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Brett Moffitt began the Round of Six in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Playoffs with a runner-up finish at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday afternoon. The second-place effort is Moffitt's career-best at the "Paperclip" in three career NCWTS starts and his tenth top-five finish of the 2018 campaign.
After both practice sessions were washed out on Friday afternoon, the driver of the No. 16 AISIN Group, AW North Carolina Toyota Tundra rolled straight into the second round of qualifying and started the 200-lap event from 17th spot. Moffitt made steady progression during Stage 1 until a caution on lap 36 when he came to pit road for four tires and an air pressure adjustment for a tight balance on corner exit. Moffitt only gave up two positions for four fresh tires and restarted 16th on lap 44. At the end of Stage 1 on lap 50, Moffitt ran 14th, but stayed on track to gain track position under the caution.
When the event resumed on lap 61, Moffitt restarted ninth and finished the stage in the same position, which earned him two championship points. Moffitt returned to pit road under the stage caution for another batch of four tires, fuel, and a right-rear wedge adjustment to alleviate his tight condition on throttle and corner exit. Crew chief Scott Zipadelli's adjustments bore fruit as Moffitt wasted no time knifing through the field. He restarted ninth on lap 111 and entered the top five on lap 145. A restart on lap 160 delivered chaos among the top contenders in Turn 1 and allowed Moffitt to pick up two positions and moved into third for the subsequent restart.
Moffitt restarted third on the race's final restart on lap 168 and valiantly fought to maintain his position among the top trio. He chased down the No. 13 truck for the second position with less than 20 laps to go, and secured the runner-up spot on lap 187. Moffitt ran out of laps to make a charge for the lead and took the checkered flag in second, his second top-five result of the NCWTS Playoffs. He and the No. 16 AISIN Group, AW North Carolina team head to Texas Motor Speedway with a 15-point cushion on the cut line.
Brett Moffitt Quote:
"From where we started the day, I thought we were really good. We didn't unload the best, we didn't qualify the best, but we got better by the end. It's a bummer that we didn't get a bunch of stage points like we needed to, but we got a second-place finish. The guys work hard at HRE and I have to thank Toyota and TRD for always going to bat for us. And Mark Cronquist (JGR engine builder) and these Joe Gibbs engines. We've had badass tools all year long and I'm just thankful that they let us use them. Also thank AISIN and AW North Carolina for everything they do in making this race team happen."


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Adrian Cluff
Make this secluded desert contemporary estate your own private paradise. A creation by 3 Masters of the Southwest - architect Terry Kilbane, builder Jim Manship, and Design Directives Interiors - the home showcases the natural beauty of indigenous stone, wood and copper. This masterpiece is strategically sited on a ridgeline in a linear fashion to take full advantage of the southern exposure providing breathtaking mountain,Valley and city light views. Perfect for music and art lovers, the magnificent entertaining spaces flow seamlessly throughout the main level and exterior living spaces that include a large pool in the shape of a grand piano. Unparalleled attention to detail is found throughout from the stunning entry door to the beamed ceilings, copper hearths and mahogany cabinetry The chef's kitchen will surely inspire with its finest equipment and endless views. Escape to the irresistible master retreat with spacious bedroom, bath with steam shower and "Windows to the World" soaking tub, expansive closet, coffee bar, laundry and adjoining exercise room with "grand view" sauna. Executive office can also be an additional family room with its sectional seating area and large flat screen TV. Upper level guest wing provides added privacy, a comfortable screening room and a view balcony, all elevator accessible. All in fabulous Desert Mountain with 6 Nicklaus courses, golf learning center, 6 restaurants, world class Sonoran Club with spa/ fitness/tennis, private hiking trails and much more....
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subset: commoncrawl


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Yesterday we focused on God's grace in bringing an Iranian Muslim to saving faith in Jesus. The power of Jesus Christ is also alive in the life of an Arab Israeli determined to spread truth. His name is Yoseph Haddad, and he needs our prayers this week!
There are movements across American college campuses and elsewhere to promote anti-Israel sentiment and antisemitism. The BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction) Movement is most prominent, as attempts are made to isolate Israel. However, movements such as Breaking the Silence are spreading blatant lies about Israel in general, and specifically the IDF, and they are converging on Harvard University this coming week.
In the midst of it all, an Arab Israeli Christian is setting the record straight! An IDF veteran who fought in the Second Intifada and the Second Lebanon War, sustaining life-threatening injuries, Yoseph is breaking his silence! He, too, will speak at Harvard this week.
Read Breaking My Silence: An Arab Christian Speaks Out. (You can also see an interview with him on Israeli TV here.) More importantly, please pray for Yoseph Haddad as he speaks truth on one of America's most prestigious universities this week. Ask the Lord to fill the venue, and for Yoseph's message to go out clear and strong. May this man bring glory to God as he speaks the truth in a very secular setting.
I'm praying….will you join me?


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2016 is coming to an end and, girl aren't we ready to bring in the New Year with a bang. We're going to help you do just that with our party lovin' accessories! Let's start with Sticky, our best seller. This double sided tape is all you need to rid yourself of peeking gaps on your clothes and keep those slippery bra straps hidden. Not only is Sticky extremely thin and fabric friendly, it's also safe to apply directly onto the skin to hold those low necklines in place.
And, then there's Lowdown, a handy accessory that converts your regular bra back and takes it to an all time low. So get those sexy backed outfits out of your closets right away!
And, if you have one of those tricky outfits that don't go well with bras, say hello to Petals. These stick-on petals can be reused up to 100 times and offer a smooth, invisible look while the strong hypoallergenic adhesive keeps the petals from slipping – your best bet for those bra-less days!
Last but certainly not the least, we present to you Magik, a revolutionary strapless and backless bra that is made with a single mould, completely seamless and are reusable up to 40 times. It has a strong, hypoallergenic adhesive on the insides of the cups and straps, which keeps the bra from slipping. A must have to make any strapless outfit look stunning!
And, there you go – all you need to party all night, without a worry in the world!


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Scuba Skater Dress
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Product details
 Scuba Skater Dress For £5!
- 93% Polyester, 7% Elastane
- L: 35" (Shoulder To Hem)
- Model Wears Size 8
- Zip Back Fastening


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Fruit tree pollination is an integral part of tree care in order for fruit to develop. Some fruit trees need more than one tree in the vicinity in order to produce fruit, and some can stand alone. What they all have in common is the need for the attraction of insects, bees, birds, and other integral species to aid in the pollination process.
If you are interested in using native plant species to attract pollinators to your fruit tree or garden, then this is the class for you! Learn the basics about what to plant, where to plant, and what to look for to attract in this workshop.
This class will be taught jointly by native plant enthusiast and Master Gardener Eva Lusk, along with Master Gardener Coordinator Tim Kohlhauff.
Sunday, April 7th, 1-2:30PM
Niche Coworking, 25 W Main Ave. 3rd Floor
$12. Proceeds benefit Spokane Edible Tree Project.
Register here.


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Adolescent health
- Professor, School of Nursing
- Director, Center for Child and Family Health Promotion Research
- Director, Graduate Studies
- Director, PhD Program
Jayne Fulkerson, PhD, a professor in the School of Nursing, is available to discuss healthy mealtime behaviors among families and children, childhood obesity prevention and healthy home food environments. As principal investigator of HOME Plus, a researcher with the Project EAT team and several health-related centers at the University of Minnesota and Academic Health Center, Fulkerson is uniquely qualified to discuss the relationship between family, food and child health.
- Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Medical School
- Associate Director, Center for Rural Mental Health Studies
Jane Hovland, RN-MS, PhD, LP, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Dr. Hovland implements research involving chronic illnesses and mental health including stress and coping with chronic illness, alternative delivery systems for mental health care and interaction of physical and mental illnesses. She has worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in pediatric oncology and neurology, focusing on helping children and their families manage health challenges in a manner that enhances growth. She now maintains a private practice through the Center for Rural Mental Health Studies of the Medical School, Duluth, where she is recognized for her expertise in cognitive behavioral interventions in anxiety and depression. She has had numerous grants related to using and evaluating technology in rural settings, particularly integrating mental health services in rural primary care clinics.
- Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health
Toben F. Nelson, ScD, is an associate professor in the School of Public Health's Division of Epidemiology and Community Health. Dr. Nelson's research is focused in health policy, organizational change, health behavior during developmental transitions, influence of sports participation on health, social determinants of health, program evaluation, prevention of alcohol attributable harm, physical activity promotion, obesity prevention, and motor vehicle safety. His research recognizes the importance of environmental conditions for health and the value of combining a population perspective with an individual perspective for improving health.
- Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health
Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, PhD, MPH, RD, is professor in the School of Public Health's Division of Epidemiology and Community Health. Dr. Neumark-Sztainer's research focuses on adolescent health, nutrition, obesity and eating disorder prevention. She is the lead investigator of Project EAT, a study aimed at identify the socio-environmental, personal, and behavioral determinants of nutritional intake and weight status among a large and ethnically diverse adolescent population. Neumark-Sztainer is the author of I'm, Like, SO Fat! Helping Your Teen Make Healthy Choices about Eating and Exercise in a Weight-Obsessed World (Guilford Press 2005).
- Professor, School of Nursing
- Member, Center for Child and Family Health Promotion Research
- Member, Center for Adolescent Nursing
Renee Sieving, PhD, RN, PNP, is available to discuss opportunities for improvements in the health and well-being of vulnerable groups of teens and pre-teens. Her areas of expertise include the prevention of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, dropping out of school and youth violence.


