text:
I've been on Facebook for a few years now. In that time, I've learned about a few things that work well and don't work well for Christians on Facebook. Here is my advice:
1. Focus on honoring God. This is the most important advice I could possibly give to a disciple of Jesus Christ. Share a scripture or inspirational thought every once in a while. Share an encouraging word about what God has done, how he has answered prayer, or how faith in him has helped you.
2. Focus on others. Don't post too often about yourself or your life. Concentrate on demonstrating to others that you care about them. Let them know that you are praying for them when they are facing difficult situations. Take the time to "like" their photographs and status updates. Leave an encouraging comment when someone shares something good and wholesome. People don't post on Facebook in order to be ignored.
3. Avoid partisan politics. Your mission field includes Democrats, Republicans, and independents. You can affirm the value of life, the importance of marriage, the need to care for the poor, and the virtues of sexual purity without mentioning politics. You can be more effective when you avoid unnecessarily offending someone.
4. Avoid theological or religious discussion groups. You can get bogged down in useless arguments with "experts" when you join such groups. It can be more than a waste of time. It can be counterproductive.
5. Be careful with using humor. Sarcasm is especially dangerous. It can be easily misunderstood and unnecessarily offensive. Certainly humor can be used, but make it lighthearted and fun.
"Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone" (Colossians 4:5-6, NLT).
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Christopher Laudett's Baptism
"I am being baptized because I want to be closer to God. I want to repent and be closer to God. I want to be forgiven for my sins. It stands for dying and coming back to life."
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
Embracing Obscurity
Here is an excerpt from the introduction:
"We're drunk all right. We're intoxicated with a desire to be known, recognized, appreciated, and respected. We crave to be a 'somebody' and do notable things, to achieve our dreams and gain the admiration of others. To be something--anything--other than nothing.
"Whether you're an athlete, postal worker, missionary, or government employee, haven't you felt the insatiable draw of notoriety? Where do you think that comes from? We live in a culture that bases significance on how celebrated, or common, we are. And now the church seems to have followed suit. This is serious stuff. It's serious because of its source. It's just the sort of lie that Satan--the father of lies--manufactures and sells best. It's not too shocking. It can be justified and religious-sized and explained away easily enough. But it kills with the same force as the 'big sins' from which we distance ourselves.
"We all feel it. We all sense the power of this problem, even if we only see the tip of the iceberg. Yet even as our intoxication draws us away from our Maker and His mission, we're not sure what to do with it" (pages 1-2).
This is a good book...a challenging book. I received it for Christmas, but you can find it at a local bookstore or online at places like amazon.com. If you are up for a challenge, please check it out.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Our Adoption Story--Short Version
This is the video of our adoption story as it was seen today on the campuses of Cedar Ridge Christian Church in Broken Arrow, Sapulpa, and Coweta.
Sunday, December 09, 2012
Jim Daly recognizes that our culture has deep problems. He sees the deterioration of families, the violence within homes and on the streets, abortion, the acceptance and promotion of sexual immorality, alcohol and drug abuse, and numerous other issues with which we are dealing. He knows the temptation to self-righteously condemn people who struggle. He understands the temptation to focus on political and legal solutions to these problems. And he understands that we live in a time in which our culture has become increasingly hostile toward Christians and our worldview.
However, in this book, Mr. Daly does not focus so much on the problems of our postchristian culture as he does on the attitudes that followers of Christ should internalize as we try to have a positive influence within it. He calls on us to engage humbly and respectfully with people who disagree with our perspective. He emphasizes kindness and grace.
I appreciated this book. Jim Daly did an excellent job of promoting the Christian virtues of humility and kindness without sacrificing biblical ethics and doctrine.
Sunday, November 04, 2012
The New Living Translation
Over the years, I have read through the New King James Version, the New International Version, the New American Standard Bible, and the English Standard Version. I have appreciated each translation. It's a nice privilege to live in a place and time in which the word of God is available in a variety of versions.
A couple of years ago, I received the New Living Translation of the Bible as a Christmas gift. Over the last year, I have read through it too.
At first, I was a little skeptical about the translation. I doubted that it would convey the message of Christ accurately. After all, it was a translation that was based on a paraphrase of the Bible. How accurate and trustworthy could it be?
Then, I looked at the list of scholars on the translation team. I recognized the names of Darrell Bock of Dallas Theological Seminary, Scot McKnight of North Park Seminary, and D.A. Carson of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. I began to understand that this was not a list of lightweights among biblical scholars. These translators have a great deal of expertise in understanding the text.
As I began to read the NLT Bible, I found it refreshing. It does not follow the word-for-word translation philosophy of the New King James, New American Standard, and English Standard Versions. Instead, it focuses more on accurately conveying the thoughts within the text, much like the New International Version does. As a result, I came across several passages which were easier to understand in the New Living Translation.
For example, Philippians 1:20 in the ESV reads:
"as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death."
While that passage can be understood in the ESV, I found it easier to read and comprehend in the NLT because the language is much closer to the way I speak and think. In the NLT, it reads:
"For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die."
I have been so impressed with the New Living Translation that I have made it my primary translation for reading. (However, I have not found a better study Bible than the ESV Study Bible. I will continue to use it as my primary study Bible.) If you have not read the NLT, give it a shot. It's worth it.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
A Discussion of Biblical Inerrancy
This video features an important discussion on the doctrine of biblical inerrancy which took place recently on the campus of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
WORKERS struggling to cope with the soul-destroying anguish inflicted by a bullying boss are often advised to lift their spirits by picturing him naked (I say him because, although we operate in equal-opportunity times, the technique would presumably have a somewhat different effect if applied to a female gaffer).
Any oppressed underlings at the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, however, now have no need to conjure up a mental image of their head honcho when they feel the need for some stress-busting therapy. They can simply dial into the News Of The World website to watch a video of president Max Mosley, not merely naked as nature intended but indulging in practices that most of us would consider stray way beyond the boundaries of normal behaviour.
It's a matter of opinion whether the taste for sadomasochistic orgies he was reluctantly forced to confirm expose him as, in the paper's words, "a grotesque sexual deviant" or, as Mosley insists, a man whose predilections veer towards the "eccentric" but are perfectly legitimate when conducted in private by consenting adults.
But the factor that has lifted this expose out of the usual run of celebrity sex scandals, of course, is the claim that Mosley's preference isn't a variation of your traditional master/servant, teacher/pupil, vicar/tart role-playing menu but a Night Porter-style fantasy based on the imagery of the concentration camp. Or, as the NoW so delicately phrased it in their front-page headline: F1 Boss Has Sick Nazi Orgy With 5 Hookers!
By near-enough any moral standards that's a perversion too far, and it's a particularly damaging accusation when applied to the son of self-proclaimed fascists who were married at the home of Joseph Goebbels with Adolf Hitler as the guest of honour.
No surprise, then, that Mosley launched a ferocious retaliation, dismissing the Nazi theme as not just "completely untrue" but "a deliberate, cold-blooded, calculated lie."
He's very bullish that his version will be upheld when his breach of privacy action reaches the courts in July and, thusfar at least, has proclaimed his complete confidence that the FIA will rally behind him when they stage an extraordinary meeting to consider his position on June 3.
When he broke his silence in last weekend's Sunday Telegraph, indeed, one of his chief complaints seemed to be that, by selling her story instead of her body, the News Of The World's informant was a disgrace to the honourable order of harlots who had breached her professional code and betrayed the trust of her four companions.
In that same interview Mosley gave himself a glowing character reference, claiming that thousands of motorists have been spared an early grave because of the safety innovations that have filtered down from motorsport (no argument there) and hinting very heavily that he has been the prime driving force in that process (more questionable, but certainly not an outrageous suggestion).
Announcing that it was always his intention to step down next year, when he will be 69, he insisted that he has the backing of "the vast majority" of the people who elected him to his position and that the "opinion formers in Formula One, the heavyweights" have urged him to stand and fight his corner.
There was an echo of the backs-tothe-wall defiance of Jeffrey Archer and Jonathan Aitken as he attempted to recapture the moral high ground from the prurient press. But those gentlemen aren't exactly promising precedents, and now that Mosley's private life has become lurid public property he must surely resign immediately.
The question of whether his sex life is degenerate or merely bizarre is irrelevant - the simple fact of the matter is that he can no longer do his job properly.
Last month he was forced to cancel his planned trip to the Bahrain Grand Prix because the country's crown prince was not prepared to tolerate his presence.
Yesterday Israel's Minister of Science, Culture and Sport hastily withdrew an invitation for Mosley to visit Jerusalem to discuss the development of motorsport in that country, and the president was also a notable absentee at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya this week when the FIA launched their anti-racism campaign. He insisted that he never had any intention of attending the Spanish Grand Prix, but the fact that conclusions were so readily drawn when he declared himself otherwise engaged underlined that his position has become untenable.
This isn't a case where someone is entitled to be presumed innocent until proved guilty because he is not accused of breaking any laws. And much as we might deplore trial by media - especially that branch of the media that wallows in muck-raking mischief - he must surely, at the very least, put himself on gardening leave until after the FIA votes have been counted and the courts have ruled on his charges against the News Of The World.
As matters stand he has become an embarrassment to the sport he says he loves and a liability to the organisation that has helped him achieve huge wealth and influence.
If he's got a scrap of honour, dignity or decency, he will stand aside immediately.
The longer he tries to cover his nakedness, the faster those achievements he's so proud of will be relegated to biographical footnotes.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Foundations of Control (3 steps in control process ( Measuring…
Foundations of Control
Nature & Importance of Control
involves monitoring activities to ensure that they're being accomplished
Empowering Employees
provide information & feedback
Protecting the workplace
protect the organization and its assets
follows up to ensure what employees are supposed to do
3 steps in control process
Control Process
3 steps measuring actual performance, and compare against standard
Management by Walking Around
is out in the work area interacting with employees
managers measure is more critical than how they measure
Taking managerial action
Immediate corrective action
addresses problems at once
Basic Corrective action
look at how and why before correcting
range of variation
acceptable parameters of variance
between actual performance & standard
Contemporary Issues
Is employee theft on rise?
any unauthorized taking company property
What can managers do about workplace violence?
Is my work computer really mine?
managers need to monitor what employees are doing
Types of controls organizations & managers use
Feedforward control
takes place before a work activity is done
Concurrent Control
takes place while work activity in progress
Keeping Track
Organization's Information
managers need right information at the right time and in right amount
Management Information System
Employee Performance
employee counseling/discipline
Organization's Finances
Ratio Analysis
calculated using selected info from balance sheet and income statement


