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Fright Week: The Stranger in the Mirror
In the mirror we see our physical selves as we truly are, even though the image might not live up to what we want, or what we once were. But we recognize the image as "self". In rare instances, however, this reality breaks down.
In Black Swan, Natalie Portman plays Nina Sayers, a ballerina who auditions for the lead in Swan Lake. The role requires her to dance the part of the innocent White Swan (for which she is well-suited), as well as her evil twin the Black Swan — which is initially outside the scope of her personality and technical abilities. Another dancer is favored for the role of the Black Swan. Nina's drive to replace her rival, and her desire for perfection, lead to mental instability (and a breathtaking performance). In her hallucinations she has become the Black Swan.1
The symbolic use of mirrors to depict doubling and fractured identity was very apparent in the film:
Perhaps Darren Aronofsky [the director's] intentions for the mirror was its power to reveal hidden identities. If you noticed the scenes where Nina saw herself in the mirror, it reflected the illusion of an evil. The mirror presented to her the darkness within herself that metaphorically depicted the evolution into the black swan.
How can the recognition of self in a mirror break down?
Alterations in mirror self-recognition
There are at least seven main routes to dissolution or distortion of self-image:
- psychotic disorders
- dementia
- right parietal-ish or otherwise right posterior cortical strokes and lesions
- the 'strange-face in the mirror' illusion
- hypnosis
- dissociative disorders (e.g., depersonalization, dissociative identity disorder
- body image issues (e.g., anorexia, body dysmorphic disorder)
Professor Max Coltheart and colleagues have published extensively on the phenomenon of mirrored-self misidentification, defined as "the delusional belief that one's reflection in the mirror is a stranger." They have induced this delusion experimentally by hypnotizing highly suggestible participants and planting the suggestion that they would see a stranger in the mirror (Barnier et al., 2011):
Following a hypnotic suggestion to see a stranger in the mirror, high hypnotizable subjects described seeing a stranger with physical characteristics different to their own. Whereas subjects' beliefs about seeing a stranger were clearly false, they had no difficulty generating sensible reasons to explain the stranger's presence. The authors tested the resilience of this belief with clinically inspired challenges. Although visual challenges (e.g., the hypnotist appearing in the mirror alongside the subject) were most likely to breach the delusion, some subjects maintained the delusion across all challenges.
Ad campaign for the Exelon Patch (rivastigmine, a cholinesterase inhibitor) used to treat Alzheimer's disease. Photographer Tom Hussey did a series of 10 award-winning portraits depicting Alzheimer's patients looking at their younger selves in a mirror (commissioned by Novartis).
Mendez et al. (1992) published a retrospective study of 217 patients with Alzheimer's disease. They searched the medical records for caregiver reports of disturbances in person identification of any kind. The most common type was transient confusion about family members that resolved when reminded of the person's identity (found in 33 patients). The charts of five patients contained reports of mirror misidentification, which was always associated with paranoia and delusions. Although not exactly systematic, this fits with other studies reporting that 2–10% of Alzheimer's patients have problems recognizing themselves in a mirror.
A thorough investigation of the topic was actually published 50 years ago, but largely neglected because it was in French. Connors and Coltheart (2011) translated the 1963 paper of Ajuriaguerra, Strejilevitch, & Tissot into English. The Introduction is quite eloquent:
The vision of our image in the mirror is a discovery that is perpetually renewed, one in which our being is isolated from the world, from the objects surrounding it, and assumes, despite the fixed quality of reflected images, the significance of multiple personal and potential expressions. The image reflected by the mirror furnishes us not only with that which is, but also how our real image might be changed. It therefore inextricably combines awareness, indulgence and critique.
They examined how 30 hospitalized dementia interacted with mirrors in terms of (1) recognition of their own reflection; (2) use of reflected space; and (3) identifying body parts. The patients sat in front of a mirror and answered the following questions:
- What is this?
- Who is that?
- How old would you say that person is?
- How do you think you look?
Eight patients did not recognize themselves in the mirror:
- Three didn't understand the concept of a mirror. They didn't pay attention to any reflections until directed to do so, and then they became transfixed. They also failed to recognize photos of themselves or their caretakers.
- Another three eventually admitted it might be themselves when prodded several times.
- The final two recognized themselves the second time, and displayed considerably more anxiety. This sounds terribly frightening:
These patients were attentive to their own reflections and those of the researchers, whom they identified. The first patient seemed a bit anxious; she began by touching herself, then laughed, then proclaimed "that is not quite me, it sort of looks like me, but it's not me." When she was shown her photo head-on and then from the side, she immediately identified herself when the photo was head-on but from the side said "that's not quite me."These two individuals were in an earlier state of dissolution and likely had more awareness of what was happening to them.
Other patients with mirrored-self misidentification show greater sparing of cognitive abilities. Chandra and Issac (2014) presented brief case summaries of five mild to moderate dementia patients with "mirror image agnosia, a new observation involving failure to recognize reflected self-images." This is obviously not a new observation, but the paper includes two videos, one of which is embedded below.
Sixty-two-year-old female was brought to the hospital with features of forgetfulness and getting lost in less familiar environment. ... She was then shown the mirror 45 cm × 45 cm. She could identify it as a mirror. She showed unusual attraction to the mirror and ignored the physician and people around. She would go to the mirror and converse with her own image as if the image is another person but could correctly identify the reflected face of her daughter in law and the resident but she was asking her own reflection for the name and communicated to others saying that 'here is a woman who does not know her name'.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST we have the Strange-face-in-the-mirror illusion (Caputo, 2010). When gazing upon one's reflected face in a dimly lit room, after a minute or two...
The participants reported that apparition of new faces in the mirror caused sensations of otherness when the new face appeared to be that of another, unknown person or strange `other' looking at him/her from within or beyond the mirror. All fifty participants experienced some form of this dissociative identity effect, at least for some apparition of strange faces and often reported strong emotional responses in these instances.
Further Reading
The strange-face-in-the-mirror illusion – Mind Hacks, with 271 comments.
Visual perception during mirror gazing at one's own face in schizophrenia – The strange-face-in-the-mirror illusion with schizophrenics (seems a little mean to me)
Mirrors in film – a list
Reflections and Mirrors in film – discussion board
1 As an aside, Natalie Portman (who has published in NeuroImage) won the 2011 Best Actress Academy Award for this performance. Her male counterpart, Colin Firth (who has published in Current Biology) won the Best Actor Award.
Ajuriaguerra, J. de, Strejilevitch, M., & Tissot, R. (1963). A propos de quelques conduites devant le miroir de sujets atteints de syndromes démentiels du grand âge [On the behaviour of senile dementia patients vis-à-vis the mirror]. Neuropsychologia, 1, 59–73.
Barnier AJ, Cox RE, Connors M, Langdon R, & Coltheart M (2011). A stranger in the looking glass: developing and challenging a hypnotic mirrored-self misidentification delusion. The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis, 59 (1), 1-26 PMID: 21104482
Chandra SR, & Issac TG (2014). Mirror image agnosia. Indian journal of psychological medicine, 36 (4), 400-3 PMID: 25336773
Connors MH, & Coltheart M (2011). On the behaviour of senile dementia patients vis-à-vis the mirror: Ajuriaguerra, Strejilevitch and Tissot (1963). Neuropsychologia, 49 (7), 1679-92 PMID: 21356221
Mendez MF, Martin RJ, Smyth KA, & Whitehouse PJ (1992). Disturbances of person identification in Alzheimer's disease. A retrospective study. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 180 (2), 94-6 PMID: 1737981
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Universal Studios Japan's New B&M Flyer Going Up Fast
© Made_in_USJ via Twitter |
Above is a photo of the newly installed lift, well at least most of it. The ride will have dual stations to help with capacity, and after the stations is a slight turn and then directly up into the lift. Unless this ride is much taller than we expect, there should be another stretch of track then the support that will hold the crest of the hill after what is seen here. It could be the angle of the photo, but here the lift appears pretty steep. One other thought is that due to the layout of the Jurassic Park area, I'm not sure there will be room for a big swooping first drop like on most B&M Flyer coasters, so there is a chance for a more straight first drop here.
© Made_in_USJ via Twitter |
As for what comes next, we will have to wait and see. I did some analysis on how far this ride might stretch in a previous post. There's still quite a bit to go!
Make sure to follow Made_in_USJ on Twitter!

subset: commoncrawl


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Apr 3 - 6, 2017: Chicago
North America's broadest Automation Event
Automate is the largest solutions-based showcase of automation technologies in North America. Formerly the International Robots, Vision & Motion Control Show which dates back to 1977, Automate now demonstrates the full spectrum of automation technologies and solutions for a broad array of industries. The show is held once every two years.
Right at the front of Automate, companies that provide integration of automation, robotics and machine vision will show actual demonstrations of systems. This will allow attendees to see live demos solving challenges they face in their industry, and also to learn from solutions used in other industries that may be beneficial to them. The rest of the show features the latest automation, robotic, vision and motion control technologies and systems on display from leading global suppliers.
Come and see us personally at our booth:
Apr 3 - 6, 2017
McCormick Place North, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Learn more about the innovative solutions by DOPAG. We are looking forward to your visit.


