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This Italian Fried Rice Recipe is the perfect time saving weeknight meal that will please your whole family. Leftover rice is cooked up with al fresco sweet Italian chicken sausage, veggies, and a splash of wine to create a simple family favorite. The Italian style rice is a fun take on your traditional fried rice recipe.
Confession time: I hate dinner time. Like I really, really do not like it. I love the ability to bond as a family and hang out together. But the whole, "rush around the house like a chicken with your head cut off while hungry kids whine like you haven't fed them ever" is just the worst.
Time saving weeknight meal
I love really easy things like minestrone soup or simple spaghetti squash pizza casserole. On the other hand, Alex is NOT a fan of that kind of meal.
As a work at home mom, I value any time I can save. I use Amazon Prime for literally anything and everything. When necessary, I spend an extra dollar or two and grab house basics at the grocery store instead of making a second trip.
There are days when I feel like I never stop. Wake up, Ry to school, grocery shopping, pick up Ryan. Calls, keep the kids from killing each other, clean up the house. And then before I even realize it Alex is walking through the door at 5 asking what's for dinner.
Well, I have no idea. I thought it was still 1 pm.
Thankfully, I have a few different meals I can throw together in 30 minutes or less on the blog. My favorite hidden veggie pesto sauce, Mexican fried rice, boxed mac and cheese are all popular on the blog.
So, it should be no surprise to you that time saving weeknight meals are my jam. I believe that a healthy meal can be thrown together in less time than it would take you to drive to a restaurant. And I know I'm not alone! (now, the dishes – another story. Sorry.)
This is a sponsored post I wrote in collaboration with al fresco chicken sausage. All thoughts and content are my own. Thank you for supporting Morgan Manages Mommyhood!
Quick weeknight meals made quicker
We recently discovered al fresco chicken sausages. I was combing through the aisles of my grocery store to find ways to make quick weeknight dinners.
When I found that the sausages are actually packed precooked, I was pleasantly surprised. Hello, time saver! I will admit. Precooked sausage is a little weird sounding. But I promise they're delicious. I actually couldn't resist snagging bites when I was cutting them up!
I used al fresco Sweet Italian Chicken Sausages to make this Italian fried rice recipe and they were perfect.
The pieces crisped up wonderfully and I actually think I prefer them to the fresh sausages our grocery store sells. No worrying about making sure they're cooked through and one less thing to worry about on a stressful night.
al fresco sausages come in a ton of great flavors. When I was shopping I grabbed the Sweet Apple, Sweet Italian, and Roasted Garlic. Next time, I'm definitely trying the Spinach and Feta and Roasted Pepper and Asiago.
On their
Time saving tips for making this Italian Fried Rice recipe:
- Make your rice ahead of time. Not only does this save time, but using older rice for fried rice ensures that you don't get soggy rice.
- Use al fresco sweet Italian chicken sausage. These sausages are fully cooked, so there is no need to make sure they are cooked through. Just crisp them up and go.
- Chop ahead of time. Meal prepping isn't my forte, at all. But chopping your veggies ahead of time will mean you can get this meal on the table in 15 minutes or less. Seriously. If you're not a fan of a stinky fridge (I feel you) then just chop the sausage, pepper, and zucchini. Leave the onion and garlic for the day
- If your kids will not be happy seeing the zucchini, try peeling the zucchini before dicing it. You could also use
a yellowsquash. Rice cauliflower is also a great hidden veggie option!
Like hidden veggie recipes? Try this: Over 100 Hidden Veggie Recipes Your Kids Will Love!
This Italian style rice comes together in less than 15 minutes if you make your rice ahead of time. This makes it perfect for any night that you feel frazzled.
You can change out the veggies as you please. But, I liked that the zucchini blended in well so my kids and husband didn't even get bothered by it. Peel off the green or use a yellow squash if your kids will balk at it. Substituting roasted red pepper or sun dried tomatoes for the fresh bell pepper would be awesome.
Want to sneak in more veggies?
If you're looking to add more veggies, try grabbing some rice cauliflower at the store. It's sold at my local grocery store both frozen and fresh. Saute it up with the veggies before the wine, and cook about 2 minutes.
Want to get the kids involved?
Use a food chopper to have your kids help your cut up the veggies. Another great thing is having them stir in the cheese at the end (with close supervision if on the stove). Lastly, get them interested in fresh herbs by having them pick the leaves off the stems.
Italian Fried Rice
Italian Fried Rice
This Italian Fried Rice is the perfect time saving weeknight meal that will please your whole family. Leftover rice is cooked up with sweet Italian chicken sausage, veggies, and a splash of wine to create a simple family favorite. The Italian style rice is a fun take on your traditional fried rice recipe.
- 2 links of al fresco sweet Italian chicken sausage
- ¼ cup red bell pepper diced
- ½ of a medium zucchini diced
- ¼ cup onion diced
- 2-4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- ½ cup red wine see notes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 cups of cooled rice
- 2 tablespoons of chopped Italian parsley
- ½ cup of mini fresh mozzarella balls
- ¼ cups quality grated paremesan cheese
Over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the chopped al fresco chicken sausage. Cook about 2-3 minutes to crisp up.
Add the pepper, zucchini, and onion. Cook another 2-3 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds to a minute or until fragrant.
Deglaze with the red wine, cooking 3 minutes until cooked down a bit. Lower the heat if necessary.
Add in the rice. Toss until full incorporated and cooked through. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley and parmesan. Taste and season. Before serving, stir in the mini mozzarella balls. (This is to prevent melting!)
Recipe Notes
Rice options – you can use white or brown rice or use a combo of rice and quinoa or riced cauliflower for an extra dose of veggies. If using cauliflower, cook it up in the veggies for a minute or two after you add the garlic. Please use good parmesan. Using good parmesan (usually near the deli section in my local store) is a game changer. Yes, it costs more but you'll also find yourself using less. If you don't want to use wine, you can use the same amount of stock with a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. It's not the same but you'll get a similar taste. You do need the vinegar to add the flavor though. If you plan on keeping leftovers, only add the mozzarella balls to some of the rice. Reheating it on a stove top will be easier that way and they won't get super melty when you need to reheat.
Okay so tell me – do you like dinner time? What's your favorite quick dinner? Would your family like these al fresco sausages?
If you enjoyed this, you may also like..
Quick and Easy Chicken Penne Pasta Recipe (using al fresco sweet Italian Chicken sausage!)
Mexican Fried Rice
Egg Roll in a Bowl
Got a picky eater?
My kids eat their veggies every day without complaining. Want my secret?
Grab the Outsmart your Picky Eater cheat sheets to get the inside scoop on how to add veggies to food your kids already love.


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The trend to encourage Americans to get their Advance Directive in order has reached Washington D.C.
One U.S. Senator has been working to change the fact that fewer than 30% of Americans have their Advance Directives in place. His strategy is to pay people $75 to write one.
A story in Time magazine outlines a recently introduced bill by Senator Tom Coburn, called the Medicare Choices Empowerment and Protection Act, which would give seniors cash for putting together their Advance Directives.
The bill, if passed, would allow people on Medicare to receive a $75 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for completing an online Advance Directive, and $50 for manually creating one.
"Many people want to complete Advance Directives, but they procrastinate because it requires the unpleasant task of thinking about your own mortality," says Dr. Scott Halpern. "A new approach might help patients receive the type of care that they want."
The story cites a recent study that proves Medicare costs go down when people put their End-of-Life medical wishes in writing. The 2011 study of more than 3,000 Medicare beneficiaries also found Advance Directives help:
• Lower the risk of dying in a hospital
• Lead to a higher use of hospice care
The reality is a large chunk of Medicare spending already goes to End-of-Life care. The study reported $170 billion of the $554 billion Medicare budget in 2011 went to pay for patients' last six months of life.
"The hospice community is in favor of anything that incentivizes the conversation," says Angie Truesdale, vice president of National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. "The only way it could be stronger is if they would incent patients to revisit it every year."
You won't get paid for it, but you can begin writing your own Advance Directive here at Passare right now.
Read the story here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Julie Small Leather and Brass Box
Julie Small Leather and Brass Box
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Origin: Made in Sweden
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Options for the leather: Olive brown with an interior of anthracite. For custom colors please email us at email@example.com.
Delivery time: Approximate delivery time 2 weeks
Add To Cart


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Bethesda had its E3 presentation and this year the focus was on bringing new life to some old games like Fallout 4 and Elder Scrolls Online for a fresh new experience. First up was Fallout 4 and Doom both great titles which are getting VR experiences for both games. I'm sure that's exciting news for anyone with a VR set but for the rest of us the announcement was cool but hard to get excited for.
Bethesda also took a moment to reintroduce people once again to Skyrim for the Switch and showed how Amiibos will be integrated into the game like giving you different outfits and weapons. Seems like a cool and clever way to incorporate Amiibos into the game. Something else that I missed the first time around is that during the trailer you can see how you can essentially play using the motion sensors in the Joy Con controllers. Seems cool but hopefully you can turn that feature off for anyone not interested in the feature.
Bethesda also announced the return competitive scene with Quake Champions and holding a tournament with a prize pool of $1,000,000. No word yet on when this will all take place but I'm sure people will be eager to hone their skills now that some money is involved.
Bethesda did have a few new games to announce, first up was The Evil Within 2 which will come out on October 13th. Since it was simply a trailer and very little gameplay footage its hard to say what we can expect from it besides being scary. Another new game which looks to be like a fun shooter was Wolfenstein 2 The New Colossus, from the insane weapons to the enemies you face and story, this seems like one of those games you'll be wanting to play.
Overall while Bethesda spend a lot of time on old games which were fun to see but not very exciting it did get my attention with games like Skyrim for the Switch and Wolfenstein 2 which both look fun. While I would have liked to be wowed and amazed with new an exciting games, sometimes that isn't always the case, maybe next year.


