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of the
Revised June 11 , 2015
Section 1. Name.
The Corporation is a New York charitable corporation and is known as "Rochester Education Foundation, Inc."
Section 2. Offices.
The principal office of the Corporation shall be located in Monroe County, New York. The Corporation may also have offices at such other places within the State of New York as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the activities of the Corporation may require.
Section 3. Purposes.
The Corporation shall have such purposes as are now or hereafter set forth in its Certificate of Incorporation.
The Corporation shall have no members. All corporate powers, rights and duties shall vest in a self-perpetuating Board of Directors.
Section 1. Power of Board of Directors.
The Corporation shall be managed by its Board of Directors, which shall establish all general policies governing its operations.
Section 2. Number, Election and Term of Directors.
(a) Until changed by amendment of these By-Laws, the number of directors shall be not less than eleven (11) and not more than twenty-one (21). The exact number may be established and changed from time to time by resolution of the Board. As used in these By-Laws, the term "the Entire Board" referring to Directors means the total number of Directors as so set by resolution, or if it is not so set, then the term means the number, within the stated range, that the Corporation had as of its last prior election.
(b) The directors shall be divided into three classes of approximately equal size, which shall be elected by the Board at its Annual Meeting on a rotating basis. Directors elected at an annual meeting shall succeed the incumbent directors whose terms of office expire that year, at the conclusion of that meeting, and shall serve a term of three years and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, except that a director may be elected for a term of less than three years if necessary for the purpose of maintaining approximately equal class sizes.
(c) No director shall serve more than three consecutive three-year terms. Any director who has served three consecutive three-year terms shall not be eligible for re-election until the Annual Meeting occurring for the year following the end of the third term. Election to a term of less than three years for any reason shall not be counted as service for a three year term for this purpose.
(d) Each director shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
Section 3. Resignations and Removal of Directors.
(a) Any director of the Corporation may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board, the Chair or the Secretary. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or, if no time is specified, then on delivery. Acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
(b) Any director may be removed from the Board for cause by a vote of the directors, provided there is a quorum of not less than a majority of the Entire Board present at the meeting at which such action is taken.
(c) A director must resign from the Board of Directors if he or she runs for, or is elected or appointed to, an office or position in which he or she may have a perceived conflicting influence over matters affecting the Corporation's funding or policies. The Board may determine whether such influence is involved. In its discretion the Board may instead allow the member to take a leave of absence from the Board during the period of conflict.
Section 4. Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies.
Newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors and vacancies occurring for any reason shall be filled by vote of a majority of the directors then in office, regardless of their number. A director elected to fill a vacancy caused by resignation, death, disability or removal shall hold office for the unexpired term of his or her predecessor in office and until a successor is elected and takes office.
Section 5. Annual Meeting.
The Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held within six
months after the end of each fiscal year of the Corporation at a convenient time and location designated by resolution of the Board.
Section 6. Annual Report.
The Board of Directors shall direct the Chair and the Treasurer to present at its Annual Meeting an annual report verified by the Chair and the Treasurer or by a majority of directors, or certified by an independent public or certified public accountant, showing in appropriate detail the following:
(a) The assets and liabilities, including any trust funds, of the Corporation as of the end of the preceding fiscal year;
(b) The principal changes in assets and liabilities, including trust funds, during said fiscal period;
(c) The revenue or receipts of the Corporation, both unrestricted and restricted to particular purposes, during said fiscal period; and
(d) The expenses or disbursements of the Corporation for both general and restricted purposes during said fiscal period.
This report shall be filed with the records of the Corporation and a copy thereof entered in the minutes of the meeting.
Section 7. Scheduling of Meetings.
The Annual Meeting and at least three Regular meetings held each calendar year of the Board of Directors shall be held each calendar year at such time and place as may be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors (or by the Chair in the case of a post-resolution change).
Section 8. Special Meetings.
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called at any time by the Chair and shall be called by the Secretary if requested in writing by one-fifth (1/5) or more of the Entire Board of the Corporation.
Section 9. Notice of Meetings; Waivers of Notice.
Notice of the Annual and regular meetings scheduled by resolution shall require no notice (but, as a good practice and courtesy, such notice may normally be given). When necessary, a meeting schedule may be changed by the Chair, in which case notice of the time and place thereof shall be given to each Director not less than five nor more than fourteen days before such meeting, sent to the Director's usual contact address by mail, e-mail or fax, and if a By-Law amendment will be proposed at a meeting, notice required by Article IX must be given in like manner. Notice of a special meeting shall be given in person, by telephone (to the actual recipient, not as a left message) not less than one day before the meeting, or by mail, e-mail or fax not less than three days before the meeting. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Director who submits a waiver of notice, in writing and signed or otherwise complying with New York law, whether before or after the meeting, or who attends the meeting without protesting, prior thereto or at its commencement, the lack of notice to him or her.
Section 10. Place of Meetings.
Meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any place, within or outside the State of New York.
Section 11. Quorum and Adjourned Meetings.
(a) A majority of the Entire Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the Board.
(b) A majority of the directors present, whether or not a quorum is present, may adjourn any Board meeting to another time or place, provided that notice comparable to that for a special meeting is given to all Directors who were not in attendance at the meeting when such time or place was set. If a quorum is present at the adjourned meeting, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted on the original date of the meeting.
Section 12. Action by the Board of Directors.
(a) Any corporate action to be taken by the Board of Directors means action at a meeting of the Board. Each director shall have one vote regarding any corporate action to be taken by the Board. Except as otherwise provided by law or these By-Laws, the vote of a majority of the directors present at the time of the vote, at a duly convened meeting at which a quorum is present at the time of the vote, shall be the act of the Board of Directors.
(b) Any one or more members of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee by means of a conference telephone, Skype or similar equipment that allows all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other at the same time. Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at such a meeting.
(c) Whenever under the Not-For-Profit Corporation Law the Board of Directors is required or permitted to take any action by vote, such action may be taken without a meeting if all directors consent in writing to the adoption of a resolution authorizing the action. The resolution and the written consent thereto by the members of the Board shall be filed with the minutes of its proceedings. Consents may be provided: (i) in a writing signed by the Director either in hard copy or by affixing a signature by any reasonable means (i.e., fax signature); or (ii) by e-mail that includes information from which the recipient can reasonably determine that the transmission was authorized by the Director.
(d) Voting by proxy or leaving one's vote with another, whether or not in writing, is never permitted.
Section 13. Organization.
At each meeting of the Board of Directors, the Chair, or, in his or her absence, the Vice Chair, or in their absence, a chairman chosen by a majority of the Directors present shall preside. The Secretary, or, in his or her absence, a person chosen by a majority of the Directors present, shall keep complete and accurate minutes of the meeting.
Section 14. Attendance at Meetings.
Attendance at each meeting of the Board shall be recorded by the Secretary in the minutes thereof. Members of the Board of Directors are expected to attend and participate in the annual and all regular Board meetings. Unexcused absence from two (2) or more meetings in a calendar year shall constitute cause for membership review.
Section 15. Compensation and Expenses.
The members of the Board of Directors shall receive no compensation for their services, but directors may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of Corporation duties. Significant requests for reimbursement should be reviewed and authorized by the Chair, usually in advance.
Section 16. Property Rights.
No Director or officer of the Corporation shall, by reason of that position, have any rights to or interest in the property or assets of the Corporation.
Section 1. Committees of the Board.
The Board of Directors, by resolution or Committee Charter adopted by a majority of the Entire Board, may designate an Executive Committee and other Committees of the Board, each consisting of at least three (3) Directors, and by like resolution designate such committees' members and terms and fill vacancies. These committees shall have such authority as the Board shall provide in the creating resolution or Committee Charter. If there is an Executive Committee it shall have all the authority of the Board, except that neither it nor any other committee shall have authority as to the following matters:
(a) The filling of vacancies on the Board of Directors or any committee;
(b) The fixing of compensation of directors for serving on the Board or any committee;
(c) The amendment or repeal of these By-Laws or the adoption of new By-Laws; or
(d) The amendment or repeal of any resolution of the Board which by its terms is not so amendable or repealable.
Section 2. Committees of the Corporation; ad hoc committees.
(a) The Board of Directors, by resolution or Committee Charter, may create Committees of the Corporation, which shall have only the powers specifically delegated to them and shall in no case have powers which are not authorized for Committees of the Board, and they shall have no authority to bind the Board. The members of Committees of the Corporation shall be appointed by the Chair, subject to the approval of the Board. Each Committee of the Corporation shall include at least one (1) director.
(b) Other committees which are neither of the Board or of the Corporation as defined herein may be created as needed, by the Board, Executive Committee, Executive Director or other committee, to carry out specified operational functions, reporting to and under the supervision of the creating entity.
Section 3. Meetings.
Meetings of committees shall be held at such times and places as shall be fixed by the respective committee chairpersons, or by vote of the committee. Written notice shall be given to all members of the committee not less than five days before each meeting either personally or by mail, email or by fax. Written minutes of the proceedings shall be kept at all meetings of Board-created committees and shall be submitted at the next meeting of the Board. The Chair, or his or her designee, and the Executive Director, may attend all committee meetings, with vote if the committee resolution or Charter so provides.
Section 4. Quorum.
Unless otherwise provided by Board resolution or Committee Charter, a majority of all of the incumbent members of a committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 5. Manner of Acting
Any action to be taken by a committee shall mean such action to be taken at a meeting of the committee. Any one or more members of a committee may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone, Skype or similar communications equipment allowing all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other at the same time. Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting. Action by a committee shall be taken by majority vote at a meeting, a quorum being present at the time, or without a meeting by unanimous written consents signed by all members of the committee.
Section 1. Number and Compensation.
The officers of the Corporation who must be members of the Board of Directors shall be a Chair, a Vice Chair, a Secretary and a Treasurer. Any two (2) or more of these offices may be held by the same person, except the offices of Chair and Secretary. An employee of the Corporation may not serve as Chair. These officers shall serve at the pleasure of the Board, without compensation, but may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in performing duties for the Corporation. A further officer who shall not be a member of the Board of Directors shall be the Executive Director/CEO of the Corporation.
Section 2. Terms of Officers.
The officers who are members of the Board of Directors shall be elected by the Board at the Annual Meeting of the Board. Unless a different term is provided in the resolution of the Board electing such officer, the term of office of each officer shall extend for one year after his or her election and until a successor is elected or appointed and qualified, which shall normally take effect immediately at that point in the electing meeting. The term of an officer shall expire immediately if the person ceases to be a member of the Board. Officers shall be eligible to serve an unlimited number of consecutive terms.
Section 3. Additional Officers.
Additional offices may be created and filled, from among the members of the Board, for such period, have such authority and perform such duties, either in an administrative or subordinate capacity, as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine.
Section 4. Removal of Officers.
Any officer may be removed by vote of the Board of Directors, with or without cause, at any time.
Section 5. Resignation.
Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board of Directors, the Chair or the Secretary. Any such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein, or, if no time is specified, then on delivery. Acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
Section 6. Vacancies.
A vacancy in any office of the Corporation for any reason shall be filled by the Board of Directors for the unexpired term.
Section 7. Chair.
The Chair shall have general oversight of the Corporation's affairs. He or she shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors at which he or she is present, and also of the Executive Committee if its charter so provides. The Chair shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the Board.
Section 8. Vice Chair.
In the event the Chair is absent or unable to act or that office becomes vacant, the Vice Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair. The Vice Chair shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors or the Chair, or by any committee charter.
Section 9. Secretary.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary to supervise the preparation of minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and its committees, the giving of all notices required to be given by the Corporation, and the keeping of a current list of the Corporation's directors and officers and their residence addresses. The Secretary shall be responsible for supervising the preparation and maintenance of the books and records of the Corporation. The Secretary shall perform all the duties customarily incident to his or her office and such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors or the Chair.
Section 10. Treasurer.
It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to oversee the financial affairs of the Corporation, report at each regular meeting of the Board of Directors, and participate in preparing the annual report of the Corporation. The Treasurer shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors or the Chair.
Section 11. Executive Director.
(a) Executive Functions. The Executive Director is the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. He or she shall be official advisor to and executive agent of the Board and shall be expected to attend without vote all of its meetings other than executive sessions, as well as such meetings of its committees and in such manner as may be provided in each committee charter. The Executive Director shall exercise general supervision over all the affairs of the Corporation, represent the Corporation to the community, and bring such matters to the attention of the Board as are appropriate to keep the Board fully informed to meet its responsibilities.
(b) Appointment. He or she is an employee serving at the will of the Board of Trustees and subject to the direction and oversight of the Board. An affirmative vote of a majority of the Entire Board is required for the appointment, or for the discharge, of the Executive Director. Any employment contract and all renewal contracts shall be reviewed and approved by the Board or by a committee of the Board charged to do so.
(c) Annual Review of Performance. An annual review of the performance of the Executive Director shall be conducted. A written report of this review shall be approved by the Board and shared with the Executive Director.
(d) Compensation. It is the policy of the Corporation to pay no more than reasonable compensation for personal services rendered to the Corporation by officers and employees. The Board of Directors must approve in advance the salary and benefits comprising the total compensation of the Executive Director. Before approving such compensation, the Board shall determine that the total compensation is reasonable in amount in light of the position, responsibility and qualification of the person for the position, including the result of an evaluation of the person's prior performance for the Corporation. In making the determination, the Board shall consider total compensation, to include the salary and the value of all economic benefits provided by the Corporation in payment for services, including the value of permitted personal use of business property or service. The process for determining compensation shall include a review of comparability data, and contemporaneous substantiation of the deliberation and decision. At the time of the discussion and decision concerning the Executive Director's compensation, he or she and any person having a conflict of interest relating to this compensation shall not be present in the meeting beyond the point at which deliberation begins.
Section 1. Execution of Contracts.
The Board of Directors, except as these By-Laws otherwise provide, may authorize any officer(s), agent(s), or employee(s), in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances; but, unless so authorized by the Board of Directors, or expressly authorized by these By-Laws, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable pecuniarily in any amount for any purpose.
Section 2. Loans.
No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the Corporation unless specifically authorized by the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Checks, Drafts, etc..
All checks, drafts and other orders for the payment of money out of the funds of the Corporation, and all notes or other evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation, shall be signed on behalf of the Corporation by such person or persons and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Deposits.
All funds of the Corporation not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Corporation in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Board of Directors may select.
Section 1. Seal.
The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization, and the words "Corporate Seal, New York." The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or otherwise reproduced.
Section 2. Books and Records.
There shall be kept by the Corporation (1) correct and complete books and records of account, (2) minutes of the proceedings of the Board of Directors and its committees, (3) a current list of the directors and officers of the Corporation and their residence addresses, (4) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation, (5) a copy of these By-Laws, and (6) a copy of the conflicts of interest policy and whistleblower policy adopted by the Board, if any.
Section 3. Indemnification.
The Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law under the particular circumstances, indemnify its directors, officers, employees and other personnel. The Board of Directors may expand the detail of this section by written Policy adopted by vote of a majority of the Entire Board of Directors.
Section 4. Insurance.
The Corporation shall not be obligated to purchase directors and officers liability insurance, but may do so if authorized and approved by vote of a majority of the Entire Board of Directors.
Section 5. Interested Directors and Officers.
The Board of Directors shall adopt a policy regarding conflicts of interest which shall apply to all Directors and officers of the Corporation.
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall commence on the first day of January of each calendar year and end on the last day of December.
Section 1. Rules of Order.
Meetings of the Board of Directors and its committees shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, except to the extent otherwise addressed in these By-Laws, and provided, however, that no act of the Board or a committee shall be deemed invalid by reason of a failure to follow such rules if no objection to the nonconformity has been made during such meeting.
Section 2. Construction.
If there is any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of the Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation and these By-Laws, the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation shall govern.
Section 3. By-Law Changes.
(a) These By-Laws may be amended, repealed or adopted by vote of the Board of Directors at any meeting thereof, provided that a fair explanation of the proposed change, or exact quotation of the language proposed, appears in the written notice calling the meeting. The proposal as so stated or quoted is freely debatable and amendable before final action is taken on its subject matter.
(b) The action on such matters generally requires the vote of a majority of the Entire Board
(c) However, a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Entire Board is required for an amendment that adds, changes, or strikes out:
(i) a provision that sets the quorum higher than that provided by Article III, Sec. 11(a), or
(ii) a provision that requires a higher proportion of director votes for an action that is greater than the proportion prescribed by law in the absence of such provision.