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Spring Happening!
And the first hints of green unfurling on Wenlock's Linden Walk:
This week Ann-Christine at Lens-Artists asks us to show her creativity.
Spring Happening!
And the first hints of green unfurling on Wenlock's Linden Walk:
This week Ann-Christine at Lens-Artists asks us to show her creativity.
Those of you who come here often will know that the Linden Walk is Much Wenlock's best loved path; mine too as it is only a couple of minutes from the house. It is always beautiful – whether in storm, snow, rain, sunshine, with or without leaves. It is also the enduring gift of the town's physician, Dr. William Penny Brookes, who with his friends planted it in the 1860s. Thank you. Dr. Brookes. I should remember to say this more often.
This is my absolutely favourite Much Wenlock place (apart from home and the allotment), and it's just across the road from the house. The Linden Walk borders the Gaskell (Linden) Field, and until the 1960s, steam trains would have been chuffing past just a few metres to the right of the tree cutting sign. In Victorian times there used to be an Olympic Special that every year brought in hundreds of spectators to watch the July Olympian Games masterminded by the town's doctor, William Penny Brookes. The handsome station was only a hundred yards behind the point where I'm standing to take this photo.
Dr Brookes was also responsible for bringing the railway to Wenlock and for nagging his friends into helping him plant this double row of lime trees (Tilia x europaea). This was done in the 1860s, and I wonder if he foresaw then how lovely it would be. I'm guessing he would. He was a man of vision and a great believer in devising means to cultivate both the physical and mental well being of the townsfolk.
Apart from being a physician, he was also a keen botanist and, before taking over the town's medical practice from his father, he had studied herbalism at the University of Padua. Doubtless he would have known that preparations of lime flowers have strong sedative and pain relieving properties, a remedy to be treated with some caution.
I'm also sure he had in mind the blissful effect of simply wandering beneath an avenue of limes on a hot June day, absorbing the soothing green shade and breathing in the delicious fragrance of the trees' inconspicuous cascades of blossom. Now the trees are at peak leafiness they create a continuous arcaded canopy. The small hermaphroditic flowers also produce nectar which means there are bees. Blackbirds and squirrels forage round the roots. There is birdcall in the treetops, and even though the tree cutting sign suggests the barking of chainsaws, there was only quietness when I took the photo. The trimmers of the lime trees' epicormic growth must have gone to lunch. You can see the effect they have had if you compare the trees with those in the second photo taken the day before. While the overgrowth is boskily attractive it can get out of hand; limes are prone to fungal diseases, and so are probably best protected by improving ventilation.
In fact the continued good health of the Linden Walk it taken very seriously. Cricket club supporters and bowling club members are no longer allowed to drive their cars along the avenue as they were wont to do, an activity that threatened to compact the tree roots. In fact we've been told by a Professor of Lime Trees that the trees could live another 150 years if we look after them. What a treasure Dr Brookes left behind – for us and a few more generations yet.
Last week I found an arum lily behind our garden fence. On Sunday afternoon I found another fine specimen growing in the shade of the lime tree walk in our nearby Linden Field. I had gone there to photograph the lime trees coming into leaf, and the avenue was a haven of leaf shadow and dappled light, and wonderfully cool in our unexpected heatwave. There was also the heady whiff of wild garlic. The plants whose leaves I had been cropping earlier in the year were bursting with white star flowers. You can eat those too. But you definitely can't eat the arum lily, also known as Cuckoo-pint (pint to rhyme with mint), Lords-and-Ladies, Parson in the pulpit and Willy lily – though the roots were apparently once crushed to make household starch for crisping up Elizabethan ruffs (Richard Mabey Flora Britannica).
Wood Anemone . Anemone nemorosa . Windflower . Grandmother's Nightcap
I hadn't meant to go wild flower hunting. I was only intending a quick dash along the old railway embankment beside the Linden Walk. A bunch of wild garlic leaves was the objective. They had started appearing soon after the second snow, and I've been cropping them on and off since early February. Now all the shady ground either side the former track bed is carpeted in clumps of lush, green, garlicky leaves.
I've found that chopping them into a jar and steeping them for a week or so in unfiltered cider vinegar makes for a delicious salad dressing ingredient. You can also treat this as a general spring tonic – a dessert spoonful in a big glass of water. The leaves are also good in a pesto sauce instead of basil, and you can chop them with abandon into soups, curries and casseroles. When they start to flower, you can use the tiny white florets too.
Anyway, as I picking my way through the undergrowth I came upon the wood anemones creating their own little galaxies under the lime trees. They are one of the loveliest of our spring flowers, and their presence is an indicator of ancient woodland. In his Flora Britannica, Richard Mabey also says they do not seed, but their roots spread very slowly in dappled shade. If you spend some time with them, you will see how they turn their faces always towards the sun. Less appealingly, their foliage is said to have the musky odour of foxes, though I can't say I noticed any such smell when I sniffed the leaves.
copyright 2018 Tish Farrell
We've had gales, sleet, snow, frost, downpours and sunshine, lowering skies, gloom, dankness, glowing sunsets, and starlit nights, and throughout all variations it has been bitterly cold with far too many Arctic blasts and draughty peripheries. Yet despite the chill factor, some things seem to have been growing since December, many of them out of season.
For instance, up at the allotment this afternoon, I came upon a very confused globe artichoke. In the last few days it has grown some very chunky buds. Too soon, I tell it. It was also surrounded by a vigorous bouquet of spanking new foliage. In the garden at home a butter coloured geum has been flowering, one stem at a time, all winter. Likewise a blue penstemon. I have also been cropping the wild garlic leaves for several weeks. They are shooting up along the old railway line beside the Linden Walk.
All of which apparently tells me that it can't have been as cold as I think it has.
Certainly the spring flowers have not been deterred – celandines, snowdrops, primroses, crocus, flowering currant and hellebores all quick off the mark – with daffodils just on the cusp of opening.
Here then are February scenes around and about the Farrell domain in Much Wenlock:
To join in the Changing Seasons challenge please visit Su at the link:
We wake this morning to the kind of quietness that is only made by falling snow. I'm instantly thrilled – aware of the mood shift. Yesterday I felt like vestige-of-road-kill. Now I am fizzing like a firework. How did that happen?
At 8 am the landscape looks like a scene from a post nuclear winter, and as I tell Jo, when I take the header photo, I do not need the monochrome setting.
But by 10 am the sun is out, and the field at the back of the house is all of a sparkle.
I've not yet had breakfast, but I have to go out there. I wrap up in many layers, jump into my wellies. He who is sitting on the sofa reading The Guardian on his laptop, and still wearing his dressing gown, thinks I am nuts. I promise him toast on my return, dash out of the house and head for the Linden Field.
But even as I cross the playing field to the Linden Walk I know I've missed the moment –at least as far as the light is concerned.
As I pick my way up Windmill Hill, the blizzard begins, although I am briefly distracted from the change in the weather by three woolly dogs – large and small. They too are thrilled by the snow and have to tell me so. Icy muzzles push into my hands. Brrrr. Thanks a lot, dogs.
They bound away after their people and are soon lost from sight. It is then that I notice the weather is closing in fast. The wind is vicious. Much too cold to linger.
I retreat from the hill the long way round – this to avoid an unseemly slithering, bottom-first. By now it is hard to see where I'm going. Not only that, I'm turning into the Abominable Snow-Woman. Even the Linden Walk, when I reach it, offers precious little shelter. Goodness! This is the most exciting weather we've had in ages.
But still, enough mucking about in the elements. There's toast and Greek honey and good hot coffee to be had at home. Besides, any further inclinations to snap snow scenes may be catered for from the comfort of my desk and the window next to it.
Also I've remembered that I told Jo the snow wouldn't last. My mistake. We've had several inches in the past few hours. But the best thing is that there is far less traffic out on Sheinton Street, and what there is, is moving so slowly that it is wonderfully quiet. Reminds me that it's time to put in another request to the Council for a 20 mph speed limit. It's interesting how a spell of disruptive weather can remind one of what really matters re life and well being.
Here is a dog who knows just where he's going, taking the steps down to the old railway line that runs besides the Linden Walk. I caught him by chance in a beam of sunlight. This rather makes him look as if I stuck him on later. I also like the way his master has become a silhouette at the top of the steps. One my photo-accidents that turned out quite well.
While I'm here I'd like to wish you all a Happy 16th April in whatever capacity you are enjoying or celebrating it. As for me, I'm waging a campaign against moths – cleaning out my closet and putting all my fine wool items into the freezer for a fortnight. It's just as well the stock of frozen allotment beans and raspberries is now dwindling and I have a spare drawer for assorted Indian shawls. And in case you think this very odd behaviour for an Easter Sunday, my other half tells me that this is the only way to ensure my woollies are moth egg-free without the application of noxious chemicals. Apparently there is quite an outbreak of clothes moths in the UK just now. I'm wondering if this isn't due to all the buying of cashmere jumpers that people have been indulging in; it's ideal moth food. Anyway, it does have its uses being married to an entomologist.
Black & White Sunday Please visit Paula to see her mesmeric stairwell. If you follow her steps down and down, they could well take you to a parallel universe.
Here's another place I never tire of photographing – the Linden Walk. Not only is it lovely of itself, but it also leads to Windmill Hill, that other object of my snapping affections. I took this photo yesterday with the leaves whisking off the trees. It was too windy for those addicting musky smells of autumn leaf litter, and the delicious summer scent of lime tree flowers was only a memory (until next year of course).
But whatever the weather or time of year, this lime tree avenue is always a very soothing place to walk. Its other-worldly quality takes you out of yourself: a pathway to another dimension perhaps? Doubtless the town's physician, Doctor Penny Brookes, who planted the trees in 1869 was well aware of the calming properties of lime trees since he was also a Padua-trained herbalist.
When made into a tea, the blossoms have a sedative effect. This was a recommended therapy during World War 2 (Richard Mabey Flora Britannica).
But in the absence of linden flower tea, here's the lovely second movement 'Petals' from Takashi Yoshimatsu's Piano Concerto Memo Flora; Kyoko Tabe piano:
Post inspired as ever by Paula at Lost in Translation Please pay her a visit. CALM is today's watchword.
The Olympic Games begin in Rio today – cue views of Copacabana Beach and Corcovado Mountain with its astonishing statue of Christ the Redeemer. Now switch scenes to a small town in rural England, to a meadow in Much Wenlock, and turn back the clock to 1850, for this is where it began – the source and the inspiration for the modern Olympic Movement.
The town's physician, Dr William Penny Brookes was the man behind the revival of the ancient Athenian games. His objective was clear:
for the promotion of the moral, physical and intellectual improvement of the inhabitants of the town & neighbourhood of Wenlock and especially of the working classes, by the encouragement of out-door recreation, and by the award of prizes annually at public meetings for skill in athletic exercise and proficiency in intellectual and industrial attainments.
He had already started the Agricultural Reading Society and been hard at work raising funds from Shropshire's gentry to establish a working man's reading room, while lobbying every famous writer of the day to donate copies of their works to the cause. Much of the library still exists in the town's archives and includes some heavy-going and esoteric histories of far-flung lands. It is hard to guess the appeal of such books to farm hands and quarrymen after their long day's labours, but at least they would have had decent light to read by. Brookes was also behind the founding of the town's gas works.
Wenlock's Olympian Society grew out of the Agricultural Reading Society. The very first games were held on the town's race course but in later years took place (as they still do every year) on the field below Windmill Hill, now known as the Gaskell Recreation Ground, or as Penny Brookes himself called it, the Linden Field.
Nor was it any rustic village fete affair. The local MP J M Gaskell provided seating on Windmill Hill to give everyone a fine view, and the event was heralded with much ceremony, the town streets decked out from end to end, a parade of competitors, flag bearers and officials all marching with the local band. From the start, then, pageantry was a key part of the games, lifting people from their humdrum, hardworking existences. And although there were many fun contests and traditional country sports, the athletic events were taken seriously, and attracted competitors from all over the country. Prizes included silver cups and ink stands presented by local worthies and Penny Brookes designed elaborate medals – gold, silver, bronze, and had them made at his own expense.
News of the games spread far and wide, and indeed were spoken of in very high places. In 1890, when the French aristocrat Baron Pierre de Courbetin had been charged with finding ways to improve the fitness of the French Army, he was advised to go and see the Wenlock games. He stayed in Brookes' house on Wilmore Street during his visit, and what he saw and also learned from Brookes inspired him to found the International Olympic Committee. The IOC held their first games in Athens in 1896, and although Brookes did not live long enough to see the extent of his influence, de Courbetin gave him due recognition:
If the Olympic Games which modern Greece did not know how to establish again is revived today, it is not to a Greek that one is indebted, but to Dr. W P Brookes.
We the people of Much Wenlock are also indebted to Dr. Brookes for his planting of the lime tree avenue alongside the Linden Field where the games took place. As I've said before, it is one of the town's enduring treasures. The trees are over 150 years old, and still in fine form. There is no time of the year when this avenue is not beautiful. In winter it is deeply mysterious, a colonnade to another reality. But whatever the season, there is always a play of light and shadow. And there is windrush in the high canopies, and crow call. And in summer the soporific scents of tiny green lime tree flowers.
Here, then, are a few more views, and so when you see the grand and glamorous opening of the Rio Olympics, give a thought also to this place and the Shropshire doctor, who with the well being of his townspeople in mind, inspired the modern Olympic Movement:
This post was inspired by Paula's Thursday's Special theme 'shadow'. Please visit her blog and join in this week's challenge.
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It's been years since I last had a full-blown meltdown.
And that's pretty amazing. They used to happen frequently — say, every other week or so, when I was in rough shape… every month or so, when I was more stabilized. I had a rich history of meltdowns, from childhood on. My mother (who had her own set of issues) used to provoke and push and pick at me when I was younger, till I'd lose it and completely freak out, screaming and crying from overwhelm. She was so calm about it all… saying one thing after another that confused and frustrated me, and not stopping even when I was standing in front of her crying.
Overload. Complete. Effing. Overload. Verbal confusion. Trying to figure out what to say next. Unable to respond. All the words in my head turned up-side down and backwards. Trying to get the words out. Failing. Trying to understand what my mother was saying. Failing. Frustrated, at my wits' end. Failing.
The weird thing is, my mother actually seemed to enjoy watching me lose it. I did my best to hold my sh** together, but I failed. Over and over, I failed. And each failure primed me for even more drama and trauma later.
Meanwhile, the rest of family is leaving the room, or just ignoring what's going on. They didn't know how to handle it. They didn't know what to do. Either that, or they just figured I deserved what I got, since I was such a difficult case, to begin with.
Over the years, I've learned how to keep my mother from pushing me over the edge. I figured that out about 20 years ago, and the heavens practically opened up with light streaming down and angels bursting into song, when I was visiting my family and my Mom started picking at me… and I realized that I'd successfully avoided a meltdown from interacting with my mother. I'd deflected one of her classic attempts to "get at me" and push me towards a meltdown, and I'd actually been able to get out of the conversation with my dignity intact. I just didn't take her proverbial bait. I just stayed cool and compliant and went along with every single argument and contradiction she tried to throw out there.
And I was free.
Of course, that was at my parents' home. When I was away from the everyday. When I didn't have to keep up my daily routine.
In my own home, under everyday conditions, it was a different story. Work was incredibly stressful, because I didn't understand my issues, I didn't understand my own needs, and I kept pushing myself to do and be what everyone else was doing and being. I burned the candles on the whole candelabra at both ends, as was expected of me. Full-time work, helping a partner who had persistent health issues, pursuing my own interest, keeping active, keeping busy, and not much quality rest at all.
Because I had no idea how to relax. Why would I want to relax? Ridiculous.
And I melted down. On a semi-regular basis.
My jobs were all pretty terrible, before I got into web development. There was always so much interaction. So much interpersonal dealing… So many "shifting priorities" (read: people running the businesses had precious little idea what they were doing, and thought it was good practice to make it up as they went along). I had some pretty decent successes along the way, according to others' standards. But inside, I was dying. Seriously, I was dying.
And I melted down.
I feel so terrible for my wife, that she had to live with that for so many years. But neither of us had any idea about the Asperger's factor, or that I could be anywhere near the autistic spectrum, with all that entails. Sheldon Lee Cooper wasn't a regular visitor to our living room t.v. set, and as far as either of us was concerned, it was perfectly normal for me to drag myself out of bed, hours before I was ready to wake up, put on clothes that scratched and itched, commute to work surrounded by sociopaths in automobiles and self-absorbed narcissists on public transit, dive into a typical office environment, with fluorescent lights overhead and a constantly shifting flow of tasks and priorities that came at-me-at-me-at-me all day long, and then return home through all the commuters (who were even worse-behaved at the end of a long day) and finally get to decompress in front of the television.
As much as I wanted to do other things at the end of the day, like read and write and maybe do something social, the most I could do with my depleted energy level, was watch t.v. I can't even count how many hours I've lost to the "boob tube" — and plenty of really stupid programming, to boot.
Every single workday, it was the same. And it was brutal. I somehow always ended up in these really social positions, where I had to deal with people — God help me. Until, that is, I went into web development. That changed everything for the better. And I was happier than I'd ever expected to be, for a number of years. But still, there was pressure. And the workload was intense.
And I still melted down. Lost it. Freaked out, crying and wailing for hours on end. Slapping and hitting myself and grabbing my arms so hard, I bruised myself. Banging my head. I had to get it to stop. I had to make it stop. I couldn't take it. It was too much, and I was broken, defective, a waste of breath, for being so brittle.
Everybody else could do this. Why couldn't I?
Why the hell couldn't I?
A number of years back, I realized I was having some serious executive functioning (EF) issues, and I reached out for help. I came across websites that described the kinds of issues I was having, and I set out on a mission to fix those issues. I found someone who did EF rehab, and for about 8 years, we met almost weekly to work on my thinking process and sort things out. It really, really helped. And having someone to talk to on a regular basis, just to think through my daily / weekly routines and figure out how to order my life effectively, was a huge help to me.
And I stopped having meltdowns. I think the last time I had one was about 2010. I know I had one around 2008, but there may have been one later than that. Just having someone in my court to help me think things through and sort things out… it really helped take the pressure off. Plus, I was learning incredibly helpful thinking skills that gave me the tools I needed to manage my life and not get completely overwhelmed by little things.
Another thing that helped, I think, is that I went through an early menopause. I "finished up" about 10 years ahead of regular schedule — it runs in my family. And without the extreme monthly hormonal ups and downs, my life became considerably more serene. Delightful. Just delightful.
So, I've had a respite for a number of years, being supported and knowing there was somebody on my side. I really think having someone who could be there to back me up and help me make sense of things played a significant role in the meltdown subsidence.
Now, though, I'm dealing with a new EF coach, and she's not nearly as experienced or as mellow as my old EF coach. My old EF coach moved on to another job in another area, and he couldn't do sessions over phone or video (neither can I, actually — I hate them both). So, he recommended this new one, who is nice enough and is very well-intentioned, but she doesn't have the depth of experience. And she's pretty high-strung. High-powered. And she pushes me in ways that he never did.
Very different styles… I've got no problem with that. But now I don't have the same sort of support that I had for years, and it's stressing me. I'm feeling a bit abandoned — and exposed to the pushing of this new EF coach. She means well, she really does. She just doesn't seem to get that I need a more measured approach. She also doesn't know about the autistic piece of all this. She's going off information from my old EF coach, who told me flat-out that I'm not on the autistic spectrum because I don't fit the description of "Theory of Mind" problems. He pretty much shot me down, and since I'm prone to be trusting and naive and I've never been particularly good at advocating for myself with trained experts, I dropped my exploration of my spectrumicity, and focused on purely EF issues.
This new EF coach pushes. She presses me for answers, when I'm non-verbal and I just need to draw something, rather than talk. She pushes me to keep talking, keep talking… And it's maddening.
And I've started to have mini-meltdowns again.
Not burning-up-on-re-entry kinds of meltdowns, but really, really emotional stretches, when I'm on the verge of tears. It happens to me at work. It happens to me at home. It comes over me when I'm lying in bed, some nights. It just comes up — the emotional whirlpool that used to suck me down into the abyss.
It's happening again, and I don't much care for it.
More to come…