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I will bet on no difference for bass, AND double down on neither having much if any effect on bass
Once I got rid of my overstuffed, microfiber sofa with recliner on one end and chaise on the other, the bass and mids improved considerably. I thought the highs would be the main beneficiary but it turned out to not be the case. In fact, there was hardly any difference, if any. The size of the room plays a part as well and I listen in the near field so that was my situation.
All the best,
Based on what Erik stated, a leather couch may be a better bass trap. The harder leather surface may act more as a "membrane" -- this is typically used in bass traps as a more effective way of absorbing lower frequencies and at the same time reflecting higher frequencies. Look at specs for 703 FRK fiberglass panels (that use a foil type membrane on the front).
@rand-11 - yeah, totally understand. It's not a tuned basstrap. However, the 703 FRK is not a tuned bass trap either. I'm just trying to say that there's some element of more efficient bass absorption when you place a flexible reflective material in front of a highly absorbive material (i.e. the 703 FRK). It's not going to be perfect and it's not going to be a "tuned bass trap", but I would error on the side that there may be some benefit to the leather couch over the cloth couch. :)
Toilets make a great bass trap. They are customizable too - depending where you sit and/or the fluid/solid levels you can tune them for the best sound. The only drawback is fitting the rest of your gear in the toilet - usually the door won't close - audio is frustrating.
Seriously for good bass trap you need at least three if not four GIK corner traps. A large smooth leather sofa will be best. Cloth will absorb too much highs relative to lows.
Looking at this chart below:
If you compare the numbers for Owens 703 2" and Owens 703 FRK 2". Both are exactly the same fiberglass, same density, same thickness. The only difference is that FRK has a thin metal foil applied to the front of the panel. When you compare the sound absorption numbers for 125Hz, you'll see that normal 703 is 0.17, but the 703 FRK is higher at 0.63 (means it absorbs 63% of sound at the 125 Hz frequency). Obviously, this is not a full-blown tuned membrane, but it is giving a similar behavior to a membrane type bass trap. The only theory I have here is that the foil is acting as a type of pressure based membrane.
Another example is to look at the GIK Flex-Range Technology:
They just put a hard but flexible membrane right in front of the sound absorption layers. The result is more absorption in the lower frequencies (100Hz and under) as well as less absorption of upper frequencies. Please remember that this is still not a "tuned bass trap" like the Scopus traps or a limp mass membrane bass trap. The tuned bass trap would require a specific distance between the membrane and the back of the cabinet.


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Alondra Bentley
(born in Lancaster, 25 January1983, resident in Murcia), singer and composer. Her first demos were signed with the pseudonym "Ladybird". Under that name, she met the brothers Jose and Andres Perello, who, along with Alondra, Juan Pedro Galvez (Irasshai) and Luis José Argemí, founded "First Aid", group of which, reached the final in pop-rock in the competition for promising young Creajoven 2004 (Murcia). In 2008 she was guest of the Independent Festival at Cañada de la Cruz (Murcia), where she shared the stage with Playmovil, Stefunny 6, Ninguno, Yumalla and Winnie de Punk. Four years later she released her debut solo, Ashfield Avenue, published in March 2009. In 2009 she participated in many music festivals such as Primavera Sound in Barcelona, La Mar de Musicas in Cartagena, the FM Pop in Lucena (Córdoba), the Sonorama in Aranda de Duero, the Alternative Musicas Festival (or Festival October) of Ayora, and Vandia, female voices festival organized by the group Laika in Valladolid among others. She served as opening act for international groups such as Elvis Perkins in Dearland, and participated in the Nick Drake tribute concert organized by Sala Galileo Galilei on the 40th anniversary of their first album.
Recordings: 2012: The Garden Room. (Gran Derby Records); 2009: Sings for children, It's holidays (Gran Derby Records); 2009: Ashfield Avenue (Absolute Beginners Records).
Awards: Creajoven Contest Winner in the category of songwriters in 2005. In 2006, in the competition for new talents in the Sala Stereo, Stereo Live, she was one of the three finalists, along Playmovil (winners) and Stefunny 6. Together with Klaus & Kinski she reached the semifinals of the 2008 Demo Project, organized by the FIB Heineken, Radio 3 and MTV Spain.


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HiTi CS-200e
The HiTi CS-200e features compact design, photo realistic quality and versatile modules. The CS-200e blends HiTi high definition dye sublimation thermal transfer and world-leading colour technologies, resulting in continuous tone and sophisticated photo quality on every print. Fully functional card software included with the printer supports card template design, convenient database connection, and powerful batch printing management.


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Photo du Jour1:39 PM
A calèche heads towards Old Montreal on Ottawa street and Murray in Griffintown
Une calèche se dirige vers le Vieux-Montréal sur la rue Ottawa et Murray dans Griffintown
All original information and photos on this blog (excluding occasional outside sources) are copyrighted to Vanishing Montreal - JS Davidson. If you want to share any of the info/photos from VM you can by simply linking the original posts to your site but you can't reproduce or copy the original material from this blog to another blog without permission. All rights reserved 2009-2019


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Hey Friday! How have you been? We've been missing you, thanks for asking! Well, now that you're here, how about watching those videos we've all been waiting for?
If you want to send us a funny, musical or interesting link and see it published in our selection, send it to us at lexiophiles[at]bab[dot]la or send us a tweet @babla with the hashtag #TGIF.
History of English (English) – Learn where the English language came from in a very comic way
Vytautas Mineral Water! It's Earth's Juice! (English) – How not buying it right away?
Funny, weird & cool Japan (Japanese) – Some commercials that properly make Japan keep its fame and image
Kitten Bun Bun's Funny Reactions to Camera (English) – This is a kitten that barks and walks funny – in other words it is a must-see!
Superior Smörgåscake – Regular Ordinary Swedish Meal Time (English) – Having a badass meal time
That's all for today! See you next Friday!


