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It all started when Tiger's agent, Nancy Novogard, called to ask if we would be available to shoot a feature film. I suppose I should add that yes, my adorable, three-and-a-half-year-old Terrier mix, whom I adopted when he was just nine weeks, has an agent. And while he's shot a variety of photo spreads for magazines and books (Vogue, Bark's DogJoy), appeared onstage with David Letterman, performed Off-Broadway, and now appears in a national commercial (CSX trains), he has never done a feature film.
"He'll need to bark — incessantly," Nancy added.
Of course, I was lying — just a bit. Tiger does "speak" on command, but to him this means ONE BARK, then stop. As dogs go, he's just not a barker. That said, I have trained him to "count" — which really means BARK-UNTIL-IGIVE- YOU-THE-CUE-TO-STOP. Now, I just needed to keep it going.
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The bigger problem, though, was that as Tiger barked, he kept moving closer and closer to me. How could I get the distance needed on a set while getting him to stay on his mark?
I called my friend Christine Mahaney, whose Border Collie rescue, Toula, has film credits aplenty. Christine is also an animal trainer/wrangler for dogs — plus myriad other animals ranging from rats and chickens to deer — in the Detroit, Mich., region.
"OK," she said, in her adorable Midwestern accent. "Here's what you do: Tie his leash to a banister or something, and start close — don't let the leash get tight. Then back away — making sure he keeps the leash loose. Work slow. That's what I had to do with Toula."
A week later, I awoke to torrents of rain. I needed to get us to a studio in Queens for the audition, which meant hailing a cab, as Tiger is just too large (28 pounds) to carry in a bag on the subway. As a native New Yorker, I do not own a car.
Getting a cab when it's pouring, however, is never easy. And with a wet dog…
A yellow taxi stopped. The driver looked at Tiger. I said, "I promise I will give you a big tip."
We arrived at Kaufman Studios in Queens, just under the 59th Street Bridge. Tiger wandered around, sniffing, while I checked out the competition. There was an 18-week-old Tibetan Terrier. Adorable — but could he bark on cue? A three-pound Yorkie. Hardly the kind of dog a street kid would pick up. There was also a cute, terribly energetic Cockapoo, and a Poodle-y mix. One of the owners tried to practice as we waited.
"SPEAK." (Nothing.)
"SPEAK." (The dog sat.)
"SPEAK!" (The dog jumped up on the settee.)
I looked at Tiger, feeling snarky.
"Tiger. SPEAK!"
I stopped wiggling my fingers and smiled, feeling all smug and cocky.
"Good boy!"
Dan, the prop master, led us down the hall to the audition room — really just a small office-like space. I noticed a poster along the way: Son of No One
Was that the title of the film we were auditioning for? I wondered.
We walked to the back of the studios. There were about five men, including director Dito Montiel, first assistant director Urs Hirschbiegel and a few others. Someone said, "OK — so let's hear him bark." I leaned down to take the leash off when Urs added, "Actually, he'll be on leash for this."
I smiled and handed the leash to Urs.
"Tiger. SPEAK!"
After about five seconds I said, "How's that?"
The men exchanged glances. "Great. OK — now we need — will he grab a pant leg and shake — like he's attacking?"
Huh? Not so comfy or snarky now.
"Uh… no one told me that."
"Well, can he?"
"He knows PULL." I took out a toy.
"Tiger, PULL!!!"
Tiger grabbed the toy and pulled and pulled with all his might, tearing at the green alien stuffie. The men were not impressed.
"We need him to pull on someone's pants." Urs pulled on the bottom of his trouser leg. "Tiger," he said with a German accent, "Pull on this."
Tiger looked at me. He looked at Urs. He looked back at me.
"He hasn't been trained to do that, but this is one smart dog. Give me a week."
"What if we put the toy under the pants?" Urs put his hand out. I handed him the toy.
"Tiger, PULL."
My sweet, smart puppy walked over, grabbed at the toy stuffed under Urs' trouser leg and pulled.
The men nodded profoundly. "Great! OK — thanks."
Dan walked me out, back down the corridor to the crowd. As we walked, he told me that they would need several pictures of Tiger, and confirmed my availability.
Two days later, we got The Call. That's when things got real interesting.
I recalled the name of the movie and looked it up on IMDB, the movie database. There was a list of actors already committed to the movie: Al Pacino, Ray Liotta, Channing Tatum, Katie Holmes … I began to get very excited.
"Are you sure that's the film?" Nancy asked. "We were told it's a small film."
"I met a guy named Dito. How many directors do you know of named Dito?"
I started training Tiger to pull on a pair of pants. Since that is a behavior not generally sought by the average dog owner — most people want to train a dog not to pull on pants — I pulled out Captain Haggerty's How to Teach Your Dog to Talk. Captain Haggerty was, for many years, the trainer for dogs in movies. He recommended using a scented pad made of burlap filled with batting.
When I spoke to my friend Rick Caran, whose Yorkie, Jilli Dog, is the internationally known poker-playing pup, he strongly suggested that I only train to the scent — so that my dog wouldn't think I wanted him to go around grabbing every pant leg he saw.
But which scent should I use? My Google search turned up an array of flavors: mouse, duck, rat and so on. As the idea of bringing rat scent into my New York apartment on purpose was not terribly appealing, I chose duck.
I dug out an old pair of pants, sewed the burlap pad reeking of mallard inside and started working. Sometimes the pants were just a tug-toy, sometimes I tied them to a chair and sometimes I put them on. I invited friends over to put on the pants and let Tiger tug. We rehearsed in the stairwell, the park, on the sidewalk — everywhere. Tiger became a terrific tugging Terrier.
I examined the rest of the script. Tiger appeared in more than eight scenes. Mostly, he was "background" — sitting on a chair, for example, but mainly he was going to need to bond with Jake, the young actor playing Milk. I prayed that Jake was a dog lover.
The night before the first day of shooting, I pulled out Tiger's travel bag. Tiger started jumping around — he clearly loves working. I packed our things: pop-up crate, toys, blanket, duck scent, silent whistle, dog bowl, a selection of collars, brush, paper towels, baby wipes and treats, treats, treats. There were the regular treats from the dog store, but also, string cheese and slices of turkey hot dog.
The next morning we awoke at 5:00 am. More rain. I staggered out of bed. We arrived on location in the projects in Queens and were escorted to our "room" in the "honey wagon"— the colorful name ascribed to a trailer parked near the location. It was about 5 feet by 10 feet — with a toilet at one end. And it was freezing.
Still think movies are glamorous? Nancy and I set up the crate, dumped our stuff, trotted over to the breakfast wagon for some hot coffee, then settled down for a typical day on a movie shoot, waiting to be called to the set.
Four hours later, someone knocked on our door. "They'd like Tiger on the set, please."
Tiger jumped out of the crate, eager and excited to work. I clipped on the treat pouch, threw on my raincoat, grabbed Tiger's leash and away we went — down the rickety stairs of the honey wagon, through the mud, around the enormous puddle gathering around the clogged, neglected city drains, past the Kraft services tent and into the apartment building smelling of urine and who-knows-what. Inside, Tiger was introduced to a young teenager named Simone who was playing "Young Vicky." They were immediately smitten with one another. Tiger would need to sit with Simone on the couch.
That was the extent of the direction. The only tricky part: I would have to be hidden from view, behind a thick curtain. The room where they were shooting the scene was so small, only the actors and the cameraman could be inside.
The next seven days were a variation on that theme — lots of waiting around, lots of free food, lots of rain and mud, and some work, generally with me crouching behind or between or below. We were fortunate that we had a company of actors and crew who generally seemed to care about Tiger's well-being; they allowed us to bring him along to the lunchroom, and they treated him like a star. Jake Cherry, the young actor playing Tiger's owner, was also wonderful and really took the time to bond with Tiger.
That said, it was not an easy job. Situations popped up on set every day that required a great deal of skill and patience and creativity. While general obedience training is important (skills like STAY, COME and, of course, SPEAK), it is not enough. The dog has to want to be there and feel comfortable around many, many people, lots of different noises, and all manner of other unpredictable situations. I had trained Tiger, for example, to play dead and hold that position even as someone leaned over him. What I did not train him for was for that someone to jump afterward.
I should add that Tiger was never in any physical danger during the shoot. As a matter of fact, the scariest scene in the movie was actually the easiest to shoot, as the behaviors needed were close to what I'd imagined when we prepared. Much of that is also due to the two representatives on set from American Humane, who were our advocates on set and off, ensuring that no animals were harmed.


text: Family owned and operated since 1991, Alexandro's Restaurant and TG's Lounge are located in the heart of Jefferson City on Missouri Boulevard. We provide off-street parking with easy access to Highway 50 and Highway 54. Come in and experience our authentic Greek dishes, steak, seafood, chicken, or pasta at one of Jefferson City's finest dining establishments. Top off your meal with a wine from our extensive selection. If you enjoy the outdoors, try our newly renovated patio. For the night life, visit T.G.'s Lounge located at the rear of the facility for dancing, DJ, and karaoke.

subset: commoncrawl


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Event Details:
|Convention Name
|Delaware Train Show & April Fools Toy Show
|Convention Website Address
|This convention will take place:
|Start Date (Format mm/dd/yyyy)
|End Date (Format mm/dd/yyyy)
|About This Convention
|On Saturday, April 5th, 2014. The 7th Delaware Train Show will take place from 9:00am to 2:00pm at the Nur Shrine Center, Route. 13 / 198 South DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE. 19720. Admission is $4.00, children under the age of 12 are free, $10.00 Early Buyers 8:00am Admission.
It will feature over 150 tables of trains, accessories, slotcars, and some toys. Toyshows.org Delaware Train Show will have a diversity of trains in all Scales and makes, We have a variety of unique dealers coming from up and down the east coast, Train show is Saturday only.
On Sunday, April 6th, April Fools Toy Show the east coast largest toy show moves in. 175+ tables of new, collectible and antique toys. 10:00am to 4:00pm. Admission is $5.00, children under the age of 12 are free, $10.00 Early Buyers 9:00am Admission. Collectors you don't want to miss this show, Great food, Free parking. Rain or shine events. The Nur Shrine Temple, is convenient to I-95, I-295 and US Route 40. 3 miles from the Del. Mem. Bridges. 20 minutes from philly. For map or information on attending or participating in this show. Please go to our new web site: www.toyshows.org or Call: 856-302-3606
|Venue Name and Address
|Nur Shrine Center
198 South DuPont Highway
New Castle, De 19720
United States
Map It
|Number of Dealer/Exhibitor Tables
|Projected Attendance
|Please select the Category that best describes the convention
|Additional Categories