text:
The crowd went wild when Avalon arrived in a vintage 1950's Porsche, and Moonlight, "Venus" and the Men on the Moon proved that planets rule when Avalon performed. Avalon received a Proclamation from Robinson detailing his long and successful career as well as his devotion to good works. The singer was serenaded himself with Happy Birthday - September 18 is Avalon's birthday - when he was surprised with a cake by Fire Chief Rick Araiza and MacKinnon.
"When I was asked to be honorary chair it was my pleasure," said Avalon. "We are all here because we need fire and police and they need things to keep us safe and happy in this community. It's very, very important."
And personal: "I have a son-in-law Todd Thompson," married to Avalon's Carla, one of his eight children. Avalon said Thompson started his firefighting career as a paid-call volunteer "in this community."
MacKinnon said Monday, Moonlight was "another great evening that highlighted everything Santa Paula has to offer. We seem to continually surprise those who live outside the area; maybe eventually they will realize what a great place Santa Paula is."
Both MacKinnon and Araiza noted the enthusiastic participation of Avalon.
Said Araiza, "I can't believe the buy in Frankie had for this whole Moonlight event, and he really enjoyed it... he was a pleasure to work with and his appearance meant a lot to our success. Todd said Frankie and Kay (Avalon's wife since 1963) were really surprised at Moonlight; it was much, much more than they expected."
"All I heard that evening was how great the event was," and, MacKinnon said, "I could see everyone really enjoyed themselves. It was fun to see how many attendees were really into the event by dressing up in 50's garb." And, although "Clearly Frankie Avalon did not know what to expect, but he and his family unquestionably enjoyed the evening."
All in all Moonlight met its goals of not only fundraising, but also for roping the Moon when it came to a having a great good time: "For one evening out of the year 'Moonlight at the Ranch' creates an escape, a fantasy we can all enjoy" and, noted MacKinnon, "this year was no exception. The entire community came together to simply have a great party - and we succeeded in doing just that!"


text:
The midweek news that Peugeot will withdraw with immediate effect from sportscar racing sent shockwaves reverberating throughout the motorsport community. The French manufacturer cited falling sales of its cars in Europe as their reason for the withdrawal and a desire to focus on providing cars more suitable for today's markets as being more important that racing at the highest level.
While in theory that sounds like a reasonable decision it does little to console the sportscar community which had been looking forward to a bright future with the inaugural World Endurance Championship due to start in March. The battle between Audi and Peugeot at the front of the field was the centre piece of this championship.
Over the course of the last four seasons Peugeot is the only manufacturer to have challenged Audi and their 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours success was the pinnacle of their achievements. With an all new car, the diesel powered 908, racing last year the Intercontinental Le Mans series saw incredibly close racing between the pair with the highlight undoubtedly being Audi's victory, by a 30s margin at Le Mans.
With world championship status being given to an endurance championship for the first time since the nineties this season promised to be one of the most compelling in year's for a discipline that had been on its knees just ten years ago.
This announcement could once more plunge sportscar racing into a trough. With Toyota only racing in selected races this year and other manufacturers such as Porsche still at least two years from competing the trophy for the inaugural World Endurance Championship can already be guaranteed to feature Audi as the manufacturer.
Series where only a single car can realistically win races are destined to offer little excitement to the paying public and while the battles in the lower classes will be intense this year it is only the LMP1 class that garners column inches.
It is ironic that the main reason that the WEC will struggle for attention in 2012 is because Peugeot withdrew from the series at the last minute. The manufacturer had been instrumental in forcing the FIA, the sport's governing body, to provide the status of a fully fledged world championship for endurance racing if they were to continue racing at this level.
With world championship status bestowed on endurance racing it seemed that a return to the golden era would occur. As it is now though there is little hope of that until next season at the earliest and it is still hard to imagine circumstances where the white hot battle Audi and Peugeot is replicated anytime soon.
Both companies pushed each other to every increasing heights over the last years with their diesel powered coupes and while Peugeot held the upper hand in pure performance in recent years the Audi was generally the more flexible and reliable. This turned when Audi revealed a new car in 2010 that was more aggressive and pushed the boundaries much closer to the edge.
The Ingolstadt based squad finally had a foe worthy of competition after dominating the sportscar domain for the better part of a decade. It had been thought that the proud Peugeot factory would have hit back this year after missing out on the biggest prize of all but alas only the memories of those successes now remain.
It will be interesting to see how the WEC handles this pullout. The contrast in statements released by the WEC heavy hitters and the American Le Mans Series were stark. The ALMS has benefitted from the spectacle of the Audi, Peugeot battle and with the WEC now making the American series less relevant there was little to be gain from being critical of the manufacturer.
"While the announcement of Peugeot ending its factory participation in endurance racing comes as a real disappointment," said ALMS CEO Scott Anderson. "It should not diminish the remarkable achievements that it accomplished in its return to factory prototype competition."
"Its clashes with Audi at Le Mans and in the American Le Mans Series provided fantastic competition and drama on sportscar racing's largest stages."
Le Mans organisers, the ACO, and the FIA however were much more open with their thoughts. The ACO has longed for a world championship and was keen to show the teams committed to the series that there is still strength in the WEC and in a bullish statement they did not even name Peugeot as they give little credence to the withdrawal will have a negative effect on the future of the championship:
"The Automobile Club de l'Ouest deeply regrets the departure of the French manufacturer," it said in an official statement. "Nevertheless with the creation of the new FIA World Endurance Championship, the future of the discipline promises [to be] more prestigious than ever. The grids of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship 2012 promise to be well filled. Many entries have been registered, some from major manufacturers, proof that automobile endurance racing is healthy and dynamic."
The FIA statement from President Jean Todt, the former Peugeot team boss, revealed little of their thoughts but once more showed steely determination from the Frenchman:
"To lose such a strong player like Peugeot is bad news, indicating what a tough period the automotive industry is going through, and this group in particular," Todt conceded. "I believe that it is especially true that in tough times one should find ways of expressing full commitment, rather than pulling out. But we can only respect their choice and hope that they can come back soon at the highest level of motorsport."
It remains to be seen just when they will return to the highest level of the sport but one thing is for certain, until a worthy successor appears the challenge presented from Audi will simply be to finish races.


text:
Pop Vinyl Shelves
Whether your Pop Vinyl collection is already taking over your home or you've got big plans to grow your Pop army, please do not fear, the end game is definitely not near. From your favourite fantasy characters to the basketball team that you can't get enough off, say hello to our biggest Funko Pop display shelves, The Large Original PopCase.
For those of you that put your Pops on a pedestal, The Original PopCase is exactly what you've been looking for over the years. Display shelves? More like the answer to your collectable prayers! Our Pop Vinyl shelves mean that you can finally rid yourself of untidy last resorts and replace them with secure, safe and high-quality Funko Pop display shelves designed to fit the largest collection sizes.
The Large Original PopCase
When your Pop Vinyl collection starts to grow, it can become a little tough to display your Pops in the way that they deserve. Instead, display your pride and joy in all their glory with the help of The Original PopCase. After years of searching for a product that doesn't exist, the team at The Original PopCase decided that enough was enough. Our vision was simple; simple and professional Pop Vinyl shelves designed to display the apple of your eye in a spacious and customisable manner.
After sourcing premium quality materials to craft our engineer designed, lightweight Pop displays, we're bringing our vision to life with your help. We stock our classic black or white shelves in a range of sizes, and The Large PopCase displays up to 10 out of the box Pops, or 8 if you're an in the box collector. Easily assembled in just 4 easy steps, hang or stack your Funko Pop display shelves and get your Pop Vinyl out and proud, whatever you decide.
Find out more
When it comes to Pop enthusiasts, we're you go-to destination. After extensive research and a long history of Pop collecting and lack of displaying, you can trust that your custom-built high-quality shelves are what's missing from your Pop Vinyl collection.
If you'd like more information regarding our products, all you need to do is reach out! Just contact the team on firstname.lastname@example.com and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.