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Join The Conversation With Mishpacha's Weekly Newsletter
How to help our children find the fine balance between coaxing and controlling
Wednesday, June 06, 2018
If we define negotiation as discussion with the objective of reaching an agreement, is it ever advisable for parents to negotiate with their kids? Depending on whom you ask, the answer is either no, yes, or sometimes
R aise your hand if you've ever begun a sentence with, "If you get ready for bed nicely, then…"
Welcome to the club of mothers who know that issuing orders like an army drill sergeant isn't the optimal way to secure children's cooperation. However, while parents and children both like to feel like the winner, some situations just feel like stalemate, or even defeat.
"I have one child who always wants more than I offer," says Shaina, a mother of five from Yerushalayim. "If I offer him two cookies, he'll ask for a third. If I try to beat him to it by offering three, he'll ask for a fourth."
"My daughter has very high material needs, and it can be impossible to satisfy her. It's so hard to know when to be firm. When she pleads and cries, my no becomes a yes, and then her older sisters are jealous that she always ends up getting her way," says Malky, a mother of eight from Lakewood.
And from Chava, mother of three from Flatbush: "When my kids are involved in a good play session, I hate to disrupt it, so sometimes I'll give them a few minutes extra. But no matter how much time I give, it's always, 'We just finished setting up and didn't start the game yet, can you wait?' and when those extra five minutes are up, 'Can we have just a few more minutes?' "
Using discussion, not force, to encourage cooperation is a widespread tactic — but does it undermine parental authority? When does childish negotiation become manipulation? And how can we teach our children healthy communication skills while still running our homes smoothly?
"If you…"
According to Rachael Rovner, veteran early childhood educator from Memphis, parents often don't notice the subtle messages they're giving their kids. The if/then statement is often misused, formulating what parents expect from their children — pleasant cooperation — as a choice that's up for discussion. "You've just given them the option of not going to bed nicely!" she points out.
Conversely, Dina Friedman, creator of the Chanoch L'naar parenting classes, maintains that the mother hasn't given the child a choice as to whether to obey; the choice was already there, and the mother simply provided information about what would occur as a result of the child's choices, letting the child to make an informed decision. Allowing a child to experience the inevitable consequences of his choices, and learning that his parents will follow through on the limits they set, is the basis for all parental authority, she explains.
"Listening to a child's request is an expression of sensitivity to his needs, not an affront to authority. It sends the message: I care about your life and your perspective. You're a person, not an object — even when I'm asking something from you"
If we define negotiation as discussion with the objective of reaching an agreement, is it ever advisable for parents to negotiate with their kids? Depending on whom you ask, the answer is either no, yes, or sometimes.
"They're the children, you're the grownup. I don't understand how adults negotiate with children. You're letting a three-year-old tell you what to do with your time?" asks Mrs. Rovner.
Some parents report opening a topic up for negotiation in order to secure cooperation and forestall the tantrum they expect will come if they lay down the law. "If I let you walk without holding Mommy's hand, will you stay next to the shopping cart like a good girl?" seems like a better alternative than an explosive meltdown in the cereal aisle. But in the Rovner household, explosions are not an anticipated outcome.
"We don't have tantrums," explains Mrs. Rovner, "because there's never been negotiation." When children learn that their parents' demands are negotiable, they become surprisingly persistent and dedicated to getting their own way. "Kids aren't manipulative; they're very smart. They learn from past experience. If I got a raise every time I walked into my boss's office and demanded one, I'd do it more often. Kids negotiate and act with chutzpah because it works for them." (Excerpted from Family First, Issue 595)
To read more, subscribe to Mishpacha in print
For baalei teshuvah, whether it's their child's bris, bar mitzvah, or wedding, making simchahs is a ...
My garden is miles from manicured, nor is it pedicured. It will never appear in any magazine — excep...
Five off-the-beaten-track careers for the woman who's always dreamed of practicing medicine


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Do we need the Townies? Their stories usually don't compare to the challenges you get going through dungeons and fighting monsters. Usually its page upon page of dialogue, possibly with voice acting, but it doesn't really match the adrenaline surges you experience going through monster filled areas searching for Macguffins.
There is an article which talks about the way that towns have changed from in games like Wizardry and Akalabeth. In the early games, you would make your way to town, be given a mission, stop at the shop to supply and then head out to the dungeon. You fight the dungeon, come back to town and sell off what you don't need for more money to restock up and do it all over again until you beat the game.
Nowadays, the town is more than just a stopover and supply point for your adventuring destinations and has since become a questing center all its own. This is quite easily seen, as the article write proposes by looking at games like Baldur's Gate 2 where there is a huge city that you're set in and while there are other stories taking place and you don't have any real reason to leave for a while. The author does say, 'It's assumed that the player will feel free to leave, do some quests, then come back and explore some more. But a generation obsessively trained by games with one-way-doors and miss-able items is a generation trained towards compulsion.' I look back at the games I've played with large towns and I see that he is pretty accurate in his description of that.
I remember the old Dragon Warrior Guidebook for the NES telling people to write down everything that was said so you could refer back to it since you would need it to solve quests later. That was when towns had maybe ten NPCs in them beyond the shopkeeper and innkeeper. Then you expand it to games like Earthbound, where the cities grew into sometimes like fifty or a hundred unique NPCs with some giving you directions and hints, and not being sure if or when you'ld be unable to return to an area because the storyline preventing you from going back. So many RPGs had trigger events that once crossed would restrict you from going back, be it load bearing bosses, dialogue choices that restrict areas, or just the storyline now sending you to the next zone. You may have missed an encounter that gives you a vital clue or some important key item that you can only get once, and so we check every hidey hole, we talk to everyone and only when we feel we clicked on everything then we move on, causing a change in the playstyle we encountered in the dungeon areas.
However, to go back to the original concept of whether the new development of towns is a good or bad thing, I think it is both. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otAkP5VjIv8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur6GQp5mCYs are the Quest Design videos that Extra Credits did, which you may not think fit well with the idea of city design, but they talk about ways to get out of thinking as quest giving in hubs with quest givers to talk to and instead develop the world into a quest rich environment where anything from a random ring found underwater to a note or an overturned vehicle could have a story for your players to explore. You want these cities to be rich, realistic places with their own sense of style. The NPCs have personalities and they interact with the world in real ways, thus making the story more fulfilling. That is the key element for some people when they play the games because they want to get lost into that fake world and its story, in this case told through the NPCs.
So, the way I see it, this change to towns was brought about because of many reasons. Expansive growth as a quest hub and storytelling environment, technological limits imcreasing of how much we can display on screen and even the one-up-manship of game designers wanting to make their game better than the last offerings. All of these are reasons cities moved from being a stopping point like the 'town' hub in Diablo which had your magic shop, blacksmith, identifier, and a few other things. You had a handful of NPCs to deal with as it was only a staging ground before moving out in the world. Some people liked that as you're not spending time interacting with a lot of NPCs who may not do anything but be colorful background. This forum post sums up the attitude about why 'large detailed towns' are a problem for some players really well, mentioning some old school RPGs where they had, as the poster puts it, 'a very minimalistic way of writing dialogue (one that converts as much information as possible in as few lines as possible)'.
Depending on the sort of game you choose to play, towns can be a good or bad thing to the flow of your game. If you don't want towns to be a big feature, you can follow the idea of the MMO quest videos of Extra Credit where there was some mention of different ways of using towns for quest design, from it being hubs of NPC quest givers in WoW to having the whole environment becoming possible quest givers in the way of Secret World. So, you can add a merchant like Neko from Secret of Mana or Skyrim's wandering Khajhit merchants to buy and sell and provide basic rumors without needing huge sprawling towns. This keeps the draw in your world as the dungeon(s) and its adventures. You can add a few other NPCs here and there to give hints and tips on where to go and what to do like the soldiers who appeared outside the Water Palace near the start of Secret of Mana and you can come back to them later in their success of failure. If you really want to throw things into the face of the PCs, like introducing a villain, put set pieces to set the stage like with Kefka in FF6 like at Castle Doma where he showed his true colors.
Of course, since we're doing away with towns as story hubs, the rest of the story can be told in other ways, like making use of environment and lore in the Demon/Dark Souls games of late, or the Castlevanias and Metroids. There was little to no interaction with other NPCs in the early games of those series, leaving it to PCs to put together a story if they wanted. Add some books and letters, maybe some paintings or carvings and monuments and you're turning the players into archeologists and anthropologist as they put meaning to the uncovered clues. If its a future setting, you can have androids, videos and even holographic records, while fantasy may have ghosts, familiars (of good and bad variety), and other magical style stuff.
I think, in the end, if video games want to use towns they need to make sure it fits their vision of the flow they want. I look at games like Fate, where you can send your pet to sell your items in town, and that's one way to eliminate the need of towns. The big question is how you approach it in tabletop, and you'll have to answer that for your own players. Just consider what you want your players to focus on, because they're the important ones to your story.