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Reflections From The Trail
It always amazes me how quickly humans can connect with each other. Whether it be children playing on a playground or adults seated next to each other on a plane, we have an impressive ability to form connections even through fleeting interactions. When we're given a safe environment away from the stresses of everyday life though, we naturally form deeper, more meaningful relationships. The environment in which I've seen this concept come to life more obviously than anywhere else is in nature. I experienced this firsthand on the Canol Youth Leadership Hike this past July.
On July 24th, 2017 youth from both southern and northern Canada boarded float planes together in Norman Wells. We had committed to spending a week together, hiking side by side through remote wilderness terrain. Some of us knew each other, others were complete strangers. Most of us had little in common, from our cultural heritage to our day-to-day lives. Despite not being well acquainted, we were trusting each other with our comfort and safety in the wilderness; a trust that is unique in its depth. When we stepped onto the shores of the Mackenzie River together six days later, we were filthy, tired, and grinning. Whether we were aware of it at the time or not, we had all formed a new bond that will never be broken.
Thinking back on the day-to-day of the hike, I can only describe it as a unique kind of challenging. As an experienced backpacker, I stepped onto the trail with arrogance, imagining that the shorter distances and absence of significant elevation gain would prove easy. But the terrain on the Canol is unforgiving – extreme river crossings, temperamental weather, and bush-whacking left us all exhausted by the end of our long days. Together, we faced these challenges with various levels of discomfort, helping each other when it was our respective turn to be strong. Mackenzie and Chase set up the ropes for river crossings while Jordan offered up his comedy as a way of keeping us going. It was clear that we all had important roles to play in making our way from Mile 40 back to Mile 0 of the challenging trail.
On the Canol we shared everything. We shared our military rationed food, smiles, fears, and complaints. Without our phones or social media, all we had was each other, the rocks, and the trees. That was incredibly special. Being removed from the devices that we are told "connect" us in the new age, we were able to find connections far more meaningful – namely our connections with our peers, and our connections with nature. Regardless of whether we are Indigenous or non-Indigenous, we all have some kind of connection to the land, and we all have the ability to connect with each other. To expose these connection on such a remote trail, in such an intensely wild environment, was an experience that left many of us in awe of the power of nature.
It has been three months since we stepped off of the trail, and I have fallen back into a "normal" life routine. As I sit at my office desk though, I dream often of the canyon walls and thick forest of the Canol. I also think back to the friends I made and the stories that I will share with them, and only them, forever. I may not talk to my fellow participants every day, but I was able to learn about them more profoundly than I would have imagined – and I attribute that to our natural setting on the trail.
The Canol Youth Leadership Hike taught us all unique and valuable lessons that we will carry with us forever. For me, the lesson was the power of connection. Trails in Tandem is about more than Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations. It is about building lasting friendships and strengthening our understanding about the natural world, so that we can tackle more of life's trails, together.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hewlett-Packard on Monday unveiled a server that crams four processors into a box measuring 3.5 inches, or "2U," high, a design twist that lets information technology managers economize on office real estate. Meanwhile, other manufacturers came out with two-processor servers containing Intel's speedy new 3.06GHz Xeon chip.
When it comes to servers, size matters. Servers are heavy-duty computers built to process or store data on computer networks. By reducing the size of the server chassis or increasing the number of chips that fit into a given box, computer makers can cut the costs associated with managing their products. Dense servers take up less space, thereby reducing overhead, and IT managers don't have to visit different locations. Dense servers also sometimes consume less power.
The HP ProLiant DL560 server comes with up to four Intel Xeon processors and up to 12GB of memory. Prices start at $7,099. Although some smaller manufacturers have come out with four-processor servers measuring 2U high, HP maintains that it is the first large manufacturer to offer one.
Gateway and others, meanwhile, came out with one- and two-processor servers containing the 3.06GHz Xeon processor. The chip is matched with a 533MHz system bus, an upgrade to the Xeon line that Intel came out with last year. The Gateway 960 and 980 servers start at $2,199 and $3,099, respectively. Prices vary depending on the configuration.
Dell Computer and HP began selling servers containing the chip in February.
The 3.06GHz Xeon and a sister 3GHz chip come with 512KB of level-three cache, a pool of memory on the chip allowing rapid data access. Later in the year, Intel will increase the cache size to 1MB as well as release a number of Xeons for servers that can handle four or more processors. The 3GHz Xeon uses a 400MHz bus.
Intel currently dominates the market for Windows-compatible servers. Rival Advanced Micro Devices, however, will increase the competition when it releases its Opteron chip April 22.