text:
Strange INDEED.
2 Responses to ""
" I was contacted by {REDACTED} who advised he is an {REDACTED}. He advised that he has NOT reported this matter to his local PD because "they're not interested in this".
His local PD already knows about it because they sent police racing to his house. A FOIA request for 911 tapes would prove it. Unless…. Oh, noes.


text:
Anne Barge 'Marguerite'
Anne Barge/
Price: $2,000
Retail Price: $5,000
You Save: 60%
Resell It & Make Up To: $1,200 Learn More
Found the one? Skip the return and use code FINALSALE at checkout for an extra 10% off. Final sale items will be inspected for authenticity but cannot be returned.
Anne Barge 'Marguerite' Wedding Dress Details
This dress is the Anne Barge Marguerite made from handmade french alencon lace without the skirt overlay. I added a sleeve to it which you can easily remove. The actual dress, aside from the sleeve had no alterations (the dress was not shortened). It's a size 6 -- i am 5"6" and about 115 lbs and a size 2 street size, though i think this dress would also fit a size 4. It has a beautiful low V back.
- Condition: preowned
- Profesionally Cleaned: yes
- Alterations: yes
- US Street Size: 02
- Dress Tag Size: 6
- Bust: 34
- Waist: 35
- Hips: 35
- Tallest Wearable Height: 5' 10"
- Fabric: alencon lace
- Silhouette: sheath
- Neckline: boat neck
- Features: open back
- Dress Length: full
Once you have placed your order the Seller will be notified. Nearly Newlywed will then check that the dress is authentic and matches to the seller's description. The item will then be shipped to you upon approval. Please allow up to three weeks for delivery.
This item is returnable as priced, less a $50 return fee. If using the code 'FinalSale' for an additional 10% off, it will not be eligible for return. For more details on our returns policies please visit our FAQ.
Have a question not answered here? Contact us below.
Get in touch
More Wedding Dresses We Think You'll Love!
Start Your Search With A Style
Beach and Destination Wedding Dresses
A beach or destination wedding dress takes cues from its locale. Movement is generally a key component so fabric and construction take center stage. Chiffons, frothy tulles, featherweight lace and layers with dra...
See more Beach and Destination Wedding Dresses we love.
Bohemian Wedding Dresses
Effortless romance and generally a strong sense of connection with the landscape/venue that is chosen are defining points of a boho bride. Oft described as hippie, relaxed, artistic, romantic and worldly, the boh...
See more Bohemian Wedding Dresses we love.
Classic Wedding Dresses
For a timeless appeal that feels elegant and sophisticated, classic wedding gowns exude a grace and understated appeal. For the bride that is more MET than MOMA, these dresses feel timeless. Classic Wedding dress...
See more Classic Wedding Dresses we love.


text:
"You AGAIN" Premier.
What a pleasure it was to go on the whirlwind tour across America to NYC and Back . Working with Camille Clarke And Eric Barnard , both swapping out doing Jamie's Makeup , and the wonderful Jane Ross Styling Jamie along the way. It is a pleasure being part of such an Exclusive team . We started out yesterday Doing Tavis Smiley, at KCET he' s always an interesting interview to watch and the crew nad interns very welcoming, we ran into Neil Sedaka. I used the Phyto volume at the roots , my favorite new Solano Blowdryer PINK FOR BREAST CANCER We prepped Jamie there for the show , and reconvened at the very cool Rosevelt hotel , Just up the street where swarms of people waiting for everyones arrival , It was a ZOO. HOLLYWOOD Bld. was Shut Down! Sigourney and Jamie Both Wore the same dress , they both looked amazing ! It was a cute gag ,and reflected in the movie


text:
BandWagon RV Rentals
467 S. Lafayette St.
Bowling Green IN, 47833
From the East:
I-70 West to Exit #23 in Indiana. Turn LEFT onto SR59 South for 4.5 miles. Upon reaching the four-way intersection with red flashing lights, turn LEFT onto SR46 East for 4.5 miles. After crossing the steel bridge, look to your right for a white metal building, which is the Bowling Green Volunteer Fire Department. Turn right after building onto West Ct. and follow around the "town square." The road then curves to the right and becomes Lafayette Street. BandWagon RV Rentals is located 1/4 mile ahead on Lafayette Street.
From the West:
I-70 East to Exit #23 in Indiana. Turn RIGHT onto SR59 South and follow directions above.


text:
Provincial Government of Gipuzkoa
Departments - Public Revenue and Finance
Functions and areas of activity
- Tax administration.
- Economic Accord, quotas to the state and contributions to the autonomous region and to municipalities in the province.
- Valuation of powers or services to be transferred.
- Management of EU funds.
- Preparation, general management, monitoring and control of the Provincial Budgets.
- Internal economic control and accounting.
- Treasury, borrowing, provision of guarantees and functions related to financial institutions.
- Financial counselling and advice to municipal and trans-municipal organisations.
- All other powers corresponding to it under law.


text:
The BMW X3 has received a facelift for 2014, and seen revisions to its range of engines to improve both fuel economy and emissions.
Revisions to the exterior include new headlights, available with full LEDs and optional LED front fog lights, plus revised front and rear bumpers, indicators in the door mirrors, and new paint and alloy wheel choices.
Although it has grown in length by one centimetre, the other dimensions remain as before.
Inside, there's a new cupholder, and four new upholstery and trim choices.
A new xLine grade joins the existing SE and M Sport models. The xLine models feature metallic bumper inserts and aluminium side cladding, plus leather upholstery and a leather steering wheel.
Four engines are available, starting with the two-wheel-drive sDrive18d. Its 2.0-litre four-cylinder TwinPower diesel unit produces 150hp and 360Nm of torque, enough to sprint from 0-62mph in 9.5 seconds and on to a 121 mph top speed. It's the most frugal with combined cycle economy of 56.5 mpg and CO2 emissions of 131 g/km.
The four-wheel-drive xDrive20d uses it 190hp and 400Nm to propel the X3 to 62mph in 8.1 seconds and on to 131 mph, while returning 52.3 mpg and 143 g/km.
Six-cylinder models come in the form of the xDrive30d with 258hp and 560Nm and the xDrive35d with 313hp and 630Nm. The 30d hits 62mph in 5.9 seconds, goes on to 144mph and records 47.9mpg and 156 g/km, while the 35d completes the same sprint in 5.3 seconds, tops out at 152mph, yet sees economy drop only marginally to 47.1mpg and 157 g/km.
The 2014 BMW X3 goes on sale from June, with prices starting from £30,990.


text:
This is a well know issue, can you fix it pls? For me the last stable version to read gpu usage is driver 18.9.1, but i need the most recent driver cause some games, like Overwatch will crash otherwise. I'm using iGpu Vega11. Directx cannot read gpu usage, AMD Radeon Overlay neither MSIAfterburner or HWinfo64 works showing all 0% usage. This is very annoying cause is the most importante value to check!
Hope you will fix it asap.
Best Regards


text:
Culture Trip stands with
Black Lives Matter
As locals in Berlin know well, cash is king since most places do not accept credit cards. However, there have been a number of known thefts from Berlin ATM machines, with some even saying, paranoid or not, that there are illegal cameras spying over your pin code and card number. So, when your withdrawing money out of a public ATM machine, keep it safe and cover up your pin code. Your best bet is to stick to the ATMs inside of the banks, but if it's late at night, shield your privacy with your free hand.
This rule is pretty standard for all cities, and even suburbs, which is to stay away from parks at night. While many cities keep their parks lit up, the lighting in Berlin's parks is pretty subpar. It's especially not a cool idea for a single lady to take a shortcut through parks like Görlitzer Park or Volkspark Hasenheide. At night, the parks can get pretty ghostly, and it's not your safest bet to make the cut – is saving the extra five minutes really worth the risk?
Kottbusser Tor is a really active area in Berlin, with lots of nightlife, but sometimes it can get pretty rough after hours. The people who hang out at Kottbusser Tor are not exactly the kind of Germans you usually meet in a pub, or even on the streets. If you're with a crowd, just try not to get too confident and move away from any potentially dangerous scene. If you're heading for one of the many great bars in this area, just get there smartly and swiftly.
The Warschauer U-bahn and S-bahn station in Friedrichshain is a hot spot for tourists from all over the world. You actually don't even need to go to a bar or a venue, because this location alone is a natural event all on its own. With that said, when the hours swing closer to sunrise, say 2AM onward, people here can get unfashionably drunk. Sometimes, there are groups of young drunks going or coming from a club who are looking for a chance to throw a fist or two if they can find a willing target. So, if you have a friend who is known to get aggressive when drunk (many of us do), then keep them out of this area on the frisky weekends.
Its okay to check out areas like Marzahn and Hellersdorf, which are areas that just hit the edge of the Berlin boundaries. These areas are not unsafe per se, just don't show up there expecting to parade liberal ideas, it won't go over well. Theft is not your big problem here, but if your vulnerable to racial hatred, this isn't the place to visit.
If you love your i-Phone like you love your cat, keep it in a safe place. People have been known to get their smartphones stolen while they're in mid-conversation with Siri, or someone real. Especially if you're walking through the nighttime neighborhood streets alone. This advice goes for all areas in Berlin, even if it's in the hipster spots, it doesn't entitle you to safety.


