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CARACAS, AP—Venezuela's vice president said Thursday that President Hugo Chavez is fighting for his life while he continues to undergo treatment more than two months after his latest cancer surgery.
Vice President Nicolas Maduro said on television that Chavez "is battling there for his health, for his life, and we're accompanying him."
The vice president has used similar phrasing in the past, saying on Dec. 20 that Chavez "is fighting a great battle … for his life, for his health."
Chavez hasn't spoken publicly since before his latest cancer operation in Cuba on Dec. 11. He returned to Venezuela on Feb. 18, and the government says he has been undergoing more treatment at a military hospital in Caracas.
Maduro also called for Venezuelans to keep praying for Chavez and to remain loyal to the president. He said Chavez's health had suffered because he had dedicated himself "body and soul" to his work as president.
Chavez himself has previously acknowledged that he was neglecting his health in recent years, often staying up late and drinking dozens of cups of coffee a day.
The president has undergone surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments since June 2011, when he first announced his cancer diagnosis. He hasn't specified the type of cancer or the exact location in his pelvic region where his tumors have been removed.


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From Netscape to eHarmony: The High Risks and Big Rewards of Platform Markets
Companies that link complementary partners, like dating sites or online auctions, can dominate for years or be swept away in an instant.
Platforms are market structures that bring together complementary partners. Think eBay, which pairs buyers and sellers online, or credit cards, which similarly connect consumers and the companies with which they want to do business. Platforms enable all sorts of relationships: Apple's iOS joins mobile software programmers and iPhone users; myriad online dating services couple potential life partners. In short, any company that matches two sides of a market is a platform.
Everyone uses platforms, and company fortunes are made and lost through them, but the dynamics of how platforms operate and how winners emerge remain little understood—even among those organizations whose very existence depends on them.
Indeed, central to the strategy of any platform business is the imperative to simply survive. A quick survey of business history shows how easily platforms come and go. Facebook handily displaced MySpace. Internet Explorer eliminated Netscape and enjoyed a run of dominance, but now is threatened by Google's Chrome. Yet those companies with staying power can grow to dominate industries in ways that can veer toward monopolistic—and earn supernormal profits. It's a concept known as tipping.
When a platform market tips, a single winner emerges: Google in search, Microsoft Windows in business computing. Not all markets tip to a single winner quickly, but when they do, the effects are dramatic. Winners gain an outsized share of revenue and profit, and those that achieve long runs of supremacy learn to use their advantage to build greater and greater strength.
The tipping phenomenon hinges on a business's ability to convene many users—and often a wide variety of them—on both sides of its market. Microsoft's Xbox 360 game console would not be very successful if it had only one gamer using its product and one developer creating programs. Nor would it enjoy enduring success if it had 1 million software developers but only one gamer. A platform strategy needs many users of both types. Further, the platform increases in value to potential users as it attracts more of each type. The more sellers on eBay, the greater the selection of products for buyers. The more buyers, the more attractive the market for sellers. It's a system that can quickly feed on itself and lead to tipping.
But how that winning firm is selected is an inherently difficult question. Indeed, it is hard to discern whether a platform-based market is in the process of tipping until we actually witness that it has tipped. To address this challenge, my colleagues and I ran a series of economic experiments in which subjects representing both sides of a market were given the option to choose among multiple competing platforms. Subjects received initial financial incentives for choosing each platform that increased as more of each type of user gravitated toward a given platform (to represent the rising value of the platform based on participation). But we also informed subjects that one platform was superior in its ability to match users.
Prior to the experiment, it was not obvious that all users would eventually migrate to the superior platform, because—as is found in practice—we also instituted switching costs. For example, once someone becomes a Facebook user, the cost of transferring from Facebook to a new social network is, at a minimum, the cost of learning how to use the new platform. There is also the cost of giving up all of one's connections. Hence, the challenges faced by Google+.
We found, however, that despite allowing for switching costs, over time users ultimately all choose the superior platform. This suggests that the winner will be decided by the platform that can provide the most value to both of its user types. This result persists even when we allow an inferior platform to have a head start—to gain dominant market share and lock in customers who want to avoid switching costs. Perhaps, then, there is hope yet for Google+, assuming it can deliver the kind of step change in user experience that Facebook delivered in comparison with MySpace.
How does a platform business achieve a better value proposition than its rivals? The primary factors are increasing the quality of matches between complementary users and charging the most competitive fees. Examples of the first variable include eHarmony's promise of a superior pairing through its advanced user profiling process or eBay's user-generated ratings of sellers and buyers.
With respect to fees, there are a host of options. The two main classes are one-time charges to "join" the platform and those based on usage (such as transaction fees, service charges, and pay for placement). One could also charge fees based on match quality. Although less frequently employed, this strategy offers interesting potential. For instance, when the band Radiohead used its online delivery platform to provide downloads of its album In Rainbows in 2007, users paid whatever they wanted according to what they perceived as its value (or the quality of the match between album and fan).
Sometimes it makes sense to forgo fees on one side of the platform to bring users to the other. Consider a nightclub that is attracting a disproportionately large percentage of men. It could waive entrance fees for women or offer other incentives such as drink specials in order to attract more women. We know this as "Ladies' Night."
Once a platform market tips, the winner can consider modifications to its fee strategy. Netflix used to offer unlimited video streaming as a benefit for subscribers of the company's DVD rental services. However, after amassing an enormous user base, it now charges separately for streaming.
Despite the long history of tipping, some platform markets seem impervious. The gaming console market appears to be stable with three platform companies: Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, and Sony's PlayStation 3. Under what conditions can firms coexist in a platform market, escaping the doom (or missing the riches) of a single, surviving market leader?
We repeatedly found one condition that allowed multiple platforms to coexist for the long run or at least give the appearance they were doing so: heterogeneous consumer tastes within a given market. Dating sites provide a strong example: eHarmony, JDate, ChristianMingle, and Cougar Life each aspire to connect two sides of the romance market, but each serves a different preference among a diverse customer base. And in the gaming market, some users are seeking graphically intensive war games, while others want physically active yoga programs. Where different platforms serve different sectors of the market, multiple platforms can coexist.
Of course, that's only at one level. When you define most seemingly heterogeneous markets one layer deeper—where customers with similar tastes reside—you'll find most platforms do, in fact, tip. Thus, one essential element of success is accurately defining the market you intend to dominate: Is it video-game consoles or video-game consoles for sports enthusiasts? The former serves a heterogeneous market, the latter a homogeneous one.
This prompts other questions: How can you identify a platform market that is attractive to enter, and under which conditions is it appealing? If you seek to enter a market serving a relatively homogeneous set of customer needs—such as computer operating systems or credit card platforms—you must come equipped with a competitive advantage that allows you to provide a match between users (or an improved pricing scheme) that can overcome switching costs. When a market has not yet tipped, this can be a successful strategy. If the current market has already tipped to a dominant platform, however, it will be considerably more difficult to simultaneously pull enough users on both sides of the market away from the current winner. Imagine an entrant wanting to displace eBay. Few sellers would want to join a new site with no buyers, and few buyers would join a site with no sellers. The value proposition would have to be overwhelming.
Entering markets serving more diverse customers could prove more promising, as there are multiple possible submarkets to enter (or create), and the power of any dominant player in a submarket will likely be less than that of a dominant player in a homogeneous single market. It's much easier, for instance, to provide a new, compelling twist on a dating site than to provide a new search engine.
The growth rate of technology-based businesses ensures that platforms will become an increasingly prevalent mode of operating in the marketplace, which raises important questions for your business strategy. Are you competing within a platform marketplace? Consider all the facets of your business. Even if your core business is not platform-based, supporting elements could be. If and where you are engaged in platform markets, could you be "tipped out" by a stronger player? Are you primed to dominate? Is the market homogeneous or heterogeneous? Can you define new segments? How do competitors stack up?
Unless your platform business has a distinct and recognized advantage, long-run success is unlikely. But those firms that provide a superior match between users in the most economically efficient fashion can become the sole dominant player in their industry, enjoying monopoly-like profits with a diminished threat of competitive entry from others.
Reprint No. 00218
Author profile:
- Dylan Minor is an assistant professor of managerial economics and decision sciences at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.
- This article was published in print as "The High Risk of Platform Markets."