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How an Impala Inspired a BMW Bavaria Barn Find, Project Bavaria
Here at BAVauto® (Bavarian Autosport), we are enthusiasts, just like you. Some of us have come to BAVauto as BMW enthusiasts, some had never touched a BMW or MINI before coming to BAVauto. However, being enthusiasts, all have quickly picked up the bug. Chuck is one such long-time BAVauto employee and converted enthusiast. Here's Chuck's story on how he came to acquire his latest BMW project ……
As Chuck Tells it
When I was 5 or 6 years old, my father had a 1964 Chevy Impala convertible. We rode around in her cruising the beach, and everywhere else, all summer. Even a trip to the hardware store was fun. The car was like a giant couch and everyone loved her. She was black with a white roof and white vinyl interior. One day, she stopped running and it was discovered that the frame was a bit suspect. She was parked. Winter came, snow piled up all around it. My dog, Lady, decided to play king of the mountain on its roof and fell through. That was the end of that car. I was heartbroken, I had dreamed of learning how to drive in that car and one day owning it myself.
Since then, I have always wanted the same car. However, after 25 years in the BMW business, I decided I would try to get the BMW equivalent to the car I loved so much, so long ago. I decided to get a BMW Bavaria. As you can imagine, these cars are fairly hard to come by, especially in the north-east. Finnally. after a few months of looking, I found a 1974 in AmazonGrun. Automatic with brown interior. It hadn't run in a while and needed a lot of TLC. Challenge accepted.
Once we had her home, an hour of tinkering, with the help of my son, got her running. She needed some brake work so we could go and stop. We took care of the brakes and finally took her for a ride through the neighborhood. Much more work was needed, but we were on the way to success!
In The Mean-Time
As with most car enthusiasts, I never stop looking at other cars for sale and another Bavaria came up. It was quite a bit farther away, but was a small-bumper 1973 (the year I was born) with a manual transmission (!). '73 was the last year of the Euro-style bumpers, instead of the aluminum "diving boards" that BMW was forced to put on in '74 for the US DOT required 5mph crash protection. The car was Malaga (maroon) with peanut butter colored interior. Okay, grab a trailer and it's road trip time (a story for another day) to NJ, where the car is located.
The barn doors open and there she is. A true barn find (well, garage find). A California car that hasn't been running for years and was stored out of the weather the whole time….by the original owner.
Out into the daylight and a quick wash. Not bad at all.
Ok, don't look too eager, but let's get her on the trailer. Actually, the seller was very pleased to know that the car was going to a long-time BAVauto employee and enthusiast.
We got her home and after some troubleshooting and a battery change, she fired right up! The dual Weber 32/36 carbs and Stahl long tube headers were singing their song.
It even has all the correct pedals!
The interior will clean up nicely … And a classic MOMO steering wheel to top it off!
She is, indeed, a nice car. The previous owner let me know that the head had a small crack, so we let her run for a while to see what he meant. It took some time, but we finally found it, a small crack inside one of the spark plug tubes. Luckily, there was a complete spare cylinder head in the trunk (the trunk in this thing is huge!). The "spare" head is now at the machine shop being checked for cracks, etc.
More To Come….
So, the green Bavaria has already been moved to another owner and the Malaga Miss is here to stay. Obviously, we have a lot more to do on a vehicle that has not run for over a decade, but this is what we at BAVauto love to do, whether its for ourselves or helping our customers with their projects. Stay tuned for future installments ….. and we'll keep sharing it with YOU!
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Inventory doesn't have to be miserable.
We at Shopventory work with thousands of merchants all over the world. So, we know the words "year-end inventory" often strike terror into the hearts of most retailers. However, there's no better time than a end-of-the-year inventory count to get your business organized and be certain you're starting the new year right.
Here are your seven steps to year-end inventory Nirvana:
1. Assess your current status.
'Before and After' pictures are a good way to know if your diet plan works. Before you re-model your inventory, it's good to know what you "believe" you have in stock and what it is worth (cost and retail value).
Your inventory management solution must have a reliable way to get this information in a report. Shopventory users can simply pull an inventory report for any time in history. (So you can still get the history, even if you've already made the changes!) You will want to compare what you believe you have to the actual, completed inventory count after the count is done.
2. Prepare.
Let your staff know when you plan to do year-end counts well in advance and plan it out. Will you close the business for a certain period to complete the counts or count while your store is still operating? Each business is different and has its own restrictions for when and how to complete a year-end inventory count.
Make sure you think about what materials you'll need. Print out item count sheets by store area, category, aisle, SKU, etc. — whatever works best for your business. Some mobile tablet solutions exist for counting inventory but sometimes good old paper works just as well, if not better.
A good count sheet should include the SKU number, product description, and a blank space for the actual count. Shopventory users have easy access to Inventory Reconciliation Worksheets that make it easy to stick on a clipboard and do a count.
Do NOT provide the current count estimates from your inventory system as this will bias the counters.
Want to take control of your inventory?
Start your full-feature 30-day free trial of Shopventory today!
3. Do the count.
Divide the store floor into sections and assign one or two counters to each section. If you have the luxury, it's better to assign two people to each counting team so they can both count the same item at the same time and confirm the result. This usually speeds up the overall process and can greatly improve accuracy.
When doing the count, it's a good idea to set aside phones and gadgets. Texting and taking calls only disrupts counts and can really add up to hours worth of delays.
Make sure to communicate this is not an estimate. Ask for the counters to initial each entry after they count. Let them know you will randomly audit several of their counts to double check for accuracy.
Let your counters know there may be cases of products or loose items above, below, or behind a shelf, or even in the back of the store. If counts are off by a large margin, this is often the reason.
4. Make it as fun as possible.
Bring food, snacks, and drinks for breaks. Or, treat everyone to dinner afterwards for some post-count team-building. Give 10- or 15-minute breaks every hour or two for folks to chat and check their mobile phones for messages. Counting is tiring and people start to prefer speed over accuracy. Making it less of a chore ensures people are more engaged in the process.
5. Assign a troubleshooter.
If a specific item count is off by a large number (you can decide the number), then have one person (perhaps you) who is the designated troubleshooter. That person should be the one to research the discrepancy — in real time if possible — so you can try to find the missing product. It's more efficient for the counters to stay focused.
6. Manage your overstock.
If you have an overstock/warehouse/back stock area in your store, try to do those counts a day or two before the actual floor stock count. These are usually a lot easier and can be handled by one or two people. This way, the day of the count can be focused only on the area where additional manpower is needed.
Be sure to mark the boxes as counted with stickers or markings to let folks know they should not put that product on the floor until after the floor count is completed.
7. Reconcile.
After you're confident that your counts are good, enter the adjusted counts into an inventory management system like Shopventory. Spreadsheets are awesome, but they are manually managed. Every day that goes by, that information becomes more and more stale unless someone is constantly devoting time to keep them up to date. Shopventory starts at less than a dollar a day for a robot to do the same more reliably and in real time.
When you make adjustments, make sure to note why you're making the change along with the name or initials of the person making the adjustments. Auditing becomes a lot easier if you know who made what changes when. That's why Shopventory lets you add a note to every adjustment made to your inventory. If you discover a large number of discrepancies, you may want to institute monthly or weekly "cycle counts" of specific product categories.
Nirvana is at hand!
Having an easy-to-use, real-time inventory management solution will make your life easier. It also helps eliminate losses and employee theft going forward as your workers become aware of your investment and the importance of tracking inventory accurately as it flows through your store.
In short, a good accurate count lets you know how much money you have tied up in inventory and gets you off and running for the next year... and we'll prove it!
This year, we are offering a full-feature 30-day free trial of Shopventory. In fact, we'll even back Shopventory with a 30-day money back guarantee. That means you get a total of 60 days risk-free to get your inventory ready for the new year!
You can start now with no credit card required! Tens of thousands of merchants trust Shopventory to manage over a billion dollars worth of inventory all over the world. See what all the fuss is about!
Full Disclosure, this a revision of an article originally written by our CEO Dave Carlson for the Town Square blog. You can find the orginial post at this link: https://squareup.com/townsquare/7/