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A blog by Mark Anav about business, technology, and more.
Mark Anav, Visionstar Inc. Los Angeles, CA
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
DOJ Sues Bank Of America Over Mortgage-Backed Securities
The U.S. government on Tuesday filed two civil lawsuits against Bank of America for what the Justice Department and securities regulators said was a fraud on investors involving $850 million of residential mortgage-backed securities.
The Justice Department and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed the parallel suits in U.S. District Court in Charlotte, according to the court filings.
The securities date to about January 2008, the government said, putting them just at the beginning of the global financial crisis.
Bank of America responded to the lawsuits with a statement: "These were prime mortgages sold to sophisticated investors who had ample access to the underlying data, and we will demonstrate that.
"The loans in this pool performed better than loans with similar characteristics originated and securitized at the same time by other financial institutions. We are not responsible for the housing market collapse that caused mortgage loans to default at unprecedented rates and these securities to lose value as a result."
Bank of America had warned in a securities filing on Thursday about possible new civil charges linked to a sale of one or two mortgage bonds.
The two suits accuse Bank of America of making misleading statements and failing to disclose important facts about the mortgages underlying a securitization named BOAMS 2008-A.
"These misstatements and omissions concerned the quality and safety of the mortgages collateralizing the BOAMS 2008-A securitization, how it originated those mortgages and the likelihood that the 'prime' loans would perform as expected," the Justice Department said in its statement.
A "material number" of mortgages in the pool "failed to materially adhere to Bank of America's underwriting standards," the statement said.
Bank of America has announced a series of settlements with investors and the U.S. government, including an $8.5 billion settlement with investors in mortgage-backed securities and a $1.6 billion deal with bond insurer MBIA Inc.
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Surgeons announced here today that they had placed the first fully implantable artificial heart in a human being.
The patient, whose name and sex have not been disclosed, was described as resting comfortably, awake and responsive after a seven-hour operation at Jewish Hospital on Monday. The patient had been on the brink of death before the operation, with a life expectancy of about a month, as the Food and Drug Administration had required in approving the experiment.
The new, totally implantable artificial heart, called the AbioCor, is made by Abiomed of Danvers, Mass. It is battery powered and has no wires or tubes passing through the skin.
Dr. David M. Lederman, Abiomed's president and chief executive, said the initial goal in testing the device would be to ''double the life of the patient and to give the patient a reasonable quality of life, which is 60 days.'' But, he said, he hoped patients would live longer.
The AbioCor is the second type of totally artificial heart to be tested in people. It differs in a major way from the first artificial heart, the air driven Jarvik-7, which required tubes leading from the patient to huge compressors and consoles when it was implanted in Dr. Barney Clark at the University of Utah in December 1982.Continue reading the main story
After the Louisville team, headed by Dr. Laman A. Gray and Dr. Robert D. Dowling, removed most of the patient's diseased heart, they attached the Abiomed device to remnants of the two upper chambers, the left and right atria, and to the aorta, the main artery to the body. The operation was one the surgeons had practiced many times on animals, as the Food and Drug Administration had required of any surgical team that participated in the experiment.
The AbioCor patient wears a battery pack that transfers energy across the skin, without any connections, to an internal coil and internal battery that powers the device's control unit. There is also a power driver that allows the patient to see basic alarm warnings from the internal system, like low battery power.
Because there are no wires or tubes, a patient using the device can take a shower and change clothes without the difficulty Dr. Clark and subsequent recipients of Jarvik-7 hearts had.
At Jewish Hospital, which is affiliated with the University of Louisville, officials said they would disclose no more details until a Wednesday morning news conference.
Dr. Lederman said the Food and Drug Administration gave the company permission in January to implant its artificial heart in up to five patients at any of five hospitals in Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Louisville and Philadelphia. To protect patient confidentiality, Abiomed officials said they would delay disclosure for up to 30 days after the first human implantation of the AbioCor.
The Associated Press, quoting an unnamed source, first reported the implant today. The National Institutes of Health has paid for research to develop an artificial heart since the 1960's, though it threatened to stop further development in the 1980's. Congressional pressure assured continuation of the program largely because of the number of people who might benefit from an artificial heart.
Among the 700,000 Americans who die from heart failure each year, an estimated 125,000 would be candidates for an implanted artificial heart, Dr. Lederman said. Although heart transplants are extending the lives of many patients, there are 4,231 patients on the transplant list in the United States, and only about 2,000 hearts become available in a year, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing, which coordinates transplants. Those who do not receive transplants usually die while waiting.
The external battery pack that powers the AbioCor can be worn as an adjustable belt around the waist or held up by suspenders. The device is designed so that a patient can be mobile. Each rechargeable battery lasts up to two hours. There is room for a spare battery that would allow mobility for four hours. Energy is passed through the skin to a cobra-shaped internal device that uses radio frequency from outside the body.
''That is what is revolutionary -- it charges the internal battery without any connections through the skin,'' said Dr. Daniel Goldstein of Newark Beth Israel Hospital. He said he hoped to use the AbioCor as part of the next group of hospitals chosen to test the device.
The five participants in the F.D.A.-approved experiment must be at least 18 years old and of large enough build to accommodate the grapefruit-size plastic and metal device in the chest. There is no upper limit on age. Such individuals must have failure of both ventricles, the bottom pumping chambers of the heart. They must also have failed all standard therapies and not be eligible for a heart transplant. The researchers did not specify the reasons for that requirement. However, if a recipient of the AbioCor survives long enough and recovers enough to become a candidate for a transplant, nothing ''rules out a heart transplant,'' said Dr. O. H. Frazier, a heart surgeon at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, one of the F.D.A.-approved centers to implant the AbioCor.
Dr. Frazier has tested the device in more than 60 animals. The artificial heart implanted in a calf was quiet and made near normal heart sounds when a visitor listened through a stethoscope in the institute's animal quarters two years ago. The calves were killed after about three months because they outgrew the device.
Dr. Frazier said he and Dr. Gray and Dr. Dowling had watched each other perform implants of the AbioCor in exchange visits to Houston and Louisville.
Abiomed has kept the artificial heart beating in the laboratory for more than a year without mechanical failure, Dr. Lederman said.
Abiomed designed its artificial heart to operate quietly. Goals of the human experiments are to determine whether its use causes any pain, interferes with mental acuity and can allow a patient to carry out routine daily activities and be productive.
Noting that there were very high death rates among the first patients to receive other types of heart devices, Dr. Lederman said he expected that ''every patient will probably die on the AbioCor'' in the early experiments.
Dr. Lederman said that aerospace engineers helped design and develop the AbioCor by using newer microchips and software that were not available to researchers who developed earlier models. The engineers hope that they have learned how to avoid complications like infections and stroke-producing blood clots that plagued the Jarvik-7 heart experiments. William J. Schroeder of Jasper, Ind., lived the longest, for 620 days, on a Jarvik heart, before he died in August 1986. But he suffered a debilitating stroke soon after receiving his artificial heart.
The N.I.H.-financed program has led to the production of a number of pumps meant to help improve the function of a weakened heart, known as heart assist devices. The earliest was the intra-aortic balloon pump, which is inserted in the aorta, the body's main artery, to help a failing heart pump more effectively. The balloon pump has been used in hundreds of thousands of patients since it was first tested in 1967.
For more than 10 years, doctors have been using ventricular assist devices as piggy backs, implanted in the patient's chest without removing the heart, to help a failing main chamber pump more effectively. Though their use is often successful, they have their limitations.
If Abiomed achieves enough success among the first five patients, the F.D.A. has given the company permission to use the artificial heart on an additional 10 patients.
Abiomed has created an independent patient advocacy council that the company organized and financed but will not control. The aim is to provide supplementary advice to patients about their decision to participate in the experiment and to meet to discuss any problems with the trial.Continue reading the main story


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Executive Management
Mr. Salameh Tayem
|General Manager
|Mr. Abdelrahman Awad
|Investment Manager
|Ms. Hanan Boulus
|Mr. Mohammad Daoudi
|Head of Local Brokerage
|Mr. Mutaz Jaradat
|Head of Regional and International Brokerage
|Ms. Suhad Al Yassin
|Head of Customer service and Marketing
|Ms. Rawan Rabadi
|Head of Human Resources and Administration
|Ms. Shereen Marmash
|Head of Compliance and Middle Office


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Room 10
Glenbrae school
103 leybourne circle
Glen Innes
Auckland 1072
9 September 2014
Dear Matua Leighton
My name is Moli. I am a year 8 student at Glenbrae School. Thank you very much for coming to Glenbrae School to talk to the year 7 & 8 students about a career in teaching.
I was happy when you came to Glenbrae School and told us about yourself and how you became a teacher. When you were telling us about you wanting to be a millionaire, it was funny. I learned it's important to find a good job to support your family.
You have inspired us to study well, get a job and do our best for our families.
Yours sincerely


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Hello, I am Alexandra Wolfsbane, and no, that is not my real name.
As I have pondered much about my life as a writer, and what it will be like when I am living my adult life out on my own, I have constantly debated whether I should put myself out there. I have always wanted people to be inspired by my art, whether it be in word or visual form, but I have never been sure if it should be acknowledged in reference to me. There is a sort of mystery and excitement that I have always found in a pen name, and the room it gives to develop a personal identity is marvelous.
Now, I am not hiding. I am not lying.
I am allowing myself to discover myself through a new way. I am giving myself a new opportunity to be who I really want to be. Someday, I hope that I can be a name in the writing community that people refer to with respect and admiration. I am no secret. A lot of my friends will probably know who I am. I am fine with that. But there is nothing wrong with opening yourself up creatively with complete freedom and adventure. This is what Alexandra means to me. It is another part of me that I hope can be embraced, as I am learning to embrace myself. She is the artist in me.
I encourage everyone to do the same, whether it be in this way, or another. Find that part of you that you really want the world to discover, and share it. Learn to love it. There are so many ways in which you can do that.
I hope that sharing my insights with you can lead to you sharing yours with others. Sharing absolutely is caring. Think about how it really impacts the world. It is in a bigger way than you think.
Feel free to ask me any questions! I will be happy to answer them. In the meantime, take a look at what more I have to share.
Apart from this blog, I also write stories in my free time. Feel free to check them out and give them a read! I only have two stories published at the moment, which are not completed. One of them is co-written with a friend of mine.
Don't be afraid to share yourself. You'll inspire others to do the same.
a. w.