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Gunfire erupted at a parade to celebrate Mother's Day, injuring 19, including two 10-year-old kids. Police are searching for three people seen running from the scene. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports.
At least 19 people were injured on Sunday when multiple gunmen opened fire on a Mother's Day parade in New Orleans, police said.
A 10-year-old boy and 10-year-old girl were grazed by bullets but were in good condition, New Orleans Police spokesman Garry Flot said in a statement. A woman and a man were in surgery Sunday evening, but there were no fatalities and most wounds were not life threatening, police said.
At least three people were spotted running away from the scene after the shooting on North Villere Street in the 7th Ward neighborhood at 1:45 p.m. At least one suspect was described as a man between the ages of 18 and 22.
New Orleans Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas said there may have been as many as three shooters, and that two different types of weapons were likely used.
The victims were marching in what is known as a second line parade, which are common in New Orleans: A brass band plays while marching in the streets, while a "second line" of people follows the band, celebrating.
Officials said the parade was two blocks long and included about 400 people. The crime scene was about 1.5 miles from the heart of the French Quarter and near the Treme neighborhood, which has been the centerpiece for the HBO TV series "Treme."
"These are unusual circumstances. We have second lines which occur in the city of New Orleans virtually every weekend at this time of the year," Serpas said. "We had a full complement of police officers. It appears that these two or three people just for a reason unknown to us, started shooting at towards, or in the crowd. It was over in just a couple seconds."
Lauren Mcgaughy / The Times-Picayune / Landov
Bystanders comfort a shooting victim after gunfire injured 19 people during a Mother's Day in New Orleans on Sunday.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu said the shooting was part of "the relentless drum beat of violence" on the streets of New Orleans.
"It's a shame and its got to stop," he told The Times-Picayune from outside New Orleans' Interim LSU Public Hospital. "You see it cascading across the country but we have more of it than anyone else."
Detectives were conducting interviews and retrieving surveillance video from around the scene. Landrieu urged anyone with information about the shooting to come forward.
He added: "These kinds of incidents will not go unanswered. Somebody knows something. The way to stop this violence is for you all to help."
Second lines have been targets for violence in New Orleans in recent years. In the past, shooters have targeted a specific person in the crowd, which authorities say may have been the case Sunday as well. But Landrieu dismissed the notion of outlawing the Louisiana tradition.
"It's not the second line that did the shooting," he said. "The cultural events are very important to us, it's like calling for an end to Mardi Gras because someone takes an opportunity to shoot someone during one of our parades."
"Second lines have been with us for a long, long time," Landrieu added. "They are an important part of our culture and our heritage."
Mary Beth Romig, a spokeswoman for the FBI in New Orleans, told The Associated Press that federal investigators have no indication that the shooting was an act of terrorism.
"It's strictly an act of street violence in New Orleans," she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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Artisan & Maker Market
September 12 - October 11, 2020
(847) 549-2536
Hawthorn Mall - Vernon Hills, IL
Hawthorn Mall will be hosting an Artisan & Maker Market each Saturday and Sunday from September 12th through October 11th. The event will take place in the Macy's North parking lot. Food trucks and other activities will be onsite for specific dates. We hope to see you at our market!
A Holiday Happening
November 7 - 8, 2020
(815) 878-2728
College of DuPage Gym - Glen Ellyn, IL
This show is in a nice facility with easy load-in. It is held in the newly remodeled athletic arena. 200 exhibitors all in one room with a strong and loyal customer base
Native American Holiday Market
November 27 - 29, 2020
(618) 346-5160
Cahokia Mounds Interpretive Center - Collinsville, IL
Fall Indian Market. A variety of arts, crafts and Native American products. Some types of products available: Original Oil Paintings, Watercolor Paintings, Sterling Silver and Natural Stone Jewelry, Beadwork, Pottery. Free Admission. Free Parking. Award-winning film, every hour. Work is from various tribal affiliations from throughout the United States. An opportunity for unique holiday shopping! We also have a gift shop with unique item
Last Chance Craft & Art Show
December 12 - 13, 2020
(815) 878-2728
College of DuPage Gym - Glen Ellyn, IL
This is the 9th year for the December show, and our 29th year running craft shows at this facility. All craft categories are limited, and all products must be handmade. This show is heavily advertised with an extremely loyal customer base. Easy load in and out.
Easter in the Country
March 13, 2021
(630) 677-2946
Sandwich High School,Middle & Grade school - Sandwich, IL
Over 1500 visit this annual spring craft show at Sandwich High School, Middle School, & Lynn G Haskin Elementary schools to support the Sandwich Band Parents Association. Free school buses take visitors from each school, so park once and visit all of our locations. Every craft and art object is one-of-a-kind and handmade. The $5 one time entry fee can be paid at any school, find our coupon on our website or Facebook.
Taste of Polonia Festival
September 3 - 6, 2021
(773) 313-3893
Copernicus Center - Chicago, IL
The yearly Labor Day festival at Copernicus Center offers 4 days of non-stop Live Music, food, and fun! The largest Polish Fest in the USA. Four (4) stages & over 30 bands: rock, pop, jazz, dance, polka, world, & more. Great Polish Food, Polish Beer, & fest food. Also: Kid's Zone, Rides, inside Casino & full bar, plus daily special events! $5 to $10 - kids 12 & under FREE. Proceeds benefit the non-profit work of the Copernicus Foundation
Deer Path Art Fair on the Square
September 5 - 6, 2021
(847) 234-3743
Market Square - Lake Forest, IL
The nationally top rated Deer Path Art Fair on the Square, is held at historic Lake Forest Market Square and Western Avenue. The juried fine arts show features 160 artists representing a wide variety of design mediums in a wide variety of price points. Artists are selected from across the country and are present to meet and discuss their work and technique with the art patrons. A wonderful show in a beautiful setting!
Art Spectacular at the Carillon
September 11 - 12, 2021
(217) 306-1838
Washington Park - Beautiful Botanical Gardens - Springfield, IL
Juried fine art fair loved by artists and patrons for size, location, and quality of artwork. Ranked in Best 100 Art Fairs in the U.S. for 6 consecutive years, the ONLY art fair in Central Illinois with this distinction. Wonderful catering volunteers with show director on-site and attentive all weekend. Next to wealthy neighborhood of art-buying patrons. Capitol with higher-ed, medical and professionals.
Autumn on Parade
October 2 - 3, 2021
(815) 732-3465
Downtown Courthouse Lawn - Oregon, IL
Autumn on Parade showcases the beautiful town of Oregon, Illinois. This year we will be celebrating our 50th Anniversary. The craft show is set up on the historic Ogle County Courthouse lawn and surrounding areas. The parade features more than 100 entries and will take place on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Christmas in the Country
November 13 - 14, 2021
(630) 677-2946
Sandwich High Schools, Sandwich Middle School,& Haskin Grade School - Sandwich, IL
Over 1500 visit this annual spring craft show at Sandwich High School, Middle School, & Lynn G Haskin Elementary schools to support the Sandwich Band Parents Association. Free school buses take visitors from each school, so park once and visit all of our locations. Every craft and art object is one-of-a-kind and handmade. The $5 one time entry fee can be paid at any school, find our coupon in the news paper and on our website or Facebook.
Events in Crest Hill, IL — upcoming
September 2021 (dates not updated)
Fall Harvest Celebration
The Fields on Caton Farm, Crest Hill, IL
Status: Updated 9/10/2019
This Illinois Craft Show will have fine art, fine craft, crafts, film, commercial/retail, homegrown products and corp./information exhibitors, and 1 food booth. This event will also include chainsaw wood carving demo / pottery wheel demo.


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Cowhide Rug
Photographed individually - this is the exact cow hide you will receive.
Make a Statement with our gorgeous soft, supple Cowhide Rugs. Exquisite markings make these hides a must have addition to any home or workplace. Sourced from Brazil because they are well known for the quality of the cowhide, their individual markings and the way the hide is tanned. Brazilian tanners use aged old methods to treat and soften the cowhide, this method adds to the beauty, suppleness, and longevity of the rug. This treatment also ensures that the hide is resistant to shedding and producing any odours.
Cowhides not only look spectacular on wooden floors, you can also hang them on walls, or over furniture, to line floors when camping. We have customers who use them to for retail purposes to enhance their product ranges, the limits are endless.
If you are looking for something of very high quality and that oozes style and sophistication then you simply must purchase one of our Cowhide Rugs.
Please Note: Cowhide Rugs are a natural product; some of them do not lie totally flat, they may have creases, stitching, patching, branding, scratches and the odd mark on the skin. This is a normal characteristic of some cowhide rugs. All our prices are based on size, colour & markings. If you are not entirely happy with your cowhide, simply return it to us within 14 days and we will refund you.
Shipping & Returns Policy
All our products are shipped by a tracked courier service (currently DPD)
The shipping rates are calculated at checkout by shipping destination:
Returns Policy
Under the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 you have a right to cancel your purchase. However, to exercise this right you must notify us in writing, (email or letter) within 14 working days from the day after you receive your goods. Any coloured Sheepskin Rugs larger than Single are deemed to be Made to Order and excluded from our No Quibble 14 Days Return's Policy unless faulty, this does not effect your statutory rights.
The cost of returning these goods is at your expense and we would always recommend the use of a tracked postage service such as Royal Mail's Signed For service.
No right of cancellation, refund or return exists under the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 once you have used your product, unless the product is defective and you are returning it for this reason.
Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979, you may be entitled to a refund, replacement, repair and/or compensation where goods are faulty or not as described. If you believe any of these to be the case please email, telephone or write to us as soon as possible.


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There are many good, cheap iDevice protector/case products on the market, but few that can run the show. I mean, few that can talk politics, conduct press conferences, cater to the starving 5000, sweep up after the mess, and still maintain decency at the end of it all. The iPod sock, oft' snubbed though it is, is akin to the above; it is a fully capable do-everything automaton which forgotten by many would-be purchasers, merely bides its time drudging the unglamorous life as the fabric that padds your iPod.
I change my socks nearly every day, but after 4 years, I have yet to change from my iPod socks to another product.