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My Sisters and Brothers,
I pray you are finding the joy and hope that Advent encourages in your life.
I write this to remind you that this Sunday, December 4, at 12:15 pm, we will come together in Triplett Hall for a Church Conference. The purpose of the Conference is to consider preliminary plans for the building project. THE CONFERENCE WILL VOTE ON WHETHER TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS. THE NEXT STEP WILL BE TO HAVE OUR ARCHITECT DRAW DETAILED PLANS AND COST ESTIMATES. ANOTHER CHURCH CONFERENCE WILL THEN BE HELD TO DETERMINE THE NEXT STEP. All Church Members will have voice and vote. Make every effort to be present.
- Raze 3 buildings on Broad Street
- Build 3-story facility with 23,000 sq. feet
- 19,000 sq. feet will be usable ministry space
- New facility will include:
Space for full-time weekday Day Care
Expanded space for Children's Ministry
Additional space for Adult Classes
Youth Ministry Space
Multi-purpose space to accommodate groups for fellowship.
community usage, contemporary worship, large dinners/banquets, and plays
Office space that will accommodate all program and support
A Community Room that will accommodate larger classes,
receptions, small dinners, and fellowship
The new building exterior will complement existing Broad
Street UMC buildings and be compatible with other
downtown architecture
Join me in praying for God's vision and direction for the church as we consider ministry for the next 50 years!
Sharing the journey with you,
Randy Martin
My Sisters and Brothers,


