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Lindsey Doyle
Lindsey Doyle joined InterAction in 2017 and currently manages the team's nascent work on conflict prevention and fragility. In this role, she leads member-facing policy work on addressing key drivers of instability, including violent conflict and climate change, through advocacy with the legislative and executive branches of the U.S. government.Lindsey brings to InterAction six years of experience in conflict prevention and mitigation policy and research, as well as overseas experience with civil society organizations in Latin America and Southern Africa. Previously, Lindsey worked at the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations developing interagency strategies on gang violence reduction and regional cooperation in Central America, establishing the Atrocities Prevention Board, effective government-civil society engagement, and work on the Women, Peace and Security agenda.Lindsey is an alumna of Princeton in Latin America, the Rotary Peace Fellowship, and the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights. Her work has been recognized through the Martin Holmdahl Award for the Promotion of Human Rights from the Vice Chancellor of Uppsala University and a Superior Honor Award from the U.S. Department of State. Lindsey holds a M.S. in Peace and Conflict Research from Uppsala University in Sweden and a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.


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The Fine Arts Department is truly excited about the opportunity of establishing an excellent elementary arts program that will promote artistic and academic literacy. We believe in cultivating articulate individuals who are able to further themselves creatively and thus have established this as our on-going purpose.
To facilitate this purpose, Lancaster ISD aims to also provide a thriving environment to ignite your child's artistry.
Please click the link below to complete the application and learn more about the WME Fine Arts Academy.

subset: commoncrawl


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Two Poems by Julia Whicker
Halo at the horizon,
gloriole and spectrum voyager
and sun and moon:
spherical both, coronal light loops,
flat but leaping from the horizon
line, dusking, and sunrise.
Golden disc sent into
space, record voyaging space,
bridging, like our two hands can
not bridge, like words cannot contain
what a sound record contains
what is warm what is both sound and space.
Lover, you are the androsphinx
a radiation of washwater, ring halo,
hair like the Old Kingdom
and your body is humming
with the recorded music of Earth
when I am inside your body
when we are vortical spheres
together in helix.
*Carl Sagan. Actually, "But launching this "bottle" into the cosmic "ocean" says something very hopeful about life on this planet."
You call
and ask me to drive
you two towns over
to buy a Ford Galaxie
the color of chromium
emerald throw up.
I am so excited—
I hear in
your voice the mountain
of optimism and
find I can climb
that mountain—
I may struggle to breathe
like a bird slackening
and tensing in a fist,
but find
sanguinity is like the choke
before coming when I
think I can't I can't do it
but I can.
Pick me up in your muscle
car and threaten me with
physical violence (swoon).
The stakes are not usually
as high as they seem.
Last night I dreamed you placed a tiny dinosaur in the freezer and I took it out and
it was not frozen except its forelimbs which were black and crumbling and I set it
free in the backyard of my childhood beneath the tree-swing where I lifted myself
on my stomach and pretended to be a flying horse and last night when I dreamed
of you, your small dinosaur wobbled on the lawn and I watched it go knowing it
would return, larger, to devour me and you watched it go knowing the moral was
to leave the dinosaur in the freezer—
today you are smoking and complaining about your hair your allergies how there
are no shorts in the world that fit just right but you are excited to grill anyway and
I have found
upon waking
beside you
that I am
true to my nature
even in dreams,
choosing unwise
compassion over
prudent calculation,
but I discover
in your theories
of self-preservation
not just the excavated
bones of ice-cave
logic or innocuous
selfishness but a
sharp and pitiless
like when I said
I could not help
but set it free I felt
such overwhelming
guilt a free-fall of
guilt I was built out
of bones and guilt
and you shrugged
and winked, you replied
Men contain evil
and women set it free
but we all must live
with our deformities.


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SSH Communications Security Restores Compliance, Reduces Risk at Global Bank
Inventor of the Secure Shell Protocol Identifies and Remediates Scope of Secure Shell Key Mismanagement
HELSINKI and WALTHAM, Mass., Feb. 23, 2016 – Poorly managed Secure Shell (SSH) keys can leave an organization open to serious security threats and compliance violations. SSH Communications Security today announced it has completed one of the largest-scale SSH Key remediation projects, enabling one of the world's biggest banks to reduce risk and restore compliance after a security audit revealed lack of governance over Secure Shell user keys. For more information, please visit https://ssh.com/ssh-key-management .
SSH keys enable thousands of mission-critical connections every day within an enterprise, but this security protocol is not widely understood. This was made evident by the global bank, as it was unaware of unknown risks and vulnerabilities. SSH Communications Security was able to:
- Identify the scope of the problem: The bank's use of the SSH Health Check™ discovery tool revealed the problem was even more widespread and serious than auditors had initially thought. The bank had over 1.5 million Secure Shell user keys distributed across its entire infrastructure, including over 150,000 user keys granting root access, with no records of who was in possession of the corresponding private keys.
- Uncover security loopholes: Some of the bank's critical security safeguards, such as those ensuring separation of test and production environments, were easily circumvented via Secure Shell keys. SSH Communications Security supported the bank's project team in deploying and managing the Universal SSH Key Manager® (UKM) solution and, combined with its professional services, enabled the bank to regain control.
- Implement strong key management: UKM provides the monitoring capability to capture key usage. Unneeded keys are removed and actively used keys are brought under administrative control. UKM is able to provide central administration to ensure policy control over key usage, key lifetimes and authority over key creation. Lastly, UKM is able to monitor and alert security administrators to any policy violations.
- Restore compliance: The bank's unmanaged authentication system was in violation of compliance mandates from government authorities and SOX. Universal SSH Key Manager has enabled the bank's Secure Shell project team to align with these mandates.
Joe Scaff, director of global customer support & services, SSH Communications Security, said: "The compromise of just one key granting root access to server infrastructure would expose the bank to information theft, tampering and loss – even including the loss of backups.With over 85 percent of all of the bank's Secure Shell transactions being critical application-to-application data transfers, we needed to lock down the environment and identify trust relationships. Then we were able to redeploy new keys – all without causing an outage. We get great satisfaction from combining our products and our expertise to design and implement solutions that meet each client's specific needs."
About SSH Communications Security
As the inventor of the SSH protocol, we have a twenty-year history of leading the market in developing advanced security solutions that enable, monitor, and manage encrypted networks. Over 3,000 customers across the globe trust the company's encryption, access control and encrypted channel monitoring solutions to meet complex compliance requirements, improve their security posture and save on operational costs. SSH Communications Security is headquartered in Helsinki and has offices in the Americas, Europe and Asia. The company's shares (SSH1V) are quoted on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. For more information, visit www.ssh.com


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Coffee Hall of Fame: A Song For the Siren
Paul Haworth
A Series of Posts Contemplating the People, Ideas, and Ingenuity that Brought Us to Coffee Today.
"Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness"
–Anonymous, Attributed to Many.
Stop Cursing the Darkness
In any industry, folks try to connect with each other through negativity and, of course, this happens in the coffee industry. We sometimes gather around grievances as if they are campfires where we might find cheap camaraderie for a few minutes. Indeed, the friction of our diatribes might be a heat source, but let us consider—what can produce not only heat, but light as well? Let's find a common perspective and see the value in being unified by our passions and not our frustrations.
Light a Candle
This post is the first of several contemplations on elements from our collective coffee past, some of which have been shrouded in shadow, undeservedly ignored, or even hastily condemned. We are focusing on these topics because of their contributions toward the full potential of coffee. We are kicking this series off with a very obvious example.
Respect for Starbucks
Starbucks Coffee did the impossible. At a time when America had little to no reference for coffee as an object of craft, they were able to stir the imaginations of countless coffee lovers and future professionals. The majority of movers and shakers in the industry today got their start behind a green apron. It might be difficult to see through the polished corporate persona, but originally this company was the ultimate model of disruption in the coffee industry.
During the final 15 years of last century, the question was, "Four dollars for a cup of coffee?" How could it have been justified anywhere but a handful of coastal American metropolises or somewhere in Ginza, Japan or Milan, Italy? The answer was simple—make the local coffee shop a respectable craft community. Then, epitomize the customer's personalization of the product.
Starbucks championed the brilliant phrase 'the third place' to express the community they provided, meaning that it was neither home (the first place) nor work (the second). They combined this with their notorious and unyielding 'just say yes' policy, making them the gold standard in customer experience for many years.
Coffee Careers in America
Before the corporate coffee model exploded on the scene, the concept of having a valid career in coffee might have only existed in a couple of places in Europe or on the other end of the spectrum in large scale production and importing/exporting. From the beginning, Starbucks boasted an unheard of benefits package for even part time employees, as well as stock options and a corporate ladder to climb.
This aggressive tactic made them attractive to many types of people. Coffee lovers were enticed by the prospect of doing what they loved and it being qualified as a 'real' job while business minded people saw the inertia and were inspired to jump in as well.
The Value to Coffee Bureau
We are now witnessing the dawning of a new coffee craft movement which refreshes the value of great coffee experiences in the 'first' and 'second' places (home and office). It is not an overstatement to say that many of the roads we now travel in our exploration of coffee were trails blazed by Starbucks. The legacy of coffee career possibility and the stirring of the imagination toward the full potential of this wondrous beverage have all been in large part due to this enterprise.
Some of their decisions were short-sighted and many of their qualitative stances are now laughable, but we ought to keep the past in context. We must respect and appreciate their contributions and do our best to learn from both their successes and mistakes.
Just something to ponder over a cup of coffee.
"Know from whence you came. If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go."
–James Balwin, Author.


