ certified interior designer and a Fitwell Ambassador. She is excited to now be studying towards becoming a WELL Accredited Professional as she has a passion for health and wellness that she can infuse into her work.
When not in the office, Beth enjoys hiking, yoga, preparing healthy meals, reading and spending time with her husband and two dogs. Her two favorite pieces of advice are "Measure Twice, Cut Once" and "If Anything Can Go Well It Will"!
Gene Lim's reputation and extensive background in business development, branding, marketing, advertising and the ability to forge strategic partnerships spans nearly 25 years. At The Cornerstone Collective, Gene is focused on strategic direction, creating new products, services and expanding our categories of luxury, healthcare, modular structures and affordable housing into new markets and channels. Gene has worked with prominent and diverse Fortune 500 clients such as Ritz Carlton, Disney, Paramount Studios, Mercedes Benz, Sony, LVMH, Microsoft and SAP to name a few. On the philanthropic side, Gene served as Global Chairman of the Strategic Alliances Committee for the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), a global entity of entrepreneurs in over 64 countries, raising millions of dollars, forging relationships with UN, G20, B20, NYSE, the White House, State Department, WSJ, Financial Times, INC, Entrepreneur, Fortune 500 companies, foundations and universities. Gene helped create and launch NYSE Big Startup with EO to bring together the world's most recognized companies and business leaders to engage with EO's fast growth entrepreneurs.
Assoc. IIDA
David Anttila, Assoc. IIDA, Director of Design, has over 35 years of professional design experience which has included all aspects of corporate, hospitality, retail, healthcare, and residential interior design. Areas of specific expertise include branding, conceptual development, architectural expression, space planning, design development and detailing, and project supervision. Related design work includes landscape design, product design, lighting design, contract furniture, accessories, and graphic design. He leads Cornerstone's entire design team and coordinates extensively with Collective Associates.
David held the position of Design Director at both EHDD Architecture in San Francisco and at Reel Grobman in San Jose. Other design-related work experience includes Environetics, New York; Orlando Diaz-Azcuy Designs, San Francisco; Gensler, Detroit and Los Angeles; HOK, Los Angeles; and ZGF Architects, Portland.
David has been dedicated to design education throughout his professional career and for several years, he directed both graduate and undergraduate CIDA accredited programs in Interior Architecture and Design for the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. David's interest in design education is reflected in how he greatly enjoys mentoring both staff and clients throughout the design process.
ASID, LEED AP ID+C, WELL AP, NEWH Member
Suzie Hall, ASID, LEED AP ID+C, WELL AP, NEWH Member, is a long-time industry expert with significant specialties in design, procurement, sustainability and modular development. A CEO, strategist, team builder, thought leader, speaker, author and collaborative enthusiast, Ms. Hall is that unique blend of a creative visionary and left-brained facilitator. Results-oriented, innovative, and a strategic thinker, Ms. Hall has led numerous design and project teams to award-winning results over her 33-year career, and currently leads teams in design, procurement, modular integration and construction. Passionate, intuitive and communicative, Ms. Hall brings a powerful combination of skills to each relationship and project that her firm undertakes. Her teams and projects are consistent "winners".
Ms. Hall received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management from the University of Puget Sound before moving into design and development, which gives her a unique view of the industry, allowing her to combine aesthetic appeal with business realities and to view projects through the owner's lens. She recently served on the St. Alphonsus Hospital Foundation Board and the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce Small Business Advisory Council for 9 years. Ms. Hall is a highly decorated design professional, and currently serves on the MBI Owner Developer Council and the MBI Design Professionals Council.


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Welcome to the Exposed Ezine Release Weekend Blitz! A Quarterly magazine where amazing authors bring you outstanding stories! And yes, there's a giveaway too!
electronic magazine featuring short stories from hot, independent authors, is
Butterfly Publishing's debut publication. Giving readers a glimpse into each
author's writing style and stories, Exposed does just what the title suggests,
exposes readers to new titles and new authors. With its low cost and varied
content, every reader is sure to find something he or she enjoys.
year old that has finally discovered her freedom. After living under the strict
rules and protection of her mother, Nix moved out with her two best friends in
a quaint little Seattle apartment. For the first time Nix is finally able to
spread her wings and breathe. Together, they get a job working at a bar and for
the first time everything is perfect.Freedom, friendships, a great job and fantastic man on the verge of becoming
hers. Tristan is the suave, intelligent, not to mention gorgeous law student
that Nix has her eyes and heart set on. For the first time, she has her life
together; that is, until her path crosses with Levi. The charming, tattooed and
downright sexy bad boy that Nix knows she needs to avoid.But when one of her friends moves out she is shocked to find that her new
roommate is none other than Levi. Flirting. Desire. Undeniable
temptations. Nix can't deny the chemistry surging between them but she can't
forget her mother's extreme hate towards bad boys.
Will Nix have the strength to listen to her heart? Or will her mother's rules
cost her everything?
born and raised in a small village named Lacolle. She now lives in Montreal,
Canada. She is the proud mother of a beautiful five year old son, and has spent
the last thirteen years with her partner, Cedric.
her native language, but she prefers to write in her second language, English.
working full time and being a mother, Jude has a passion for books, both
reading and writing them.
novella, Under the Sun was published at the end of July 2013.It is part of an
anthology called Heat Wave. Her second novella, Wonderland, was published in
March 2014 and has hit the bestselling rank. Lost Dreams, a military romance,
was published in May 2014, Body, Ink, and Soul in late June 2014 and Ophelia in
October 2014.
that changed his life – he was going to be a father. Stepping up, he took
custody and raised his little girl, whom everyone calls Harley. Hard work and
determination gave him the lifestyle he wanted for the two of them. Now,
twenty-one years later he's flying Harley and some of her friends to the
Bahamas for an amazing birthday bash. As a special treat, he invites Victoria,
Harley's long lost best friend from elementary school to surprise her. When the
flight carrying Harley and her friends is delayed due to weather, Nick finds
himself alone with Victoria who has grown into a beautiful woman. What starts
out as a few hour delay grows as a hurricane develops just off the coast. The
storm brewing outside is nothing compared to the passion brewing between Nick
and Victoria as each tries to fight the attraction of a forbidden love affair.
NJ Cole is the author
of five published books, Midnight Caller, Midnight Eternal, Landslide, Second
Chances and Yes, Mistress. Unlike many of today's authors, she chooses to write
in first person, allowing the readers to experience life through the eyes of
the unique characters that live in her head. Her love of those characters and
respect for their stories come through loud and clear in her writing. With over
two million reads of her online work in the past year NJ Cole is clearly an up
and coming author.
Be sure to subscribe to her blog for all her books:NJColeauthor.com
What happens when a natural submissive bumps into a polished Dom while
spending a day at the beach? Wild, hot, explicit sex! Explore Steve's seduction
of Maya in this exhilarating tale. Warning, graphic language, some forced
Fossbrook, author of Broken Tides, is a UK based writer of erotic fiction. He has been writing for a number of years but it wasn't until his collaboration with Cole that he believed his stories might just be worth reading.
In his spare time Fossbrook is a huge sports fan and loves the occasional glass of wine.
manager Chase Milligan relocates from his home in Austin to Dallas, to start a
new life. Soon he finds his interest captured again. But who is Baylee Andrews?
What dark secrets is she hiding? Will delving into her mysteries bring heal
Chase's heart and faith, or will he find himself embroiled in more trouble than
ever before?
markets, formats and analyzes current trends to help promote books to their
fullest potential. He co-founded Butterfly Publishing with author NJ Cole.
After meeting various authors in 2013, Butterfly Publishing, an independent
publishing house, was launched in 2014. Bobby Kim has been known to put pen to
paper, so to speak, and fellow collaborators would not be surprised to see some
of his own work appear in his magazine in the next few issues.