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Posted on August 11, 2016
Mayoral candidate Mark Thomas says the Unitary Plan may struggle to deliver the affordable housing the region needs, quickly enough.
"We urgently need new housing, but that is not all the plan needs to deliver. He agrees with the Property Institute that the Recommended plan lacks balance. This new housing must be affordable, it needs to be well designed and as Aucklanders know only too well it has to be linked to fixing our infrastructure deficit."
"I urged councillors to reject those parts of the plan that won't deliver affordable housing more quickly and which lack balance. The 'easy option' is to return to the consulted notified plan option or council's most recently agreed position at Panel mediation."
"Council's proposed plan also targeted 10% affordable housing being provided in developments greater than 15 units. However the Panel rejected this on the back of submissions from, among others, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Yet this approach is comparable to what the Government has done with own affordable housing developments in Hobsonville and Weymouth. It was designed to fix a current 'market failure."
"I believe councillors should have rejected the Panel's affordability recommendations and return to that proposed by council.
"A further problem is the Panel rejecting the principle that infrastructure provision/funding should be linked to land use planning. We see the problems caused by this approach all around Auckland."
"The infrastructure planning recommendations of the Panel need a better alternative so we can plan for new housing that delivers better coordinated transport and other infrastructure."
"I also believe the Panel's decision to abandon the pre-1944 building demolition control overlay is wrong although understandable. Council did not do an adequate job researching this issue and confused its argument by attempting to change the definition of special character to historic character."
"The big gains Auckland needs to make in affordable housing will not be made anytime soon in the pre-1944 areas and so I support rejecting this recommendation with the new council committing to a properly resourced exercise to confirm what pre-1944 housing stock meets the special character threshold."
Thomas said the 'heroic" Panel house building targets of 18,000 per year have no prospect of being achieved without massive changes to council's budget and internal processing.
"Council will need to shift much more of its budget into house building infrastructure such as transport, water and other community assets."
Thomas has already proposed to reverse Len Brown's $100M transport budget cut over three years and he wants to 'swap' the value of some of council's airport shares and the port operating company into these 'growth' assets if Aucklanders agree.
"The Recommended Plan is radically different plan to the one council consulted on and proposed in 2013. Rather than a 'rules-based' approach, it adopts much more of a 'hands-off' method."
As a member of part of Auckland Council, Thomas has attended several briefings on the plan.
"It will take some time for both council officials and market players to sort out how to apply the new plan's provisions – which further risks delaying new housing building."
"There are parts of the Plan that won't work. The idea that we can fix Auckland's affordability problems quickly by expanding into suburban Auckland is wrong. A greater range of housing types in suburban Auckland is inevitable – but Council's first focus has to be in the areas where scale housing can be built more quickly."
His plans included ramping up plans in council owned areas such as Henderson, Onehunga, Manukau and Takapuna.
Thomas said the Panel's approach to create a simpler plan that is easier to work with is creditable, but parts of the plan risk losing the guidance designed to make it work effectively.
In his growth policies released in June, Thomas committed to accelerating affordable housing developments by increasing resourcing to the council's development arm Panuku Development Auckland. He has also urged the Government to fast-track its urban development authority proposal. However he has flagged that if elected Mayor will propose a plan change to fix the specific rules that do not deliver an affordable, better balanced unitary plan.


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Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is just a couple of weeks away. And it seems like the company is ready to get back into putting massive hardware into its Note devices.
A teaser for the phones flaunts that the phone might be sporting a new, massive battery. Some rumors suggest it could have a capacity of 4,000mAh, making it the largest battery ever built into a Note device. That's a significant upgrade over last year's phone and even the doomed Note 7 from 2016.
The Note 7 had a 3,500 mAh battery, which exploded or caught fire across the globe. After this massacre, airlines across the world started banning the device. And after spending the rest of 2016 apologizing, Samsung then retreated in its quest for a larger battery the following year with the Note 8, which featured a smaller 3,300mAh capacity.
However, it seems this time that Samsung is confident enough to not only include a large battery in its new phone, but also sell it as a key feature. Samsung needs the Galaxy Note 9 to be significantly different from other devices and not just a Galaxy S9+ with a stylus.
Are you excited about the Galaxy Note 9? Let us know in the comments below.


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Photo by Loretta Yerian.
Sports Schedule
The team plays next against the Mayer Wildcats Jan. 6 at Grand Canyon.
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — The Phantoms lost a competitive game, 48-38, to 1A Central region rival Mogollon Dec. 15 in Heber, Arizona.
Despite staying within striking distance through the game, head coach David Perkins said the team was ultimately undone by turnovers and poor shot selection.
Junior Aleryn Reid stepped up for the Phantoms, scoring 12 points and was 80 percent from the free throw line. Mason Tacey had nine points, while Rufus Keebahe contributed four points and seven steals. Melakai Longhoma and Neegoh Kaska led the defensive effort for the Phantoms, hauling in 17 rebounds between the two of them.
"If we can be a little more patient on offense, make the right pass and select the best shot, I think we will continue to improve," Perkins said.
Against the Joseph City Wildcats Dec. 16, Perkins said the Phantoms played tough and had a chance to take the game until key players Tacey and Kaska went down with injuries. Without Tacey on the court, the Phantoms' shooting went cold in the fourth quarter and the Wildcats' offense took over, leading to a lopsided defeat, 54-37.
Reid contributed 10 points, followed by Keebahe with eight. Longhoma was once again a defensive power, pulling down 11 rebounds. Tacey had nine and Kaska eight as the Phantoms outrebounded the Wildcats 37-26.
The loss also marks another set of unfortunate injuries to the team – senior and team leader Travis Moreno went down with injuries in the season-opening tournament in Williams Dec. 1. Tacey and Kaska suffered potentially serious injuries as well. Perkins said the team hopes all three players can make a complete recovery before the end of the season.
The Phantoms are currently ranked sixth in the 1A Central region.
The team plays next against the Mayer Wildcats Jan. 6 at Grand Canyon.
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The Return Of Linda Perhacs
Second album by lost legend of folk follows her first after 44 years. MOJO exclusive interview!
LOST LEGEND OF FOLK Linda Perhacs has completed her second solo album, 44 years after her first and last – the extraordinary, translucent Parallelograms – disappeared from view, to be passed down with reverence by connoisseurs of rare and transporting vinyl.
The Soul Of All Natural Things is released on Sufjan Stevens' Asthmatic Kitty label on March 17, 2014. Featuring musical and production support from Fernando Perdomo and Chris Price and guest appearances by Nite Jewel and MOJO fave Julia Holter, it finds Perhacs' crystal voice astonishingly unchanged. As the singer told MOJO yesterday, it is a conscious continuation of Parallelograms.
"My co-producers are very in touch with the internet," said Perhacs. "They live and breathe iPhones! And they heard what people were saying out there. As producers, they wanted a seamless transition between this album and the '70s record and they really did not want a whole new direction. I knew there were people out there who were hidden away all over the world who really loved that record and got peace from it. There are people who play that record at 12 o'clock midnight to calm down. It's almost like scripture to them, it seems, so I couldn't disappoint them."
A teaser track, Freely, has been released to the net and can be heard here…
After Parallelograms, Perhacs returned to her day job as a Beverly Hills dental hygienist. But her revival – explored at length in Andrew Male's popular Lost Women Of Folk article in MOJO 240 – has been underway since 2003, when a new pressing of Parallelograms was made by the New York-based reissue label Wild Places, and Linda subsequently appeared on Devendra Banhart's 2007 album Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon. More recently she has performed live with MOJO fave Julia Holter and her own group, who grace the stage at London folk Mecca Cecil Sharp House, tomorrow night (December 5).
"The experience has been so wonderful," Perhacs told MOJO. "I have a great band, too, where everyone gets to do a solo spot – because it can't all be about me and I want them all to express themselves. Fernando and Chris get to do their thing. Michelle Vidal is also with me and she plays amazingly, and she's created what is almost a gospel section in the show. And then there's Durga McBroom Hudson who has sung with Pink Floyd for a number of years. When she sings the universe hears her. Every night I just tell her to cut loose and we really do. She's been so inspiring."
At 70 years of age, producing work of magical quality after years in the wilderness, the same is true of Perhacs herself, in spades.