text:
Property management, commerical & residential.
Status: By Appointment
Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Property management, commerical & residential.
ELF Property Management offers prompt customer service and personal attenetion to both property owners and tenants. We have Property Management Agreements to meet each owner's requirments and needs. ELF Property Management is licensed, bonded and insured,
Published by User Uploaded
ELF Property Managment Services The Dalles, Oregon


text:
The results of the mid-term elections just completed tell us that the system still works, but now begins a new season for people of faith to work the system.
James A. Garfield, 20th President, reminded us that
"The people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities."
Now we must begin the work of demanding that only intelligent, brave and pure Americans sit in the seats of government. We must rededicate ourselves to the proposition that the liberty we enjoy is a sacred stewardship for which we will be held accountable by God and our posterity. We must therefore be active participants in the institutions of American government from local school boards to state and national offices.
We begin with the premise that we are "One Nation Under God," and we look for leaders who are themselves, "under God" to give us reason to hope that they will lead in ways that are consistent with that Judeo-Christian ethic that has produced the greatest nation the world has ever known.
This is not a time to be quiet about our faith. It is not a time to buy into the lie that "Two things you don't talk about are politics and religion." After all, what is more important than politics, which addresses the condition of our civic happiness, and religion which addresses our eternal well being? No, let's be sure that if we only get a chance to talk about two things it will be politics and religion.
The work of turning around a nation that was steadily declining into a Socialistic state begins now. We will have another opportunity in 2012 to elect more Constitutionally-minded citizens to public office. In the meantime we must work to recapture those foundational principles and re-educate the citizenry so that liberty will be safeguarded. Remembering Thomas Jefferson's admonishment, "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." To which let me add "active participation."
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
The Amazing Samson (1888 – 1962)
ALEXANDER ZASS was also known under the stage name of THE AMAZING SAMSON.
Zass was born in Vilna, Poland in 1888, but lived most of his early years in Russia and after 1924 in Britain. He lifted a 500 pound girder with his teeth, carried a small horse, caught a woman fired from a cannon and allowed professional boxers to hit him in the stomach, but his greatest talents were in bending steel bars and breaking chains which were the center piece of his music hall exhibitions.
Like many other strongmen of his era Zass was initially motivated to develop his strength when he attended a circus and saw the feats done by the circus strongman.
At first he developed himself by climbing trees, running and with home made dumbbells and barbells. Later he trained under some of the great Russian professional strongmen including Krelov, Anokhin, and Demetrioff who taught their systems in person and through correspondence. Anokhin taught his system to George Lurich who eventually became famous as a world champion strongman and wrestler.
Zass was very innovative and started bending green branches and twigs to develop his grip strength. Perhaps this was the start of his great belief in the application of isometrics and "maximum tension" (a concept that is present in Russian training methods to this day) for the development of strength. He believed such an approach superior to the use of weights in developing strength.
Whilst a prisoner of war he continued to develop his strength with the use of isometrics by pulling on the bars and chains. This episode and the knowledge that he obtained from it later became the basis of his mail order course which featured isometrics in the form of pulling on chains of various lengths.
Zass lived a very full and exciting life on many fronts. In addition to being a strongman he was also an accomplished animal trainer.
At one time he worked for military intelligence in Russia and later as cover for his manager, Captain Howard, who was a British secret agent. Zass died in Hockley, Essex in 1962. – Gordon Anderson


text:
Welcome to CanvasbackPets!
Continue Shopping
Our most popular pulling harness! The x-back pulling harness can be used for almost any dog pulling task including:
-Dog Sledding-Kick Sledding-Ski-Joring (skiing with your dogs pulling you)-Bike-Joring-Cani-Cross-Weight Pull & More
Small 40-55lbsMedium 50-65lbsLarge 65-85XLarge 85-115
weight guide is approx, to ensure the best fit please ...
The ideal harness for your everyday adventures, the Momentum Control Harness will take you seamlessly from the park to the trails. With both front and back connection points, as well as a quick control back handle, this harness will have you ready for anything. The 5 points of adjustability ensure the perfect fit while the breathable mesh body w...
Skijoring tug line with bungee attaches to your skijoring belt and dogs x-back harness.
Are you game to try something new with your dog? The Long Hauler Towline is a dog leash designed to work with the Long Hauler Cradle Back Harness and Long Hauler Human Belt. Its durability allows for dogs and their owners to go on Joring adventures together. What is Joring? Joring is a sport that involves your dog pulling you, for instance bikej...
Our most versatile dog pulling harness. This harness can be used as a tracking harness, great for biking, add the bungee coupler to transform the harness into an x-back style harness for ski-joring, sledding and bike-joring.
Extra heavy padding in neck and shoulders
Fleece lining provides extra padding and added traction so shifting is mi...
Our most versatile dog pulling harness. This harness can be used as a tracking harness, great for biking, add the bungee coupler to transform the harness into an x-back style harness for ski-joring, sledding and bike-joring.
Extra heavy padding in neck and shoulders
Fleece lining provides extra padding and added traction so shifting is mi...
SHIPS BY PUROLATOR FAST SERVICE GREAT PRICE! Rediscover the pleasure of winter with this versatile kick sled. Because the Kick Sled is too large for Canada Post we will contact you with a shipping quote within 24hours from your request.
On snow or ice, the speed and simple operation will surprise you. You don't have to be an expert to enjoy...
This harness is designed for active dogs and for use in fast-paced pulling sports, such as skijoring and dog sledding. In the summertime, it can be used during running, cycling or kickbiking. Thanks to the durable, waterproof padding, the harness is both comfortable and robust. It focuses the pressure at the correct spot on the dog's chest, thu...
Enjoy the exciting sport of ski-joring with your dog.
The Canvasback Skijoring Belt features a padded adjustable belt for comfort and a quick release snap for a safety. The skijoring bungee gangline is available separately.
Medium Belt Measurement: Fits 28" - 40"
Large Belt Measur...
The original invisible boot paw wax, Musher's Secret is the all season paw protection. 100% all natural waxes. The invisible boot!
An extremely dense wax-based invisible barrier cream that forms a breathable bond between two surfaces, and which remains very tenacious even when extremely hot or extremely cold. No more burning pads from road salt,...
Wider replacement runners help you glide on soft snow, fit the Elsa brand Kicksleds.
Pair of plastic runners.
Width: 5.6 cm.
For Traditional Kicksled: (T2, T4, T6, T7, T8).
Change your old runners to improve the slide of your kicksled.
Large snow runners (5.6 cm) help to spread the weight even more efficiently in very soft snow conditions. A l...
Enjoy the walk without the shock. Our Adjustable Bungee Coupler is a handy shock-absorbing lead that lessens the impact of a pulling dog and helps to avoid tangled leashes if you're walking more than one dog. Pair this coupler with our Ultimate Pulling Harness if you skijor, bikejor or canicross.
Strong but soft tubular webbing
Nickel plated ha...
Nothing is better than exploring the outdoors with your dog, which is why we've created the Long Hauler Human Belt. Designed to work with the Long Hauler Cradle Back Harness and Long Hauler Towline, this human harness can be used for Canicross and running with your dog, or used individually as a daypack. For those unfamiliar with the term Dog Jo...
Get outside and enjoy the outdoors with your dog! The Long Hauler Cradle Back Harness is a dog harness created for joring sports with your dog, such as bikejoring, skatejoring, skijoring and Canicross. It was designed to be used with the Long Hauler Towline and the Long Hauler Human Belt. Modeled after cross back dog sled harnesses, this harness...
Flexible waist adjustment and leg straps keep the belt in place and support the body when pulling. The flexi section decreases stress when your dog suddenly pulls on the leash, ensuring comfortable movement. The product is equipped with pockets for a water bottle and mobile phone. Bright 3M reflectors improve safety in the dark. The product ca...


