text:
Dear Fred,
My name is Shelby Howick, I'm the lead publicist for a newly released, highly anticipated mystery novel set in thrilling New Orleans. I'm contacting you in the hopes that you're interested in mystery writing, and that you'd be open to posting original content for your readers.
D.J. Donaldson is the author of the incredibly popular Andy Broussard/Kit Franklyn Mystery Series, set in New Orleans.
Many people have read the novels, but what many don't know is that these books almost became a TV series (3 separate times!) The lovable, relatable characters and the beautifully depicted creole setting caught many a producer's eye—including the former director of programming at CBS.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Happy holidays!
Cajun Nights was my first novel featuring New Orleans medical examiner, Andy Broussard, and his suicide/death investigator, Kit Franklyn. A few weeks after the book was published, I got a call from my agent with the surprising news that, "There's been a flurry of movie and TV interest in your book." I'd never considered that such a thing was possible. So that was one of the best phone calls I ever had.
Subsequently, a production company headed by the former director of programming at CBS took an option on the series, planning to shape it into a TV show. As perhaps some of you know, this phase of things is known as "development hell", because it takes a very long time to make anything happen. So a year went by with no news. I figure, okay, the thing is dead. But, the producers renewed their option for another year, which meant I got paid again. It wasn't a lot of money, but with that check, I'd made more money from the two option years than the advance I was given on the book by the publisher.
So more time goes by with no news. Now, I'm not even thinking about it anymore. Then, while I was attending a scientific meeting in Dallas, I got a call from the agent in Hollywood who was handling the dramatic rights. CBS had agreed to pay for a pilot screenplay. I wasn't sure what that meant, but if this guy had tracked me down in Dallas just to tell me that, it must be a big deal. And guess what… I got another check as an advance on the screenplay even though I wasn't gonna write it. I was beginning to love the agent who created that contract.
They chose as a writer someone who'd had several movies produced. That may seem like something not worth mentioning, but I'd read an article once that said it was possible to have a career as a screenwriter and never have anything produced. (Yeah, I don't quite get that either, but it sure seemed like the writer we had, was the better kind.) With her experience and success, I was sure we'd get a great screenplay.
A few months later, a package arrives in the mail. IT'S THE SCREENPLAY. I'm so excited, I quickly skim the enclosed letter from the producers: "Read this over and tell us three things you don't like about it." That's ridiculous, I'm gonna love it. After all, it was written by a pro.
Well, I hated all of it. The writer didn't seem to "get" the relationship between Andy and Kit. I couldn't believe it. The book shows that non-romantic love is possible between an unrelated man and woman of greatly differing ages. Though he can't admit it, Broussard loves Kit like the daughter he never had. Kit loves Broussard like a father, even though she has a father. How do I boil all the things I hate down to just three items? Somehow I manage and send my reply back.
As it turned out, the producers didn't really care about any of my thoughts. Was I upset? Not really, because I figured they know TV, I don't. And… surprise, when they gave the script to CBS, I got another check. Now I definitely love my agent.
The producers are sure the script will be approved and we'll soon be shooting a pilot. They invite me to watch them film in New Orleans. They say they'll even find a bit part for me. They predict that the series will run for ten years. And they should know. Their show, Cagney and Lacey, ran for seven seasons. Now I'm excited.
But… later, I get another call. CBS didn't like the script. And they didn't want to see a rewrite with the same story. The producers asked me if I had any ideas. The screenplay was based on the second book in the series. When I got this call I was sitting at my desk looking at the rough draft of book number three. I pitched them the story and they said, "Send us a copy by overnight mail." This was back before manuscripts could be sent by e-mail. (I know, I can hardly remember those days myself.)
So another screenplay was written, which didn't fare any better than the first. Thus life #1 of my hoped-for TV series went to a quiet demise.
A few years later, while I was at the Kentucky book fair promoting book number five in the series, a young blonde fellow bought a book. We spoke for a few minutes and he moved on. Later, back in Memphis, I get a call from this guy. He wants to option the series for TV. I tell him about my earlier experience with the other producers, who failed, but he's unfazed. We strike a deal. There's talk about John Goodman playing Broussard. John Goodman… he lives in New Orleans and he'd be a great fit. I love it.
Within a few weeks the producer calls to say he's on his way to Memphis and could I meet him and John Goodman's "best friend," at the Peabody Hotel. (The Peabody lobby is where William Faulkner and his mistress used to have drinks.) The meeting takes place and I give the best friend a copy of the latest book, which he assures us, will be in John Goodman's hands within twenty-four hours. That was the last time I ever heard from him or the producer. So I guess the deal is off.
In my primary occupation, I taught medical and dental students microscopic anatomy. One day I get a call from a former dental student. He's now a part-time actor who's been in a couple of notable films. He says that he and a long-time Hollywood promoter have formed a production company and are looking for material. He remembers that I wrote a few novels and wonders what I've been doing since he last saw me. I talk about my work and send him some books.
Very soon thereafter he calls me again and says he and his partner "are on fire over these forensic books." They believe the series would make a great TV SERIES. He asks me who I'd like to play Broussard. I tell him I've always believed Wilford Brimley would be perfect. Incredibly, my former student says that his partner had lunch with Wilford just last week. He's sure they can get him to sign on. With an actor of Wilford's stature attached to the project, we'll surely get a deal.
Was all this talk about Brimley just smoke? No. Because they actually got him on board. And what's even better, my former student and his partner were working with another producer who had a development deal with the Sci-Fi network. They planned to present my series to the network three weeks hence, focusing on the real and apparent paranormal aspects of the first two books.
On presentation day at the Sci-Fi Network my student calls me just before they go in. I wait anxiously the rest of the day to hear how it went. Years later, I'm still waiting. The only contact I've had since presentation day is a big envelope from the producer who had the development deal. In the envelope is a bunch of stuff I wrote for the presentation along with a note from the producer that says, "Sorry we couldn't have worked longer on this together."
Early in the machinations of the first development deal, I used to caution myself not to spend any time thinking about how great it would be if every week I could watch my characters living and breathing on a TV show. My thinking was that if I kept a tight rein on my expectations, it'd be much easier on my psyche if things didn't work out.
But then I realized I was missing out on the excitement of the possibility. Why not let my mind run with it? Then, even if none of the deals came to fruition I would still have the pleasure of being part of a great endeavor. So that's what I did. And now, even though I never played that bit part in a pilot and I've never seen John Goodman or Wilford Brimley bring Broussard to life, I sure had a lot of fun along the way.
(By the way, if you're a TV/film producer, the rights are available.)


