text:
Spoken Language Recognition
Spoken languages rely on uttering and comprehending sounds made by the human mouth that impart meaning and that allow communication between humans–transfer of facts, opinions, and ideas. Most humans can, over time and with practice, imitate these sounds and can soon make the sounds to convey meanings that can be comprehended by each other. This is how languages are learned by toddlers. And it's been discovered that language patterns are most effectively learned and acquired before a human youngster reaches age five.
As we get older, it becomes more difficult to imitate the sounds and get the meaning right for languages other than our primary one–so by the time we're adults, we have more troubles learning foreign languages than children.
We can easily recognize foreign languages (those different than our native language), and some people are skilled at recognizing dialects of their and other languages. These sound patterns are different enough that scientists have found that dogs and birds, and a few other animals, can recognize speech patterns of different languages and can tell if someone is speaking the local language or speaking a foreign language.
Written Language Recognition
Eventually, with most of the languages that have a written system, youngsters start to experiment with making the marks representing the sounds that make up the language. At first, these attempts resemble doodles and random marks whether the youngsters used crayons, pencils, pens, or other markers. Adults with proficiency with the written system help children with their eye-hand coordination to arranging the marks correctly, creating strings of characters that make sense in that language when sounded out.
No matter which language, culture, or country–humans learn to speak, write, and communicate in this way.
Speaking and comprehending a language is a matter of learning the sound patterns and understanding the meaning of those various patterns as well as being able to enunciate sound patterns effectively enough to pass on a meaning.
Writing and comprehending that language is a matter of recognizing and understanding the markings and symbols that represent the sounds (and therefore the meaning) of the language.
Written Language Symbols – "Alphabets"
With some languages, the sounds are represented by abstract characters in a form called "alphabet" — named after the Greek "alpha" and "beta". These characters are assembled in specified ways to form words (called "spelling") and then these words are assembled in a certain way to form coherent sentences in that language (called "syntax" or "grammar"). Latin and Greek form a basis for many European ("Western") languages–and a common recognizable vocabulary, alphabet, and many mathematical symbols are based on those of ancient Greek and Latin .
As Latin and Greek were spreading their influence across the known world, other cultures had established their own written systems that did not use similar alphabetic representation for their languages. Languages such as Hebrew, Arabic, and Hindi used individual characters to represent sounds in a similar manner as the Latin and Greek characters. But they wrote their characters from the right to the left, rather from left to right.
The Egyptians and Chinese, however, used hieroglyphics and calligraphy that were originally drawings of animals and other items. With Egyptian, each pictorial hieroglyphic character represents sounds in much the same way an alphabetic character does for Latin, Greek, Hindi, Arabic, or Hebrew. You can assemble Egyptian hieroglyphics to form words–that if sounded out would be understandable as the Egyptian spoken language. Eventually, the Egyptian hieroglyphics lost their original "picture" meaning and became characters that represent sounds as part of the spoken Egyptian language.
Logographic Characters as Written Language
With Chinese, however, the calligraphic "picture" ("logographic character") has retained much of the underlying meaning of the illustration in addition to having a sound that could represent a word or part of a word. Although many times the Chinese characters can be used individually to be a "word" or "concept," with new technologies and advances in philosophies the characters frequently must be combined to represent the more complex concepts. An interesting twist to Chinese is that of all the many languages of Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghai, and so on), although the spoken languages vary greatly in sounds, the written language is the same throughout.
Korean and Japanese – a Mix of Logographic and Syllabic/Alphabetic Characters
Of isolated language groups, Korean and Japanese have been noted as being unlike any of the other known languages because their origins are largely untraceable—linguistics experts differ on whether there's a perceivable path to the Korean and Japanese languages' current state beyond a few centuries.
Buddhist monks originating from India and then China introduced writing to the Koreans (called "hanja" in Korean) and the Japanese (called "kanji" in Japanese). In the beginning, Korean and Japanese writing used the introduced classical Chinese calligraphy. Soon, however, the Korean and Japanese elite and scholars determined that the Chinese calligraphy was not well suited to the sounds, syntax, and grammar of their native languages ("han-guk" in Korean, "nihon-go" in Japanese).
The Evolution of Modern Korean and Japanese from Classical Chinese Writing
Through help from the Buddhist monks and scholars, the Koreans devised phonemic (sound-representing) characters ("han-gul") to accommodate the sounds of their language. Although they still used traditional Chinese characters, the Koreans started using more and more the phonemic characters combined into syllabic representations to form words and then sentences with the proper syntax and grammar. Now, most Koreans communicate by writing only with the phonemic characters and will rarely use the Chinese characters unless it's in an academic or government document.
Likewise, Japanese scholars created symbols ("kana") derived from cursive Chinese characters ("kanji") to represent the sounds of the Japanese language. The kana are syllabic in that they represent syllables of Japanese words. They can be used individually or combined to form complex words. The kana can also be combined as prefixes, or suffixes ("okurigana") to Chinese characters that form the root of a word in order to change from past tense, present tense, or to form the negative of the word. There are two modern forms of Japanese kana—"hiragana" are cursive forms of ancient Chinese kanji characters used to represent mostly words of Japanese origin, and "katakana", which are more sharp-edged characters used to approximate the sounds of foreign words, brand-names, and technical terms. A third type of kana, "furigana" consists of the small hiragana characters either above or along the side of a Chinese character to aid children who might not have learned the pronunciation or meaning of the Chinese character.
Similarities and Differences with Written Languages – In Particular, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese as Compared to English
So, learning English might be tough because there are many words in English that do not sound like the way they are spelled. Additionally, there are many words that resemble each other in spelling but have different sounds. And, there are many words that have the same sound but are spelled differently and have different uses in syntax and grammar. Spelling in English is one of the biggest problems for most folks learning the language.
Spelling might not be a problem in Chinese, Korean, or Japanese. But because you be dealing with multiple sources of symbols with different interpretations and sounds, you will be facing different problems that resemble information "overload".
Of these three languages—Chinese, Korean, and Japanese—my experience is that Japanese has been the easiest language for me as a Westerner to learn. The sounds of Japanese are straightforward and resemble Spanish in vowel and consonant pronunciation. Japanese grammar and syntax have a recognizable pattern to them that is relatively easy for substitution drills and for understanding how the prefixes and suffixes work.
To learn any language, in addition to having a reference book for vocabulary—it's absolutely necessary to have some form of recorded conversations between older and younger and male and female participants. Without the recordings, it is extremely difficult to get the sounds right—in particular for those languages that have symbolic representations of sounds that are different from the Western style of Roman alphabet.


text:
War of Kings - Medieval Strategy Board Game
War of Kings is a medieval strategy board game that combines exciting combat with a well-balanced and engaging economic system. Seek to build an empire as you take command of your own kingdom! Resource management is key to build settlements, fortifications, and roads, while engaging other kingdoms in combat with your armies. War of Kings features:
- fast-paced action with simultaneous kingdom-building and resource management,
- a double-sided game board that provides two distinct flavors of gameplay,
- exciting combat that engages both the attacker and defender, and
- a unique non-player horde provides excellent replayability.
Players: 2-6
Ages: 13+
Here's how to play War of Kings in only five minutes:
The complete rule book is available for download here, so check it out!
Inside the War of Kings game box, you will find everything you need for up to a 6 player game. This medieval strategy board game is packed with components.
Here is a quick video to show you exactly what you will find when you open a War of Kings box:
Simultaneous Play – All 6 players collect resources, trade, recruit armies, construct settlements, and fortify their kingdom simultaneously. This reduces the wait between turns, keeps the game fresh, and creates an exciting gaming atmosphere.
The Maladorian Marauders – A card-based mechanic lets the players take control of a non-player horde and wreak havoc on their neighbors. From Jason, at iSlayTheDragon: "Simply put, this mechanic alone is worth the investment into this game."
Minimal Set-Up Time – The game can be set up in just minutes. There are no boards to randomize or decisions to anguish over before play can begin. Nevertheless, the advanced game play creates a unique experience every time.
Active Combat – The combat system in War of Kings engages both the attacking and defending player. The custom combat dice are intuitive, and everyone at the table will be cheering on the combatants.
Balance – War of Kings strikes a balance between military conquest and the management of your kingdom's economy. Both will be necessary to conquer the land of Arowyth.
Awesome Miniatures – War of Kings features three levels of settlements that can be defended by placing one of three levels of fortifications around it. All are hand-sculpted specifically for War of Kings.
After being funded on Kickstarter, War of Kings has received high marks from everyone in our community!
"Overall I'm VERY happy that I backed this game. The box is heavy. The components are nice. The art is beautiful. Best of all - it plays REALLY well. I'm excited to show it to my friends." - Evan, on BGG
"War of Kings is an incredibly well designed game that presents enough strategic choices to keep it intriguing and fun. After one single playthrough, I had my people in my gaming group begging me to bring it back because they wanted more." David, CarcassonneFreak on BGG in his written review.
"[War of Kings] distills the elements of a grand strategy conquest game into a compact and imminently playable experience without losing its epic flavor" - Jason Meyers in his written review of War of Kings, on iSlayTheDragon.
"Buy it!" says Cody at The Discriminating Gamer in his video review.
We currently only have retail copies of War of Kings available to ship from within the U.S and Canada and cannot ship to other countries. Shipping costs are prohibitively expensive to ship War of Kings internationally. Be sure to look out for our Kickstarters, so you can take advantage of our worldwide distribution channels!