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Marc, Franz
Monet, Claude
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Renoir, Pierre Auguste
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The Santa Project
Teaching at an assembly
Sharing a prop with a child
Always teaching!
He said he was too heavy!
Kids are precious!
Teaching in a classroom
Adults need to hear about safety, too
Santa and a dear friend
Fundraising can be fun
Children bring lists
Whether in the green chair, at a fundraising event or in schools, Pete teaches personal safety to kids of all ages. After all, whether yours or mine, kids are precious, requiring love, training and protection.
The Santa Project


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Liverpool and Everton fans team up with England's oldest mosque to help city food banks
Merseyside football fan groups have teamed up with England's first ever mosque to help Liverpool's food banks.
The Abdullah Quilliam Mosque at Brougham Terrace on West Derby Road, Kensington , will become a food bank collection point for fans supporting food banks, after being approached for help by Everton Supporters' Trust (EST) and Spirit of Shankly (SOS).
Committee members of the mosque's trust said they were "delighted" to help and it was something that the mosque's Liverpool-born founder, Abdullah Quilliam, would have been very proud of. Read More via LiverPoolEcho.


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Mar. 15 - At the 4th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, member states failed to meet expectations to confront the ever-growing plastic-pollution crisis threatening our waterways, ecosystems, and health.
April 8 - Reports from the Seattle, Washington area, show that bald eagles are taking hazardous waste and plastic pollution from a local landfill and dropping it in suburban back yards.
Mar. 22 - Hannah Testa, age 16, founder of Hannah4Change, writes about her recent beach cleanup on Kahuku Beach in Oahu, Hawaii.
Mar. 6 - Why is the U.S. still adding to the problem by shipping plastic waste to other countries?
Feb. 28 - More than 125 students from 8 countries gathered in Dana Point, CA, for Algalita's POPS International Youth Summit.
Feb. 5 - R3 rescues coffee sacks from local coffee roasters and shops and upcycles them into reusable bags that are 100 percent compostable.


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Wide Stripe Hand Towel
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The Wide Stripe Towel is the resident "cool kid" of the August Linen lineup. It was one of the first designs to make the cut and we absolutely fell in love with its ivory and rosy taupe tones. The pattern can adapt to any environment, and we find it looks great in light and airy work spaces. The Wide Stripe is made from thick material and its quality craftsmanship will put up with many years of use.
Linen in this piece is durable, absorbent and anti-bacterial. It is made with careful consideration of its environment from flax that is cultivated and harvested in Europe. As time passes, this item will improve, gaining in character, strength and softness. It is a beautiful reminder of a well lived life.
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Machine wash on warm, then dry on medium heat or hang outdoors.
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August Linen, located in Vancouver and created by husband and wife Tara and Ian Spencer, was born out of a love of simple, functional, well-designed objects, and a passion for artisan quality goods. Their focus is on simple construction, thoughtful design, responsible sourcing and exquisite textures. They believe in the beauty of bringing this into our day-to-day routines.
The brand is rooted in a dislike for waste, and a belief in mindful consumption; only creating items that can stand the test of time, so you can buy fewer of them. They believe in choosing the right sorts of excess: excessive quality, durability, practicality and craftsmanship.


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Below you will find more information on the processes that runs behind your firewall and router such as ituneshelper.exe.
Some processes may contain spyware or a virus that could pose a serious security risk. No matter what the program is, we make every attempt to identify any security issues.
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Process Manager
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text:
Entire book of Song of Solomon:
- Cotton, John. A Brief Exposition of the Whole Book of Canticles – pdf, 64 pp.
- Durham, James. Clavis Cantici – pdf, 363 pp.
- Henry, Matthew. An Exposition on the Book of Song of Solomon – pdf, 39 pp.
Individual passages (organized by chapter, click to expand):
Boston, Thomas. Suitable Improvement of Christ the Apple Tree. (Two sermons on Song of Solomon 2:3) – pdf, 15 pp.
Boston, Thomas. The saints' lifetime in this world a night-time; their expectation of the day's break in the other world, and the shadows fleeing away; and their great concern for Christ's presence till that happy season come (Song of Solomon 2:17) – pdf, 32 pp.
Flavel, John. A Coronation Sermon Preached at Dartmouth (Song of Solomon 3:11) – pdf, 19 pp.
Boston, Thomas. Christ's Invitation to His Bride. (Song of Solomon 4:8) – pdf, 12 pp.
Flavel, John. Containing a third motive to enliven the general exhortation from a third title of Christ. (Song of Solomon 5:16) – pdf, 11 pp.
Watson, Thomas. Christ's Loveliness. (Song of Solomon 5:16) – pdf, 33 pp.
Boston, Thomas. Believers a mystery, with a description of their travels from the wilderness of this world, to the heavenly Canaan, leaning upon Christ (Song of Solomon 8:5) – pdf, 30 pp.
Flavel, John. A meditation upon Song of Solomon 8:6 – pdf, 6 pp.


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Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients (Help):
5 lb Boneless leg of lamb;
1/4 c Bayou Blast; see * note
3 tb Olive oil
1/4 c Chopped onions
2 tb Minced garlic
Freshly-ground black pepper
2 c Chopped fresh spinach
1/4 c Chopped fresh mint
4 oz Mild goat cheese; such as
* Note: See the ?Bayou Blast - {Emeril?s Creole Seasoning}? recipe which is
included in this collection.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut seven 2-foot lengths of butcher's twine.
Cut open leg of lamb and arrange on work surface, inside facing up.
Butterfly meat by cutting vertical slits in the thicker parts of the lamb
without cutting all the way through. Flatten meat and trim off extra
pieces, reserving them, until leg is a fairly even thickness; you should
have about 1/2 pound extra meat. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over lamb
and pound with a meat mallet until 1/4-inch thick. Remove plastic wrap and
use a sharp knife to poke halfway into meat, taking care not to cut all the
way through. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Bayou Blast over top of lamb and set
aside. Dice reserved 1/2 pound meat into 1/2-inch pieces. In a large
skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over high heat. Add diced lamb and 1
tablespoon of the Creole seasoning and brown 3 minutes. Add onions, garlic
and 4 turns of black pepper; saute, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove
from heat and add spinach and mint. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Spread half
of stuffing mixture lengthwise along one side of lamb, dot with goat cheese
and top with remaining stuffing. Roll up lamb over stuffing, tucking in
ends. Space 6 pieces of twine under lamb roll and tie them firmly, starting
at outside and working in. Tie roll lengthwise with remaining piece of
twine. Sprinkle outside of roll with remaining tablespoon Creole seasoning.
In a large skillet heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add lamb
roll and sear on all four sides, 6 minutes in all. Transfer lamb to a
roasting pan and roast until brown and tender, 30 minutes for rare, 35
minutes for medium-rare, basting occasionally. Remove from oven and let
sit, covered loosely with foil, 10 minutes. To serve, discard strings,
slice in 16 pieces and serve 2 slices per serving. This recipe yields 8
Edit Recipe
Yield: 8 servings


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Cynth Weyman – inspired 2 collect gallery
'Creative Journeys'
Theatr Ffwrness, Llanelli
February 28th – 8th April 2017
It's all go to create a dramatic presentation in this amazing state of the art theatre. A few surprises on the way. If your'e keen to attend the opening on February 27th, please let me know (text 07772820313). More news soon.