subset: commoncrawl


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Tiantai, rationalist school of Buddhist thought that takes its name from the mountain in southeastern China where its founder and greatest exponent, Zhiyi, lived and taught in the 6th century. The school was introduced into Japan in 806 by Saichō, known posthumously as Dengyō Daishi.
The chief scripture of the school is the Lotus Sūtra (Chinese: Fahuajing; Sanskrit: Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra), and the school is thus also known as the Fahua (Japanese: Hokke), or Lotus, school.
The basic philosophical doctrine is summarized as the triple truth, or jiguan ("perfected comprehension"): (1) all things (dharmas) lack ontological reality; (2) they, nevertheless, have a temporary existence; (3) they are simultaneously unreal and temporarily existing—being the middle, or absolute, truth, which includes and yet surpasses the others. The three truths are considered to be mutually inclusive, and each is contained within the others. Because existence is ever-changing, the phenomenal world is regarded as identical with the world as it really is.
The doctrine of the triple truth was first taught by Huiwen (550–577); but Zhiyi, the third patriarch, is regarded as the founder of the school because of his own great contributions. Zhiyi organized the whole of the Buddhist canon according to the supposition that all the doctrines were present in the mind of Shakyamuni (the historical Buddha) at the time of his enlightenment but were unfolded gradually according to the mental capacities of his hearers. The Lotus Sūtra was considered the supreme doctrine, embodying all of the Buddha's teachings.
In 804 Saichō, a Japanese monk, was sent to China expressly to study the Tiantai tradition. The inclusiveness of the Tiantai school, which arranged all Buddhist learning into one grand hierarchical scheme, was attractive to Saichō. On his return to Japan he attempted to incorporate within the framework of the Tiantai doctrine Zen meditation, vinaya discipline, and esoteric cults. The Tendai school, as it is called in Japanese, also encouraged an amalgamation of Shintō and Buddhism in the Ichijitsu ("One Truth"), or Sannō Ichijitsu Shintō.
The monastery founded by Saichō on Mount Hiei, near Kyōto, the Enryaku Temple, became the greatest centre of Buddhist learning of its time in Japan. Hōnen, and many other famous monks who later established their own schools, went there for training.
Saichō's efforts to establish a Tendai ritual of ordination that would be more in keeping with Mahāyāna teachings and independent from the kaidan ("ordination centre") at Nara bore results only after his death but was an important step in the Mahāyāna development in Japan.
After the death of Saichō, rivalry broke out between two factions of the school, which separated in the 9th century into the Sammon and the Jimon sects, headed by the two monks Ennin and Enchin. A third branch, the Shinsei, emphasizes devotion to the Buddha Amida.