text:
This Caldiscountstore review uncovers that Caldiscountstore.com is a scam. If you make a purchase from them, you might receive poor-quality or incorrect items, or even nothing at all. Additionally, their customer support for returns is unreliable, and they could overcharge your credit card.
For a detailed explanation of why we label it as a scam online store and tips on safeguarding yourself from such scams, please refer to this Caldiscountstore review.
Why do we consider Caldiscountstore a scam online store?
We consider Caldiscountstore as a scam due to these reasons:
- Caldiscountstore.com is connected to SAYHI INTERNATIONAL CO., LIMITED, a company associated with numerous questionable websites like Embertime, Feaxdece, Ownerartca, Africanplotc, Steerelder, Sproutstill, Dinedig, Openliftca, Wehfartax, Rubbermapca, Labwarm, and many more.
- The website's design and content as well as its About Us page closely mirror those commonly found on well-known fraudulent sites.
- The practice of offering products at heavy discount rates is unusual for legitimate online retailers, further adding to concerns about its authenticity.
- Moreover, the absence of social media icons linked to the website's business-related social media pages is unusual for legitimate online stores.
- Customers who have encountered similar websites have reported various issues, including wrong or low-quality products, delivery delays, or non-delivery of their orders.
- Moreover, the website's inadequate refund policy has made obtaining full refunds a challenging process for customers.
Questions Related to this Caldiscountstore review:
Now that you know that Caldiscountstore is a scam. So, you might want to know what happens when you buy from it, where you might come across similar scams, and how to save yourself from such scams, right? Well, we'll provide the answers to these questions below.
What happens when someone buy goods from scam online stores like Caldiscountstore?
If you buy goods from scam online stores like Caldiscountstore, our research indicates that you may face following issues:
- Non-Delivery of Orders: In many cases, customers who buy from scam websites never get the stuff they paid for. What's more, these sites might give fake tracking info or just ignore all messages, leaving buyers with nothing.
- Receiving Low Quality or Wrong Goods: Often, scam websites like Caldiscountstore send goods that are of poor quality or very different from what was advertised. As a result, customers are left with knock-off or bad quality goods, or nothing at all.
- Shipping Delays: When customers do get their orders from scam websites, it can take a long time. This can be really frustrating, specially if they needed the stuff for a special event.
- Misleading Goods Details: Scam websites often trick customers with fake products details and pictures. What you see on the site might not be what you get, which can be really disappointing when the goods arrive.
- Difficulty to Get Refunds: It's often tough to get refunds from scam websites because they have confusing refund rules. This can make it hard for customers to get their money back, and may end up losing all the money they spent.
- Payment Info Fraud: Sometimes, scammers can use your payment info for bad things, which might result in unknown and extra charges on your credit or debit cards.
- Identity Theft: Scam websites can be risky when you share personal info like your name, address, and phone number. As a result, you might become a target for identity theft or phishing attempts.
Where can you spot scam online stores like Caldiscountstore?
Our research findings suggest that you may spot scam online stores like Caldiscountstore in following places:
- Online Searches: When you're looking for certain products or services, scam websites can show up in search results. So, it's important to check if a website is genuine before clicking on it.
- Emails and Text Messages: Scammers may send emails or text messages with links to fake online shops. Furthermore, these emails and text messages can pretend to be from trusted companies to trick people into clicking harmful links.
- Social Media: You can find ads of scam online stores like Caldiscountstore on social medias. So, try to find out about those stores before buying from such ads.
- Online Shops: Despite measures to detect and remove bad sellers, scammers can still be found on platforms like eBay, Amazon, or Etsy.
- Social Media Marketplaces: Watch out on platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Since, some people may try to scam you there. So, be extra careful when you're dealing with strangers or businesses you don't know.
- Phishing Websites: Scammers create phishing websites that mimic real websites, sharing them through email, text messages, or social media messages.
- Mobile Apps: Scammers sometimes put fake shopping apps on app stores. They make them look real, but they're actually trying to steal your personal and money info.
- Online Ads: Scam online stores can promote their products using banner ads on websites or in mobile apps. So, when you click on these ads, you might end up on fake websites.
- Pop-Up Ads: Be careful with pop-up ads that show up while you're browsing websites. Some of them might take you to scam online stores or harmful websites.
- Online Forums and Chat Rooms: Scammers may promote fake online stores in online forums and chats. So, users should stay doubtful.
How to save yourself from scam online stores like Caldiscountstore?
To save yourself from scam online stores like Caldiscountstore, we suggest you to check the following things:
Website's Quality:
- Check if the website like Caldiscountstore has a valid physical address, phone number, and email address.
- Also, be wary of websites with spelling and grammar errors, misspelled domain names, or that mimic well-known brands.
- Moreover, beware of websites that don't have a privacy policy or terms and conditions.
- And, look for "https://" in the website's URL.
- Look for customer reviews and ratings.
- Pay special attention to negative reviews.
Deals that Seem Too Good To Be True.
- Be cautious of websites offering goods at low prices.
- So, to get an idea of the real market price, compare the prices of the same or similar goods on other trusted websites.
Trust Seal Logos:
- Genuine websites often display real trust seals from reputable companies like McAfee, Norton, or BBB. But, scam sites display the fake ones.
- So, to check such trust seals, click them, as real ones lead to official verification pages. But, fake ones either cannot be clicked or lead to random pages.
Payment Method:
- Be cautious if a website only accepts unsafe payment methods, like gift cards, wire transfers, and so on, instead of safe payment methods like credit cards or PayPal.
Too Much Personal Info:
- Be cautious when websites ask for too much personal info. Since, scammers may misuse your info for identity theft.
Unknown Emails and Ads:
- Do not click on links in unknown emails or ads.
Well Known Online Stores:
- When possible, shop on well-known online stores like Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and so on.
Report Scams:
- If you find a doubtful online store, report it to relevant authorities, such as your country's consumer protection agency, BBB, FBI, FTC, etc.
Conclusion of this Caldiscountstore Review:
Considering the problems we addressed in the Caldiscountstore review, it's clear that the Caldiscountstore online store appears to be associated with scams.
However, we know people's opinion can differ, so please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. Since, this can help others to know more about this website. So, let's work together to make the internet safer.
Help Us Fight Online Scams
Please report any online scams in the comments below. Your insights can help others spot scams.
Spread the Word
You can help by sharing this Caldiscountstore review with your friends and family on your social media. Also, spreading the word about these fake online stores can make it easier for others to know about them.
Many people get tricked by fake online shops due to low prices that they offer. Remember, if a deal seems too good to be true, it's likely not true. So, watch out for attractive deals and low prices, since these mostly mean the store isn't honest. Stay alert and keep yourself safe from scams.
Answers of FAQs based on this Caldiscountstore Review
Why should I be cautious about Caldiscountstore?
You should be cautious about Caldiscountstore.com since there are multiple red flags that suggest it is not a genuine online store as mentioned in the Caldiscountstore review above.
Does it offer goods at low prices?
Yes, Caldiscountstore.com offers goods at prices that are too much low, which is uncommon for genuine online stores. Mostly, scam online stores offer such prices.
What issues have customers faced with similar websites?
As per our findings, customers who have used websites like Caldiscountstore.com have reported various problems, including low goods quality, delivery delays, getting wrong goods, or even nothing at all.
What are the products that Caldiscountstore.com sells?
Caldiscountstore sells products like "Great Garden Gnome Massacre" Garden/Home Decor, Cute Garden Statue-Garden Decoration-Perfect gift, Circle of Life Garden Wall Art, The Moon Huggers, Outdoor Solar Garden Butterfly Lights Decor, Solar Powered Sunflower Outdoor Garden Light, etc.
Good Luck!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Construction worker hailed as hero in UC Merced attack
MERCED, Calif. (AP) - A male college student burst into a morning class at a California university with a hunting knife Wednesday and may have killed his intended victim if not for the heroic intervention of a construction worker who ran into the room to break up the attack.
The construction worker and three others were injured, but all are expected to survive. The alleged assailant, described as a college student in his 20s, was shot and killed by campus police as he fled the scene at the University of California, Merced.
Two of the injured had to be airlifted to nearby hospitals, and the other two were treated on campus. Authorities didn't release the name of the assailant or his victims.
The incident began when the assailant used a knife to stabbed a male student in a second-floor room around the start of an 8 a.m. class, Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said.
A construction worker outside rushed into to check on the commotion, distracted the attacker and was also stabbed. Warnke credited the worker with saving the life of one of the victims.
"I think he prevented this first student from dying," Warnke said during an afternoon news conference. "He didn't go in knowing that there was a stabbing taking place. He went in thinking there was a fight."
The Merced Sun Star identified the construction worker as Byron Price, 31. Price's father said he was treated and released from the hospital. Neither Price returned calls for comment to The Associated Press.
Warnke said the suspect fled the room after attacking the construction worker and ran down two flights of stairs, slashing a male student on the stairwell. Once outside, the assailant stabbed a female school employee sitting on a bench multiple times.
He was shot and killed by pursuing campus police on a nearby foot bridge.
Authorities are investigating a motive. Warnke said the knife contained a blade that was eight to 10 inches long.
All the victims were conscious when paramedics reached them, Assistant Vice Chancellor Patti Waid said.
KTVU spoke with one mother who said her son was in the classroom when the violence started.
"He said the guy came in the classroom and started stabbing, And they ran towards the other door and he came to another door to lock them in," said parent Sophia Conklin.
A student who saw the scene outside described what the suspect looked like.
"He was wearing dark sunglasses, dark black beanie. I think he was wearing a black scarf but I couldn't see. Black backpack, dark green jacket, dark jeans," said witness Linda Hernandez. "He was running and gloves as well"
Hernandez also described the shots that took the suspect down.
"The first shot it didn't floor him, but second shot did," Hernandez said. "He just kind of tumbled to the ground. It was really scary. I didn't think they were real shots, but they were."
The campus remained on precautionary lockdown and will continue to be closed through Thursday,
The Chancellor says the campus is expected to resume normal operations on Friday.
Read the Chancellor's entire statement
University senior Phil Coba, a student government representative, said numerous students told him that the stabbings started inside a classroom and continued outside before campus police shot and killed the attacker.
Lensy Maravilla, 19, a first-year student, said she was in a biology class on the second floor of the same building, when a female student ran in.
Maravilla said the student "was crying hysterically and came in and said that she had seen somebody get stabbed, or slashed, in the throat and she ran."
Maravilla did not have other details, but she said that shortly afterward someone came in the class and said classes were canceled.
Student Itzel Franco, 18, said half of her dorm remains evacuated because it is close to the site of where the assailant was shot. She said it happened in an area known as the "passing bridge."
Student Alex Lopez was heading to class when he realized something was wrong on campus. "I was listening to a podcast, and there was a break in talking, and I just hear a gunshot," he said.
He said police and first responders flooded the scene.
"You see this stuff all over the news and stuff, and you see it happen to all these other schools," but you don't expect it to happen at your school, said Lopez, 21.
The university about 120 miles south of Sacramento in the farm-rich San Joaquin Valley was locked down for about an hour and a half after the stabbings. The lockdown was lifted, but classes were canceled and entrances to the campus were blocked off.
Campus officials said the university, which has about 6,000 students, also would be closed Thursday and urged the community to seek counseling services that were available.
The campus in the city of Merced opened a decade ago and is the newest one in the University of California system.
It was erected in the state's farm belt in response to the burgeoning enrollment in the nine other University of California campuses. Regents also felt the mainly agricultural region was unrepresented by higher education.
A candlelight vigil that was initially planned for Wednesday night was canceled. The student body is working on organizing a service for Friday when school resumes.