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"What if I took something you agree with, that this country had a lot of resources that need to be explored and extracted, and every barrel of oil that we can find off South Carolina with South Carolina's permission, and natural gas deposits, make us more energy independent?" he added. "What if you married those two things up? And took some of the revenue from oil and gas exploration and put it toward reducing our carbon dependency? I think that's a deal that a lot of people would go for. You don't have to be a true believer of drilling offshore or that climate change is real. You've just got to be willing to give and take."Can we "reduce our carbon dependency" via extracting "every barrel of oil that we can find"? Does this make sense?
13 October 2009
Does This Make Sense?
In E&E News today Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is profiled, and he says this:


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Valentina Developer Network lets you bundle copies of the VDN version of Valentina Server with your applications. You also get 12 months of updates, and can continue to deploy the server even if your 12 months expire.
Licensing is based on the number of simultaneous connections of the VDN Server you can distribute to your customers, royalty free. Select the number of simultaneous, unnamed connections. The first number is the number of simultaneous, unnamed connections for Valentina Reports, using the REST API and the Valentina Database Server. It also supports additional connections for using the integrated SQLite Database Server. You can deploy an unlimited number of these.
An UNLIMITED Connections for Reports / REST / Valentina DB + UNLIMITED Connections of SQLite is available exclusively to customers with current Valentina Developer Network on a per-deployment basis.


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This is a high fashion jacket made with Scuba fabric. Soft, light weight and easy to maintain. It can be worn during Winter and Summer for the men looking to look sophisticated with the amazing colors.
Sleeve Length x Chest circumference x Waist circumference x Length
- XS (14.8" x 34.6" x 35" x 25.6")
- S (15.7" x 35.8" x 35.8" x 26.2")
- M (16.3" x 37.8" x 37.8" x 27.6")
- L (17.1" x 39.4" x 39.4" x 28.5")
- Enjoy the flexibility of our 7-day free returns! Simply pack the item(s), with its original packaging and tags, and send them back to us unstained or damaged. Items that appear worn or used will not qualify for return. Feel free to ship back the item(s) to us within the period covered by the policy.
- For more details, please see our FAQs here.
- Should you have any questions regarding this product, please feel free to get in touch with our friendly Customer Experience Team at email@example.com, or call us at +646 609 8666 M-F , 9am - 6pm EST or SAT 9am-5pm.
- Enjoy free shipping over $699*!
- Delivery Timing
Orders Placed |
Delivery |
Time |
Monday - Friday, before 6pm | Delivery estimate of 7-10 working days commences on the same working day the order is made. | #Your order will arrive between Monday - Friday. |
Monday - Friday, after 6pm | Delivery lead-time of 7-10 working days commences on the next working day from when the order is made. | |
Saturday and Sunday | Delivery estimate of 7-10 working days commences on the next working day from when the order is made. |
- For more details, check our FAQs out here!


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The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation today announced "It Pays To Live Downtown Day" part of an outreach campaign encouraging existing and new downtown residents to take advantage of LMDC's Residential Grant Program. Beginning at 9:30am this Saturday in Seward Park in Chinatown, hundreds of volunteers will gather to pick up materials, giveaways from local businesses, and listen to live music from Chinatown based band Kokolo before visiting every residential building in Lower Manhattan. The volunteers, grouped into teams of two or four, will canvas the downtown area handing out posters and flyers advertising the Residential Grant Program and the upcoming May 31, 2003 application deadline. The day will conclude at the World Financial Center Marina at 4:00pm. The ongoing outreach campaign has also featured city-wide "It Pays to Live Downtown" advertisements placed in local papers, subways, bus stops and phone booths throughout February and March. Additionally, LMDC mobile application teams have visited all residential buildings in Lower Manhattan where many residents had not applied for grants. "It Pays to Live Downtown Day" will look to reach any remaining residents who have not already visited the local Residential Grant Program Offices in Chinatown and Tribeca, or been visited by the LMDC's mobile application teams. New York State Governor George E. Pataki said, "As we continue to stand with our neighbors in Lower Manhattan through the rebuilding effort, we must ensure that this community remains an attractive place to live and raise a family. The Residential Grant Program helps ensure that the residential community is the foundation upon which the future of Lower Manhattan will be built." New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg said, "On Saturday, 'It Pays to Live Downtown Day,' the LMDC will canvas the entire area to let residents in Lower Manhattan know about the benefits available to them. We've had marvelous success stabilizing the residential community in Lower Manhattan through the LMDC's residential grant program and we want to make sure it continues. I would like to thank HUD, the Governor and the Board of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation for working together to provide residents with an incentive to remain downtown and continue to be a part of Lower Manhattan's bright future." Lower Manhattan Development Corporation Chairman, John C. Whitehead said, "The LMDC staff has worked hard to get out the good news of the Residential Grant Program and are making a very special effort this Saturday by putting up posters, handing out flyers and visiting every residential building in Lower Manhattan to make sure new and current residents know that grant money is available for them and to apply by the May 31st deadline." Lower Manhattan Development Corporation Interim President Kevin M. Rampe said, "The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation is committed to downtown residents. As the rebuilding process goes forward, a thriving community base will be the cornerstone of Lower Manhattan's revitalization. We encourage every Lower Manhattan resident to take advantage of the grant program and Saturday's event is a great opportunity to reach those people who have not already applied." In addition to the volunteers recruited by Merrill Lynch, New York Cares, and other groups; many local and community businesses are also participating, including, the Asian American Business Development Center, the Lower East Side Business Improvement District, the Alliance for Downtown New York, Inc., the MTA, the Museum of American Financial History, Verizon, the Millennium Hotel, the New York Times Company, Maiden Heaven Gourmet, Variety Café, Cookie Island, Evelyn's Chocolates, Samantha's Fine Foods, Sweet Lily, and 85 West Cocktail Bar. Additionally, upon arrival at Seward Park, volunteers will see a live performance by Chinatown based band KoKolo. The LMDC Residential Grant Program was created and administered by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation to provide assistance to residents who lived in certain downtown areas during the September 11 attacks. The program also provides financial incentives to new residents willing to make a two-year commitment to live in lower Manhattan. The plan establishes three zones of eligibility. Depending on proximity to ground zero, owners and renters may apply for three types of grants: the September 11, 2001 Residents Grant, the Family Grant, and the Two-Year Commitment-Based Grant. The September 11, 2001 Residents Grant is a one time $1,000 grant available to each housing unit whose residents lived in lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001, and continue to be on-going residents in any of the three zones. The Family Grant, a one time grant of $1,500 or $750 depending on location, is available to housing units with children under the age of 18 that make a one-year commitment to living in lower Manhattan. The Two-Year Commitment-Based Grant is available to residents, per apartment, that make at least a two-year commitment to living in lower Manhattan. Under the program guidelines, Zone 1 is eligible for 30% of the monthly rent (or mortgage payments, plus maintenance costs and real estate and related taxes for owner occupied units), up to $12,000 over two years. And Zone 2 is eligible for 30% of the monthly rent (or mortgage payments, plus maintenance costs and real estate and related taxes for owner-occupied units), up to $6,000 over two years The $306 million dollars allocated for the program is part of a $2 billion grant from HUD's Community Development Block Grant Program. To date, the Residential Grant Program has approved over $150,000,000 in grants to over 27,000 applicants. Additionally, the program has successfully attracted new residents to the downtown area -more than 56% of approved applicants in Zone 1 have identified themselves as new residents.


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Army Catering Corps Mat
Army Catering Corps Mat
- British Veteran Owned
- Fast & Reliable Delivery
- Easy Returns Up To 60 Days
Army Catering Corps Rug
Want to display your pride in the Army Catering Corps? The ACC have always been extremely proud of their history and are never shy about showing that pride (quite right too). We have recently added this design on a limited production run and they are selling well, so get yours now before we run out of stock!
We are not suggesting for one moment that you drag your feet all over your precious Regimental Colours; all of our Team have Regimental/Unit rugs and we simply place them somewhere in the room where they stand out but don't get walked over all the time.
- Unique design - not available in stores or on any other website
- Each rug is made from luxurious plush velour and features a premium heat dye sublimation print for long lasting colour vibrancy.
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- Stain resistant material makes cleaning a breeze – use a damp cloth with mild soapy water to clean (avoid bleach) and let air dry.
- Rugs arrive vacuumed sealed for protection during the shipping process – once opened rugs may take up to 24 hours to lay flat. We recommend a light vacuuming of the rug to assist in the settling process.
This rug is a must have and is the perfect way to show your love, passion and dedication to the Army Catering Corps. All of our rugs are custom-made-to-order and handcrafted to the highest quality standards.
So What are You Waiting for?
Go ahead and click the "Add to Cart" right now and our team will have it shipped right to your front door or sent as a gift to someone on your behalf.