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Today we are looking into the mysteries of JWT combined with .NET Core! Due to the SPA's getting more and more popular it is very likely that you will need to develop one at some point in the future. Furthermore Microsoft's latest technology (.NET Core) is a powerfull and modern tool that works really well with client frameworks such as Angular. Imagine a scenario where we have an application for an eshop. The store front will be implemented using an SPA and the backend will be supported by .NET Core. The SPA can communicate via a web secured API (using…1 Comment
Published August 6, 2018


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Deborah and Louis | Day 24 of the 29 Dog Days of Summer
Welcome Deborah & Louis
Louis is a 5 year old Great Dane cross
Use five words that best describe Louis
Kingly, perfect, good-natured, hilarious friend
What does Summer means to you both?
Bike rides and beach visits and camping.
What are your favourite things to do with together?
Spooning. Cuddles. Swimming and Walking.
How would you describe your relationship with your dog?
Louis and I are best friends. He also looks after my children and loves my husband. He is the best gift I have ever been given.
What do you most love about Louis?
He absolutely adores us and is chilled out and does we say but is also hilarious and right on it if you are having a bad day.
Thank you for being part of the 29 Dog Days of Summer Deborah & Louis. I had fun meeting you both and seeing for myself Louis's calm nature


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"Use your body & senses. Create & inspire others."
Do you feel that the urban lifestyle limits your creative potential and disturbs your inner peace?
We are here to help.
Yoga means "connection" and The Urban Yoga Approach (TUYA) offers a unique combination of tools and techniques that help you re-connect with your living environment through your body & senses. By mindfully touching, smelling, listening, tasting and looking you experience the world without the filters you've built up over time. Schools, universities, companies and curious individuals take part in the TUYA Sensorial Workshops to fully understand and balance their sense of touch, smell, taste and hearing with their sight. TUYA enhances your creativity and leads you towards reflecting upon your tasks in an innovative, genuine and inspiring way. City councils and architectural festivals commission the TUYA Photo Series to show the human side of their cites. Get in touch! Let The Urban Yoga Approach lead you out of your busy mind towards your innate creative potential. Together we can create the world that is made not only by humans, but for humans.
Recent Collaborations


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Eight years ago we moved into this house with an 18mth old and spent many a mornings and afternoons chalking in our front yard where we would wave at the walkers and have sidewalk conversations with Mr. Tolbert while art was created by little hands.
It feels like a lifetime ago and yet only yesterday.
Here I am again creating art with little hands while having sidewalk conversations with Mr. Tolbert. Through the filter of our different perspectives we reminisce about the boys as they've grown.
After every conversation, after every masterpiece created I am thankful to raise my boys in this space where we can spend lazy Saturday mornings on the sidewalk.
This post is my contribution to Cherish This Day, to see the full post with all contributors follow this link.


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Prophetic Conference with Robert & Amy Coello and Paul Cheatham Mark yourmore →
Tag: dream symbols
Amy will be a guest on Tough Talk Christian Radio withmore →
Amy will be a guest on Synergy Cafe with Brad Gudimmore →
Robert and Amy Coello will be leading a time of Prophetic Worshipmore →
Amy will be a guest on Radio Vision Saturday, March 31,more →
PROPHETIC PERSPECTIVES ABOUT SUPER BOWL LII So as many ofmore →
Amy Coello was interviewed by Alvin Kaufmann host of Servants of Firemore →
I AM A CLOCKWATCHER Sometimes, I wonder if it's just me thatmore →
So last year, God had me chasing this new epiphany. I knowmore →
In Genesis 31 we see the story of Jacob who had a dream about going back to his native homeland. THE BACK STORY Jacob had journeyed to Haram to find a wife. He wanted to marry Rachel, but to do so he had to work for her father, Laban, taking care of his goats. During the time Jacob worked for him, Laban didn't deal with him honestly and with integrity (see Gen 31:38-42). Laban tricked Jacob into marrying his eldest daughter before he could marry Rachel, and he changed Jacob's wages multiple times. THE DREAMmore →


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In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Muslim celebrities Reza Aslan and Hasan Minhaj wrote an open letter to Muslims on accepting same-sex unions. Likewise, in his Al Jazeera podcast in June, writer Wajahat Ali asked his guests about accepting Muslim LGBT youth.
Sidelining scholarship that includes a book chapter and Kugle's book from 2010, Ali's guests, both Haroon Moghul and Mehdi Hasan, indicated that they were not aware of any Islamic case for Muslim same-sex unions.
It seems that straight Muslims find it easier to address LGBT concerns in a secular context than a Muslim framework. However, straight allies can take heart from LGBT Muslims, who walk the tight rope between anti-Muslim bigotry and homophobia and assert their truth irrespective of personal costs.
Indeed, such activists remind us of our common humanity, that it is not about "Muslims versus the LGBT" or "us versus them," for they exist in the intersection.
Shaykh Daayiee Abdullah and Faisal Alam, who continue to receive online abuse from hateful Muslims, have been speaking out at great personal cost since the 90s, before it was mainstream to speak out on LGBT concerns. Like El Farouk Khaki and Imtiaz Popat, they have invested tremendous efforts towards all-inclusive community spaces.
Similarly Omar Sarwar, a young graduate student in New York, spends a considerable amount of time educating fellow Americans against anti-Muslim bigotry and fellow LGBT persons against racism.
There exist many other LGBT Muslim activists, with different genders and identities, like Mark Brustman, Terna Tilley-Gyado, Tynan Power, Urooj Arshad, and Kaamila Mohamed, who may differ in their approaches to activism. As such, the LGBT Muslim movement is not comprised of a centralized uniform approach.
Regardless, straight Muslim allies can include LGBT Muslim voices in their conversations to avoid usurping the agency of LGBT Muslim activists. This may also help diminish unreasonable arguments churned out by conservative Muslims ad nauseam.
By including an LGBT Muslim voice, Ali would have enriched his podcast conversation. Ali's guest had asserted:
"no young, single Muslim male goes to the mosque and says , I'm here to pray Juma (Friday prayer) but I just want you to know that I had some liquor last night and I slept with my girlfriend last night, these are private things ... the mosque is not the place ... how much do we talk about these things in public spaces ... and we demand that you accept things that might make you uncomfortable"
An LGBT Muslim activist may have retorted that the human need for intimacy, affection and companionship should not be conflated with alcohol consumption and fornication.
Conservative Muslim leaders, who feel that "democracy and equality are a sham," who prefer "a pre-modern morality of Islam" and "black and white answers," often try to stall a reasonable conversation on LGBT concerns.
Such leaders are unable to distinguish LGBT persons who strengthen families from those who break families through incest, by sexually traversing ties based on milk, semen and blood.
Some conservative Muslim leaders unreasonably argue that the LGBT community is responsible for its own oppression through public display of "homosexuality." Would such leaders make the same argument for Muslims through public display of hijabs and beards?
Recently, sidelining texts that show how Lot's wife opposed his hospitality, an Imam started fear mongering that straight Muslims supporting same-sex unions were like Lot's wife.
When Faisal Alam asked the Imam to tone down his rhetoric during Ramadan given the struggles of LGBT Muslim youth, which at times lead to suicide, he hastily retorted as follows.
If a gay person commits suicide then they are only speeding up their trip to the Hell Fire; and that is on them and only them.
Faisal simply prayed for the Imam expressing, "May Allah bring peace and mercy to your soul."
LGBT Muslim activists continue to educate heterosexist and homophobic Muslims against hatred. However, this is an uphill task, which will require straight Muslim allies to stand shoulder to shoulder with their LGBT Muslim sisters and brothers.
To this end, it would be great if influential straight Muslims like Haroon Moghul, Mehdi Hasan, Wajahat Ali, Reza Aslan and Hasan Minhaj can include LGBT Muslim voices in their spaces and work.
As Muslim academic Emran El Badawi asserted:
Salvation is not paradise or a world to come but living life and the constant struggle to make life better for those who are different and less fortunate than you - for the sole purpose that they are not you.


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03 September 2017
The Sri Lankan navy on Friday arrested three Indian nationals for allegedly attempting to smuggle in the banned weedicide glyphosate via boat.
The men were arrested off the coast of Kudiramalai by navy officers attached to the Thalaimannar base, Colombo Page reported.
They have been handed over to Thalaimannar police for further investigations.