subset: commoncrawl


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Gift Ideas and Inspiration
- Unique Wedding and Engagement Gifts! Commemorate your special day by customizing this map and marking the location and date of that special moment.
- Great Gifts for Fisherman! Mark the spot of your coveted fishing hole or the day you landed the big one!
- Customize one of our 3D Wood Maps with your home, favorite vacation spot, or treasured family cabin.
Map Art Comparison Chart


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Free Fight
"I always see what is next, not what can be after that. Now I'm focused on Florian and what I can do to beat him." - Diego Nunes
The first impression we have about a particular person may be different than the one you get when talking to him, and sometimes what looks bad may be good in reality, and vice-versa.
Brazil's Diego "The Gun" Nunes, one of the most talented featherweights on the planet, knows this kind of situation well. Training in different academies until ending up at Nova Uniao, a team he calls family, Nunes - who faces former lightweight title challenger and debuting 145-pounder Kenny Florian this weekend in Vancouver - experienced being the victim of wrong impressions by those who didn't know him well.
Handsome to the girls, the kid from Caxias do Sul says bullying was a constant for him while he was still at school because his jealous classmates thought Nunes only did it to provoke them. Today, the fighter still deals with that misunderstanding, as his tattoos, easy going personality and good sense of humor lead him to be described as a "crazy playboy" rather than the nice and religious person he is.
"I have been under that and other labels more when I was young than now," Nunes said. "From school until that first day of training inside a new academy, I noticed that a few observed me a different way than I really was. Going through those difficulties early in my life was an education for processing it without problems."
Listening to Nunes more and more, we see an extreme difference between funny and crazy. The plans of the 28-year old pupil of Andre Pederneiras were always very focused on starting a family along his wife Sabrina, a woman he says comes from God's wishes, and whose plans matched his own.
"Since I started my martial arts life I was alone," he says, not only referring to being without a girlfriend, but without many friends and family around. "I didn't have affection from a girlfriend or a loyal friendship, so I asked God to put on my road a girl like this, and like that He sent me my wife about three years ago. She's a person who completes me. My dream was always to have a family; I visualized this picture of me, my wife and kid, which we intend to have as soon as I acquire a more stabilized fighting career."
A solid career means beating foe after foe until reaching the title picture, and Nunes, a former WEC featherweight, has been good at it. Dropping only one fight since he turned professional (a unanimous decision loss to L.C. Davis), "The Gun" dispatched 15 adversaries until the WEC's merge into UFC.
Earlier this year, he stepped in the Octagon for the first time to square off against former WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown at UFC 125. The fight was expected to be a war, and the result, a split decision victory for the Brazilian, indicated that. With a left eyelid completely swollen since the half of first stanza due to Brown's strikes, Nunes dodged further harm while trading bombs and avoiding the takedown attempts of the former champion. The damage of first round seemed to be the injection of life he needed, as Nunes came back strong with axe and spinning kicks in rounds two and three.
"I loved kicking since a kid, and I got into kung-fu and tae kwon do classes before my pro training with kickboxing and Muay Thai, so I just sharpened a natural talent," he said. "I grew up taking beatdowns, and I learned a lot from them, so since I was a kid I had this aspect of never surrendering. I keep calm under the storm because due to what I passed through in my life I know nothing worse can happen. If the guy hits me once, I want to hit him twice. That is my motivation."
Breaking the seriousness of his aforementioned statements, Nunes then shows his funny side, recalling that the efforts to turn nightmares into dreams come from the Japanese Manga series (famous in its homeland and Brazil), Knights of the Zodiac. More precisely from all the suffering that lead character Pegasus Seiya went through in the majority of the episodes, only to shine in the end.
"My teammates laugh a lot when I say that, but I was a kid watching this cartoon where Seiya was getting wounded fighting against much larger and powerful enemies and that was impressive," he says, smiling. "He kept going after them in spite of all the adversity and I have that going on in my fighting career too."
Jumping back to the real world, his next fight is the UFC 131 bout against a no joke in "KenFlo." Nunes knows the fight can be much more different and tougher than the UFC debut. Facing an original TUFer, and former middleweight, welterweight and lightweight competitor in Florian, the Brazilian considers his upcoming foe to be almost a mirror image of himself.
"I think Brown sticks to his game plan of takedowns and ground and pound, making the fight a little boring," he says. "KenFlo has speed and likes to land kicks, working in and out until getting his opponents into his comfort zone. I see this fight being the greatest of UFC 131, no doubt."
If all things are equal, Nunes sees a small advantage for him in this main card bout since he has been fighting as a 145-pounder since 2008, while Florian will taste life in the division for the first time ever.
"I know he's a fighter with all kind of professionals helping him to get ready in a new weight class, but training is training and a fight is a fight," he says. "I don't see him getting 100% in a new division I have been in since 2008. I believe he'll lose something - I don't if it will be stamina or strength - but I see one small point of advantage for me."
If Nunes beats the TUF 1 finalist, he'll move into title contention, but it won't be the way it is for most fighters, mainly because the man who holds the UFC belt in this division is his teammate and personal friend Jose Aldo.
"I always see what is next, not what can be after that. Now I'm focused on Florian and what I can do to beat him," he said. "My objective is a belt, but I can't let myself imagine, just for a hundredth of a second, where I can be after this fight. Aldo is a brother, a close friend and a worthy teammate and I can't deny that we already talked about it with our coach and managers."
And what was the verdict?
"Wait and trust," Nunes says, smiling, but keeping the suspense. "For now, I have only one target, Florian. The rest comes after, and only after, will something come."


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SRAM GX Eagle Rear Derailleur
Riders want the derailleur to do its job shifting on command, whether under climbing load or the stage finish. The GX Eagle derailleur gets it done with an updated cage architecture that improves chain management. Refined to work with the new 10-52T cassettes, it's also backward-compatible with 10-50T cassettes for greater versatility and incremental upgrade. It's finished with the new GX Eagle master colorway to complement any cassette and chain colorway a rider wants from the Eagle Colorsystem.
- Backward-compatible—works with both 10-50T and newer 10-52T cassettes
- Updated cage architecture provides better chain retention and precise shifts


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There are great deals of important factors that go into getting a tattoo, including where your tattoo belongs on your body. Different tattoos have different story and importance behind it. Eagle tattoos are one of them that reflect strength and are the common choices for men and women who serve as police officers, firefighters, soldiers, or other service members. Emphasizing articulates such as freedom, strength, and liberty are popular choices added to banners or underneath a tattoo of an eagle particularly if the tattoo is done as a memorial or tribute to someone to make the whole image impressive.
Eagles are counted among the birds of strength with strong talon that soars high in the sky and possess keen eyesight. The images of eagles hold an important position in history also. They appeared in various emblems of the past history in many different lands and their importance have been mentioned in different historical events of the past. For instance in Native American cultures, the free-spirited eagle are deeply profoundly honored and their feathers were also given importance. They were often given as a sign of pride, security or friendship. Even in ancient Greece eagle was worshiped as it was thought to have some association with the god Sun. You can also find the name of the eagle has been mentioned in the Norse mythology. It had some association with the god Odin, who represented wisdom.
- Eagle tattoos are unique in themselves and it can be also done in many different creative ways and just about anywhere on the body but still the most common area for this type of tattoo is the upper arm, followed by the shoulders, and the upper and lower back areas.
- Eagle tattoos whether it is with spread wings or roosting position are really eye-catching.
- The most important feature of eagle tattoo is its feather.
- So if the tattoo is done on a large area with spread wings where every details of the wing are clearly visible provides the eagle tattoo with a realistic appearance.
- The back is a great location for eagle tattoo with their wings fully spread as if in flight.
- You can also ink your back with another popular swooping pose of an eagle.
- This swooping poses of the eagle targeting its prey with sharp talons is really mind blowing, and of course the internet and many tattoo shops are full of images of the majestic eagle in varying poses.
Small eagle tattoos featuring only the head of the bird can be inked on the leg or armbands, or can be incorporated into another design. There are many tattoo shops and websites that will provide you with varying poses of eagle.