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We also made it to Flamingo Row (my fav. local restaurant), drove through the Dogwood trail and once we put out the hummingbird feeder watched the hummers zip in and out.
Here's what I worked on - finally a butterfly block for my wall! This is my second time sewing curves and they are fun! I finished up the binding last night while watching hockey. Playoffs are on and that typically means nothing gets done except during intermission....ha! Linking this finish up at Crazy Mom Quilts Friday Finish.
Today at work I tested out our equipment for leaf pounding and it turned out well. This will be for an upcoming GS program about trees and after the hammering, I'll take them through the galleries to see how trees are represented in quilts.
Tonight I tested out a few ideas while making several blocks for the Quilts for Boston collection. I'm planning to have the Junior Quilters make blocks at the next meeting to send out to the Boston MQG as well and participate in a great project that helps spread the love stitched into quilts with those who need it.
Tomorrow is the Kentucky Derby, mint juleps, catching up with chores and more quilting. What are you working on this weekend?


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Women's Ministry
Women's Retreat 2019
Dates: November 1st & 2nd, 2019
Place: Carol Joy Holling Camp, Ashland, NE
Speaker: Patty Culbertson
Join the women of Southview for the Annual Fall Retreat in Ashland. Everything about this weekend is unique and special from our location at the Carol Joy Holling Camp to our new, fun activities.
Retreat Details and Registration form will be available in Fall 2019.
Patty Culbertson
Patty Culbertson is a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, is the wife of Matt Culbertson, and the Mom of Rachel, age 22, and Philip, age 19.
Patty has a Masters of Marriage and Counseling from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and currently works as a Case Manger Therapist for COMTREA, a Department of Mental Health Agency in Jefferson County Missouri.
Patty and her family currently live in Festus, MO where Matt is the Pastor of Faith Baptist Church and Patty serves on the Worship Team, Women's Ministry Team, and serves in the Nursery. She enjoys music and spending time with her family. Her passion is to worship God with her whole heart through total obedience and to encourage others to do the same.
Worship Leaders
Elizabeth M. Anderson
Elizabeth is a former Academic and Life Coach from Union College, a private institution where she was employed for 16 years. Life events have moved her into another season in her life in which she is writing an autobiography, a musical, and several devotional books. She felt led by God to go to Washington, DC, to do a 7-day prayer walk called the "Jericho Walk of Faith" around the United States Capitol Building. Plans are to return to Washington in 2018 for another walk.
She is a member of the choir and praise team at the Allon Chapel in Lincoln. Most notably, she has sung with the world-renowned Aeolians from Oakwood College (now Oakwood University) in Huntsville, AL; the very accomplished Abendchor Choir, a traveling group from Abendmusik; and IMAGES, a gospel recording ensemble that had traveled widely and was a part of the Nebraska Arts Council touring circuit. Elizabeth has wholeheartedly dedicated her life to serving God and prays that anyone who sees her will see the light of Christ.
Joann Herrington
Joann's life has been about music ever since her parents taught her and her brothers to sing as a part of the family circle at morning and evening worship. Her nurturing church family encouraged youth participation in worship, and she served as organist, pianist, and member of the sanctuary choir from age 12. She recorded an album with the Trebleaires, a trio of young ladies, at age 13. For a number of years, music was her vocation.
After graduating Union College with a Bachelor's degree in Music Education, she worked as a vocal and instrumental teacher in schools. She performed with the Omaha Opera Company chorus and was alto soloist in Handel's Messiah. Her career path led her out of professional music into educational administration and elementary teaching, but she stills enjoys music ministry. One of her favorite pursuits is writing music for children, and she has composed more than 200 memory verse songs, commissioned and published.
Mark your calendars and invite your girlfriends!