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Caspian Energy (CE): Your Excellency, you arrived in Azerbaijan about a year ago. How would you assess the relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan? What do you think about their potential?
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Turkey to the Republic of Azerbaijan Erkan Ozoral: The political relations between the two countries are at the highest level, because we have very close brotherly relations with Azerbaijan. This is more than strategic partnership. Turkey and Azerbaijan always support each other in the international arena. We stand shoulder to shoulder every time. But regarding economic issues, I believe we still have a potential for further growth. We should make new steps to further deepen our economic relations, and also in the field of culture we have a potential for growth and development.
CE: Which possibilities do you see in the field of economics?
Erkan Ozoral: In the field of economics we have potential in almost all areas of economy, first of all, in the field of trade, for example. However, about 2 years ago the trade turnover between our countries was higher, but in the last years it has decreased because of the global economic situation and the economic situation in Turkey and Azerbaijan. On the other hand, Turkey and Azerbaijan need new investment. Actually, the Turkish businessmen are now the largest group, who invest in the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan. But we believe we still have a potential, because Azerbaijan is a very promising country. Azerbaijan has a big potential, because it is located in a very strategic position. At the same time the population of the country is small. Azerbaijan has possibilities to utilize. For instance, Azerbaijan has free trade regulations with the CIS countries. That is why even more investments can be attracted from Turkey and other countries to Azerbaijan. That is why the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey is encouraging the Turkish businessmen to invest more and develop the manufacturing sectors in Azerbaijan.
CE: Could you please specify the amount of Turkey's investment into Azerbaijan?
Erkan Ozoral: Turkish investments in Azerbaijan stand at $10 billion. And there are ongoing projects in energy sector as well. So the investments are continuing. On the other hand, Azerbaijan is the biggest foreign investor in Turkey. After accomplishing the STAR Refinery in Izmir the total amount of Azerbaijani investment in Turkey will reach $20 billion, and that will make Azerbaijan the biggest investor in Turkey. We can also encourage our people to open up new possibilities in the field of tourism. Since Turkey and Azerbaijan share the common history and common culture, our peoples are very close and we can encourage Turkish tourists to visit Azerbaijan, create some new routes. Over the past ten years Azerbaijan has made significant progress in the field of tourism, it is not yet well known in Turkey, but we can make use of this potential as well.
CE: Which type of tourism is the most attractive for Turkey?
Erkan Ozoral: Tourism is a sector, which is encouraged by the Government of Azerbaijan. I believe all sectors of tourism are encouraged. The Turkish people like historical places and Azerbaijan has an abundance of them. At the same natural beauties are also attractive for the Turkish tourists. Azerbaijan has many. We can encourage winter tourism, for example.
Turkey is keen on establishing a free trade zone
CE: Mr. Ozoral, you mentioned the free trade regulations with the CIS countries. How do you assess the possibility of establishing free trade zones between our countries?
Erkan Ozoral: Turkey is keen on establishing a free trade zone between Azerbaijan and Turkey. The first step to make these plans a reality will be signing of a preferential trade agreement. We are targeting a free trade agreement, but we started with a preferential trade agreement. This agreement is currently under negotiations between the ministries of economy of the two countries. Agriculture will surely be a part of this agreement and the manufacturing industry as well.
CE: Could you please tell about Turkey's expectations from the commissioning of the new Baku-Tbilisi-Kars rail line?
Erkan Ozoral: The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad is just a small part of a big project which connects Shanghai with London. It is a missing and very important part. We hope it will be operational this June. The construction work is still going on. Turkey will host a big commissioning ceremony.
Revitalizing the Silk Road means the unification of the West and the East again
CE: Recently President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a meeting with President of China Xi Jinping. Could you please tell about regional agreements they reached during this visit?
Erkan Ozoral: The aim of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to China was to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Turkey is one of the supporters of this project. China intends to revitalize the historical Silk Road and plans to invest into all countries lying along this route to support their efforts to revitalize the Silk Road. The Silk Road has not been in use for hundreds of years. Revitalizing the Silk Road means the unification of the West and the East again. The world will meet once again with its other side of the historical development. New routes will be created along the Silk Road. We will support all projects, which aim to create new ways for trade, because we are not yet a transit country and also a big producer on this route.
CE: Continuing the topic of the historical route, Mr. Ambassador, is not it planned to establish lots of free trade zones along the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars line and further into Turkey by analogy with the ancient route?
Erkan Ozoral: It is a good idea to create free trade zones along the route. However, I believe for the time being it is early to talk about this because, first of all, we have to create a route itself. Then we will be able to talk about its other possibilities, after having explored them.
If a free trade zone is not possible, then, of course, a preferential trade zone comes into discussion. As long as the trade grows, the welfare of all countries involved in it also improves.
In recent years Turkey has signed more than 50 free trade agreements with its neighbors and surrounding countries. Actually Turkey is keen on improving the free trade agreements between all these countries. Mainly these are countries that have similar agreements with the European Union. We support the idea of free trade and we are also negotiating with the United States, and we are also discussing this issue with Japan. We are negotiating the agreement with the Southeast Asian countries.
We are negotiating a free trade agreement with the United States
CE: Does Turkey plan to join the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and United States?
Erkan Ozoral: No, we are not part of TTIP as far as I know, but we are negotiating a free trade agreement with the United States. As you know, we are a member of the World Trade Organization and within the framework of the World Trade Organization we are encouraging free trade agreements.
Our relations with Turkmenistan are not as extensive as we would like them to see
CE: How do you assess the contribution of Azerbaijan and other Caspian Sea countries to Turkey's energy security?
Erkan Ozoral: Azerbaijan is one the main supplies of oil and gas for Turkey, especially gas. In Turkey 25% of energy demand is met by national resources. We are not an energy exporter but importer. So, Azerbaijan is one of the main suppliers for us, and we are also a transit country for Azerbaijani natural gas to western countries. We are hosting the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline, and also the TANAP project, which will enable gas supply to the European countries, is still under construction. We are also supporting the development of the Azerbaijan oil industry. The national oil company of Turkey TPAO has been present in Azerbaijan since its independence. TPAO is a shareholder of the Azeri-Chyrag-Gunashli project and also the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project. We are supporting these projects and we are a part of them. Also, Azerbaijani SOCAR, as I have already mentioned above, is investing in Turkey. In particular, it is constructing the STAR Oil Refinery in Turkey.
As far as the other Caspian countries are concerned, we have the gas supply agreements in place with them. We buy natural gas from Russia, Iran. Our relations with Turkmenistan are not as extensive as would like them to see. Kazakhstan is also a supplier of oil for Turkey. We are also supporting the efforts of these countries in this regard. Turk Petrolleri is also present in Kazakhstan. Russia is heavily investing into Turkey. Russian companies are constructing the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey. So, we are committed to diversifying our energy resources and in this regard the Caspian countries play a special role for Turkey.
If Azerbaijan cannot sell gas to the European countries, I believe we have the possibility to buy it
CE: Could you please tell the Turkey's opinion about the Trans Caspian gas pipeline from Turkmenistan, and perhaps Kazakhstan, to Turkey?
Erkan Ozoral: The Trans Caspian gas pipeline project is still a project, which has been discussed with the other Caspian countries, in particular with Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. I believe all these countries show their interest in this project. I hope it will be implemented soon. As I have already told you, this is an issue for the Caspian countries. Turkey encouraged them to make this idea a reality.
CE: Currently Turkey is turning into a gas hub. It is going to be a grandiose hub, taking into account all the resources from different directions. Which benefits does Turkey expect for its economy?
Erkan Ozoral: Almost 72 % of global oil and gas reserves are located very close to Turkey. Turkey, for its geopolitical location, is in the close neighborhood with regions which have 75% of all proven global oil and natural gas resources. We take part in a number of projects and support them actively which will turn Turkey into an "energy hub" between the oil rich Caspian basin and the Middle East and the European consuming markets. Experts forecast that the global primary energy demand which is expected to rise upto 40 % till 2030 will be met by the sources in this region. Being a hub requires many sources of resources not only from the Caspian region, namely from Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, but also from the countries across the Middle East, from oil and gas fields in the Mediterranean Sea - in Egypt, Israel. We are considering all these possibilities. We are following developments at all fields in those countries. We are also implementing exploration work in the Black Sea. We hope to discover some new resources there. Actually being a hub requires both reliable gas resources and a reliable infrastructure. It requires storage capacities, not only pipelines. We are still trying to create these infrastructure capabilities. For example, the TANAP pipeline is being constructed. TANAP is capable of receiving all this natural gas. Its throughput capacity is large enough to receive all these resources.
CE: Which new possibilities for diversification will the Turkey's economy receive? Will it raise its competitiveness?
Erkan Ozoral: Economic benefits will be very useful for Turkey because being a hub means being a central market. So that you can have new customers, you can have new relations and, at least, this will give an impetus to the development of Turkey, to the growth of Turkish economy.
At the same time, of course, it will raise competitiveness of Turkish goods in the global market. I belive it will make domestic prices cheaper and more competitive for Turkish investors. It will also secure new advantages for Turkey. Obviously, new gas resources brought to the Turkish market will be of great benefit to the Turkish economy.
CE: Could you please tell about exploration work at Turkish fields in the Black Sea?
Erkan Ozoral: We are implementing exploration works in the Black Sea. We drilled some wells until now, but we could not find any large resources. But, on the other hand, we have seismologic researches, which show prospects to discover new oil and gas fields in the Black Sea. The Black Sea features a very special shelf, special mud, and all the seismic reports give indication of presence of oil and gas.
CE: Could you please tell your opinion about repeated delays in TAP's implementation?
Erkan Ozoral: There had been some delays in the implementation of TAP project until now. However, I hope this is over now. As we know, 42% pf the project has been constructed. Only in a small part in Italy, there had been delay because of the discussion about environment. I believe these discussions are over now and the works are going on even in this part in Italy. Main benefiters of the TAP project will be European countries. TAP is part of a big project namely Southern Gas Corridor (SGC). The SGC project consist of four phases. Shahdeniz-II, Trans Caucasian Pipeline Project, TANAP and TAP. It is foreseen to meet natural gas demand of European countries. It will make a big contribution for diversification of energy resources of the European energy market. All parts of SGC project are now under construction and there is a high level of realization for all phases. It is more than 80 % for all the first three phases. I hope TAP will also have the same rate soon and the SGC will be operational in 2020 as planned.
CE: Which other options does Turkey consider to reduce its dependence on imports?
Erkan Ozoral: We are trying to diversify our energy resources apart from diversification of gas resources. We are also working hard on alternative energy resources such as wind, solar energy and also nuclear energy. We are widely using our hydro energy potential. We are building new dams. Construction of the first nuclear plant has already been started and preparations are underway for the second one.
CE: What will be the share of alternative energy resources in the energy mix of Turkey until 2020?
Erkan Ozoral: As a constantly growing economy, Turkey's energy demand is also growing. We attach great importance making more use of alternative and renewable energy resources. The country produced 32.1% of its electricity by using natural gas, 33.9 % coal, 24,7% hydraulic power, 5,7 wind, 1.8% from geo-thermal energy resources and 1,8 % from other resources in 2016. Our aim is meeting at least 30 % of the demand by using renewable energy sources by the year 2023.
CE: It is close to the European standard…
Erkan Ozoral: Yes. For example, solar energy and wind energy are dependent on a geographical situation of any country. The Middle East countries have more potential for solar energy and Europeans have less potential. That is why we will be even ahead of the European countries. We can be compared with the Mediterranean countries in terms of our potential.
CE: This is one more topic for cooperation with the European Union?
Erkan Ozoral: Yes.
CE: Could you please tell about prospects that Turkey has now for development of its economic relations with the European Union? Which countries are your main trade partners in the EU?
Erkan Ozoral: Our trade relations with the European countries are mostly regulated by the agreements with the European Union. As you know, we have the Customs Union agreement with the European Union, and the European countries and the EU member countries are the biggest trade partners of Turkey. Their share in our foreign trade is more than 50%. We are also trying to make a review of the Customs Union agreement with the European countries, which will give more impetus to our trade relations. Especially Germany is our biggest trade partner among the European countries. We also have intensive relations with the UK, France and Italy.
CE: In this connection, how will Вrexit affect the EU-Turkey relations, economic projects with Azerbaijan?
Erkan Ozoral: I think it will affect our economic relations with the UK.
We have a different situation with Azerbaijan unlike our relations with the European Union. As I have already mentioned, we have the Customs Union agreement with the European Union, which Azerbaijan does not have. That is why effects for Azerbaijan will be different than those for Turkey.
As for the effects of Brexit, at first we have to see the conditions of an exit, which will be discussed between the European Union and the UK. I do not think Britain will remove all its trade relations with the European Union. I do not think they will reshape them. But we are still to see what these regulations will be like, and namely those regulations will affect Turkey's relations with the European Union and also Azerbaijan's trade relations with the European Union.
Brexit will surely have effects. We will see effects as soon as conditions for the UK's leaving the EU are agreed upon.
CE: What about the upcoming elections in Germany? Can they also cause certain instability?
Erkan Ozoral: Of course. All the political developments in Europe will affect. We are concerned about the arising radical right in Europe and we are also witnessing that Europe "turns into inside" more than in earlier times. I mean the European countries introduce more and more protective measures in their relations with all other countries and they create new barriers for others. I see barriers, cultural barriers that are affecting Europe's relations with all other countries. Many Muslim people in the Middle East do not want, for example, to go to Europe nowadays.
CE: How to struggle against protectionism?
Erkan Ozoral: First of all, we can struggle against protectionism by cultural means. We have to respect all cultures. We have to respect other people who are not like us and at least try to understand others. We have to cooperate more and more with others.
CE: What do you think about economic protectionism?
Erkan Ozoral: Economic protectionism is a kind of political protectionism. That is why I tell we have to respect others…
CE: Does Turkey feel the effects of protectionism now?
Erkan Ozoral: Not yet. We do not feel it yet. As long as the crisis is ongoing, I mean the economic crisis, as long as the world is facing the problem of terrorism, as long as the radical right trends are overwhelming Europe, such kind of protectionism also affects us indirectly. These all must be struggled together in a very concerted way and within the framework of a global concept.
We would like to see the Turkey-EU relations based on a real basis
CE: Given what you said, do you think, Mr. Ambassador, does Turkey have any prospect to join the European Union? Or for the time being it is impossible?
Erkan Ozoral: I cannot tell you that it is totally impossible. The prospects for the participation of Turkey in the European Union are higher than, for example, 10 years ago. Europe will always be our biggest neighbor. We have to cooperate with the European countries and they have to cooperate with us. Turkey is a part of Europe. Both sides have to cooperate with each other. That is why we aim cooperation as close as possible. The highest level of this cooperation will be a membership in the European Union.
CE: Emmanuel Macron has been recently elected a President of France. How positive is this election in the framework of the Turkey-Azerbaijan-EU relations?
Erkan Ozoral: President Makron is the supporter of the European idea. We hope he will also support Turkey's relations with Europe and France will pursue good relations with Turkey as it used to be in the past. We would like to see the Turkey-EU relations based on a real basis. Both sides have their realities, their ideas. Both sides must respect eash other. Europe must fullfill its promises for Turkey and we hope that President Macron will support this cooperation indepently from interventions of the third parties.
CE: Is this the case for Germany as well?
Erkan Ozoral: This is the case for Germany too. As I told you we have very close economic relations with Germany. More than 2 million Turkish people live in Germany. So, this is also the case for Germany.
CE: So, you expect a positive upward trend in the development of the relations between the European Union, Azerbaijan and Turkey …
Erkan Ozoral: I hope so.
Thank you for the interview
Caspian Energy