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Nailey Farm is a family-run working livestock farm offering exceptional Bath farm self-catering holidays and short breaks all year round. Set in magnificent secluded countryside in the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, yet only a few miles from the UNESCO World Heritage Site the Spa City of Bath providing an ideal location to explore the South West of England or to simply relax and soak up the stunning surroundings.
Despite leaving the VisitEngland Quality in Tourism scheme in November 2016 after 14 years, we still maintain the very high standards our regular customers are use to.
Three holiday cottages, named after woods in the valley Trulls, Dicknick and Longley provide thoughtfully equipped, spacious rural farm self catering accommodation for families, large groups and couples or in fact anyone who enjoys the best of both worlds.
Have a look at our SPECIAL OFFERS AND LATE AVAILABILITY


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Two computers in the same network are usually linked via a single physical cable. When they communicate over the network, the programs in each computer that take part in the communication are linked via a virtual connection, a sort of imaginary cable. As far as the programs at either end of the virtual connection are concerned, they have a monopoly on their own cable. However, since the cable is not real, only imaginary, the operating systems of both computers can have several virtual connections share the same physical cable. This way, using just a single cable, several programs can communicate without having to know of or care about the other communications. It is even possible to have several computers use the same cable; the virtual connections exist between two computers, and the other computers ignore those connections that they don't take part in.
That's a complicated and over-abstracted description of the reality. It might, however, be good enough to understand the important reason why network logins are somewhat different from normal logins. The virtual connections are established when there are two programs on different computers that wish to communicate. Since it is in principle possible to login from any computer in a network to any other computer, there is a huge number of potential virtual communications. Because of this, it is not practical to start a getty for each potential login.
There is a single process inetd (corresponding to getty) that handles all network logins. When it notices an incoming network login (i.e., it notices that it gets a new virtual connection to some other computer), it starts a new process to handle that single login. The original process remains and continues to listen for new logins.
To make things a bit more complicated, there is more than one communication protocol for network logins. The two most important ones are telnet and rlogin. In addition to logins, there are many other virtual connections that may be made (for FTP, Gopher, HTTP, and other network services). It would be ineffective to have a separate process listening for a particular type of connection, so instead there is only one listener that can recognize the type of the connection and can start the correct type of program to provide the service. This single listener is called inetd; see the Linux Network Administrators' Guide for more information.


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Automotive and Diagnostic Equipment Financing
Today, the mechanical industry relies mostly on sophisticated automotive and diagnostic equipments. Alignment machines, computer diagnostic stations etc are indispensable in repairing machines. Since these repair facilities are high-priced, automotive and diagnostic equipment financing has assumed greater importance today. Those seeking automotive and diagnostic equipments with reliable financing companies which provide equipments at great terms can certainly do a lot good to their business.Automotive equipments are of a specialized nature and at times facilitate only a single repair. Therefore it is essential to keep a set of such equipments in order to provide the repairing service without any interruption. At times, the automotive equipment set may be costlier than a vehicle. This is the reason for why people are going for automotive equipment financing.There are several categories of automotive and diagnostic equipment financing which include air compressor financing, welder financing, automotive hand tool financing, brake lathe financing and so on. You can apply for any loan by submitting a loan application to the financing company. One can avail online application forms for getting automotive and diagnostic equipment financing, courtesy the internet.Diagnostic equipments are much sophisticated owing to which modern automobiles rely mainly on them. The computer diagnostic systems help in many repair functions and also help in communicating with specific automotive diagnostic equipment. There are various diagnostic equipments available, which are highly useful in acquiring a complete report of the vehicle which also includes the areas that need repair. The diagnostic equipments due to their sophisticated nature are high-priced. Again constant changes in computer technology also call for upgradation in automatic diagnostic equipment. Therefore automotive and diagnostic equipment financing can be acquired from any reliable financing company that does call for long procedures. The financing company should also be ready to clear the loan to the qualified automotive companies without any problems.There are various types of loans available for automotive and diagnostic equipment. For instance, Dynamometer financing helps you to buy a dynamometer that is used to measure the rotational speed and torque of the engine. This machine is very expensive and so if you wish to own such equipment, you need to go for financing.Before going for automotive and diagnostic equipment financing, you should pursue a research on the financing companies that have branches near your locality. Ensure that the company has been in existence for at least a decade. Also verify the interest rates and mode of payment. You need to confirm whether you can get the loan without waiting for so many days.There are some reliable financing companies that provide various types of loans for getting automotive and diagnostic equipment. Such companies have simple application procedures and they provide fast approval of loan. Therefore you can buy the equipments at any time you need. This is of course vital for smooth running of your company.You can simply fill the online application form provided by the financing company and can get fast approval provided the information is true. Therefore it is possible for any company to buy the expensive automotive and diagnostic equipment today.


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The popularity of VA loans has soared in recent years, surpassing the 1 million mark in 2020, and is on pace to break that record in 2021. But despite the success of the VA home loan program, there is still some skepticism among prospective homebuyers when it comes to VA loans.
Read the top myths about VA home loans and learn the truth behind them so that you can make the best decision on whether or not a VA home loan is the right option for your specific requirements.
Myth 1: Certification is a cumbersome process
The first step in the VA home loan application process is getting an official verification from the VA Office. This certification will assert that the veteran, active-duty military member, or spouse has met the basic eligibility requirements.
In the past, this took a long time to complete since you had to mail a letter to the VA and wait for a hard copy when they replied. Now, the process is done electronically which means you can get results in real-time.
Myth 2: VA appraisals and inspections take ages to finish due to red tape
One of the reasons why VA loans take longer is the smaller number of appraisers in rural areas who are approved to handle VA loans. However, the VA has upped its game by modernizing and streamlining processes.
Today, VA loans close within 55 days on average but there are cases where they close more quickly.
Myth 3: There is a huge chance that you'll default
VA loans have more relaxed requirements compared to conventional loans. But even with less stringent requirements, VA borrowers rarely default. Furthermore, VA loans are known to have the lowest foreclosure rates when compared to other loan programs!
Myth 4: Sellers are wary about accepting a VA loan buyer's offer
There are home sellers who believe that they will be required to pay the buyer's closing fees. This is not true. Typically, the only seller requirement is payment for a termite report and that's it.
Closing costs are the buyer's responsibility and not the seller's.
Myth 5: The savings you get on a VA home loan aren't as good when compared to conventional loans
False. VA loans are half a point below conventional rates and you don't have to pay for mortgage insurance.
Need More Information on Your VA Home Loan Application?
Now that we've addressed VA home loan myths, you can now gain access to all the great benefits a VA loan provides. If you have more questions, you can ask our VA home loan experts and they would be happy to clear things out with you.


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Watch Inspiring Time-Lapse Video of Cancer Survivor's Hair Growing Back [VIDEO]
This woman wanted the world to see that cancer couldn't hold her down.
Annmarie Bowen, 24, is a breast cancer survivor from Britain who put together this amazing video, which captures all the photos she took while her hair grew back as she fought and ultimately beat the disease.
Bowen was 21 when she first learned she had breast cancer:
It's hard to look back at how ill I was and how I was bald. But recording my hair loss and experience with cancer was my way of getting some control back. I wasn't going to let it ruin my life. I wanted to build up my confidence by showing people how far I've come."
The video features certainly proves that, yes, she really has come a long way.
Bowen also hopes the clip will help others, noting, "It's hard for me to look back and remember how tired and ill I felt but if I can help others with my experience then that can only be a good thing."


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Floating Living Locket Charm, Silver Star Sign, Zodiac, Aquarius.
Personalise your floating locket. Floating locket charms are one-sided, flat on one side so that they fit neatly inside floating pendants. Because of this, they can also be "cold-soldered" (high strength jewellers glue) to other styles of jewellery such as you Stamped Blank or other pendants and charms.
Size: 7 x 5.3mm, 1.7mm depth.


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The head of Hungary's central bank has called for the International Monetary Fund to close its office in Budapest.
The name Rothschild is literally associated with wealth. This is because for over 200 years, the family has remained the most powerful and wealthy family in the world. Most of the Rothschild fortune has been made in the world of banking, but investments in other industries, such as coal, real estate, and construction, have helped secure the family's wealth and immense power.
One of the banks owned by the Rothschild group (the biggest banking group in the world) is the International Monetary Fund (IMF), AKA 'Imposing Misery and Famine'. Not only does the group make money off usurious interest rates at the misfortune of crumbling economies, it literally owns Governments and people of power. Because it's nearly impossible to escape the clutches of the banking group, news of IMF being booted from Hungary is being heralded as a victorious happening.
TapNewsWire reports that in 2008, Hungary survived economic turmoil by relying on a €20 billion ($26 billion) loan from the IMF and aid from the EU. This was before Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was elected into office.
In 2013, however, the former economy minister and current central bank governor, Gyorgy Matolcsy, wrote a letter to IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde calling for the fund to close its representative office in Budapest. Matolcsy noted that it was "not necessary to maintain" it any longer. In addition, he said in July of 2016 that Hungary would repay the 2008 loan in full by the end of the year.
Prime Minister Orbán hasn't had a good relationship with IMF since taking office, and this latest move has taken it to a new low. However, many are hailing Hungary's decision to boot the IMF from the country as an intelligent decision.
NeonNettle reports:
"Paying the loan back early has meant Hungary have saved €11.7 million worth of interest expenses, but Gordan Bajnai, leader of the electoral alliance E14-PM, claimed that they had actually lost €44.86 million by March 2014 because of the early repayment as all they did was replace the loan from the [IMF] with a more expensive one, labelling the stunt as Propaganda.
And what made further nonsense; another loan at high interest rates was signed to finance a nuclear upgrade, which will mean not only higher repayments but also high electricity costs. But they do have economic sovereignty now. "
And what made further nonsense; another loan at high interest rates was signed to finance a nuclear upgrade, which will mean not only higher repayments but also high electricity costs. But they do have economic sovereignty now. "
The central bank governor says that the government succeeded in pushing its budget deficit below the EU ceiling of 3% in GDP and reduced government debt. Though the EU Commission expected it to return to weak growth shortly after the decision, the unorthodox system of imposing heavy special taxes on large companies seems to be working for the country.
YourNewsWire relays that Iceland joined Hungary in 2014 when it paid back its $400 million loan ahead of schedule after the collapse of the banking sector in 2008. In addition, Russia has refused to bow down to any Western puppeteer and gained financial independence in 2005.
Reportedly, this is the FIRST time a European country has stood up to the international fund, since Germany did so in the 1930s.
If you're as elated by this news as many activists are, please share this article and comment your thoughts below!
Source: True Activist