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Integrates Industry-Specific ERP, CRM, and Ecommerce Functionality
Dedicates Professional Services Team with Best Practices Implementation Methodology
SAN MATEO, Calif.—April 6, 2006—NetSuite, Inc., the leader in on-demand business software suites, today announced the release of NetSuite Wholesale/Distribution Edition, the first on-demand vertical suite for distributors. With NetSuite Wholesale/Distribution Edition, wholesalers and distributors can manage their entire business cycle from lead generation through sales, warehouse and inventory management and shipping, with accounting support throughout. For more information about NetSuite Wholesale/Distribution Edition, please visit www.netsuite.com.sg/wholesale_distribution
The wholesale/distribution industry is among the largest in the world, representing almost a quarter of the United States economy alone. The vast majority of these businesses are small and mid-sized, and 90% have fewer than 500 employees. The size of a distribution business does not, however, reduce the complexity of the business challenge. Small and mid-sized wholesale/distribution companies" business processes are just as challenging as large companies" processes, and they are continually pressured by the complex requirements forced upon them by larger trading partners, global competition, razor-thin margins, and ever more demanding customers. NetSuite Wholesale/Distribution Edition gives companies the visibility they need to compete by combining the functionality and power previously available only to the world"s largest wholesalers and distributors with a cost structure they can afford thanks to NetSuite"s on-demand delivery model.
"Distributors try to cobble together multiple business applications—and numerous spreadsheets—to manage the complexity of this industry," said Stephen Wolfe, General Manager, NetSuite Wholesale/Distribution. "With NetSuite, distributors stop wasting precious resources and start focusing on increasing customer service levels, cutting costs, and growing their business."
NetSuite Wholesale/Distribution Edition — Designed by 1000 Customers
The new NetSuite offering takes the input of over 1000 existing wholesale/distribution customers to deliver the first integrated on-demand suite designed specifically for their unique business process needs. The system gives companies customer relationship management linked seamlessly with back-office inventory management, fulfilment, and accounting processes all within a single, flexible business application. The new edition, supported by a best practices implementation methodology, includes a host of new features to meet the needs of mid-sized distributors including:
Pricing and Availability
NetSuite Wholesale/Distribution Edition is available immediately, with new Version 11.0 capabilities delivered to customers using NetSuite"s patent-pending "phased release" process, starting in April 2006 and continuing through June 2006. NetSuite"s Wholesale/Distribution Edition is priced at $999 per month for the base suite and $99 per user per month.


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What you need to know
Our Carrie necklace, inspired by the one Petrovsky adorns her neck with in Paris. And because it's us, it comes in plenty of colours.
This is Azurina Jewels, modern costume jewellery that doesn't cost the earth.
Want to love her long time? Azurina Jewels will tolerate the shower and water but it does dramatically reduce the lifetime of your sparkly bits.
Free gift Wrap On Request
Our packaging & note cards are 100% recyclable (yep, even the tape!), we use eco-friendly, vegan ink and once you've recycled our (biodegradable) box, it can be remade and reused in just TWO weeks. ALL. THE. GOOD. STUFF.