text: French Cuisine is coming to The Shire Horse. On Wednesday the 9th of September, we are proud to host another of our renowned themed nights. Come and join us at The Shire Horse and enjoy a range of French dishes served at your table for just £19.95 per head! Bon Appetite.


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Author: Joycelynn Okezie
Oklahoma City native Mario Dillard has worked with the likes of Sha Sha Jones, Far East movement and Eric Bellinger. His name may sound new to some but familiar to the seasoned artists in the music industry. Mario "Rio" Dillard is an accomplished singer/songwriter and engineer who is now taking a deeper focus into his solo career.
Today, the young talent returns to music with a new track "Problems." The track details where Rio's head has been at, how he's grown as a man and not forgetting where he started. "Everywhere I go, I tell the Lord, keep the devil off my back" he sings. Being a talented black male in America, can bring trials and temptation.
Mario Dillard, an RnB crooner who is creating his own lane through honest subject matters, attractive harmonies and truthful lyrics. "This shit gets crazy, when you tryna chase ya dreams on the daily, like the whole world against you, they don't even get the vision, looking through a different filter." Speaking on testaments that dream chasers can relate to with "Problems", Rio is defining himself as a rising talent to watch out for in 2016.
Listen to track above.


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Syncing a Document Library in SharePoint
This document shows users how to sync a document library with their computer
To see an in-depth video tutorial, please follow this link: http://www.lynda.com/Office-365-tutorials/SharePoint-Online-Essential-Training/133335-2.html?autocompleteMovieId=144136
To sync a document library with your computer:
1. Open the document library you want to sync.
2. Click on the "sync"button at the top.
3. Once this window pops up, select "sync now."
4. It will ask for confirmation that you are syncing the right library. If yes, select "sync now."
5. Another window will appear that looks like this. Select "Show my files..." to go to where your files are on your computer.
6. SharePoint will now be an option in your finder bar on the right hand side. Any document library you sync can be found here.