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Billy Joel's schmaltzy ballad "Honesty" spoke the truth back in 1979.
Karen Dietz: I really like this post because it is all about the quality of authenticity -- and not worrying about being perfect!
Authenticity is the heart and soul of business storytelling. This post uses rock bands to talk about this. As the author says, "There was a point, only a few years ago, where having a solid rock star brand meant covering up every wart and imperfection."
And, "A point to consider about honesty in branding: We human beings are wonderfully imperfect creatures, and we can only relate and bond with other wonderfully imperfect creatures."
Dare to be honest, authentic, and imperfect in your stories and story sharing. It will make you much more human and relatable :)


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Knowledge Base
AVM Content
- FRITZ!Box 7690
- FRITZ!Box 7590 AX
- FRITZ!Box 7590
- FRITZ!Box 7583 VDSL
- FRITZ!Box 7583
- FRITZ!Box 7582
- FRITZ!Box 7581
- FRITZ!Box 7560
- FRITZ!Box 7530 AX
- FRITZ!Box 7530
- FRITZ!Box 7520
- FRITZ!Box 7510
- FRITZ!Box 7490
- FRITZ!Box 7430
- FRITZ!Box 7360
- FRITZ!Box 6890 LTE
- FRITZ!Box 6850 5G
- FRITZ!Box 6850 LTE
- FRITZ!Box 6840 LTE
- FRITZ!Box 6820 LTE
- FRITZ!Box 6690 Cable
- FRITZ!Box 6670 Cable
- FRITZ!Box 6660 Cable
- FRITZ!Box 6591 Cable
- FRITZ!Box 6590 Cable
- FRITZ!Box 6490 Cable
- FRITZ!Box 6430 Cable
- FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro
- FRITZ!Box 5590 Fiber
Push service mails are not sent
Although the push service was configured according to our guide, the FRITZ!Box does not send any emails with connection data, usage data, or configuration data, nor does it send messages from its internal answering machine or faxes from its internal fax server. One of the following error messages is displayed in the event log of the FRITZ!Box:
- "Email delivery failed: SMTP server reports [...]"
- "Email delivery failed: TCP error"
- "Sending of an email message failed. Reason: authentication error."
- "Sending of an email message failed. Reason: TCP error."
Note:All instructions on configuration and settings given in this guide refer to the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box.
Simply proceed as described below. After each measure, check whether the problem is solved.
1 Adjusting the email account settings
Many providers protect their email accounts with special security mechanisms that prevent push service mails from being sent:
Adjusting Google account settings
- Generate an app password for the FRITZ!Box and configure it is the password for the push service.
Important:As of May 2022, Google no longer supports access for less secure apps. Since then, push services can only be used if you enabled the two-step verification method.
Adjusting Microsoft account settings
- If you enabled two-step verification for your Microsoft account, create a new app password for the FRITZ!Box and configure this as the password for the push service.
Adjusting Apple account settings
- If you enabled two-factor authentication for your Apple ID, set an app-specific password for the FRITZ!Box and configure this as the password for the push service.
Adjusting Yahoo account settings
- Generate a new app password for the FRITZ!Box and configure this as the password for the push service.
2 Enabling email sending in your email account
Some providers have email sending via a different program switched off by default:
- Enable the use of external email clients in your email account.
Note:With some providers, you can enable this in the settings for POP3/IMAP access.
3 Correcting email account information in the FRITZ!Box
This error is often caused by incorrect email account information, for example an incorrect password. Therefore, enter this information again:
- Click "System" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
- Click "Push Service" in the "System" menu.
- Click the "Configure Push Service" link. If the link is not shown, click on the "Sender" tab.
- Enter your email address and password.
- Click on "Account Information: Additional Settings".
Note:In most cases, the FRITZ!Box automatically completes the following information. With smaller local providers, you have to enter it yourself. The required information can be obtained from your email provider.
- Enter your username and the name of your email provider's SMTP server.
- If the server is not accessible on port 25, enter the port used by the server to communicate in the "Port" field, for example 587.
- If the server supports SSL, enable the option "This server supports a secure connection (SSL)".
- Enable the option "Test email sending after adopting the settings". If the option is not available, the test email will be sent automatically.
- Click "Apply" or "Next" and follow the wizard's instructions.
- Now the FRITZ!Box sends a test email to your email account.
4 Contacting your provider
If the test email was not sent, your account information is incorrect or there is a problem with your provider. With some email providers, an additional password must be set up in the customer portal or the provider protects the email account with additional security mechanisms, for example:
- Contact your email provider.


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Temporary Separations
My husband has been transferred to another city, about 2 hours away. He had to make the move immediately; it will be a few more months before our almost four-year-old son and I can join him. (I have to find a job first.) How can we help our son deal with being without Daddy during the week? His daycare staff and I have both seen changes in his behavior since his father transferred -- increased clinginess, more confrontational than usual, bouts of crying for his father. His Daddy calls him every night, and I remind him frequently that Daddy loves us, he doesn't want to be away from us, and we'll be together again in a few more days. How else can we help?
Teresa Hall - Opelika, Alaska
Dr. Greene's Answer
From the time that we begin to let ourselves believe that a positive pregnancy test could actually mean that we are going to be parents, or we receive that first darling photo from an adoption agency, we begin to fall in love with that incredible new little person. Conversely, that adorable (and sometimes, not so adorable) child begins to love and trust his or her parents even before birth. Whenever a parent and a young child have temporary separations, it is difficult for both parent and child. My heart goes out to all three of you!
It is natural for your son to be clingy, confrontational, and sad. You can't make his negative feelings about being separated from his father go away, and it is not in your son's long-term emotional best interest to push these feelings down. When he acts out, help him use positive ways to communicate his feelings. Coloring, playing with clay, or using action figures to tell his story are all great ways to get your son to express his feelings. You can, however, diminish the negative emotional effects of this separation on your son by working together as a family to build a close relationship between your son and his father.
It is great that your son and his father talk on the phone every night, but often, long-distance phone calls just remind a four-year-old that Daddy isn't there. Four-year-olds need interaction! Try buying two copies of a game for two (Guess Who or Battleship works well for this, but select a game that is well suited to your son). The next time the two are together, Dad can show your son how to set up the board and play the game. After your son has successfully mastered the basics of the game, try setting up two boards in the same room, with Dad playing on one board and your son playing on the other. It is really no different than playing on the same board, but it will help your son make the next transition. When Dad has to go away the next time, have him take one board with him. When he calls, you can help your son set up his board and play a game with Dad over the phone. The first few times it is very helpful to have a speaker-phone so you can hear what is going on. Soon your son will get the hang of it and be able to play with Dad without your help. This kind of interaction helps your son feel like his father is involved in his life even though they aren't together.
Pictures are another great tool. Go through your family photos and select several pictures of your son and his father, and the three of you. Have two copies made of each picture. As a family project, put together two identical photo albums. You can each contribute to these unique family heirlooms — your son can draw pictures, you or your husband can write down some information about each shot (date, age of your son, etc.), and you can all add stickers or other decorations to make the albums special. When Dad has to leave, he can take one of the photo albums with him. During future phone calls he can turn to a page and ask your son to look at the same page. Your husband can use the picture to remind his son of the wonderful times they've had together. This will help him believe that you will all have more wonderful times together in the future. It will also be very comforting to your son to know that he is looking at the same thing Daddy is looking at. This is a small, but very tangible way of staying in touch.
Videos are also powerful. Create a family video that shows your son with his father (and be sure to get some shots of you, too). Try to get lots of close-ups. Take shots of an ordinary day — eating breakfast together, playing in the park or with one of your son's favorite toys, reading a bedtime story — the more ordinary, the better! You can play this video over and over for your son as a reminder that things will be normal again.
Begin long-distance rituals. A two-minute goodnight call at exactly the same time each night can build a great deal of stability into the relationship between your son and his father. It is especially powerful if your son is allowed to answer the phone, talk to his father, and hang up the phone without Mom getting to talk to Dad at all. (The two of you can have your own good night ritual after your son is in bed.)
This time of separation is certainly a challenging one. It is much easier to relate to a four-year-old when you can wrestle him to the ground or hold him in your arms until he drifts off to sleep, than when you are forced to be two hours apart. This time is not going to be easy on any of you, but if you make your family relationship a high priority, you can successfully navigate through it. In the process, you will create powerful positive memories for your son and establish excellent patterns of relating that you can continue after you are all back together.