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Today we hear the story of a phone call.
It's the call former President Trump placed to a Georgia election official after he lost the 2020 election. Trump asked Brad Raffensperger to change the numbers and claim he'd won Georgia by a single vote.
DONALD TRUMP: I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have.
FADEL: The Republican election official refused since, like thousands of other officials, he knew Trump lost. The House committee investigating the January 6 attack today calls on the man who received that call. He's one of several witnesses who will testify about Trump's efforts to snatch the electoral votes of several states.
INSKEEP: NPR congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh joins us now. Good morning.
DEIRDRE WALSH, BYLINE: Good morning, Steve.
INSKEEP: How does Raffensperger fit in with today's witnesses?
WALSH: Well, today's hearing is really all about this pressure campaign in multiple states. Brad Raffensperger is the Georgia secretary of state, who we heard on the phone with President Trump. He recently won a primary against a pro-Trump candidate. His deputy, Gabriel Sterling, is also going to appear. Sterling warned about violence or even someone getting killed if that pressure to push false election claims continued.
INSKEEP: Yeah, I remember those public warnings that he gave at the time. Aren't there a lot of officials across the country who received threats?
WALSH: There were. And we're going to hear about it from a couple more. Shaye Moss is a former Georgia election worker from Fulton County. She faced death threats along with her mother after Trump called her out by name and accused her of tampering with the election results. She and her mother were forced to go into hiding. We're also going to hear from Rusty Bowers today. He's a Republican who is the Arizona House speaker. Select committee aides note that Trump reached out to him personally, and so did Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani. He came under pressure in the run up to January 6 and even in the months since the attack.
INSKEEP: Yeah. Now, what did Trump and his allies do in other states besides Georgia?
WALSH: Well, there was this whole scheme across several swing states to create this slate of fake electors. Congressman Adam Schiff, a member of the panel who's going to lead the questioning, previewed on CNN on Sunday about this direct link to the former president.
ADAM SCHIFF: We will show evidence of the president's involvement in this scheme. We'll also, again, show evidence about what his own lawyers came to think about this scheme.
WALSH: The panel is going to detail how there was this effort to interfere with the count of the electoral votes in Congress with those fake electors on January 6. We heard a lot about Trump outside legal advisor John Eastman in the last hearing. Today, we expect we're going to hear more about White House chief of staff Mark Meadows's role in this effort to push false claims and these false electors. Meadows's role especially in Georgia - Schiff told The Los Angeles Times that text messages show that Meadows pledged to send autographed red MAGA hats to people in Georgia who were involved in the audit of the election results.
INSKEEP: OK, well - free hat if you just overturn an election, I guess. This is characteristic, it seems to me, of the extra details that are coming out of these hearings. The broad outlines of the story I think we knew, but the details can be new. Where does the investigation go next?
WALSH: Well, Schiff said they're still pushing to get other people to come in. He didn't rule out a subpoena for Vice President Mike Pence. Another member of the panel, Zoe Lofgren, says the panel is going to start sending documents over to the Department of Justice for its own sprawling investigation. And Thursday's hearing is actually going to focus on the pressure campaign at DOJ to pursue false election fraud claims.
INSKEEP: Deirdre, thanks so much.
WALSH: Thank you.
INSKEEP: NPR's Deirdre Walsh. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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If there is a better party band than Ozomatli out there, then I would love to hear them. I wasn't invited to the party at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas on May 30th, so I had to crash it. I openly admit to not paying for a big name concert in about 5 years. I got spoiled being a photographer/writer and getting into the shows I wanted to see with press passes. But this past weekend I had to break my streak and actually pulled $25 dollars out of my wallet to see one of my favorite bands ever. The last time I did such a deed was for the Deftones in 2002, before my portfolio allowed me those precious photo passes and free entry. But Ozomatli is worth it. And I even showed up to the concert late, unfortunately. But I don't get the opportunity to dance to their lively tunes up close and personal very often. And dance I did. From the moment we found a spot next to the shimmering swimming pool, my date and I did not stop grooving to the music until Ozomatli left the stage.
Ozomatli has a perfect blend of Latin and world rhythms, hip-hop, reggae, and rock 'n roll. Their music gets under your skin and almost forces you to dance. It is nearly impossible to resist. And in that live element, the urge is even greater. Which is not surprising considering their name comes from the Aztec symbol for the God of dance, music, and fire. Their first show was 12 years ago, playing for picketers during a strike, and it shows during their live performance. The experience of playing together for so long allows them to explode on stage with raw energy while still keeping the music tight and cohesive. And that explosive energy rubs off onto the crowd as well. And the interesting blend of music they play has a "grab bag" effect on you, wondering what kind of song will they pull out of their hat next...will it be funk? Will it be Cumbia? Will it be hip hop? But once the song starts, it won't make a difference, because it makes you want to dance no matter what.
The show had the vibe of a backyard pool party, with everyone getting along and dancing like good friends reuniting for a Friday night house party. Nobody was in the pool, which made me wonder if it was even allowed. And after all that dancing I felt like a dip in the pool would have been quite a refreshing ending to the warm Las Vegas night. But it was not the end of the night for me and my date; we had just been pumped up by the tunes of Ozomatli and were ready for a full night of partying and enjoying ourselves. And what an amazing start it was, even if the band didn't march their way into the audience for a drum circle to end their show (as they did the other times I saw them perform live).
Paying for an Ozomatli show is most definitely worth the ticket price. Take it from me, because I don't say that very often. They have an extremely positive message, with lyrics concerning social justice and tackling society's difficult issues, plus they play amazing music. You can pick up any one of their four albums (Ozomatli (1998) Almo Sounds, Embrace the Chaos (2001) Interscope, Street Signs (2004) Concord Records/Real World Records, Don't Mess with the Dragon (2007) Concord Records) to hear for yourself. My personal favorite is their self titled debut, with great songs like "Cumbia De Los Muertos," "Como Ves," "La Misma Canción," and "Super Bowl Sundae." That album also features the rapping skills of Chali 2na, known for his work with the Jurassic 5. I suggest you get yourself a copy of Ozomatli, let it absorb into your skin, dance to it, and then find out where they are playing near you and go see them LIVE!


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Lynyrd Skynyrd Could Continue Beyond Farewell Tour
Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington reassured fans that, despite having announced their farewell tour, the band will be around for some time to come – and may even continue to be seen after the final road trip is over.
"This farewell tour will take a year or two to go all the places we've been and play them one more time, so it's not like we're going away," he told Billboard in a new interview. "We're just winding it down a little bit. We'll be doing this a while longer."
Rossington accepted that his health issues in recent years had been a major consideration in planning the farewell. "We've been doing this a long time and we're getting older, and it's really hard touring and traveling," said the band's sole remaining founder member. "My health isn't very great, so it's harder for me to tour these days, and everyone's got kids and families and grandkids now. So we're just gonna kick back a little bit because of our age. … I just want to go out on a high note and make sure the band's name stays in high regard, instead of going out and playing fairs and casinos and things like that. I want to live it still filling arenas and sheds, like we still can."
In the meantime, the band's plans include a documentary and an album to follow 2012's Last of a Dyin' Breed. "We have a lot of songs we've written through the years and we write a little bit here and there and have a few new songs we're gonna do," Rossington said, adding that the intention was to make the band's final album "the best one."
Asked if the band might even roll back on the decision to quit, he said, "Maybe. I know we're going to take some time off after this farewell tour that's all planned, and then who knows? Even, like, the Eagles and a lot of people retire for a year or two and they have to come back. It's just in your blood, y'know? So I don't know if it's really ever gonna end. … Even if the touring ends we'll still do special shows and special guest things here and there with the whole band."