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Recommendations of what to see in the Jerusalem art scene by our local insider Jenna Romano. To learn about Oh So Arty tours in Jerusalem please click here.
Exhibition: Lifescapes
Artist: Anna Ticho
Venue: Ticho House
Anna Ticho was a powerful figure in Jerusalem's cultural scene in the 20th century, born in 1894 in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. She studied art from the age of 15 when her family lived in Vienna and her and her husband moved to Jerusalem in the beginning of the 20th century. Says Ticho of the moment she first stepped foot into Israel, "I was in love with this land at first sight. This love grew on me and to express it became the content of my and the expression of the spirit of Jerusalem." This exhibition offers an opportunity to explore Ticho's work and to deepen our understand of the change in it over time -- from small drawings of Israeli landscapes to large flower and the Jerusalem hills -- the artist worked in a variety of mediums including watercolor, charcoal, graphite and pastels.
Exhibition: Properties
Artists: Various Artists
Venue: Various Venues
The exhibition properties opens a dialogue about the history and present perception of the neighborhood Talbiya, a residential area in the city of Jerusalem. The neighborhood actually consists of many historical narratives which are not openly spoken about -- and the exhibition properties seeks to uncover contradictions and stories that eventually juxtapose the character of the neighborhood in the past with the mundanity of its existence now. Various art installations and videos will urge visitors to acknowledge and ask questions about these narratives.
Exhibition: Blinds
Artist: Yaara Oren
Venue: Jerusalem Artists House
Each year, a committee awards one Israeli painter the Osnat Mozes Painting Prize for a Young Artist. This year, the committee chose Tel Aviv based artists Yaara Oren, stating that the artists "has created an impressive, intense body of work which does not remain static. It constantly evolves, attesting to great talent." Oren's work in Blinds gives us abstract interpretations of the environment surrounding the artist, namely her neighborhood of residence in southern Tel Aviv, Shapira.
More about Oh So Arty in Jerusalem here.