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A number of years ago now the first private brand products with 100% satisfaction guarantee hit the shelves. If you're not happy, you get a full refund or replacement product. This has now become the norm and in a recent S4RB survey (Q1, 2016) 100% of the retail private brands surveyed in the UK offered a 100% 'quality promise', whether this be refund, replacement or even in some cases a replacement and your money back.
In a similar survey of 80 North American private brands, 92% also carried some form of no quibble money-back guarantee. It's no surprise that this figure is close to the UK's, given how many nations look to the UK as the spiritual home of retail private brands.
In the UK, The Consumer Rights Act (updated in Oct 2015) enshrines the right to money back if goods are faulty, but not so for complaints such as "this pasta sauce tastes bland" which is subjective, a matter of opinion. This is why, for so many of the private brands, the promise relates to quality with a commitment to refund or replace if 'you are not entirely satisfied' or if the product 'falls below the high standard you expect'.
What is behind these guarantees is a commitment from the retail private brands that, in short, offer 'complete satisfaction or your money back'. A desire for ultimate confidence in and satisfaction with the private brand. But all these years since first launched and with the guarantee such common place (100% of brands surveyed in the UK and 92% of those surveyed in North America) it is no longer a point of difference; it is expected.
Therefore, when consumers call to complain, we believe that the ideal customer experience needs more than a "Sorry, here is your refund". The refund or replacement solves the particular problem but does not fix the 'experience'. The consumer still had the dissatisfaction of a product that (in their eyes) failed to deliver, and then the inconvenience of the complaint process.
And the customer will still often tell their friend of their disappointment. According to the White House Office of Consumer Affairs the news of bad customer service reaches more than twice as many ears as praise for a good service experience.
This realisation was the inspiration behind our UBX LINK™. With thousands of products from hundreds of private brand suppliers across dozens of categories, it is no surprise that the call centre agent can do little more than collect the facts and honour the no quibble guarantee. This fixes the problem but it does not fix the experience. It does not make the customer more likely to buy that product again.
According to Lee Resources: 80% of companies say they deliver "superior" customer service, whereas only 8% of people think these same companies deliver "superior" customer service.
Now contrast the following scenario:
The customer complains that the product is bland and receives their refund. Complaint volumes (CPMU) are not materially on the increase, so the issue doesn't surface to the product manager. However, with UBX LINK™, the complaint is escalated to the private brand supplier. The supplier doesn't just receive a charge-back for the refunds, but can see all of the incidents including the verbatim feedback. They use this to inform recommendations to evolve the product. What's more, when the revised product is in development, these same consumers are offered a free sample of the product for feedback.
It may not need to be so extreme. To simply follow up with the customer and thank them for their feedback is still extremely valuable.
Either way, the supplier can work with the retail private brand team to provide products that consumers want. Use complaints not simply as incidents to be closed, but as one more way to listen to customers. Call centres, social media and returns are all channels to listen into for insights which can inform EPD and NPD.
Furthermore, the customer receives a different level of experience and now feels valued, resulting in increased empathy and loyalty to the brand.
When retailers are fighting as hard as ever for market share, this is all food for thought when (according to an American Express) three in five people (59%) would try a new brand or company hoping for a better service experience.


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The Ultimate Guide to Tshirt Quilts Ebook
The Ultimate Guide to Tshirt Quilts Ebook
Can you imagine turning all of your special but rarely worn tshirts into a cozy quilt that you could snuggle under every night? It can keep you company while you watch tv, read, or fight a cold. Imagine doing the same with your kids' favorite tshirts that they love but have outgrown. Believe it or not, tshirt quilts are easy and fun to make, and this ebook will help you succeed!
*Please note that this is a digital download PDF Ebook. A link to download the pattern will be sent via email after payment is received*
Ebook includes instructions for 7 sizes of rag-style tshirt quilts and 6 sizes of traditional tshirt quilts, plus tips for making your own custom sizes.
Tshirt quilts have a bad rap in the quilting world, but you can make yourself (or your huband/children/other close people) a tshirt quilt with confidence and much less stress than you think. A friend from guild came to me recently and asked for help on a tshirt quilt she had been avoiding for two years. I talked her through the steps and tips in this book, and she had the quilt totally done just a couple of weeks later. At guild she told me, "I don't know why I've been so scared—that was so much easier than I thought!" It IS easier than you think, and I'm going to give you all my secrets from making 100+ tshirt quilts!
- Basic Sewing Machine with Walking Foot
- Heavyweight (16/100) ball-point needle
- Durable thread (my favorite is Coats and Clark all-purpose)
- Rotary cutter (with fresh blade) and self-healing mat
- 12.5 x 12.5 inch cutting ruler
- 8.5 x 24 inch cutting ruler
- ball-point sewing pins
- Seam ripper (just in case)
- Iron with steam and ironing board (Traditional Style Only)
*Please note that this is a digital download PDF Ebook. A link to download the pattern will be sent via email after payment is received*
**This ebook is for your personal use only. It may not be reproduced or distributed in any way. Thank you for your cooperation and respect**
Questions? Email HollyAnne at stringandstory (at) gmail (dot) com


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A cosy cafe located on the corner of De Vos Avenue and Duplication Road. Here we pamper our patrons with free wifi, free use of our card & board games, and a small collection of books & magazines to read whilst you enjoy our menu of sumptuous signatures such as Colombo's Blackest Coffee, or our own twist on an all-time local favourite – Kimbula Bun.
- Mon to Sun
10 am – 9 pm


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Farshid Khojasteh
- aYoung Researcher and Elite Club, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran
Antonio Francisco Roldan Lopez De Hierro - Department of Mathematics, University of Ja´en, Ja´en, Spain
In this work, we want to investigate and improve the concept of manageable functions and M_n (R)-contractions in order to extend the theory of multi-valued contractions and fixed point results
Manageable function, Hausdorff metric, α-admissible multi-valued map, regularity, fixed point
[1] A. Amini-Harandi, Endpoints of set-valued contractions in metric spaces, Nonlinear Anal., 72 (2010), 132–134
[2] S. Banach, Sur les op´erations dans les ensembles abstraits et leurs applications aux ´equations int´egrales, Fund. Math., 3 (1922), 133–181
[3] M. Berinde, V. Berinde, On a general class of multi-valued weakly Picard mappings, J. Math. Anal. Appl., 326 (2007), 772–782
[4] Lj. B. Ciri´c, ´ contraction and fixed point theorems, Publ. Inst. Math., 12 (1971), 19–26
[5] S. Reich, Fixed points of contractive functions, Boll. Un. Mat. Ital., 5 (1972), 26–42
[6] P. Z. Daffer, H. Kaneko, Fixed points of generalized contractive multi-valued mappings, J. Math. Anal. Appl., 192 (1995), 655—666
[7] W. S. Du, On coincidence point and fixed point theorems for nonlinear multivalued maps. Topology Appl. 159 (2012), 49–56
[8] N. Hussain, A. Amini-Harandi, Y. J. Cho, Approximate endpoints for set valued contractions in metric spaces, Fixed Point Theory Appl., 2010 (2010), 13 pages
[9] S. B. Nadler, Multi valued contraction mappings, Pacific J. Math., 30 (1969), 475–488
[10] N. Mizoguchi, W. Takahashi, Fixed-point theorems for multi valued mappings on complete metric spaces, J. Math. Anal. Appl., 141 (1989), 177–188
[11] B. E. Rhoades, Some theorems on weakly contractive maps, Nonlinear Anal., 47 (2001), 2683–2693
[12] S. Moradi, F. Khoajsteh, Endpoints of multi valued generalized weak contraction mappings, Nonlinear Anal., 74 (2011), 2170–2174
[13] W. S. Du, F. Khojasteh, New Results and Generalizations for Approximate Fixed Point Property and Their Applications, Abstr. Appl. Anal., (2014) 2014, 9 pages