subset: commoncrawl


text: This is the season for cattail pollen! My three year old granddaughter, Fia, and I gathered the "flour" so she could bring it to her parents to blend with the all-purpose version and make golden Swedish pancakes. Fia beamed the words, "So 'citing, Nana…we found cattail pollen!", as she stepped out of the car with her treasure. My own grandmother used to say, "Give me the simple things in life". I couldn't agree more.


text:
Dero Bike Racks
Second Ward business Dero Bike Racks is having a big month.
In early November, they won a 2010 Commuter Choice Award. They received this honor for developing Dero ZAP, a solar powered, wireless, web-based application that allows organizations to reward employees who commute by bicycle. The program was launched within Dero itself, and they now provide a cash incentive of $3 per day to each employee who uses alternative commuting options.
Then they moved from their longtime home in the Seward neighborhood to the Southeast Minneapolis Industrial area. One of the reasons they cite for the move is the intercampus transitway trail, which will serve their many employees who bike to work.
Congratulations, Dero, and welcome to southeast!


text: A woman injured by a blast near the Mogadishu sea port [Feisal Omar/Reuters] A bombing claimed by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group has killed eight people and injured 15 more in the Somali capital, according to a spokesman for Mogadishu's mayor. Bombings are a near-daily occurrence in Mogadishu. Most are claimed by al-Shabab, an armed group that is fighting to overthrow the UN-backed government and drive out the African Union peacekeeping force that supports it. "We have confirmed that five civilians, including a mother and her son, have died," said Abdifatah Omar Halane, spokesman for the Mogadishu mayor, referring to Wednesday's bombing. A Reuters news agency reporter at the scene saw burned bodies and a wrecked car near a damaged police checkpoint outside a restaurant near Mogadishu's port. OPINION: From a fishing village to al-Shabab's most wanted A spokesman for al-Shabab's military operations admitted that one of the group's fighters was killed in the incident. "One mujahed [fighter] was martyred after he targeted security officials with his car bomb," Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab told Reuters. WATCH: Somalia moves to boost security amid al-Shabab unrest (2:46) Since withdrawing from Mogadishu in 2011, al-Shabab has lost control of most of Somalia's cities and towns. But it still retains a strong presence in parts of the south and centre. Somalia's government recently declared a new offensive against al-Shabab, which has targeted military facilities, hotels and the presidential palace in recent months in Mogadishu. Also on Wednesday, eight Kenyan security officers were killed on the Kenyan side of the Somali border in two separate roadside bombings. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the first attack but could not be reached for comment on the second. Adding to the violence, a small armed group in the north of Somalia has split from al-Shabab's campaign and declared allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL, known as ISIS) group. That group claimed responsibility for a bombing in the northern city of Bosasso that killed five people on Tuesday. Somalia has been mired in civil war since 1991. It is also suffering from a regional drought that threatens to tip its population of 12 million into famine. SOURCE: News agencies Africa Somalia Al-Shabab War & Conflict


text:
Will Clinton champion women's causes?
If one year ago you had asked Barbara O'Connor, director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and Media at California State University-Sacramento, whether Hillary Clinton had a good chance of being president of the United States, she would've said, "No way." Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, another well-known political analyst and professor at the University of Southern California, was only slightly more optimistic.
"A year ago, I thought she had maybe a 50-50 chance of even getting the Democratic nomination," Jeffe told me this month. "Now I look at her as the probable Democratic nominee and, if she is, the probable victor in November."
Of course, O'Connor and Jeffe acknowledged that they might have a very different appraisal in six months. But when a Field Poll was released last week showing that almost half of California Democrats likely to vote in the state primary plan to support Clinton, it didn't surprise either of them.
"This is a Hillary state, and what the Field Poll shows is rather unique to California," O'Connor said. "But it's clear that she's grown a lot as a candidate in the past months. She definitely does not look like a doe in the headlights."
The Hillary candidacy has not been marked by doe-like stereotypes of gentleness and softness. The "woman thing" isn't playing out quite the way we would have thought.
Despite the trappings of warm fuzziness in her campaign packaging - such as having her announce her candidacy online on a set that resembled a morning chat show - she has not come across as a Female Outsider along the lines of "Mrs. Smith Goes to Washington."
Instead, she is seen as the consummate insider, and that may hurt her chances with some women who want to see something different from business as usual.
Cathleen Deppe, who heads the Silicon Valley chapter of the working women's organization 9 to 5, said the jury is still out. Deppe said she is not at all sure whom she will vote for in the primary. (And 9 to 5 does not endorse candidates.)
"When you look at this through the gender lens and ask if, as president, Hillary would be a good friend to women, it's not clear," Deppe told me. "Health care is extremely important, and she's been very vague about it so far. She's keeping to the middle of the road."
The bloc of single women with a household income under $30,000 a year - the women who don't vote but could turn the tide of an election if they did - also is by no means guaranteed to go for Clinton. "This is not a group that's been lining up for Hillary in the past," said Chris Desser, San Francisco-based co-director of Women's Voices Women Vote, a non-partisan organization dedicated to increasing the participation of this bloc of women. "They gravitate to issues of poverty, health care, equal pay for equal work. So far, Obama and Edwards have had more clear messages about those things."
Still, polls show Clinton is doing well among women in general, and O'Connor has a theory about that. "I think, secretly, a lot of women really do want to see a woman as president. But they also want a winner. And that's it. Can she win?"
In the coming months, the question among Clinton's potential supporters may be: "Is she woman enough to fight hard for so-called women's issues?"
Or will she have a better chance of victory if she blurs the focus of the gender lens?
Sue Hutchison is a columnist for the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News. Readers may send her e-mail at email@example.com.


text:
See Inside SpaceRead More →
SUGGESTED AGE: 5-11 years
DESCRIPTION FROM THE PUBLISHER: A flap book of astronomical proportions, packed with facts and information about the stars, planets and the universe. Fabulous double-page topics show our solar system, the Milky Way, how scientists think the universe was created and the latest space travel technology.
For Amazon.co.uk click here
For Amazon.com click here
Please follow and like us:


text:
Let It Rain Card
by Nadine Carlier
Artist in Residence Nadine shares how to use GooseBumps Texture Spray to create a cool effect on your projects.
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Time To Create: 30 minutes
Supplies Used
Imagine Crafts featuring Tsukineko:
- Goosebumps Texture Spray – Clear
- Memento Ink – Tuxedo Black, Summer Sky
- Sheer Shimmer Spritz – Sparkle
- irRESISTible Pico Embellisher – Shimmer
- VersaColor – Mountain Lake
- Jumbo Dauber
- Craft Mat
- Stampendous Stamps – Changito Slicker, Let It Rain!
- Copic Markers
- Cardstock (White, Yellow, Kraft), Vellum, Ribbon


text:
Buy Gift Cards for Loved Ones
Celebrate every occasion with your near-n- dear ones. Move away from traditional gifting ideas. Gift your loved ones Gift Cards giving them endless possibilities for shopping.
With each major deal, you get great discount and with every purchase, you get real cash reward. Real cash back is available on every purchase and for all retailers. You can track status of your cash back earnings and transfer it to your bank account.
Real cash back- Real cash withdrawal !
Celebrate every occasion with your near-n- dear ones. Move away from traditional gifting ideas. Gift your loved ones Gift Cards giving them endless possibilities for shopping.
Users can easily find and navigate through best deals available online. It allows them to search for the best deals based on categories, retailers, location and price.
Users can select either their favorite store, or the best deals they are interested in. Link at the bottom leads users to the store website making them authentic members for claiming cashback.
Happiness increases after sharing, invite your friends, family or colleagues using Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites so that even they can enjoy the fulfilling shopping experience.
We've been working with Sphinx Solutions from long time now.
They have great team of expert mobile apps developer.
Sphinx Solutions has always provided us with the best service, development, and quick response every time. I would highly recommend them for any project you are considering or currently working on.
Partnering with the right app development team was one of the most mission critical decisions we had to make as we launched SonicSole's fitness app. That's why we spent about 2 months evaluating different companies and developers. We immediately had a good feeling about Sphinx when we evaluated their capabilities. Highly recommended!
Sphinx Solutions is your go-to mobile app developer because of the outstanding team of professions under the direction of Anand Mahajan. Sphinx Solutions has completed two very different types of apps for us, both in Android and iOS. Both apps came in on schedule and on budget. Highly recommended!
I always feel that my projects are great hands when I'm working with Anand. He is professional, knowledgeable and I can depend on him. He simply delivers results and focuses on customer satisfaction. We have worked together on multiple projects, and he has become one of my most trusted colleagues. His communication skills are strong, and his work is top-notch. Five stars.
Sphinx provided comprehensive mobile app development services to many startups,
which later emerged as top brands. Do you want to develop the next brand?
We guarantee to get back to you within a business day
Get regular updates on the latest design stories, case studies & tips right in your mailbox.