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Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield
Brookfield, WI
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield
Brookfield, WI
Morning Breakout
Afternoon Breakout
Member: $99 ($109 after 05/06/2011)
Non-Member: $149
Student: $35 ($70 after 05/06/2011)
There are many reasons why people volunteer their time, knowledge and talents for the benefit of others. Whether you are looking to learn new skills, build relationships with your peers, develop your leadership abilities, advance your career, or simply have fun - we have just the right opportunity! Talk with Chapter Board members during lunch to learn how you can become a part of a winning team of volunteers!
Milwaukee Women's Center – Bottomless Closet
Bottomless Closet provides education and other needs for men and women who need assistance in finding a job and coaching on how to interview, how to dress, and how to answer the difficult answers of why they are unemployed.
They are looking for business clothing for both men and women, accessories (jewelry & purses) and shoes (gently worn). The group appreciates clothing brought in on hangers if possible (loose hangers are not needed!). They are also looking for casual clothing for men, including jeans, work boots, polos, and t-shirts. They have stepped out to help out some men in finding jobs that could possibly work in construction or landscaping.
Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield
375 S Moorland Road
Brookfield, WI 53005
Phone: (262) 364-1100
Property Website
Room Rate:
Run of House - $89 Single/$99 Double
Preferred - $119 Single/$129 Double
Club Level - $129 Single/$139 Double
Suite - $229 Single/$239 Double
Cut-off date: May 4, 2011
Featured Keynote:
Deborah Gardner, CMP
COMPETE BETTER NOW – A Winner's Image
Buckle your seatbelt! Watch as Deborah Gardner boldly unveils the most in-depth business topic in this humorous high-energy program.
The world of competition breeds winners. To become a winner, you must perform. Yet, do you really know how to compete, consistently win or do you merely co-exist? Do you ignore the competition? Do you know who your biggest competitor is? Competition is part of every facet of our lives … in business, in our families, in dating, in our daily activities and even within ourselves. Everyone's goal is to win! And, every decision you make says something about YOU.
Hear real-life business case studies with relevant practices on losing and winning. Discover your performance level in what easily moves you into positive action. Get ready for the new language of business, experience an immediate stimulation to the true meaning of competition and find out, are you going to win or are you going to lose?
• Whether individual or business ambitions, learn the 3 drivers to success
• Hear the ONE thing that separates you from others
• Elevate your own self because no one else really cares
Principal and Founder of two highly successful companies: A business consultant for DG INTERNATIONAL LLC and a speaker/trainer for COMPETE BETTER NOW! LLC. Deborah is a member of National Speakers Association, 27 year veteran in the hospitality sales profession, Past President for the Arizona Sunbelt Meeting Professional International Chapter and Arizona State University MPI/CMP on-line trainer. She has a monthly radio show called, THE GARDNER REPORT and soon, she will be the host for a weekly hospitality Television show called … "WHAT'S HOT ARIZONA". She is the author of "How to Sell to Men Without Wearing a Low-Cut Dress." To know more about Deborah go to www.DeborahGardner.com
Morning Breakout — 10:15-11:30 a.m.
CMP Panel
Moderator: Nicole Putchel
Michelle Johnson, CMP – Association Acumen
Carmen Smalley, CMP – North Central Group
Janet Sperstad, CMP – Madison Area Technical College
Michelle Johnson, CMP – Association Acumen
Carmen Smalley, CMP – North Central Group
Janet Sperstad, CMP – Madison Area Technical College
Session Description:
Industry professionals who have earned their Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation will lead this lively panel to discuss all of your questions, concerns and helpful hints about sitting for the CMP exam. Topics will include the application process, test taking ideas, study group options, time management strategies and many more useful tips.
Michelle Johnson, CMP, is currently the Meetings Manager for Association Acumen, an Association Management Company located in Milwaukee, WI. She profitably and effectively manages all logistical aspects of multiple client meetings ranging from five to 1,500 attendees. Michelle obtained her Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation in January 2010.
Carmen Smalley, CMP, is a regional sales manager for the North Central Group Hotels, in Madison, Wisconsin. North Central Group owns and manages nine hotels in the Madison area and 28 hotels in the United States.
Ms. Smalley has received the Rising Star Award and the Supplier of the Year Award from the Wisconsin MPI chapter and has also received outstanding sales and marketing award from the Madison chapter Sales & Marketing Executives.
Carmen has been employed in the hospitality industry for more then 10 years working with various service level hotels and conference centers. While employed in the hospitality industry she has served as a member of the meeting and convention committee for the Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau, served as a committee member on the meeting and convention committee for the Sales Lake City Visitor and Convention Bureau, and served on the Madison College advisory board for the Meeting & Event Management program.
Ms. Smalley has been a member of the Wisconsin MPI chapter for over 10 years serving on the board as the Director of Fundraising for two years. She has also chaired numerous fundraising, education, and membership committees. She has also been a member of the Wisconsin Society Association Executives and has also served on numerous committees.
Janet Sperstad, CMP, is the Program Director for the Meeting and Event Management Degree Program at Madison Area Technical College (MATC) in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. The MATC program, which Ms. Sperstad founded, is the first Associate Degree program in meeting and event management in the U.S.
Ms. Sperstad is the Meeting Professionals International (MPI) International Planner of the Year for 2007-2008.
A 20-year veteran of meeting and event management, Ms. Sperstad has been employed by a Fortune 500 global company, a statewide association, and owned a professional event management firm. She has devoted her professional energies to the development and success of the meeting planning profession. While serving as a committee member on the MPI International Professional Development Strategy Group, she helped to develop a comprehensive taxonomy to define the body of knowledge in meeting planning. This taxonomy is the first of its kind in the history of the profession.
Ms. Sperstad has served as MPI Wisconsin Chapter President. She has chaired and served on numerous committees in the meetings industry, including MPI International. In addition to her MPI service she contributes her leadership skills to the Convention Industry Council on the CMP Board of Directors and as Chair of the APEX Education Advisory Council, the Professional Convention Management Association Faculty Task Force, the International Association of Conference Centers, Green Meeting Industry Council, and the National Business Travel Association Strategic Meeting Management Certification Task Force.
She was recently recognized by her excellence in teaching from Madison College through the Devi Bhargava award in 2010 and as Distinguished Teacher of the Year in 2005. She has received numerous awards and recognition from MPI-Wisconsin chapter and was inducted into the Chapter Hall of Fame in 2006.
Ms. Sperstad has written for and been featured in a variety of industry publications and is an internationally recognized meeting professional, teacher, and trainer.
Deborah Gardner, CMP
Naked Negotiations for the Advanced Meeting Professional
Session Description:
As a negotiator with experience, are you deploying proven, better practice strategies and tools that ensure consistently successful outcomes? When engaged in complex negotiations are your skills preventing losses and increase gains for you and your organization? Do you have a strategy that enhances your capability to prepare effectively?
Don't be caught naked in your next negotiation encounter. You must be continually thinking ahead for new ways to succeed. Be free and let go of old techniques and strategies. Identify new negotiation tactics; conclude significantly better agreements as a result of creativity while formalizing deals that can be described as completely optimal.
This program is designed for those who expect to analyze and participate in challenging business negotiations. You will forever rid of the long-time myths while adding value through innovative and fresh strategies for the new language of business. Listen to the bare bone truth on how buyers negotiate with you, the seller … how sellers negotiate with you, the buyer. Hear Deborah's compelling real-world examples to help acquire momentum for you to win in any negotiation situation in any market place.
• Learn how to apply the 5 myths to win as a collaborator rather than your own competitor
• Discover the logic with the "backward" negotiation strategy that reflexes on mastering all your business skill
• Discuss your challenges in order to stay in shape so you always look good naked
Principal and Founder of two highly successful companies: A business consultant for DG INTERNATIONAL LLC and a speaker/trainer for COMPETE BETTER NOW! LLC. Deborah is a member of National Speakers Association, 27 year veteran in the hospitality sales profession, Past President for the Arizona Sunbelt Meeting Professional International Chapter and Arizona State University MPI/CMP on-line trainer. She has a monthly radio show called, THE GARDNER REPORT and soon, she will be the host for a weekly hospitality Television show called … "WHAT'S HOT ARIZONA". She is the author of "How to Sell to Men Without Wearing a Low-Cut Dress." To know more about Deborah go to www.DeborahGardner.com or contact her at email@example.com or just Google her, you'll find her.
Debra Wheatman
Resume Your Search with Your Brand New Résumé
Session Description:
Résumés have always been important for a job search; but as the job market continues to get tougher, a solid, well crafted, results oriented résumé is the only way to get the interview – this session will cover the top ten résumé mistakes and provide you with the tools to build your own killer career documents.
Debra Wheatman, an experienced human capital management strategist will help you take the next step up your career ladder. Debra, who possesses both Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) designations, is globally recognized as an expert in advanced career search techniques. With more than 18 years' corporate human resource experience guiding and directing global clients in determining career goals and identifying gratifying career choices Debra can package the amalgamation of your skills and accomplishments in a compelling and creative way to generate interest on behalf of decision makers at leading corporations.
Debra is a featured blogger on numerous sites where she covers career planning topics. She posts regularly on her own site at careersdonewrite.com/blog; and she has been featured on Fox Business News, WNYW with Brian Lehrer, and quoted in leading online, print, and trade publications, including Forbes.com, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNBC.
Afternoon Breakout — 1:15-2:30 p.m.
Eric Rozenberg, CMP, CMM
How Do I Conduct Business in a Multicultural Environment
Session Description:
New York, Shangai, Bangalore, Rio, St-Petersburg, Brussels, etc. Your next meeting can be happening anywhere and can have attendees from all over the world. How do you plan a meeting outside your home country? What is the impact of having attendees from different regions, cultures and languages? Where do you find the information? How do you prepare yourself? What resources have you at your disposal?
Learner Outcomes
•Identify the origins of cultural differences in management and how to overcome them.
•State the potential issues when planning an international meeting.
•Prepare yourself and know where to find the information.
Eric Rozenberg, CMM, CMP, is President of SWANTEGY, a European company consulting corporate clients which strategically use meetings and events in their marketing-mix. SWANTEGY creates and implements experiences and measures their impact. For about 15 years, Eric has been working for European corporate clients in various industries and has been running projects in more than 50 countries. Eric holds a Masters degree in International Management Sciences from Warocqué Business School, an Executive Master in Marketing and Advertising from Solvay Business School and Executive Programs from INSEAD and MIT - Sloan School of Management. He currently serves as Chairman on the International Board of Directors of MPI, on the Board of the Belgian Management and Marketing Association and on the Board of the Weizmann Foundation for Sciences in Belgium.
Debra Wheatman
Network Your Way to the Top
Networking used to be easy – you went to a networking event and you talked to people. That is now the smallest part of what you need to do – Special interest groups, social media, blogging, non-networking, paying it forward, Twitter, LinkedIn all play a role in creating a compelling networking strategy – and the list keeps growing! This session will help you navigate the complicated maze of face-to-face and digital networking to jump-start your search.
Independent Business Opportunities in the Meetings Industry
Moderator: Tracie Toth, CMP
Lynn Golabowski – ConferenceDirect
Christopher Dyer – Morgan Data Solutions (MDS)
Darla Leick – HelmsBriscoe
Rebecca Hasley – Maxvantage Meetings
Lynn Golabowski – ConferenceDirect
Christopher Dyer – Morgan Data Solutions (MDS)
Darla Leick – HelmsBriscoe
Rebecca Hasley – Maxvantage Meetings
Session Description:
Have you ever wanted to be your own boss or work more independently? Do you want to learn more about the plethora of opportunities to make more money, make your own schedule and put your experience to work for you? Whether you want to learn more about starting your own business, writing a book, marketing yourself as a knowledgeable speaker as a part time addition to your career, or even just talk with someone who works from home in a more independent work environment but does not own their own business, this breakout has something for you. This breakout will allow you to walk away with tools to help shape your future whether it's chasing your dream tomorrow or 10 years down the road, you will not forget the valuable information you will receive in this session. With greater risk, comes greater reward. Learn what it takes to get started!
Lynn Golabowski is Vice President/Team Director with ConferenceDirect. She has more than 34 years of meeting and hotel industry experience including positions in both operations and sales and marketing with Stouffers, Marriott, Hyatt, and Wyndham. She is past Executive Director of Meeting Professionals International - Wisconsin Chapter. Since 1995, Lynn has been a meeting planner, author and speaker. Her experience from both sides of the meetings industry - supplier and buyer, brings a unique perspective to her clients. Lynn is a published author in numerous meetings industry magazines and is the co-author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Meeting and Event Planning".
Lynn is an entrepreneur at heart and wears many hats outside the meetings industry. She is a L'BRI Independent Representative helping people take care of their skin so they can look their best. In addition, she is a Young Living Representative and creates wellness plans using therapeutic oils. She is also passionate about teaching people how to "green" and "de-clutter" their lives in the area of personal care products, nutrition and in general leading a healthy life! She is currently writing a book on the subject.
Christopher Dyer provides insight as an entrepreneur and business owner with experience from both the association and supplier perspective. Before founding Morgan Data Solutions (MDS) in 2001 with wife Heather Dyer, CAE, Christopher spent his career in all aspects of the meeting planning & association management industries working with Hyatt Hotels, Seed Restaurant Group and Wisconsin Builders Association. He holds a Bachelors degree in Hospitality Management with a minor in business and marketing from Western Illinois University.
Formed in 2001, Morgan Data Solutions provides data and web solutions for associations, not for profit and small business. MDS is proud to have served the Wisconsin Chapter of Meeting Professionals International with guidance and support since 2003. MDS currently serves 5 professional associations with full service management support and provides database, web, financial and strategic planning support to more than 20 clients.
Christopher keeps in touch with his volunteer side by serving The Village of Cottage Grove as a Trustee in 2000-2001 and continues to serve his community as Chair of the Village Personnel Committee and Chair of the Village Utility Commission.
Darla Leick, Manager, Global Accounts, joined the HelmsBriscoe team in spring 2008 after earning her graduate degree in the field of Communication. As a Rotarian, she was drawn to HelmsBriscoe because of their core values based on professional ethics and is thrilled to be associated with a company who is so well respected in the industry. Darla has experience with all facets of meeting and event planning and has facilitated onsite for national and international corporate meetings and incentive travel programs. This experience gives Darla an understanding of what her clients encounter throughout the meeting planning process. Although Darla lives in Central Wisconsin, as a HelmsBriscoe associate, she is able to service clients regardless of their location and assist with planning meetings locally, nationally, and internationally. She currently works with meeting planners in federal government agencies, state and regional associations, and national and international corporations. Darla says, "I love working with my clients! It is such a pleasure to get to know them and do the research and the negotiation needed to help create a cost effective and successful meeting."