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I am never surprised when the question gets asked for the millionth time about whether one should look for a boat with a single engine or twin engines. It is one of the most basic questions about a perceived issue in the world of power cruising. Whether one is considering a traditional trawler or some other type of cruising powerboat, this inevitably comes up.
I can't recall a boat show or PMM issue where this didn't surface in one way or another. Given the way our market and community matured from the mid-'90s, it seemed everyone had an opinion and could argue with some degree of certainty that they were correct.
The reality is a bit vague, and for good reason. Bob Lane once conducted an experiment with two Grand Banks classic trawlers, identical except that one had a single diesel with bow thruster and the other had twin engines. At the time, the difference in cost of single vs twin engines in a GB was about $40,000. The event had a number of participants, some with little knowledge, others will experience in one or the other, or both. One blustery day on the waters of Puget Sound, each person took turns maneuvering the boats to see which proved better at close quarter work.
The results, not surprisingly, proved that a single engine boat with a bow thruster could do everything that a twin engine boat could do, whether docking, backing down a fairway, or coming close enough to a float to test each boat's ability to stay under complete control, even with inexperienced skippers. Some people involved in the test expressed a fondness for one or the other, but there was no clear winner other than proving each does the job.
The extra cost of a second engine, and associated expense of maintenance and fuel, would push me to consider a single engine if I bought a new boat fresh from a builder. We used to say that if a new diesel engine is going to experience a catastrophic failure, it will almost always happen in the first 100 hours. That was proven true over and over.
On the other hand, Tad Roberts wrote a piece where he argued that a twin-engine setup allows for shallower draft, and having two engines provide the get-home ability, as well as reducing the need for a third engine to generate electricity. Overall, he reasoned that these two engines could reduce the weight and cost of onboard systems, a design goal he likes to pursue.
With all this spinning around in my head, as I look for my next cruising powerboat, I agree with broker Jeff Merrill that how many engines a boat has is not the critical element that it once was. And as 93 percent of diesel engine problems are fuel related, the get home issue seems mute to me if both engines are fed by the same fuel delivery system.
I've owned both and except for the issue of potentially higher speed with twin engines, my preference is for whichever boat provides the best accessibility for my aging self.
None of this should be new to any reader of PassageMaker, because we addressed this many, many times.
However, there is a new factor not fully considered before. And I believe it truly changes the discussion.
All of the shiny boats we toured over the years were new. A tug or trawler or power cruising boat that was new in 2000 is getting mature in 2018, and there is no telling about the varying stages of its maintenance and care.
Even more important is what I see on the trawler and cruising forums and social media groups. It seems the majority of people asking the basic questions while boat shopping are looking at much older boats, built in the 1970s and '80s. And that changes my attitude completely.
I think one who considers buying a cruising boat that is 30 or 40 years old should probably lean towards twin engines. It is pretty hard to accurately and positively evaluate engines that have had numerous owners, with potential engine and related machinery service across the board.
Bob Smith used to say that with an older boat, whether it had one or two of his Lehmans or some other brand, it was a smart idea when buying an older boat to have your service tech round up the engine hours to the next major service interval and do all scheduled replacements of parts and service. That is still excellent advice. Of course, with newer electronic engines, the ability to see precisely what happened during an engine's life takes out much of the unknown. With a laptop, a service technician will see when it overheated or spent much time at WOT or whatever. On older boats, there is no such luxury.
Of course, just because an engine is older doesn't mean it is near death, but it does increase the chances of problems or issues while cruising, so having two engines is a decidedly more comfortable and reassuring situation. Heat exchangers, exhaust elbows, valves, springs, bolts, camshafts, bearings and other pieces of machinery do fatigue and wear out, and sometimes there is not much warning when something lets go. A transmission refuses to go into gear, then what? The desks of most boat yard managers have plenty of evidence of cracked and broken parts. How many times have I seen cracked pistons become ashtrays? Too many to count, although they probably came from gas engines.
And it doesn't stop with the diesel engines. Look around any engine room. Hidden crevice corrosion of a prop shaft has been known to break a shaft or cause a prop to fall off (it's happened), exhaust system hoses and components, transmissions, pinhole leaks in cooling systems that spray saltwater onto alternators and electrical components, rusting engine mounts and other mounting hardware… A complicated engine room takes on a new dimension with each passing decade.
So while I remain a fan of single engines for the most part, if I were considering a vintage Hatteras LRC, Ocean Alexander, Grand Banks, or any number of Taiwan trawlers, I think I would feel better with twins, as long as access was still good.
Years ago, I fell in love with a new Grand Banks Europa that I want to recall had a single John Deere engine (it might have been a Cat or Cummins) that Ed Roberts showed me at one of the East Coast shows. The engine had superb access and it was such an open clean engine space. Today that boat would be close to 20 years old. Probably with no more than 5,000 hours on the engine, but what kind of hours were they and how well was it cared for?
When the Flanders sold their Nordhavn 46, the single Lugger diesel had 16,000 hours on it. And the engine surveyed perfectly. Diesel engines last a long time. Commercial guys work their engines much harder and longer than we do, and they put tens of thousands of hours on them between rebuilds. But unless that is part of your plan when buying a new-to-you boat, you will most likely be cruising with what you have.
After 20+ years of this discussion, I know the subject is not going away, especially as new people come into this community. But when it comes to older cruising boats, it has me thinking with a new perspective.


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Gulf Air is preparing to launch "Gulf Air Holidays" this summer the airline has appointed online travel booking company"Ezeego1.com" as their back-end service provider.
The company will offer travellers holiday packages and tailor-made travel solutions to destinations worldwide – both across the Gulf Air network and beyond. {{more}}
Ahmed Janahi, Gulf Air Chief Commercial Officer said: "We are looking forward to the launch of Gulf Air Holidays – a key service to our customers that will cater to their various and diverse travel needs.
With Ezeego1.comas our back-end service provider, we anticipate greater capabilities to reach a broader market segment – specifically those travellers looking for the ease of pre-purchased holiday packages that include air tickets, hotel bookings, transfers and more, all at a more competitive and attractive rate."
Gulf Air Holidays will be a comprehensive, dedicated holidays unit that will develop and promote attractive holiday packages including airfares, hotel accommodation, car rental, insurance, guided tours, excursions as well as the airline's own add-on travel enhancement items such as advance excess baggage purchasing, lounge access and prepaid seat selection.
Neelu Singh, CEO & Director, Ezeego1.com said:"We are happy to have won the mandate to roll out Gulf Air Holidays. It will be our endeavour to provide world class holiday products to travellers who choose Gulf Air as their preferred carrier. Our combined expertise of a great holiday product with Gulf Air's seamless connectivity will be an unmatched partnership, and we look forward to a fruitful relationship.''
Gulf Air currently serves 42 cities in 25 countries, spanning three continents.


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Day 64
Day 64
May 30, 2015. 10 gauge copper wire.
Add To Cart
Each is a single strand of wire transformed into a work of art with no cuts or connections. I'm making one per day, everyday. (For older pieces check out the wire art archive for days 1-50.)


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Balance Hair Spa Team train with Ardell lashes/
On Monday July 25th the Balance Hair Spa team were trained on how to use Ardell lashes. Ardell is one of the most widely recognized names in faux lashes by catering not just to women looking to enhance their own beauty, but also to legions of beauty professionals and Hollywood makeup artists. Our team of beauty professionals learned how to pick out a shape and trim lashes for every face and eye shape. They also trained on semi-permanent lash extensions which can last up to two weeks or longer.


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***limited numbers available daily, best to pre-order your the Bunny Cake Cruffin. Available from Friday 23rd March. Limited to the Easter Weekend!
Our Bunny Cake Cruffin ✨ Our Flakey buttery croissanty pastry with a sweet carrot confit walnut frangipane, a carrot cream in the middle of the cruffin with the perfect amount of cream cheese icing and a lindt egg to top it off - what more could you want! Thank us later!


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Oh I do love to be beside the seaside!
Occasionally, I receive a job that takes me to the coast. A chance to breathe in the wonderfully clean fresh air.
Few weeks ago, that happened again and it was the return journey from Heathrow to Brighton. The plane landed at 06:40 and my clients came through into the Arrivals lounge an hour or so afterwards, and were greeted by coffees which seemed to go down well.
That morning for me started at 04:15 when I left our base and started towards Heathrow, arriving about 06:15. I checked the landing board and the plane was just going to be a few minutes late, so not much different from what I discovered earlier before I left Royal Wootton Bassett. Time enough for me to clean the car with the detailing wax spray.
We were soon on our way out of the airport complex and onto the M25. The usual heavy traffic faced us and we eventually continued down South passing Gatwick on the way.
After being up a long time before, as indeed my clients had, I have to say, I was looking forward to a rest by the sea, before heading back to our base.
I managed to deliver the client to his home by 10am, so I headed off to a place for a coffee and sea view. I found one and was just taking in the fresh air and then the phone rang.
I received some instructions to get back to our base for the next job, so, no extended rest break before heading back. It is a good job I enjoy my job and have a superbly comfortable big cat to do the journeys in.
When I do not have a client on board, it is also very nice to spoil myself and listen to some music and the DAB radio. It is also, a time for my own space and I value the times of quiet and silence as I can focus and plan the way the family business is growing.
These times of solitude are so important and I find it helps to clear my head.
It makes me thankful for all the blessings we have in life, very aware of others who are not so blessed.


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Well, what a crazy few weeks I've had and what a perfect week to end on.
My time with Leigh has finally concluded and what an absolute blast I've had! This was obviously my first time properly assisting a professional photographer and I have to say I don't think I could have worked for a more down to earth guy than Leigh. I've also had the pleasure to meet some other brilliant people along the way who I hope will stay in contact!
I don't think there has been a stage in this whole experience where I haven't felt involved, there's always been something to do which has meant more experience for me and a much bigger insight into the world of photography and what it potentially has to offer in the future. This life wasn't just handed to Leigh on a silver platter though, he's worked an awful lot to get to where he is today and it just goes to show how much it has paid off. Not many photographers can say they've had the privilege to photograph Prince William for example...just saying.
For me personally, this whole thing has been a massive kick up the backside, almost like an epiphany if you will. A realisation of how I definitely need to start getting my arse into gear this next year and build my portfolio ready for a possible career in the industry. My love for London has most definitely continued to grow as well in the time I've spent there, although it's safe to say that I have definitely gone off the underground. Overall, this whole experience has felt like smooth sailing and I wouldn't change a thing.
Cheers Leigh
To round off an incredible few weeks, my parents came down to London before I set off back to Falmouth, so I managed to get a few more sights in with them as well as two more West End shows...anyone that knows me properly will know I can't say no to a good old musical.