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Michael Libow Fan Club 2013-2014
It's been a while since we updated this site. We gained a whole bunch of new members for the Micheal Libow fan club. In case you aren't familiar, Michael Libow is a real estate agent in Beverly Hills. He sells multi-million dollar houses to the rich and famous in and around L.A. He's a rockstar (his band broke up but rumor has it he's putting something together? We keep checking his Twitter account to see when and if the next concert will be) and a philanthropist. When we last left you guys, we were planning a huge "WE LOVE MICHAEL" rally at his latest concert….but our tour bus broke down and we had to resort to siphoning gas from Tim's VW bus. No worries, we got our act together this time and are ready to roll!
So if you haven't already purchased your Michael Libow fan club membership, you need to contact me immediately. Just drop a comment in the comment section and let us know how you'd like to pay. In the kit you will receive an official "We Love the Libow" tshirt, membership card (I'm a card-carrying member since 2010) and map to his home. We ask that you don't go knocking on his front door (as that would be totally rude) but you can take pictures of the famous Witches House that he lives in and maintains. Seriously, this thing is awesome! There are other stars homes in and around where Michael Libow lives in Beverly Hills. Also, if you're in the market for a super cool and super exclusive house, just head on over to his real estate website (http://michaellibow.com/) to see some of the awesome homes he has for sale.
If you guys have any questions feel free to drop me a line in the comments section. We will be updating this fan site more regularly from here on out.
Peace out!
(Just look at that thing! Sitting in the middle of Beverly Hills is a fairy tale Hansel-and-Gretel house!)


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Drew Choate
Mona Haiduc
Mona and her family moved to the Charlotte area in 1986 from Northeast Ohio, attracted like many to the mild weather and beautiful blue skies of the Carolinas. She has been involved in the real estate industry since 1990. She and her husband owned a small custom home building firm for 15 years, and Mona knows the construction business well. She also has an eye for interior design, and is a skilled stager for listing clients.
When Mona's children were young, she and her family moved to Fort Mill. "I had heard so many good things about Fort Mill schools," she said, "so we wanted to raise our family there. We love the area!"
Mona enjoys working with buyers, helping them find their special place on Lake Wylie to sit back, relax, and enjoy good times with family and friends. "I've met many new friends locally and from all over the country during my real estate career."
Jaime Turner
Jaime's passion for real estate is built upon exceeding her clients' expectations and providing encompassing customer service, thorough market analysis and intensive marketing campaigns for each of her clients. Prior to her career in real estate, Jaime had a successful career in the medical sevice industry working with Boston Scientific and Cook Medical, which helped to lay the foundation for her career in sales.
Jaime has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Emory University's Goizueta School of Business with a concentration in marketing and sales. She began her real estate career in the luxury market in Atlanta, Georgia, and was a founder and real estate advisor at Engle & Volkers agency in Marietta.
Jaime is a certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist and a Certified Negotiation Expert. She currently resides in Tega Cay, SC with her husband, two children and two Boxers.


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Why Do Rabbits Need Rescue?
Did you know that according to the ASPCA, companion rabbits are the third most frequently euthanized animals at shelters, behind cats and dogs?
While many shelter rabbits come from feed stores, flea markets, or laboratories, the sad truth is that most rabbits facing euthanasia were once family pets or classroom animals. The fate is usually not good for these intelligent animals who were bought at pet stores or breeders and surrendered to shelters when the novelty wore off or at the conclusion of a school year.
Unfortunately, many people mistakenly assume that a rabbit is a low-maintenance "pocket pet" or good gift for a child. In reality, rabbits are a lot of work. Plus, their vet care can be expensive.
Rabbits are as intelligent and sensitive as cats and dogs. They bond for life with their human guardians and rabbit friends. They grieve deeply when they lose this bond. Rabbit can learn their names, like to play with toys and use a litter box (just like a cat). They are not meant to live confined in cages and require at least 4-5 hours of attention and safe, indoor exercise each day .
NHC Rabbit Rescue is often the only local resource for abused, neglected, and homeless rabbits. These rabbits include highly adoptable rabbits who have "run out of time," at shelters, those deemed "unadoptable" because they have health or behavioral issues, and special-needs rabbits requiring surgery or specialized medical attention resulting from trauma, neglect, or abuse.
Once a rabbit enters NHC Rabbit Rescue, he or she will never "run out of time" and will always have a home as a foster until adopted.


text: Module Style Overrides allow you to style individual module positions to your own taste. This greatly extends the control of how each of your module positions are displayed with a host of styling options including background image, background color, text color, heading color, button color and module padding. Multiple overrides can be created, each applied to the module position of your choice. Any module position with no override applied will continue to use the default template styling.