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Persecution foretold. (1-6) The promise of the Holy Spirit, and his office. (7-15) Christ's departure and return. (16-22) Encouragement to prayer. (23-27) Christ's discoveries of himself. (28-33)
Verses 1-6 Our Lord Jesus, by giving his disciples notice of trouble, designed that the terror might not be a surprise to them. It is possible for those who are real enemies to God's service, to pretend zeal for it. This does not lessen the sin of the persecutors; villanies will never be changed by putting the name of God to them. As Jesus in his sufferings, so his followers in theirs, should look to the fulfilling of Scripture. He did not tell them sooner, because he was with them to teach, guide, and comfort them; they needed not then this promise of the Holy Spirit's presence. It will silence us to ask, Whence troubles come? It will satisfy us to ask, Whither go they? for we know they work for good. It is the common fault and folly of melancholy Christians to look only on the dark side of the cloud, and to turn a deaf ear to the voice of joy and gladness. That which filled the disciples' hearts with sorrow, was too great affection for this present life. Nothing more hinders our joy in God, than the love of the world, and the sorrow of the world which comes from it.
Verses 7-15 Christ's departure was necessary to the Comforter's coming. Sending the Spirit was to be the fruit of Christ's death, which was his going away. His bodily presence could be only in one place at one time, but his Spirit is every where, in all places, at all times, wherever two or three are gathered together in his name. See here the office of the Spirit, first to reprove, or to convince. Convincing work is the Spirit's work; he can do it effectually, and none but he. It is the method the Holy Spirit takes, first to convince, and then to comfort. The Spirit shall convince the world, of sin; not merely tell them of it. The Spirit convinces of the fact of sin; of the fault of sin; of the folly of sin; of the filth of sin, that by it we are become hateful to God; of the fountain of sin, the corrupt nature; and lastly, of the fruit of sin, that the end thereof is death. The Holy Spirit proves that all the world is guilty before God. He convinces the world of righteousness; that Jesus of Nazareth was Christ the righteous. Also, of Christ's righteousness, imparted to us for justification and salvation. He will show them where it is to be had, and how they may be accepted as righteous in God's sight. Christ's ascension proves the ransom was accepted, and the righteousness finished, through which believers were to be justified. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. All will be well, when his power is broken, who made all the mischief. As Satan is subdued by Christ, this gives us confidence, for no other power can stand before him. And of the day of judgment. The coming of the Spirit would be of unspeakable advantage to the disciples. The Holy Spirit is our Guide, not only to show us the way, but to go with us by continued aids and influences. To be led into a truth is more than barely to know it; it is not only to have the notion of it in our heads, but the relish, and savour, and power of it in our hearts. He shall teach all truth, and keep back nothing profitable, for he will show things to come. All the gifts and graces of the Spirit, all the preaching, and all the writing of the apostles, under the influence of the Spirit, all the tongues, and miracles, were to glorify Christ. It behoves every one to ask, whether the Holy Spirit has begun a good work in his heart? Without clear discovery of our guilt and danger, we never shall understand the value of Christ's salvation; but when brought to know ourselves aright, we begin to see the value of the Redeemer. We should have fuller views of the Redeemer, and more lively affections to him, if we more prayed for, and depended on the Holy Spirit.
Verses 16-22 It is good to consider how near our seasons of grace are to an end, that we may be quickened to improve them. But the sorrows of the disciples would soon be turned into joy; as those of a mother, at the sight of her infant. The Holy Spirit would be their Comforter, and neither men nor devils, neither sufferings in life nor in death, would ever deprive them of their joy. Believers have joy or sorrow, according to their sight of Christ, and the tokens of his presence. Sorrow is coming on the ungodly, which nothing can lessen; the believer is an heir to joy which no one can take away. Where now is the joy of the murderers of our Lord, and the sorrow of his friends?
Verses 23-27 Asking of the Father shows a sense of spiritual wants, and a desire of spiritual blessings, with conviction that they are to be had from God only. Asking in Christ's name, is acknowledging our unworthiness to receive any favours from God, and shows full dependence upon Christ as the Lord our Righteousness. Our Lord had hitherto spoken in short and weighty sentences, or in parables, the import of which the disciples did not fully understand, but after his resurrection he intended plainly to teach them such things as related to the Father and the way to him, through his intercession. And the frequency with which our Lord enforces offering up petitions in his name, shows that the great end of the mediation of Christ is to impress us with a deep sense of our sinfulness, and of the merit and power of his death, whereby we have access to God. And let us ever remember, that to address the Father in the name of Christ, or to address the Son as God dwelling in human nature, and reconciling the world to himself, are the same, as the Father and Son are one.
Verses 28-33 Here is a plain declaration of Christ's coming from the Father, and his return to him. The Redeemer, in his entrance, was God manifest in the flesh, and in his departure was received up into glory. By this saying the disciples improved in knowledge. Also in faith; "Now are we sure." Alas! they knew not their own weakness. The Divine nature did not desert the human nature, but supported it, and put comfort and value into Christ's sufferings. And while we have God's favourable presence, we are happy, and ought to be easy, though all the world forsake us. Peace in Christ is the only true peace, in him alone believers have it. Through him we have peace with God, and so in him we have peace in our own minds. We ought to be encouraged, because Christ has overcome the world before us. But while we think we stand, let us take heed lest we fall. We know not how we should act if brought into temptation; let us watch and pray without ceasing, that we may not be left to ourselves.