text:
The president of the Boy Scouts of America, Robert Gates, said Thursday that the organization's longstanding ban on participation by openly gay adults is no longer sustainable and called for change in order to prevent "the end of us as a national movement."
In a speech in Atlanta to the Scouts' national annual meeting, Gates referred to recent moves by Scout councils in New York City and elsewhere to defy the ban.
"The status quo in our movement's membership standards cannot be sustained," he said.
Gates said no change in the policy would be made at the national meeting. But he raised the possibility of revising the policy at some point soon so that local Scout organizations could decide on their own whether to allow gays as adult volunteers and paid staff.
In 2013, after bitter internal debate, the BSA decided to allow openly gay youth as scouts, but not gay adults as leaders. The change took effect in January 2014.
Gates, who became the BSA's president in May 2014, said at the time that he personally would have favored ending the ban on gay adults, but he opposed any further debate after the Scouts' policymaking body upheld the ban.
On Thursday, however, he said recent events "have confronted us with urgent challenges I did not foresee and which we cannot ignore."
He cited the recent defiant announcement by the BSA's New York City chapter in early April that it had hired the nation's first openly gay Eagle Scout as a summer camp leader. He also cited broader developments related to gay rights.
"I remind you of the recent debates we have seen in places like Indiana and Arkansas over discrimination based on sexual orientation, not to mention the impending U.S. Supreme Court decision this summer on gay marriage," he said. "We must deal with the world as it is, not as we might wish it to be."
Gates said the BSA technically had the power to revoke the charters of councils that defied the ban on gay adults, but said this would be harmful to boys in those regions
He also noted that many states have passed laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, raising the possibility of extensive legal battles.
"Thus, between internal challenges and potential legal conflicts, the BSA finds itself in an unsustainable position, a position that makes us vulnerable to the possibility the courts simply will order us at some point to change our membership policy," Gates said.
He expressed concern that an eventual court order might also strike down the BSA's policy of banning atheists.
"Waiting for the courts is a gamble with huge stakes," he said. "Alternatively, we can move at some future date — but sooner rather than later — to seize control of our own future, set our own course and change our policy in order to allow charter partners — unit sponsoring organizations — to determine the standards for their Scout leaders."
Such an approach, he said, would allow churches, which sponsor about 70 percent of Scout units, to establish leadership standards consistent with their faith.
"I truly fear that any other alternative will be the end of us as a national movement," he said.
But some churches may be alienated nonetheless. Some Southern Baptist churches stopped sponsoring troops after gay scouts were allowed, and letting in gay adults will likely prompt even more departures, said Southern Evangelical Seminary President Richard Land, who formerly led the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.
To him, Scouts shouldn't have leaders who are sexually attracted to their gender, whether a heterosexual man leading Girl Scouts or a gay man supervising boys, no matter objections that leaders of any sexuality shouldn't be assumed to be potential pedophiles.
"This seems to me to be sound judgment 101," he said, calling Gates' message a display of "political correctness."
The Utah-based Mormon church is the nation's largest sponsor of Boy Scout units, and in the past has supported the ban on participation by openly gay adults.
In a brief statement Thursday, the church said it would examine any policy changes "very carefully to assess how they might impact our own century-long association with the BSA."
The Human Rights Campaign, the largest U.S. gay-rights group, called Gates' speech "a step in the right direction."
"But, as we have said many times previously, half measures are unacceptable, especially at one of America's most storied institutions," said the campaign's president, Chad Griffin. "It's time for BSA leaders to show true leadership and embrace a full national policy of inclusion."
Until Thursday, there had been no indication how the BSA would respond to the New York Councils, which on April 2 announced the hiring of Pascal Tessier, an 18-year-old Eagle Scout. Tessier, currently finishing his freshman year of college, has been a vocal advocate of opening the 105-year-old organization to gay scouts and leaders.
Tessier had been getting legal advice from prominent lawyer David Boies, whose recent causes include arguing for recognition of same-sex marriage. Boies said it was possible that Tessier's hiring could lead to litigation between the New York chapter and the BSA's national headquarters, but he expressed hope this could be avoided.
After Tessier's hire, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office opened an inquiry into the BSA's membership policies and influence over local councils' hiring decisions. The office, which cited state laws against hiring discrimination based on sexual orientation, was reviewing Gates' remarks Thursday.
One of Tessier's lawyers, Josh Schiller, expressed hope that the BSA's ban would be lifted.
"People will join the Boy Scouts and look at them as an organization that has the principles of equality," he said.
Debate over the BSA policy has coincided with a steady drop in the organization's youth membership, which fell 7.4 percent last year to about 2.4 million.
After the 2013 decision to admit gay youth, some conservatives split from the BSA to form a new group, Trail Life USA, which has created its own ranks, badges and uniforms. The group claims a membership of 23,000 youths and adults.
Trail Life's chairman, John Stemberger, said his organization was "saddened" by Gates' speech.
"It is tragic that the BSA is willing to risk the safety and security of its boys because of peer pressure from activists groups," he said. "Trail Life USA remains committed to timeless Christian values."
Associated Press writer Michelle Price in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.
Reach Jennifer Peltz on Twitter at @jennpeltz and David Crary at https://twitter.com/CraryAP
Copyright © 2015 Capitol Hill Blue
Copyright © 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved


text:
What 'Superman' got wrong, point by point
While the education film Waiting For Superman has moving profiles of students struggling to succeed under difficult circumstances, it puts forward a sometimes misleading and other times dishonest account of the roots of the problem and possible solutions.
The amped-up rhetoric of crisis and failure everywhere is being used to promote business-model reforms that are destabilizing even in successful schools and districts. A panel at NBC's Education Nation Summit, taking place in New York today and tomorrow, was originally titled "Does Education Need a Katrina?" Such disgraceful rhetoric undermines reasonable debate.
Let's examine these issues, one by one:
*Waiting for Superman says that lack of money is not the problem in education.
Yet the exclusive charter schools featured in the film receive large private subsidies. Two-thirds of Geoffrey Canada's Harlem Children's Zone funding comes from private sources, effectively making the charter school he runs in the zone a highly resourced private school. Promise Academy is in many ways an excellent school, but it is dishonest for the filmmakers to say nothing about the funds it took to create it and the extensive social supports including free medical care and counseling provided by the zone.
In New Jersey, where court decisions mandated similar programs, such as high quality pre-kindergarten classes and extended school days and social services in the poorest urban districts, achievement and graduation rates increased while gaps started to close. But public funding for those programs is now being cut and progress is being eroded. Money matters! Of course, money will not solve all problems (because the problems are more systemic than the resources of any given school) – but the off-handed rejection of a discussion of resources is misleading.
*Waiting for Superman implies that standardized testing is a reasonable way to assess student progress.
The debate of "how to raise test scores" strangles and distorts strong education. Most test score differences stubbornly continue to reflect parental income and neighborhood/zip codes, not what schools do. As opportunity, health and family wealth increase, so do test scores.
This is not the fault of schools but the inaccuracy, and the internal bias, in the tests themselves.
Moreover, the tests are too narrow (on only certain subjects with only certain measurement tools). When schools focus exclusively on boosting scores on standardized tests, they reduce teachers to test-prep clerks, ignore important subject areas and critical thinking skills, dumb down the curriculum and leave children less prepared for the future. We need much more authentic assessment to know if schools are doing well and to help them improve.
*Waiting for Superman ignores overall problems of poverty.
Schools must be made into sites of opportunity, not places for the rejection and failure of millions of African American, Chicano Latino, Native American, and immigrant students. But schools and teachers take the blame for huge social inequities in housing, health care, and income.
Income disparities between the richest and poorest in U.S.society have reached record levels between 1970 and today. Poor communities suffer extensive traumas and dislocations. Homelessness, the exploitation of immigrants, and the closing of community health and counseling clinics, are all factors that penetrate our school communities. Solutions that punish schools without addressing these conditions only increase the marginalization of poor children.
*Waiting for Superman says teachers' unions are the problem.
Of course unions need to be improved – more transparent, more accountable, more democratic and participatory – but before teachers unionized, the disparity in pay between men and women was disgraceful and the arbitrary power of school boards to dismiss teachers or raise class size without any resistance was endemic.
Unions have historically played leading roles in improving public education, and most nations with strong public educational systems have strong teacher unions.
According to this piece in The Nation, "In the Finnish education system, much cited in the film as the best in the world, teachers are – gasp! – unionized and granted tenure, and families benefit from a cradle-to-grave social welfare system that includes universal daycare, preschool and health care, all of which are proven to help children achieve better results in school."
In fact, even student teachers have a union in Finland and, overall, nearly 90% of the Finnish labor force is unionized.
The demonization of unions ignores the real evidence.
*Waiting for Superman says teacher education is useless.
The movie touts the benefits of fast track and direct entry to teaching programs such as Teach for America, but the country with the highest achieving students, Finland, also has highly educated teachers.
A 1970 reform of Finland's education system mandated that all teachers above the kindergarten level have at least a master's degree. Today that country's students have the highest math and science literacy, as measured by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), of all the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries.
*Waiting for Superman decries tenure as a drag on teacher improvement.
Tenured teachers cannot be fired without due process and a good reason: they can't be fired because the boss wants to hire his cousin, or because the teacher is gay (or black or…), or because they take an unpopular position on a public issue outside of school.
A recent survey found that most principals agreed that they had the authority to fire a teacher if they needed to take such action. It is interesting to note that when teachers are evaluated through a union-sanctioned peer process, more teachers are put into retraining programs and dismissed than through administration-only review programs. Overwhelmingly teachers want students to have outstanding and positive experiences in schools.
*Waiting for Superman says charter schools allow choice and better educational innovation.
Charters were first proposed by the teachers' unions to allow committed parents and teachers to create schools that were free of administrative bureaucracy and open to experimentation and innovation, and some excellent charters have set examples. But thousands of hustlers and snake oil salesmen have also jumped in.
While teacher unions are vilified in the film, there is no mention of charter corruption or profiteering. A recent national study by CREDO, The Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford University, concludes that only 17% of charter schools have better test scores than traditional public schools, 46% had gains that were no different than their public counterparts, and 37% were significantly worse.
While a better measure of school success is needed, even by their own measure, the project has not succeeded. A recent Mathematica Policy Research study came to similar conclusions. And the Education Report, "The Evaluation of Charter School Impacts, concludes, "On average, charter middle schools that hold lotteries are neither more nor less successful than traditional public schools in improving student achievement, behavior, and school progress."
Some fantastic education is happening in charter schools, especially those initiated by communities and led by teachers and community members. But the use of charters as a battering ram for those who would outsource and privatize education in the name of "reform" is sheer political opportunism.
*Waiting for Superman glorifies lotteries for admission to highly selective and subsidized charter schools as evidence of the need for more of them.
If we understand education as a civil right, even a human right as defined by the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, we know it can't be distributed by a lottery.
We must guarantee all students access to high quality early education, highly effective teachers, college and work-preparatory curricula and equitable instructional resources like good school libraries and small classes. A right without a clear map of what that right protects is an empty statement.
It is not a sustainable public policy to allow more and more public school funding to be diverted to privately subsidized charters while public schools become the schools of last resort for children with the greatest educational needs. In Waiting for Superman, families are cruelly paraded in front of the cameras as they wait for an admission lottery in an auditorium where the winners' names are pulled from a hat and read aloud, while the losing families trudge out in tears with cameras looming in their faces – in what amounts to family and child abuse.
*Waiting for Superman says competition is the best way to improve learning.
Too many people involved in education policy are dazzled by the idea of "market forces" improving schools. By setting up systems of competition, Social Darwinist struggles between students, between teachers, and between schools, these education policy wonks are distorting the educational process.
Teachers will be motivated to gather the most promising students, to hide curriculum strategies from peers, and to cheat; principals have already been caught cheating in a desperate attempt to boost test scores. And children are worn out in a sink-or-swim atmosphere that threatens them with dire life outcomes if they are not climbing to the top of the heap.
In spite of the many millions of dollars poured into expounding the theory of paying teachers for higher student test scores (sometimes mislabeled as 'merit pay'), a new study by Vanderbilt University's National Center on Performance Incentives found that the use of merit pay for teachers in the Nashville school district produced no difference even according to their measure, test outcomes for students.
*Waiting for Superman says good teachers are key to successful education. We agree. But Waiting for Superman only contributes to the teacher-bashing culture which discourages talented college graduates from considering teaching and drives people out of the profession.
According to the Department of Education, the country will need 1.6 million new teachers in the next five years. Retention of talented teachers is one key. Good teaching is about making connections to students, about connecting what they learn to the world in which they live, and this only happens if teachers have history and roots in the communities where they teach.
But a recent report by the nonprofit National Commission on Teaching and America's Future says that "approximately a third of America's new teachers leave teaching sometime during their first three years of teaching; almost half leave during the first five years. In many cases, keeping our schools supplied with qualified teachers is comparable to trying to fill a bucket with a huge hole in the bottom."
Check out the reasons teachers are being driven out in Katy Farber's book, "Why Great Teachers Quit: And How We Might Stop the Exodus," (Corwin Press).
*Waiting for Superman says "we're not producing large numbers of scientists and doctors in this country anymore. . . This means we are not only less educated, but also less economically competitive."
But Business Week (10/28/09) reported that "U.S. colleges and universities are graduating as many scientists and engineers as ever," yet "the highest performing students are choosing careers in other fields." In particular, the study found, "many of the top students have been lured to careers in finance and consulting." It's the market, and the disproportionately high salaries paid to finance specialists, that is misdirecting human resources, not schools.
*Waiting for Superman promotes a nutty theory of learning which claims that teaching is a matter of pouring information into children's heads.
In one of its many little cartoon segments, the film purports to show how kids learn. The top of a child's head is cut open and a jumble of factoids is poured in. Ouch! Oh, and then the evil teacher union and regulations stop this productive pouring project.
The film-makers betray a lack of understanding of how people actually learn, the active and engaged participation of students in the learning process. They ignore the social construction of knowledge, the difference between deep learning and rote memorization.
The movie would have done a service by showing us what excellent teaching looks like, and addressing the valuable role that teacher education plays in preparing educators to practice the kind of targeted teaching that reaches all students. It should have let teachers' voices be heard.
*Waiting for Superman promotes the idea that we are in a dire war for US dominance in the world.
The poster advertising the film shows a nightmarish battlefield in stark gray, with a little white girl sitting at a desk in the midst of it. The text: "The fate of our country won't be decided on a battlefield. It will be determined in a classroom."
This is a common theme of the so-called reformers: We are at war with India and China and we have to out-math them and crush them so that we can remain rich and they can stay in the sweatshops.
But really, who declared this war? When did I as a teacher sign up as an officer in this war? And when did that 4th grade girl become a soldier in it? Instead of this new educational Cold War, perhaps we should be helping kids imagine a world of global cooperation, sustainable economies, and equity.
*Waiting for Superman says federal "Race to the Top" education funds are being focused to support students who are not being served in other ways.
According to a study by the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights under Law, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., and others, Race to the Top funds are benefiting affluent or well-to-do, white, and "abled" students. So the outcome of No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top has been more funding for schools that are doing well and more discipline and narrow test-preparation for the poorest schools.
*Waiting for Superman suggests that teacher improvement is a matter of increased control and discipline over teachers.
Dan Brown, a teacher in the SEED charter school featured in the film, points out that successful schools involve teachers in strong collegial conversations. Teachers need to be accountable to a strong educational plan, without being terrorized. Good teachers, which is the vast majority of them, are seeking this kind of support from their leaders.
*Waiting for Superman proposes a reform "solution" that exploits the feminization of the field of teaching; it proposes that teachers just need a few good men with hedge funds (plus D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee with a broom) to come to the rescue.
Teaching has been historically devalued – teachers are less well compensated and have less control of their working conditions than other professionals – because of its associations with women.
For example, 97% of preschool and kindergarten teachers are women, and this is also the least well-compensated sector of teaching; in 2009, the lowest 10% earned $30,970 to $34,280; the top 10% earned $75,190 to $80,970. () By comparison the top 25 hedge fund managers took in $25 billion in 2009, enough to hire 658,000 new teachers.
Waiting for Superman could and should have been an inspiring call for improvement in education, a call we desperately need to mobilize behind.
That's why it is so shocking that the message was hijacked by a narrow agenda that undermines strong education. It is stuck in a framework that says that reform and leadership means doing things, like firing a bunch of people (Rhee) or "turning around" schools (Education Secretary Arne Duncan) despite the fact that there's no research to suggest that these would have worked, and there's now evidence to show that they haven't.
Reform must be guided by community empowerment and strong evidence, not by ideological warriors or romanticized images of leaders acting like they're doing something, anything. Waiting for Superman has ignored deep historical and systemic problems in education such as segregation, property-tax based funding formulas, centralized textbook production, lack of local autonomy and shared governance, de-professionalization, inadequate special education supports, differential discipline patterns, and the list goes on and on.
People seeing Waiting for Superman should be mobilized to improve education. They just need to be willing to think outside of the narrow box that the film-makers have constructed to define what needs to be done.
Thanks for ideas and some content from many teacher publications, and especially from Monty Neill, Jim Horn Lisa Guisbond, Stan Karp, Erica Meiners, Kevin Kumashiro, Ilene Abrams, Bill Ayers, and Therese Quinn.


text:
Whether you are looking for the best carpet cleaners in the area or your need assistance with repairing the flood damage to your home or business, we can assist you. Our experienced technicians are fully trained in the latest methods and use the most advanced technology to complete each and every service call with efficiency.
Why Spotless Carpet Cleaning?
As a full service provider of home restoration and cleaning services, we have the experience to achieve the results you deserve. Why settle for less than the best when you can have premium pet carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, and more for affordable prices. Our aim is to offer the highest quality services at fair and honest prices. We will always work hard to ensure your complete satisfaction for each and every service we provide. In addition, we are fully licensed and certified for your complete peace of mind and for the protection of your property.
Spotless Carpet Cleaning can provide you with immediate assistance if you have experienced flood damage on your property. Our 24/7 emergency assistance is available to ensure your home or business gets the immediate attention needed during an emergency. Contact us to request service in Honolulu, Oahu, and island wide today.


text:
You might also like these
Alpine Unisex 3L DrymaxX Shell Jacket
499,00 €
C36 Reflecting Pond Blue
C41 Sulphur Spring Yellow
P99 Black
We exist to connect people with nature.
We exist to connect people with nature.
Halti is a Finnish outdoor brand with over 40 years of experience. We exist to help people find their own peak moments – to experience the balance, calmness and harmony that come with connecting to the natural world. We exist to help everyone find their own way to enjoy outdoor activities.