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Several months ago, I posted a blog on adding a new disk to an existing cluster. Another question we get asked a lot is "How do I replace a disk?"
In this blog, I'll walkthrough the process of replacing a 1GB disk with a 2GB disk. This process is similar to how you could go about doing a SAN migration where you are replacing all of your shared disks with storage from a new SAN.
The preferred way of getting a larger cluster disk is to use the built in capability of most SANs to dynamically expand a LUN then use an OS utility like DiskPart or Disk Manager to extend the size of the disk. If that's not feasible or you simply want to replace a LUN with a larger one or as I mentioned, as part of a SAN migration, this process works well.
The first thing we need to do is present your new disk to the cluster. The nuts and bolts of how to do that are outside the scope of this post so just ask your SAN administrator for a new LUN and present it to all nodes of the cluster. Since by default in Server 2008, we leave new LUNs offline, there's no risk in presenting a new LUN to all nodes at the same time. In the below figure is what Disk Manager would look like after my new disk had been presented.
Continuar leyendo «Replacing a Shared Disk on a 2008 Failover Cluster»


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Do you
seek clarity
Simple Session Email Question
Do you seek clarity, direction, or guidance? This simple question email session is the only way to receive Melissa's insight and expertise without the commitment of a coaching package or full session.
Melissa has been an intuitive consultant for over 14 years. She has helped people find homes, change careers, manifest dreams, move through trauma and fear, & heal the body, mind, and soul. Melissa is the author & designer of the Intuitive Guide Certification at SWIHA (Southwest Institue of Healing Arts), she has and is currently guiding hundreds of students inward to connect to their spirit and intuition.
How does this service work?
Everyone has circumstances in life when they seek a guide or mentor. We all have our spiritual blind spots, and navigating this territory can feel overwhelming or uncertain.
Melissa tunes into the energy of your question and provides a three-step answer:
First, you pay for the simple question email session, and then within 48-hours Monday through Friday only. Melissa emails you with an audio-recorded track of her message to you.
- What she feels and picks up on
- What you can do to shift the energy or move forward
- A visual representation of the session with a card drawn for you (image included in your email)
What you need to know before booking:
You must include your email address, name, birthdate, and question at the time of booking. There is space for this information when registering.
There are no refunds on this type of service! Avoid confusion in your question by having clarity and direction. Please read below for direction:
Example of Good Questions to Ask:
- I am feeling lost in my career and I feel stuck. Is there something more out there for me in the area of my career?
- I want to experience my intuition more, where do I start?
- I have a fear of public speaking what do I need to do to shift it?
- My work/business is stressing me out, what can I do to change things?
Not so good question- do not ask this kind of stuff:
- I am having health issues, can you tell me what is wrong?
- Is my guy/girl cheating on me
- When will I die
- Any questions about someone other than YOU
Here is an example of a simple question email session from start to finish:
- Client question: Hi Melissa, I am not sure if this move is the best thing for my family. I would love some clarity on this, please.
Melissa's response:
**Client's name was edited out of the recording for privacy
Card & meaning also provided for the reading:
Ready to gain clarity, answers, or guidance?


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You've studied a bit of Spanish. Or maybe you've studied a lot. But you're still not where you want to be. Your brain knows what to say, but sometimes your tongue feels heavy, clumsy.
You're embarrassed when you speak. You hear your accent and think "Why do I still sound like that?"
Or maybe you're plateauing. Maybe you're not getting better. You've been stuck at the same fluency level for WAY too long.
I understand what you're going through. I've been down that same road.
Instead of stumbling in the dark, let me help you.
If you're past the honeymoon phase with Spanish, then you're rapidly approaching the point where most people give up.
I created How to Master Spanish for people like you, people who are serious about getting fluent.
Introducing How to Master Spanish
It's a collaboration between me and a Spanish teacher here in Oaxaca. It consists of 24 lessons that will help you push past the obstacles in your way.
These are lessons I had to pay a very high price to learn. But you don't have to pay the same price I paid. I'll just give you the answers.
The lessons are audio and text in English and Spanish.
I recorded the English parts, and Citlalli, the Spanish teacher, recorded the Spanish parts.
As an added bonus, when you join the course you get the Mexican Spanish Master Course [MSMC] for free.
MSMC might be even cooler than How to Master Spanish. It's 90 minutes of audio and video, 200+ Mexican slang words. I could go on for pages and pages about MSMC. It's the perfect companion for How to Master Spanish.
As ANOTHER bonus, if you join the course before March 30, 2019 you will get grandfathered into Level 2 of How to Master Spanish.
Level 2 is still in development, but when both levels are complete, the full course will cost at least $200. Now is the perfect time to jump on board.
If you take the course and aren't completely satisfied, I'll refund your purchase, no questions asked.
If you're serious about fluency, I promise this is an investment worth making. It's a total no-brainer. And right now is the best time to take action


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We love the diverse client base we have and one of our coolest clients ever, Eskimo Ice, is London's leading ice supplier. They manufacture and distribute over 1400 tonnes of ice cubes and crushed ice per week in and around London… We never knew you could get ice in so many different forms!
If you see one of their vans around London snap a photo and tweet them @Eskimo_Ice and they'll send you an awesome t-shirt! #EskimoVanHunt
Thanks to Eskimo Ice for being our featured client of the month.