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[This article now cross-published by Salon...]
A Circuit Court judge has resoundingly rejected Arkansas' new Photo ID restrictions on voting, declaring the law to be "null and void" and in violation of the state's Constitutional right to vote.
Last year, after Republicans took over the Arkansas statehouse for the first time since Reconstruction, they passed an onerous Photo ID restriction law for voting. The Democratic Governor Mike Beebe vetoed the new restrictions, but that veto was subsequently overridden by the Republican legislature.
Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Timothy Davis Fox' 2-page Summary Judgement [PDF] finds in favor of plaintiffs in the case, the Pulaski County Election Commission and against both the defendant, the Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners, as well as the Republican Party of Arkansas which intervened on behalf of the Board of Election.
In his Thursday ruling, Fox found the law to be "unconstitutional in that it violates Articles 3, Section 1 and Article 3, Section 2 of the Arkansas Constitution."
Section 1 of Article 3 details the "Qualifications of Electors" in the Arkansas state Constitution, declaring that, "Except as otherwise provided by this Constitution, any person may vote in an election in this state who is: (1) A citizen of the United States; (2) A resident of the State of Arkansas; (3) At least eighteen (18) years of age; and (4) Lawfully registered to vote in the election."
Section 2, on the "Right of Suffrage" states that "Elections shall be free and equal. No power, civil or military, shall ever interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage; nor shall any law be enacted whereby such right shall be impaired or forfeited, except for the commission of a felony, upon lawful conviction thereof."
Given the very clear and straightforward language of the state Constitution, this seems to have been a very easy case. Republicans, however, are reportedly preparing to appeal the ruling...
Opponents of the Arkansas Photo ID law contend that, like other similar statutes being passed by Republicans across the country, it would serve to disenfranchise those without the very narrow type of state-issued Photo ID required by the new law. Voting rights advocates point out that there are more than 20 million legally eligible voters in the U.S. who do not have the type of Photo ID needed to vote under such laws. The vast majority of those voters, they have shown, are poor, minorities, students and the elderly --- all blocks which, coincidentally, tend to vote for Democrats more than Republicans.
Under the newly rejected Arkansas law, as MSNBC's Zachary Roth points out, "Voters without ID must cast provisional ballots, then go to the county clerk to affirm that they're too 'indigent' to afford ID. And unlike some other states' ID laws, this one does nothing to help voters obtain identification, such as providing transportation to government offices."
The Arkansas law, Act 595 [PDF] law went even further than most similar laws being enacted around the country, in that it requires a photocopied ID to be included with absentee ballots, as well as when voting in person. Notably, however, it does not require strict Photo ID for absentee voters. When voting by absentee, the law allowed, in addition to state-issued Photo ID, for the use of "a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter." Those provisions would not be allowed for in-person voters.
Where voter fraud occurs in the U.S., it tends to be via absentee ballot rather than in-person polling place impersonation, which is exceedingly rare in this country. Nonetheless, wholly unsubstantiated claims of polling place fraud tend to serve as the ostensible basis for most such GOP laws. Absentee voters, however, which have historically leaned Republican in many jurisdictions, are rarely, if ever, required to include any ID at all when voting under such laws.
This challenge to the AR law was originally based on a challenge to the rules for how voters who did not include a photocopied ID with their absentee ballot should be handled. Instead of ruling only on that point, Fox struck down the law in its entirety.
Similar polling place Photo ID restrictions enacted by Republicans elsewhere have recently been repeatedly rejected by the courts in others states, such as in Wisconsin, where the law was found to have violated that state's Constitution, and in Pennsylvania where a judge recently found the Keystone state Republicans' draconian polling place Photo ID restriction was in violation of that state's Constitution.
The U.S. Department of Justice is currently challenging polling place Photo ID restriction laws in federal courts in Texas and in North Carolina, arguing that the laws discriminate against racial minorities in violation of both the U.S. Constitution and the still-standing parts of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court gutted a key provision of that Act, arguing that the formula for determining the list of jurisdictions --- mostly states in the South --- that were subject to the landmark law's special protections against minority disenfranchisement, was unconstitutional and no longer needed in many of those jurisdictions.
In the wake of that SCOTUS ruling, states like TX and NC rushed to immediately enact voting restrictions that had previously been repeatedly rejected as a violation of the VRA.
In Arkansas, early voting for the May 20 state primary begins in about 10 days. Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor will be defending his seat in the general election this year, and is believed by some to be in danger of losing it, though a recent New York Times poll found that Pryor held a commanding 46% to 36% lead over his presumed opponent Rep. Tom Cotton. The RealClearPolitics polling average for the race shows Pryor up by just over 2 points in what they currently consider to be a "Toss Up" race.
If the race is as close as predicted by some, turning away thousands of otherwise eligible voters from the polls under the new Republican law could give the GOP the edge they need to take the race and, in the bargain, a majority in the U.S. Senate.
Last week, the ACLU filed its own separate lawsuit against the Arkansas law on behalf of four voters, also arguing that it was in violation of the state Constitution and seeking to bar enforcement of the law prior to the May 20th primary.
UPDATE 4/27/2014: Our legal analyst Ernie Canning has a few more important details on this case, in comments below, now that the judge's full opinion [PDF] has been released...
CORRECTION: We had originally reported that Pennsylvania's polling place Photo ID restriction had been struck down in federal court. In fact, it was struck down in state court, as a violation of the Keystone State's constitution. The story above has been corrected.


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Natalegawa: Indonesia Wants to 'Facilitate Conversation' on Tense South China Sea
Indonesia Foreign Minister gives wide-ranging talk at Asia Society New York
NEW YORK, September 19, 2013 — Indonesian Foreign Minister Dr. Marty Natalegawa said Thursday he believes the countries of ASEAN, and Indonesia in particular, will be critical in ensuring peace in the tense South China Sea.
"Perhaps ASEAN, as the least objectionable party to East Asia, can be the initiator for a … groundbreaking, perception-changing, paradigm-shifting outlook in the rest of East Asia," Natalegawa said during a packed luncheon at Asia Society in New York.
The wide-ranging talk, which covered everything from corruption to poverty to terrorism to Indonesia's upcoming presidential election, was moderated by Asia Society Executive Vice President Tom Nagorski, and was held with the cooperation of the American Indonesian Chamber of Commerce. Video from the complete event is embedded at the top of this story.
Natalegawa said Indonesia had started a regional conversation that he hopes could lead to something akin to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia that would lead all countries in Southeast and East Asia toward peaceful resolutions to ongoing territorial disputes.
"None of us should underestimate the complexity of the issues relating to the South China Sea," said Natalegawa, in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. "It is always complex, it is always difficult whenever you have issues of territorial disputes … whether it be land or maritime, especially even more complex when there are several parties involved."
Natalegawa called for "patience," and said Indonesia would like to take a leadership role in the region.
"Indonesia is not a claimant state and therefore it has the capacity to try to facilitate some kind of a conversation, but we'll take it one step at a time," he said.
The discussion also covered the United States' "pivot" to Asia, which Natalegawa believes may be getting misinterpreted.
"I have never felt that the United States has been away from the Asia-Pacific, so I don't think we should attach too much drama (to it)," he said. "What I find somewhat unfortunate, the focus on the pivot, is that it makes the U.S. engagement in the region unnecessarily appear to be unidimensional, as if it is only a military presence, when in fact your strength actually lies in the broad spectrum of what the United States actually represents."
Natalegawa also fielded a question from the event's web audience, which asked whether Indonesia could be seen as a democratic model for other Muslim-majority countries like Egypt and Tunisia. Natalegawa acknowledged that several governments in North Africa and the Middle East had reached out to Indonesia seeking advice.
"Indonesia is now having the burden … to prove that Islam, democracy and development or modernity can go hand in hand," he said. "We are quite modest in not wanting to extrapolate or project our own national experience elsewhere. There is no one-size-fits-all. But at the same time lessons can be learned, in terms of failings especially."
He continued, "We recognize democratization is a process, not an event. There will be ebb and flow, and Indonesia went through it, is going through it still. Hopefully the people of these countries have the resilience and the patience in persevering with the democratic experience."
Click here for more United Nations General Assembly-related events at Asia Society.