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Today I feel like dusty cinnamon whose top has popped off in a breakfast frenzy. I can smell everything, see everything, read letters of languages I've never noticed. I'm permeating outside of myself and finding space in cobwebby corners of the world.
As I was cleaning the kitchen, I spent a few cents of gratitude for our knives - nothing special, more form than perfect function - but they serve us daily. I even made a mental note to tell any of my future marriageable friends to ask for a good set of knives on their gift registry.
And just like that, I squelched some detergent into the dishwasher, whipped it closed and let it get around to ultimate scrubbing as I pounded out a poem on the nearest laptop. Inspiration is just like that. It's the pesky neighbor that knocks on your door and won't go away because she knows you're in there and she needs you to help her take a giant vat of soup to the cab. You can answer the call, or you can hide for fifteen minutes until someone else has risen to the occasion.
Now, the poem has a little form and also functions properly as far as words on a page go, so I'm pleased. It's a bit of a downer, but I'm excited about it being one of only two poems I've written in the past five years.
I feel like sharing this one. Not because I think it's particularly excellent, but because I'm happy I wrote it, instead of writing out a blog post about what I think real-world couples should register for: 15 Must-Haves On Your Wedding Registry That Guarantee A Happy Life Together!
So here's what I did instead of that, all its unedited, unrefined glory:
The Good Set
First, you'll want a good set of knives.
Pick your vows, edit but don't add.
Don't promise too much, unless death
is imminent (which it is). Part
your lips just a little for the kiss, for the kids.
Keep it PG. Coo at the flowergirl,
watch the turbulent ring bearer
"bearers will be bears will be boys"
Spill out of your dress and into a box
that you've neatly checked.
Clamp your hands over your modest belly
and say your somedays and your soons.
Boom into bridehood in a brave and beautiful
sadness. Always remember to sharpen
your knives and don't let them sit
(as you do) in long soapy baths.
Bubble yourself in iridescent lace curtains
and fine, carefully-counted cotton sheets.
Until the day it all comes, piercing
up through your thigh and into
the cavern between your rib bones,
and it's not the supper onions begging for tears,
but your years of dulling. Don't burst.
At least you got a good set of knives.
Obviously, it shouldn't need to be said that not all poems are based in autobiographical truths. This poem is about a person I have constructed in my head, and for whom I feel devastated. (Oooh, whom?! Whom does fancy Emily think she is?!)
Tonight has been an interesting lesson in noticing: there's poetry everywhere, seeping through the cracks in the cupboards, leaking out from under the sink, in that forbidden space between your oven and your countertops, if you just root around a bit for it. Same goes for anything you're looking for - there are flavors, colors, smells, and shapes everywhere that can inspire your next project.
Pay attention, and inspiration will begin to rise out of the earth like a dinky weed. Pay more attention, and it'll be a fucking tree.
So here I am, just paying attention. Not hoping to be told the answers, but just noticing the patterns of questions that float up and down on the breeze, like the warm up scales of a musician.
Pardon me as I sink into the desire to wear scarves and drink black coffee in grungy coffee shops, wearing fake glasses and staring out of the window at imagined rain. Humans are weird, right? We write one poem one time and become friggin' Emily Dickinson. (With regards to Emily, thank you for your work.) We take a leisurely walk on one wooded trail and suddenly we're shopping for a Camelback for our trek on the Pacific Crest Trail. Is it just me?
How would you write a story or a poem around the line "you'll want a good set of knives"? I challenge you to write your own poem about knives, if you're up for it. Or, make an effort while you're cleaning your (dirty, dirty) home to open yourself to receiving inspiration from weird places.


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- Department
- Courses
- Research
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- Discovering Padova
- International Area
ARGOMENTI: Seminars Ph.D. Program
Wednesday 28 March 2018 h. 14:30, Room 2BC30
Emma Perracchione (Padova, Dip. Mat.)
"Kernel-based methods: a general overview"
In this talk we present the general theory of Radial Basis Function (RBF) interpolation. In doing so, we follow the exposition line of the two books by G.E. Fasshauer (2007) and H. Wendland (2005). Such works provide a recent and extensive treatment about the theory of RBF-based meshless approximation methods. Thus, following their guidelines, we review the main theoretical features concerning positive definite functions and RBFs. Error bounds and error estimates for kernel-based interpolants will be presented as well. Moreover, all the results will be supported by basic numerical experiments carried out during the seminar with Matlab. To conclude, we also briefly review some recent research topics on RBF interpolation.


text:
In mind's dungeon no rest is found
Nothing satisfies dour assemblage…
Every facet of faces is sepia frown
Their words—constant clanging
Haranguing—are physical battery
…Reproof, rebukes.
There's no such thing as quiet
Not for a moment, hour, day…
No peace exists; dimmest corner
Ripples reverberations…defeat
Shame, pound chronic migraine.
Specters of the dead, shadows of
People still living—somewhere—
Writhe, serpents in agony.
Tears don't appease, nor repentant
Prayer, pleas for absolution.
Memory's verbal rats gnaw feet…
Can't sleep, on guard against
Something larger…toxic, toothier.
People who don't believe Hell's
A real place have yet to experience
Mental dungeon where everything
You ever feared, recall—each cruel
Betrayal, humiliation, shunning and
Mockery—whatever is horror, grief
Becomes bitter flame which burns
The flesh, sears tongue, blinds eye
Turns heart and soul to ash…
But leaves mind alert to suffer.
Those who escape discovered secret:
Dungeon keeper's been around for
Eons, nothing new about him; he
Merely repeats what old voices speak
Copy/pastes stinging untruths…he's
Lucifer, the Liar.
©Ennle Madresan, 2019 ~ All rights reserved.
Image: Pixabay.com


text: This year as we celebrate 35 years of the Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant we are asking everyone who has been connected to this event through the years to unite their hearts in prayer for this year's production. Specifically, we are asking that you pray wherever you are, around the country or across the world, during the Altar Call portion of our 15 performances. To help you to remember to pray we have created calendar events for you to add to your personal calendar. Simply click the appropriate red button below and add it to your calendar. The calendar events below reflect the 9 evening performances, and also the 6 matinee performances. Adjust the calendar alerts to the appropriate time for your needs and join your hearts with others as we lift up each presentation of the gospel message.


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2 more scooters were stolen in the past week. Here are the details:
1. Dualtron EXS stolen near Anchorvale. Refer to pictures for details
2. Speedway 4 (Futecher) with red acrylic deck near NEX shopping center.
Scooter theft is on the rise. Make sure to get up to speed on how to lock your scooter effectively. This will help: Locks, Alarms And Trackers
Contact us if you come across any of these scooters or have any information about their whereabouts. Thank you.


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Melbourne Fashion Label – Men's & Women's Clothing
View recent Trimapee Collections on Australian Fashion Review Blog
Introduction to the Trimapee Fashion Label
Melbourne-born designers Mario-Luca Carlucci and Peter Strateas, studied Industrial Design and Comunication Design respectively at the prestigious Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), where they collaborated on a number of private commissioned based artworks, primarily in sculpture. Intrigued by the human form through their work in sculpture, the pair decided on a change of career and launched their own fashion label, 'Trimapee' as self-trained fashion designers in 2005.
Their debut menswear collection was shown that same year as part of the Mercedes Benz Start-Up Program, as selected finalists. Taking part in the Mercedes Benz Start-Up Program provided the platform Trimapee needed to launch their menswear Winter 2006 line, entitled 'Vampyre Collection' – the critically acclaimed collection put the brand firmly on the fashion brand, with Trimapee soon becoming recognised by the fashion press, with editorial features in Vogue Australia, Harpers Bazar, Ruush, Dazed and Confused, Yen and Mood Italia, amongst others.
Trimapee has come a long way since that first small menswear collection in 2005 – the brand has expanded to include full ready-to-wear womenswear and menswear collections, accessories, handmade shoes and jewellery. The brand now regularly shows their seasonal collections on the catwalks of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival and the Sydney Fashion Festival.
Unlike many Australian labels, that rely primarily on wholesaling to get their clothes on the market, Trimapee have their own strong presence in retail. They started with a little concept store in Fitzroy called 'The Mike Shoppe Gang, but once the lease was up, the duo decided it was the perfect opportunity to move into a bigger space. The Trimpanee relocated to Melbourne's Central Business District – this didn't affect the already loyal fan base but did provide a great opportunity to expand with new customers. A second Melbourne store soon followed and online boutique The Grand Social picked up the brand increasing the brand's international profile.
Trimapee Fashion Label: Key Dates
- 2005: Melbourne-born designers Mario-Luca Carlucci and Peter Strateas launched their fashion label, 'Trimapee' with their first collection showing as part of the Mercedes Benz Start-Up program, for which they were finalists.
- 2006: The first full menswear ready-to-wear line, entitled 'Vampyre Collection', was launched for the Autumn/Winter season to critical acclaim.
- 2011: The Trimapee brand enters a new marketing avenue by teaming up with photographer Christian Blanchard and filmaker Steven Protuder to produce a companion film for the label's Autumn/Winter 2011 collection, entitled 'Umbilical Ventriloquial'. Also this year, Trimapee launch a new 24-piece collection (12 for men, 12 for women) 'CARBON' , which are "Carbon Copies" of the mainline collection.
- 2012: As a testament to the label's growing international popularity, Timpanee shows at New York and Paris Fashion Week.
Aesthetic of the Trimapee Fashion Label
With a signature monochromatic edge, the Trimapee collections are inspired by music and art as well as, events from the past and the present. The brand has become known for its dark and moody aesthetic, with lots of smoky layers, relaxed tailoring and androgynous silhouettes. The brand's distinctive aesthetic has attracted a number of celebrity followers including, M.I.A, John Mayer, The Vines, JET, Silverchair, The Presets, The Klaxona and Adrian Grenier from hit US TV show, Entourage.
Future of the Trimapee Fashion Label
A few seasons back, Trimapee made the decision to stop wholesaling the business locally, instead choosing to focus their attention on their own retail and other projects, such as overseas expansion. Like many wholesale business at the time, Trimapee found it difficult financially to continue to sell the range and retrieve funds from stores. This isn't to say that the Trimapee label will never wholesale locally again, but at the minute they are content with the way things are – they currently have no yearning desire to place the label in other stores, and exclusivity is a very effective selling point.
If you like the look of Trimapee, why not check out fellow Australian fashion labels, Chronicles of Never, Mjolk, Beat Poet and Saint Augustine Academy.
Visit the official Trimapee website, here.