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Our thoughts, prayers and support go out to the victims and survivors of the Parkland, FL high school massacre. While we sincerely hope that a serious dialogue begins about viable solutions to prevent such incidences of domestic terrorism, we, unfortunately, remain very pessimistic about any productive bipartisan efforts that would result in saving lives and preventing future acts of violence.
It is our strong feeling that while everyone feels shocked about what happened, it is responsible gun owners that feel worse about this and all the other tragedies that have occurred. This is because we know that after such horror, all we see from the media and our elected politicians will amount to nothing more than the usual misinformation, psychobabble and meaningless double talk. It results in hours of incessant and annoying breaking news sensationalism that will do nothing to cure the problem, but will, bottom line, be nothing more than a cheap shot to gun, enthusiasts and the gun industry.
We will hear about more intense gun control and banning certain types of weapons. The old call for eliminating the sale of bump stocks will arise again. There will be the mindless social media obnoxious proliferation of hash-tags, go-fund me sites and celebrities droning on about the evil NRA. Pseudo journalists like Chris Matthews and Harris Faulkner anxiously waiting to "discuss" the panacea of gun-free Australia while taking a quick pause from their infatuation and sensationalism of the latest presidential tweet or memo from Congress. Out of the dark corners like roaches will come the former, retired, ex, one-time, prior, resigned and terminated former "experts" to get their 2 minutes of on air exposure.
Law enforcement calls it LDLR or (it) just doesn't feel right. That is precisely what all this is. We in the business of guns know that all this garbage in – garbage out talk is a waste of time. We know that it just doesn't feel right, it's BS. In "Atlas Shrugged", Ayn Rand said it best - "The general policy of the press had been stated by a famous editor five years ago. There are no objective facts, he had said. Every report on facts is only somebody's opinion. It is, therefore, useless to write about facts." That was written in 1957. Nothing has changed.
The dinosaur brain thinking of the media and Hollywood is sadly mirrored by our government. On FOX, we watched our director of national "intelligence", Dan Coats, testify before Congress that a key component to the (war on drugs) opioid epidemic in the United States would be to push "just say no" talks between parents and kids in church on PTA's (parent teacher associations). This absurdity exemplifies the out of touch mindset of our Federal government toward guns, crime, drugs and health care.
We were shocked last week when The New York Times actually published an op-ed piece by John R. Lott, Jr. saying that "Background checks are not the answer to gun violence." If you don't know John, we highly recommend you read his book "The War on Guns: Arming Yourself Against Gun Control Lies". It is available through Amazon Prime.
So, what now? Where do we go from here? Should we avoid talking about the cesspool of violence in Chicago? Maybe we need a total ban on anything that could possibly hurt us. That's the role of government - correct? A few idiots eat Tide pods so let's ban them. Do we need background checks on anyone that wants to buy laundry detergent? It's a miracle that you can still purchase a crock pot or go to the hardware store to get nails or an ax. These are not the solutions.
Is not the real problem here the individual and not the gun? What about the already broken system not functioning properly, again, in Parkland? Why is it not the role of local law enforcement based on information from the schools and the community to "keep an eye" on troubled individuals? With the all the advanced technology we now have, all this "insta-sharing" of everyone's private business, locations and photographs on social media, there is less efficiency of taking care of our communities and protecting us than ever before?
All the increased gun "control", bans and limitations will do nothing. It's all a smokescreen masking the real problem. We have the resources to protect ourselves, but they are not allocated properly. What good are all the social services in the world if they don't do their job. What good is the FBI if they can't simply do the proper follow up of viable tip? The system failed – again. Guns have been in existence for hundreds of years, helping to feed and protect the population. The right to gun ownership is a key component of freedom. What is very different now is the unaddressed and untreated mental illness of a small number of sick individuals that is the real cause of domestic terrorism. Saying it was the weapon is nothing more than a cheap shot to guns.


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OCZ High Grade Memory - PC4800 DDR and PC5400 DDR-2 (Page 1)
We all know by now who OCZ are and what they offer. OCZ have been one of the biggest names in extreme overclocking products for quite some time now. They base their products around pure performance, enthusiasts and overclocking artists. Most of us know them for their memory products, but OCZ has branched out further than this since their humble beginnings of just coolers and thermal paste.
We have been privy to quite a few OCZ products, some have been good, some have made us wonder why they were ever released and some have just made us want to bow down to the expertise and shier amazement that OCZ was able to put out these products.
Today we are taking a look at some of OCZ's fastest memory on the market. First off we have the AMD Athlon 64's pride and joy, PC4800 DDR SDRAM with the branding "EL Platinum Limited Edition". After this we also have the Pentium 4's ultimate companion - low latency DDR-2 SDRAM at 667MHz with the branding "EL Gold Edition".
Just how do they stack up? Let's take a look and see as we take a quick look at the modules, how well they overclock and how DDR fairs against DDR-2.
PRICING: You can find products similar to this one for sale below.
United States: Find other tech and computer products like this over at Amazon's website.
United Kingdom: Find other tech and computer products like this over at Amazon UK's website.
Canada: Find other tech and computer products like this over at Amazon Canada's website.


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At AquaSun Outdoor, we are proud to offer factory direct to you the finest fiberglass swimming pools manufactured today, as well as the best concrete swimming pool construction around.
With more than 15 year's experience in the pool construction business, both fiberglass and concrete, we have the experience, expertise, and know how to make your project a success. So allow us to transform your backyard into that dream vacation paradise for you to enjoy every day.
Our dedicated crew has experience with every type of pool and terrain and can advise you on the best pool for your family and budget. Our dedicated team will help you choose a pool that suits your needs and customize it to compliment your home and your lifestyle.
Customer service is our #1 priority. We pride ourselves in making your pool installation process as stress-free as possible by keeping appointments and timely installations. We're also available after you begin swimming in your new pool to answer any questions you may have.


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The Last Romances and the Kelmscott Press
London: William Morris Society, 2009. Paperback. Annual Kelmscott lecture given on 28 October 2006. Fine in blue side-stapled paper wrappers with black title and illustration to front cover. Clean and bright with seven illustrations. 40 pages. MOR/080515. Fine. More about The Last Romances and the Kelmscott Press


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Sometimes, we need a little indulgence. And who doesn't love peanut butter balls? Let's get real, peanut butter and chocolate is a match made it heaven. However, most peanut butter and chocolate combos are full of modified, refined, processed and unknown ingredients that are hard to pronounce. The peanut butter balls you'll make with the recipe below from Oh She Glows, on the other hand, are made with good-for-you ingredients and they taste amazing. These little guys are such a hit, especially when you bring them out at social gathering for friends and family… if you can resist 'em long enough to share 'em! Enjoy
Peanut BETTER Balls
- 1 cup 100% natural peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) could use almond butter instead
- 3.5-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup, to taste (see note)
- 2-3 tablespoons coconut flour (I used 2)
- fine grain sea salt, to taste (I used 1/4 teaspoon)
- 6 tablespoons gluten-free rice crisp cereal
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oi


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Remote Starts
Boost Your Comfort with a Remote Start
Remote starts have become increasingly popular with car owners. Newer models have built-in remote starts. Installing a custom remote start can be an alluring option for owners of older cars or SUV or truck owners dissatisfied with the quality and range of their factory remote start. Remote starts add an added layer of security as they are considerably more secure than tradition key or key fob options. Installing a remote start can also boost your vehicle's resell value, returning your investment on both the remote start and your car.
Our Remote Starts Can Integrate with Your Smartphone
Even if your car has a factory-installed remote start, there are some good reasons to upgrade your system. Factory options have a limited range. A custom remote start will let you start your car from the comfort of your sixth-floor office. If you're home and you have to run errands, you can start your car and finish your movie. It'll be ready and waiting for you.
Smartphone Integration
You can control the exact temperature of your vehicle and keep track of its whereabouts with smartphone integration.
Conquer the Cold
Nothing beats entering an already warm and toasty vehicle on a frigid New Jersey morning. Starting your car from your home or office allows you to melt any snow or ice that accumulated on your windshield, windows, and headlights.
Communicate with Your Vehicle
Most factory remote starts only communicate from you to your truck. Two-way communication allows your vehicle to send a signal that your car has started, that your truck's air conditioning is on, or that your SUV's defrost is working on melting snow and ice.
Mitigate the Scorching Heat
Summer days are great for the pool or beach. But they're not great for the climate inside your car. Investing in a remote start allows you to run the air conditioner long enough to cool the interior of your vehicle, steering wheel, and the upholstery.
It Is Impressive
You'll feel like James Bond with a high-tech addition to your vehicle. Your guests will appreciate the convenience and bells and whistles that come with a trip in your car.
Visit Our Showroom and View Our Remote Starts
Our current ownership team believes in protecting AutoWorld reputation for outstanding customer service and a wide array of high-quality products and options. We have over 25 years of experience, and our technicians are MECP-certified. We're passionate about the work we do at AutoWorld. Visit our showroom to see what we offer you, and be sure to ask about our lifetime guarantee.


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Exceptional Customer Service
Whether you're scheduling an appointment, reviewing payment options, or following up on services already provided, we go out of our way to make everything as convenient as possible for you.
Highly-Qualified Heating and Cooling Technicians NJ
We provide ongoing training and certification for service technicians. Our technicians are also factory trained, and qualified on all brands of heating, air conditioning, indoor air quality and refrigeration equipment.
Punctuality & Professionalism
From emergency service to routine maintenance and service calls, our technicians will arrive promptly and get the project completed in a timely and efficient manner.
Safety, Security & Cleanliness
The safety and security of your family and your possessions is our highest priority. All employees receive a background check before hiring. Our service technicians and installers carry cover clothes and vacuums to make sure your home remains clean.
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!
First Choice Heating and Cooling is committed to providing the highest level of service and installation in the industry. We provide a written Guarantee for 100% Satisfaction on all services and equipment installations.
First Choice Heating and Cooling. Five Star Heating Cooling Service NJ.