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In what I hope will be a recurring feature on an irregular schedule, I thought I'd try to convey some of the background to each of my Jigsaw Jones titles.
And in no particular order.
The Case of the Ghostwriter has a lot of cool little things in it that most readers might miss.
I dedicated this book to Frank Hodge, a near-celebrity local bookseller on Lark Street in Albany, who is known and beloved by many area teachers and librarians. He's one of Albany's living treasures. When I moved to the area from Brooklyn, in 1990, Frank's store, Hodge-Podge Books, was right around the corner. Of course, I stopped in and we became friends. I actually put Frank in this story: a guy named Frank owns a store called Hedgehog Books. I even included his cat, Crisis. Jigsaw and Mila visit Frank's store in the hopes of tracking down a mysterious author.
Chapter Eight begins:
Hedgehog Books was a cozy little store. Our parents had been taking Mila and me since we were little. My mom said that Frank's favorite thing was to bring books and kids together.
In the story, there's a series of popular books — The Creep Show series — loosely modeled on R.L. Stine's "Goosebumps." Mila has been eating them up, reading titles such as Green Wet Slime and Teenage Zombie from Mars. The author's name on the cover, a pen name, is R.V. King. (Ho-ho.) There's a rumor that he's coming to visit room 201 for the "Author's Tea." Who can the Mystery Author be? I bet you can guess.
For me, the part I'm proudest of in this book is Chapter Seven, "My Middle Name," a tribute to my oldest brother, Neal, who passed away in 1993, a few months after my first son, Nicholas, was born.
Ms. Gleason has the students reading family stories in class, Abuela by Arthur Dorros and The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Pollaco. The students, including Jigsaw and Mila, are asked to write their own family stories.
To research his family stories, Jigsaw interrupts his parents while they are playing chess. "Now's not a good time," his father replies. "I'm trying to destroy your dear mother." (I always liked that line.)
At bed that night, Jigsaw and his father have a heart to heart. Mr. Jones tells Jigsaw about his middle name, Andrew, who was Jigsaw's uncle. Now this part is totally true, because my son's middle name is Neal, after his uncle.
"And he died," I said.
"Yes," he said. "Andrew died." I heard the air leave my father's lips. The sound of a deep sigh.
I put my head on his shoulder. "Why did you name me after him?"
They talk some more:
That's when I noticed it. The water in his eyes. A single tear, then another, slid down his cheek. My father was crying. I'd never seen him cry before. It made me nervous.
"Don't be sad, Dad." I hugged him with both arms, tight.
He wiped the tears away with the back of his sleeve.
He sniffed hard and smiled.
"I'm not sad, Jigsaw," he said. "It's just that I remember little things that happened. Little things Andrew said or did. And I'll always miss him."
"Can you tell me?" I asked. "About the little things?"
My father checked his watch. "Not tonight, son. It's late already. But I will tomorrow, promise."
"Good night, Dad," I said. "I'm sorry you're sad."
"Don't be sorry," he said. "That's life, I guess. Sometimes we lose the good ones. Good night, Theodore Andrew Jones. Sleep tight."
Then he shut the door.
I'd never attempt to read that chapter aloud to a group. I can never read it without remembering, without crying. I guess in that scene, I'm Jigsaw's dad — and my son, Nicholas Neal Preller, stands in for Jigsaw, trying to learn about an uncle, my brother, whom he never had the chance to meet.
NOTE: I originally posted this in 2009.


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Drama, Romance, Soap
Follows the personal and professional lives of a group of doctors at Seattle's Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
A sexually transmitted disease breaks out and affects several members of the hospital staff. Chief Webber promptly calls a meeting. Meanwhile, the chief reluctantly tells Dr. Derek Shepherd about his own medical concerns. Izzie and Cristina worry about a patient's wife and daughter who can't agree on his care. Burke treats his college buddy Bill, whose medical diagnosis raises some questions regarding his wife's actions. Then just as Meredith and Derek grow more intimate, a surprise is revealed. MORE -LESS
Meredith grows increasingly dissatisfied with the unknown details of Derek's life. Meanwhile, Alex treats Devo, a patient whose religious beliefs jeopardize her chances for recovery; Izzie contemplates reconnecting with her estranged mother; Zoey, a pregnant woman in her 40s who's been diagnosed with cancer, disagrees with Cristina's medical advice; and the interns are mystified by Cable, a patient who's being treated for seizures and who thinks he's psychic. MORE -LESS
Derek and Meredith try (unsuccessfully) to be discreet as they spend the night together at Meredith's house, but their haggard appearance speaks volumes to everyone - including Bailey, who warns Meredith to end the relationship. Meanwhile George suspects an anesthesiologist of drinking on the job but is reluctant to speak up about it, Alex treats a former competitor who now finds honor in self-mutilation, Izzie has to deal with a patient who won't let go of his girlfriend - literally, and Cristina seems to be battling a case of the flu. MORE -LESS
Izzie tries to get George to find the courage to ask Meredith out. All of the interns are in awe when a woman comes in with a record breaking tumor, but it is so far advanced that the woman's prognosis is not good. Now that Bailey knows about Meredith and Derek's affair, their jobs are in jeopardy, and she advises Meredith to end it. Meanwhile, Cristina and Burke's secret relationship is also getting more complicated... MORE -LESS
Meredith realizes that she must take on a lot more responsibility when she is told that her mother needs to sign over all of her assets to her. As Izzie prepares to have a party for her boyfriend Hank (the scale of which is unknown to Meredith), Meredith has her first heart surgery. During the surgery she fears that she has fallen asleep and damaged the patient's heart. Meanwhile, Cristina and Burke hit it off. At the party, Meredith and Derek get caught together by Dr. Bailey. MORE -LESS
While George is feeling a little less masculine because of the way Izzie and Meredith have been treating him (like a sister), Izzie is assigned to a patient about to loose all of his masculinity. Cristina, true to her competitive spirit, shows up early and assigns herself to an ill woman, who happens to have been Meredith's moms scrub nurse. Alex, meanwhile, is busying himself copying and pasting pictures of Izzie's racy magazine spread all over the interns' locker room. And while Meredith is trying to cope with her mother's Alzheimer's, Derek treats a patient who has managed to get nails stuck in his head. MORE -LESS
A bike race injures several pedestrians as well as well as participants. One pedestrian is left brain dead. Christina and Issie wish to use his organs for organ donation but with Christina's detachment and Issie's ever hopeful attitude that the man will recover, they will find the organ harvesting process an emotional one. Preston faces feelings of his dislike of organ harvesting - as a surgeon, he likes saving lives; harvesting organs doesn't save the person's life. George deals with Mac, a friend of the chief, who won't stop flirting with him. He is in need of a new liver. Meredith is fed up with Alex showing off as she continues trying to push Derek away. She also is reaching the limits of Issie's sunshine and George's politeness as she goes on living with them. Then there is their desire to see Meredith's mother's medical tapes. Getting through the day, Meredith realizes the keys to winning the race. MORE -LESS
The surgical staff tries to be optimistic as a young woman clings to life after a brutal attack. Meanwhile Meredith puts her career on the line to save a newborn in the hospital nursery, and the other interns learn that it takes more than just medical knowledge to be good at their jobs.
Meet Meredith Grey. Daughter of famous surgeon Ellis Grey and currently recovering from a one-night stand. She shoos away her evening's companion, saying she'll be late for her first day of work. She is a first year intern at Seattle Grace Hospital and is working alongside some colorful characters. Cristina Yang is a highly competitive Stanford graduate who befriends Meredith. George O'Malley is a quirky warm hearted man who learns a lesson or two on his first day. Izzie Stevens is a former model who doesn't get any special treatment on her first day. And Alex Karev is an arrogant jerk who misdiagnoses a patient on his first shift. Overseeing them is Miranda Bailey, (not-so-) affectionately dubbed 'The Nazi'. Meredith also gets a surprise when she realizes that her friend from the night before is a co-worker, and even worse, her boss. MORE -LESS