text:
Back in early 2009, I was loving my life as a professional pilot. Being a pilot had been a dream of mine for the past decade. So I was pretty much on top of the world, knowing that I had worked so hard to accomplish my dreams and goals. Life was great! Then I got a call from my physician that told me my routine lab work came back abnormal. Whaaaa? I had never had abnormal anything in my life!
"No problem!" I thought, "I can handle this - I'll fix it and be on my merry way." What I thought was going to be a quick turn around, turned into a multi-year tumble down a hormonal flight of stairs that left me very ill, and unable to work. Yet, I continued to hide how I felt physically and emotionally from everyone.
Even though my husband and a select few of my friends/family knew I was having health challenges, none of them knew how bad it really was, nor did they know I had days I couldn't get out of bed. (yep, I'd go back to bed after my husband left for work.) I never told my mom about it before she died. I never talked about, even to my husband, any emotions surrounding my illness. I conveniently hid behind the fact that a chronic illness is hard to see: no stitches, no cast, no hospitalization, no chemo... it was easy to avoid by everyone, myself included. When asked, I reluctantly talked about it - heck, I even debated with myself for months about whether to write about my health on this blog!
Why did I hide all of this? I was ashamed. I was ashamed that I had gotten sick to begin with - hadn't I been so health conscious before all this (or so I thought)? I was ashamed that I couldn't be well enough to pass an FAA medical - I didn't want to admit to other pilots that I was having health problems. I didn't want to worry or burden my mother, or my friends, or anyone in my family. Heck, I didnt want to face the fact that I had a diagnosis!
It's funny how something can feel so threatening at the time, then when you look back on it later, you realize that the scary monster with fangs, claws and venom was really an innocent bunny rabbit just hoping along down the trail. Perhaps, hiding was my means of coping with learning I had a lifetime illness, that my path was meant to be something different than I once thought it was. The day I realized I was ashamed of my illness was the day I was able to take responsibility for how to move forward.
I'm very grateful that I kept writing about health on the blog. Through writing, I have been able to realize my potential for helping others. It's led me to realize that being who I am, right now, in the moment, sick or not, is perfectly okay. It's also let me realize that instead of worrying about being burdensome, I can turn my knowledge and experience into helping others on their healing journeys. So even though my path now is in uncharted waters for me (aka, I don't have it all planned out like I used to do), I'm excited to be leaning into helping others with their own health and well-being.
Have you ever had your tables turned on you? Share in the comments below how you found the silver-lining in your experience.


text:
The GroundHog Max truly makes preparing food plots a one-man job. The GroundHog Max plow weighs 43 pounds and comes fully assembled. Easy to use "transport mode" allows the GroundHog Max to get to any remote food plot that your vehicle can reach. The GroundHog Max can plow from 3-7 MPH and can plow in reverse. The GroundHog Max is half as wide as a normal plow, and truly makes creating food plots a one-man job.
GroundHog Max can be used not only for food plots, but is a great tool for creating firebreaks. In some states, land owners are required to have firebreaks around their property. Creating firebreaks is easier than ever using the GroundHog Max. The GroundHog Max can also be used for duck hunting, landscaping, and weed control.
View the instructions here.
655 Elm Ridge Ave
Suite B
Canal Fulton, OH 44614
Toll Free: (866)576-5115


text:
The Upside of Faith/
So, there's a possible practical joke going on around me... or something that could be totally real... I'm not sure, but this morning, I was thinking about what the upside of believing people is. Clearly, there's an upside to being a cynic. If it turns out to be a joke, I can bask in the fact that I was too smart to fall for it. If it turns out to be true, then I feel like I didn't lose much because the situation was pretty unbelievable anyway--I certainly don't look foolish for not believing something.
That made me think about faith in general. What's the upside of believing in anything that you can't prove? God, love, the semantic web ... there are a lot of things we can't touch, taste, see, hear or smell that we rely on faith for, but why bother? If they turn out to be true... gravy. If not, at least we didn't lose anything or waste time.
That's the point, though... if we're talking about losing something or wasting time, we're talking about investment. In a startup, it's clear what the investment is. Someone gives you money, you give them upside... but what exactly is the investment and payoff for having faith in something non-financial... faith in love, in God, or whatever?
I answered this question in the shower at NYSC this morning, because I thought about the opposite. What if I didn't make those bets? That would mean I "wasn't invested"... and while I'm totally playing with words here, I don't want to live a life where I'm not invested--and that's really what you are when you don't have faith. You're not really betting on anything, really. You're just going what what you have and not assuming or beliving in anything more
Being invested in your own life has upside, especially as an active investor, because you get to share in life's profits--joy, laughter, bliss, etc... a lot more than you would if you were on the sidelines. Sure, there may be some quarters where we miss earnings and our stock takes a tumble, but over the long run, I'm a big believer that you need to be invested in your life... that you have to take risks of faith--in people, in ideas.
I have faith that Barack Obama is a good man with good intentions and the organizational skills to make things work better. By having faith, and voting for him, I'm looking at possibilities and potential for this country with a more open mind... maybe inspiring others to do the same. When masses of people believe in the possibility of change, it's funny how change happens.
I have faith that I'll find someone who will love and appreciate me... and who'll want to work together to with me to build a great relationship. Is it possible that it will never happen? Sure... and I'll be really disappointed, but by being positive and open to the idea, I'm also open and more aware of the people around me who may have that interest or know someone who might. If I don't have that faith, I'll be closed... I'll probably miss someone or be unable to connect with someone.
I have faith in something or someone larger than myself... That there's a powerful force for good in this world... a reason for being. If I just thought we were soulless lumps of chemicals, I'd be driven simply for chemical optimization, rather than trying to make a positive impact in the world around me, even at my own expense. By beliving that we are more than just bodies and neurons and synapses, I seek deper connections, and whether or not I find them, I am better for the process of seeking.
I have faith in my startup, Path 101. I know the odds. I know the day we run out of cash before we get more funding. I know that we're in the same space as a lot of other larger players. I believe we have a great idea and can build a passionate service around people-powered career discovery. I believe it's a much needed service and we can change people's lives by helping to give them direction and help support the discovery of their passions. By having this faith, I am more outwardly positive. I will attract more deals this way, more talent, and help build excitement--all key incredients to success.
So, while you might think it's just easier not to expect anything out of life, you're missing the equity upside and the risks really aren't as great as you think.


text:
Effective automation is vital for reducing operational risk. The ongoing evolution of system intelligence has opened up many possibilities. They range from predicting and proactively preventing failures to deciding whether benefits of new processes outweigh the risks.
Knowledge can be represented in many different ways. By far, the most common way humans represent knowledge is in their natural language. For machines, however, it is difficult to use this to share and to expand and maintain the knowledge base. One way to tackle this is to understand the OODA loop of the business: Observe, Orient, Decide and Act.
This loop provides an understanding of the domain. It allows for a definition of possible solutions and a selection of required techniques that fit the business case. The resulting model is then subjected to hypothesis, diagnostic rulesets, fuzzy agents and other methods. Machine understandable graphical rules, which follow a specific syntax and are not tied to a specific language, can then be applied to model the knowledge-base. The main goal is to make all data shareable among all platforms, regardless of nature or location.
UREASON assists you in tackling the business challenges within your organization. Our intake workshop is the first step in our collaboration proposal, during which we work with you to analyze your challenges, what knowledge needs to be extracted, data availability and data quality. Together we decide what level of support fits your needs best.
Data has become a vital asset for many industries. It helps gaining new insights that help identify new business opportunities and areas within the internal organization that need improvement. Machine learning, predictive analytics, probabilistic reasoning, simulation and event stream processing are some of the techniques that can help organizations in optimizing their operations.
UREASON works together with organizations that want to leverage their data to its fullest potential by bringing in a creative team with vast specialist knowledge. They can help gaining insight into large amounts of complex data in order to reduce risk and business uncertainty.
Since its founding in 2001, UREASON has built a proven track record with customers in a wide variety of industries. Active in process industries – petrochemical/chemical – telecom, smart grid and smart cities. The majority of our customers are in Europe, North America and the Middle East.
UREASON brings best-of breed-(real-time) reasoning solutions to its customers through innovative software development.
Sensing your environment to create a tailored response.
UREASON NL Office
Stationsplein 45
Fourth Floor, A4.004
3013 AK Rotterdam
The Netherlands
UREASON UK Office
Central Working Reading
R+, Aldwych House
2, Blagrave Street
Reading, RG1 1AZ
United Kingdom


text:
Unlikely migrant path brings Cuban family to Serbia
SOT, Serbia (AP) — Far away from sandy beaches and a balmy Caribbean breeze, a Cuban family huddles together in a cramped room of a cold, wind-swept Serbian refugee centre, trying to figure out what to do next.
They are part of an unlikely influx of Cuban migrants to the Balkans that began in 2015 before neighbouring European Union countries sealed off their borders for hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing war and poverty.
Now the Amor family of three is stuck in non-EU Serbia — besides Cuba, the last place they want to be.
"I know that life here is hard, really, really hard," Michael Amor said, sitting on a bunk bed flanked by his wife Ingrid and 13-year-old daughter Samira.
"The crossing to here I wouldn't wish on anyone. Life is very difficult. What I want is to live a little bit better for my daughter," he said.
Amor's construction job earned him only US$30 a month in Cuba and the family had to sell their small house and other belongings before starting their journey 18 months ago. He had hoped to get to Spain to meet up with relatives, but became stuck in Serbia after EU nations cracked down on border crossings.
"If I would have to do the journey again, I would. But I don't know what is going to be the end to this; I don't know if I'm going to get to Spain to be able to meet up with my family," he said.
"I prefer to be here in a camp with my daughter than in prison in Cuba," he added.
In 2013, the Cuban Government lifted most travel restrictions on its citizens. However, the ability to travel overseas still depends on foreign governments' willingness to grant visas to Cuban citizens, which EU nations and other Western countries do rarely.
Like most Cubans who have arrived in the Balkans, the Amor family first flew to Russia and then to Serbia via Montenegro, where Cubans can get tourist visas at airports.
Most Cuban migrants waiting in Serbia to enter EU territory say they had no choice but to make the trip after the US Obama Administration early last year revoked Cubans' special migration status that allowed them to stay if they reached US territory.
Official statistics show 170 Cubans registered in Serbia in 2017, although the number is certainly higher now as many refuse to register with authorities, fearing they could be deported.
In the Serbian refugee centre just yards from the Croatian border, the Amor family shares a tiny room with a four-member Somali family, leaving little space for privacy or comfort. Amor says he tried to seek asylum in EU-member Croatia but was rejected. He can barely pay for food and has no money to pay migrant smugglers to take the family over the border illegally.
"I don't know what to do, but we have to continue trying," he said.
Now you can read the Jamaica Observer ePaper anytime, anywhere. The Jamaica Observer ePaper is available to you at home or at work, and is the same edition as the printed copy available at http://bit.ly/epaperlive
1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper � email addresses will not be published.
2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: email@example.com.
6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: firstname.lastname@example.com.
7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy