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Obama on Health Care: Half Right
President Obama gave what seems like his thousandth exclusive health care interview last night, this one to ABC News's Charles Gibson. In trying to sell his health care plan, the president warned that if Congress does not pass legislation controlling health care costs, the federal government "will go bankrupt." He also warned that unless health care is reformed, "your premiums will go up."
The president is absolutely correct about that. The only problem is that, according to the president's own chief health care actuary, the bills that Congress is now considering do nothing to restrain either federal health care spending or total health care costs. In fact, Rick Foster, chief actuary at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says that if Congress passes the bill now before the Senate, health care spending will actually increase by $234 billion more over the next 10 years than if we did nothing.
And, according to the Congressional Budget Office, the congressional bills do little or nothing to reduce the growth in insurance premiums. Even if a bill passes, premiums will roughly double by 2016, and keep rising after that. But for millions of Americans the bill will actually make things worse. According to CBO, the Senate bill would actually increase insurance premiums by 10–13 percent for Americans who buy their insurance through the non‐group market, that is those who don't receive insurance from their employer. Those 10–13 percent increases are over and above the increases that would occur if we did nothing.
On the other hand, if the president were really serious about controlling health care costs and lowering premiums, he wouldn't need to spend trillions of dollars and take over one‐sixth of the US economy; he could try some of the ideas written about here, and here, and here.


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THE SPORTS DOCTOR- True madness: Dismal records no problem for NCAA
Having just finished watching season four of The Wire, I've been introduced to a concept called social promotion– the No Child Left Behind practice of promoting students to higher grades to keep them with their social peers, despite dismal grades or poor attendance. Apparently "being held back" damages a kid's self-esteem more than being illiterate– and is plenty expensive besides. Now where have I heard that before?
Aha! I remember: college athletics.
If there was ever a proponent of social promotion, it's the NCAA. From college recruitment to the Final Four, the NCAA doesn't hold anyone in Division I back, whether they deserve it or not.
With college basketball's regular season now a done deal, it's time to look toward conference tournaments. With 65 slots available for the Big Dance, plenty of at-large bids are hanging fire.
Surely, it makes sense for teams with the best records to fill those berths. After all, teams that play well an entire season should be rewarded, and nuts to everyone else. They should try harder next year. That's the American way, right?
One would think so, especially in a country where some people still see the "Red Menace" in every food bank and free clinic. But, surprisingly, the NCAA gets a free pass.
Handing out penicillin to people who can't get a job is tantamount to Marxism, but spoilers getting into March Madness is a horse of a different color.
When it comes to sports inequity, NCAA conference tournaments edge out profit-sharing in Major League Baseball every time. While in both instances teams that can't pass muster reap undeserved rewards and upset competition's natural balance, even MLB doesn't have the gall to automatically give the Royals a World Series bid. But if there's one thing from which the NCAA doesn't suffer, it's lack of gall.
What else but gall can explain how entire seasons are thrown out the window at tournament time? How else can a team with a 4-11 record play for a conference title? In every NCAA conference tournament, the best teams face off against schools with absolutely no right to be there. Whether it's the ACC, in which either #8 Virginia Tech or #9 Miami still gets a shot at UNC, or the Big Ten, in which either #8 Minnesota or #9 Northwestern has a final go at Michigan State, these conference playoffs are bogus to the extreme.
With so few NCAA berths available, no team ranked fourth or lower should be allowed to show itself at a conference tournament. Why should a team like UVA get an opportunity to usurp Davidson's place? Why should Creighton, which shares the Missouri Valley regular season title with Northern Illinois, cede an NCAA berth to a school like Florida State?
The shoulds don't matter. Regular seasons don't matter. When it comes to March Madness, only a week's worth of basketball matters, and it's all because of social promotion.
What (other than an overwhelming concern for the self-esteem of Division I schools) could be the reason teams with the most dismal records are allowed into conference tournaments? Why, other than keeping deep-pocket donors happy, would the NCAA bother with a D-I team with three wins?
It's really beyond me, the justification for the NCAA's hubris– but then again, sports are of full of such conundrums. The slaughter rule, the fifth-year senior, the ineligible receiver, the sacrifice fly: they all reek of inequity and paternalism.
So what if Clemson already proved itself a better team than Georgia Tech by beating the Jackets twice, and by a fairly wide margin both times? Is the third time somehow the charm? If Georgia Tech, with a conference record of 2-14, happens to defeat Clemson in the ACC conference tournament, will they suddenly be March Madness-worthy?
Yes they will. A Division I basketball team can play truant for the entire season, show up for the final exam, get a D-, and still walk away with a diploma. And it's the cornerstone of the No Team Left Behind social promotion program.


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22 W 34th St
New York, NY 10001
Las Chicas Locas gained popularity among the Salsa scene as the after party for Jimmy Anton's Social and LVG which ended early at 10pm. Known by the locals as LCL, you'll see many of the same dancers from Jimmy's and LVG continue the party here at DanceSport. The music is a mix of Bachata and Salsa so it's definitely a more laid back vibe. There is usually a good size crowd of On 2 dancers at different levels after around 9:30 PM, plenty of partners to dance with. The more advanced dancers come out as it gets later, especially after the performances. The crowd is friendly and this party is welcoming to newcomers. Located at the base of the Empire State Building, DanceSport is one of the oldest and well respected facilities for social dancing in NYC. Drink prices for the "specials" are reasonable. There are also separate rooms for tango, west coast swing, zouk and kizomba going on at the same time.
FREE Bachata Lesson 5PM – $6 Sangria – $16 1/2 Carafe of Sangria
$5 Corona – $2 Bottle of Water – Music by DJ Alejandro.


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Before you shove a fork into a giant salad, stop and ask yourself a few questions: Is my salad loaded with heavy items? Is the chicken covered with an unnecessary fatty coating? Is it worth its calorie price tag? This swap passes the test with flying colors -- chew without fear!
1/2 oz. (about 2 tbsp.) chopped pecan halves (8 - 10 halves)
1 tsp. brown sugar (not packed)
1/2 tsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown)
Drop vanilla extract
2 dashes salt
One 4-oz. raw boneless skinless chicken breast cutlet, pounded to 1/3-inch thickness (see HG Tip!)
Dash each garlic powder and onion powder
2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup mixed greens
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tbsp. mandarin orange segments packed in juice, drained
1 tbsp. sweetened dried cranberries
1 tbsp. crumbled blue cheese
2 tbsp. fat-free or low-fat balsamic vinaigrette
To make the candied pecans, lay a medium piece of aluminum foil near the stove. Place pecans, sugar, and butter in a skillet, and bring to medium-high heat. Stirring constantly, cook until butter and sugar have melted and mixed and pecans are coated in the mixture, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and a dash of salt. Spread mixture onto the foil and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, and remaining dash of salt. If needed, clean skillet. Re-spray skillet and return to medium-high heat. Cook chicken for about 3 minutes per side, until cooked through.
Toss lettuce with mixed greens in a bowl. Top with celery, oranges, cranberries, and cheese. Slice chicken and add to salad. Sprinkle with candied pecans. Drizzle or serve with vinaigrette, and eat up!
Serving Size: 1 salad with dressing (entire recipe)
Calories: 368
Fat: 16g
Sodium: 722mg
Carbs: 24.5g
Fiber: 4.5g
Sugars: 17.5g
Protein: 31g
PointsPlus® value 9*
HG Tip! To pound the chicken cutlet, either lay it between two pieces of plastic wrap or place it in a sealable bag, squeeze out the air, and seal. Using a meat mallet (or other heavy utensil with a flat surface), pound it until uniform in thickness.
It's a rough world out there for those of us looking to keep tabs on our food intake. Even when you select an item that SEEMS like it would be a good choice, spoilers often sneak in there. Vegetables are clearly good for you; chicken breast is a good lean source of protein; nuts are full of nutrients and vitamins... So this salad from Friday's should be a safe bet, yes? NO. When the chicken is coated with too many pecans, it's no longer lean. Add in more pecans (this time cooked up with loads of sugar), blue cheese, and an oily dressing (with an insane 450 calories and 46g fat), and ACK! Frightening as the nutritionals are, this salad does sound appealing. So we set out to make it over. We figured out how to get the best bang for our calorie buck with those pecans (the chicken "crust" is so not worth it), loaded up the salad with lots of the good stuff, and kept the chicken simple and delicious. Suddenly, the world doesn't seem so scary...
Serving Size: 1 salad with dressing
Calories: 1,080
Fat: 71g
Sodium: 1,650mg
Carbs: 76g
Fiber: 11g
Sugars: n.a.
Protein: 39g
PointsPlus® value 29*
Now is the time when we share recipes! Click "Send to a Friend" to get in on the fun.
Mmmm, it's March 27th, National Spanish Paella Day. Celebrate in a lightened-up way with our paella swap -- so good!
SmartPoints® value not what you expected? Click here for more info on how the values are calculated, plus more FAQs about PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® values on our website.