text:
Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement
BMJ 2009; 339 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b2535 (Published 21 July 2009) Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b2535- 1Ottawa Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- 2Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- 3Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- 4Centro Cochrane Italiano, Istituto Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
- 5Centre for Statistics in Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Correspondence to: dmoher{at}ohri.ca
- Accepted 5 June 2009
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have become increasingly important in health care. Clinicians read them to keep up to date with their specialty,1 2 and they are often used as a starting point for developing clinical practice guidelines. Granting agencies may require a systematic review to ensure there is justification for further research,3 and some medical journals are moving in this direction.4 As with all research, the value of a systematic review depends on what was done, what was found, and the clarity of reporting. As with other publications, the reporting quality of systematic reviews varies, limiting readers' ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of those reviews.
Several early studies evaluated the quality of review reports. In 1987 Mulrow examined 50 review articles published in four leading medical journals in 1985 and 1986 and found that none met all eight explicit scientific criteria, such as a quality assessment of included studies.5 In 1987 Sacks and colleagues evaluated the adequacy of reporting of 83 meta-analyses on 23 characteristics in six domains.6 Reporting was generally poor; between one and 14 characteristics were adequately reported (mean 7.7, standard deviation 2.7). A 1996 update of this study found little improvement.7
In 1996, to address the suboptimal reporting of meta-analyses, an international group developed a guidance called the QUOROM statement (QUality Of Reporting Of Meta-analyses), which focused on the reporting of meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials.8 In this article, we summarise a revision of these guidelines, renamed PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses), which have been updated to address several conceptual and practical advances in the science of systematic reviews (see box).
Conceptual issues in the evolution from QUOROM to PRISMA
Completing a systematic review is an iterative process
The conduct of a systematic review depends heavily on the scope and quality of included studies: thus systematic reviewers may need to modify their original review protocol during its conduct. Any systematic review reporting guideline should recommend that such changes can be reported and explained without suggesting that they are inappropriate. The PRISMA statement (items 5, 11, 16, and 23) acknowledges this iterative process. Aside from Cochrane reviews, all of which should have a protocol, only about 10% of systematic reviewers report working from a protocol.9 Without a protocol that is publicly accessible, it is difficult to judge between appropriate and inappropriate modifications.
Conduct and reporting of research are distinct concepts
This distinction is, however, less straightforward for systematic reviews than for assessments of the reporting of an individual study, because the reporting and conduct of systematic reviews are, by nature, closely intertwined. For example, the failure of a systematic review to report the assessment of the risk of bias in included studies may be seen as a marker of poor conduct, given the importance of this activity in the systematic review process.10
Study-level versus outcome-level assessment of risk of bias
For studies included in a systematic review, a thorough assessment of the risk of bias requires both a study-level assessment (such as adequacy of allocation concealment) and, for some features, a newer approach called outcome-level assessment. An outcome-level assessment involves evaluating the reliability and validity of the data for each important outcome by determining the methods used to assess them in each individual study.11 The quality of evidence may differ across outcomes, even within a study, such as between a primary efficacy outcome, which is likely to be carefully and systematically measured, and the assessment of serious harms,12 which may rely on spontaneous reports by investigators. This information should be reported to allow an explicit assessment of the extent to which an estimate of effect is correct.11
Importance of reporting biases
Different types of reporting biases may hamper the conduct and interpretation of systematic reviews. Selective reporting of complete studies (such as publication bias),13 as well as the more recently empirically demonstrated "outcome reporting bias" within individual studies,14 15 should be considered by authors when conducting a systematic review and reporting its results. Although the implications of these biases on the conduct and reporting of systematic reviews themselves are unclear, some research has identified that selective outcome reporting may occur also in the context of systematic reviews.16
The terminology used to describe a systematic review and meta-analysis has evolved over time. One reason for changing the name from QUOROM to PRISMA was the desire to encompass both systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We have adopted the definitions used by the Cochrane Collaboration.17 A systematic review is a review of a clearly formulated question that uses systematic and explicit methods to identify, select, and critically appraise relevant research, and to collect and analyse data from the studies that are included in the review. Statistical methods (meta-analysis) may or may not be used to analyse and summarise the results of the included studies. Meta-analysis refers to the use of statistical techniques in a systematic review to integrate the results of included studies.
Developing the PRISMA statement
A three-day meeting was held in Ottawa, Canada, in June 2005 with 29 participants, including review authors, methodologists, clinicians, medical editors, and a consumer. The objective of the Ottawa meeting was to revise and expand the QUOROM checklist and flow diagram as needed.
The executive committee completed the following tasks before the meeting: a systematic review of studies examining the quality of reporting of systematic reviews; a comprehensive literature search to identify methodological and other articles that might inform the meeting, especially in relation to modifying checklist items; and an international survey of review authors, consumers, and groups commissioning or using systematic reviews and meta-analyses (including the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment and the Guidelines International Network) to ascertain views of QUOROM, including the merits of the existing checklist items. The results of these activities were presented during the meeting and are summarised on the PRISMA website, www.prisma-statement.org/.
Only items deemed essential were retained or added to the checklist. Some additional items are nevertheless desirable, and review authors should include these, if relevant.18 For example, it is useful to indicate whether the systematic review is an update of a previous review19 and to describe any changes in procedures from those described in the original protocol.
Shortly after the meeting, a draft of the PRISMA checklist was circulated to the group, including those invited to the meeting but unable to attend. A disposition file was created containing comments and revisions from each respondent, and the checklist was subsequently revised 11 times. The group approved the checklist, flow diagram, and this summary paper.
Although no direct evidence was found to support retaining or adding some items, evidence from other domains was believed to be relevant. For example, item 5 asks authors to provide registration information about the systematic review, including a registration number if available. Although systematic review registration is not yet widely available,20 21 the participating journals of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors22 now require all clinical trials to be registered in an effort to increase transparency and accountability.23 Those aspects are also likely to benefit systematic reviewers, possibly reducing the risk of an excessive number of reviews addressing the same question24 25 and providing greater transparency when updating systematic reviews.
The PRISMA statement
The PRISMA statement consists of a 27 item checklist (table 1⇓) and a four phase flow diagram (figure⇓) (also available as extra items on bmj.com for researchers to download and re-use). The aim of the PRISMA statement is to help authors improve the reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We have focused on randomised trials, but PRISMA can also be used as a basis for reporting systematic reviews of other types of research, particularly evaluations of interventions. PRISMA may also be useful for critical appraisal of published systematic reviews. However, the PRISMA checklist is not a quality assessment instrument to gauge the quality of a systematic review.
From QUOROM to PRISMA
The new PRISMA checklist differs in several respects from the QUOROM checklist, and table 2⇓ lists the substantive specific changes. Generally, the PRISMA checklist "decouples" several items present in the QUOROM checklist and, where applicable, several checklist items are linked to improve consistency across the systematic review report.
The flow diagram has also been modified. Before including studies and providing reasons for excluding others, the review team must first search the literature. This search results in records. Once these records have been screened and eligibility criteria applied, a smaller number of articles will remain. The number of included articles might be smaller (or larger) than the number of studies, because articles may report on multiple studies and results from a particular study may be published in several articles. To capture this information, the PRISMA flow diagram now requests information on these phases of the review process.
The PRISMA statement should replace the QUOROM statement for those journals that have endorsed QUOROM. We hope that other journals will support PRISMA; they can do so by registering on the PRISMA website. To emphasise to authors and others the importance of transparent reporting of systematic reviews, we encourage supporting journals to reference the PRISMA statement and include the PRISMA web address in their instructions to authors. We also invite editorial organisations to consider endorsing PRISMA and encourage authors to adhere to its principles.
The PRISMA explanation and elaboration paper
In addition to the PRISMA statement, a supporting explanation and elaboration document has been produced26 following the style used for other reporting guidelines.27 28 29 The process of completing this document included developing a large database of exemplars to highlight how best to report each checklist item, and identifying a comprehensive evidence base to support the inclusion of each checklist item. The explanation and elaboration document was completed after several face to face meetings and numerous iterations among several meeting participants, after which it was shared with the whole group for additional revisions and final approval. Finally, the group formed a dissemination subcommittee to help disseminate and implement PRISMA.
The quality of reporting of systematic reviews is still not optimal.9 30 31 32 33 34 In a recent review of 300 systematic reviews, few authors reported assessing possible publication bias,9 even though there is overwhelming evidence for its existence13 and its impact on the results of systematic reviews.35 Even when the possibility of publication bias is assessed, there is no guarantee that systematic reviewers have assessed or interpreted it appropriately.36 Although the absence of reporting such an assessment does not necessarily indicate that it was not done, reporting an assessment of possible publication bias is likely to be a marker of the thoroughness of the conduct of the systematic review.
Several approaches have been developed to conduct systematic reviews on a broader array of questions. For example, systematic reviews are now conducted to investigate cost effectiveness,37 diagnostic38 or prognostic questions,39 genetic associations,40 and policy making.41 The general concepts and topics covered by PRISMA are relevant to any systematic review, not just those summarising the benefits and harms of a healthcare intervention. However, some modifications of the checklist items or flow diagram will be necessary in particular circumstances. For example, assessing the risk of bias is a key concept, but the items used to assess this in a diagnostic review are likely to focus on issues such as the spectrum of patients and the verification of disease status, which differ from reviews of interventions. The flow diagram will also need adjustments when reporting meta-analysis of individual patient data.42
We have developed an explanatory document to increase the usefulness of PRISMA.26 For each checklist item, this document contains an example of good reporting, a rationale for its inclusion, and supporting evidence, including references, whenever possible. We believe this document will also serve as a useful resource for those teaching systematic review methodology. We encourage journals to include reference to the explanatory document in their instructions to authors.
Like any evidence based endeavour, PRISMA is a living document. To this end we invite readers to comment on the revised version, particularly the new checklist and flow diagram, through the PRISMA website. We will use such information to inform PRISMA's continued development.
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b2535
The following people contributed to the PRISMA statement: Doug Altman, Centre for Statistics in Medicine (Oxford); Gerd Antes, University Hospital Freiburg (Freiburg, Germany); David Atkins, Health Services Research and Development Service, Veterans Health Administration (Washington DC, USA); Virginia Barbour, PLoS Medicine (Cambridge, UK); Nick Barrowman, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (Ottawa, Canada); Jesse A. Berlin, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development (Titusville NJ, USA); Jocalyn Clark, PLoS Medicine (at the time of writing, BMJ, London); Mike Clarke, UK Cochrane Centre (Oxford) and School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland); Deborah Cook, Departments of Medicine, Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University (Hamilton, Canada); Roberto D'Amico, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia (Modena, Italy) and Centro Cochrane Italiano, Istituto Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri (Milan, Italy); Jonathan J Deeks, University of Birmingham (Birmingham); P J Devereaux, Departments of Medicine, Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University; Kay Dickersin, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Baltimore MD, USA); Matthias Egger, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern (Bern, Switzerland); Edzard Ernst, Peninsula Medical School (Exeter, UK); Peter C Gøtzsche, Nordic Cochrane Centre (Copenhagen, Denmark); Jeremy Grimshaw, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (Ottawa, Canada); Gordon Guyatt, Departments of Medicine, Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University; Julian Higgins, MRC Biostatistics Unit (Cambridge, UK); John P A Ioannidis, University of Ioannina Campus (Ioannina, Greece); Jos Kleijnen, Kleijnen Systematic Reviews (York, UK) and School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), University of Maastricht (Maastricht, Netherlands); Tom Lang, Tom Lang Communications and Training (Davis CA, USA); Alessandro Liberati, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, and Centro Cochrane Italiano, Istituto Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri; Nicola Magrini, NHS Centre for the Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Health Care—CeVEAS (Modena, Italy); David McNamee, Lancet (London, UK); Lorenzo Moja, Centro Cochrane Italiano, Istituto Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri; David Moher, Ottawa Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (Ottawa, Canada); Cynthia Mulrow, Annals of Internal Medicine (Philadelphia PA, USA); Maryann Napoli, Center for Medical Consumers (New York, USA); Andy Oxman, Norwegian Health Services Research Centre (Oslo, Norway); Ba' Pham, Toronto Health Economics and Technology Assessment Collaborative (Toronto, Canada) (at the time of first meeting of the group, GlaxoSmithKline Canada, Mississauga, Ontario); Drummond Rennie, University of California San Francisco (San Francisco CA, USA); Margaret Sampson, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (Ottawa, Canada); Kenneth F Schulz, Family Health International (Durham NC, USA); Paul G Shekelle, Southern California Evidence Based Practice Center (Santa Monica CA, USA); Jennifer Tetzlaff, Ottawa Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; David Tovey, Cochrane Library, Cochrane Collaboration (Oxford, UK) (at the time of first meeting of the group, BMJ, London); Peter Tugwell, Institute of Population Health, University of Ottawa (Ottawa, Canada).
Author contributions: ICMJE criteria for authorship read and met—DM. Agree with the recommendations—DM, AL, JT, DGA. Wrote the first draft of the paper—DM, AL, DGA. Contributed to the writing of the paper—DM, AL, JT, DGA. Participated in regular conference calls, identified the participants, secured funds, planned the meeting, participated in the meeting, and drafted the manuscript—DM, AL, DGA. Participated in identifying the evidence base for PRISMA, refining the checklist, and drafting the manuscript—JT.
Funding: PRISMA was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Italy; Cancer Research UK; Clinical Evidence BMJ Knowledge; the Cochrane Collaboration; and GlaxoSmithKline, Canada. AL is funded, in part, through grants of the Italian Ministry of University (COFIN-PRIN 2002 prot 2002061749 and COFIN-PRIN 2006 prot 2006062298). DGA is funded by Cancer Research UK. DM is funded by a University of Ottawa Research Chair. None of the sponsors had any involvement in the planning, execution, or writing of the PRISMA documents. No funder played a role in drafting this manuscript.
Competing interests: None declared.
Provenance and peer review: Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
In order to encourage dissemination of the PRISMA statement, this article is freely accessible on bmj.com and will also be published in PLoS Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine, Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, and Open Medicine. The authors jointly hold the copyright of this article. For details on further use, see the PRISMA website (www.prisma-statement.org/).
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