text:
Click To Enlarge
No other book has made an impact on the Church like the Book Of Romans. It is filled with basic Bible Doctrine that Paul gives to the Gentile Church for instruction in Righteousness and Godliness.
Pastor Poe takes this wonderful book and divides it into 22 doctrinal packed messages. This is a must hear by every Pastor and especially laymen. Every Bible Teacher will benefit from these messages. Some of the titles to Pastor Poe's messages are, "God vs Humanity", "How God handles hypocrits", "You can know for sure", "Is God through with the Jews?". These and 18 more powerful messages in this beautiful album
- Item #: 14
"The Constitution Of Christianity" The Book Of Romans
Reviews (0) Write a Review
No Reviews. Write a Review


text:
Return to Transcripts main page
Voters' Attitudes Changing on Abortion?; Birth Control For Nuns?
Aired January 22, 2014 - 18:28 ET
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANNOUNCER: Tonight on CROSSFIRE, one of the country's most explosive flashpoints-- UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The real war today is actually a war on motherhood. ANNOUNCER: -- with no room for compromise. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We cannot allow the opponents of life to continually weaken the moral fabric of our country. ANNOUNCER: Is the country changing? On the left, Sally Kohn. On the right, Newt Gingrich. In the CROSSFIRE, Ilyse Hogue, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America and Lila Rose, the president of Live Action. What's changing in the national debate and with voters' attitudes? Tonight on CROSSFIRE. (END VIDEO CLIP) SALLY KOHN, GUEST CO-HOST: Welcome to CROSSFIRE. I'm Sally Kohn on the left. NEWT GINGRICH, CO-HOST: I'm Newt Gingrich on the right. In the CROSSFIRE tonight, guests with very different views on the value of life. Today in Washington, we saw thousands of people in a minus 4 wind chill standing to protest babies being killed. In their view, it's a moral issue that is literally life and death. We've been having these marches since the Supreme Court decided Roe versus Wade 41 years ago. But here's what's different. New technologies now enable us to see that an unborn baby is a baby, not just a lot of tissue, and we now understand that unborn babies feel pain. Faced with this technology, killing babies becomes harder and harder to defend, which is why 64 percent of Americans now oppose any abortion in the second trimester, and 80 percent oppose third- trimester abortions. And that's why the debate is changing. KOHN: But, you know, here's the other issue you're missing in that introduction, Newt, which is this isn't about personal views on abortion. I respect your views. The difference is, my views don't infringe on your views. Whereas your position literally restricts my choices and my rights. In the CROSSFIRE tonight, Ilyse Hogue, the president of NARAL Pro- Choice America. And Lila Rose, president of Live Action, an anti- abortion group. Lila, just last year, 22 states enacted stricter abortion laws and we're seeing because of those laws in places like Texas, more and more women are choosing to self-abort. They're turning to self-abort as a resort, because there is no more access to safe and legal abortion in the state or limited. Don't you feel that your positions, your extreme positions are just forcing women toward these more dangerous options? LILA ROSE, PRESIDENT, LIVE ACTION: I think that we should dare to have a better view for America and our women by saying we shouldn't believe and have to think that women need abortion and that we have to kill our children to achieve the dreams and the careers and the families that we want. I think we can do better than that as a society. I think women deserve better. I think we should fight at the community level for programs that are positive that help women if they're single mothers. We should improve the foster care system. We should improve the adoption system so that we can welcome children to this country instead of seeing them as a threat and killing them by the thousands each day. KOHN: That's all valid. Can you answer that question, though, specifically which is for the women who still do choose abortion, restricting their option just leads them to more dangerous choices-- ROSE: Why are they -- why are they in that position? Why are they in the position to feel like abortion is their only option? Could it be because boss didn't want to promote them? Because a boyfriend was going to leave them, a university professor said, "We're not going to be flexible with our class schedule"? Let's look at the reasons, and let's address those reasons. But let's not turn to killing, dismembering, poisoning. Let's not turn to killing our littlest Americans as a solution to these problems. GINGRICH: Ilyse, let me ask you, you know, if you read the rationale of Roe versus Wade, it was based on a particular moment in time about viability of the baby and as a whole elaborate argument about that. The fact is, with new technologies and with new scientific breakthroughs, something like 80 to 90 percent of all babies survive after 26 weeks. Shouldn't we look seriously at how, if Roe versus Wade were being decided today, it would set a much later date and say that clearly, this is not -- this is no longer questionable: an abortion, anytime, anywhere. But it would say, you know, there is a cut-off because after that date, the baby clearly is viable and is a baby? ILYSE HOGUE, PRESIDENT, NARAL PRO-CHOICE AMERICA: Well, absolutely the vast majority -- vast majority of women who decide not to carry a pregnancy to term do so very, very early in their pregnancy. And in fact, the very far minority that get later, very complicated situations. Tests that come out terribly, either for the prospects of the life of the mother or the child that cannot be tested earlier. Very, very complicated decisions, which is why when Americans hear how complicated those situations are, that they are among the most complicated medically, they believe that the choice should remain between a woman and her doctor, and not with politicians who are not the experts. GINGRICH: So let me ask you this. Would you then accept that, after the first 26 weeks, a medical panel, say, of three doctors, would say, yes, this is a medically necessary case? Because candidly, what happened when we first looked at this was, if it's only one doctor and the doctor is an abortion doctor, the doctor always found a medical excuse. HOGUE: What we already have is a situation where Roe says, up until the point of viability, this is a choice that the woman can make. Beyond the point of viability, this is a choice that requires a medical expert to determine what the potential risks and outcomes are. And doctors actually impose restrictions all the time. We have case after case of doctors saying that this does not meet their own personal test. And that's exactly what the role of the doctor is. ROSE: I think an important question would be -- and I would ask this of NARAL -- is why is it that every single abortion regulation, limitation, restriction, anything, even the ones that most Americans agree with, for example a ban on sex-selective abortion, why would you lobby against that? Why would you be opposed to that? HOGUE: Most abortions are medical decisions that the majority of Americans vastly agree should be left between a woman and her doctor. The kinds of restrictions that have been imposed on the other side are manufactured restrictions to limit and narrow and narrow and narrow women's choices till they're forced into desperate situations exactly like what Sally is talking about. And in fact, where you and I agree, Lila, which is awesome, is that we should actually push for the kinds of opportunities and economic equality that allow women the broadest range of choices. And what we see is the politicians who vote to restrict abortion all the time disproportionately vote against -- in fact, the ACA, which provided prenatal and maternal care for women and equal pay and the kinds of things you're talking about that I agree with women need to make informed choices. KOHN: So I want to pick up on where you're going, Lila, and where you went, Newt (ph). Because there's a way in which folks who were opposed to abortion tried to portray some focus on later-term abortions to kind of paint this extreme picture of what Ilyse said, or a majority, vast majority, over 90 percent of abortions are earlier in the pregnancy. But let's talk about extremism for a second. Lila, I read -- heard that you said that women who are raped should be forced to carry their pregnancies to term. I think we have a clip we're going to roll. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ROSE: They're going to say, "Wow, that was a redemptive part of this suffering. That was something that helped to redeem it." But abortion adds more violence to that violent act of rape. (END VIDEO CLIP) KOHN: Are you really telling women that they should be forced by the government to carry their rapists' babies? ROSE: This is the way that I would answer that, Sally. When a woman is raped, that's a horrible injustice against her. The rapist should be held to the fullest extent of the law, liable for that, culpable for that. The woman needs healing and the support of her community. But an abortion doesn't un-rape a woman. An abortion just adds more violence on top of that first violence that she endured. And you look at the stories of someone like Rebecca Kiestling (ph), a woman who was conceived in rape, and she said, "Should I have received the death penalty for the crimes of my father?" I mean, if your father did something bad in his life, should you receive the crime -- should you receive the penalty for his crime? That's not fair. I mean, I think all of this comes down to this question: What is the life in the womb? What is the life in the womb? Is it a human life? Is it a life? Science says it's a life. KOHN: You are saying specifically-- ROSE: We should recognize the human rights of this whole group of people that we've denied rights for. And so we're dismembering them. We're poisoning them. We're ripping them apart. You mentioned, Sally, late-term abortion. I want to address that real quick. Late-term abortion is horrific. But all abortion is horrific, even in the first trimester. Keep in mind, heart is beating at 3 1/2 weeks. KOHN: We're not going to get into that right now. I want to go back-- ROSE: Why not? It's important to talk about. KOHN: You are saying -- you are saying, in effect, the rapist should have more rights than the woman to-- ROSE: Absolutely not. The rapist -- the rapist isn't allowed to kill that child either. The rapist shouldn't -- isn't allowed to kill anybody. No one's allowed to kill anybody. HOGUE: We live in a country where Lila Rose could decide that she would choose to carry her rapist's pregnancy to term, but her version of morality doesn't actually dictate what I can choose to do in that moment. And that's what religious liberty is about. It's about you getting to choose what would be right for you in that circumstance, but I don't get to tell you what to do, and you don't get to tell me. ROSE: But I agree with you until the point where your rights end where another person's rights begin. And there is another life in the womb. When you conceive, you now have a person inside of you. This is a beautiful thing, but-- HOGUE: That is what you believe. That is not what-- (CROSSTALK) ROSE: Science proves it. When you conceive, there is a unique, distinct human being that needs time and nourishment to grow. (CROSSTALK) KOHN: It's getting interesting. I want to add something to this conversation. If conservatives are really concerned about reducing abortions, I have three commonsense policies they should support but won't. I'll tell you what they are next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) KOHN: Welcome back. In the CROSSFIRE tonight, Ilyse Hogue and Lila Rose. Today, for the 41st year in a row, abortion remains constitutional, a fact that continues to frustrate the right wing. But here's what frustrates me. Conservatives always say they want fewer abortions. Progressives agree. We can all agree on that. So there's a whole laundry list of things that we know reduce the need for abortions in America. Let's start with sex education and contraception. And what about raising the minimum wage? Among other things, that would allow women to afford to raise children. So if conservatives really want to reduce the number of abortions in America, why are they opposing these policies that should be at the top