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Large, 1970, Still Life 'Orange Table with Pears.'
£895.00 Sold out
A cacophony of colours in this, large, 1970, post impressionist gem.
On a Germolene pink table sits a pink plate of thick painted pears, a blue book and an angular cake plate. The most delicious, red bottle with the pale blue striped edge and two mossy green jugs. The background is a Van Gogh swirl of shadows where the light has failed to reach. This painting can only be described as, 'yummy'.
Newly framed, ready to hang.
Frame: Width X Height
CM: 78 x 69
Inches: 31 x 27 1/2
CM: 74 x 65
Inches: 29 x 25 1/2
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Provenance: Swedish School. Signed and dated lower right.
Date; Mid-century
Condition; Very Good


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The world we live in is loud.
I was reminded of this during a recent trip overseas. Ellette and I were fortunate enough to spend a few days in Paris after we attended EuroShop. We found ourselves in a busy, open-air market surrounded by people bustling, dogs barking, phones chirping, and dishes clanking. There was so much to take in. As much as we tried to be present in every moment, sometimes it was nice to fade into the background and be quiet observers to the world around us.
I couldn't help but think how the current state of retail is experiencing a similar situation: sensory overload. People today are under constant bombardment. Radio, TV, billboards, social feeds, text and emails by the hundreds, snaps, tweets, phone calls, personal conversations, memos - you name it. It's relentless. It's no wonder our minds eventually become desensitized by it all. There is simply too much to take in.
As Ellette and I sat, sipping on French wine and nibbling scones, we listened to the locals speak their native language. Every now and then we'd catch a familiar word, but for the most part it was background noise. Beautiful, meaningful noise - but noise nonetheless.
All of a sudden, our ears were attuned to a conversation spoken in English. It rang and resonated. All other conversations became muted. The only one we could hear, was the one we understood.
This is how great retail programs should communicate. They clearly speak in a language their audiences can understand.
Think about it: when an eager shopper approaches your retail offering, how will you break through all of the other noise in her head? In her environment? How will you differentiate your product and brand?
Too often, when shoppers enter a retail space, a common pitfall is to perform the retail equivalent of messaging diarrhea. You know...get so amped up on all of the awesome things you have to say, that you spew out each and every nugget of information, all at once, at rapid fire speed, to all who approach. Gross. Not effective.
Laying it all out there and "wowing" shoppers with endless details, requires you to trust them to be able to pick and choose what is most important and relevant to their unique need - a truly monstrous, and relatively unfair, task to request of your valued customer.
What is becoming ever more apparent, is the need for editing in retail. Countless times throughout my experience at EuroShop, I entered a space only to find the products and services actually being sold were quite different than what I originally expected. Many spaces felt disjointed, unorganized, and directionless. This not only sparked disappointment, but frustration as well. It is so crucial that retail programs take a step back, and assess whether or not what their saying is sharp enough to cut through all of the other noise.
Editing for retail is not so much about tweaking design and copy as it is about taking the time to anticipate shoppers' needs before they enter the space. When you try and cast a large net without first testing the water, learning the environment, researching the patterns and trends, you will likely spend a lot of time and energy without ever catching the attention of the truly valuable customers. You have to understand what they are looking for - what will resonate with them. Then, you can thoughtfully craft timely messages that their ears and eyes will already be primed to interact with.
Here are three things you can do right now to make sure your display program cuts through all of the retail noise:
1. Predict the Purchase.
Today's shopper has more options for gathering and sorting information than ever before. What was once a linear path to purchase, now takes on a figure more reminiscent of an amoeba.
If you can recall from Biology 101, amoebas are single-celled organisms, that contain nuclei, and generally take on the shape of their environments. Likewise, today's typical path to purchase is fluid, ever-changing, and tends to follow the path of least resistance.
Following the path of least resistance means that which comes naturally and easiest (especially if it is a longstanding pattern) will likely determine which route is taken and choice is made. In science, we can view this through the evolution of a species. In retail, we see this in shopper habits and trends.
At the heart of any path to purchase, is the nucleus. This is the command center of your brand and your product offerings. Your nucleus should respond to the external happenings all around it. We know things about shopper demographics and behaviors that we could have only imagined 10 years ago. Dig deep to find out the inner workings of their mind as they wander the this path so when they enter your space, you can deliver appropriate messaging and product presentation with military precision.
2. Precision Delivery.
Too much information too soon, and you've lost them. Actually, too much of anything, at any point, will lose them. Organize and present your information and product presentation in a manner that is logical and easy to navigate. Hone in on what is most important, and be strategic in how you communicate that at every level.
Jon Bird, industry veteran with over 30 years of retail marketing communications experience, developed a simple way to view visual merchandising: Hi, Eye, Buy. This concept asks brands to think about the various levels of exposure their audiences face, and use that as the roadmap to effectively deliver messaging.
- Hi - How can you capture shoppers' attention at the highest level? What type of signage, graphics, indicators do you need to include that simply introduce the shopper to your brand? How will you invite them into your space?
- Eye - Once you make the introduction, how will you inform and educate them that your product is something of worth? How will you get them to interact and engage with the display? How will you make it easy for them to navigate the information you are presenting? How will you make a lasting impression...or at least one that remains long enough to get them to the check out?
- Buy - What elements do you need to include to convert interest into decision? How does this retail offering instill confidence in the choice they've made? What else can you deliver that will cause them to want to return?
3. Edit, Edit, Edit.
Work with your creative agency and make sure that only the absolute, necessary information is being delivered. Yes, you might have a million mega-watt gizmo, capable of delivering life at a rate only the sun could imagine, but your next customer may not care about the technology needed to make that happen.
At the point of validation, shoppers only need to know two things - how your product will make their life complete, and how to buy it. Don't overload them and create your own white noise.
Trust in the fact that your audience has already done their research, and knows everything there is to know about your product (and a few of your competitor's as well). Use extreme discretion when deciding which information will be presented, as you may only have their attention for less that 3 seconds.
In the words of one of my career mentors, Vince DeVita, K.I.S. Keep It Simple.
In conclusion, prior to leaving for Paris, I had already endured a month of vigorous travel, and once I returned home, it didn't end. With my attention being pulled in so many directions, and my mind hazy with jet lag, I decided to pull back when I finally returned home for good. I tuned out for a day so I could focus on what was important to me. This much needed mini-break, helped recenter, refuel, and rekindle a desire in me to go out and help others make the most out of their retail offerings.
If you feel like your retail space may be overwhelming - or, on the other end, too underwhelming - I'd suggest you do exactly as I did: take a step back, think about what is important, and make some changes so that what is important is what is communicated. It's easy to get lost in the noise that surrounds us. Use these three activities to help simplify your retail messaging, and reach out to us if you'd like to discuss how they can be applied to your unique setting.
Life needs some simplicity. Retail needs simplicity. Be a doer of great, and give your shoppers a much deserved break!


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I was in a yoga class about 8 years ago and one of the regulars in that class was an older gentleman, gray hair, maybe in his 70's. He didn't know it yet but I adored him. I adored his desire to stick with it and I was so proud of him everyday. I am pretty sure he had Parkinson's because his hands would shake. When he attempted doing side angle pose (the pose pictured above) I have a vivid memory of his stance being very narrow. He would open his stance as much as he was allowed, bend just a little bit and turn his body open to the side. He would try to put one arm in the air and one by his leg, but his arms, while extended, would actually be closer to the center of his body and while he held the pose his hands shook. He held and breathed into the pose just like the rest of us, but he shook.
SO, I'm not Einstien, but I bet that many of us who are not very flexible and had hands that shook, and probably shook more intensely as we extend them away from our body, might shy away from being in a yoga class setting. Not this guy. And this is why I adored him. He knew he was there to be present with himself and to gain what he could from yoga. I also appreciated the energy and focus that he would bring to class and share with all of us.
Time passed and about two months later my mat was next to his for our practice. I noticed that his final expression of this pose, side angle, for whatever reason that is the pose that sticks out in my mind the most. The final expression for him of this pose was incredible. He was in this beautiful lunge, lifting from his core and his arms, one fully extended to the sky and the other one truly by his leg. They still shook. And he still held the pose and breathed into it. And while he did my insides leapt! I was so impressed that he was gaining so much progress and that he did not shy away from practice.
After practice that day I gave him a hug and told him how proud of him that I was. He could have said, "I'm not flexible enough to go to yoga." I wish I could interview him today. I wish he could tell us his thoughts and journey with yoga. He probably would have some great insight.
I am grateful for every person who walks in the doors of the class that brings good energy and focus. I practice at home enough to appreciate the energy in a class and it is a beautiful thing, no matter what you can and can't do. Essentially we are all doing the same thing aren't we? Moving and breathing, being aware of our bodies, checking our thoughts at the door, yes we are all doing the same thing no matter how it looks, This is one reason I love yoga.