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Aishah Shahidah Simmons featured in Hematopoiesis Press, Issue 4 -Perricardium,/
NO! The Rape Documentary and #LoveWITHAccountability creator Aishah Shahidah Simmons is the Spotlight Feature in Hematopoeisis Press, Issue 4 - Perricardium.Read More
NO! The Rape Documentary and #LoveWITHAccountability creator Aishah Shahidah Simmons is the Spotlight Feature in Hematopoeisis Press, Issue 4 - Perricardium.Read More
I recently had the chance to be a part of the OUTcast: On Being Queer and a Child Sexual Abuse Survivor panel in DCRead More
Aishah will kick off April's Sexual Assault Awareness month in Tuscon, Arizona with a fundraiser screening of NO! The Rape Documentary on Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at 7:30pm.
All proceeds will go towards the planning of Tucson Take Back the Night 2018, the annual march and event raising awareness around sexual assault and empowering survivors.
Aishah was also featured on a local news segment.
On International Women's Day, Aishah Shahidah Simmons released the Essex Hemphill segment featured in NO! The Rape Documentary as a separate stand-alone video.
Cassius Life Magazine's news and culture editor Stephanie Long interviewed Aishah and published their conversation on March 14, 2018.
An Excerpt:
When NO! The Rape Documentary first debuted at the Pan African Film Festival in 2006, it was received with critical acclaim. Among the 50 documentaries and short films invited to be a part of the Open Frame Film Festival in 2009, NO! took home the Audience Choice Award and a Juried Award at the 2006 Sandiego Women Film Festival. It also won the award for Best Documentary at the 2008 India International Women's Film Festival.
Now, for the first time, the film's Essex Hemphill segment has been made into a stand-alone video. "I decided to make it a stand-alone short video this year because I believe it's very important that we hear from Black men who are unwavering about the imperative need to address and end sexual and domestic violence in our communities,"Aishah Shahidah Simmons, director of NO!, told CASSIUS. "I worked with my friend and colleague Dr. Kai Green, who helped me create the stand alone video in his office at Williams College."
C.: What went into making the decision to release this segment this year? Was it meant to be released sooner?
A.S.: The decision to release the Essex Hemphill segment as a standalone video separate from and still related to NO! The Rape Documentary was based on my desire to celebrate Black women in Women's Herstory Month, and to lift up Hemphill's radical vision of a world that respects and cherishes Black women long before it was trending. Hemphill's poem, "To Some Supposed Brothers," is a powerful acknowledgement of the wounds that so many Black women have to live with. Written almost three decades ago, his words and delivery have a compelling way of drawing you into a painful reality, while simultaneously calling the viewer into action to co-create a world without violence. Hemphill's work was so piercing. He didn't feel the necessity to sugar coat his words or images in order to make the audience feel good. His intention was to make you uncomfortable in order to affect radical social change.
C.: Can you tell us a little about raising funds to have the segment edited back in 1997 and why that was important?
A.S.: Fundraising for the making of the film was a hardcore Black feminist and LGBTQ grassroots effort. In the early days of the 12-year journey, I relied heavily upon the communities from which I come to support this vision. Award-winning poet and activist Sonia Sanchez and longterm activists Inelle Cox Bagwell and Pat Clark were the first people who gave major donations in support of the making of NO! The Rape Documentary. The Astraa Lesbian Foundation for Justice was the very first foundation who said, "YES! to NO!" Their collective funding enabled me to create two trailers, which featured the Essex Hemphill segment and testimonies from Black women rape survivors. I screened these trailers extensively across the United States and in several European countries including England, The Netherlands, France, and Italy at numerous educational fundraising screenings. The money raised at those screenings went directly into the making of the feature length documentary film.
Click here to read in its entirety here.
[AUDIO] "How do you move beyond sharing about your trauma to healing it?" asks child sexual abuse survivor, adult rape survivor, NO! The Rape Documentary producer/director and #LoveWITHAccountability creator Aishah Shahidah Simmons on Episode 2 of Feral Visions: a decolonial feminist podcast with producer/host Anjali Nath. Feral Visions is also available as an iTunes podcast. Resources listed below.
***The interview was conducted on August 14, 2017 and released on October 19, 2017. Aishah and her father were finally able to have a seismic, transformative conversation on October 16, 2017.***
Links to resources referenced in the interview.
Bay Area Transformative Justice Collective - batjc.wordpress.com/
VidaAfrolatina (Black Latinidad: Love in Sisterbrotherhood) -http://vidaafrolatina.org/child-sexual-abuse/
Impact Justice - http:// impactjustice.org/restorative-justice-project/
THREE WOMEN RISING, the journey to ending childhood sexual abuse on Episode 19 of Rythea Lee's 'Advice from a Loving Bitch' series. Rythea invited expert artists, activists, and cultural workers author Donna Jenson and #LoveWITHAccountability creator Aishah Shahidah Simmons to join her to help her tackle this child sexual abuse with passion, grace, and maturity. Rythea, Donna, and Aishah each answer "How do we heal? How do we fight back? How do we break the cycle? How do we find joy?"
This project took several months, tons of patience, lots of trust, deep compassion and much love.
Aishah Shahidah Simmons (Philadelphia) was one of the participants who reflected upon and participated in an ArtsEverywhere global roundtable assembled by Kholoud Bidak (Cairo) and Coumba Toure (Dakar), The other participants were: Akwaeke Emezi (Brooklyn), Kagure Mugo (Johannesburg), Lucia Victor Jayaseelan, (London), Kutlwano Pearl Magashula (Johannesburg), Pia Love (London), Rokhaya Gueye (Dakar), Sheena Gimase Magenya (Nairobi), and Thato Poelo Semele (Johannesburg). The roundtable asked artist/activists Africa and the Diaspora to weigh in on "What is Wellbeing?"
"[...]Convening this roundtable for ArtsEverywhere presented an opportunity to share the point of view of some people who care about changing ideologies of oppression through their work; we were very keen to share the voices of African/coloured, artists/activists, gender non-conforming individuals, women, lesbians.
The issue of wellbeing is one of our main challenges in the work of activism, either for those who work with NGOs, art, community organizing, or any other channel. It gets more complicated if a person still struggles for essential needs and rights.[...]"
Read in its entirety here.
In September 2016, Aishah Shahidah Simmons had the opportunity to participate in her friend/comrade/sibling survivor Ignacio G Rivera's The HEAL Project's "Outing CSA (Child Sexual Abuse)" campaign, which features the voices of a range of diverse individuals publicly naming their status as CSA survivors. Aishah's video was posted on March 21, 2017 on The Heal Project's site. #LoveWITHAccountability is truly grateful for Ignacio's vision and dedicated work to pull up the roots of child sexual abuse in a variety of educationally interactive, media-based ways.
Please visit the video archive here. My video is below.
CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNING: Child sexual abuse, survivor, rape
NO! The Rape Documentary and #LoveWITHAccountability are going off of the grid from January 10, 2017 through February 13, 2017 while Aishah Shahidah Simmons sits a 30-day vipassana meditation course. This practice is one of two unwavering tools/resources that both support and enable Aishah to do the work that she does in the world. We invite you to read her reflections on her process and journey.
If you would like to schedule a screening/lecture engagement after February 13, 2017, please contact Jean Caini at Speak Out!
We will be back on the grid on February 14, 2017!
Luz Marquez Benbow and Dr. Thema Bryant Davis join producer/host Esther Armah for a moving conversation on Child Sexual Abuse, Family, Faith, Forgiveness and The Script of Silence in Part II of #TheSpin's #LoveWITHAccountability special.
Broken silence, breaking soul, drugs, truancy, poetry, Christianity, African-based Spirituality, finding a way, coming home, losing your way, context and comfort and company in this powerful 3-way diasporic Black --Ghanaian, Puerto Rican, and African-American women's exchange.
The brainchild of producer/host/visionary Esther Armah, #TheSpin is a one hour, weekly radio show recorded via BBC Accra and NPR studios. The Spin is distributed by NPR Distribution and the Public Radio Satellite System. The show airs on the radio in Ghana, Nigeria, and on several NPR affiliates throughout the United States. It is also available on SoundCloud and iTunes podcasts via The Spin1 channel.
Esther Armah, Producer/Director of THE SPIN: all women media panel syndicated talk show launched a two-part #LoveWITHAccountability (LWA) special featuring LWA creator Aishah Shahidah Simmons and her mother Dr. Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons, and Luz Marquez-Benbow and Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis.
In part 1 of The Spin's LoveWITHAccountability special Aishah and Dr. Simmons delved deep and broke silence about familial #incest violence committed against Aishah when she was a child. They reflected, cried, held space, spoke openly, and read excerpts of their joint article in the #LoveWITHAccountability Forum on The Feminist Wire
The brainchild of producer/host/visionary Esther Armah, THE SPIN: all women media panel syndicated talk show is a one hour, weekly radio show recorded via BBC Accra and NPR studios. The Spin is distributed by NPR Distribution and the Public Radio Satellite System. The show airs on the radio in Ghana, Nigeria, and on several NPR affiliates throughout the United States. It is also available on SoundCloud and iTunes podcasts via The Spin1 channel.
The Spin. One Hour. Once a Week. Smart=Sexy. Listen below!
Make the time to listen Radical Queer Feminist Sibling-Survivor-Friend, Storyteller, Activist, Advocate and founder of Mirror Memoirs, Amita Swadhin's conversation on Life in Brilliance. I am elated to move on this healing and accountability journey with her.
Mia Mingus' crystal acute clarity about the work that must be done in oppressed and marginalized communities. Oppression and marginalization are not just occurring from the outside.
For many Black/People of Color, the harm doers are ALSO in our families of origin and our chosen communities. They, too, have been harmed and are often unable or unwilling to examine the ways that they harm. However if this excruciatingly painful and relentless work doesn't happen, our communities will never be liberated.
Yes, Ignacio's HEAL Project is a form of #LoveWITHAccountability
"HEAL Project Tackles Child Sexual Abuse Using Survivors' Videos, Theater and Social Media by Miriam Zoila Pérez, Colorlines
"Ignacio Rivera—a child sexual abuse survivor as well as a "transgender, Two-Spirit, Black-Boricua Taíno and queer activist, writer, educator and artist"—has dedicated their life to breaking silences. With their new HEAL (Hidden Encounters Altered Lives) Project, Rivera is using theater, social media campaigns and sex education for parents and guardians to interrupt the cycle of this often buried form of abuse."
Learn more about Ignacio's project here.
Appreciating this powerful writing from Molly Boeder Harris of The Breathe Network
Appreciating this powerful writing from Molly Boeder Harris of The Breathe Network:
"Surviving? Resilience? Sometimes I think it's just a matter of luck. Or a matter of timing. Or a matter of being understood and symptoms being seen for what they are - natural responses to overwhelming and ongoing mind, body and soul terror. We somehow hang on for an extra hour, and someone comes through like a miracle reminding us to stay. Or we are just met with the best resources possible in the beginning and that gives us a foundation to start from - so that when things get shitty, five years later or 15 years later, we have something inside we can draw from to sustain us through the worst - again and again. Or we are encircled by people who believe and support and buffer us against all the external bullshit that may come our way of we speak out. But damn it is exhausting to still feel so much and there is so much shame in not being "over it" in a culture that wants a happy ending. And then there is this culture, and all of the intricacies of the dynamics surrounding our abuse, our disclosure, our perpetrator, our family and community, all the ways people do and don't show up for us over the years. And then the ways that the work of the movement keeps the wounds open, or the ways that for others, denying survivorhood may keep the wound open…and everything in between. It seems to me that resilience is like a constellation that comes together around us, like we are a new burning star at the center of something really huge and yet we become part of a web of stars - interconnected to something larger that gives us stability and structure and freedom to move, no timelines that can be measured, just ongoing showing up and presence - versus the isolation, the black hole, the clock ticking on how long you get to be sad and angry and triggered and afraid that comes with being raped in this culture. The clock that ticks so loud and the timeline that feels so impossible that it just doesn't seem worth it. It's so hard and I don't think we've gotten really real about it still. I think the resilience comes and grows with practice, but also, really effing hard practice, like water we have to drink daily survive…and when we stop practicing we notice pretty quickly. And the practice requires our people are also onboard with our need to practice and will hang around when shit gets rocky - which it always does and will as we face more of life. I think of all the privileges I have had in my life and my healing - all the kinds of care, past and present, that I have accessed and yet I still have phases of intense struggle and how isolating and shaming it can feel. I am cautiously optimistic that our country/globe is starting to understand what trauma does to our nervous systems, to our brains, to our organs, to our muscles and our breath and the way we digest food - and that with that knowledge - combined with all the non-cognitive ways we heal the parts of the brain and psyche and soul, and then all of it articulated through the lens of sexual assault survivors - that this weight will lighten for others in time…that maybe trauma healing won't be a life battle but rather, resilience practices will be accessible and normalized from the beginning allowing someone to be free from their past physically, mentally, energetically and spiritually, sooner rather than later, but damn, we have our work to do."
Imagine Otherwise podcast episode 014 features an interview with #LoveWITHAccountability creator Aishah Shahidah Simmons. During the 45-minute interview, which can be heard online or on iTunes, Aishah shares about her journey to make the internationally acclaimed, award-winning film NO! The Rape Documentary during the height of Mike Tyson trail, Clarence Thomas hearings, and OJ Simpson trial, feminist filmmaking, receiving a Just Beginnings Collaborative funded two year fellowship to focus her full time on ending child sexual abuse, Queering Sexual Violence, and more.
As part of a collaborative piece on The Establishment in conjunction with the Queering Sexual Violence anthology release, four contributors to Queering Sexual Violence share their personal healing paths, envision what healing could look like, and shift the narratives of what surviving and thriving actually can be.
From Aishah:
The late Black feminist author, cultural worker, organizer, and one of my teachers, Toni Cade Bambara, asked the timeless question, "Are you sure, sweetheart, you want be well?" in The Salt Eaters, her award-winning 1980 novel. I consistently ask myself this question, because being an unapologetically out Black feminist lesbian who is both an incest/child sexual abuse survivor and an adult rape survivor is extremely difficult. One of many things that I have experientially learned is that healing and being well—emotionally, psychologically, mentally, psychically, and physically—are ongoing journeys and processes, not permanent destinations.
In my essay for Queering Sexual Violence, I wrote about three non-negotiable tools that are an integral part of my healing work. These tools helped me move from victim to survivor and engaged participant in movements to end violence committed against women and queer people, most especially those who are Black/People of Color. These tools are: 24 years of work with a licensed clinical Black feminist psychologist, Dr. Clara Whaley-Perkins; a 14-year practice of vipassana meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka; and 25 years of consistent involvement as an activist/cultural worker/filmmaker in global anti-gender-based violence and LGBTQIA movements.