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Ongoing - The Sussex Fireplace Gallery
Contemporary art pieces by the group are displayed in 'home' settings within the very modern environment and extensive fireplace collection of the Sussex Fireplace Gallery - a locally run family company. The exhibition of artworks for sale reflects the varied and extensive skills of the artists within the group and will be on show for the next six months.
Sussex Fireplace Gallery
Units B2 & B3, Chaucer Business Park, Dittons Road, Polegate, BN26 6JF


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Home / Collections / Necklaces / Pamela - Chalcedony, 14k Gold Filled Necklace
Pamela - Chalcedony, 14k Gold Filled Necklace
Our Pamela necklace featuring our signature frame design and beautiful calming aqua blue Chalcedony focal stone. The stone actually looks just like sea glass and has the same calming effect! This necklace is a team favorite and one of our best sellers!✿ Details:
Stones: Aqua blue Chalcedony
Metal: 14k Gold Filled
Size: Chain: 17"L + 1.5" Extender, Pendant: 1.75"L x .50" W


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Ballista Catapults Early Siege Weaponry At Its Finest
Ballista catapults are believed to have made their first appearance on the battlefield in the fighting days long before the birth of Christ.
Engineers of Phillip of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the great, are credited with creating these simplistic machines of distance warfare in the 300 BC period to assist warriors in propelling objects a great distance. Ballista catapults were known for their ability to strike fear in opposing armies not necessarily for their accuracy, but for their ability to reach an enemy camp well in advance of the warriors who fired them.
Though not as effective as later models built using similar principles, these early catapults dominated the siege scene well into the 14th century because they were in fact more accurate at distances than humans.
To create ballista catapults the Greeks capitalized on the propulsion theory of the crossbow. By enabling the firing of a projectile at a greater force than a human arm, the projectiles could quite simply travel harder and farther – reaching an enemy at a distance, doing quite a bit of damage if they struck their mark.
In the grand scheme of things, ballista catapults are quite basic in design, but brilliant nonetheless. To create such a catapult, or ballista type launcher, the use of quality ropes or sinew for twisting is necessary. The ropes used in the design are twisted tightly to create a force called torsion to assist in the launch. In early Greek ballista catapults, two wooden arms were constructed and then inserted horizontally into the ropes. Platforms were also used to hold the ballistas – some stationary others more mobile.
When the ballista catapult's base, arms and ropes were in place, a cord was attached to both arms and used to pull back against the force of the ropes to launch the projectile. As time passes, the triggering mechanisms for ballista catapults became more advanced, but the basic theory behind the propulsion remained that same.
Once a catapult was constructed, warriors could use the simple machines to hurl deadly objects at enemies or at an enemy encampment. Since the speed and distance of the projectile was greater than a human alone could muster, these simple machines could wreak havoc on the battlefield. Imagine a rain of spears coming down upon an enemy from a well-placed battery of these catapults.
Although ballista catapults served their makers well for literally hundreds of years, their design was continually improved upon by other engineers. Later models using similar ideas behind construction, such as the French trebuchet, could quite literally crumble castle walls with the size objects they could hurl with impressive force. The
Romans, too, expanded on ballista catapults, making smaller more mobile models.


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Petrol models get a the 1.6 litre THP unit in 156bhp, 197bhp and highly tuned 266bhp guises, while the only diesel engine available is the punchy and frugal 163bhp 2.0 HDI. Best coupesfrom our New Car AwardsThere are four trim levels to choose from Sport, GT, Red Carbon and R. The entry level Sport model comes with all the essentials, while the GT adds leather trimmed and heated seats, plus 19 inch alloys wheels for an extra 2,400.
That led to cerebral palsy and other complications. When something makes life just a little more simple like oh yay! said Hudsyn mom Kacy. Is so much better than what we were doing before! became a necessity, said Kacy. "I didn't want to believe it was them; it was shock and disbelief when it happened," Brian said. "Not just losing your brother and sister in law but their kids, too. They are a big part of our lives that is suddenly taken away." Brent's former coach at PAA, Michael Hellie, was also on hand Saturday to present the engraved jersey to the Ching family.
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The House of Justice does not wish to comment on the specifics of the debate on climate change. However, it is evident that the current defective world order has failed to protect the environment from ruinous damage. Moreover, the House of Justice has observed, in its letter dated 2 March 2013 to the Bahá'ís of Iran, that the deepening environmental crisis is "driven by a system that condones the pillage of natural resources to satisfy an insatiable thirst for more". Given this reality, it is appropriate for Bahá'í institutions to attempt to address these matters.
(Universal House of Justice to an individual, 25 December 2014)
You have expressed your concerns to your National Spiritual Assembly. If you feel your personal views on environmental issues do not accord with the plans and activities being pursued by Bahá'í institutions related to these matters, it would be entirely acceptable for you
not to participate in those activities and to, instead, turn your attention to the many other avenues of service open for promoting the interests of the Faith and the well-being of society.
(Universal House of Justice to an individual, 25 December 2014)


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1. Will the house be very messy after carrying out paint job?
No, Before each paint job, all furniture is handled and moved carefully. Plastic sheets will be placed on furniture and floors to ensure no stains and will then be moved back to the original position after completion.
2. Will I need to be around to monitor the whole painting process?
No, there is no requirement for the client to be around for the entire process. However, if you are more at ease, please feel free to do so. Your comfort is important to us.
3. Will it take very long to finish a paint job?
We will ensure that all paint jobs will finish as per scheduled.


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In September 2009, the Clerks of Court for York and Lancaster County were advised of a scheme targeting individuals who had been convicted of DUI offenses in Lancaster and York Counties.
Two identity thieves had searched the internet for DUI offenses and requested the court's files to obtain Social Security Numbers, Driver's License Numbers and other identifying information disclosed on documents in the file.
The criminals stole over 100 individuals' identities which they used to open fraudulent bank accounts, create phony email addresses and apply for loans.
Find out how York County protected their citizens by downloading the full case study now.


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Dear Members
Just a reminder that our next meeting is this coming Tuesday at West Parley Memorial Hall 7 for 7.30pm.
Our speaker is Ruth Homer, the topic 'Beekeeping Then (1959) and Now' which I am sure you will agree will be very interesting to find out how things used to be and compare with how we see things now.
Also as this is our December meeting and Christmas is not far off, please come along with a Plate of Food and join in with our Plate Supper!
Kind regards
Carole Davies
Speaker Secretary
Bournemouth and Dorset South Beekeeping Association (BADS)


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Mesa is located in a geographic area known as Plateau Valley on the North side of the Grand Mesa.
The community is surrounded by fruit orchards, vineyards and fluttering aspens as the Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway climbs to over 10,000 feet.
Fishing, hiking, camping, and biking are only a few of the local outdoor activities. In winter, skiers and snowboarders can head to Powderhorn resort or one of the many cross-country or backcountry trails.
Subscribe to our mailing list for updates on contests, upcoming events, local news, and more.
Looking to take some of Colorado with you? A local company offers gold pans filled with "Made in Colorado" products like food, skin care, household, pet products, candles, soaps, books, CDs, and greeting cards.
We manage a unique, up-to-date list of local places of interest.
We tag the places on our map with different categories.
Our managed list of places that match the search criteria above.
Places on our map match the search criteria above.