text:
Glide through the Westport Harbor under the light of a full moon.
No experience necessary | Single and Double Sit-On-Top Kayaks | Paddling Time 2.25 hours
Discover the beauty of a rising full moon during an evening out on the water. This two-and -a-half-hour journey into Westport Harbor takes advantage of the full moon's glow and makes for a truly memorable excursion. This tour is suitable for beginner paddlers.
– It is recommended that clients arrive 30 minutes early to complete paperwork; get properly fitted for paddles, kayaks, and life jackets; and pack essentials in boats.
– Our single-person sit-on-top kayaks are sized to each paddler, comfortable, stable, and suitable for paddlers of all skill levels.
•A completed digital SKCT Liability Waiver and Release form.
•Shoes that can get wet (any shoes, not flipflops, that will stay secured to your feet in the water)
•Waterproof storage bag or box for keys, phone, camera etc.
•Sunglasses with retainer strap and a Hat or Cap
•Bathing Suit or Synthetic Shorts, and a Synthetic Fabric Shirt (Please avoid wearing cotton)
•Windbreaker/light-weight rain jacket, Large beach towel and a Dry change of clothes
•Water resistant sunscreen, a snack, and a large bottle of water
•Allergy medications for all severe reactions – bee stings, asthma, peanut allergies, etc.
Reservations are required for all programs and may be made online or over the phone. Payment is due in full at the time of the reservation. We accept all major credit cards.
Cancellations with 48 hours or more notice before the program start time will receive a full refund. Cancellations with less than 48 hours notice will result in forfeiture of the entire program fee. In the event that Sea Kayak Connecticut cancels a class or a tour due to lack of minimum enrollment, severe weather, or an emergency, clients may opt to reschedule their program or receive a full refund.
All scheduled programs will run rain or shine. A few sprinkles won't keep us off the water, so please pack a light rain jacket if showers are in the forecast. Should Sea Kayak Connecticut determine that the weather conditions are unsuitable for an upcoming program; we will cancel the class/tour and contact you via e-mail, text or by phone. In the event of anticipated rainy or windy conditions, our guides will make an at-the-launch decision as to whether or not to launch. Please plan on attending your program regardless of the weather in your immediate area or the forecast at the launch site.
For All Outdoor Programs you may either bring your own equipment or we'll supply it for you at no additional charge. We do not provide discounts for bringing your own equipment. Clients may bring their own sea kayaks provided they are sea worthy, at least fourteen feet in length, have bulkheads fore and aft, sealed hatches, and perimeter deck lines. For sit-on-top programs, clients may bring their own sit-on-top kayaks provided they are sea worthy. Please contact us if you are unsure as to whether or not your equipment is suitable for one of our programs. Breathable life jackets will be provided and must be worn by all participants.
Forms including liability release forms and a confidential medical questionnaire are required for each program from each participant. Please complete all paperwork prior to arriving for your class or tour.
12 Years Old is the minimum age requirement for participating in classes and tours. Please also note that we only provide singleperson kayaks for our tours and classes.
Paddle-specific clothing is highly recommended for all programs. Essentially, dress as if you are going swimming. We'll do our best to keep you high and dry but wearing the right clothes will make for a much safer and far more enjoyable paddling experience. Wearing synthetic shirts and shorts, a ball cap and pair of shoes that can get wet will make for a comfortable day out on the water.
Personal Info is asked of you so that we may properly fit you to your kayak, paddleboard, paddle, life jacket and spray skirt.
Punctuality and Preparedness are two hallmarks of Sea Kayak Connecticut. To ensure that everyone gets to enjoy every minute of the scheduled program, it is very important that clients arrive on time. Please arrive having everything on the Paddlers Checklist completed and in-hand 30 minutes prior to the program start time.


text:
Choose an application or search below
This YTX14 motorcycle battery is a Sealed AGM. This means it has been sealed and activated at the factory and arrives fully charged and ready to use. You will not have to mess with any acid as the battery is known as valve regulated lead acid, designed not to leak and capable of being placed into service on its side. Many of these Sealed AGM batteries have a Dry Charge AGM cousin for those that like to know their motorcycle battery is fresh and has not been left sitting on a shelf slowly discharging. Some may refer to the Yuasa YTX14 battery by the manufacturer stock code which is YUAM7RH4S.
With few exceptions Yuasa Battery, Inc. is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of most all power sport battery applications. In fact Honda has been using Yuasa's batteries since 1979 and other major bike and power sport manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Cannondale, Buell, and Polaris Victory, to name a few, have followed suit. This brand is used as the standard for which all other aftermarket replacement batteries must match. Some replacements may have higher CCA or AH while others may be slightly lower when comparing those specifications. All should match the dimensions closely and must match voltage and polarity exactly.
This battery is 12V and has 160 CCA and 12 AH. It comes with a full 12 Mo. replacement warranty. Yuasa batteries are made either in Taiwan or the United States. Currently the YTX14 is made in USA.
item added to Cart
Cart subtotal( item):
We apologize, there was an issue contacting the server. Please try again.
71814 622nd Ave Steinauer NE, 68441 Toll Free: 877-295-3281 FAX: 402-805-4424


text:
A cryptocurrency or digital cash that is independent of any other blockchain or platform. The key feature of a coin is that of a currency, and the term may also be used to describe a cryptocurrency asset that is not a token.
Unlike cryptocurrency tokens, coins are not intended to serve utility functions - such as to represent votes within a community or to denote storage capacity on a decentralized cloud storage. Instead, a coin operates on its own independent blockchain and acts like a native currency within a specific financial system. Accordingly, a coin is essentially used as a medium of exchange or store of value within a digital economic network. Most blockchains work as a decentralized, distributed ledger that tracks and verifies each transaction, and their native coins can only be transferred between participants of this particular network.
A coin, as a single unit of currency, can be traded for an agreed upon value depending on current market conditions. Occasionally it can be exchanged for a different coin or token that belongs to another blockchain, either through a cryptocurrency exchange or through private transfers (like peer-to-peer and OTC trades). Decentralized exchanges and atomic swaps are also viable alternatives for coin and token trading.
Many companies and startups in the blockchain industry choose to raise funds prior to building their own blockchain, and this is often done through an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) crowdsale. The majority of ICO fundraising events were performed on top of the Ethereum network, issuing tokens through the so-called Ethereum Token Standard protocol (also known as ERC20). This means that instead of issuing their native coin, these companies decided to create a digital token that is issued on top of an existing blockchain network.
Usually, these ICO tokens are offered in exchange for Bitcoin or Ethereum, but some startups also accepted fiat currency or other cryptocurrencies as payment during their fundraising. In some cases, the tokens are representative of the future project and are supposed to be swapped for native coins when the blockchain is finally deployed.
Știința utilizării teoriilor și calculelor matematice pentru a cripta și decripta informații.