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You've got to like that optimism. Yoda says, "There is no try, do or do not." Imagine if you will Michael Moore and Sasha Cohen (minus the meaness) teaming up to fix the world. The YES MEN focus on problems that can be fixed, decide what huge corporations should fix them, then, posing as reps, get themselves on the news professing to "do the right thing."
It's an alluring scenario with magnetic charm. For instance, regarding a huge chemical plant explosion in India (which caused death or permanent sickness to thousands of residents) YES MEN posing as DOW reps unveil a billion dollar plan to compensate the victims. It aired on BBC.
They have a great amount of audacity. But the doc doesn't hide their fear, we get to see them sweat before the big hoax.
Then when accused of exacerbating the victims with "false hopes" they fly to India to see if their good intentions were unwisely executed. It's fun, it's ballsy, edited with color and humor and hopefully will bring some awareness to the price of greed, and inject some ethics into discussions among the rich and powerful.
I love the "Blue screen scene." The YES MEN interview pundits in front of a blue screen and then ask them, "What vista would you like to appear behind you in the final production?" The pundits ponder then pose, the earth, space … etc. As if magically, these scenes appear behind them. It's actually quite beautiful and certainly refreshingly whimsical.
On the negative side. During a rather inconsequential moment in the film a certain hotel brand asks the YES MEN to leave their name out of the production. Then, for no other reason (that I could figure) besides showing their audience what rebels they are -- the YES MEN reveal the name of the hotel. Yes, there's a slight comedic effect, but worse, it reveals a side of the YES MEN that is not positive, that is not respectful, that is anti-putting-good-into-the-world.
My suggestions: For the next film, include the "good news" that actually is occurring in the world. For example, COFFEERWANDA.com says that 100% of its profits support the people of Rwanda. Of course, this is a small company, but why not take 5 minutes in a feature like this and highlight a bunch of small companies putting the kind of good into the world that the YES MEN profess to want to see more of.
-- Books by Author/Illustrator Ross Anthony --
Grade..........................B+ (2.5/4)


text: SanDisk announced retail distribution of its CompactFlash flash memory storage cards under the SanDisk name. The cards have been available since 1994 through original equipment manufacturers. Flash memory, which retains its contents even after a computing device is turned off, is useful for products such as digital cameras and portable computers.


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One of the my favorite Sonoma producers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is Landmark. Landmark was founded in 1974 by a group including Damaris Deere Ford, great-great-granddaughter of John Deere, inventor of the first steel plow. Landmark sources their wines from some of the best vineyards in Sonoma County. Landmark isn't one of those wineries that does everything. Instead, they know what they do best.
A visit to their tasting room will not disappoint, as their friendly and knowledgeable tasting staff pour some of the best Chardonnay and Pinot in the valley for the price. One of the best priced and most consistent Sonoma County Chardonnays in the past decade has been the Landmark Overlook Chardonnay. The wine is typically rich and buttery but balanced. It is consistently rated over 90 points from Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. Their 2012 effort was a rich and classic Sonoma style Chard.
Landmark's Grand Detour Pinot Noir has also been a consistent performer each year. In fact, from 2005-07 the Grand Detour Pinot was rated 93 points from Wine Enthusiast. Landmark's 2010 Grand Detour was fantastic and rich, needing a few years of cellaring to be fully expressive. If you like a rich and full-bodied but balanced California Pinot, this is the one for you. You can find these wines at high end Northwest wine shops, or online through the winery or retailers like Total Wines or JJ Buckley Wine. Here are some of the great wines that I have sampled from Landmark Vineyards. #landmarkvineyards
2012 Landmark 'Overlook' Chardonnay- Pear and mushroom on the nose with oak. Palate has lemon zest, minerals and pear. Delicious. Drink now.-91
2011 Landmark 'Overlook' Chardonnay- Oak, brioche and pineapple on the nose. Palate has butter, vanilla, minerals, pear and golden delicious apple. Delicious. Classic Sonoma style. Drink now. -92
2012 Landmark 'Damaris Reserve' Chardonnay- Lemon zest, pear and oak on the nose. Palate has lemon zest, banana and golden delicious. Very impressive. Drink now. -93
2012 Landmark 'Overlook' Pinot Noir- Ripe raspberry and cherry on the nose. Palate has cherry pie, raspberry and light cranberry flavors. Maybe some citrus as well. Drink now. -91
2012 Landmark 'Grand Detour' Pinot Noir- Really rich nose with dried herbs, cherry, raspberry and oak on the nose. Palate has nice depth with raspberry, black cherry, and cherry pie. Needs 2 or more years of cellaring. -92
2012 Landmark 'Rogers Creek' Pinot Noir- Ripe raspberry, and oak on the nose. Palate has nice depth with ripe cherry, raspberry and oak. Needs 2 years of cellaring. -92
2012 Landmark 'Solomon Hills' Pinot Noir- Santa Maria fruit. Earthy nose with mushroom and raspberry. Palate has mushroom, forest floor, raspberry, and cranberry. Needs 1-2 years of cellaring. -92


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Ranked as the #1 Top Place to Visit by the New York Times and a "Most Excellent City" by TripAdvisor, New Orleans is a destination like no other. There is no greater time to be in New Orleans as the city celebrates its Tricentennial – a special time honoring 300 years of rich history, culture, and diversity. Explore the cultural influence of the Caribbean, Africa, Latin America and Europe all in one city. Venture off to see what this city has to offer. Here are some key neighborhoods to discover:
French Quarter: Begin your New Orleans Trip in the French Quarter with a one-of-a-kind experience within the heart and soul of New Orleans. Also known as Vieux Carré, the French Quarter is the oldest section of the city and is considered the historical district.
Take a mule-drawn carriage from Decatur Street and keep your eyes open at the beautiful architecture that make up this part of the city and work your way back to Jackson Square- a favorite site for visitors to see local artists, and musicians. Visit the event calendar to see what's going on at the square. Eat at some of the top restaurants in NOLA, located right here in the French Quarter, including Tableau, LUKE, Tujague's, and much more! Or, see the city from a new perspective with a water tour, or a cocktail tour with Doctor Gumbo.
Experience the city's nightlife at the famous Bourbon Street, located inside the French Quarter with tons to explore.
Frenchman Street: For more of an authentic New Orleans nightlife scene, the locals would suggest Frenchman Street for live music, jazz clubs, and great late-night eateries. Looking to skip the touristy Bourbon Street? Frenchman Street is the perfect atmosphere filled with talented musicians. Visit this area, and much more with Big Easy Hop-on Hop-off tours are a great way to explore the area!
Garden District: Located less than 3 miles from the French Quarter, the Garden District is a charming neighborhood surrounded with beautiful architecture and gardens. This area is known for grand mansions, Universities, Audubon Park and Zoo, Magazine Street (go-to destination for antique stores, art galleries, craft shops and boutiques), and more! Stop by for some amazing cuisine and signature drinks at Commander's Palace.
Experience the best of the city with Hilton's Taste of New Orleans package. Book your getaway and experience rich, local flavors. Receive 50% off parking*, free cocktail upon check-in (where applicable) and enjoy exclusive offers at New Orleans' finest restaurants.


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Juli was a dedicated teacher working in Chicago for CPS and most recently in Wichita Falls, Texas. Her focus was on literacy for elementary and middle school children, focusing many hours working with troubled children to give them the extra attention they needed to succeed.
When not working, Juli enjoyed spending time with her dear dog, Ethel. She also spent many hours trying to identify new, fun and innovated ways to get children excited about learning. She was always focused on finding ways to keep all children engaged so no one was left behind.
Contributors: Linda & Dick Mintz, Martha Louka, Rachelle Wohler, Rachel Lewis, Alan Rutkoff, Cynthia Bogucki, Mark Yeager, David Marx Jr., Susan Harris, Chris Nemeth, Bill Schuman, Sue Pennington, Anne Feferman


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Monsters Sign Trey Fix-Wolansky to Amateur Tryout Contract
Edmonton native posted 37-65-102 in 65 appearances for WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings this season
The AHL's Cleveland Monsters announced Tuesday that the team signed forward Trey Fix-Wolansky to an amateur tryout (ATO) contract. Originally selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the seventh round (204th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Fix-Wolansky posted 37-65-102 with 52 penalty minutes and a +36 rating in 65 appearances for the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings this season and added 4-8-12 with 12 penalty minutes and a +4 rating in 15 playoff appearances while serving as Edmonton's captain.
A 5'7", 187 lb. right-shooting native of Edmonton, AB, Fix-Wolansky, 19, supplied 93-152-245 with 202 penalty minutes and a +5 rating in 206 career WHL appearances spanning three seasons with the Oil Kings from 2016-19 and signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets on March 15, 2019 beginning with the 2019-20 season.
The Monsters also announced Tuesday that forward Miles Koules has mutually parted ways with the team.
Next up for the Monsters, it's Game 1 of the team's best-of-seven game North Division Final series vs. the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday with full coverage, live from Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, ON, underway at 7:00 pm EST on FOX Sports Ohio, Alt 99.1, AHLTV and the Monsters Hockey Network.
For full Playoff information, visit Monsters Playoff Central - www.clevelandmonsters.com/playoffs.
Be sure to follow the Monsters on Twitter @monstershockey, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/monstershockey, and on Instagram @monstershockey.