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Home > Uncategorized > Erie Investors Raise $30 Million Commercialization Fund
Erie Investors Raise $30 Million Commercialization Fund
March 3, 2010 Leave a comment Go to comments
"FCI Commercialization Fund in Erie is raising $30 million for a select group of research institutions–including University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon–primarily for nanotechnology and cyber security startups. Investments will range between $1 and $2 million, says Kurt Buseck, a managing partner in the fund.
"There are huge opportunities in these areas," Buseck says. "Lots of corporations are looking for research to drive their innovation and we're bridging that gap." [more]
FCI Commercialization Fund I, [website]
Categories: Uncategorized


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Academic Qualifications
- PhD (Economics)
- Master of International Business (Applied Finance and Banking)
- Bachelor of Business Administration (Management)
Research Interests
- Econometric Modelling
- Input-output Analysis
- Financial Engineering
+61 2 4239 2330
Dr Ashkan Masouman is an economist, specialised in econometric modelling and input-output analysis at the regional level. As an early career researcher, Ashkan is vigorously building a reputation by participating and presenting his research at economics and regional science conferences across all continents.
Prior to his fellowship at SMART, he joined University of Wollongong to pursue his doctorate. He was one of the only two PhD students from School of Accounting, Economics and Finance to be awarded a SMART scholarship to pursue his research. In his doctoral thesis, he developed a dynamic inter-sectoral model to investigate the Illawarra economy.
Before joining University of Wollongong, Ashkan worked as an investment consultant in Dubai real estate market and as an analyst (equity research) in Dubai equity market. He is currently responsible for building a large-scale econometric input-output model to investigate the Illawarra economy. He uses this model to inspect the impact of various aspects of the regional economy, such as infrastructure, energy sector, etc. on the overall economy.
Key Links


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South African music legend Dan Tshanda of splash and Dalom Music has died.
Speaking to reporters, a family spokesperson linked his death to heart failure.
Moudy Modzielwana said the musical icon suffered the heart attack at around 1pm this afternoon, 5th of January, 2019.
"He was rushed to hospital where he was certified dead upon arrival. The doctors confirmed that he passed on after a heart failure," he said.
Pressed further on whether the Venda music star had a history of heart problems Modzielwana said "No, he does not have such a medical history. He had just returned from a family vacation in Durban. He was just fine and did not show any signs that he was unfit."
Funeral arrangements will be announced later.
Source: ZW News


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Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 102 McLeod Ave., Missoula
For several months we've been meeting once a month to discuss mind training techniques, which offer practical methods for exploring and reframing our thoughts and perceptions to bring about more peace and ease in our daily lives.
Each of the first four months were dedicated to one of the contemplations called the Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind to the Spiritual Life. Since the 5th session, we have been looking at the actual teaching of the Seven Points of Mind Training.
This Saturday's Topic:
We will continue our exploration and meditation on the essential instructions contained in the text of the Seven Points of Mind Training, with a focus on the mind training slogans of Point Six, "Commitments of Mind Training."
No previous attendance is necessary.
Saturday, May 19, 2018
10:00 AM-12:00 noon: Teaching and Meditation
12:00 noon-1:00 PM: Brown Bag Lunch
1:00 PM-3:00 PM: Teaching and Meditation
Join us for either or both sessions. Please bring your own lunch for the noon lunch hour.
This day of practice is supported by donation. A donation basket will be available by the door for those who are able to contribute.
We will continue our discussion of the text on Saturday, October 20, 2018.


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Luss Estates Finalist in Scottish Rural Awards
Luss Estates has been announced as a finalist in two categories in the influential Scottish Rural Awards.
Luss Estates is a finalist for the Rural Tourism and Business Diversification categories.
More details about the categories and other finalists can be seen here: Rural Tourism Finalists and Business Diversification Finalists


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We found the help
we needed
This program is an effective, problem focused oriented approach to the mentoring of youth with the following risk factors for substance abuse: conduct problems, school related issues, family relations, and association with antisocial peers. This program reduces problems in children and adolescents and strengthens the family unit.
To learn more, call (941) 953-0000.


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The man's hands were shackled together in front of him – in front so he could feed himself when food was offered. Bhangi (smoking hemp) had addled his mind and he was liable to violent bouts of anger. Most people avoided him and kept their distance. He was reduced to begging for scraps to eat – and, literally, he smelled quite "ripe".
For some reason he showed up on the Mission Station and latched himself on to me. Maybe because I listened to his ranting; maybe because I was willing to try to converse with him. The African workers on the construction job (I was building the station church) laughed at him, calling him names and being generally obnoxious. Maybe, since I did not follow that line, he figured I had a "sympathetic" ear. In any case, he almost became a fixture around the building site – then he disappeared, No one knew where he went.
Several weeks later I was out in the "bush", about 20 miles from the station. Suddenly he materialized out of the crowd of people passing by. His hands were still shackled but his mind seemed to be a bit clearer. He greeted me and said, "Did you get the gift I gave you"? He hadn't been back to the Mission Station (as far as I knew) and I had not seen him since he had disappeared. I told him that I knew nothing about a gift – he said he had brought it to the house for me (probably some time at night!). He said it was a "ka-nyau", a small cat. I asked where he had put it.
Now, I had constructed an underground circular water cistern, to hold about 22,000 gallons of rain water which drained off the roof of our residence, but had only put a temporary covering of galvanized corrugated sheets on it. The man said, "You know the "ghala" (storage place) near the house. I lifted just up a sheet of "mabati" and put the
"ka-nyau" in there".
Horrors of horrors. The cistern was about half-full of water and a cat certainly couldn't survive in there and there was no way it could have climbed out! I had not-nice visions of what I would find when I got home.
I thanked him for the gift and, as soon as I got home in the evening, looked down into the cistern. Yes, there it was – dead, floating in the water and from both the odor and condition of the body, had been there for a good number days. And to think we had been using that water, even for drinking (though we did boil and filter all our drinking water)!
The next day's work was cut out for me. The water was pumped out, much being put into 50 gallon steel drums to be used in construction; the rest just drained onto the ground. Then came the job of scrubbing down the walls and floor of the cistern, spraying it with a bleach solution and letting it air out and dry. The covering was then put in place — and we prayed that the rains would come early to replenish our water supply.
Yes, the Lord heard – the rains came quite early and though we now had problems traveling because of the floods and mud, at least the cistern was full and running over! And we suffered no sickness for having used that polluted water. THANK YOU LORD !


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When you are going to purchase a car, it is a good idea to check prices for used cars. You might find a bargain that you never imagined. Used cars usually do not have the drastic discounts that new cars do at certain times throughout the year, but they are definitely cheaper. Additionally, some dealers even offer discounts for special models of their used cars meaning you can get some of the benefits of buying a new car while paying the price of a used car.
It is important to remember that buying a used car does not mean you are lowering your standards with regard to quality. Often, you can actually get a better quality car for as much as a cheaper new car. Thus, even if the car is used it may very well last as long as the new car. Going with a used car is an especially good option if you are looking to buy a luxury car such as a used 911 Porsche. There are some sites that cater to selling used luxury cars but shop around to get the best deal.
Look for models that are known for quality and lasting. This will increase your chances of getting a used car that you can still get a lot of use out of. You also have more options when buying a used car. You can go through dealers that specialize in selling used cars, but you can also buy directly from the owner. Although buying from the owner cuts out the middleman and can be cheaper, a dealer may offer benefits. These benefits could include a warranty, payment plans, and other benefits such as free tune up. Review all your options to make sure you are getting the most for your money.
You need to check out any car before you purchase it. Although you should get a mechanic to look at a car before you buy it, it is not reasonable to do it for every car. Consider getting a report from a service that does a background check and see whether a dealer can provide this information. It is worth doing the research when purchasing a car.