text:
Foreign Internet Television and Online Video
Foreign Internet Television
Foreign Internet Television and Online Video Note: These stations require the Real Audio player, the Windows Media Player, and the Apple Quicktime player. If you don't have these already installed, all of these have free installations that can be found at the links above. Links with the (indirect) designation won't stream directly from this page, but send the user to the radio site's web page, which feature their own interfaces to play the radio station; these usually require ActiveX controls to be turned on in Internet Explorer. Buy the FSI Digital Editions from the Travlang Download Store and receive them today! This is the same content from the hardcopy editions, but with the text in PDF format and the audio in MP3 format. |
Travlang Electronic Translators ---
Discount Travel Travlang Downloadable Language Courses --- Travlang Language Store Airport Parking |


text:
So before you start thinking I'm a spoilt brat who enjoys far too many holidays than she deserves, let me explain. There was a GENUINE reason I HAD to come to Bali this week. I had no choice – seriously. My sister's fiancé, Pete, phoned me a month ago to say he was going to spring a SURPRISE WEDDING for Jill and wanted me to help with orchestrate the nuptials. How could I say no?
With Jill being so busy with work commitments, Pete knew it was going to be a tough call, locking in a wedding date. She's also been married before and knew full well how much planning a wedding would involve. So when Pete tried to get her to set a date six months ago, she jokingly replied, 'It's too much to organise. You sort it out and I'll just turn up.' I don't think she thought he'd take her so literally.
When it panned out that many of her friends were going to be in Bali at the same time, Pete thought it would be perfect to organise a surprise wedding. Particularly as it was Jill's birthday on June 25th. It would be simple to get everyone together for a celebration without raising her suspicions.
I wasn't so sure. Jilly is SO switched on, it's difficult to keep anything a secret from her! But on the morning of her birthday, when I offered to blow-dry her hair, (because she should look her best at her celebratory dinner!!) she scoffed at the idea, saying she didn't care. That's when I was pretty sure she hadn't twigged. Surely she'd want good hair if she knew she was getting married??
Pete booked a dinner at Bali's most glamorous seaside restaurant – Kudeta. None of the guests knew until just hours before exactly what was going to happen. There was always the VERY slim possibility she might say 'no'… so there was a palpable sense of excitement in the air as we gathered for pre-dinner drinks.
The tricky part was getting Jill to the restaurant by 4.30. We needed to kick proceedings off early-ish to make sure we could take photos before the sun went down. So we told a weeny white lie and pretended we had to get there early to secure the sofa area because it's peak holiday season and the restaurant needed the space for another group booking, It worked and we managed to assemble everyone pretty close to the planned time.
Then we all held our collective breath as we watched Pete take Jill aside and tell her what was about to happen. They had their backs to us, so it was hard to work out exactly what was going on… the only give-away, when she wiped a tear from her eye.
Then she turned around with a beaming smile and I sighed with relief and handed her a bouquet we'd organised. Plus some flowers for her hair. 'Damn, I would have put some lippy on if I'd known!' she laughed.
We'd also organised a marriage celebrant, so Pete led us down to the beach, where we met Kim, to officiate the ceremony. And a very celebrated celebrant I might add – as he just happened to ALSO perform the wedding of Australia's most gorgeous super-model, Jennifer Hawkins, only a few weeks ago.
Kim not only spoke beautifully, with sensitively chosen words, but had also prepared a rose-petal strewn beach-aisle for the betrothed couple to walk down.
Then, there they stood. Pete and Jill, who have been together for nine years – finally – exchanging vows on Legian Beach in Bali. I couldn't have been more thrilled for my baby sister. I'll let the pictures tell the story…
Just after the group photo, Jill announced it was time to throw the bouquet, so the youngest of the wedding party raced onto the beach to battle it out.
That's my girl!! Yep, our daughter Ronnie beat the others to the bouquet. Which surely means I can look forward to another Bali wedding?
Then it was time for drinks and dinner. Although sadly I must have put a greasy finger on the camera photo lens at some point, making for slightly blurry pics… oops!
And let's not forget it was also Jill's birthday. So yes, there was cake.
Pete and Jill have been together for nine years, so we've waited some time for this wedding. But it was definitely meant to be. From the beginning, their relationship has faced some tough challenges – trials you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. That they've managed to see these through just made this day an even greater cause for celebration.
Not long after they met at a bayside pub on a Sunday night just before Christmas, Pete headed off to the UK for business for two months. Smitten, he phoned her every morning and every night the entire time he was away. Both agree it was a wonderful way to really get to know each other and cement their connection through conversations that went for hours. Pete racked up a phone bill of more than four thousand dollars.
Then six weeks after Pete returned home, they met with some friends at a local pub. Pete had planned to take Jill on a date that night. As he was riding his motorbike, he told her he would go home and get changed, then return in an hour in his car to pick her up.
He didn't show.
As time passed, Jill became really annoyed, believing he'd stood her up.
Her mobile phone rang. A man said he was calling from the Alfred Hospital and that Pete had had an accident and was asking for her. Initially, Jill thought it was a bad joke by one of Pete's friends and told the man to get stuffed. Eventually he convinced her it was true and Jill took a taxi to the hospital.
Sadly, it wasn't a joke. It was deadly serious. Pete had been hit by a four-wheel drive and knocked off his bike at a major intersection. The car had run a red light. Pete had nearly been killed.
Jill took one look at Pete, his body swollen and bloodied face, as he lay on a hospital bed and she fainted on the spot. He'd lost part of his bottom lip, nearly lost an eye, had two broken legs and a broken arm. He'd also suffered a head injury and was transferred to the Epworth Hospital where he remained for two months. He was then back at the Alfred and in hospital for a whole year, mostly in a wheel chair.
Jill says most of Pete's friends visited at the beginning but then the visits became fewer and fewer until he pretty much lost most of his friends. But Jilly remained steadfast and never gave up hope that he'd recover and that they would be able to share a life together. And they have.
Pete has never had kids of his own and has also been a wonderful stepfather to Charlie and Jesper.
Jill was thrilled with the wedding day but says if she'd known, she wouldn't have worn black. And she might have put on a bit of make-up. But overall, the surprise made it such a special and over-whelming day, she wouldn't have had it any other way.
Congratulations to my beautiful sister Jill and my wonderful new brother-in-law, Pete.
(P.S. If you're thinking of staging a Bali wedding and would like to get in touch with Kim, he has a website at http://www.baliweddingcelebrant.com)


text:
Take a minute to think about unfinished projects around your house. I'm sure fixing up the guest room seemed like an easy job when you started but then something came up. And then something else came up. Pretty soon, the half-finished guest room seems like it will never get done. Then all of a sudden, out-of-town relatives are coming to visit and it is imperative that you finish painting the guest bedroom. Wouldn't it have been easier to do this earlier when you had plenty of time?
This easily translates to your business as well. How often do you come up with an idea or start a project and then run out of time or get distracted? Suppose you want to completely redesign all of your menu boards and signs and create a whole new look for your carwash. Then, your water reclaim system breaks or your college-age employees leave for school and you have to hire new employees quickly. Suddenly, your great redesign idea is pushed to the side as you struggle to solve these more pressing problems. Replacing a sign may seem simple enough until everyday problems take precedence. If you plan to add a monthly wash program – how long does it take you to get it in place? It can take months or years to accomplish your new project, and months is lost profits.
How can you avoid leaving projects unfinished or rushing through them? By setting deadlines for yourself! Plan your time wisely and allow yourself time to take care of these extra projects. Don't let your good ideas slip away. Put a deadline down on paper at the idea inception and hold yourself and your managers to accomplishing the project within that time frame. Deadlines and goals drive progress. Start with a list of goals you want to accomplish, a "mirror list." Then add reasonable deadlines for these goals. Post your list of goals and deadlines somewhere highly visible- on your bathroom mirror, perhaps- as a reminder and encouragement for yourself. Share your goals with others and encourage employees and coworkers to create their own lists. By sharing goals with one another, you can create your own support group and further ensure that you all gain the success you aim for!
Kelly Swope is the Marketing Programs Coordinator at Blendco Systems. Blendco manufactures a full line of detergents and waxes for the professional carwash industry. You can contact Blendco at: www.blendco.com.


text:
ASTM D4294 Calibration Kit (30ml)
0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 wt%
Mineral Oil/n-Dibutyl sulfide
The DCG Partnership Calibration Kit is the perfect solution for maintaining the high standards of quality and accuracy integral to any professional operation. Our state-of-the-art kit ensures accurate and reliable results each time, providing complete peace of mind for users. It includes a range of carefully selected instruments, plus a user manual to guide you through each stage of the calibration process. With the DCG Partnership Calibration Kit on hand, you can trust that the quality of your work will always stand up to the highest expectations.
Additional information
Color | Blue |
There are no reviews yet.