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4 – 6 April 2019
Grand Millennium Hotel, Auckland, New Zealand
SHD-AP symposium is designed for professionals involved in structural heart disease management. Clinicians, Nurses, Health Policy Advisors, Hospital Management Staff and other allied health professionals.
Specialist in Coronary & Structural Disease Intervention
Specialist in Coronary & Structural Disease Intervention
Specialist in Intensive Care & Cardiac Imaging
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand
Director, Structural Heart & Valve Center
Columbia University Medical Center
New York, USA
Allison Family Distinguished Chair of Cardiovascular Research
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery
Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery, Institute for Academic Medicine
Houston Methodist
Weill Cornell Medical College
Houston, USA
Chief, Division of Cardiac Anesthesia
Director, Cardiac Interventional Anesthesia
Assistant Professor of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School
Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, USA
The following programme detail is subject to change at any time, without notice.
Experts on SHD
With expert panel discussion
Hands on learning
Case based practical workshops
Download a copy of the scientific programme in pdf format.
Updated: 03 April 2019
Earlybird registration closes 22 February 2019. All prices are in New Zealand dollars and include GST of 15%.
Three Day Admission:
• Symposium Sessions
• Symposium Workshops
• Industry Exhibition
• Catering
~ Standard Rate $900 ~
Three Day Admission:
• Symposium Sessions
• Symposium Workshops
• Industry Exhibition
• Catering
~ Standard Rate $600 ~
Three Day Admission:
• Symposium Sessions
• Industry Exhibition
• Catering
Registration available for non-exhibiting industry personnel.
~ Standard Rate $1,100 ~
All delegates are required to officially register, and full payment is required in order to attend the symposium. Payment can be made on invoice by selecting the Pay by Direct Credit/ Internet Banking option during the online registration process (account details will be included on your invoice), or by credit card (Visa or Mastercard only). Credit card payments will incur a 3% surcharge, and will show debit as Outshine Ltd.
On submission of your registration a confirmation will be emailed to you, with your tax invoice/receipt attached.
To amend any registration details, or to cancel your registration, please contact the Symposium Managers via email at firstname.lastname@example.com, or phone +64 7 823 1910.
Symposium rates have been secured at The Grand Millennium Hotel, and accommodation can be booked during the online registration process.
SHD-AP Symposium Rate – $245 per room per night, inclusive of GST and based on single, twin or double occupancy.
It is strongly recommended that you register and book your accommodation prior to Friday 22 February 2019. After this date, any remaining rooms will be released and bookings will be subject to availability.
Accommodation cost is delegates' own, and full payment should be made directly to the hotel on check-out (your credit card details will be requested during registration to secure your booking only). Cancellation of rooms within 30 days of arrival, incurs a cancellation fee of 100% of the full accommodation cost. A "no-show" will also result in a 100% charge to the delegates' credit card. Please note, any cancellations must be made directly with the Symposium Managers, and not with the hotel.
Please review the full Symposium terms and conditions before proceeding to the registration page.
The Scientific Steering Committee welcomes abstract and case submissions for both oral and electronic poster presentation at the SHD-AP Symposium 2019.
Submissions Close: 10 March 2019
Abbott is a global healthcare company devoted to improving life through the development of products and technologies that span the breadth of healthcare. Abbott serves people in more than 150 countries and employs approximately 103,000 people. We offer the most comprehensive set of solutions, including products and technologies in coronary, cardiac rhythm management, electrophysiology, heart failure, structural heart, vascular and endovascular. Our breadth of industry-leading technologies, along with our combined team of experts, bring you end-to end solutions and services. This means better care and a greater variety of contracting options exclusively focused on delivering increased value and efficiencies for our customers.
Edwards Lifesciences is a global leader in the science of pericardial tissue heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring. We partner with physicians to produce innovative medical technology solutions designed to help patients live longer, healthier and more productive lives. Our technologies address large and growing patient populations in which there are significant unmet clinical needs, such as structural heart disease and advanced monitoring of the acutely ill. Each of our product areas has a rich history and unique patient focus.
As a global leader in medical technology, services and solutions, Medtronic improves the health and lives of millions of people each year. We believe our deep clinical, therapeutic and economic expertise can help address the complex challenges — such as rising costs, aging populations and the burden of chronic disease — faced by families and healthcare systems today. But no one can do it alone. That's why we're committed to partnering in new ways and developing powerful solutions that deliver better patient outcomes.
Let's take healthcare Further, Together.
Creating a healthier future together. At Philips, we look beyond technology to the experiences of patients, providers and caregivers across the health continuum from healthy living to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, recovery and home care. Our solutions combine clinical breadth and depth of expertise, technology and services, actionable data, consultative new business models and partnerships. Together, with our customers, we take risks and share responsibility – so that we can transform how care is delivered and experienced. It's a unique perspective empowering us all to create a healthier future.
22-24 March 2019
Napier Conference Centre, Marine Parade
Copyright © 2019 Structural Heart Disease Asia Pacific Symposium. All Rights Reserved. Initial concept design by Cirakas Consulting


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https://alllocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Google-My-Business.png 300 855 Jim Stob https://alllocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/allLocal-Enterprise-Local-SEO-Header-Logo-1.png Jim Stob2016-03-01 18:06:292017-04-20 09:22:14Profile & Cover Photos, Logos, Preferred Photo Now in Bulk GMB Dashboards
Profile & Cover Photos, Logos, Preferred Photo Now in Bulk GMB Dashboards
Google has finally released functionality to allow bulk Google My Business dashboard users (users with 10+ bulk verified locations) to upload identity photos via bulk spreadsheet and to set their preferred photo. Identity photos include the cover photo, profile photo, and the business logo. The preferred photo is the photo that business owners recommend that Google display first for the listing on Google Maps and Search (though there are no guarantees that the preferred photo will actually be the first photo shown).


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Okay! Sorry I haven't posted in a while, by the way. The year's been rather full of things to be done. But hey, I had a spare moment, so here's a fun post….sort of. It'll have all the playful cruelty of one, but layered with the seriousness of a regular post, because what I'm covering today is, to borrow some sixties slang, heavy.
So, who shall I be mocking mercilessly today? Which evil, heartless monsters are in my crosshairs?
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold! Nice smiles for the twenty-first century, boys!
That's better.
Okay, so, here's the lowdown on the two assholes you see before you. Harris (on the left in the above picture) and Klebold (on the right) were two kids who walked into Columbine High School one day and shot thirty-seven people, killed thirteen (twelve students and a teacher) and then wandered around the school for a bit before blowing their heads off. You may wonder why I'm not doing my usual thing where I honour the victims post by post, and the reason for that is because I just wanted to lighten the mood for a bit. Also, acolumbinesite.com did a way better job.
I didn't even plan for this post originally. I was writing a story with a school shooting in it, and I was looking at the boys' journals and stuff for research, when I suddenly realized that it was high time these racist, boastful, big-headed idiots were taken down a peg….with humour. I'm not going to dissect their motives or anything-that's for people older and wiser than I to fight over-I just want to make fun of them.
So, here goes.
On Eric Harris: Eric Harris was what happened when God decided to make a person out of nothing but toothpicks and impotent rage. He had the physical proportions of a (short) length of drainpipe and the mind of a psychopath. He was charming on the surface, but a mammoth anger seethed underneath his "normal" exterior. He planned the Columbine murders for over a year, collecting guns, bombs, and a loyal sidekick….and recorded every second in his various journals, because if you're going to commit an atrocity, you might as well leave your blueprints lying around for your folks to find. Heck, he was planning on killing himself, after all-what's a little grounding compared to the eternal flames of Hell?
Ladies and gentemen, here are some choice extracts from just one of these records (with my commentary):
"As I said before, self-awareness is a wonderful thing…."
Damn straight it is! How insightful!
"….I know what all you f*****s are thinking and what to do to piss you off and make you feel bad."
Ugh, I hate it when people use the wrong word. You see, when little Eric said "self-awareness", he meant "being such a huge asshole that astronauts can see my douchebaggery from outer space".
"Everyone should be put to the test. An ULTIMATE DOOM test."
Heeey, I remember the ULTIMATE DOOM test! I think it was this playground game I used to play with my friends back when I was seven!
Seriously, how old was this guy again?
"Ever wonder why we go to school? Besides getting a so-called education."
Gee, I dunno, Eric. I thought that that was the whole point….unless you were going to sniff the felt pens on the teachers' desks? That actually explains a lot.
"When I go NBK and people say things like 'Oh, it was so tragic,' or 'Oh, he is crazy,' or 'It was bloody!', I think, so the f*** what, you think that's a bad thing?"
Well, your parents said it was unforgiveable….and here's me saying that it was stupid….so where does that leave you?
And yes, Eric. I do think that it's a bad thing that your tenses are so screwed up.You may think you're God, but even God has to take the time once in a while to sit down and learn his grammar.
"It has been confirmed: after getting my yearbook….the human race isn't worth fighting anymore."
Dear God, your yearbook was that bad? Also: wait, you mean that the above passages were from when you actually WERE fighting for the human race?
"….And the majority of the audience won't understand my motives either! They'll say, 'Ah, he's crazy, he's insane, oh well, I wonder if the Bulls won.'"
I just don't get why this kid thought he had to shoot up his Goddamn school to get his point across-whatever that point even was. This journal reads like Eric paid a monkey high on glue to ghostwrite it. I just can't understand his motives. Then again, he WAS later proved to be a sociopath with an anti-personality disorder. Oh, well.
Hey, did the Bulls win that match I missed?
Stay tuned for Part III!


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Talk to the Human
Speak - Communicate - Lead
October 4, 2009
Speaking tips: Blogging for Speakers
October 4, 2009
2 Comments
What is the point of a blog? I've heard, read, and even asked this question myself in the past. In an early assessment, I thought that a blogger fell into one


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It is a crazy winter this year, one day it feels like spring the next day we get a foot of snow.
I am envious of all who are going south for March Break.
I would love to go somewhere like Mexico or the Caribbean but it was not in the stars for us this year due to our schedule and budget.
So, like they say "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade!"
I took advantage of being snowed in yesterday to create a slow cooking dish that filled my house with the aroma of Mexican cuisine.
This is a variation of Beef Chili but with cubed pork instead of the ground beef. You can use boneless chops or a boneless blade or loin roast diced , the cheaper cuts work well here because of the long cooking time.
The addition of salsa, cumin and coriander give this stew a Mexican flair.
Serve over steamed brown rice.
So for those of you who can't get away, throw a Gipsy Kings CD on the stereo and get cooking and bring a bit of the sunny south to you!
Mexican Spicy Pork Stew
- ~olive oil
- 1 pound of cubed pork
- 1 each onion and green pepper diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 dried hot chili peppers minced
- 2 tbsp of cumin
- 1 tbsp of oregano
- 1 tsp of coriander
- 1 can of black beans
- 1/2 a jar of salsa
- 1 can of tomato paste
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Add the cubed pork and brown on all sides. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until pork is fork tender.
Serve over steamed hot brown rice.
Wine Suggestion: Gewürztraminer