of their agenda? GINGRICH: One of the things I love about liberalism is that-- KOHN: Glad there's something. GINGRICH: Whatever -- whatever is happening, you reach out to one of the five or six -- I'm surprised you didn't throw in, you know, global warming. I mean, there will be five or six other things we could work on, all of which would help. I just love that. That was very nicely done and weird. KOHN: But he didn't argue. So he must think I'm right. ROSE: I'd like to say something. KOHN: Lila, please go ahead. ROSE: I think it's been really fascinating to me and insulting, actually, to see all of this political discussion about women reduced to birth control, and not just any birth control but mostly hormone drugs, synthetic hormones that are pumped in women's bodies. There's the Yaz lawsuit happening right now, one of the most famous birth control pills of the last few years. Bayer corporation, that now 10,000 women have said how it's hurt them. There's even "Vanity Fair" exposing the NuvaRing, which was promoted by Planned Parenthood. No one is talking about the risks to women of these drugs. Even the World Health Organization called them a Group 1 carcinogen. I mean, that's the kind of thing that women deserve to know, right up there with the dangers of abortion. And it's not being talked about. And instead we're being told, "Just take this pill. It will reduce your fertility, and then you can be sexually available, do whatever and that will solve your problems." I don't think that's a good solution for women. HOGUE: I think it's really interesting. I'm with you, Sally. Shockingly, right? That I hear from Lila and people like Lila that their ultimate intent is to actually decrease the number of abortions, and yet we're blocking all of the things that we know actually do allow women to make informed choices on the front end and prevent unintended pregnancies. The countries that actually have the most access to comprehensive sex education, contraception, putting the information and knowledge and control in the hands of women actually have the lowest abortion rates. And we also know that 99 percent of American women at some time in their life use some form of contraception. That's why we're trying to get it better and better all the time. And contraception has changed just like every other pharmaceutical in the country. That has both helped her but also have risks, it's changing for the better. So, it is a woman's choice to be able to do that. But people like Lila actually block that because their view is that there is only one way to be a woman in this society, and they would like to use legislation to impose that morality on the rest of us. ROSE: I think that legislation, the rule of law, is to protect human rights. So, when we're talking about that aspect, when we're talking about life in the womb, we have to recognize that those are people, too, and they have rights, too. I mean, we can't maybe see them -- KOHN: Lila, how can you -- ROSE: -- or they can't talk to us at this table. But they're victims by the thousands each day. So, we need to recognize their human rights. The question about what's empowering to women, that's the discussion we can have. But it's never empowering to a woman to kill a child. (CROSSTALK) HOGUE: One thing we know -- this is where I see the split between people who say I personally believe abortion is immoral. And I would not do it but I don't want to impose that on anyone else. I believe it should be legal. The reason -- one reason for that is because we know and it's proven all over the world that when abortion is illegal, the number of abortions don't go down but the number of women dying go up. And what you are saying is that women's rights don't matter, women's health doesn't matter, women's mortality doesn't matter, it has no place in this conversation. And I find that to be very far outside of the mainstream of most people's experience. ROSE: Ilyse, the founder of your organization NARAL, Bernard Nathanson, said the numbers that a lot of the pro-abortion activists at the time of Roe came up with about all these back alley abortions were hugely out of the water exaggerated. And he even said, "We lied." He straight up said, "We fabricated numbers." So, I think that we first have to address this idea that hundreds of thousands of women just want to always have abortions no matter what. No, it's legal, it's paid for by the government and we're being told by society that this is the solution to our problems. (CROSSTALK) HOGUE: Study after study shows -- ROSE: Ireland, no abortion, some of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the world, lower than the United States and they have no abortion laws. HOGUE: Ireland has terrible tragedy that created enormous rights. GINGRICH: Let me ask you -- ROSE: And abortion wouldn't solve that problem. GINGRICH: Let me ask you a question. You keep talking about the right to choose. The fact is that the left is so committed to its world view that the Obama administration currently is in the middle of a lawsuit with a group that you could hardly imagine -- this is -- you couldn't make this up. But just take a picture, you know, the fact is that the Little Sisters of the Poor are currently in a fight with the federal government over eliminating their religious liberty as they define it. So, you've been -- wait a second -- you've been aggressively here saying, we have religious liberty, we have the right to -- these folks who said flatly, requiring them to do what the Obama administration wants is a direct violation of their beliefs and they simply want the government to let them alone. HOGUE: The Little Sisters of the Poor do amazing work. I think everybody around this table agrees with that. And, in fact, what they need to do is sign a form that -- GINGRICH: Why? HOGUE: -- affirms their opposition to contraception -- GINGRICH: Why? HOGUE: Affirms their opposition to contraception. Let me tell you what happens after that, none of their employees get contraception, then they can go back to doing their work. What that's not true for -- what that's not true for, is the tens of thousands of employees of Hobby Lobby and the dozens of -- GINGRICH: I want to stay -- I want to stay on this case because it is central to the future of the United States. This is a religious organization engaging and helping poor people who are both Catholic -- HOGUE: Nobody's arguing that, absolutely. GINGRICH: OK, and what they have said clearly is they aren't going to sign this form because their interpretation of it is a violation of their religious beliefs. Now, why does the government have to be totalitarian and say, oh, no, not even -- not even a group of nuns can do this, we're going to impose on everyone what we want. And we're going to interpret for you what you're allowed to believe? HOGUE: Have you seen the form? The form literally says, we are a litigious organization who oppose contraception -- (CROSSTALK) GINGRICH: The form is a lie. The form is a lie. ROSE: We need to add two important things to this debate. First of all, the fact that the contraceptive mandate is not just about birth control. It's also about abortifacient drugs, like Plan B, that can kill a child in the earliest -- in the early trimester. The second thing is I still haven't heard a response about Yaz drugs or about NuvaRing and about how it's wrecking women's bodies by putting synthetic hormones on them that men, by the way, don't want to take, right? There's no synthetic hormone drug for men for birth control. Women are the ones pumping our bodies with fake progestins, all of these things. What about that? Do you think that's good for women? I think that that -- I'd like to hear an answer to that one, because that's the big promotion. (CROSSTALK) KOHN: -- jumping the shark, too. You know, I don't think we're going to get into a medical debate about various contraceptive options. What is interesting to me, I think you know this, Newt, is the Little Sisters case, they have to sign the form. End of story. This isn't about trying to unravel the contraceptive mandate. And this is about -- what I don't understand is if we want to prevent abortions, why is the right simultaneously going after access to contraception. Why? You don't have to use them. ROSE: I don't know how the government which is forcing groups like Little Sisters, like pro lifers, women to pay for drugs that are killing human life, indirectly, directly. HOGUE: None of the Little Sisters -- (CROSSTALK) ROSE: Or drugs that are damaging to women's bodies. The World Health Organization -- (CROSSTALK) HOGUE: Let me ask you a question. So my dad's on blood pressure drugs. It actually has side effects. It also gives him a better quality of life. He's chosen that. He knows the side effects. We know the side effects of birth control. Why can't we make that same choice? ROSE: And why -- HOGUE: Are you suggesting that insurance shouldn't cover blood pressure drugs because it has side effects? Or -- ROSE: I'm saying -- HOGUE: -- is the preventatives? ROSE: I'm suggesting that our fertility is not a sickness, that we need to medicate and that causes all of these side effects, strokes, deaths. That's why 10,000 women. I'm on Facebook. I'm in the class of 25-year-old woman. So, I'm seeing ads regularly, join the Yaz lawsuit to fight against this Bayer Pharmaceutical Company for what they've done to women all over America. Why don't we know more about the risks as women? HOGUE: I think this is a great point. The World Health Organization -- ROSE: I don't hear NARAL -- HOGUE: World Health Organization around the world, this is important -- (CROSSTALK) GINGRICH: Stay here. Next, the final question for both of our guests. We also want you at home to weigh in on today's "Fireback" question. Does a candidate's position on abortion impact your vote? Tweet yes or no using #crossfire. We'll have the results after the break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) GINGRICH: We're back with Ilyse Hogue and Lila Rose. Now, it's time for the final question. Let me ask you, I'm just curious, because in many ways you seem reasonable. HOGUE: OK. GINGRICH: No. So, here's my question -- are there any legal restrictions on abortion in the ninth month, the eighth month? Are there any legal restrictions that you can support? HOGUE: Absolutely. I mean, abortion is restricted post Roe all the time, but what I do believe is medical -- GINGRICH: So, tell us -- HOGUE: But I'm not a medical professional. I believe that the law as it exists actually supports the expert's making the determination about when those restrictions need to be put in place. GINGRICH: Would you permit three doctors on a panel instead of just the abortion doctor? HOGUE: There's no such thing as just an abortion doctor. Doctors perform a variety of services including a full suite of reproductive health. And many, many states do require more than one opinion. And, you know, I think that is absolutely up to the states but that restrictions are imposed all the time by the people that they should be the medical professionals in consultation with the individual case. ROSE: What about sex selective abortion of girls? Would that be prohibited? KOHN: We could to a whole other show on the mythology of that one. Lila, let me ask you. You're a conservative. Conservatives say they are -- they want smaller government. How do you defend the dramatic expansion of government power to control women's bodies and their choices? ROSE: I think that women's bodies and their choices shouldn't be controlled by the government, but my choices, again, end when another person's choices begin. We have to stop talking about a woman who's pregnant as if she's only a woman who's pregnant and there's no other life inside her. We have to wake up to the world of science and reason. What biology teaches us is this is an individual, unique human life, all the chromosomes. It just needs time and nourishment to grow. That's what the truth is out there. So, I think we need to wake up to that and then we can start building positive policy for everybody. GINGRICH: I want to thank Ilyse Hogue and Lila Rose. We definitely have to have you both back. Go to Facebook or Twitter to weigh in our "Fireback" question. Does a candidate's position of abortion impact your vote? Right now, 66 percent of you say yes, 34 percent say no. The debate continues online at CNN.com/crossfire as well as on Facebook and Twitter. KOHN: From the left, I'm Sally Kohn. GINGRICH: From the right, I'm Newt Gingrich. Join us tomorrow for another edition of CROSSFIRE. "ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.