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Capturing reality on the go
At Leica Geosystems, we are committed to provide the best surveying technology and shape smart change by creating products that are mobile, agile and efficient – just like the Pegasus:Backpack.
In this new Expert Insights Section, Alessandro Nuzzo, Product Line Manager for Mobile Mapping at Leica Geosystems, explains in detail the technology, workflow and applications for this wearable reality capture solution.
What is the Leica Pegasus:Backpack?
Pegasus:Backpack is a disruptive wearable tool enabling users to capture reality faster, spending less time in the field while differentiating their business model with new applications in where and how they capture reality.
Can you explain the integrated technologies of the Pegasus:Backpack?
The core technology centres on navigation. We distinguish indoor and outdoor missions. For outdoors, integrating a multiple band GNSS receiver leverages all available GNSS satellites from around the globe to achieve a high sigma confidence in terms of positioning accuracy. Furthermore, we have the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) consisting of three gyroscopes and three accelerometres that compensates the movements while walking and collecting data.For indoor missions, we rely on the IMU and the LiDAR Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm. While scanning and creating a map, SLAM is able to detect the environment and calculate the trajectory based on LiDAR measurements. The Pegasus:Backpack provides a robust trajectory even in GNSS-denied areas.
In addition to the trajectory, we have two LiDARs collecting 600,000 points per second and five automatic exposure controlled, high dynamic cameras with 4 MPix resolution each – enabling feature extraction over LiDAR or measurements over accurate photogrammetry. All the data are stored inside an integrated multi-core industrial PC with one terabyte solid-state drive storage in order to save long missions easily.
The system is powered with four hot-swap batteries extending the four-hour operational time to any desired length by simply swapping discharged batteries with charged ones on-the-fly. This technology is housed in a carbon fibre unibody chassis that is highly ergonomic for comfortable wearing.
How did you combine Geosystems technology with Hexagon business technology to create this wearable reality capture system?
We started with a strong experience matured in Pegasus:Two, where we knew how to precisely manage GNSS and IMU data to calculate the trajectory and synchronise the LiDAR and imagery into a seamless data output. We set our target high and wanted the Pegasus:Backpack to become the first commercially wearable and indoor capable system available.Within Hexagon, we strongly leveraged our Novatel know-how. Together, we tailored the GNSS/IMU calculations and developed our Hexagon SLAM solution. Expertise from different teams within Hexagon led us to make the right decisions.
What makes the Pegasus:Backpack special?
It is clear – the product's disruptive characteristics. Starting from the futuristic product design to the use of carbon fibre to reduce weight and increase the ergonomic. Continuing with the embedded technology, dual LiDAR, five high dynamic cameras, IMU and SLAM navigation technology, it is a unique data collection tool for the modern surveyor.
The combination of these distinguished characteristics makes the Pegasus:Backpack extremely versatile for outdoor and indoor applications enabling customers to spend less time on the field, differentiate their business model, and stay competitive in a consolidating market.
Can you explain the workflow (data acquisition, post processing, extract information, export to CAD) of the Pegasus:Backpack?
The precondition is to have a master GNSS station within 15 kilometres from the data collection location or HxGN SmartNet coverage. No surveyor skills are required for the data collection – it can be simply done by a trained operator.The operator turns on the system and connects the delivered tablet over Wi-Fi or LAN to the internal PC where the data acquisition module runs – this is the dashboard for data acquisition. Before starting capture, the operator needs to initialise the system, first statically, and then by walking a couples of minutes. After the position is determined, he starts data collection and has full control by the tablet, where he can monitor in real time the images, LiDAR units and GNSS signal strength. Once the mission is completed, the operator does a static end alignment phase and closes the mission.
The post processing workflow is highly automated. By simply inserting an USB Key into the Pegasus:Backpack, all data can be downloaded and is ready for post processing. Operators can pre-select the deliverables and launch the post processing calculation – there is no need to supervise the process. A powerful tool to interface with the SLAM algorithm is embedded directly within the post processing software. It enables the visualisation, and if needed, the correction of the SLAM navigation before processing and completing the dataset.
All industry standard file formats, like LAS, PTS, and E57, are supported and can be exported. Depending on the software solutions used for feature extraction, the Pegasus Software Suite natively produces 3D point clouds and images for ESRI ArcMap or Autodesk AutoCAD.
For what applications can the Pegasus:Backpack be used?
The system's flexibility and ease of use is expanding the applications, going from the most common, for example, professional Building Information Modelling (BIM) documentation, surveying, asset collection, underground infrastructure maintenance, disaster recovery, and safety and security, to more digital reality oriented applications, like industrial training, accidents simulation and urban planning.
What are some of the most interesting applications where you've seen the Pegasus:Backpack used?
There are dozens of exciting applications. One of the coolest data collection was in Vars, France, where we provided 3D data for the speed world record attempt in downhill snow mountain biking.
At 3,000 m high, with strong wind, and temperatures around 0 degrees Celsius, a skier was wearing the Pegasus:Backpack and collected the necessary data to calculate a digital terrain model (DTM) that was fed into a Leica iCON controlled snow machine to prepare a perfect slope for the speed attempt.
Another very impressive application was the data collection of the Paris sewers- an extremely challenging environment for humans and the equipment. With the Pegasus:Backpack and the optional flashlight module, we collected a never-before-seen perspective – having the city surface with its buildings and streets and the sewers underground structure in one single 3D data set. The flashlight module delivered crystal clear images unveiling all the manual sprayed notes on the walls. This information was never georeferenced and not visible in any cadastral map. Through the images, it was possible to recognise where maintenance was needed to assure a continued public service avoiding unexpected outages.
What are the customers doing with the data obtained from this wearable reality capture solution?
The Pegasus:Backpack is used to provide multiple, fast and accurate data layers where traditional methods face limits in terms of feasibility, access and costs.Various customers are using the data for urban area survey, where city centres are only accessible by walking and are closed to traffic or public transportation. An extraordinary application in India is the mapping of overcrowded urban districts. This project provided a detailed cadastral map of the thousands of unknown huts, giving to the habitants an address, name and dignity.
Electricity utility companies are collecting the high voltage power lines to map the infrastructure, analyse the cable sag between two electricity poles, and verify if vegetation is obstructing the right-of-way – assuring a high level of network service availability. Others are taking full advantage of the Pegasus:Backpack indoor capability and collecting entire buildings, verifying the as-built in terms of documentation and square metres per room. Recently, Italian civil protection used the Pegasus:Backpack to quickly get an overview and properly plan the recovery of a devastated city in Italy after an earthquake. All these data use cases have in common the advantage of multiples layers of information provided by LiDAR, imagery, and SLAM or navigation.
The Leica Pegasus:Backpack was recently featured on the BBC's Italy's Invisible Cities series. Can you tell us more about how the Leica Pegasus:Two and the Leica Pegasus:Backpack played a major role in revealing the secrets of these fascinating Italian cities?
It was a fantastic experience working with great professionals. The Pegasus:Backpack and Pegasus:Two were recognised for their ease of use, flexibility, speed and the quality of the data collection they provided. Similar to survey professionals, also in TV shows, production time is related to costs.
When we were in Venice capturing the canals on a boat with Pegasus:Two, within one day we collected more than 10 km of 3D point cloud and thousands of images in one single capture. We didn't have to close scanning areas, no curious tourists disturbed the collection - we simply sailed under bridges to be able to generate a new "canal view" perspective that would have been impossible with traditional capturing methods. The flexibility, in terms of vehicle and power source independence, made the difference.
In Naples, Florence and Pisa, the challenge was different. As many historical European cities, the city centre is densely populated, closed to traffic, and palaces are obstructing the GNSS signal. In Naples, we collected underground caves, and in Florence and Pisa, we captured indoors. A technology relying only on GNSS/ IMU would not be able to collect data – with the Pegasus:Backpack, it was a home game. By using SLAM, we collected and georeferenced all our data step by step, delivering a comprehensive 3D dataset without the need of scan registrations. By just wearing the 12-kg light Pegasus:Backpack, we captured within 15 minutes the complete spiral staircase of the Pisa Tower with its 293 steps.


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§17C-15-46. Child passenger safety devices required; child safety seats and booster seats.
Every driver who transports a child under the age of eight years in a passenger automobile, van or pickup truck other than one operated for hire shall, while such motor vehicle is in motion and operated on a street or highway of this state, provide for the protection of such child by properly placing, maintaining and securing such child in a child passenger safety device system meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards: Provided, That if a child is under the age of eight years and at least four feet nine inches tall, a safety belt shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of this section.
Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than ten dollars nor more than twenty dollars.
A violation of this section shall not be deemed by virtue of such violation to constitute evidence of negligence or contributory negligence or comparative negligence in any civil action or proceeding for damages.
If any provision of this section or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this section and to this end the subsections of this section are declared to be severable.
If all seat belts in a vehicle are being used at the time of examination by a law officer and the vehicle contains more passengers than the total number of seat belts or other safety devices as installed in compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards, the driver shall not be considered as violating this section.


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From the number-one bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes a powerful American epic about love and heroism and hope, set during the Great Depression, a time when the country was in crisis and at war with itself, when millions were out of work and even the land seemed to have turned against them.
"My land tells its story if you listen. The story of our family."
Texas, 1921. A time of abundance. The Great War is over, the bounty of the land is plentiful, and America is on the brink of a new and optimistic era. But for Elsa Wolcott, deemed too old to marry in a time when marriage is a woman's only option, the future seems bleak. Until the night she meets Rafe Martinelli and decides to change the direction of her life. With her reputation in ruin, there is only one respectable choice: marriage to a man she barely knows.
By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as crops fail and water dries up and the earth cracks open. Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. Everything on the Martinelli farm is dying, including Elsa's tenuous marriage; each day is a desperate battle against nature and a fight to keep her children alive.
In this uncertain and perilous time, Elsa—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or leave it behind and go west, to California, in search of a better life for her family.
The Four Winds is a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through it—the harsh realities that divided us as a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have-nots. A testament to hope, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to survive adversity, The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.