text:
As of 11:04 PM MST ( -6 UTC ), the Microsoft Certified Master along with the other certifications in the Advanced certification series at Microsoft joined the ranks of the Panda on the Rare and Endangered Species list.
The email is readily available on the web, and can be read here. I am not going to dive too deeply into the email other than to reiterate a comment that I made here about it.
"The communication on the extinction of the program really spewed a lack of respect and communication for the 'vanguard.'"
I am not happy about the decision. In part that is why I have waited a few days before writing up an article on the whole shenanigan. I was pretty ticked off about it in the first several hours after seeing the email. The community in whole also seems to share that same sentiment.
Today, I want to share some of my thoughts on the whole certification thing. I want to share some of the community thoughts on the soon to be extinct certification. I also want to try and do all of this in an even keel.
First some back story. Let's revive some of my thoughts and perspectives on certification and training from past articles.
MCJ (Microsoft Certified Journeyman)
When I first wrote about this, I called it a Stepping Stone Cert. That article can be found here. There is also a follow-up article here about it. This came about because of two fundamental reasons: 1. Cost of MCM and 2. lack of validity behind the MCITP/MCDBA/MCSE certifications.
As far as the SQL MCM track goes, the first fundamental reason for that blog series was corrected. Microsoft opened up the SQL MCM to a broader audience by eliminating the 3 week rotation requirement and by lowering the cost (most of which was probably due to the 3 week rotation). Suddenly the MCM became much more attainable for somebody like me. I think that this barrier to entry is right sized now. I would probably still be happy with the cost if it were to be double the current cost (the cost is travel and exam costs for somebody like me). Could Microsoft take it up another notch? Probably. I don't think I would be as miffed by the decision to raise the bar another level, as I was with the decision to try and force extinction on the MCM.
The second reason has not been addressed in any manner in my opinion. Since writing that series, I put myself to the challenge and took all four of the pre-requisite exams for MCITP SQL Server 2008. I took the exams without preparation and found them to still be excessively easy. Even going out on the web today, I can find plenty of resources for those exams that look like the exams I took. To me, this validates my concern as well as the concern of many who attained the MCM that the MCSE/MCITP/MCDBA is nothing more than a paper certification that can be far too easily braindumped. I will post some quotes along those very lines as well.
Bootcamp Certifications
I have also written about my disdain for many training facilities in the past. One such article can be read here. Part of the reason for that article was to try and make it to training by SQLSkills. They perform training that can be respected, unlike all of those MCSE farms out there that teach you how to pass the test and do nothing about teaching you valid SQL Skills. Sadly, I did not make it to that training offered with that contest, and am still seeking my first opportunity to attend. You can read my reasons for not having attended here.
To belabor this point. That was not the only run-in I have had with a paper certified DBA. On other occasions I have been interviewing and received stacks of resumes from these Bootcamps. I have received numerous resumes for a Senior DBA role with "truck driving" or "rope making" as the only prior experience. While that doesn't mean these people are not intelligent, they are in no way qualified to be a Senior DBA just yet. I don't care what the bootcamp promises these people, a bootcamp is not experience and a MCSE/MCDBA/MCITP certification does not automatically equate to a Senior DBA.
However, if you had an MCM apply for the job, that should equate to a Senior DBA. And no, just because one is an MCM does not mean we know everything about SQL Server. It does mean, however, that we are very good, seasoned and can figure it out quickly if there is something we don't know. And I will take a moment for a sidebar here as well. Just because somebody is an MCM (or presenting or training) does not mean you have an opportunity to try and play stump the chump. If you engage in behavior such as that, you are pretty ignorant and crass.
With some of that background out of the way, we can now dive into some of the aftermath caused by this announcement.
Disdain for Paper Certs (MCITP/MCSE/MCDBA)
References for these citations will be hyperlinks on the persons name or images of the citation in whole.
we definitely need something that distinguishes us from the horde of paper MCITPs/MCSEs, etc. – Luke Edson
Even though I'm not a MCM yet I sick of seeing paper MCP's get ahead and the MCM gave me hope and a goal to differentiate myself as I'm sure it did to many others. – Michael Usov
As of last night, there are now 0 certifications that one can take that I will immediately respect. MCITP/MCTS/MCSA/MCSE tell me that either a person is interested in learning more, that they were required by their company to take the exams and did the absolute bare minimum memorisation or that they're a cheat, which it is I have to find in the interview. – Gail Shaw (MCM, MVP)
I haven't taken a single Microsoft certification. Now, since the only one I respect is gone, I don't have to. – Grant Fritchey (MVP)
Without something like the MCSM/MCM to truly validate the knowledge & experience of those who take and pass the exam how can we differentiate ourselves from those that have just brain dumped or boot-camped their way to an MCSE? Without the MCSM/MCM program we will just return to the bad old days of the certifications not being worth having. – SQLServerMonkey (John Martin)
What this does is make the MCSE (eminently brain dumpable) the highest level of certification. There is nothing that anyone with real knowledge can do to differentiate themselves from someone that bought the cert out the back of a lorry. – Nic Cain (MCM)
That is just a few of the sentiments. Now let's look at some of the comments from twitter on this affair.
This is just a small sample of some of the activity and comments concerning this announcement. Granted, it does not paint the entire picture yet since it seems pretty much opposed to this decision by Microsoft. To put it as Mary Jo Foly said on ZD-Net (emphasis added) "Microsoft's surprise phase-out of its highest-level certification programs has angered a number of those who have trained or are in the midst of training to be "masters" across a variety of the company's products."
It should be understood that there would be an angry backlash when the "pinnacle" of Microsoft certification has been abolished.
This is a sentiment that was echoed by Tim Sneath in his comments on the connect item when he called the MCM the vanguard.
"You are the vanguard of the community. You have the most advanced skills and have demonstrated it through a grueling and intensive program. The certification is a clear marker of experience, knowledge and practical skills." – Tim Sneath
To put it another way, we have this from Simon Sharwood at The Register
Microsoft has again enraged some of its most committed users, by "retiring" the Microsoft Certified Master (MCM), Microsoft Certified Solutions Master (MCSM), and Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA) certifications.
It should be abundantly clear that this decision is driving a wedge between the "most committed users" and Microsoft. Not in the decision itself but also in the way that it was executed. Sending the news out at 10PM PST (-7 UTC) is being viewed as nothing more than a means to try and mute the criticism. Instead, the criticism has boiled over and many in the community are unhappy with Microsoft, Microsoft Learning, and this decision.
Furthering the backlash is not just the articles by the news outlets and the social media networks, but also through several blogs that have been written concerning the topic. This news has not only angered some, but also disheartened them. One such comment I received was the following:
I am changing tracks, after 14 yrs of prod dba work and with this, it is the end of the road for me
A DBA of 14 years is disheartened to the point to change career paths and goals? Does Microsoft really want to push away the committed users in this fashion?
Cause of the Pause
Tim posted several possible reasons for the need to pause the MCM program in a post on the connect item. There has been some feedback and some of it nastier than other feedback. Two of the big driving factors that seem relevant from his comments are: 1. Traction and 2. Cost.
It was also stated that there was months of deliberation on the topic. I don't think Tim is fooling anybody with that statement. There is evidence that Microsoft continued to take money for rotations starting in October as late as last week. This seems to be a bit of back-pedaling in a cover up at the very least to try and take some heat off the decision.
As per the two semi-coherent reasons for canceling the advanced certifications, the only one that seems to hold water is cost. I don't buy into the barriers to entry (as is the case for others per their responses on the connect item). I don't buy into the traction issue.
Tim stated that .08% of MCSEs go on to become MCM. For Microsoft that seems to be a bad thing. For the rest of the world, this seems to be a good thing. This is the peak, pinnacle, vanguard we are talking about here. Can you have a peak that contains 10% of your certified user base? That seems more like a saddle than a peak to me.
With .08% traction, that is a good thing in my mind. I have seen plenty of potential clients demanding an MCM. Sure, they may not have known what an MCM is/was last year, but we are in a changing landscape and people know what the certification represents.
If Microsoft wanted better traction, I think they should have done some of the things that Greg Low has pointed out in the connect item.
A first step in making the program more relevant would have been to make use of it within other Microsoft programs. For example, Microsoft Certified Trainers could have been required to have at least taken the knowledge exam. When I suggested that, it was met with howls of "but we'd lose most of the trainers". While that's partly true, what does that tell you about the existing trainers?
Instead of abandoning it, why not take quality seriously and see it applied throughout related programs. The MCT program is one but another would be the Gold Partner program. Is it really acceptable to have Gold Partners working (and promoted by Microsoft) on the largest projects, without a single MCM/MCSM on staff? Why not require real demonstrated ability in the Gold Partner program?
Speaking on the Gold Partner program, there was apparently some inconsistency there with that as well. For instance, I know some cases where the Gold Partner did not account for the MCMs on staff and in some cases where the "partner" was informed that the MCM would count. If it doesn't count (for Gold Partners), how can one expect there to be a more broadened traction with the advanced certification?
The Community
If you are on twitter, I recommend you follow the hashtag #BringBackMCM or #SQLMCM. I also recommend you read more of the opinions people have written on the topic. Here is a good starter list:
Radi Atanassov –
Wayne Sheffield –
Nic Cain –
Jon Gurgul –
Robert Davis –
Ed Leighton –
Marc Anderson –
Tony Redmond –
Mala Mahadevan –
Is it just endangered or is it dead?
So far, it has been pretty much doom and gloom. There are some out-crying for a refund (some should and some are just being pithy). Microsoft gave us a pretty absurd announcement and it was poorly executed. In no way would many of us be able to retain a client with an announcement executed in the same manner that was done by Microsoft Learning.
We have solely focused on the "supporter" side of the fence and how this announcement affects us. Very little has been said concerning how this affects those at Microsoft Learning that received the news in similar fashion and who may be without a job in 30 days.
There is a possible light at the end of the tunnel.
"That's why we're taking a pause from offering this program, and looking to see if there's a better way to create a pinnacle, WITHOUT losing the technical rigor. We have some plans already, but it's a little too early to share them at this stage. Over the next couple of months, we'd like to talk to many of you to help us evaluate our certifications and build something that will endure and be sustainable for many years to come." – Tim Sneath
I will remain cautiously optimistic about the program being revived. I do not expect it to happen and will be happy if it comes back to life. That comes with a warning though. If the program is anything less than the current program, it will be met with disdain by the community and I dare so by Corporations globally.
Another huge fact is being lost in all of this fuss. Every single person that has pursued the MCM/MCSM/MCA has engaged in education. Anything that you have learned cannot be revoked by Microsoft. The certification may be dead (Image snagged from twitter),
but the knowledge and skills each MCM has gained is invaluable. We can continue to serve our clients better. And maybe that will be in spite of Microsoft Learning. Microsoft has said we will continue to be charter members. That's cool and all, but it probably won't hold water with any client that checks the Microsoft Learning website and is unable to find MCM or MCSM anywhere.
I know the characteristics of many of the MCM and I am fairly certain that there is one thing this announcement will not change. Those who have the drive and passion for SQL Server and attained the MCM, also have a drive and passion for continued education. We will continue to dive deep into SQL Server. We will continue to push ourselves. We will strive to continue to provide top notch service to our clients or employer. That is just who we are, and the removal of this certification will not change that.
I do fear that the loss of this certification will continue the big brother psychosis in the DBMS world though. There will be a perpetual "Oracle has a certified Master" or "Oracle has this" and Microsoft will be in the Oracle shadows for a while to come because of it. We don't see Oracle abandoning their pinnacle certification. We don't see Cisco abandoning their pinnacle certification. And I am certain it is no less costly to them than Microsoft, nor is it anymore profitable to them than it is Microsoft.
With that in mind, I wonder what is on the mind this Certification and Microsoft learning as it approaches its deathbed. (Image snagged from twitter.)
Is Microsoft Learning ready to latch tight to the MCSE that is poorly regarded through the Community and Corporations worldwide?
If relationships matter most, I would hope that Microsoft Learning does not abandon this relationship with the MCM and their most staunch supporters/evangelists.
In concluding this long diatribe, I welcome all MCMs to show their support at Summit 2013. We are planning on wearing the robes of the Jedi in tribute to the MCM. The initial idea was by Robert Davis, and we are trying to run with it now.
One thing remains certain for me, Microsoft cannot change my license plate or that I have earned my MCM!!
The following two images are courtesy of Robert Davis.