text:
A one-stop advice bureau which makes life easier for hundreds of voluntary groups in Darlington is on the move.
The Council for Voluntary Services and volunteer bureau is transferring into a new #437,000 resource centre in the town's Church Row.
The council supports the day-to-day running for around 250 charities and groups, to maintain Darlington's thriving voluntary sector.
Council chiefs say they are pleased with the way things are moving for the sector - and the CVS - in general.
But they say more of a change is needed from central Government, to offer more core funding for volunteer sector support systems in Darlington.
Among its many roles, Darlington CVS helps recruit volunteers for charities to find the most suitable match for both the individual and the organisation.
It also tries to influence local government's attitudes towards the voluntary and community sectors.
The User Involvement Partnership - which is part of the council - ensures that people who use health and social care services become more involved in the decision making.
And on a practical level, the CVS also provides a full secretarial service for groups, to help them work more effectively - including minute taking, desk top design and colour photocopying.
Kevin Richards, chief officer of the CVS in Darlington, said: "Most of the real advances in social and health care have come about by somebody who was working on a voluntary basis.
"Groups like RNIB, St John Ambulance and the British Red Cross are all voluntary.
"Darlington's voluntary sector is probably stronger than most. One of the good things is it's such a thriving, forward-looking sector."
He said the role of the CVS was crucial in helping some smaller groups which lacked the expertise of larger organisations.
"Some of the smaller voluntary groups don't have the expertise on things like human resources issues.
"Just like businesses, charities are not exempt from legislation on things like health and safety at work and employment law.
"Other things, like being a trustee of a charity, is sometimes a daunting task.
"The assistance that the CVS gives is vital to the whole of the voluntary sector."
Mr Richards said that until now, Darlington has been overlooked in favour of more deprived areas in terms of funding priorities.
But a ten-year endorsement from the Government's Community Fund Fair Shares Initiative will ensure extra funding of #1m will go to the town.
Mr Richards said the CVS would benefit from a change in attitude towards funding priorities from central government.
"Without magical core funding, organisations can spend much time chasing funds - we need the money to do the job we do.
"But in terms of service delivery, I don't think CVS has any weak points and the council is always trying to improve."


text:
It's appreciation that brings forth the art of manifesting. You cannot sit around in a negative frame of mind and expect to manifest what you love, you cannot have a mind filled with dissatisfied thoughts and hope to manifest a powerful change. Your frame of mind has everything to do with what you manifest in your life and your life belongs to you and only you, therefore only you have the power to choose.
However, if you are not in appreciation your ability to manifest isn't great enough. If you are not in appreciation for exactly where you are, who you are and all that is currently taking place then you cannot bring change to your world with a dissatisfied mind. It can be incredibly challenging at times not to feel defeated, frustrated or as though you want to give up, and yet amongst all of this you have to find the might in you to get up and just simply shift your mind space.
Get up and realise that there is something great about you, about your life and about where you are. There has to be at least one thing great and from this one great thing you can leap into appreciation. When you leap into appreciation then you have the power to manifest what you love. Your frame of mind is crucial to the art of manifesting, you cannot be in a negative frame of mind and wishfully hope for change…
Written by Ghazaleh Lowe, Bondi Guru


text:
Darlac Expert Fruit Picking Basket DP1569
Product Code:
£9.99 £8.32
In stock
This fruit basket will fit to any Darlac Expert Pole, giving a reach of up to 7 meters. The basket angle is adjustable making it easier to reach into awkward places.
Guide the basket up under the fruit, allowing the stem to slip between the fingers and give a slight tug. If ripe, the fruit will fall into the collection bag. The collection bag removes easily for cleaning and is replaceable if necessary


text:
Salmon fishing thought by nkfishingguides.com appears simple to the outdoors viewer. Yet any significant angler recognizes that there is a fine art to angling. You need to understand when to go, what type of hook to make use of, and also what to perform while you await all of them to attack your hook. Below is an Oregon fishing guide that will undoubtedly create each one of that much easier to determine.
To capture additional fish, attempt chumming. Chumming is an approach where you toss "buddies" into the water place. You are seafood to draw in fish. The friend could be ground up the fish lure, could beautiful corn and even, think it or otherwise, morning meal grain. Indeed, never make use of an excessive friend, you do not yearn for fish receiving filled before they approach your hook.
You must discover the technique water temperature level influences the activity of fish. Typically communicating, fish will undoubtedly dive much more profound when the water is fresh.
Make sure that your hook is pointy if you are actually utilizing area lure or even bait. An unsharpened hook is going to create the trick or even appeal pointless. Ensure that the hook is pointy before you directed. Take notice of just how it is actually standing up and also make an effort to hone it if it comes to be very dull.
Do not terrify the fish. You might assume you are refraining just about anything to disrupt all of them, yet fish are conscious sound. If you desire to land "the significant one lastly", you must regularly stroll lightly near water advantages as well as maintain your vocal down when chatting along with partners. If the fish hear you happening, they'll move in one more path.
RECOMMENDATION! An individual sportfishing along with lure would undoubtedly be smart to make use of bobbies or even some type of indication while angling. It may be tough to say to when you acquire a snap opportunity, as well as a first red flag, will certainly remove that complication.
Cut the fish product line! If a fish you want to launch has eaten its hook, you can quickly still obtain it carefully back in the water. Just reduce the free throw line as near to the fish's oral cavity as you can. At that point, discharge, it possesses ordinary. The belly acid of a fish is active, and also are going to manage to liquefy the hook.
Take some sparkle off of a brand-new pipe along with a dark pen to prevent scary fish when going for a Rogue River fishing activity in dirty waters. This is better carried out the evening just before to avoid a powerful pen odor. Only operate the pen coming from the lure up for many feet to create your line much less noticeable to fish.
RECOMMENDATION! If you think that you have seen a fish, carry out certainly not snag your line. Any jerking activity may be the variation in between finding your fish and also permitting it unattached.
Understanding, along with the water, is vital to sportfishing entirely. Whenever it is feasible, commit on your own to knowing the local area problems, through taking another look at the very same location throughout several vacations. Along with duplicated direct exposure, you will create a much better tip of the fish's practices, as well as chosen sites. The often you explore a specific location, the additional fish you will undoubtedly capture certainly there.
You must take adequate treatment of your angling collection. You would not like to record a big wheel and also possess it to crack free throw line since your series was neglected correctly. Always remember to hold your bobbins of product line in a dark, trendy area. One typical spot where individuals save their angling series remains in the veggie container in their fridge.
If you are certainly not proficient at fly sportfishing, you might intend to most likely a fly sportfishing college before attempting it. There are specific procedures that you require to understand just before fly angling to ensure that you carry out certainly not lose your opportunity trying to think it out by yourself.
Bass Angling
If bass sportfishing is your decided on task for the time, the hook you select can quickly help make all the distinction. You need to have to choose the attraction based upon the condition. There is a one-of-a-kind appeal to become utilized for various opportunities of the time as well as for different aspects of the water. Each hook performs one thing distinct as well as functions effectively in multiple instances for various forms of fish. Opportunity, together with a little bit of hit and miss, will undoubtedly be demanded you got for some Oregon fishing trips to locate the perfect location.
When searching for sportfishing hooks, bear in mind that the dimension of the hook obtains much smaller as the hooked variety gets bigger. For instance, hooks sized 10 to 14 are the tiniest ones, as well as need to be made use of to record crappies, post, and also sunfish.
Bass sportfishing is a fantastic spot to begin for the amateur angler. Bass is understood for being less complicated to capture, considering that they are actually probably to opt for the lure and also are less complicated to deal with. Also, as soon as you have understood bass angling, it is still satisfying given that bass installed very a battle while being recorded.
See to it you understand your location when you fish. If you are recurring one place, make an effort to find out the areas where the bass dive. Additionally, create details of which opportunities of time they always particular locations. Time is crucial in concerns of bass sportfishing.
Select an inverted shade for your lure coming from the tone of the water. If the water is darkened, make an effort to make use of pale tinted bait so that it shows up to …