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Become famous in Alberta politics and one day you could have a provincial electoral district named in your honour.
It has become a custom in recent decades in Alberta for electoral districts to be named after former politicians. As far as I can tell, Alberta and Quebec appear to be the only provinces who have widely embraced the practice of of naming districts after historical figures.
In a 2000 edition of the Canadian Parliamentary Review, University of Saskatchewan Professor John Courtney noted that in 1991 the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing urged a shift in naming electoral districts away from geographic place names, including hyphenated names, to a recognition of distinguished Canadians and important historic events or locations.
"Canadians often decry their limited knowledge of their own history and fail to recognize the accomplishments of those who have made outstanding contributions to the country," Courtney wrote, suggesting it would "be a welcome change from ponderous directional reference points and an excessive reliance on hyphenated place names."
In Alberta, at least 10 out of the 87 current electoral districts bear the name of a political figure from Alberta's history. When compiling this list, it was important to make the distinction between electoral districts that have been specifically named after individuals and districts named after communities that were already named after individuals (ie: Calgary-Currie, Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills, Livingstone-Macleod, and St. Albert).
Looking through the list, I discovered a few interesting facts. For instance, despite Alberta's reputation as an unfriendly political environment for Liberal partisans, there are today more electoral districts named after former Liberal MLAs than there are actual Liberal MLAs in the Alberta Legislature.
The earliest instance of electoral districts being named after individuals may have been in Alberta's first election. Two districts were created in 1905 – Victoria and Alexandra – which may have been named after Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 to 1901, and Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII.
Why and when naming districts after historical figures began in more modern times might a little more difficult to determine. The Calgary-Egmont district, named after Frederick George Moore Perceval, 11th Earl of Egmont, was created in 1971 and existed until it was renamed Calgary-Acadia in the 2012 election.
The Calgary-McCall district first appeared in the 1971 election and was either named after First World War ace fighter pilot Fred McCall or the airfield that was named after him (McCall Air Field became the home of the Calgary International Airport after 1966). Also created in 1971 was the Calgary-McKnight district, which was either named for McKnight Boulevard or the boulevard's namesake, Second World War flying ace Willie McKnight. The district was renamed Calgary-Nose Creek for the 1993 election.
In 1986, the Calgary-Shaw district was created and appears to have been named in honour of Joseph Tweed Shaw, who represented west Calgary as an MLA and MP in the 1920s and 1930s. He served as leader of Alberta's Liberal Party from 1926 to 1930.
The next instance occurred in 1993, when the Calgary-Lougheed, Edmonton-Manning, Edmonton-Rutherford, Edmonton-McClung, and Edmonton-Roper districts were created, named after former Premiers Peter Lougheed, Ernest Manning and Alexander Rutherford, one of the Famous Five and former MLA Nellie McClung, and former Edmonton mayor and MLA Elmer Roper. Lougheed, Manning and Roper were alive at the time but had retired from politics many years before.
The original recommendation from the MLA committee that oversaw the redrawing of the electoral map at the time had the Manning and McClung districts in difference locations from where they now exist. Manning was originally to be located in southwest Edmonton and McClung in northeast Edmonton, until it was later discovered that Ernest Manning once owned a home in northeast Edmonton Also, Manning Drive, which was named for Manning in 1972, is in the district. An amendment introduced in the Assembly swapped the two closer to their current locations on the electoral map.
While the other names remain on the electoral map, the Edmonton-Roper district was renamed Edmonton-Castle Downs in 1997.
In 2004, the Electoral Boundaries Commission recommended the creation of the Calgary-Hays, Calgary-Mackay and Edmonton-Decore districts named after former Calgary mayors Harry Hays and Donald Mackay and former Edmonton mayor and MLA Laurence Decore. The Decore district was created from Edmonton-Glengarry, which Decore represented in the Assembly from 1989 until 1997.
Six years later, two more districts were named after former politicians. The first was Dunvegan-Central Peace-Notley was named in honour of former MLA and NDP leader Grant Notley, who represented the area in the Assembly from 1971 until 1984.
And the second, created through an MLA introduced amendment in the Assembly after the Electoral Boundaries Commission's final report had been tabled, is the only example I could find of a district being named after an individual who has recently retired from political life.
On October 26, 2010, Progressive Conservative MLA Kyle Fawcett introduced an amendment to rename Calgary-North Hill to Calgary-Klein, after former premier Ralph Klein, who had been retired from elected office for only three years. Fawcett, who represent North Hill, admitted that Klein had never actually represented that area of Calgary as an MLA, but that he was born and raised in the community of Tuxedo Park in the district.
The amendment was accepted by the Assembly, but it raises questions about the lack of process of honouring individuals by including their names in electoral districts. Unlike the process used to name parks, public spaces and schools used by municipal governments and school boards to honour notable community members, there does not appear to be a clear process in naming electoral districts.
The 2009/2010 Commission recommended in its final report that the Assembly consider adopting a protocol for the naming of electoral divisions for the guidance of future commissions. It is unclear whether any protocol has been adopted or whether the current commission will continue the trend of recommending naming new districts after political figures from Alberta's history.