text:
STONY BROOK, N.Y. (AP) — Jameel Warney scored 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field to lead Stony Brook to a 65-49 victory over New Hampshire in an America East Conference game on Saturday.
Tommy Brenton pulled down 12 rebounds and had five points and five assists, and Anthony Jackson, Carson Puriefoy and Marcus Rouse scored nine points apiece for the Seawolves (10-4, 1-0). Stony Brook's bench outscored New Hampshire's 27-6.
The Seahawks have won 11 consecutive conference games at home.
Chandler Rhoads led the Wildcats (4-10, 0-2) with 14 points and seven rebounds, and Patrick Konan scored 11 points. It was New Hampshire's fifth consecutive loss, including eight in a row away from home.
Stony Brook shot 42.3 percent from the field (22 of 52) to New Hampshire's 30.8 percent (16 of 52), and the Wildcats were on the wrong side of the turnover ledger 13-8.
'Cat women fall to Seawolves
DURHAM — Kelsey Hogan and Elizabeth Belanger led the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team with 12 and 11 points, respectively, but the Wildcats were defeated 48-44 by Stony Brook University in Saturday afternoon's America East conference action at Lundholm Gym.
UNH lost its fourth consecutive game to fall to 5-9 overall and 0-2 in America East. Stony Brook, which had lost five straight in the series vs. the Wildcats, improved to 9-6, 1-1.
Cari Reed finished with eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds, as well as two blocks, as UNH's America East Player of the Game. Chikilra Goodman (18 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals) received that distinction for Stony Brook.
SBU won despite shooting 32 percent (9 of 29) from the foul line and not making a 3-pointer (0-for-4). The Seawolves shot 45.5 percent (20-44) from the floor while holding the Wildcats to 26.8% (15-56), including 14.3 percent (4-28) in the second half.
Saturday marked the 1,000th game in UNH program history. The Wildcats' all-time record is 506-494.
New Hampshire returns to action Jan. 9 at home against UMBC. Game time at Lundholm Gym is 7 p.m.
UNH gymnasts picked third in EAGL
DURHAM – The University of New Hampshire gymnastics team has been selected third in the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) preseason poll, announced Saturday. The votes were conducted among the eight league head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
The Wildcats, 2003 EAGL champions, earned 35 points to place behind unanimous preseason No. 1 North Carolina State (49 points) and Maryland (39). UNH registered a 14-10 record and a No. 31 national ranking last season and competed in the NCAA Regional Championships at the University of Arkansas to mark its 32nd postseason appearance in Goodspeed's 33 years at UNH.
Five-time EAGL champion North Carolina collected 34 points for fourth place in the poll. Pittsburgh (28 points) was picked fifth in the poll, followed by George Washington (16), Rutgers (12) and Towson (11), which makes it return to EAGL for the first time since the 2004 season.
The Wildcats open league competition at home against Rutgers today at 1 p.m. in Lundholm Gymnasium. For more information on the UNH gymnastics team, visit www.unhwildcats.com.
The 2013 EAGL Championship, hosted by the University of North Carolina, will take place Saturday, March 23, at Carmichael Arena starting at 2 p.m.


text:
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You searched for: Format Shapefile Remove constraint Format: Shapefile Publisher Kenya. Ministry of Water Development Remove constraint Publisher: Kenya. Ministry of Water Development Subject Utilities and Communication Remove constraint Subject: Utilities and Communication Institution Stanford Remove constraint Institution: Stanford Year 1992 Remove constraint Year: 1992
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1. Proposed Large-Scale Irrigation Schemes: Kenya, 1992
1992. Ministry of Water Development (MoWD) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). 1992a. The Study on the National Water Master Plan. "Table 4.3: Major Irrigation Projects to be Implemented by 2010." Nairobi: MoWD and JICA., Ministry of Water Development (MoWD) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). 1992b. The Study on the National Water Master Plan. "Figure 4.3: Location of Selected Large-Scale Irrigation Schemes." Nairobi: MoWD and JICA., Kenya. Ministry of Water Development, and Kokusai Kyōryoku Kikō. This polygon shapefile contains the locations of proposed large-scale irrigation schemes in Kenya.This data was used in Map 3.12 in Nature's Benefi... Kenya. Ministry of Water Development.


text:
The short-term mission involvements led by congregations are part of a phenomenon that has grown exponentially in the past decade. Often involvement takes the form of a "mission trip" by a group. These experiences often change lives, affect faith journeys, and focus mission involvements in very important ways. The denomination's mission vision stated in Gathering For God's Future names as one of our four crucial challenges "equipping the church for transforming mission." Mission trips can be a very good way to accomplish this equipping and transforming. The General Assembly Council therefore supports the movement by publishing materials to help trip leaders, and by assigning some long-term mission coworkers to help trip-takers. One mission co-worker assisted 200 such Presbyterians' involvement in Mexico last year alone. We are helping this movement mature and give more fruit.
What needs maturing? A debate in this summer's editions of Christianity Today will be helpful for readers wanting to read more than can be summarized here. Suffice it to say that the short-term involvements too often (but not always) entail the following limitations. They concentrate on nearby states and countries and neglect the distant ones. They intend to stay in touch with their hosts but in fact fail to do so. They focus on building or repairing things, providing money for projects or individuals, when they should be beginning long-term partnerships firmly rooted first and foremost in fellowship and understanding. They believe they are meeting a priority need of their hosts when in fact they are being allowed to do what their host knows the visitors want to do. They support one person or group they know without knowing how this affects the balance of relations in a larger church or community. They do not coordinate their involvements with the denominational witness and service in a place, and so miss opportunities for synergies and can even cause problems for their fellow Presbyterians or partner denominations.
Mission co-workers of our denomination, those who serve full-time for renewable terms of two to five years' duration, pray for this movement and join our national offices in wanting to help it grow in good directions. They have a depth of understanding about the hosts and situations in each place that none of us can afford to ignore. Their letters and home visits reach hundreds of congregations. These co-workers anchor and guide our denominational work around the world. They should not be displaced by the participants in the short-term movement. They should grow in number, and that is why the denomination blessed the extremely important Joining Hearts and Hands campaign.
The ultimate goal we all share is to be a flourishing mission society that brings about what God wants for God's world. It doesn't matter who plants and who waters if we all cooperate to make the garden grow (1Cor. 3:6)! Here are a few of the first steps I would challenge the grassroots of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to take in this direction, all of them involving visits to specified parts of the www.pcusa.org site: take 15 minutes every week before going to church, to read and pray over the mission worker profiles and letters at /missionconnections; give to the Joining Hearts and Hands campaign more than you give to mission trips (/joiningheartsandhands); use key PC(USA) mission resources (/witness/missionpart.htm); find out about PC(USA)-related mission networks that gather many Presbyterians around a country or theme you feel called to in mission (/presbytel); help us recruit for long-term mission service from your pool of mission trip takers (/msr).
And may God grant the growth!
MARIAN MCCLURE, director of the Worldwide Ministries Division, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)