text: Canadian Insurance Regulators Propose Consumer Protection Enhancements in Travel InsuranceJuly 24, 2017 Andrew S. Cunningham Stuart S. Carruthers The Canadian Council of Insurance Regulators (CCIR), the umbrella group of Canadian provincial insurance regulators, recently released a position paper outlining proposals for enhanced consumer protection in the design and delivery of travel health insurance ("THI"). This article considers the findings contained in that position paper, "Travel Health Insurance Products" (the "Position Paper") in the context of the submissions of industry stakeholders (the "Stakeholder Submissions") during the consultation phase that followed the CCIR's publication of its preliminary views on THI issues in 2016 (the "Issues Paper"). In a related development, the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada ("THIA"), the Canadian THI industry association, recently released a new Travel Insurance Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, which is also discussed below. Travel Insurance Overview Travel insurance is a somewhat unique product in the Canadian insurance marketplace, as it is: underwritten by both life and property and casualty insurers; typically a hybrid of certain health-related coverages and certain property loss-related coverages and is available in a variety of durations and product bundles; obtained through a wide variety of channels, including insurers, brokers/agents, travel agents, travel companies, banks, employers and embedded in credit cards; typically approved automatically or nearly automatically, with "underwriting" only occurring in the event of a claim; and subject to patchwork of unharmonized regulatory regimes across the country. The Position Paper Overview The release of the Issues Paper and the Position Paper followed a review of the THI marketplace in Canada, including receiving submissions from the public, conducted between 2014 and 2016 by a CCIR working group comprised of representatives of the CCIR and the Canadian Insurance Services Regulatory Organizations, a national association of insurance intermediary regulators. Overall, the CCIR concludes that Canada has a strong and reliable travel insurance market. However, from the comprehensive review that was undertaken to better understand the issues and concerns raised, it is the CCIR's conclusion that there are opportunities for improvements to be made within the travel insurance marketplace, especially in the fair treatment of consumers. It is also observed that key stakeholders in the industry are taking a proactive approach to improve the consumer experience in order to ensure confidence in the product is improved. The industry has collectively come together to propose certain possible solutions and the CCIR acknowledges the engagement of the industry in this regard and will continue to work with those stakeholders. The Issues Paper, Stakeholder Submissions and Position Paper each focused on the following core issues: Product design Marketing and disclosure obligations Distribution channels and third-party service providers Claims management and complaints process Education of customers and sales teams Industry data collection In the Position Paper, the CCIR considered the Stakeholder Submissions and set out a number of recommendations in each of the above areas. While acknowledging the value of the consultation and commending a number of existing industry initiatives, the CCIR recommendations call for a somewhat more extensive reform of existing practices than was generally envisaged by the stakeholders. In particular, the CCIR appears to be less confident than industry participants that alleged consumer confusion can be best addressed via education, rather than improvements in the design of THI products themselves. The following discussion summarizes the CCIR's views on each of the issues above, with reference to relevant stakeholder comments. As noted above, we also describe the new THIA Bill of Rights in connection with the CCIR process (in which THIA was one of the key stakeholder representatives). Product Design The Issues Paper, Stakeholder Submissions and Position Paper all dwelled at some length on issues of product complexity, terminological consistency and the integrity of the underwriting process. Complexity The THI offerings of Canadian insurers come in a wide variety of forms and options. While this might be advantageous to consumers in many respects, it also arguably contributes to the complexity of the THI marketplace (by making it difficult to comparison shop, for example). Decisions that consumers must typically make include whether to purchase coverage for single or multiple trips, medical or non-medical (e.g. trip cancellation), coverages, benefits for co-travellers and many others. The CCIR is also concerned that many providers offer so many options and "bundles" that the customer may have difficulty navigating the product guides that describe them. For example, a study by the Québec regulator, the Autorité des marchés financiers ("AMF"), found that about two-thirds of all such guides are more than 30 pages long, with about one in four exceeding 50 pages. The Position Paper specifically noted the CCIR's concerns about situations in which the coverage plans that would suit a potential insured are described in one part of a lengthy document, while relying on definitions in a different part of the document that potential purchasers might not notice. While some stakeholders argued that their consumer education efforts would significantly assist in overcoming difficulties of this nature, the CCIR recommendation focused less on education and more on a simplification of documentation accompanied by a reduction in the number of offerings. Among the potential changes that the CCIR appears to endorse is the tailoring of documentation to the potential purchaser through the omission of material on plans and options that would not be available to him or her. Terminology and Definitions One constant theme of the CCIR review was the lack of standardization among THI products, with respect not only to the structure of coverage plans but also to the terms used and the definitions assigned to them. The Issues Paper accordingly asked whether any terms or expressions should be given industry-wide standard definitions in order to simplify the THI comparison-shopping and purchasing experience. The CCIR cited "insured risk", "emergency" and "treatment" as specific examples of terms whose usage is inconsistent in the THI marketplace (and occasionally even across the product offerings of a single insurer). Stakeholders were generally open to terminological standardization, with several referring to their own ongoing efforts in their submissions. The Travel Medical Experts Working Group of the Canadian Association of Financial Institutions in Insurance ("CAFII") noted that it has been working since 2015 on a series of benchmark definitions, exclusions and limitations applicable to THI policies, in addition to using "plain language" where possible. In a complementary effort, a committee of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association ("CLHIA") has developed approximately 10 standard definitions and 16 standard exclusions and limitations, in addition to proposing an expansion of the CLHIA's Guideline G5 (Travel Insurance) to more fully reflect best practices in THI design and documentation. The committee's proposals are currently being tested with consumers. Implementation - which is likely to be a multi-year process - is expected to begin in the Fall of 2017. Other stakeholder organizations, including the Chambre de l'assurance de dommages ("ChAD") and THIA, also supported this approach (THIA reported that it has developed uniform recommended definitions for terms such as "stable", "treatment" and "pre-existing"). The Position Paper recommends more efforts of the type in which CAFII and THIA have been engaged, adding that a target deadline should be established for adoption by the entire industry once all stakeholders have been consulted. The Underwriting Process Also of concern to the CCIR is the widespread perception that automatic acceptance - which occurs in about 95 percent of cases - is essentially being achieved by deferring the underwriting process until a claim has been made. The result, according to the CCIR, is that some insureds purchase policies that offer them less protection than they realize because the multitude of exclusions necessary to make automatic acceptance feasible entails the rejection of many or most of the claims that they would be likely to make. In their submissions, industry stakeholders were generally of the view that a combination of consumer education and clearer contracts would alleviate this circumstance. However, while the CCIR applauded the educational initiatives, it clearly felt that more was needed, and recommended that insurers modify the application process so that applicants are directed to the product that best suits their need and so that those with medical issues go through the full underwriting process rather than being automatically accepted for policies that provide them with less coverage than they may be expecting. Availability of 1-800 support lines (already mandatory in Québec and often found in other provinces) for the purposes of assisting potential purchasers in understanding, evaluating and comparing products is also recommended. Marketing and Timely Disclosure Obligations As noted above, the CCIR considers THI disclosure documents to be, on average, overly long and complex. The Issues Paper accordingly asked respondents for their views on how such documents could be made more user-friendly, with an emphasis on presenting essential information clearly. While THIA, like other stakeholders, questioned the premise that the documents are frequently misunderstood, it reiterated its commitment to simplified language. It also voiced its support for a short "summary of coverage", with the caveat that it will always be important for potential purchasers to familiarize themselves with the full policy. The CLHIA is currently developing a glossary designed to improve the accuracy of medical questionnaire responses by bridging the gap between colloquial and medical language - for example, by clarifying that high blood pressure is a heart-related medical condition even though it is often not regarded as such by non-specialists. Additional ideas were suggested by other stakeholders: for example, the Third Party Administrators' Association of Canada ("TPAAC") suggested that, where a contract document is used that covers multiple coverage plans, the one that the customer has purchased should be clearly identified. In the Position Paper, the CCIR states that insurers "must simplify and improve disclosure documents" using plain language and generally aim for shorter documentation that is specific to one plan, regime or option. This recommendation reflects comments in the submissions received, as noted above. In addition, the CCIR recommends that insurers make the full policy available to potential purchasers on a no-obligation basis in order to facilitate comparison shopping. Distribution Channels and Third-Party Service Providers THI products are often distributed as individual or group plans through travel agents, employee benefit plans and credit card arrangements, in addition to licensed insurance representatives and deposit-taking institutions. The CCIR and the industry agreed that insurers are accountable for ensuring that those distributing their products are appropriately licensed. As THIA noted in its submission, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions ("OSFI") requires that insurers oversee the activities of all outsourced service providers. CAFII suggested arranging for credit card providers to send a yearly reminder to their cardholders outlining their insurance coverage. The CCIR recommendation is that, where appropriate, there should be effective controls in place to ensure that those who promote and sell the insurer's products fully understand them. In the case of group products, such as those sold through credit cards and employer plans, the CCIR recommends that insurers consider evaluating the level of understanding of group members. With respect to third-party service providers more broadly, the CCIR agreed with respondents who noted the importance of ensuring that customers are aware of the insurer's identity and of how to reach the insurer. When they are dealing with the insurer through a third party, they must be treated as fairly and knowledgeably as they would be if they were dealing with the insurer directly. THIA's submission noted that existing regulations already require the identification of the insurer on all materials and moreover that Canadian THI insurers already impose controls and conduct audits with respect to the manner in which third parties promote and deal with their products. The Position Paper states clearly that CCIR does not believe that any new restrictions are necessary with respect to the outsourcing of functions to third-party administrators. Claims Management and Complaints Process The issue of claims management relates to situations, occasionally publicized in the media, in which a claim is denied on the ground of a material misrepresentation in an application that the consumer maintains was completed in good faith. As the Position Paper notes, this is closely connected with the concern that some applications are not reviewed in detail by the insurer until a claim has been received, with the result that an insured may, in the meantime, incorrectly conclude that the information provided in the application was in a form acceptable to the insurer and that he or she is appropriately covered. In their submissions, the stakeholders placed considerable reliance on existing claims procedures, with improvement being achieved by promoting increased awareness of the ability to appeal a denied claim or to access an ombudsman. For example, CAFII emphasized the importance of a multilingual claims team and a clear decision-making framework while observing that its own polling indicated a 92 percent satisfaction rate with the claims processing experience. For its part, THIA noted that a documented complaints procedure is already required under the federal insurance regulatory regime. Finally, as part of the ongoing initiative described above, the CLHIA is currently developing a best practices protocol that is designed to clarify internal claims escalations processes for the benefit of policyholders. The CCIR recognized the willingness of the stakeholders to continue to work to improve the transparency of claims handling and dispute resolution procedures. Following a recommendation of the CLHIA, the CCIR suggested the development of industry-wide best practices with respect to the claims review and escalation procedures. The Position Paper also stressed the CCIR's expectation that insurers will improve their up-front disclosure and, in particular, that they will clearly explain the potential consequences of misrepresenting facts on an application form, whether or not this happens in "good faith". On a related point, the CCIR applauded stakeholder proposals to routinely review cases in which claims have been rejected on the basis of medical questionnaire errors that are unrelated to the substance of the claim actually made. Education of Customers and Sales Teams Many of the recommendations discussed above have involved efforts to better inform purchasers about the nature of the coverage available to them and their post-purchase rights. The Issues Paper also raised the matter of "consumer education" in the broadest sense and the Position Paper makes a number of related recommendations in that connection. Some of these - such as the use of plain language and reduced complexity in policy documents - are noted above, but the Position Paper also urges the industry to consider public education initiatives that will help to de-mystify a market that THIA characterized in its submissions as "not as developed and mature" as the rest of the insurance industry. These educational efforts would include promoting awareness of the variety of coverage options and of the need for accuracy in applications and the limitations inherent in group coverage. The Position Paper also discusses the education of sellers, which was generally left unaddressed in the Stakeholder Submissions. The CCIR noted that insurers are responsible for ensuring that sellers (whether licensed or exempt) have sufficient knowledge of their products to permit them to: explain key terms, the nature of the guarantees, options, conditions, and exclusions of the product; and provide reliable information/advice on the product or know when and where to direct the consumer for information/advice. Data Collection The final issue raised in the process was improved THI data collection. While the stakeholder groups all supported the concept in principle, there were relatively few specific suggestions with respect to the types of data that could be collected. One possibility would be better complaints tracking, as advocated by the TPAAC, while CAFII suggested general consumer research such as it had commissioned from Pollara Research to assist it in responding to the Issues Paper. In the Position Paper, the CCIR stated that it intends to monitor the adoption and implementation of proposals by industry to establish key indicators, which (as THIA noted) would take some time, and subsequently to monitor and report on them. An additional issue noted by THIA was that, as a smaller insurance sector, THI is typically using systems that were developed for other insurance categories and which may therefore need to be adapted to collect standardized THI-specific data. THIA'S Bill of Rights and Responsibilities In a related development, on June 1, 2017, THIA released its Travel Insurance Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, a significant milestone on the path toward the goals of clarity and consumer protection set out in the CCIR report. The statement of rights and responsibilities begins with three core principles: Understand your travel insurance policy - Insurance providers have staff available to answer any questions related to policies Know your health and consult a health care provider if you have any questions Know your trip - How long will you be gone? Are you a snowbird? Will you be travelling many times during the year? It then continues as follows: Under THIA's Travel Insurance Bill of Rights and Responsibilities travellers have the right to: A No Obligation Purchase: Travel insurance providers will allow a minimum 10-day free review of the policy. Be Informed: You will receive your policy documentation and confirmation of coverage outlining the policy terms and conditions whether purchased in person, over the phone or online. Request Clarification: You may ask questions about the travel insurance you have purchased. Review & Modify Medical Screening: You will receive a copy of the answers you provided on the medical questionnaire prior to the start of your policy. Receive Worldwide Assistance & Toll-free Support: You have 24/7 access to the help you need when you need it from your travel insurance provider. Fair & Prompt Claims Handling: You will have a timely and transparent communication process. Escalate & Appeal: You may challenge decisions and request additional reviews with new information. Confidentiality: Your personal information will be protected in all dealings with your travel insurance provider. Know Your Insurer: Your policy will clearly identify the underwriter of your travel insurance and the process to file and resolve complaints. Your Preferred Language: You may transact and correspond about all components of your travel insurance in English or French. Travellers are responsible for the following: To Provide Accurate Information: The travel insurance application needs to be completed accurately. To Understand Your Policy: Take the time to read and understand your policy. To Travel With Proof of Insurance: Have your policy number and emergency assistance contact information easily accessible. To Notify Your Travel Insurance Provider: Provide prompt and timely communication when a claim situation arises and provide all requested documentation related to your claim including all relevant receipts. DISCLAIMER: This publication is intended to convey general information about legal issues and developments as of the indicated date. It does not constitute legal advice and must not be treated or relied on as such. Please read our full disclaimer at www.stikeman.com/legal-notice.