text:
Mike Luke
After arriving in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1969, and finding no club to play for, Luke established the St. John's club and was co-founder of the Newfoundland Rugby Union and its first president.
Luke played 16 test matches for Canada, making his debut in 1974 against Tonga and bowing out against the USA in 1982. Luke captained Canada on eight occasions. He also represented the Barbarians on three occasions and was a member of the Overseas XV that played against Wales as part of the Welsh Rugby Union Centenary celebrations. He also played for the Meralomas in Canada and for the Pirates R.F.C. and Harlequins F.C. in the UK.
He was the coach and manager of Canada's sevens team in the 1981 Hong Kong Sevens and also coached Canada's U21 team from 1987-1989. He was an assistant coach and manager of the Canadian squad that reached the quarterfinals of the 1991 Rugby World Cup.
Luke served on the Board of Rugby Canada and was a member and then Chair of the Rugby Canada National Coaching Committee for over 20 years. He became a Master Coach in Canada's National Coaching Certification Program before being elected Chair of the National Coaching Certification Council in 1993.
In 1999, Luke was the recipient of the 3M Coaching Association of Canada Coaching Award for Sport Development and in 2006 received the IRB Development Award for his contributions to the growth of rugby in Canada.


text:
We talked about sugary cereals last week, and reader Brian mentioned Kaboom. Wow, I really remember this cereal. I think it was one of the less-sugary sugary cereals out there, and it certainly didn't have the cool characters the others did--it had a kind of pathetic clown on the box. I loved it anyway.
According to Wikipedia, "Quentin Tarantino's 2003 movie Kill Bill Vol. 1 included a scene in which character Vernita Green uses a gun hidden in a box of Kaboom cereal in an attempt to kill The Bride." Heh, I kind of remember that.
But Kaboom cereal wasn't the only thing out there with that name. Kaboom was also a cool Activition video game for the Atari 2600. A little mad bomber guy in prison stripes dropped bombs on you and you used the paddle controller to try and catch them.
There is an awesome and much-improved version of the game online here. Our charming but sad 2600 version had nothing on this.


text:
We sell beautiful antique jewellery boxes from the Victorian, Georgian and Edwardian periods, and vintage jewellery boxes from the Art Deco period and onwards to the 1980s.
The majority of our boxes are made of wood, from beautiful varieties including Walnut, Rosewood, Mahogany, Satinwood, Oak and Olive Wood. Many are inlaid with decorative materials such as Mother of Pearl, hardwoods, fruitwoods and Brass, and many are beautifully hand painted. Some are finely detailed with forms of birds and insects, such as beautiful Swallows and Butterflies, and some have beautiful organic subjects such as Roses, Pansies and Forget Me Not's. Many of these subjects have symbolic endearments which are very meaningful to the recipients of our boxes!
Many of our boxes have luxurious interiors, lined with satin, silk and velvet, and most have their original locks and keys.
We have several lovely musical boxes with tunes which again can be very meaningful, and we have boxes made from other materials such as Silver, Leather and Papier Mache. We also sell presentation boxes for individual pieces of jewellery, and have some beautiful little pill boxes as well.
From classic Victorian Jewellery boxes, to stylish angular Art Deco jewellery boxes, we cater to suit all tastes, and if you don't happen to find what you are looking for, we have a Source A Box service available! This is completely free of charge and you are not obligated to purchase the boxes we find for you.
Our boxes come from all over the world, from England, France, Italy, Scandinavia, and Japan, to name just a few places. Many of our European boxes have secret double locking mechanisms!
Click here to view our complete range of Antique Jewellery Boxes
Enjoy £10 off your 1st order + FREE Next Day delivery in the UK.
Enter promotional code NCD10 at checkout and click recalculate to receive your discount.
A selection of our jewellery boxes. Please click the photos to view and purchase.
Stylish vinyl case from Harrods for the storage of documents, letters and photos etc. White metal clasp, gold metal corner protectors and carry handle. Burgundy leather appearance.
Beautiful rustic hand made African box for jewellery, trinkets or Knick-knacks. Hand-carved wild African animals and Acacia trees. New cushioned white felt lining.
Beautiful Retro 1950s vintage jewellery box. Made of Oak. Stylish angular sarcophagus shape and original interior linings. 4 storage compartments. Polished glossy finish.
Beautiful antique Victorian jewellery box with Walnut Veneer and beautiful shell inlay. Stunning partially refurbished silk and satin lined interior with multiple compartments. Working lock and key.
Stunning antique Victorian jewellery box with a rare Fernware design. Beautifully refurbished satin and foil lined interior. Enamel painted lid with Ferns and Sweet Peas. Working lock and key.
Beautiful vintage Japanese musical jewellery box playing Swan Lake. Glossy lacquered finish and hand painted Japanese landscape scenes. The interior has a revolving ballerina and beautiful cerise pink linings.
We provide full and thorough descriptions of our boxes and research every one to bring you as much information about it as possible. Numerous photos are also provided so you can be sure to choose the perfect box.
All of our boxes are available to post immediately, and are sent securely packaged in sturdy boxes to keep them safe during transit. Your order includes free postage within the UK by Royal Mail Next Day Special Delivery, and we have a no quibble 28 day returns policy for your peace of mind.
We post worldwide! Please see our Orders And Delivery page for full UK & International shipping details.
As a new customer you can enjoy £10 off your 1st order (see the offer above) and we have a fabulous customer loyalty scheme where returning customers can receive a big 15% discount on all subsequent orders. You will receive your 15% discount code by email, after placing your 1st order with us.
The Old Jewellery Box Shop was established online back in 2008. We are a trusted company with many years of experience, selling in shops before moving our company onto the internet. You can read much more about us and what services we provide by viewing the following page!
We are very friendly here at The Old Jewellery Box Shop so please don't hesitate to get in touch for any help and advice. Please call us on 07595 492846. Alternatively you can contact us here or via our social media pages below!
Follow us on Facebook for our latest additions and promotions. Read about our Facebook page here.
The Old Jewellery Box Shop's Facebook Page.


text:
Segal McCambridge shareholder Paul Wojcicki (Chicago) and associate Andre Harlfinger (New York) will speak at the Warranty Chain Management Conference 2014, on Wednesday, March 12, 2014, in San Diego, CA.
"Staying On The Right Side Of The Law: Anatomy Of The Service Contract Regulatory Compliance Assessment Process & Practical Steps To Avoid A Regulatory Nightmare"
Andre Harlfinger
March 12, 2014
3:45 – 4:20 pm
"Big Data – Big Headaches: New And Emerging Legal Liability And Litigation Issues At The Dawn Of The Big Data Era"
Paul Wojcicki
March 12, 2014
4:55 pm – 5:30 pm
About the speakers:
Paul Wojcicki is a shareholder in Segal McCambridge's Chicago office, and chair of the firm's appellate and warranty sub-committees. He concentrates his practice on complex litigation in state and federal courts across the country. Mr. Wojcicki handles cases involving products liability claims, commercial disputes, and UCC and related warranty litigation, and is a veteran member of the warranty-litigation defense bar. He represents product manufacturers across several industries and markets, including automobile, motorcycle, personal watercraft, and RV makers, over-the-road and specialty truck-makers, automotive component and systems suppliers, personal electronics makers, and retail dealers. He serves on the board of directors for the Global Warranty and Service Contract Association, and belongs to several other professional organizations.
Andre Harlfinger is an associate in Segal McCambridge's New York office, and focuses his practice on litigation and insurance coverage. Throughout his career, Mr. Harlfinger has held positions with law firms, insurers, and a large insurance broker. He advises Fortune 100 clients concerning D&O coverage and major claim handling issues, negotiates resolutions to coverage disputes, and develops policy wording for underwriters and brokers. He is a member of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society and has also served on the Insurance Law Committee for the Association of the Bar of the City of New York for many years.