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25 Staff for 25 Years
Staff Council believes that all University of Houston staff are Tier One staff. As part of the Staff Council 25 Year Celebration, Staff Council is highlighting 25 meritorious staff as representatives of the diversity and the broad range of positions and talents that support the University's missions.
Staff members were nominated in early to mid 2012 from across the university community, self-nominations included. In addition, Staff Council considered nominees of the 2012 UH Staff Excellence Awards who were not acknowledged through that program. Below you will find the highlighted achievements and broad range of talents of those selected to represent UH Tier One staff.
A high-resolution PDF (8 MB) of all recipients is available for download.
Cheryl Amoruso | |
Director, Justin Dart, Jr., Center for Students with DisABILITIES | |
Cheryl has been Director of the CSD since 1999, when the Center served 300 students. Today it serves about 1400, so Cheryl has led the effort to develop numerous policies, procedures, and programs in response to the growth. Cheryl is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities obtain and maintain academic accommodations, and has also been engaged in securing student scholarships, disability advocacy and awareness campaigns, and coordination between campus services. The effect she has on students' lives is shown by thank-you letters and donations to CSD from alumni. Cheryl shows Tier One passion and dedication toward our students. | |
Danny Arocha | |
Director of Enrollment, Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management | |
Danny is responsible for recruiting high school and community college students, both locally and nationally. His passion for UH is contagious, and 1/3 of Hilton College students mention Danny as a primary reason for their selection. He has also initiated recruitment programs—summer camps, a student ambassadors group, and a Fall open house. Through Danny's dedication to recruiting the most highly qualified students, Hilton College is more selective in admissions, leading to greater donations from corporations that want to hire its graduates. Aside from recruiting for the college, he also promotes recycling across campus. Danny is a Tier One booster. | |
Miguel Cabrera | |
Program Coordinator for Development, Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management | |
Miguel promotes UH and Hilton College daily through contact with the Houston hospitality industry and the college's alumni, helping to bring in tens of thousands of dollars for new and existing endowments. He is a hard worker who is helpful and approachable, always has a smile, and can talk to anyone. Miguel is a Tier One connector. | |
Jesse Caltzontzint III | |
Access Control Technician, Lock Shop | |
Jesse has been a locksmith at UH since 1990 and has always provided dependable and courteous service, no matter the time of day. He has also filled in as the interim supervisor for the Lock Shop and worked the hours needed to maintain the Lock Shop to standards while also fulfilling his regular duties. Jesse does what it takes for Tier One smooth operations. | |
Carmen Carter | |
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, College of Technology | |
Carmen coordinates recruitment of prospective undergraduate students and retention of current students, and supervises academic processes and the day-to-day operations of the college's Academic Services Center, ensuring that each student she and her staff meet receives the best quality service and attention. She works with her staff to implement policies and programs that will lead to student success in classes, graduation, careers, and leadership. Currently pursuing her Ph.D. and highly involved in professional organizations herself, Carmen is keenly interested in and encourages professional development among her staff. Carmen is helping lead the effort for Tier One student success. | |
DeJuena Chizer | |
Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator, Athletics | |
DeJuena has dedicated most of her professional life to making UH a better place, especially for student-athletes, coaches, and fans. She competed as a UH student-athlete and, following a career in professional basketball and as a high school coach, DeJuena returned to UH as an assistant coach for women's basketball. In her current role, she oversees all development programs for over 350 student-athletes and supervises 9 women's sports. She also leads strategic initiatives that will shape Athletics as UH enters the Big East Conference. DeJuena is helping produce Tier One student-athletes who succeed in class and in the game. | |
Tamara Cobb | |
Academic Advisor 1, Comparative Cultural Studies | |
After advising students in the School of Art between 2007 and 2010, Tamara now advises in several programs—the Liberal Studies major, the Religious Studies minor, the new Nursing Dual Degree program (UH and UTHealth School of Nursing), and the new Global and International Studies minor. Tamara is highly competent, knowledgeable, courteous, and enthusiastic in advising for these diverse areas, and she has received many accolades from students she has helped when they had problems in the programs. Additionally, her administrative skills have been instrumental in building new programs. Tamara is contributing to Tier One student success. | |
Clausezette Davis | |
Senior Employment Representative, Human Resources | |
Clausezette came to Human Resources as a Senior Employment Representative in 2007 from the corporate world. She is known as a consummate professional who is dependable and courteous even in demanding situations, and who has authoritative knowledge on best practices in recruitment and hiring. When a software vendor tried to pass off a product for job and applicant tracking that would not meet UH users' needs, Clausezette worked beyond the scope of her training and experience to make sure that the UH community got the product it needed. Clausezette always wants the Tier One best for her customers and co-workers. | |
Carlo Deason | |
Senior Academic Advisor and Community Liaison Officer, College of Technology | |
Carlo coordinates all academic advising activities in Technology and is responsible for specialty academic advising for Honors students, student-athletes, and first-generation students in the college. As an alum and current employee, Carlo considers UH a crown jewel in higher education and he is committed to furthering the university's mission of diversity and inclusiveness in student success. He strives for open and honest rapport with the students he advises so that he can serve as their voice and help the administration understand each student's needs. Carlo is helping make UH Tier One for everyone. | |
Robbie Evans | |
Director, Urban Experience Program | |
As Director of the UEP, Robbie helps enhance the quality of education for students in the program, who may otherwise slip through the cracks. Robbie and her staff monitor the students' academic progress and expose them to opportunities in leadership, community involvement, internships, and employment. Her strong connections to other Houston community leaders have reciprocal benefits for UH and the city. Robbie single-handedly gives abundant attention to each UEP student and is determined to make sure they stay at UH and succeed past all expectations, regardless of background or other obstacles. Robbie is leading the way for Tier One diversity. | |
Jeff Fuller | |
Director of Student Recruitment, Admissions | |
Jeff leads efforts to position UH among the most highly qualified students so that they will choose Houston. He is vital in the university's pursuit to raise the academic profile of each entering freshmen and transfer class and he is focused on maintaining and increasing UH's diversity while raising the class profile. Jeff is involved in many statewide and national committees and boards that increase UH's presence in the higher education landscape and has also served in campus leadership roles, including two terms as Staff Council President and Chair of Operation School Supplies. Jeff shows Tier One passion for UH. | |
Akash Kumar Grover | |
Director of Rooms Operations, Hilton University of Houston | |
Akash is a UH alum who came back to campus to work at the Hilton so that he could develop students for the hotel industry with real-world experience. He is the strategic business leader for the Hilton's rooms operations, including the front office, business center, and housekeeping, ensuring that all practices meet Hilton standards. Through his position, Akash can train students to be proficient in all areas of the hotel. He also chairs the Hilton Blue Energy committee and strives for excellence in everything he does. Akash provides Tier One hospitality training. | |
Adam Leal | |
Department Business Administrator, Student Housing and Residential Life | |
Adam has been with UH Housing since 2008, first as an Accountant 2, and was promoted to Department Business Administrator in early 2012. Adam's staff and co-workers value his experience and personal traits not only because he has provided stability while the department has been moving offices, but also because he has been an effective leader in advancing several new initiatives, such as contract administration and a long overdue paperless filing system. Coupled with a crazy sense of humor and willingness to pitch in even to help move co-workers' furniture, Adam is a Tier One team player. | |
Selby Lo | |
Activities Coordinator 1, Center for Student Involvement | |
Selby oversees the risk management program and event registration process for student organizations so that they can be successful in their various programming efforts. He also advises Dance On, a UH organization that helps raise awareness and funds for pediatric illnesses and medicine. In just the full year he has been at UH, Selby has made several other contributions, including serving on the Division of Student Affairs Assessment Committee. He advocates for assessing programming effectiveness so that standards are continually elevated in DSA's culture of growth and change. Selby is engaged in Tier One hard work and smart work. | |
Ernie Manouse | |
Senior Host and Producer, HoustonPBS | |
Ernie is a three-time Emmy Award winner for his work at KUHT, the public station licensed to UH. He puts UH's name and reputation as a world-class university in front of a national audience with his syndicated talk show InnerVIEWS with Ernie Manouse and promotes UH by booking prominent faculty for the current affairs program Houston 8. Locally, he presents the university in a positive light by maintaining a high profile in the Houston community as a volunteer emcee and in leadership roles for many worthy causes. Ernie is shining a Tier One spotlight on UH. | |
Shari Mauthner | |
Instructional Designer 2, College of Pharmacy | |
Shari assists Pharmacy faculty with the use of technology, including training instructors, students, and staff how to use educational tools like Blackboard. She is always interested in how to aid student learning through technology and stays current with the literature. Shari attends and presents at conferences and always provides a follow-up presentation to college faculty to share knowledge. She also enthusiastically supports other activities in Pharmacy and at UH, serving on Staff Council and participating in annual events like the March of Dimes Walk. Shari is helping advance learning into the Tier One future. | |
William McCarter | |
Mailroom Assistant, Law Center | |
William has been a Mailroom Assistant for the UH Law Center since 2003 and has always conducted his mail delivery with precision and efficiency, as well as taking on additional tasks to help the school. He has become an important part of the Law Center's Facilities Department because of his willingness to help with improvements, renovations, maintenance, event set up, and general labor, while continuing to provide exceptional mail service with a positive outlook and a pleasant demeanor. William shows Tier One initiative and pride. | |
Ann McFarland | |
Director of the Office of Community Projects, Graduate College of Social Work | |
Ann supervises staff for GCSW outreach initiatives, coordinates continuing education activities, and connects with the community to develop new programs and grants. Ann's skills and expertise are highly regarded among colleagues in her extensive community collaborations, and she uses these opportunities to discuss UH's strengths as an employee and alum. She is also highly active on campus, serving as Staff Council President and on the Women's Commission. Ann is respected by her staff for her adept combination of a professional social work perspective and a saucy sense of humor. Ann is a Tier One advocate both on and off campus. | |
Jennifer Meeks | |
Doctor of Audiology, Communication Science and Disorders | |
Jennifer manages audiology clinical services for the University Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic: A United Way Facility and has been a staff audiologist at UH since 2003. She also manages the Hearing Aid Assistance Program, which provides adults with hearing aids at reduced cost based on income. Jennifer is dedicated to promoting awareness of hearing loss and to improving the quality of life for people with hearing loss. She keeps current on hearing aid technology, and provides the community with hearing loss education and resources. Jennifer is helping make UH a Tier One leader in hearing loss awareness and support. | |
B. Renae Milton | |
Program Manager, Staff Council | |
B. Renae has worked at UH since 1986, as well as receiving her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the College of Technology and serving in many campus leadership positions. Since 1999, she has been the sole staff support for Staff Council, assisting an elected President and membership that change annually. The ever-growing success of Staff Council and its programs is a testament to B. Renae's loyalty, flexibility, and ability to implement different management and communication styles each year. B. Renae's work and service have been and continue to be vital to developing and advocating for a Tier One staff. | |
Craig Ness | |
Associate Vice President, Academic Affairs Administration and Finance | |
Craig leads all budgetary matters for Academic Affairs and guides college and department business administrators in the proper resource allocation and regulatory compliance. He may be the quintessential example of a UH staff member, starting in 1978 as an instructor and operations manager for the School of Communication and serving in a variety of roles and contributing to countless projects since then. In all of these, from implementing PeopleSoft to starting the Provost's Office Finals Mania pancake team, Craig leads through listening, insight, evaluation, and vigilance. Craig is a constant on UH's path to achieving and sustaining Tier One accomplishments. | |
Tiffany Roosa | |
Academic Advisor 3, College of Technology | |
Tiffany has been an advisor for Technology graduate students since 2006 and manages a wide array of student issues both efficiently and enthusiastically. Additionally, she proactively helped develop a methodology for managing distribution of Doctoral Student Tuition Fellowship (DSTF) funds, which has become Technology's documented process and has been adopted by other colleges at UH for DSTF funding management. Tiffany has also promoted the College and UH through marketing of certificate programs, and by helping showcase Technology as an option for NASA employee retraining through a Texas Workforce Commission initiative. Tiffany is helping raise UH's Tier One profile. | |
Catherine Santos | |
Laboratory Supervisor 2, Civil and Environmental Engineering | |
Catherine received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from UH in 2009 and has been a laboratory supervisor in Civil and Environmental Engineering since 2010. She teaches graduate lab classes and maintains the Environmental Lab facilities, and is responsible for lab safety. CEE students, staff, and faculty enjoy working with Catherine because she is friendly and dedicated, and she has a positive attitude in difficult situations. She is pro-active in teaching students in the program about lab safety and proper instrument use, and she engages them in thinking critically about their projects. Catherine helps provide the infrastructure for Tier One research. | |
Veronique Tran | |
Director, Quality Enhancement Undergraduate Research Program | |
Veronique is a 1991 UH alum and, after attaining her Ph.D., she returned as a faculty member in 2004. In 2007, as Director of Special Projects in the Office of Undergraduate Studies, Veronique was instrumental in the development of the UH Quality Enhancement Plan, which was essential for the university's reaffirmation of accreditation. Today she coordinates the QEP for undergraduate research as well as the Tier One Scholars Program, forming partnerships between people and programs across UH to provide exceptional service on multiple levels—to students, faculty, the community, and national organizations. Veronique is a Tier One leader. | |
Carolina Villarroel | |
Brown Foundation Director of Research, Arte Público Press | |
Carolina began at Arte Público Press in 1997 as a Research Assistant while pursuing her Ph.D. in the UH Hispanic Studies Department. She now oversees the Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage Project, supervising several graduate students in researching Latino literature and history, as well as applying for grants for this prestigious and internationally known initiative. Carolina is motivated, cordial, and approachable to those at and outside UH who come to the Recovery Project for data. Carolina is helping keep UH at the forefront of U.S. Latino research and is part of what makes UH a Tier One research institution. |
The following were nominated and selected for "25 Staff for 25 Years," but left UH prior to publication. Their contributions to the University are honored as well.
Linda Keng | |
(Former) Administrative Assistant, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | |
Linda began working at UH in 1990 and was with ChBE from 2007 until late 2012. Although her primary responsibility was to support the department chair, she took on tasks that had great impact across ChBE, including coordinating numerous events that enhanced the department's visibility, supplying critical documentation for a successful accreditation review, and supporting all aspects of hiring 11 new faculty members. Linda's initiative and diligence have been highly regarded by ChBE faculty, staff, students, and alumni. She was also a UH Staff Council representative. While she was at UH, Linda provided a great example of Tier One dedication. | |
Janis Landry | |
Director of Special Events and Donor Relations, Moores School of Music (Retired) | |
Janis began her UH career in 1986 as Director of Constituent Relations for the Office of the Chancellor, managing Wortham House, planning and executing all System events, and implementing protocol for foreign dignitaries. Starting in 1998, and until her recent retirement, she helped develop the Moores School of Music Society's membership and fundraising. In this role, Janis interacted comfortably with Houston society and business leaders to increase awareness and interest in the school through numerous functions and gala dinners. She is known for bringing an age-old elegance to everything she does and possessing an extraordinary institutional memory. During her UH career, Janis was our Tier One secret weapon. |