text:
"The decision to launch the investigation came after the ICC had finished its analysis of the referral by the UN Security Council," Yves Sorokobi, spokesman for the ICC, said on Monday. "This included consultations with experts and ensuring we had met all our statutory requirements before beginning the investigations."
He added, "We will be taking all necessary steps in carrying out the investigation, including sending teams into the country and making arrangements for cooperation with all the stakeholders, both at the national and international level."
The UN Security Council referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC prosecutor on 31 March. The resolution required Sudan and all other parties to the conflict to cooperate with the court.
"We are actively seeking the cooperation and support of the Sudanese government and hope that as a member of the UN, Sudan will cooperate fully with our investigation," Sorokobi said.
On 5 April, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan handed over to Ocampo a sealed list of 51 suspected perpetrators of atrocities in Darfur.
Sudan has not ratified the ICC's governing Rome Statute, and opposition to the referral of the situation in Darfur to The Hague-based court is widespread in Africa's largest country.
Sudanese President Umar al-Bashir has previously said his government would not hand over any citizens to be tried outside the country. He said Sudan's own judiciary was qualified and ready to try those accused of any violations in Darfur.
In April, the country's Council of Ministers declared its "total rejection" of UN Security Council Resolution 1593, calling for those accused of war crimes in Darfur to be tried before the ICC. The Sudanese council said it lacked "justice and objectivity".
"It will form part of a collective effort, complementing African Union [AU] and other initiatives to end the violence in Darfur and to promote justice," Ocampo said.
"Traditional African mechanisms can be an important tool to complement these efforts and achieve local reconciliation," he added.
Ocampo also invited the court and the AU to discuss practical arrangements that will facilitate the work of the ICC, including the possibility of conducting proceedings in the region.
Annan established the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur in October 2004. The commission reported to the UN in January that there was reason to believe crimes against humanity and war crimes had been committed by the government, the Janjaweed militias and rebel forces in Darfur, and recommended that the situation be referred to the ICC.
In a statement issued on Monday, New York-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) welcomed the ICC's decision to start the investigation on alleged atrocities in Darfur, saying it was a key step towards attaining justice.
"The ICC prosecutor's decision to investigate mass slaughter and rape in Darfur will start the wheels of justice turning for the victims of these atrocities," Richard Dicker, the director of HRW's International Justice Programme, said.
The war in Darfur, which began in February 2003, pits Sudanese government troops and militias – allegedly allied to the government - against rebels fighting to end what they say is the marginalisation and discrimination of the region's inhabitants by the state.
An estimated 180,000 people have died and more than two million others have been displaced since the war in Darfur began
| Sudanese Songs | | Arabic News | Arabic Forum| | | | PC&Internet Forum| Press Releases
Home| Sudanese Directory | Tell a friend| Articles and Analysies | News | English Forum


text:
Since its founding in 1994, Richard Alston Dance Company has become an avidly followed contemporary dance company, performing the work of its Artistic Director Richard Alston and Associate Choreographer Martin Lawrance.
Richard Alston Dance Company's outstanding reputation on the British dance scene is now increasingly being matched overseas particularly in the US. In May 2004 the Company made its US debut with a week-long season at New York's Joyce Theater. The Company returned to the US in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Richard Alston Dance Company continues to perform regularly in the US, at New York City Center as part of Fall For Dance Festival in 2011, 2013 and 2016, Peak Performances at Montclair State University, New Jersey in 2012, 2014 and 2017 and the Virginia Arts Festival in 2014, 2016 and 2017. Most recently, the Company returned to Virginia Arts Festival in Spring 2019 and is looking forward to returning to Peak Performances in Montclair in Spring 2020.
Other overseas tours have included China, South East Asia, Holland, Greece and Russia where the Company represented Britain at Moscow's first International Festival of Contemporary Dance in 1999. The Company performed as part of the Schrittmacher Festival in Aachen, Germany in 2012, 2014 and 2016 and at Stadthalle Neuss in March 2017. In 2018 the Company performed at Open Stage Festival in Poland and DAP Festival in Italy.
In March 2020 Richard Alston Dance Company will cease activity in line with new priorities for touring, agreed between The Place and Arts Council England.


text:
Access Platform Supplier
At Platform Sales & Hire, we have specialised in supplying brand new, used and rental access equipment to businesses in Aylesbury for more than a decade. Whether you're looking for a scissor lift, cherry picker, personnel lift or something else, we have the solution for your business.
Our team has a wealth of experience in a range of industries including aviation, rail, facilities management and export sales.
Quick Access to Aylesbury
From our depot in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, we have quick and easy access to the whole of Aylesbury for all of your access platform needs.
To discuss your requirements with our team, do not hesitate to contact us today.


text:
HPLC Columns Packing
The separation of the liquid chromatography column is carried out between the filler and the mobile phase. The classification of the column depends on the type of packing, and what kind of packing is called the column.
1.Normal phase column: mostly silica gel column packing. According to the appearance, it can be divided into two types: amorphous and spherical, and its particle diameter is in the range of 3-10 um. Another type of normal phase filler is silica gel surface bonding – a functional group such as CN, -NH2, so-called bonded phase silica gel. HPLC normal phase chromatography column has CN HPLC column, NH2 HPLC Columns, etc.
2.Reversed-phase column: A non-polar filler which is mainly based on silica gel and has an octadecyl functional group (ODS) bonded to its surface. There are also amorphous and spherical types. Other commonly used reversed-phase fillers are also bonded to C8, C4, C2, phenyl, etc., and the particle size is between 3 and 10 um. HPLC reversed-phase chromatography columns include Reversed Phase C4 HPLC Columns, Phenyl HPLC Columns, C8 Low pH HPLC Column, etc.