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Hostelworld - Verklaring omtrent Gegevensbescherming
Hey there and welcome to our Data Protection Notice! It's great to see that you want to know more about how we keep your personal data safe. Hostelworld has been processing online hostel reservations since 1999, and while much has changed in the world of hostel travelling over the years, one thing that hasn't is our commitment to protecting and safeguarding your privacy. We know that when you interact with us, be it to book that life-changing travel experience or to sign up to become a valued hostel partner, you place your trust in us to protect your personal data. We value and respect this trust, always seek to act in your best interests and are transparent about the processing of your personal data.
So, if you're looking for more information on how we collect, store, use and share your personal data we collect, you've come to the right place!


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Function: 1157 HP48 is a direct replacement for any 1157-size incandescent bulb. This is one of the brightest bulbs we carry, as a clear improvement over halogen lighting. The installation is 100% plug-and-play, just replace your factory bulb. The bulb may blink faster since it uses less power, and your vehicle thinks the bulb is out- to fix this, please see "hyperblinking" section below.
Hyperblinking: The turn signals on most vehicles will begin to blink fast (hyperblink) when LED bulbs are installed. This is because the new LEDs will use less power than the original bulbs, so your vehicle thinks that the bulb is out and warns you by hyperblinking. This phenomenon will be the same for every LED bulb on the market- there is no such thing as a "no hyperblink" LED bulb, even though some companies advertise them as such.
Flasher Replacement: You may have heard of replacing a "flasher relay" instead of using resistors. Indeed, some vehicles have a replaceable flasher relay, and it is possible to replace it with one designed for LED use, to eliminate hyperblinking. However, this is only true for some vehicles. We do not believe one is available for your vehicle, because your flasher is built-in to the vehicle's computer. You will need to use resistors for your vehicle.
Resistor Kit: If you prefer not to change the flasher, you can add resistors to the bulb's circuit, and mimic the power consumption of the original bulb, returning the vehicle to normal turn signal speed. Resistors are a universal fix for any vehicle. Our resistors are 50w, 6 ohm, and come with extra-long connection wires for easy install. If you have both front and rear LED turn signals, you should purchase one set for each pair, to create enough resistance for the whole turn signal circuit. The installation itself takes only 10-15 minutes, and involves making two simple connections. Everything you need is included in the kit.
Design: This bulb has 48 high-power 3014 size LEDs, with a non-polar design for easy installation. These bulbs are CK compatible and have a diffused PC lens for even diffusion of light. It uses an 1157-size durable inject-molded terminal and will fit as a replacement for stock halogen. It uses less power and heat than halogen bulbs, and will last longer, with its engineered aluminum heat-sinking technology. A component is embedded to prevent blowing the LED from voltage surge, and a diode is implanted to protect the LED from reverse polarity. The LED is wired for 12V operation, the kind found on all vehicles.
Included in your order is TWO BULBS.
Color: These LEDs illuminate in amber, or red.
Brightness: 280 Lumens
Lumens: BUYER BEWARE! Most sellers just provide "calculated" lumen numbers, based on the maximum potential brightness of the LED chips on the bulb. For example, if a bulb has five 10-lumen chips, they will rate it at 50 lumens. However, this is not accurate, as the design of an LED bulb does not get rid of heat fast enough to run the LEDs at maximum.
These "calculated" lumen ratings are much, much higher than the true, measured light output, so it will look like competitors' bulbs are brighter than ours. This is because Diode Dynamics does not provide inflated "calculated" numbers; we believe it is misleading. We test the actual brightness of the bulbs in our lab, to provide real lumen output measurements. Our measurements are accurate, but they are usually much lower than the misleading "calculated" figures. Please click here to learn more about LED brightness measurement.
LED Components. Diode Dynamics uses only the highest quality LED chips in the production of its bulbs. This means we use only brand-name suppliers such as Epistar, Cree, Osram, and Samsung.
While our bulbs may look the same as others on the market, most copycat bulbs use economy-grade LED chips in order to reduce costs. This greatly reduces the reliability and overall brightness of the bulb when you compare it to Diode Dynamics.
Construction. Although LED technology allows for extremely long bulb life, the market is flooded with cheap LED bulbs that fail prematurely due to inferior construction. The worst enemy of LEDs is excessive heat, and when bulbs are not designed properly, they do not disperse heat as well, leading to premature failure.
Off-brand, cheap bulbs exhibit poor solder uniformity, high levels of flux in the solder, uneven chip placement, low-gauge terminal wires, poor assembly, and bulbs held together with inferior adhesives. At best, solder joints will crack and fail on low-quality LEDs after a few weeks of use. In the worst case, these bulbs can damage housings as the extra flux and adhesive evaporates and creates a residue on the lens of the housing.
Diode Dynamics bulbs are produced with modern, computerized equipment, and only the best materials, to ensure complete uniformity, high quality, and long bulb life.
Confidence: Order with confidence when purchasing through our website. The products offered have been thoroughly tested to make sure they meet our strict quality standards to ensure the best reliability and performance. We always provide honest feedback on products and helpful tips for any project due to our extensive experience with all makes and models. We offer competitive pricing, fast shipping, and the latest and greatest products from the top manufacturers. Contact us today with any questions; you won't regret it!