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Many governments of advanced economies are struggling with large deficits and increasing debt. When the crisis is over some of these countries will find themselves with levels of government debt that we have not seen since the end of World War II and, in many cases, close to double the amount before the crisis started. Some European countries, Greece in particular, but also Portugal, Spain or Ireland are under enormous pressure to control their deficits as they see their interest rate spreads grow.
Who is in more trouble? Why is it that some of the countries that were used as models of fiscal discipline (Ireland or Spain) are now under attack? A quick look at government debt (as a % of GDP) reveals very high levels for may advanced economies. The first question is which measure of debt to use: gross or net. Gross debt is simply the stock of outstanding government debt. Net debt is the difference between gross debt and the financial assets that government holds (Note: the definition of net debt is not identical for all countries. Not all governments include the same type of financial assets).
The table below shows gross and debt levels for a group of advanced economies (this is a forecast for 2011 done by the OECD).
Government Debt as % of GDO in 2011
Source: OECD Economic Outlook
It is clear that the difference between gross and net debt is very large for some countries. While Japan looks like an outlier in terms of gross debt, it is close to Italy and Greece when it comes to net debt. In principle, net debt is a more appropriate measure of government indebtedness. If governments have a significant amount of assets, they need to be considered when thinking about the solvency of their accounts. In some cases the government (at large) holds some of its own debt in pension funds for public employees or the social security fund (this is why in the US the most common measure of government debt is "debt held by the public" which is a measure very similar to the concept of net debt), this debt is not a liability for the government.
There are, however, some concerns with the concept of net debt. In addition to some measurement question (which assets to include, at which value), the government needs to refinance all its gross debt and not only the net part, so in terms of flows, it is the gross debt that matters. Also, while it makes sense to exclude government debt held by the government, some of this debt is part of a fund that covers future pension liabilities that are unaccounted for in the budget. And here is where the assessment of government solvency gets more difficult: what you really want to do is not just to look at government debt but also at future revenues and liabilities.
Doing these calculations requires many assumption about the future so there is always uncertainty about these assessments. Below is a chart from an article by C.Hagist, Stefan Moog, Bernd Raffelhuschen and Johannes Vatter that calculates what they call "implicit government debt" as the net present value of future liabilities minus future revenues.
The numbers are dramatic for some countries and there are are large difference between some of them. While Spain or Switzerland have levels of implicit debt that are "low", the US or the UK have levels of implicit debt that make the total debt four or five times higher than the current level of debt (total indebtedness of the UK government is 547% of GDP). This does not mean that the US and UK government are broke (or more likely to default than Switzerland). What it says is that relative to current policies, the US and the UK require larger increases in taxes or decreases in spending to stabilize their debt.
A similar analysis of the fiscal gap for the US has been done by Auerbach and Gale and they reach similar conclusions. The fiscal gap for the US government today is between 5% and 7% of GDP. Meaning that if the government wants to stabilize the debt at current levels over the next 8 decades, they need to increase taxes or cut spending by five percentage points of GDP (every year for the next eight decades). This is a very large number given that total federal tax revenues stand today at 15% of GDP (so 5 extra points amounts to a 1/3 increase in taxes!).
Given these numbers, why is it that Southern European countries are under more pressure than the US or the UK? It is all a matter of credibility and the trust in the ability of these governments to get their budget under control. It might be that the UK needs a larger effort than Ireland but the question is which one is more likely to deliver on this effort. And the moment credibility is low, interest rate spreads increase and the fiscal gap increases as well as you need to generate more revenues to simply cover the interest payment on the debt.
Credibility will always be a subjective assessment and it is always easy to argue that markets are getting it wrong (or right) for a given country. What is important is to understand the numbers, not just the current ones but the future ones as well, before making that assessment, otherwise we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg and ignoring the true size of the problem.
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Unlock the potential of remote work with these tools
Businesses are still grappling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and one way they're dealing with the situation is by implementing remote work policies. The global health crisis is driving them to unlock the full potential of working remotely, allowing people to work through quarantines, as well as keep companies and even economies afloat. Here's a rundown of exceptional tools many remote teams are using.
For both employers and employees, a remote working arrangement has attractive benefits. Organizations can tap into a potentially larger labor pool, hiring from just about anywhere and finding highly skilled talent at lower rates.
Fifty percent of remote workers reported increased job satisfaction and had 13.5 percent more calls completed. Being spared the stress of a daily commute and having a better work-life balance are factors to their happiness, and therefore, better productivity.
In the face of natural calamities, outages, and the ongoing pandemic, a distributed workforce becomes a necessary business continuity measure — a means to protect employees and keep productivity up, even as normal facilities remain unavailable.
But all of this was only possible because we have the technologies to support remote work. Barriers to remote working have been brought down by the advancement of remote working tools. With a plethora of software to choose from, we've selected the ones that help your remote teams thrive.
Remote desktop applications
Accessing your work computer while on the go or out of the office was once unheard of. Remote desktop apps have made it possible, allowing users to work remotely on a computer through another device and from any location.
Our picks: TeamViewer and Splashtop
Team Viewer has capabilities such as screen sharing, file transfer, wake-on-LAN, and clipboard transfer. Free for personal use, the app is easy to set up and is available for multiple operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Android. Meanwhile, Splashtop has similar capabilities but with the added benefit of "low-latency" transfers or the transfer of a high volume of data and messages with minimal delay.
Real-time communication and collaboration software
Every successful organization needs to communicate. When communication breaks down, productivity and engagement suffer. Given the lack of face-to-face contact, regular, real-time communication is arguably more critical for remote teams and their managers. The following apps make it possible, seamless, and simple.
Our picks: Slack, Mattermost, RocketChat, Microsoft Teams, and Join.me
Deemed the alternative to email, Slack is the leader of the pack, with its robust API that allows integration with countless applications. Its basic functionality enables remote workers to direct message (DM) or create "collaboration hubs" around departments, projects, or any topic. Mattermost and Rocket Chat are open source tools that recreate many of Slack's capabilities.
Microsoft Teams and Join.me are well-known video chat and conferencing apps. However, as a full collaboration and communication suite, Teams offers more for Windows users. It allows VoIP, direct and group messages, and integration with all the Office 365 apps. Not only is Join.me a free video-conferencing app, but it also allows participants to use a cool brainstorming feature called "whiteboarding" for real-time interaction on a shared document.
Project management essentials
When you're managing a team of dozens located in different parts of the globe, things can start to fall apart quickly. Time differences and distance can create significant complexity if you lack the right tools. These two apps can help you overcome the challenges and streamline project organization and collaboration.
Our picks: Basecamp and Trello
Basecamp is a web-based management tool for planning and collaboration on projects. There's no installation needed, just your regular web browser to access its powerful core functions that include task management, messaging, collaboration, file sharing, scheduling, quick search, and reporting.
Trello's overall shining feature is its simplicity. The web-based tool's approach to project management is built around one concept: the bulletin board. Users can create boards that represent projects and each board can be populated with cards assigned to specific members and customized with deadlines, comments, and attachments.
With the current global crisis, remote working tools have become even more crucial to sustaining productivity, accomplishing projects, and solidifying distributed teams. It's important your organization chooses ones that are well-suited to budget, infrastructure, and goals. Our experts can help make a proper assessment and configure the perfect remote working setup. Talk to us today.


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And Ryan is five and a half years old. The "half" is very important at this age. ;-) Here are our family pictures that we sent out with the holiday cards a few months ago. These were taken at a beach that is just minutes from our house. We really love living near the water.
We are doing well, staying busy as usual and loving all of the little things in life. Wishing all of the best to you too! I apologize for not keeping up with responding to blog comments lately. One day I will catch up and then post about Henry doing his toddler activities, since this blog is very "Ryan activity" heavy, and we've been doing some new Montessori-inspired things. Happy almost Spring! So ready.