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Malygris the magician sat in the topmost room of his tower that was builded on a conicall hill above the heart of Susran, capital of Poseidonis. Wrought of a dark stone mined from deep in the earth, perdurable and hard as the fabled adamant, this tower loomed above all others, and flung its shadow far on the roofs and domes of the city, even as the sinister power of Malygris had thrown its darkness on the minds of men.
Now Malygris was old, and all the baleful might of his enchantments, all the dreadful or curious demons under his control, all the fear that he had wrought in the hearts of kings and prelates, were no longer enough to assuage the black ennui of his days. In his chair that was fashioned from the ivory of mastodons, inset with terrible cryptic runes of red tourmalines and azure crystals, he stared moodily through the one lozenge-shaped window of fulvous glass. His white eyebrows were contracted to a single line on the umber parchment of his face, and beneath them his eyes were cold and green as the ice of ancient floes; his beard, half white, half of a black with glaucous gleams, fell nearly to his knees and hid many of the writhing serpentine characters inscribed in woven silver athwart the bosom of his violet robe. About him were scattered all the appurtenances of his art; the skulls of men and monsters; phials filled with black or amber liquids, whose sacrilegious use was known to none but himself; little drums of vulture-skin, and crotali made from the bones and teeth of the cockodrill, used as an accompaniment to certain incantations. The mosaic floor was partly covered with the skins of enormous black and silver apes: and above the door there hung the head of a unicorn in which dwelt the familiar demon of Malygris, in the form of a coral viper with pale green belly and ashen mottlings. Books were piled everywhere: ancient volumes bound in serpent-skin, with verdigris-eaten clasps, that held the frightful lore of Atlantis, the pentacles that have power upon the demons of the earth and the moon, the spells that transmute or disintegrate the elements; and runes from a lost language of Hyperborea. which, when uttered aloud. were more deadly than poison or more potent than any philtre.
But, though these things and the power they held or symbolized were the terror of the peoples and the envy, of all rival magicians, the thoughts of Malygris were dark with immitigable melancholy, and weariness filled his heart as ashes fill the hearth where a great fire has died. Immovable he sat, implacable he mused, while the sun of afternoon, declining on the city and on the sea that was beyond the city, smote with autumnal rays through the window of greenish-yellow glass, and touched his shrunken hands with its phantom gold and fired the bales-rubies of his rings till they burned like demonian eyes. But in his musings there was neither light nor fire; and turning from the grayness of the present, from the darkness that seemed to close in so imminently upon the future, he groped among the shadows of memory, even as a blind man who has lost the sun and seeks it everywhere in vain. And all the vistas of time that had been so full of gold and splendor, the days of triumph that were colored like a soaring flame, the crimson and purple of the rich imperial years of his prime, all these were chill and dim and strangely faded now, and the remembrance thereof was no more than the stirring of dead embers. Then Malygris groped backward to the years of his youth, to the misty, remote, incredible years, where, like an alien star, one memory still burned with unfailing luster - the memory of the girl Nylissa whom he had loved in days ere the lust of unpermitted knowledge and necromantic dominion had ever entered his soul. He had well-nigh forgotten her for decades, in the myriad preoccupations of a life so bizarrely diversified, so replete with occult happenings and powers, with supernatural victories and perils; but now, at the mere thought of this slender and innocent child, who had loved him so dearly when he too was young and slim and guileless, and who had died of a sudden mysterious fever on the very eve of their marriage-day, the mummylike umber of his cheeks took on a phantom flush, and deep down in the icy orbs was a sparkle like the gleam of mortuary tapers. In his dreams arose the irretrievable suns of youth, and he saw the myrtle-shaded valley of Meros, and the stream Zemander, by whose ever-verdant marge he had walked at eventide with Nylissa, seeing the birth of summer stars in the heavens, the stream, and the eyes of his beloved.
Now, addressing the demonian viper that dwelt in the head of the unicorn, Malygris spoke, with the low monotonous intonation of one who thinks aloud:
Viper, in the years before you came to dwell with me and to make your abode in the head of the unicorn, I knew a girl who was lovely and frail as the orchids of the jungle, and who died as the orchids die... Viper, am I mot Malygris, in whom is centered the mastery of all occult lore, all forbidden dominations, with dominion over the spirits of earth and sea and air, over the solar and lunar demons. over the living and the dead? If so I desire, can I not call the girl Nylissa, in the very semblance of all her youth and beauty, and bring her forth from the never-changing shadows of the cryptic tomb, to stand before me in this chamber, in the evening rays of this autumnal sun?'
'Yes, master,' replied the viper, in a low but singularly penetrating hiss, 'you are Malygris, and all sorcerous or necromantic power is yours, all incantations and spells and pentacles are known to you, It is possible, if you so desire, to summon the girl Nylissa from her abode among the dead, and to behold her again as she was ere her loveliness had known the ravening kiss of the worm.'
'Viper, is it well, is it meet, that I should summon her thus? ... Will there be nothing to lose, and nothing to regret?'
The viper seemed to hesitate. Then, in a more slow and neasured hiss: 'It is meet for Malygris to do as he would. Who, save Malygris, can decide if a thing be well or ill?'
'In other words, you will not advise me?' the query was as much a statement as a question, and the viper vouchsafed no further utterance.
Malygris brooded for awhile, with his chin on his knotted hands. Then he arose, with a long-unwonted celerity and sureness of movement that belied his wrinkles, and gathered together, from different coigns of the chamber, from ebony shelves, from caskets with locks of gold or brass or electrum, the sundry appurtenances that were needful for his magic. He drew on the floor the requisite circles, and standing within the centermost he lit the thuribles that contained the prescribed incense, and read aloud from a long narrow scroll of gray vellum the purple and vermilion runes of the ritual that summons the departed. The fumes of the censers, blue and white and violet, arose in thick clouds and speedily filled the room with ever-writhing interchanging columns, among which the sunlight disappeared and was succeeded by a wan unearthly glow, pale as the light of moons that ascend from Lethe. With preternatural slowness, with unhuman solemnity, the voice of the necromancer went on in a priest-like chant till the scroll was ended and the last echoes lessened and died out in hollow sepulchral vibrations. Then the colored vapors cleared away, as if the folds of a curtain had been drawn back. But the pale unearthly glow still filled the chamber, and between Malygris and the door where hung the unicorn's head there stood the apparition of Nylissa, even as she had stood in the perished years, bending a little like a wind-blown flower, and smiling with the unmindful poignancy of youth. Fragile, pallid, and simply gowned, with anemone blossoms in her black hair, with eyes that held the new-born azure of vernal heavens, she was all that Malygris had remembered, and his sluggish heart was quickened with an old delightful fever as he looked upon her.
'Are you Nylissa? ' he asked — 'the Nylissa whom I loved in the myrtle-shaded valley of Meros, in the golden-hearted days that have gone with all dead eons to the timeless gulf?'
'Yes, I am Nylissa,' Her voice was the simple and rippling silver of the voice that had echoed so long in his memory... But somehow, as he gazed and listened, there grew a tiny doubt — a doubt no less absurd than intolerable, but nevertheless insistent: was this altogether the same Nylissa he had known? Was there not some elusive change, too subtle to he named or defined, had time and the grave not taken something away — an innominable something that his magic had not wholly restored? Were the eyes as tender, was the black hair as lustrous, the form as slim and supple, as those of the girl he recalled? He could not be sure, and the growing doubt was succeeded by a leaden dismay, by a grim despondency that choked his heart as with ashes. His scrutiny became searching and exigent and cruel, and momently the phantom was less and less the perfect semblance of Nylissa, momently the lips and brow were less lovely, less subtle in their curves; the slender figure became thin, the tresses took on a common black and the neck an ordinary pallor. The soul of Malygris grew sick again with age and despair and the death of his evanescent hope. He could believe no longer in love or youth or beauty; and even the memory of these things was a dubitable mirage, a thing that might or might not have been. There was nothing left but shadow and grayness and dust, nothing but the empty dark and the cold, and a clutching weight of insufferable weariness, of immedicable anguish.
In accents that were thin and quavering, like the ghost of his former voice, he pronounced the incantation that serves to dismiss a summoned phantom. The form of Nylissa melted upon the air like smoke and the lunar gleam that had surrounded her was replaced by the last rays of the sun. Malygris turned to the viper and spoke in a tone of melancholy reproof:
'Why did you not warn me?'
'Would the warning have availed?' was the counter-question. 'All knowledge was yours, Malygris, excepting this one thing; and in no other way could you have learned it.'
'What thing?' queried the magician. 'I have learned nothing except the vanity of wisdom, the impotence of magic, the nullity of love, and the delusiveness of memory... Tell me, why could I not recall to life the same Nylissa whom I knew, or thought I knew?'
'It was indeed Nylissa whom you summoned and saw,' replied the viper. 'Your necromancy was potent up to this point; but no necromantic spell could recall for you your own lost youth or the fervent and guileless heart that loved Nylissa, or the ardent eyes that beheld her then. This, my master, was the thing that you had to learn.'


text:
Robert Slawska
President, Proven Technology, Inc.
President, Proven Technology, Inc.
Very little is asked about the number, size, and functions of air valves for accumulator-head blow molding machines. Usually, the number of valves ordered is many fewer than may be required for all of the parts to be made. Compressed air has become very expensive. Have you walked through a blow molding facility? Can you hear the hissing air leaks? This is good money going down the drain and taking away from your bottom line.
Proper air usage is an important part of making good blow molded parts. All types of parts that may be molded on a given machine must be considered to ensure that all bases are touched. The air supply pressure must be constant for every molding cycle. It is important to have enough air valves available on the machine. This also requires that the sequence be programmed to handle these additional valves.
In addition, the Cv (flow-capacity coefficient) and capacity of the main air blow must be sufficient to produce the part. Air must rapidly inflate the parison upon mold closing. Air must also be quickly discharged from the finished part before mold opening, vented with quick-exhaust valves near the air exhaust location.
Typical main air-blow valves are 1¼ in. with a Cv of 31.9. The small auxiliary-function valves are 3/8 in. with a Cv of 2.4.
Low initial blowing-air pressure (around 40 psi) into the parison upon mold closing will help the parison flow around deep-draw areas. A typical initial blow ratio is up to 1.5:1. Any higher ratio will result in a part with thin walls or even a wall blow-out. The air can then be switched to higher final blowing pressure such as 100 psi for final forming of the part. This will help to minimize occurrence of thin-wall areas. The appropriate pressure sequence must be determined during initial tryout.
Pre-blowing the parison must be used with top or bottom pre-pinch mechanisms and needle blowing. Pre-blow inflation of the parison will aid insertion of the needles at various mold locations. An air cylinder is used for needle entry and the main air blow.
Top blow may require a retractable blow pin so that it can be raised up and out of the mold to allow for automatic part removal.
The air cylinder for main air blow may be used to form the part neck opening. This is normally mounted on the bottom of the press.
Other applications for air valves on the press include the following:
•Stripper mechanism to discharge the part from the mold.
•Press gates for automatic operation. They normally use two air cylinders, one for each gate door.
•Knockout (cutters) mounted in mold to pierce the finished part.
•Dual parison-spreader systems to spread the parison in a horizontal direction. These are usually used with bottom blow pins that are offset on parts. This will require two air cylinders for horizontal movement and also two air cylinders for up and down movements of the spreader pins. These pins ensure a very consistent parison width on cycle after cycle. They also help get better control of wall thickness across the width of the parison.
•Pneumatic shutoff on the hopper slide gate.
•Automatic lubrication system. This uses air for cycling delivery of grease to the various lubrication stations.
•Part ejectors mounted inside molds to release blown parts. These are actuated by air valves and cylinders. The number of cylinders/valves required will depend upon the mold and part design.
•Core slides in the molds. The core slides must be moved at the proper time and could require sensors detect their position. The slides may be moved by either air or hydraulics.
Dual-head operation usually doubles the number of air valves required. Air storage (surge) tanks rated at 250 gal capacity on the machine will ensure surge-free air pressure during the operating sequence, which will help make consistent parts.
Some systems are provided with as many as 32 air valves. Make sure the relay logic diagram is properly programmed to handle these functions. No matter what number of air valves are used, each can be programmed for the valve description (name), the function needed, and when to turn it on or off. You can do the same thing for the trigger device for an air valve.
Preprogrammed valve actuation sequences for specific parts can be selected instantly via a touchscreen controller. The following items can be predesigned as needed into a sequence program for the end of blow time:
•Mold decompression.
•Clamp closing position.
•Clamp opening position.
•Accumulator shooting position.
•Accumulator filling position.
•Start blow time.
•End of blow time
•After air valve
•After hydraulic valve
After the end of vent time, the system can include ejection systems, core slides, other user-defined items, and perhaps a position limit switch. All these items can be preprogrammed into the system for future use, so there will be no need to wait for the machine supplier to add them when a new job requires them. That also eliminates the time and expense for the supplier to send a technician to your plant to do the programming. Valve sequence programming now can even be done online via a modem hookup directly to your machine.
Some progress has been made in using proportional air valves for special requirements where you might want to vary the air-flow volume and pressure on some functions during different parts of the cycle. A good example would be a pre-pinch operation where you will want to change the flow and pressure during inflation of the parison.
Air discharge must reduce pressure in the part before the molds open. This is set up as a safety system to prevent the finished part from blowing out due to excessive internal air pressure.
There is a blow/cool method called "huff and puff." This allows the hot air to be purged from the part and cool air to be blown again inside the part. In some cases, this decreased the cooling cycle time by as much as 10 to 15 sec.
About the Author
Robert Slawska has more than 45 years' experience in blow molding. His firm, Proven Technology Inc., Hillsborough, N.J., provides engineering/consulting services and equipment to industrial blow molders. Reach him at (908) 359-7888 or email firstname.lastname@example.com. Website: www.industrialblowmolding.com
Understanding the 'Science' of Color
And as with all sciences, there are fundamentals that must be considered to do color right. Here's a helpful start.
PET Container Stress Cracking: Myth Versus Science
Since the introduction of the first 2-liter, one-piece PET bottle by Continental Can Co. in Fall River, Mass., in 1978, the PET container's nemesis has been stress cracking.
Processing PCR: How It's Done at a Leading PET Bottle Maker
Many food and beverage companies are either using or thinking about using recycled materials in their packaging.