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Categorías: Protection
AxProtector – Simply Safer
Protecting software should be simple and secure. Two mutually exclusive goals? They do not have to be. Learn how to integrate fraud protection easily into software and embed the protection system seamlessly into existing processes with Wibu-Systems' AxProtector.
Protecting intellectual property and making sure that only legitimate license holders use their products are just two of the many challenges faced by software developers and vendors. Software products are distributed in many forms and ways, as executable programs or libraries. Whether the software is meant for Windows, Mac, or Linux systems, the answer to these software protection challenges is AxProtector.
The term AxProtector (Automatic Executable Protection) refers to tools for the automated protection of compiled programs of varying types, ranging from "true" binaries (e.g. scripted in C/C++ or Delphi) to pre-compiled code for .NET for Windows or cross-platform Java. All of these program types can be protected with the versatile means offered by AxProtector.
A Unified Interface
Once AxProtector is started, the user chooses application type. This leads to an interface that guides the user through the process of turning an unprotected program into a fully encrypted program in a few simple steps. No complex instructions are needed. AxProtector supports multiple licensing systems, which means that a single program can be encrypted for use with different licenses (e.g. hardware-based CmDongles or activation-based CmActLicenses). Both options can be allowed concurrently, and the program itself finds the right license upon launching. A simple setting determines how the license for the protected software is counted ( e.g. once per launch of the program or only once per computer). Setting whether and how often the license should be verified is just one or many setting options, which are already preset with a reasonable default value.
Protecting against Attacks
The protected software learns to recognize manipulation or attacks attempted by hackers. Such incidents immediately lead to the license in question being locked down. Your intellectual property is safe and future attacks are prevented. In addition to the keys stored in the licenses, there is a variable key on the software side to make the encryption unpredictable. AxProtector also checks whether the software has been tampered since its original encryption and prevents it from running if any manipulations are identified.
More Protection - IxProtector
The high level of security promised by automated encryption can be improved even further by adding function-level encryptions. Specially selected functions are encrypted separately and only decrypted into executable code when they are required. We call this protection technology IxProtector. It is just as easy as AxProtector to integrate into a software product - marking the function in question, add a simple API for requesting decryption, and flag the function in the settings – that is all there is to it.
The different formats used in .NET and Java applications mean that protection generally happens via method or class-level encryption, which is decrypted automatically as required during operation.
Few steps are required to include modular protection and the reading and use of license details. The interface can define additional licenses (e.g. for separately licensed modules). The Wibu Universal Protection Interface (WUPI) can verify whether these additional licenses are available while the application is running, and the function-level encryption allows the modules in question to be shielded as necessary.
Comfortable Notifications
When neither basic nor additional licenses are available, a flexible error handling system springs into action. The AxProtector settings and the so-called UserMessage library allow customized responses and notifications for the user. The application can display a custom error message or a protected service can record the incident in a secure log file.
Simple Process Integration
The protection should be embedded deep into standardized processes to make sure the software is protected during its original testing. The encryption of applications or libraries can be integrated readily into the build process. All parameters defined via the AxProtector interface can be exported to a configuration file at the click of a button to allow automatic encryption via a simple command line entry.
Protecting Your Investment
Wibu-Systems regularly publishes new versions of AxProtector with new and improved security mechanisms. These free updates improve the security of your products without any additional efforts on your part and maintain your head start in the race against potential attackers.
AxProtector protects the following types of programs:
- Windows applications (32-bit, 64-bit)
- Windows libraries (32-bit, 64-bit)
- Mac OS X applications (32-bit, 64-bit)
- Mac OS X libraries (32-bit, 64-bit)
- Linux applications (32-bit, 64-bit)
- Linux libraries (32-bit, 64-bit)
- .NET Assembly
- Java applications
- Java Servlet
Simple & Secure
AxProtector allows you to give your applications or libraries double protection in a few simple steps. The software is protected both against piracy and against the malicious analysis of your code. Protect your revenue stream and secure your invaluable know-how at the same time.
AxProtector Embedded Systems can guard applications on the following platforms:
- Linux ARM
- Windows Embedded
- Android
- VxWorks
KEYnote 26 – Edition Fall 2013


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Police in Fort Worth, Texas, are dropping criminal charges against dozens of people who were arrested and accused of rioting during protests against racism and police brutality. Chief Ed Kraus says the move is part of his reply to calls for police to change how they operate.
"On May 31st, Fort Worth Police arrested several dozen people for rioting during a protest," Kraus said in a statement. "Since that time, the protests in the City have been peaceful. The protestors have expressed their anger over police misconduct and have demanded changes."
The shift in Fort Worth is part of a national debate over how police and prosecutors should handle charges of curfew violations and rioting that in many cases were levied as police tried to curb looting and vandalism that stemmed from nearly two weeks of widespread protests. In many cities, demonstrators are calling for such charges to be dropped — adding it to a list of demands for changing police practices, or even disbanding police agencies altogether.
The cry to reform the police profession "is echoing across our nation," Kraus said, adding that his department will improve how it works.
"This is just one step on a long journey, but I hope it showed that the FWPD is committed to walking the path of reform with our community, Kraus said.
#NEW @chiefkraus to drop all charges for rioting that resulted from protests in #FortWorth. Each individual will be notified by letter that their charges have been dropped. pic.twitter.com/e86AiStaX9
— Fort Worth Police (@fortworthpd) June 9, 2020
Online, the reaction to Kraus' statement was mixed, with some accusing the police chief of issuing a "free pass for those that willfully and knowingly engaged in riots and the destruction" of property. But others said they were proud of the city's stance — including people who said that aggressive police actions had escalated the situation and propelled violence.
Massive and dynamic protests against the killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky., have put a new spotlight on police actions in dozens of cities. And, in some cases, they have exposed law enforcement to criticisms that the use of strong-arm tactics, mass arrests and tear gas against peaceful protesters are a violation of First Amendment rights.
On Monday, city and county officials in Los Angeles cited the First Amendment and the sanctity of free speech in saying they won't prosecute cases against thousands of protesters who were arrested for allegedly violating curfew or failing to disperse.
Other official responses vary widely.
In Kansas City, Mo., police and city officials will debate the question of whether to drop charges for nonviolent crimes during protests on Tuesday. As local TV station KSHB reports, the leader of the local police union says "anarchy" would result if the judicial system isn't used to back officers' actions. At least one City Council member and the Jackson County prosecutor disagree.
Prosecutors in Washington, D.C., dropped rioting charges against all but a handful of protesters last week, as The Washington Post reported.
In New York City, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said Friday that his office would drop illegal assembly and disorderly conduct cases stemming from the demonstrations. The city has not followed suit — prompting state Sen. Brian Kavanagh to urge Mayor Bill de Blasio and the police to drop all charges against people accused of nonviolent offenses such as breaking curfew.
Also last week, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said his department would not enforce an 8 p.m. curfew because the protests had become peaceful. One night after arresting nearly 150 people for violating the curfew, police instead acted as an escort for a march of demonstrators, as member station WDET reported.
On Monday, the top prosecutor in Richmond, Va., said she won't pursue jail time for anyone whose only charge is violating curfew during the protests, but she stopped short of dropping charges altogether, as the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Nu'alolo Kai 2022-05-29
Select an image for a larger view and a "click to change" slide show
Then select the right half of the photo to see the next photo and left half of the photo for the previous photo.
Photographer: Capt. Ted of
Capt. Andy's Na Pali Day Expedition
Send comments or requests to:
photos - email@example.com
Updated: 2022-06-02T04:33:43-1000 (HST)


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Emporia Christian School
We are... Kingdom Warriors
The Emporia Christian School Mission:
"Emporia Christian School exists for the purpose of educating children in spirit, mind, and body."
The school's primary goals are to develop academic excellence, moral integrity, and spiritual depth. Christian precepts and teachings are presented as an integral part of the curriculum. To accomplish this mission we purpose to do the following:
Help our students to develop a close personal walk and relationship with Jesus Christ.
Educate and nurture future Christian leaders.
Provide students with instruction emphasizing academic excellence, moral integrity, and strong biblical principles.
Provide students with the tools they will need to be leaders both now and in the future, and commit them to God.
Teach students how to be equipped with the whole armor of God.
(Ephesians 6:10-17).