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It is the familiar in our faith that brings us comfort and assurance. Calvin often noted that it was because of ritual and familiarity in our worship services that our faith was confirmed and strengthened. The thought being that familiarity allowed for us to be more open to the spirit and thus feel the spirit more strongly. Interesting, is it not?
And I feel that we have all felt that to. When we are in moments of need or joy stating familiar prayers like the Lord's prayer or reading familiar passages give us greater comfort. This is important. Our worship services are predictable and we all know when we should stand and when we should sit; we know the words to the Gloria and we can easily follow along in a bulletin to any church service, even churches we don't usually worship at.
Yet, what if we didn't have faith? Or at least a church to call home? What if we had never been to a church worship service or only attended weddings and funerals…how strange would it feel to you? How worried would you be that you didn't make a fool of yourself?
These are important things to think about. For these are reasons why many of the 49% of unchurched people don't go to church. And also such an important part of what is "missing" in people's life. You see, as one of your session members asked sometime this year "[unchurched] just don't know what they are missing" and that is SO true.
Yes our churches have some bad parts – yes we must ask for money, yes some ask too often and some have done some bad things with it. Yes we have our in fighting but that is just because we are so passionate about our faith and our churches.
Next time you are talking to someone who doesn't have a church home, think about this…what would you be missing by not having a church faith to celebrate your belief with? And how can we make worship more comfortable?


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NXP, Sony announce first chip to power contactless applications in NFC phones
03 February, 2009
category: Contactless, Financial, NFC
Moversa, a joint venture between semiconductor manufacturer NXP and Sony, has unveiled a new security chip to manage contactless smart card applications in NFC-compliant phones. The Universal Secure Access Module predictably will support both NXP's MIFARE and Sony's FeliCa systems as well as other operating systems and applications.
Scheduled to be introduced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain Feb. 16-19, the U-SAM is also expected to support a number of other contactless operating systems and applications and will be available in both embedded and SIM form factors. The chip will enable mobile device manufacturers to design products which are interoperable with existing contactless infrastructures.
"Moversa's U-SAM delivers a key bridge between existing contactless specifications and services, simplifying and expanding the potential for future contactless platforms and applications", said Jonathan Collins, principal analyst, RFID & contactless for ABI Research. "Its arrival will help drive the rollout of NFC globally enhancing the reach of mobile contactless services in transport ticketing, payment and access management applications."
Moversa will begin sampling U-SAM to selected customers during the middle of 2009 with full deployment slated for the first half of next year.
Moversa, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, was created in November 2007 to focus on contactless technologies.


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Elitrope contains a unique combination of not only cognitive enhancing ingredients that are specifically formulated to achieve mental clarity and focus
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- Elitrope should be used as a catalyst to slow the cognitive degradation that gradually occurs with the natural aging process.* The best medicine is preventative and our brains are only as functional as the nutrients we put in them. "Nootropics" is a coined term limited to only supplements which are safe plus protect the brain and nerve tissue.Scientifically researched - Elitrope contains ingredients that work together targeting neurotransmission in an elevated, power-packed way. Elitrope is a cognitive supplement that enhances mental functioning by optimizing the natural processes already within us - mind, body, and soul.*
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- L-Glutamine which promotes brain health, athletic performance, muscle growth and recovery.*
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13 Perfect Rom-Coms to Help With Your Holiday Hangover Right Now
The Thanksgiving to New Year's grind is an unparalleled season of gluttony for most of us; by January of the New Year, streaming the best romantic comedies on Netflix and others becomes imperative as a method of self-care and post-party rehab. Once all the toasts have been made for the final time and you've kissed everyone you can think of as the fireworks pop, you're likely sitting on the couch in your sweatpants, head pounding, stomach slightly sour, and thinking, How has it come to this? We hear you, and we empathize.
Of course, that's where the rom-com comes in, that wayward genre of sweet serendipity and forgivably thin plots set to rising music that seems to have been elbowed out of the way in favor of prestige television and original movies (which we love, too, but which require a little more effort than we're willing to expend on days like today). But there's something about the tried-and-true tropes of the romantic comedies from the archetype's heyday—the '90s and 2000s—that provide a nectar of nostalgia and comfort that can't be beat. Luckily, we at Vogue understand this and thought ahead to this time of year and hangovers the size of Manhattan (where many of the best rom-coms take place, of course), and picked the 13 best romantic comedies streaming right now on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon. So you can turn your brain off and melt into movies you know and love (and in which, if anyone is ever hungover, it's always cute).
To All the Boys I've Loved Before (Netflix)
Starting off with a movie that this year received a universal Vogue endorsement, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Netflix's first breakaway original romantic comedy—specifically Noah Centineo's visage—is perfect, soothing hangover viewing. Not a moment will cause you emotional turmoil, except maybe some swooning. —Bridget Read, Culture Writer
13 Going on 30 (Amazon)
If you've ever wanted to watch the film Big, but for some reason don't like Tom Hanks—shame on you—13 Going on 30 is almost exactly the same movie and will make you feel every bit as good. It's silly fun with a soundtrack full of 1980s hits and plenty of ridiculous fashion. I'm not going to say that all movies should culminate in an extended musical break where Andy Serkis dances to "Thriller," but it certainly couldn't hurt. Gollum's got moves. —Janelle Okwodu, Senior Fashion News Writer
Bridget Jones's Diary (Amazon)
This is the movie equivalent of hair of the dog. Who doesn't want to spend their nights watching Frasier, drinking wine, and lip-synching to "All by Myself"? And that's just the opening credits, guys! This is 90 minutes of pure joy. Come for the relatable holiday misadventures, stay for ugly jumpers and the fight between two handsome Englishmen. (It's a real fight!) —Jessie Heyman, Executive Editor
Last Holiday (Amazon)
A shy people-pleaser finds out she has a terminal brain condition and her health insurance won't cover it (very 2017!). Knowing she has only three weeks to live, she starts doing things on her own terms, which means helicoptering to a spa town in the Czech Republic, eating everything she wants, and upgrading her style to "international." It's the perfect feel-good story blessed by the comedic timing of Queen Latifah and the adorable face of LL Cool J. —Ella Riley-Adams, Living Editor
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (Netflix)
Andie Anderson appears a '30s screen siren in her bias-cut, sexy-backed, silk gown in buttercup yellow. Dreamed up by costume designer Karen Patch, the dress provides a shock of high-watt fabulousness—enough to jolt anyone into a more desirable state. —Lilah Ramzi, Associate Editor
Heartbreakers (Hulu)
Jennifer Love Hewitt and Sigourney Weaver are the ultimate mom-and-daughter grifter team; their money-grabbing antics are enough to delight and distract in this comedy, so much so that the romance aspect is almost an afterthought! —Bridget Read, Culture Writer
Made of Honor (Amazon)
Essentially an inverse My Best Friend's Wedding, only with slightly more sight gags, certainly more hijinks, a lot of largely impenetrable Scottish accents, and a lot more eye-rolling (by you, the viewer). That said, it's also the perfect post-party recovery movie because it's very sweet, really pretty stupid, rather scenic (Scottish Highlands!), and highly recommended (by me, at least). You're welcome! —Alessandra Codinha, Culture Editor
Maid in Manhattan (Amazon)
J.Lo in that white Dolce pantsuit, slicked bun, and gold hoops? Enough inspo to get me dressed and off the couch. —Jenna Rennert, Associate Beauty Editor
Set It Up (Netflix)
Set It Up is kind of like The Parent Trap (which the movie acknowledges) but instead of two Lindsay Lohans, the plot centers on two assistants who make their workaholic bosses fall in love in order to improve their own lives. It helps that both the assistants—played by Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell—are very cute, and I have adored Lucy Liu since Charlie's Angels, but this adds up to an ideal feel-good, laugh-out-loud rom-com. —Ella Riley-Adams, Living Editor
Me Before You (Amazon)
I believe this movie was widely panned, but Sam Claflin's face is a hangover cure in itself. —Michelle Ruiz, Culture Contributing Editor
The Holiday (Amazon)
Real estate porn (both in snowy England and sunny Los Angeles); culture-clash humor; and Jack Black, Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, and Jude Law. Who cares if the housing-swap conceit makes little to no sense? —Bridget Read, Culture Writer
Sweet Home Alabama (Amazon)
A classic tale of deception and the American Dream, this movie has everything. Reese Witherspoon's "real" accent. Candice Bergen as the mayor of New York City. A Civil War reenactment. A botched outing of a gay cousin. A baby in a bar! Patrick Dempsey and Josh Lucas! It's a true visual feast with a plot that has more twists and turns than you'd expect from a film that takes its name from a Lynyrd Skynyrd song, making it A-plus hangover material. —Steff Yotka, Fashion News and Emerging Platforms Editor
The Sweetest Thing (Amazon)
Watch it for fashion, the plot, the bad dancing. I stand by my opinion that it should have won an Oscar. —Liana Satenstein, Senior Fashion Writer