text:
Department Services
The Human Resources Department coordinates the Town's hiring procedures including job postings, staff recruitment and selection, and new employee orientation. The Human Resources Director provides employee support in the form of training, development, and benefit management.
The Town of Pittsford's Human Resources Department is committed to the support of our most important resource, our employees. We encourage the contribution of each individual by creating an environment of trust and empowerment. The Town is dedicated to recruiting and retaining a well-trained, diverse workforce, to provide superior public service.
Application Process
The Town accepts job applications for currently open recruitments. Application materials are reviewed for relevant education, training and experience. Applicants' best meeting the Town's needs will be invited to participate in a selection process that may include a written exam, performance exam and/or an interview. Depending on the applicant pool, not all applicants meeting the minimum qualifications will necessarily be selected to participate in the hiring process. Prior to submitting a completed job application, be sure to read the respective recruitment notice for further instructions and qualifications.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The Town of Pittsford provides equal employment opportunity for all. We do not discriminate against, or grant preferences to, any person on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, ancestry, national origin, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We apply the same policy to all personnel actions, including, but not limited to, recruitment, selection, training, transfers, promotions, evaluation, compensation, discipline, layoffs, terminations, and rehires.
Workplace Notifications
The Town of Pittsford is an employer of choice and meets or exceeds all workplace employment laws. In compliance with New York Labor Law Section 201, and for the benefit of our employees and the public, Federal and State workplace notifications can be found at the links below:
NYS Department of Labor Posting Requirements
U.S. Department of Labor Posting Requirements
Department of Transportation
Positions requiring a commercial driver's license perform safety sensitive duties and are, therefore, subject to the Town's random alcohol and controlled substance testing program in accordance with Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations.
- How can I find out what jobs are currently available with the Town of Pittsford?
The town advertises most job openings on the town's website.
- How do I apply for employment with the Town of Pittsford?
Complete the Monroe County employment application and submit to:
Town of Pittsford Human Resources, 11 S. Main Street, Pittsford, NY 14534. - Why do I need to use the Monroe County Civil Service Application?
All jobs with the Town of Pittsford are civil service positions; therefore the Monroe County application is used for classifying the employee with Monroe County Civil Service.
- What is "Civil Service"?
Employment with the Town of Pittsford is governed by the Civil Service Law of the State of New York, under the jurisdiction of Monroe County Civil Service Commission. Selection procedures vary based on the classification, competitive or non-competitive, of the position.
- Competitive positions require:
Competitive positions require an application for employment and testing through the Monroe County Civil Service Commission, County Office Building, 39 West Main Street, Rochester, New York. Some of the town's full time positions (ex., laborer, motor equipment operator) and some part time positions (ex., recreation assistant, library clerk) are non-competitive and are filled at the town's discretion.


text:
Colour Mill Oil Based Colouring – Denim 20ml
In stock
This unique blend of colour loves the fats & oils in your baking. Best in Buttercream, Swiss Meringue, Chocolate, Cake Batter, Ganache, Fondant & many more. Directions: Shake well before use Take it easy, colours will develop over time Store in a cool dry place away from sunlight. Blended & bottled in Australia from local & imported ingredients. Allergen Free Vegan Halal Kosher Size 20ml (approx 30g)
Shipping & Delivery
We have a flat rate of $14.95 for all orders delivering to Australia.
Spend $150 or more to receive free shipping on your order.
You may also pick-up your order from our store in Chirnside Park (VIC) during our opening hours.
Please allow 3-6 business days for delivery around Australia.


text:
Available for:
iPad, iPhone, Android and Windows running app version 7.3 and above.
Nearly all churches and ministries consider themselves dedicated to evangelism, and many explicitly include outreach in their mission statements. But few are actually bearing fruit.
Kevin Harney diagnoses this problem and offers guidance for multiplying the outreach impact of churches.
Organic Outreach for Churches provides direction for local congregations to weave evangelism into the fabric of the church. Commitment to the Great Commission is not simply about sending money and prayers to missions or holding occasional events to reach out (although these things are good). Organic outreach happens when evangelistic vision and action become the domain of every ministry and the commitment of every person in the congregation. This will not happen accidentally. There is huge spiritual and practical resistance to such changes. But the only way evangelism will become an organic part of a church is when every leader and each member is gripped by a commitment to proclaiming the gospel.
This book is a roadmap for pastors and leaders who wish to infuse evangelistic passion into every aspect of their church's life.


text:
Oh Hai,
For as long as I've been a Mum, I've been a do-er. You have to be. Gone are the days of laying in bed till 11 and then not being dressed until 2. Afternoons draped over a sofa watching trash TV are impossible and the idea of being in complete silence for an hour before their blessed bedtime is unlikely.
When I divorced, I thought I'd have a bit of nothingy time back when Darcy goes to her Dad's. Alas, I was wrong. In that time I cram in all the work things I didn't manage when I had her. Errands need to be run, people need getting back to and footage needs editing. On top of that I want to see friends, snog my boyfriend (a lot), make sure my family don't think I'm dead since I call so infrequently and keep things ticking over at home.
I'm always on the go. I like being on the go. I like to-do lists and I like success. I've been that way for so long now that I'd forgotten what doing nothing feels like.
Last week Darcy was poorly with a tummy bug and so all to-do lists and arrangements were off the cards. All we did was stay upstairs, watch Netflix, cuddle and play 'fairies'. And you know what, it was utter bliss. Not her being sicky of course, but not rushing us, not always aiming for the next event and not looking at my phone or watch every six seconds.
The weekend just gone was a Me Weekend. Darcy was at her Dads and for once, I had nothing planned. So, I planned NOTHING.
My boyfriend came and went (he wasn't having a Nothing weekend, he went to the gym and did some bits) and I just flopped about on sofas and my bed and finished series on Netflix, had a 90 minute bath (holy moly that was nice), ate chinese food, and generally felt really sedate. We did venture out to the shops for some Christmas shopping, to Jamie's for dinner and Cineworld to watch A Street Cat Named Bob, but none of it was forced and it was all easy breezy.
Naturally, this kind of lifestyle isn't sustainable for most of us but if you get the chance this week, take some time for you, to just flop about. Plan 'Nothing' into your diary and do it. Don't feel guilty or wasteful, you're taking a moment to recharge and nurture. You are worth that moment, that afternoon or that entire weekend to down tools and r e l a x.
I'm going to make sure I have a day like this at least once a month. It was bliss.


text:
Download the complete Palmares, including Special Prizes Here in PDF
A very limited quantity of the World Stamp Show-NY 2016 medals are being minted. The medal is custom die struck in antique bronze, measuring 2" x 3" inches and weighs almost eight ounces.
The medal, designed by Niko Courtelis, features the World Stamp Show NY2016 logo on the obverse within a raised stamp border, while the back features a stylized magnifying glass that creates an area for medal recipients' names to be custom engraved.
The medals are being minted by the Northwest Territorial Mint / Medallic Art Company using 900 tons of pressure at a production facilities in Northern Nevada. Medallic Art Company was founded in 1903, and is American owned and operated.
Awards Ceremonies
Three award ceremonies are planned to recognize both philatelic and literature exhibitors. We hope all attending exhibitors will be able to attend and receive their medals, certificates and special prizes personally from World Stamp Show-NY 2016 officials. Otherwise national commissioners will accept these on behalf of the exhibitors. The exhibition's top three awards, the Grand Prix National, Grand Prix Internationale and Grand Prix d'Honneur will be the only awards presented at that evening's Palmares dinner.
Thursday, June 2 in Meeting Room 1E10
11:00 AM- bronze, silver bronze, silver and large silver medal winners
1:00 PM- vermeil and large vermeil winners
3:00 PM- gold and large gold winners
Palmares Dinner Click here to place reservations.
A Fun Celebration of Friendship with Dancing and EntertainmentFeaturing the Grand Prix Awards Presentations
Sponsored by Daniel F. Kelleher Auctions, LLC http://db.kelleherauctions.com/php/home.php
Thursday, June 2; No host cocktails 7:15 pm, Dinner 8:15 pm
New York Marriott Marquis Hotel, Westside ballroom 5th Floor, 1535 BroadwayBlack Tie AttireTickets $260 (includes $10 online service fee).
Full three course dinner, featuring appetizer, choice of entrée and dessert:
"Duet Appetizer" of Butternut Squash Soup & SaladSpinach, Kale, Red Endive, Shaved Hard Goat Cheese, Dried Cranberries, Pickled Mustard Seeds, Bacon Lardons, Chives with Champagne Vinaigrette
Entrees (select one entree per guest on ticket ordering page)> Herb Roasted Beef Tenderloin FiletCelery Root Puree, Asparagus, Baby Carrot and Roasted Tomato with Steak Sauce Demi > Oven Roasted SalmonRed Quinoa, Spinach, Tomato Caper Relish with Chardonnay Sauce > Smoked Paprika Cauliflower Steak (vegetarian, vegan, dairy free and gluten free)Sautéed Quinoa with Toasted Pine Nuts, Malted Kale, Wild Mushrooms with Tomato, Capers and Parsley
Dessert of Flourless Brooklyn Black-Out CakeMilk Chocolate, Honey Cremeux and Orange Crumble
Dinner includes freshly baked rolls and sweet butter, freshly brewed coffee, decaffeinated coffee and assorted teas.
Entertainment includes:> Guitarist during the cocktail hour> Photo opportunity- red carpet kiosk> Performance by a vocalist/celebrity impersonator with 3 costume changes> Fun 'Broadway style" dance performance> Saxophone player/singer> DJ and dancing till midnight
Note- Only the Grand Prix awards will be presented at the Palmares. All others will be given out at the awards ceremonies earlier in the day.
Special Prizes
A variety of special prizes have been donated by individuals and organizations that will be awarded by the judges for philatelic merit. We wish to thank all donors for their generosity. This is about half of prizes to be given out. All will be on display in a special cabinet near the exhibits area.


text:
Written consent
Posted by Smokey Stover on April 27, 2005
In Reply to: Written consent posted by JC on April 27, 2005
: Can someone please tell me the proper way to say the following...
: "You may not use the company logo without the EXPRESS WRITTEN consent of the CEO..." or "You may not use the company logo without the EXPRESSED WRITTEN consent of the CEO..." (Thank you)
Neither is very good. "Express consent" covers it all. You could also say, "Expressly stated consent." "Express written consent" and "Expressly written consent" are possible, but reduplicative, and sound awkward for that reason. Go with the first, "Express consent." It's unambiguous and will hold up in court. SS