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Should your nonprofit accept that new grant?
Current financial pressures mean that your not-for-profit probably can't afford to pass up offers of support. Yet you need to be careful about blindly accepting grants. Smaller nonprofits that don't have formal grant evaluation processes are at risk of accepting grants with unmanageable burdens and costs. But large organizations also need to be careful because they have significantly more grant opportunities — including for grants that are outside their current expertise and experience.
Here's how accepting the wrong grant may backfire in costly and time-consuming ways.
Administrative burdens
Some grants could result in excessive administrative burdens. For example, you could be caught off guard by the reporting requirements that come with a grant as small as $5,000. You might not have staff with the requisite reporting experience, or you may lack the processes and controls to collect the necessary data. Often government funds passed through to your nonprofit still carry the requirements that are associated with the original funding, which can be quite extensive.
Grants that go outside your organization's original mission can pose problems, too. Managing the grant may involve a steep learning curve. You could even face an IRS challenge to your exempt status.
Cost inefficiencies
Another risk is cost inefficiencies. A grant can create unforeseen expenses that undermine its face value. For example, new grants from either federal or foundation sources may have explicit administrative requirements your organization must satisfy.
Additionally, your nonprofit might run up expenses to complete the program that aren't allowable or reimbursable under the grant. Before saying "yes" to a grant, net all these costs against the original grant amount to determine its true benefit.
Lost opportunities
For any unreimbursed costs associated with new grants, consider other ways your organization might spend that money (and staff resources). Could you get more mission-related bang for your buck if you spend it on existing programs?
Quantifying the benefit of a new grant or program can be equally or more challenging than identifying its costs. Evaluate every program to quantify its impact on your mission. This will allow you to answer the critical question when evaluating a potential grant: Are there existing programs that can be expanded using the same funds to yield a greater benefit to your mission?
Do your homework
Grants from the government or a foundation can help your nonprofit expand its reach and improve its effectiveness in both the short and long term. But they also can hamstring your organizations in unexpected ways. Contact us for help or more information.
© 2020


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A wide-legged pant with elastic waistband and easy fit through the hips.
FABRIC CONTENT: 55% Recycled Polyester, 41% Rayon, 4% Spandex
CARE: Machine wash gentle
Inseam measures 76cm approx
In house Production
We love our [clothes] and really want YOU to love them too!
If for any reason you are not happy with your purchase, please contact the store within 5 days of receipt for a return authorization code. Mail your item back to us for your refund or bring it back to the boutique.
Please note that all items must be unworn and in original condition.
Your purchase will be refunded upon receipt. Unfortunately, we cannot refund your shipping fees.
Gift cards cannot be returned.


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The latest innovation of Velocity Triggers is Diamond Like Carbon Coating (DLC) on the trigger which will give your Velocity Trigger the highly effective combination of a low coefficient of friction and high micro-hardness, its also a surface that will not rust and gives your trigger a deep dark black color.
Simply stated, the Diamond Like Carbon Coating (DLC) results in a greater wear resistance over the life of the trigger.
Finally, a high quality AR-15 trigger that makes your AR feel like a bolt action rifle.
Builder Kit Includes:


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Back in Action
In the years since Lebanon's civil war ended, the once-divided city of Beirut has emerged from the rubble as a symbol of the new Middle East.
From January 2004
By Mitchell Owens
In the years since Lebanon's civil war ended, the once-divided city of Beirut has emerged from the rubble as a symbol of the new Middle East.
From January 2004
By Mitchell Owens
The sun is brutal, the sea breeze has yet to sweep away the morning's humidity, and the undisputed grande dame of Beirut is far from happy. It's not the heat that's troubling Yvonne Cochrane. Nor is it the recent surgery that's left her dependent on a cane to safely navigate the slick marble floors of her ancestral home, Palais Sursock, a 19th-century Neoclassical mansion on a hillside above the city's harbor. It's the direction in which she feels her birthplace is headed. "When I was a child, this was a garden city," says Lady Cochrane. "We had the best vegetables in the world, the best fruit." The architecture back then was "extremely light," she says, the neighborhoods surrounding downtown full of elegant stucco houses decorated with "the most delicate columns." An ardent preservationist and the widow of an Irish baronet, Lady Cochrane turns her gaze to a dense stand of trees at the back of her Italianate garden. Like the fabled Green Line—a slash of weed-infested, bomb-damaged buildings that divided Beirut into Christian east and Muslim west during the civil war that lasted from 1975 to 1990—the trees separate the Palais Sursock from everything Lady Cochrane abhors. Gleaming waterfront skyscrapers compromise the refreshing breezes ("Without the sea, Beirut would suffocate," she says). Shiny Range Rovers bully their way down narrow side streets. And there's a multistory Virgin Megastore at the foot of Place des Martyrs, a once-bustling downtown square that is now little more than a cluster of tidy parking lots hemmed in by construction sites. "Beirut," Lady Cochrane says flatly, "has been ruined."
One person's ruin is another's phoenix. Occupying a hilly promontory that juts like a shark's tooth from the eastern shore of the Mediterranean, the capital of Lebanonhas spent millennia rebounding from destructive elements: devastating tidal waves in the fifth century a.d., bombardment by multi-national forces in 1840, famine during World War I. The bombs and fires of the country's 16-year civil war did more than level the heart of the city and fuse ancient Roman glass vases in the National Museum into iridescent lumps, which are now poignantly displayed in a small case at the top of the museum's grand staircase. They also resulted in approximately 150,000 deaths and scuttled cosmopolitan Beirut's reputation as the Paris of the Middle East, the Pearl of the Levant, transforming this 26-square-mile city of sand-colored buildings and umbrella-shaped pine trees into a universal synonym for carnage, a New Age Guernica. Little more than a decade after the bombs stopped falling, however, Beirut is back in business.
Curtain-wall skyscrapers may not be the proper architectural companions for the exquisite villas remaining from Beirut's time as an outpost of the Ottoman Empire and later the centerpiece of the short-lived French Mandate of Greater Lebanon (1920-46), but as far as many here are concerned, the past is history. The worst faux pas a foreign visitor can make is to ask if one of the 2 million residents comes from east or west Beirut. The firm but dignified answer will invariably be the same: "I'm from Beirut."
Tensions still simmer, of course. The Lebanese government is a close ally of Israel's foe Syria, a Greater Lebanon sibling that was instrumental in ending the bloody civil war. So tourists with Israeli stamps in their passports are barred from visitingLebanon, and Syrian soldiers in camouflage are a familiar presence on Beirut's streets. Geographically and spiritually, the city is whole again and safer than it has been in decades. That reunion is further cemented by the shared wartime deprivations of its populace and by the belief of many that better days have come, with more on the way. As oil-equipment executive Radwan Kassar explained over a glass of anise-flavored arak at Karam, a Christian Liaigre-minimal restaurant in the meticulously rebuilt downtown, Beirutis "experienced so many bad things during the war. Now they just want to grow, to live, to create."
Above the fashionable seaside promenade known as Avenue de Paris, the towering Beirut Hilton still stands in all its bomb-damaged ignominy ("It's an eyesore," a disgusted pedestrian said when I stopped to snap a picture of the abandoned hostelry). But at its flanks, bulldozers and construction cranes witness the multimillion-dollar redevelopment efforts of Solidère, formally known as La Société Libanaise pour le Développement et la Reconstruction du Centre-Ville de Beyrouth. The organization was founded in 1994 by Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and dedicated to the rebirth of the smoldering remains of central Beirut. In the years since, Solidère and Hariri have been dogged by accusations of everything from outright graft to blindly constructing high-rent stores and office buildings rather than addressing the housing needs of ordinary Beirutis (the average income is about $200 a month). Whatever its faults, even Solidère's detractors agree that the company has fueled a surge of improvements. Everywhere you look, construction cranes stretch into the endlessly morphing skyline, blurring the line between what's being torn down, what's being built, and what's just a shrapnel-pocked relict waiting to be revived. One of Solidère's latest ventures stands across a magnolia-lined avenue from downtown: Saifi Village, a New Urbanist-style neighborhood of winding cobblestoned streets lined with apartment buildings, town houses, and shops, done in Arabic and French-colonial style. (Beirut-born Reem Acra, the celebrated New York wedding-gown designer, recently bought an apartment here, which she's busily decorating long-distance.) Though Saifi Village appears not unlike the densely woven, mixed-use cityscape seen in pre-war photographs, critics complain that it and the shopping arcades of the city centerhave about as much soul as a theme park. Philippe Starck, who is collaborating on a hotel-and-entertainment complex just south of downtown, has dismissed Saifi's neo-traditional romanticism as "the architecture of what was." The critics have a point: buildings in Beirut can be numbingly pristine. One particularly egregious example is the Maronite Cathedral of St. George, an 1890 landmark that was gutted during the war. Today, along with hundreds of acres that surround it, the cathedral has been restored to film-set perfection, right down to the installation of creamy marble so lustrously polished, so free of any flaws, it might as well be Corian.
Still, to many observers, brand-new is better than scorched rubble. "The important thing is that Beirut is being rebuilt," explains Annabel Karim Kassar, one of the city's top architects (and wife of entrepreneur Radwan). "Give it ten years and the newness will wear off," adds the Paris native, whose firm is involved in transforming the battle-scarred souks a few blocks east of downtown. Right now the site is just a thicket of reinforcing rods and freshly poured concrete, but one day it will be a 360,000-square-foot, $100 million retail destination with a major department store (rumor has it, Galeries Lafayette), a gold and jewelry district, a children's museum, restaurants, an IMAX theater, and a traditional souk of about 200 shops. Kassar also devised the harem-hip décor of Marrakech, a striking Moroccan restaurant that's entirely underground, reached by a room-sized round glass elevator furnished with banquettes. Aboveground is the elevator's sculptural machinery, designed by architect Bernard Khoury. Beirut's answer to Ian Schrager, Khoury also came up with the idea of setting a nightclub, B-018, inside a former military bunker.
As any cabdriver navigating the disconcertingly sign-free streets will tell you, the Lebanese economy remains unsteady, burdened by more than $30 billion in debt, thanks to loans from abroad. The $3 billion annual payments dismay Lebanese high and low, but it's nonetheless apparent that local and foreign investors are banking on Beirut's future. Luxury hotels are sprouting along the waterfront, such as the Monroe, where the retro-chic lobby is decorated with a constellation of George Nelson starburst clocks. The once-genteel, now-gritty neighborhood of Gemmayze, a couple of blocks north of downtown, is slowly becoming a SoHo by the sea, as colorful cafés like Adam and Food Yard open on Rue Gouraud amid dilapidated 1950's apartment buildings and hole-in-the-wall spice shops. To underscore the city's rebirth, Solidère has approached some of the world's great architects, including France's Jean Nouvel, the mind behind Landmark Riad Sohl, a $150 million mixed-use complex going up on a landfill near downtown. Prada-clad Muslim beauties in color-coordinated hijabs (head scarves) lunch at People, the recently opened restaurant at the upscale Aïshti department store ("the Barneys of Beirut," Reem Acra calls it), where executive chef Franck Paulmier serves up nouvelle cuisine in a glass-walled penthouse with all-white décor. Another hot dining room is the Khoury-designed Centrale, with prime seating beneath angular tented pavilions on a garden terrace. And the dozens of raucous bars and moody nightclubs lining both sides of Rue Monot are the best in the Middle East (the happy-hour margarita ritual at the Tex-Mex restaurant and bar Pacífico is a society darling). But take note: nobody would dream of showing up until 11 p.m. or heading home until three or four in the morning, often with new friends in tow.
"Beirutis are very social," says Amer El-Masri, a 23-year-old bartender at Zinc, a seriously cool restaurant and lounge housed in a remodeled Ottoman villa in Achrafiye, a largely high-rent residential neighborhood that has its share of places to eat (like the opulent Al Mijana), fast-food spots, and antiques shops. "You sit down next to somebody at a bar and the next thing you know, you're going to dinner with them." So, who's scooping up the latest Manolo Blahniks at the department store Aïshti and packing the dance floor at the B-018 disco? Not many Americans; at least, not yet. U.S. tourism in Lebanon, historically the most laid-back and secular of Middle Eastern countries, has all but disappeared in the last two years. But visits are up from Gulf Arabs, who are attracted as much by Beirut's party-hearty reputation ("Even during the war, people went out and had fun," says Rawya El Chab, manager of Adam restaurant) as they are by its brand-name blandishments. Downtown outposts of Gucci, Ralph Lauren, and Bulgari, along with blue-chip jewelers like Aziz & Walid Mouzannar, have made the city a must-stop for oil-emirate sybarites.
It's not all flash, though. The junk shops in and around Rue Basta serve up a satisfying smorgasbord of Victorian opaline lamps, funky mid-century light fixtures, and Art Moderne furniture. Over on Rue Abdel Al-Ras in Hamra—a leafy district that has been home to the American University of Beirut and its gloriously neo-Gothic buildings since 1866—is XXe Siècle, a sunny two-story gallery where pioneering young dealer Souheil Hanna showcases mint-condition furniture and lighting from the 1940's and 50's. Maria Hibri and Hoda Baroudi's design firm Bokja keeps the bohemian set happy by upholstering old furniture in vintage textiles and selling it at invitation-only exhibitions (Hibri also co-owns Aloha, an elite flower shop with outposts in Abu Dhabi and Dubai). A couple of blocks from Hotel Phoenicia, a 1960's-swank landmark near Avenue de Paris that was restored in 2000 with wincingly bright crystal chandeliers and acres of gilt, Artisans du Liban et d'Orient sells sophisticated updates on local handicrafts, including filmy caftans that any Paris couturier would envy, modern chairs made of woven reeds, and sleek polished-steel occasional tables.
Sure, the shopping's great, the food is top-notch, but what really keeps Beirut from becoming just another storied tourist trap is the reclamation of its pre-war soul. Whatever their religious, ethnic, or political background, Beirutis are just as likely to send visitors to check out the hand-embroidered bed linens made by Muslim widows (sold at Ashghalouna, a charity shop and tearoom in the Zarif neighborhood) as they are to recommend similar wares made by refugee Palestinian Christians (you can get them at Al-Badia in Hamra). Even Lady Cochrane admits that though the buildings and gardens of her youth may be gone, the cultural cohesion of Beirut still survives. She proudly points out, "I have a Muslim daughter-in-law and an American daughter-in-law." Small wonder the proprietors of the Hard Rock Café have emblazoned a particularly resonant Beatles phrase on the building's façade: "The time will come when you see we are all one." In Beirut, that time is now.
In Beirut, most people speak English, and there's no need to exchange dollars for Lebanese pounds. U.S. currency is accepted throughout the country and dispensed from ATM's.
Albergo Hotel DOUBLES FROM $275. 137 RUE ABDEL WAHAB EL-INGLIZI; 961-1/339-797; www.albergobeirut.com
Hotel Phoenicia InterContinental DOUBLES FROM $265. RUE MINET EL-HOSN; 800/327-0200 OR 961-1/369-100; www.ichotelsgroup.com
Monroe Hotel DOUBLES FROM $165. RUE JOHN F. KENNEDY; 961-1/371-122 www.monroebeirut.com
Al Mijana DINNER FOR TWO $50. RUE ABDEL WAHAB EL-INGLIZI; 961-1/328-082
Adam DINNER FOR TWO $50. RUE GOURAUD; 961-1/560-353
Centrale DINNER FOR TWO $85. RUE SAIFI; 961-1/575-858
Food Yard DINNER FOR TWO $50. RUE GOURAUD; 961-3/477-336
Hard Rock Café DINNER FOR TWO $40. RUE MINET EL-HOSN; 961-1/373-023
Karam DINNER FOR TWO $45. RUE SOUK BAZERKANE; 961-1/991-222
Marrakech DINNER FOR TWO $60. RUE DE DAMAS; 961-1/212-211
Pacifico DINNER FOR TWO $44. RUE MONOT; 961-1/204-446
People DINNER FOR TWO $60. 71 RUE EL-MOUTRANE; 961-1/994-994
Zinc DINNER FOR TWO $40. RUE SEIFEDDINE AL-KHATIB; 961-1/612-612
Al-Badia 78 RUE MAKDISSI; 961-1/746-43
0Aloha RUE MAMA; 961-1/700-008
Artisans du Liban et d'Orient 44 SOUK AN NAJJARIN; 961-1/998-822
Ashghalouna RUE FARIS NEMR; 961-1/366-758
Aziz & Walid Mouzannar RUE WEYGAND; 961-1/999-950Bokja RUE MAMA; 961-1/700-008XXe
Siècle RUE ABDEL AL-RAS; 961-1/742-020