text:
Episode 43: Other Halves (1984)
In our final episode of 2017 we watch Other Halves, a "dangerous love story" from novelist Sue McCauley and director John Laing. With McCauley adapting her own story for the screen and Laing having proved his directing chops with Beyond Reasonable Doubt, Other Halves looks like it has all the ingredients for a successful drama but commercial compromises threaten to send it off the rails. Hayden and L.J. sit down to discuss a movie that turns out to be more bizarre than either of them could have expected.


text:
MOVIE REVIEW: Warrior
It's a shame that mixed martial arts, MMA for short, is commonly misunderstood as a mindless, heartless, brutal, and sick sport. It's a shame that people don't get how hard those fighters work, how athletic they are, how disciplined they are, and how technical the sport itself is. All some people are going to see are the tattoos and the cage and call them modern animals and cockfighters. Let's hope an exciting, dramatic, and inspiring movie like Warrior can change those preconceived notions, stereotypes, and perceptions. Go ahead and anoint it a double-headed Rocky for a new generation, because that level of praise is more than deserving. They're really got something here.
Warrior sets this course out with an over-arching story about a detached Pittsburgh area family. Joel Edgerton (soon to be seen in The Thing remake) is Brendan Conlon, a well-liked high school physics teacher who married his high school sweetheart, Tess (Jennifer Morrison), and raises two darling daughters. He and Tess work several jobs just to make ends meet and keep their house out of foreclosure. To his wife's dismay, one of Brendan's sources of income is fighting in amateur mixed martial arts events at seedy local bars and clubs.
Brendan's father, Paddy (Nick Nolte, perfectly cast, in all seriousness, despite the sarcasm that one could make of it), was a hard drunk who adamantly trained his two sons in high school-style wrestling when they were younger. That younger brother is the troubled Tommy, played by rising star Tom Hardy (Inception and the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises). Years ago, he was the son that left town with their mother to get away from Paddy and never looked back. He has spent that time away in the U.S. Marine Corps and mysteriously shows up on Paddy's doorstep after years away.
Not seeking forgiveness, redemption, or reconnection, Tommy is purely interested in getting his father to train him again in fighting. For reasons all his own, Tommy begins to train in MMA at a local gym and shows up (to the world's pleasure on YouTube) the top middleweight contender in the world in a sparring match. This surprise success gets him a shot at competing in Sparta, an upcoming international winner-take-all tournament of the best fighters in the world taking place in Atlantic City.
On the other side of town, once the school principal (Kevin Dunn) and school board get wind of Brendan's not-so-upstanding side-job, he is suspended from teaching without pay. This only forces Brendan to compete more for the kind of money it's going to take to stave off foreclosure from the bank. He too enlists an old friend, prominent MMA trainer and manager Frank Campana (Frank Grillo), to get him back to peak condition at his 30+ age. When Campana's top fighter goes down to injury, Brendan earns his spot in the Sparta tournament, where the top prize would more than save his house and family.
As you can tell, especially if you've seen the trailers, this sets up a collision course of brothers in the world of MMA, with separation and father drama mixed in for good measure. Much like last summer's The Karate Kid remake, where you know what's on the horizon all movie, the journey the characters take to get there sucks you in and melts the inherent predictability away. This build-up of solid storytelling from director Gavin O'Connor (Disney's Miracle) makes the action and suspense that culminates at the end so much better and more meaningful.
The usual cliches and trappings of sports movies, fight movies, and stories of competitive brothers are still part of the movie's formula, but bulked up, so to speak. You get your training montage, but this time there's two very different ones going on at the same time and no "Gonna Fly Now" song is needed to build the drama and suspense. The implied and unseen family drama does that for you.
O'Connor and his fellow writers brilliantly and wisely resist the typical cliche of flashbacks and monologues to overtly tell the entire hard back-story of the Conlon household. We, the audience, have to build that vision ourselves using only our observations of Paddy's behavior and the subtle/not-so-subtle mannerisms of the brothers when they are around their father or each other. Once the cage doors start closing, the bells start ringing, and the fists fly, Warrior hits an even higher gear. The matches and fight scenes generate thrills, chills, cheers, and even some tears. True and sharp-eyed MMA fans might find the scenes overblown and overly dramatized by Hollywood, but those viewers new to the sport will be nothing short of impressed by the sport's physicality, pace, skill, and suspense.
Like Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter last year, Edgerton and Hardy make believable fighters, look the part, and work the heck out that action. However, those two men are far deeper than their gritty physiques and sweaty brows. Their equally good non-fight acting in this legitimate family drama is what really lifts the movie above the muck like 2008's Never Back Down or anything fantastical Jean-Claude Van Damme fighter movie of a generation ago. It goes to show that you just can't look the part, but you have to be the part too.
LESSON #1: THE UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BROTHERS AND FATHERS-- This type of lesson shows up in a great many movies and the very complicated and unique relationship between the Conlon family men earns its rightful place here. One impressive fact about Warrior is that all of the dark alcoholic times that clearly scarred the sons and soured their adult relationships are merely suggested and told entirely off-screen, yet still carry immense power.
LESSON #2: THE LENGTHS TO WHICH DESPERATE MEN WILL DO-- As hinted before, both Tommy and Brendan have their own dire and personal reasons for trying to win the big purse of the Sparta tournament. Their reasons are legitimate and they drive their training, determination, focus, and competition, honorably so, in fact.
LESSON #3: THE TRUE DEFINITION OF FORGIVENESS-- All three of our Conlon men seek the redemption and cleared conscience that comes in forgiveness. However, seeking it and earning it are two different things, which our men learn the not-so-nice way and for good reason. It's this push by each of the three Conlon men, done in their own unique way and for their own personal reasons, is what gives Warrior its poignancy beyond its competitive action and suspense.


text:
Low Frequency, Active Monopole Antenna ideal for low frequency measurements.
A.H. Systems' Active Monopole Antenna provides superior performance in electric field measurements. The Active Monopole Antenna can drive any receiver with 50 ohm input impedance and will perform FCC, MIL-STD and TEMPEST tests. The SAS-550-2 includes a battery pack and charger for open field test sites that may not have ready access to outlets.
* Calibration data and certificate included.
|Frequency Range:
|100 Hz - 60 MHz
|Antenna Factor:
|0 dB/m
|50 ohm
|Pattern Type:
|BNC-Type, female
|Mounting Base:
|¼ - 20 Thread, female
|Physical Dimensions:
|Ground Plane Dimensions:
|18 in. X 18 in. (45.7 cm x 45.7 cm)
|Rod Length:
|8.5 in. - 43 in. (21.6 cm x 109.2 cm)
|4.7 lb.'s (2.13 kg)
|Supplied Accessories
|Battery Charger (P/N: 2351)
|Telescoping Rod (P/N: 2337-1)


text:
Eastern Europe is a fun and exciting place to travel once you've ticked off all the big famous tourist cities. I spend a month visiting the Czech Republic, Poland, Budapest and Croatia. I absolutely loved my time in Prague, Czech Republic and here is my pick of the top six must dos in Prague.
I loved Prague and found it to be a magical city with so many wonderful things to see. Narrowing it down to six is pretty damn impossible but here's the list! I've cheating along the way by squeezing a few more things in! But hey – its Prague, often referred to as the heart of Europe.
1) Explore the Old Town of Prague
I'm including Charles Bridge in the Old Town recommendation. I know its cheating but a list of six is very difficult. The Charles bridge is incredibly beautiful but also covered in tourists – go very early or late in the evening for a quieter stroll along the bridge. For a special view of the bridge which you won't find in your average guidebook walk down to the Franz Kafka Museum where you will find an opening to the water and plenty of swans.
The Old Town of Prague is incredibly beautiful and packed with History. To learn more about the Old Town I would recommend taking a free walking tour. The tour starts at 10am from the Astronomical clock for two and a half hours. I found the walk beautiful and greatly increased my appreciation for the history of Prague. (Fun fact from my tour: Prague is the only city in the world with Cubist Architecture)
2) Eat aaaall the food
I seem to have 'Eat like a local' on all my must do lists. I can't help it! I'm food obsessed! And Prague has some serious foodie treats!
Prague is famous for Trdelnik which is a rolled tube of grilled dough sprinkled with sugar and nuts. It is absolutely delicious and you can find out more and where I found some here.
I was visiting Prague during the summer months and was desperate to find some good gelato. I thought I would struggle to match my gelato experiences in Rome but I struck gold with Angelato and their pistachio gelato just off the Old Town Square.
And while we are discussing all things sweet – I discovered an incredible Bakery called the Bakeshop which stocked every kind of cake or pastry you could ever wish for. Even if you don't have a budget for fancy cakes pop in to feast your eyes!
3) Petrin Tower
Climb up the mini Eiffel tower of Prague to get an amazing view! The Petrin Tower allows a view of many of the tourist highlights including the Prague Castle and Charles Bridge.
While in the Petrin Tower area don't forget to visit the Memorial of the Victims of Communism in Prague which is a very striking memorial with very tasteful art.
4) The Lennon Wall
The Lennon wall is absolutely magical! It started in the 1980s when students used to fill the wall with John Lennon-inspired graffiti and pieces of lyrics from Beatles songs. At the time the wall was a passive protest agasint the communism regime but now stands as a symbol of love and peace. The original graffiti has long been covered but now people come from all over the world and share their message on the wall. It is truly wonderful to see a wall covered with messages of love, acceptance and peace. Definitely worth a visit! Can be found just under Charles Bridge on the Castle side. Bring a marker pen and share your message.
Location: Velkopřevorské náměstí, Malá Strana.
5) Explore the Troja area
Troja is a little outside the touristy area of Prague. I had to take an underground and a bus to get to my final destination and I got a little lost. I got lost because I'm not good at busses not because it is difficult. But the day I spent in the Troja area was probably one of my favourites and is worth the little extra travel time.
While in Troja I visited the Prague Zoo! I love Zoos! There was so much to see and do and the zoo I could easy have spent a few hours. My favourites were the beautiful giraffes, the polar bear swimming laps and all the different foxes. I must visit for both young and old!
And I visited the Botanical Gardens which was very special because there wasn't a single tourist in sight! The highlights of my time in the gardens was walking barefooted through the statue garden especially the charming kissing couple statue. I loved the Japanese gardens filled with intricate bonsai trees, water features and little arch bridges over the running streams. The Vineyards of St Claire were established in the 13th Century and the top of the vineyards offer the most wonderful view over the Troja Region and the Troja Palace.
Don't forget to visit the Troja Chateau which is a gorgeous brick red and white chateau complete with a french style garden and magnificent staircases one of which contains a whole gallery of statuary with scenes of the Greek gods of Olympus fighting the Titans. The Chateau is across the road from the zoo and it is free to walk around the grounds.
6) Treasure hunt for David Cerny's Public Sculptures
Before I left for Prague I did many many hours of research. During my research I found out about the artsist David Černý who scattered his art all over Prague. I had a long list of art pieces and locations and set out to find them all. I did a lot of walking and only managed to find these three! What was fantastic about this treasure hunt is that while I was walking around Prague I saw many wonderful things I might not have seen without the hunt.
The two gentlemen above are peeing into an area shaped like the Czech Republic and writing famous quotes from Prague with the water stream.
Below is Man Hanging out which is Sigmund Freud hanging from a beam near the Old Town. And Horse which is a Patron Saint sitting on top if an upside down dead horse.
Happy Prague exploring! Have you visited before? What are your must sees?