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The Reluctance to Embrace Distance Learning as an Essential Component of the Law School Curriculum
Jeff Ershler
This article examines the reluctance of law schools to embrace distance learning as an essential component of the law school curriculum. Recent reforms approved by the American Bar Association section on Distance Learning reveal that first year law students are essentially excluded from participating in distance learning. Moreover, the American Bar Association's guidelines for technical requirements for the law schools and the willingness of law instructors to participate in on-line education are seen as obstacles to full inclusion of distance learning.
The law school experience is decidedly an interactive experience. Students are almost always subject to an official attendance policy that requires their physical presence in the classroom on a regular basis with a limited number of acceptable absences. Often, the rationale for an attendance policy to is foster learning in a synchronistic real-time forum where students can discover the rationale behind legal arguments via the Socratic method.
Although distance learning has become a staple of higher education, law schools have been reluctant to embrace this new format. This method of delivery ostensibly permits a larger number of students to access courses who may be too far removed from the campus to attend, too busy to attend regular sessions, or who prefer taking a class on-line.
As part of the rationale for caution in proceeding with embracing distance learning, James White (1997), a consultant on Legal Education to the American Bar Association made the following statement:
"Educating a student for a Juris Doctor degree is professional education of a most distinct variety. It involves more than the mere delivery of information or simply learning facts, history or even logic. During a law school education a student is expected to participate in a learning community whereby he or she will ultimately learn, experience, and develop skills and knowledge that will advance the legal system, society and his or her career. This law school experience involves interaction with faculty not only in the classroom, but also in other places and at other times. Students also learn from each other by inquiry and challenge, review and study groups. In sum, law school is an educational process in which a student matures with the law and his or her ability to use and develop it."
According to the American Bar Association's section on distance learning (2002), currently there are not any law schools approved by the ABA that provide a J.D. degree completely via correspondence study. The ABA's policy 304 (f) previously stated "a law school shall not grant credit for study by correspondence." This policy seemed to preclude the utilization of distance learning as a method for delivering the law school curriculum. However, recent modifications to this policy make it clear that distance education, as a part of the law school experience, is now permissible. ABA Standard 304 (b) (2002) states the following:
"A law school shall require, as a condition for graduation, successful completion of a course of study in residence of not fewer than 56,000 minutes of instruction time, except as otherwise provided. At least 45,000 of these minutes shall be by attendance in regularly scheduled class sessions at the law school conferring the degree, or, in the case of a student receiving credit for studies at another law school, at the law school at which credit was earned. Law schools may, however, allow credit for distance education as provided in Standard 306. Law schools may also allow credit for study outside the classroom as provided in Standard 305."
This newly approved policy still clings to the notion of establishing minimum requirements of physical presence in the classroom, but permits some of the law school experience to be on-line.
To explain the policy changes, the ABA detailed the new rules for distance learning and how these rules would be implemented. ABA Standard 305 states that a "law school may grant credit toward the J.D. degree for courses or a program that permits or requires student participation in studies or activities away from or outside the law school or in a format that does not involve attendance at regularly scheduled class sessions."
The ABA further indicated that Standard 305 by its own force does not allow credit for distance education courses. However, Standard 306 (a) addresses this issue. The Standard reads:
"A law school may offer credit toward the J.D. degree for study offered through distance education consistent with the provisions of this Standard and Interpretations of this Standard. Such credit shall be awarded only if academic content, the method of course delivery, and the method of evaluating student performance are approved as part of the school's regular curriculum approval process."
Standard 306 (c1) and (c2) even permits the distance education courses to count towards the 45,000 minutes of classroom instruction time, provided that "there is ample interaction with the instructor and other students both inside and outside the formal structure of the course throughout its duration; and there is ample monitoring of student effort and accomplishment as the course progresses."
However, there is a limitation to how many hours a law student may earn under a distance education program. Standard 306 (d) indicates " a law school shall not grant a student more than four credit hours in any term, nor more than a total of 12 credit hours, toward the J.D. degree for courses qualifying under this Standard. Standard 307 (e) states, "No student shall enroll in courses qualifying for credit under this Standard until that student has completed instruction equivalent to 28 credit hours toward the J.D. degree." This Standard further limits enrollment to those students who have substantially completed their first full year of study. The fact that first year students are still required to be subject to the traditional curriculum reveals that the ABA is still loyal to tradition and not yet ready to embrace the full possibilities of distance learning.
States have become the guardians of the decision making process of who is eligible to become members of the bar. However, states have been reluctant participants to accredit law schools, and have relied heavily on ABA recommendations (2002) for accrediting. ABA policy seems to permit the use of distance learning courses with some limited exceptions. An argument has been forwarded that states could, therefore, jeopardize the legitimacy of the process of allowing individuals to become members of the bar who have participated in distance learning programs without giving careful scrutiny to the legitimacy of those programs.
States could circumvent this problem in at least two ways. States could participate in the accrediting process. However, a more realistic proposal is for states to delegate the power to ABA accredited law schools to establish review committees that could pre-approve distance learning courses as part of the standard law curriculum.
An exception has been carved out that seems to permit some utilization of distance education as a component of obtaining a J.D. The exception has been called experimental. (White, 1997).
One rationale for not utilizing distance learning as a tool in teaching law is the workload required for instructors. Instructors are beginning to get frustrated with the seemingly unwritten double standard that exists in distance education. An instructor simply has to do more work to make their product palatable to the masses, than they would if a course was taught in the traditional classroom setting. As the ABA's interpretation (2002) of Standard 306-4 indicates, "law schools shall take steps to provide students in distance education courses opportunities to interact with instructors that equal or exceed the opportunities for such interaction with instructors in a traditional classroom setting."
Instructors must also be more available and carefully balance their other professional responsibilities with the student's needs for contact. It may be that law school instructors are not willing to put forth the extra effort required of a distance learning facilitator.
Another justification for not utilizing distance learning may be the profession's unfamiliarity with utilizing a new form of teaching technology. Given the traditional reliance on the current paradigm for delivering instruction, or their prior experience with utilizing computers and distance learning technology, institutions that deliver the law school curriculum may not be familiar with how to utilize the contemporary resources to conduct an on-line class. Moreover, prior to implementing any distance learning program, the ABA, in their interpretation of Standard 306-5 (2002) requires law schools to have the technological capacity, staff, information resources, and facilities required to provide the support needed for instructors and students involved in distance education at the school. This Standard also requires law schools to establish mechanisms that assure that faculty who teach distance education courses and students who enroll in them have the skills and access to the technology necessary to enable them to participate effectively.
These goals could be readily met with the appropriation of funding to employ a distance learning team to manage the school's technologic resources and offering a few in-service courses of the variety that higher educational institutions regularly offer to introduce distance learning to faculty members. By nature, law instructors are an intellectual group; they should cultivate the opportunity and adapt quickly.
However, a more plausible rationale for the decision not to utilize distance learning in law school is the insistence of following the traditional method of instruction; utilizing the synchronistic experience of real-time Socratic methodology to help students derive the meaning of their discipline.
Technologic advancements have created on-line platforms that are well developed and permit the instructor of law to overcome the objections to using distance learning. Synchronistic real-time instruction is a reality for many instructors in higher education.
Particularly telling, is the absence of scholarship or inquiry devoted to examining the nature of why law schools are still reluctant to embrace distance education. At the 2000 Center for Computer Assisted Legal Instruction Conference on Distance Learning (2000), most of the seminars focused on strategies for implementing a distance learning program, but failed to focus on the important issue of whether or not law schools will actually utilize distance learning as a tool. There was not a single seminar devoted to examination of how to encourage law schools to embrace distance learning.
Given the technologic improvements in distance education, and the creation of new policies that permit distance learning, there must be further investigation as to why law schools are reluctant to take advantage of this opportunity. More importantly, it is worth considering why the ABA has failed to take a position of true inclusion with respect to distance learning programs.
2000 Center for Computer Assisted Legal Instruction Conference on Distance Learning, (2000). Retrieved December 18, 2002 from http://www.cali.org/conference/2000/SESSDESC.HTM
Distance Education at American Bar Association Approved Law Schools, American Bar Association, Distance Learning Section. (2002). Retrieved December 17, 2002 from http://www.abanet.org/legaled/distanceeducation/distance.html#ABAdistance
House of Delegates concurrence with the Standards and Interpretations proposed by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, American Bar Association (August 13, 2002). Retrieved December 18, 2002 from http://www.abanet.org/legaled/standards/proposed.html
White, James P. (May 6, 1997) MEMORANDUM D9697-59 to the Deans of ABA Approved Law Schools.
About the Author:
Jeff Ershler is adjunct faculty in the criminal justice program at Lynn University, Baton Rouge, Florida. He can be contacted at email: email@example.com.
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