text:
|Immune Repertoire Profiler (IRProfiler), a novel software pipeline that delivers a number of core receptor repertoire quantification and comparison functionalities on high-throughput TR and BcR sequencing data.
- Galaxy image that deploys IRProfiler, a novel Galaxy toolbox. This is made available as supplementary material for the article IRProfiler - A Software Toolbox for High Throughput Immune Receptor Profiling, authored by C. Maramis et al. in *BMC Bioinformatics
- A Docker image of the IRProfiler Galaxy toolbox is also available.
- IRProfiler tools are also available in the ToolShed
User Support
- IRProfiler - A Software Toolbox for High Throughput Immune Receptor Profiling, Christos Maramis, Athanasios Gkoufas, Anna Vardi, Evangelia Stalika, Kostas Stamatopoulos, Anastasia Hatzidimitriou, Nicos Maglaveras, Ioanna Chouvarda, BMC Bioinformatics (2018) 19: 144. doi:10.1186/s12859-018-2144-z
- IRProfiler tagged publications in the Galaxy Publication library
- Lab of Computing, Medical Informatics & Biomedical-Imaging Technologies, Department of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Institute of Applied Biosiences, Centre for Research & Technology Hellas, Thermi Greece


text:
For those of you who are unaware of Ian Miller's work he started his career over 40 years ago and has been a real force in the 'Fantasy' and storytelling genres. He has created two graphic novels: Luck in the Head, with co-author M. John Harrison (Victor Gollancz, 1991), and The City with co-author James Herbert (Pan Macmillan, 1989). Has worked as an art editor for Interzone Magazine and as an art consultant for Games Workshop Ltd, and had publications of his work The Green Dog Trumpet, Secret Art 1979 and Ratspike 1989 amongst many others.
There are many ways of descriptively trying to pigeonhole Ian Miller's work. A Modern Heronymous Bosh, a Russian constructivist with really bad dreams, Edgar Allan Poe with a pen, but each lacks the understanding of Ian's constant striving for experimentation and love of storytelling.
Ian studied sculpture at Central St Martins in 1967. He switched to the painting faculty in 1968, and at this time the formal style of teaching had gone out of the window. He spent the whole time never touching a coloured tube of paint and worked only in black and white. When he graduated in 1970 his tutors though unsure of his work, congratulated him on his persistence.
At times your work can be very busy or surreal, and you seem to be giving the viewer a sneak peek at some other world. Are you often asked to explain your images?
'Providing insights that people seem to crave is not easy.' Ian remembered once having produced a large 6-foot pencil drawing of the Last Supper (based on the Michelangelo image, with windmills and all), that was hung in a friend's house. They had a friend to stay who used to be a Franciscan monk and he would spend hours just staring at the image and swore that there was a hidden meaning within the image, a mysterious presence. Perplexed by this they called Ian to ask him about the part of the image just above the head of Christ, to see whether there was answer. He thought for a moment and replied 'I believe I rubbed something out around there'.
Ian had a exhibition in Brighton, and gave all the pictures arbitrary numbers then created what he termed an emotive cypher and attached a word to each number ie : DOG 22, Grass 114. (purely random associations) According to one of the curators a large group of teenagers came into the exhibition and spent the whole afternoon trying to find some hidden message/meaning in the exhibition imagery.
I asked Ian if anyone had accused him of taking mind-altering substances to see the nightmarish images he produced. 'It's a kind of fallacy that to produce my kind of work you need to be a terrible depressive or suffer from some sort of strange malady. He feels in his case 'Some people I suppose are just born broken'.
On your web-site there are a number of short stories that you have written, is writing important to you?
'I write as much as I draw now and recently a literary agent said the nicest thing about my work, he said Ian your writing is as fucked up as you're drawing and the voice inside my head shouted Yes! I've arrived'.
Ian has recently written a theatre piece called the Shingle Dance. It's a strange tale of the bizarre and traumatic rehabilitation of a dancer called Max Helter, after he losses both of his legs in a dreadful accident. (See Ian's website at ian -miller.org). The Arts council provided funds to develop this project and Ian is relishing the chance to work with a choreographer and theatrical producer.
During the mid 70's he worked for Ralph Bakshi on the feature animation Wizards and later on Coolworld. Ian also did some pre-production work for Shrek. Although, before you say I don't remember any gothic buildings or daemons, unfortunately the team Ian was working with were dropped after one of the production heads took a look at the images and said 'This stuff is way too scary for kids'.
Recently Ian has been working as a concept artist for DNA (the company who made Jimmy Neutron) and has expanded upon his experience of working in film production. DNA studios are based in Irving Texas USA and Ian has been working on a new production called the Ant Bully, which will be distributed by Warner Brothers and Tom Hanks Playtone Company.
Ian said it was a funny experience working in a studio where people are furiously slaving over keyboards with objects that exist in non-tactile space, and he was at the other end of the room with a pot of ink and a dip pen making a mess. 'Many people have commented on the differences in my styles but, both styles influence each other. I love to experience mark making in both tight and loose ways and at the moment using the computer to work with has given me even more options'.
Adobe PhotoShop is great to work with as it gives me the opportunity to take my black and white images further. It's just hard sometimes to stop playing with stuff'. 'Whilst working for DNA the art director rushed in and asked me why I had sent him 16 files which weren't flattened all of the same picture. I replied its just in case you didn't like bits of them and they are all subtly different. You see the shadow in this one is deeper, the red in this one is less…..15 minutes later he walked away with a strange smile on his face.'
Ian said that he loved to work in pre-production for films where you get the chance to work with such creative and skilled individuals, and alongside fellow artists like Fred Gambino and Mike Ploog.
'It has been such a great experience at DNA where everybody has been helpful and supportive from the top down. At one point during my visit, Nickelodeon had just upgraded their computers and monitors. The management of DNA then gave away the old equipment to those who wanted it and it was funny to see people at the end of the working day proudly clutching equipment and trying to fit it all in their cars.'
What is the secret to your success?
'A sense of humour is really key, and the ability to except a lifestyle which involves feast and famine. It is a fallacy to think that things get better from higher up on the ladder and after being in the industry for a certain time. I still get some very odd and unreasonable requests but I try to take the rough with the smooth and look for work which my not be the best paid but at least it could turn into some interesting work.' For example Dave Mckean for his new film Mirror World asked if Ian could work on the pre-production. But due to others commitments and lack of funds Ian suggested using some his old work. He later found out that his images were manipulated and created into wallpaper for one of the sets in the film. Not something that would have happened under normal circumstances, but the result is really exciting.
So the next time you are wondering around Brighton take a moment to see whether you can see the strange gothic edifices that inhabit the world of Ian Miller. Try to imagine what gems lurk beneath the facades of this city. One such treasure is kept well hidden in the guise of a man and his dog quietly strolling through the streets. Ian, his wife Jenny and their dog Jesper have been very kind in letting Caroline and myself invade their afternoon, and would like to thank them for their time and hospitality.


text:
Q. My sister is going through her First Major Break-Up. My offers to beat the guy up/egg his car have not been met with the kind of enthusiasm I expected, which leaves me sort of a loss in the helpful department. So I ask: What advice do you wish you had been given during the First Big Break-Up? Read More What Heartbreak Solves
Tag: experience
One of the joys of writing a sex column is the amount of questions we get. Without continued questions, there is no column and no way to talk about experiences or problems we may or may not have experienced. In many ways, it's a little bit like group therapy, and even though I'm on one end of the question and answer dynamic, I feel as if we are all on that big couch, figuring it out together. Read More Sex On The Micro Side: Your Questions, Redux
Women in Academia: How Universal are Our Experiences Anyway?
I talk about the importance of open, honest communication all the time but the lack of it is probably the number one problem I experience and witness in my everyday life. Time and time again, I talk to people, one on one, and usually totally unexpectedly, about the obstacles, challenges, and triumphs that they face in their department and university. Each time, I find my belief in the value of open communication about one's experiences reinforced, but each time, I also find myself wondering how universal our experiences are. Read More Women in Academia: How Universal are Our Experiences Anyway?
Where People Go to Teach Overseas
If there is any lesson I've learned in my 4 years of teaching overseas, it's that nothing compares to first hand advice. I can only speak for my experiences in China, Vietnam, and South Korea, but that hardly covers the multitude of options available to people or the variety of different jobs and cultures in which to immerse oneself. Read More Where People Go to Teach Overseas
The Power of Being a Promiscuous Woman
I have had sex with 37 men. Whether or not this qualifies as being promiscuous in the modern age is up for debate, but suffice it to say that I've had enough sex with enough men that I've forgotten some of their names (assuming I ever knew them).