text:
Jimmy Choo Bags
Iconic in the luxury world, the brand Jimmy Choo mixes femininity and elegance for a glamour result. The Jimmy Choo bags stand out by their surprising shapes, high quality materials and luxurious craftsman-perfect finish. Among the most fashionable models of bags are the lines Rebel and Lockett, which became iconic of the brand. Metallic, from leather, denim or with glitters, the Jimmy Choo bags seduce by their singular and elegant design.
Jimmy Choo Bags and accessories
With its glittery details, the clutch Céleste S will be ideal to wear during an elegant night-out. On the contrary, the Riley tote bag, more functional, will be perfect for a daily-use combined with a casual look. Timelessly refined, the Jimmy Choo clutches and bags are to be (re)discovered on MONNIER Frères. In addition to the Jimmy Choo bags, discover also the other accessories from the brand, like the Jimmy Choo sunglasses.


text:
The IELTS test listening ingredient is sort of this site difficult for most IELTS candidates.
You can find a lot of material on the net for bettering your IELTS listening capabilities, but there appears to certainly be a insufficient information on some fundamentals for understanding the fundamental mechanisms, and perhaps less pertaining to a far more typical discussion on what candidates can perform to improve their listening skills being a full.
An important issue is those that are accustomed to the Cambridge general examinations FCE, CAE and CPE, really should be aware there are some crucial dissimilarities pertaining to the format. The final examinations test to what extent you are e.g. a sophisticated or perhaps a proficient pupil, as could be the situation e.g. along with the Certification of Proficiency of English (CPE). Which means that it truly is a segmented examination which will both be handed or failed.
The IELTS is different. It can be a basic academically-oriented English check for college kids across quite a few degrees. It helps make utilization of a 0 to nine marking scheme (from newbie to specialist consumer). This certain characteristic would make a distinction – one and that is felt for the taker and for the evaluator as well.
Consider one example is the IELTS listening passage. It truly is played as soon as only, whereas the CAE listening passage is performed twice. Which means that establishing mapping techniques and understanding the concept of triggers and distractors is different – you will need to educate your note-taking qualities.
Common beliefs
You'll find several usually noticed beliefs in regards to producing IELTS listening abilities. Quite often people today adhere towards the concept that accent is the major problem. Even though is it an element which distinct accents can complicate issues substantially, you will discover other more urgent aspects. It so takes place that once we are at ease that has a speaker, we foresee and deduce information much additional efficiently. This enables us to better obtain a general grasp of the details specified. This reported, many IELTS candidates building their IELTS listening techniques, however focus excessive on comprehending personal vocabulary, when they must be focusing on which means at sentence stage. This can certainly be a major problem like a certain overflow of data will take position.
Whilst the prospect contemplates meaning of one term of phrase, segments in the pursuing discourse is misplaced. Another urgent problem is usually that spoken language functions some intrinsic features which can be fairly tough. Pauses, improve of speed, and so on. may lead to complications to the component of your listener.
Mapping out a listening passage
Listening passages across most certificates these since the TOEIC, TOEFL, CAE, CPE, IELTS and other individuals, all have some functions in common. Among these is definitely the move of information or the distribution of these while in the passage, and the usage of triggers and distractors.
Triggers may be described as keywords and phrases that direct up to the answer within the listening passage remaining performed. Distractors are just what the name implies…keywords intended to distract you.
When getting ready for your IELTS listening component, look at the passage a sine wave with highs and lows, the curve creating up to the top. Triggers are observed as the curve moves upward. On the very top that you are very likely to locate the reply. By way of this analogy, you may comprehend that the complete notice isn't generally obtained as solutions appear and go considerably as the highs and lows of the tide.
You can find of course no easy system, but here follows some strategies to have you going:
Pay attention to and attempt to understand distinctive passages and speakers. Play passages a lot of instances. Get started by obtaining the final concept within just the passage, then, while you pay attention once again for any 2nd, 3rd and fourth time and many others., more and even more specifics will become obvious. Practice this persistently, and a lot more information and facts you may be ready to know the first time you pay attention. It is actually an arduous course of action, but it is the one way.


text:
By: John
John lives in California and participates in our custom program with the Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund.
I have been involved in SV2 teens for 5 years, and I joined the leadership team last year. The reason I decided to join was because my sisters were involved, but I continued to work with SV2 because I have loved learning about philanthropy and the organizations that help change our community. Through the program, I have learned how to evaluate a nonprofit organization based on three main factors: the sustainability, scope, and success of their work. It is crucial for a philanthropic organization to try to solve a problem at the roots, thus creating long-term change rather than "bandaid" fixes. At the end of the year, we have a major grant making decision
I have learned about countless organizations, including HIP Housing, Downtown Streets Team, and the Bill Wilson Center. In addition to volunteering with these organizations for a day, we learn about everything about them, including their budget, size, and how they evaluate their success. The people volunteering at these nonprofits always inspire me with their dedication and passion for their work, which makes me really excited about the possibilities of philanthropic work. This is my favorite part of SV2; every time we visit an organization, I feel more motivated and more prepared to create change in our community.
Through these organizations we visited, I have learned that even if it is unrealistic, it is crucial to have a long-term vision in mind. For example, a vision could be "a world in which all people have equal access to education." This vision motivates people to keep working towards a better future. This is our topic for this year: education programs for low-income youth. I am incredibly excited about this theme because I feel that education is essential to breaking the cycle of poverty. It is increasingly important for students to finish high school and college in order to get a good job in this country, meaning it is unjust for underprivileged kids to have little access to a good education. For this reason I can't wait to learn more about organizations working to solve this problem. I am really excited for this year because we have a bigger grant than usual and will be able to make a more significant difference in these organizations.


text:
Since posting the Tree Carving Quilt I made for my mom last week we have received many wonderful emails and feedback. I see it floating around Pinterest and I can't tell you what a thrill it is to see people pinning something I made.
We have had many people ask if we could make one for them and we are now listing custom Tree Carving Quilts in our Etsy store. So far I have the baby and lap size listed but I will be listing full, queen, and king soon. If a listing sells for the size you are needing it will be re-listed once we have finished the order.
Heather made the one above. Its gorgeous. I can't wait to get our first order and make their custom love heart, knowing it will be a special gift for someone.


text:
Behavior Modification--It takes some time!
Behavior modification is quite a process, and when you're dealing with dangerous behavior from your dog, working with a qualified balanced training professional is your best bet to see real change in your dog. For many people the idea of leaving your dog for weeks with someone can be hard to digest, but in a lot of behavior modification situations it is truly the best way to see change.
Your dog needs a total reboot--out of it's environment of bad behaviors, away from people who trigger emotional responses, and into a 24/7 life of structure, work, and intensive change. To change your dog's state of mind, we have to totally hit "restart" and build new behaviors in a new environment, so that your dog knows how to make different choices that he can apply to his MUCH more challenging home environment. Many dogs are stuck in a toxic cycle of behavior at home, and the best thing we as owners can do is "let them go for a while" so that a professional can give them what they need.
Think about why drug and alcohol rehab happens somewhere else, for many weeks, with qualified professionals--because the patterns of everyday life play into addiction--just as they do to your dog's aggressive/anxious/fearful behavior. AND the key to continued success is the at home program that is strictly applied to. We are only as successful as the efforts put in afterwards :)
If you are looking for help in the Orlando area, please visit my website Www.taketheleadk9training.com. If you're elsewhere and need help, feel free to write in the comments below--I have amazing colleagues changing lives all over the country :)