text:
Stokoe has been appointed as an interim senior comms adviser at the council, which is undergoing a review of its PR team amid wider restructuring efforts.
In January, he made headlines after deleting his own fire brigade head comms post without a role to go to and calling for others in similar roles to do the same.
Stokoe, whose move was prompted by the need to make 20 per cent savings, will not be involved in Brent's comms review.
Pointing to Barnet's 'easyCouncil' tag, which refers to efforts to outsource services, as an example, he said: 'Brent belongs in the national consciousness and the first thing to do is to help others identify the narrative of what Brent stands for, as you have with Barnet, or with Wandsworth with its low council tax.'
He added that it was not definite how long he would be in the interim position, though it could run into next year depending on the progress of the PR review and other factors.
Brent Council is currently moving to reduce the size of its senior management team as part of wider cost-cutting efforts.
In June, the council approved the extension of Christine Gilbert's appointment as interim CEO until after local elections in May 2014.


text:
We are excited to announce the release our Microsoft Service Adoption Specialist online course. Earn your certificate in this body of knowledge that is delivered through our partner, EdX.org. This course is designed to help you understand the six knowledge areas required to successfully drive the adoption of Microsoft services in your company. While all great service adoption is technology agnostic, this course uses Microsoft Teams, our hub for teamwork in Office 365, as the example service throughout the material. A Service Adoption Specialist brings together business acumen, technical knowledge with an understanding of how to drive change and passion for helping people under one umbrella.
Our material is interactive - with videos, case studies and other visuals - to create an engaging experience. Whether you have a formal organizational change management background, are an IT professional or are entirely new to this industry this baseline course is appropriate for you. Do these three simple things:
The EdX platform is also where we deliver our course for IT Professionals entitled "Enabling Teamwork with Microsoft Teams" that focuses on the configuration, deployment and management of that service. Take this course to expand your technical knowledge of Microsoft Teams.
Our innovation in this area would not be possible without the contributions of many people across the industry. I've noted their names in the "Acknowledgement and Thanks" section of our course. Become familiar with these leaders who are experts and fantastic supporters of this community!
Give us feedback on your experience here or within the discussion forums on EdX. We are always listening!
I completed the Microsoft Service Adoption Specialist course and think it was time well spent. I recommend the program to anyone involved with user adoption/organizational change management activities.
I have 20 years of OCM experience and a Prosci certification, yet I still learned valuable tips and tricks in this program. I am impressed with the investment that Microsoft made in this training and in the Microsoft Teams Adoption Toolkit. I think the course content and related materials can easily be customized to suit the needs of any company/change initiative.
I look forward to participating in 365 Champion calls and in collaborating with others in the community.
Thank you VERY much @Valerie_Smith - I will likely print this post and hang it on my wall! It's been a lot of heavy lifting and I'm SO excited for it to finally be launched!
You might want to spell-check your tags ;)
I just got to this line (in Organizational Development): "There is no replacement for empathy in driving a superior employee experience." Sheer brilliance. Loving this course already!
The course (and certification) is meaningful to me in these ways:
Thank you – good job.
PS: there's a ton of feedback floating around in my head but I'll save those for a different thread.
Great course, thx for sharing all these resources
I completed this course 10 days ago and I was really surprised how clearly Karuana described Microsoft vision on how to drive Adoption not only to Microsoft Teams, but to every service! I totally enjoyed learning the adoption framework and absolutely this course to everyone who wants Office365 projects to succeed
Just completed the "Microsoft service adoption specialist" course. I can recommend it to everyone who wants to learn more about how to drive change in an organisation on these topics.
I can also recommend to certify as a "CIE facilitator" and dive into this website of Microsoft regarding change management.
Very usefull to become a user adoption / change management specialist.
Thanks @Karuana Gatimu! Finally, I was able to complete the Service Adoption Specialist course.
One of the things I remember when taking an Org Behavior course is the ability to socialize the change so I've included a YouTube video to promote awareness for Microsoft Teams in my Twitter quick review.
Is the test for this certification obtaining the certificate from edX or can I audit the course and take the test elsewhere?
@DOC PRATT - The certification is only available on EdX.org currently. But yes, you can audit the course if you do not want to pay for the EdX completion certificate.
Great course, thoroughly recommended. I completed on 24th Jan. Brilliant reinforcement of what I knew plus useful learning tips and tricks and great content. https://courses.edx.org/certificates/d030eec1b47941e5a7774ef3d5eb445d
@Karuana Gatimu Any chance of SWAG for those outside MS / Partner organisations who complete in January? :) Got to ask - if you don't ask you don't get! :)
Just completed the Microsoft Service Adoption Specialist course at EdX.org (CLD277x) also did the Insight Selling as part of the V-TSP P-Seller Program; even there is no more VPN access to MSFT internal resources, it is remarkable the effort done by the company for the readiness of the partners.
Thank you @Karuana Gatimu and team for putting all this knowledge together and make it accessible for us.
I fully agree! Great course: good structure, good pace, excellent materials and relevant examples. I highly recommend it to anyone involved in adoption!
I have just checked the link to enrol the course. I was wondering if there is someone could help me in understanding if there is a deadline to complete the course ( within 4 weeks) or not?
Thank you for your time
I unofficially say it depends on what the course itself states--for example, "Enabling Teamwork with Microsoft Teams" relaunched on April 1, and under "Important Course Dates" on the right side of its dashboard, it says the course end is June 30. The course will then get archived, so if you don't finish within this time frame, I think you have to redo it when it relaunches. Especially if you're pursuing a certificate and not just auditing.
Nice course
Totally recommend this course. It gives avery broad perspective of the different kind of the challenges that can be found in an adoption project, complemented with real case scenarios.
Hello @Karuana Gatimu! I'm really enjoying your course, but the link to the article Agile Service Management overview by Karuana Gatimu https://solutionstrategist.com/home/agile-service-management/ is unreachable (there's a 404 error). Has this content been relocated? Thank you for making this material available!
I completed the course some weeks ago and I am proud to call myself a Certified Microsoft Service Adoption Specialist.
My company have been working with implementing Citrix Podio and Social Collaboration for 9 years and basically we have worked as Service Adoption Specialists with Citrix Podio as the main service. I am happy to start to unlock and understand the world of Microsoft, which reveals a great potential for our business together with Microsoft and their technical focused partners.
I have a University background in Marketing and Business administration as well as a Masters degree in Sociology. I find this Service Adoption Specialist program supporting my theoretical and practical background. Solid work by @Karuana Gatimu and the Microsoft team building this course and thanks for getting this human centric adoption approach a high priority. Thank you guys. I really look forward working with you.
My question to all of you is: "What would be the best next step for me in building my competencies within the Microsoft and Service Adoption Specialist environment?"
Have a wonderful day.
Best regards Anders Bendix Kiel - Copenhagen, Denmark ;)
If you're looking to dig further into Teams itself, I took the "Enabling Teamwork with Microsoft Teams" course after the Service Adoption. https://courses.edx.org/courses/course-v1:Microsoft+CLD267x+1T2019a/course/
Hello community. I'm writing because I want to say *thank you* to @Karuana Gatimu and team for the excellent training. I've started to use some of the resources and fine-tuned adoption processes at our institution.
This is my first post, though I've been an observer here and a participant in Teams/higher-ed communities for while now. I continue to benefit from the professional development opportunities available; they are making me a better leader in adoption and a better of technology in higher education. Thank you!
Hello! Just started the course today and I am really looking forward to completing it seeing all the positive comments about it here in the community! Just one question to @Karuana Gatimu - there are some questions in the discussion board regarding links not working: https://solutionstrategist.com/home/agile-service-management/ and the "Contoso company description".
Would be great if someone could have a look and update these resources.
Hi and thanx for this feedback. I'll check this out. I know that the Agile Service Mgmt link does actually work but it is a http address not https so some browsers put up a warning. You can click through and it works just fine. I'll check the description content though.
I'm considering taking this certification. Have people found this to be helpful in job advancement or career progress?
I've found it useful. Having been in an adoption specialist role for many years I still heard some new ideas from the course. It also lends credence to proposed initiatives when you can say, "Microsoft recommended this exact/similar approach in their user adoption certification course."
Overdue, but this was a very interesting course - nicely delivered aggregation of material, both new and reinforcing...
@Deleted, that's a good tip to check out - thanks!
@Karuana Gatimu I just completed this course and found it really worthwhile- great job, looking forward to apply my learning in the year.
I would love to register for the Office365 Champions program, but there is no "Germany" (or any other version like "Deutschland", "Federal Republic of Germany" or the like) in the country list. Are we excluded from this program, @Karuana Gatimu?
Hallo Nathanael Mignon
Ich freue mich, Sie kennenzulernen
Vielleicht eine Chance fur dich
Ubersetzen die Webs zu Deutsch
Perhaps, It is an opportunity for you to translate the webs to German Language
Bis bald @NatanaelMignon und @Karuana Gatimu
Jorge Gallego
i just passed the exam. Really great without the typical "feature & tec talk" that is ususalle required for IT exams.
Had some language issues (german) and some of the strategies won't work on my customers ;).
But that's another discussion… my question is, if this certification can by synced to Acclaim to get a nice Badge (for LinkedIn).
Over a year ago (up above) I posted how meaningful the course (and certification) was to me. I'm still learning from it and decided to write about it here: (1 of 3) Meaningful Lessons: Service Adoption Specialist course for Government Community Clouds.
It looks like on EDX that the Microsoft Service Adoption Specialist course is being retired in June. Is this correct and will it be replaced?
I've done it and found it so useful so when working with Champions now I always point them towards this course too.
@jcwyatt , I also still refer people to the content (it's also here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/m365-service-adoption/).
PS: I don't have any insights on future plans.
I have two questions about this course:
1) How does the test work/ look like? Do you have, like for example, one hour to complete a test once, or as often as you want - or how does it work? I am somewhat afraid that I start the test and finally won't pass it for some reason. I can't find any details about the exact procedure..
2) Will the course/certification retire at some specific point in time? Somewhere I picked up the information that it will retire in June?
Hello @KathrinScholz ,
Nice to meet you
For Question 1)
You have two kinds of exams: Previous exams and Final exam
Kind A) 4 Previous exams. You need the 70% or more score in each exam
Kind B) 1 Final exam. You need the 70% or more score for this exam
At the end: Kind A is the 50% of total score, and, Kind B is the 50% of total score. If Kind A + Kind B is equal or more than 70% score you will pass the course
For Question 2)
About Dates I think it is better you ask to EdX.org directly
Jorge Gallego
Hi, I have noticed that this course is no longer showing as available to enroll onto at edX.
Can you please advise how I can get onto it? I have led adoption for O365 programmes with many organisations and am keen to explore additional techniques from this course.
The course is now only available through the Microsoft Learn platform : https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/m365-service-adoption/
All the resources are there, the same as they were on the Edx course, so you will learn the same information and techniques. There is just no option to get a certificate at the end, just XP points. You can't put them on your office wall though :(
The course is once again available on EdEx for a limited time, unless you pay for it..
Audit Access Expires Oct 6, 2020
You lose all access to this course, including your progress, on Oct 6, 2020.
Upgrade by Sep 20, 2020 to get unlimited access to the course as long as it exists on the site.
This course has been a real game changer, I've started to roll our adoption plans in various areas and its really helping SMT see the value in changing to new ways of working and how various Office 365 applications can help them do it. The business scenarios and prioritisation helps them to break down what seems like a mammoth task to one that will add the most value to them.
i have a question..... this certificate is available ?????
Hi there,
since the course is Not available at edx anymore , How can I get the certificate?
many thanks in advance:)
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text:
Money market fund assets fell to $2.695 trillion
Total U.S. money market mutual fund assets fell $770 million to $2.695 trillion for the week that ended Wednesday, according to the Investment Company Institute.
Assets of the nation's retail money market mutual funds fell $8.31 billion to $915.75 billion, the Washington-based mutual fund trade group said Thursday. Assets of taxable money market funds in the retail category fell $5.87 billion to $716.48 billion. Tax-exempt retail fund assets fell $2.44 billion to $199.27 billion.
Meanwhile assets of institutional money market funds rose $7.54 billion to $1.779 trillion. Among institutional funds, taxable money market fund assets rose $9.07 billion to $1.697 trillion. Assets of tax-exempt funds fell $1.53 billion to $82.16 billion.
The seven-day average yield on money market mutual funds was unchanged from the previous week at 0.02 percent in the week that ended Tuesday, according to Money Fund Report, a service of iMoneyNet Inc. in Westborough, Mass.
The 30-day average yield was flat at 0.02 percent from last week. The seven-day compounded was unchanged at 0.02 percent. The 30-day compounded yield was also flat at 0.02 percent, Money Fund Report said.
The average maturity of portfolios held by money market mutual funds fell to 47 days from 48 days.
The online service Bankrate.com said its survey of 100 leading commercial banks, savings and loan associations and savings banks in the nation's 10 largest markets showed the annual percentage yield available on money market accounts was unchanged from the week before at 0.12 percent.
The North Palm Beach, Fla.-based unit of Bankrate Inc. said the annual percentage yield available on interest-bearing checking accounts was flat from the week before at 0.05 percent.
Bankrate.com said the annual percentage yield on six-month certificates of deposit was flat at 0.17 percent. It was also flat at 0.27 percent on one-year CDs and flat at 0.43 percent on two-year CDs. It was also flat at 0.87 percent on five-year CDs.