text:
Off Season Beauty Hat
Regular price $35.00 | Save $-35.00 (Liquid error (sections/product-template line 234): divided by 0% off)
Product Details:
- Adjustable Snapback
- Embroidered Logo
- Corduroy Finish
- 50% cotton/50% polyester
Here you can found the all product type sizes
Returns Policy
Returns Must:The product must be unworn, unwashed with original tags still attached.
The Product must be returned within 45 days for a refund and or exchange.
All waiver wire purchases are final and no refunds or exchanges will be issued.
Please note that product failing to meet these criteria will not be returned.Returns:
Returns made to Bardown Sports Inc. may take upwards of 1-2 weeks once you have mailed your package. Once processed, a credit will be issued for the amount of your original purchase back onto the original method of payment. You will receive a notification email with the credit refund and may take up to 48 hours for the transaction to show on your credit statement.
Exchanges:Please note that all exchanges are subject to stock availability.


text: According to Broadway World online, NY Theatre Ballet will offer two encore performances of their extremely popular family ballet, The Alice in Wonderland Follies. The piece retells Carroll's classic tale within the framework of a 1915 Vaudeville performance. This clever ballet has proven to be a consistent hit with critics and audiences alike. If you haven't already seen it, NY Theatre Ballet is giving you another two chances in 2014: January 25th and January 26th in Manhattan.


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In the next few weeks, millions of borrowers who've been catching a break from those student loan payments for over three years will have to start repaying them --and many of these borrowers may not feel entirely prepared for this change.
In fact, many are considering defaulting on their student loans with hopes that it won't hurt their credit. Is this true? Read on to learn more about the truth of 2023 student loan repayment and your credit.
Student Debt Relief: Challenges Ahead for Borrowers
This whole student loan break started in 2020 when the pandemic began causing upheaval in the U.S. It was a relief at first, but as the cost of living went up, that relief started to shrink. Recent surveys show that people have been using their money for other things, and when the time comes to pay up again, many expect they won't be able to.
Now, here's the lowdown on how these student loan payments can mess with your credit once the break is over.
Is There a Second Student Loan Grace Period in the Works?
Right after the Supreme Court struck down student loan forgiveness, the Biden administration proposed another plan to soften the blow for those who can't make their payments when they start up again -essentially, another extension of the student loan repayment freeze.
It covers a period from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024, during which the Department of Education won't stick borrowers with default or label their loans delinquent if they miss payments. They also promised not to report those missed payments to the credit bureaus or debt collectors during that time.
But here's the deal: Even though the biggest consequences of missing payments might be on pause for a year, both the Education Department and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling) are telling borrowers to pay up if they can.
Because one more year extension is not likely to make a difference in easing the repayment burden.
Remember, missing or late payments on student loans can mess up your credit score, just like any other loan. And if it ends up in collections, wage garnishment is a very real consequence.
On the other hand, you can develop a repayment plan now or start repaying if you can. So whether there is an extension or not, you're in the best position to boost your credit score --not hinder it--with your student loans.
How to Boost Credit with Student Loan Payments
Now, prospective homebuyers might be thinking, "Why bother paying if there are no immediate consequences?" Well, there's a good reason. Starting September 1, student loan interest will start piling up again. If you're not making payments, your loan balance will grow, which could make it harder to get other types of credit, which is already a challenge.
Here's another reason to consider – making on-time payments can help reduce your student loan balance, and that can boost your personal credit score. Remember that credit scores depend on many factors, so it's not a guarantee that your score will skyrocket, but it definitely doesn't hurt.
If You're Thinking of Buying a Home
So, here's the takeaway: If they're thinking about buying a home in the next year or so, it's time to start getting ready for those student loan payments to make a comeback. Don't let them sneak up on you! It's all about staying ahead and keeping your financial future looking bright.


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The Slow Inevitable Death of American Muscle
A metaphor for the current state of the American auto industry: two cars in an art gallery crashing into each other over a period of six days.
(via today and tomorrow)
Update: This exhibit is currently on display at The Boiler in Brooklyn. (thx, jeff)
Update: See also Chris Burden's Samson.
A museum installation consisting of a 100-ton jack connected to a gear box and a turnstile. The 100-ton jack pushes two large timbers against the bearing walls of the museum. Each visitor to the museum must pass through the turnstile in order to see the exhibition. Each input on the turnstile ever so slightly expands the jack, and ultimately if enough people visit the exhibition, Samson could theoretically destroy the building.
Here's a video. (via things)


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Thursday, 4:13pm
28 June 2012
Drawing aside the veil over Tehran
Urban Iran
By Charlotte Noruzi (creative director). With essays by Salar Abdoh, Brian Ackley, Sina Araghi, Coco Ferguson, Sohrab Mohebbi and Karan Reshad
Mark Batty Publisher, £16.95
[This is an edited extract from Eye 72. To order the full, printed magazine click the online shop button or 'Subscribe'.]
Urban Iran is deceptive; with its black and white, roughly scrawled and embossed title over a photograph showing stencilled graffiti, one is easily deceived into believing this is another of those fashionable street art compilations ubiquitous today.
On the contrary, while Urban Iran showcases its share of guerrilla graphic art, it is much more visual cultural history than eye candy. Moreover, it contains a distinctly intimate narrative about Tehran, which in the prejudiced eyes of many westerners is rigidly proscribed by – and a wellspring of – Islamic fundamentalism. In reality, Iran is a complex culture rooted in many western influences instituted by the Shah, uprooted by the Ayatollah Khomeini's religious revolution, yet mitigated by a distinct, if underground, popular culture. But what makes Urban Iran unique is the emotional tenor of its writing. This is neither a propaganda screed nor a celebration of tourist highlights; instead the book enables the western reader to peer into a culture, through the lens of graphic art, that most of us will never experience first hand.
The book should, however, be forgiven for a deliberate lack of focus, suggesting it is more of a journal or catalogue than a continuous narrative. The contents jump from a survey of graffiti to a paean to the Peugeot 206 (the most popular family car in Iran), to life in Ekbatan (the Shah's huge and oppressive western-style housing development built in the 1970s), to a disquisition on the role of beards as rebellion, to underground music and to illustrated books in Iran.