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GFNY announces GFNY Waco
GFNY expands its US race calendar with GFNY Waco in the Deep South on June 26, 2022
GFNY Waco is the latest addition to the GFNY Endurance Sports Series, making it the fourth GFNY cycling race in the United States. Scheduled for June 26, 2022, riders will get to ride a 86-mile double-looped course on open county roads passing farmland, cattle ranches and dairies.
From a gentle start, the effort will go up a notch as riders tackle a 2-mile-long hill just before entering the 35-mile loop. The loop has some flat sections for fast peloton riding, and also gently rolling hills that will break up the pelotons.
Located in the tranquil and scenic heartland of Texas, the host town of Waco will hold race week activities at the Waco Convention Center as well as function as the start and finish of the race. Waco is a city that's brimming with Texas history, a rich variety of cultural experiences, and wonderful nature surroundings.
The race starts and finishes on North University Parks Drive aside the Waco Convention Center. After traveling on the closed-to-cars University Parks Drive and crossing the Brazos River via the Herring Ave Bridge, you leave the City of Waco and enter McLennan County and its vast nature.
Website: waco.gfny.com
About GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series
GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series is a sports event company with three decades of experience in racing, planning and organizing events. The global endurance sports brand hosts multiple events throughout the year around the world on five continents.
Working with partners around the world to deliver a first-class experience, GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series puts their athletes first.
20 plus events around the world. View the 2021-2022 calendar here
Riders get to BE A PRO FOR A DAY ® by competing against others, themselves and the clock in a personal endurance challenge.
Top 10% (20% at regional championships) of finishers in each age group qualify for the Racer Corral at every GFNY World event.
GFNY World Championship NYC
The 10th annual GFNY World Championship New York will be held on May 15, 2022. The race features the world's most international peloton with riders from over 90 countries. Athletes take on a challenging 100-mile route from NYC to Bear Mountain to Fort Lee to compete against each other, the clock and themselves in a personal endurance challenge.
The official GFNY website is: www.gfny.com.
Further Material for Media Use
GFNY Press Images: here
GFNY World calendar graphic: here
Previous GFNY press releases: here
Media Contact


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Welcome to MOSCOW STATE UNIVERSITY, the first Russian University founded in 1755 on the initiative of Mikhail Lomonosov, an outstanding scientist of the Enlightenment, whose unsettled encyclopedic mind and energy gave the inner impetus to the project. From the very beginning, elitism was alien to the very spirit of our community, which determined the University's long-standing democratic tradition. Students irrespective of their background have been always admitted to University to further become our renowned alumni – famous scientists and scholars. And the students convene here, as they have always done, to study, to research, to push at the frontiers of knowledge.
Today, the emphasis is on advancing the applied science: new materials, genetics, biomedicine, pharmaceutics, cognitive sciences, ecology, and information technologies. We work hard to preserve our heritage and develop our traditions of a comprehensive approach to higher education and science. Moscow University has a rich academic history. Yet the major commitment remains the same as it has been in centuries: to provide outstanding teaching, scholarship and research. But what makes our University so lively is this intellectual spirit combined with inexhaustible curiosity.


text: Here are more pictures from last month's wreck of the first Bugatti Veyron: This is the first Bugatti Veyron to be wrecked on the streets. It is the fastest and most expensive production vehichle in history, list price about $1.6 million. The Veyron was doing around 100mph when it spun out of control, spinning 3 times before hitting a Vauxhall Astra with a 7-month pregnant woman inside. It then smashed into trees up a 3 foot embankment. The Bugatti driver was with a younger male passenger. The car was taken away by the same truck driver who had delivered it to the owner just a week earlier. The owner is a businessman in his 40's who runs a rental car company with his brothers.


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Showing Collections: 1 - 1 of 1
Guy Family Papers
Identifier: Mss. Acc. 1985.42
Scope and Contents
Papers of the William George and Gladys Bennett Guy family of Williamsburg, Virginia with additions from Joan Eastman Bennett. Includes correspondence, invitations, minutes, clippings, oral histories, notebooks, reports, photographs, written memories, essays and printed materials. Papers include items about water and gas, Williamsburg Landing, American Red Cross, Williamsburg United Service Organization, Williamsburg Female Academy, College of William and Mary and zoning regulations. ...
Found in:
Special Collections Research Center