text:
Mulberry Street Bar's Pizza: Go Big or Go Home
Pizza reviews in NYC.
Mulberry Street Bar
176 Mulberry Street, New York NY 10013 (map); 212-226-9345
Pizza style: New York-Neapolitan
Oven type: Gas brick
The skinny: Go for the large regular mozz pies or the buffalo mozz. Avoid smalls and fresh mozz.
Price: Pizza: $7.95-$15.95 (small) $14.95-$23.95 (large); Calzone: $9.95
I've been following the recent developments within and around my favorite dive bar—Mulberry Street Bar on Mulberry between Grand and Broome—with great interest. It's always a little frightening when one of your favorite haunts comes under new ownership, especially when it's a relatively recently discovered new haunt. I mean, we were still in our honeymoon phase before she up and changed on me.
Luckily, the changes thus far have been pretty good. I've already written about the very decent burger they serve on their new* menu. Next up: the pizza menu, which is surprisingly expansive, with pies ranging from a classic dry grated mozz NY-style ($8.95/$17.95 small/large) to their "Doc" Margherita ($23.95, large only) with real buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil, and a Seafood Pizza ($15.95/$28.95 small/large) with clams, shrimp, calamiar, and mussels.
*new as in they didn't have a menu before, and now they do
Of course, none of this matters if they don't get the basics right. So how do they stack up?
My first couple of experiences there were solo, so I ordered small pies. Decent by Little Italy standards (where terrible pizza abounds), but not spectacular, with a slightly oversweetened sauce, and an underbaked crust that was not stretched thin enough.
The cheese on the Pizza Margherita ($10.95/$19.95 small/large) is a pretty generic and rubbery fresh mozzarella. If you're sticking with small pies, you're better off going with the dry mozz version (the "Classic Pizza"), or one of the topped options.
The Pizza Anna ($10.95/$18.95 small/large) comes with slices of perfectly serviceable if unspectacular prosciutto and extremely large and hot leaves of arugula. We're living in a mild baby arugula world these days, baby, but I personally like the bitter, peppery bite of mature arugula leaves.
It wasn't until my third try there that I finally discovered how to order: get large pies. The larger pies have dough that's stretched a little thinner and seems to be baked a bit longer, solving the doughiness problems that plague the smaller pies.
The regular pies handily beat any other pizza in the area (with perhaps the exception of Rubirosa, which doesn't count because of its completely different style), and are well above average for a typical casual New York joint.
The one to get is the "Doc" Margherita. Available in large only ($23.95), it comes with some great creamy, milky, tangy buffalo mozzarella, a grating of Parmesan, fresh basil (yeah, they cut it from from the live plants in the window), and a sauce that could use a bit more freshness, but is by no means bad.
It's really got very little to do with a true DOC Neapolitan pizza as their menu would have you believe—it's more of a hybrid between New York style with its relatively thin crust and smooth sauce, Little Italy style with its brick-oven browning, and Neapolitan with its excellent cheese. It's a combo that I really dig. I wish more New York-style pizzerias used buffalo mozz.
The pie is pricey for a NY-style pie at a casual restaurant, but it's big enough to feed 3 or 4 easily.
Their calzones are also strong, coming out of the oven puffed like giant footballs and available in five flavors (cheese; mushroom/roasted peppers/sausage; prosciutto; broccoli rabe; and eggplant caponata), all $9.95.
The well-stuffed calzone are gut bombs. I found myself going for the salad that comes on the side just to cleanse my palate of the creamy ricotta and mozzarella between bites.
If only they served that buffalo mozz pie by the slice, this might become my go-to lunch spot. As it is, I'll just have to continue to cajole and manipulate my coworkers into coming down with me.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


text:
adjective; satisfied, contented, happy, pleased.
Due to a family emergency we will not be able to process your orders from our site for the foreseeable future. We sincerely apologise for this inconvenience.
New item
White ceramic soap dish with the word soap in Welsh - 'Sebon'. Exclusive to bodlon 15cm x 11.5cm
Sorry, this item is currently out of stock.
White bone china tumbler featuring the Welsh words for toothbrush - 'brws dannedd' in a black Typewr...
Izola off-white ceramic soap dish decorated with arrows. 12cm x 9cm
Hand poured candle in a tin fragranced with warm spices and packaged in festive paper with the gre...
All website content & copy: Bodlon 2012. Copying any part of the site or its content is strictly prohibited.
Contact us Bodlon Shop & Coffee Shop, 12 Park Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 7BQ Email: email@example.com | Telephone: 02920 650 564 | 07825 444 233


text:
Donate Goods
Call 1-800-SATRUCK
Or visit SATruck.org
Disaster Relief
Learn more about The Salvation Army Disaster Relief Services in your area and around the country.
Salvation Army Today
Check out the latest news and media from The Salvation Army.
Our Mission
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian
Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission
is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.
Doing The Most Good
"Doing The Most Good." In these four words, our mission – to feed, to clothe, to comfort, to care. To rebuild broken homes and broken lives. By walking with the addicted, we can lead them to recovery. In fighting hunger and poverty, we can feed and nurture the spirit. And, in living and sharing the Christian Gospel by meeting tangible needs, we give the world a lasting display of the love behind our beliefs.


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That Weight Watchers deal can be put on the back burner for now — a pregnant Jessica Simpson showed off her baby bump in a bikini over the weekend.
Photos: Everybody's posing nude! Check out Rihanna and other stars who've bared all
"Bumpin' and proud!" Simpson tweeted Sunday, along with a picture of herself in a swimsuit that proudly showed her pregnant belly.
The Fashion Star judge is expecting her second baby with fiancé Eric Johnson. The couple's first child, daughter Maxwell, was born this past April.