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Last night on Real Housewives of Orange County maturity was out in full force! Lydia McLaughlin attempted to throw a drama-free salsa dancing party which brought out as much cattiness in the ladies as penises in paradise did! Can Gretchen Rossi get along with anyone? #RhetoricalQuestion
Things begin with Heather Dubrow being ridiculous. Apparently Heather just cannot possibly attend Lydia's salsa party if Alexis Bellino is there given that Alexis is like soooo fake and phony and faux and everything horrible. Lydia encourages Heather to try and make amends with Alexis and call her so they can put their differences aside. Lydia calls herself the "Friendship Whisperer." If this woman starts teaching classes and writing how-to books about training people to curb their aggression using treats I think I might explode.
After much twisting of the Chanel pearls ('cause costume jewelry is only acceptable if it's Chanel) Heather concedes she will be the bigger person and call Alexis. Lydia lets out a squee.
Vicki Gunvalson and Tamra Barney are all BFF again after a Mexican penis bonanza. Bonding By Bravo! Vicki shows up at the Wines By Wives office with their new wines and they sit down to girl talk and sample. I want that job. Tamra is starting to realize that Gretchen is like super-duper annoying, and not only that she's kinda demanding and super self-absorbed? What gave Tamra that impression? Was it the 24/7 pageant hair or the perma-airbrushed makeup? Or possibly that fake guffaw.
Tamra is not impressed that Gretchen attempted to dominate Mexico with high-strung antics. Vicki dismisses Gretchen as dirt under her fingernails. Or a hairbrush – something else she couldn't care less about!
Tamra questions Vicki about Brooks. Vicki admits they are sort of off and on at the moment and she's just been basically deciphering all the cards and special e-greetings he sends her way to try and figure it out. Here Vicki – lemme break it down: when he senses that you are getting tired of him he lays on the charm extra crispy fried thick to reel you back in, then when you start getting all clingy and let's be a couple he's suddenly issuing ultimatums and pulling back. Brooksy wants his deep-fried catfish and he wants the side of hush puppies too.
Heather and Alexis get together for coffee and both ladies have donned their couture for the occasion. Only one of them was in ALEXIS COUTURE however!
I don't know why these women can't avoid yelling at each other in public, but they can't. How's that for manners and classiness, Heather? Heather goes on and on about her desire to reach a place of civility with Alexis, but then proceeds to blame Alexis for all the problems in their situation and take zero accountability for her own actions.
When Alexis points out that there are things she doesn't like about Heather; like for instance that she is condescending and twaty, Heather gets all defensive – annnnd… condescending and twaty! Heather doesn't seem to realize that her poo doesn't smell like Chanel No. 5 any more than the next OC girl's does!
After much back and forth (and being asked by the cafe to leave), they both agree they can act like adults and be civil at functions. Victory in small things!
Over at Gretchen's she proves big hair is in her genetics cause her mommy is there to discuss Gretchen's relationship with Slade. Gretchen says they're ready to make babies together and wants her mom's approval. Gretchen's mom considers it for a second, grimaces visibly, and then because the producers forced her to, admits that Slave has really proven himself over time. We all laugh hysterically because the only thing loser has proven is that he's a Grade A douchebag.
Gretchen claps because now she can expand her GCB empire to include infant body shimmer and bedazzled burp cloths! Squeeee!
Then Gretchen yammers on about what Lauri Peterson told her about Vicki's "indiscrepancies". #GetADictionary. Gretchen's mom is guzzling wine straight from the bottle and begging Jesus to forgive her at this point since Gretchen expects congratulations for being the bigger person and not blowing the lid off Vicki's past. She says that Slade's son's illness has made her realize drama is "insignificant." Gretchen has been pitching us this storyline all season, but here's the thing – her botoxed ass has been causing more whiny drama than anyone! Gretchen is more full of it than her hair is full of hairspray.
Briana's husband is deploying and it is their final night as a family. Vicki has seen the light and realized why they eloped – and it had nothing to do with spiting her. Imagine… She loves Ryan like a son now and worries about his safety. Despite Ryan moving to a base far from their house as he prepares to leave for Afghanistan, Brooks is still not permitted in the home since Briana and Troy are still living there. Ryan reminds Vicki that he can monitor the security system from anywhere.
Lydia is planning her salsa party, which means overseeing the caters and hiring a good party planner. It's a trick she learned from Heather Dubrow's Guide To Structured Entertainment. There's a whole section about schooling your guests on appropriate behavior and doling out punishments if protocol is broken. #NoOnionRingsForYou. There is also a chapter dedicated to staging a dramavention about fakeness whilst vacationing in a foreign country so that the person's only viable means of escape is to seek asylum in the Embassy. Or drown themselves in margaritas until they can no longer hear the scratchy sound of your voice…
Lydia wants everyone to come in costume and be prepared to shake their bootys. Not stripper style however, so she's hired legit salsa instructors for the occasion. Heather and Terry ride with Gretchen, her side bouffant, and Slave, looking all the slimy than usual in his attempts to appear debonair.
In the limo, for some reason everyone wants to know if Brooks is attending. He's not. Because Vicki and Brooks are currently not together according to the "affirmation of the day" calendar. Terry decides he should surprise Vicki by calling Brooks and inviting him to the event. Apparently Dr. Look Good and Dr. Feel Good If It Benefits Me are friends. Heather approves of him and even admits to a dubious looking Gretchen that she likes Brooks. Gretchen double checks that her Gretchen Christine Cootie Spray is in her purse.
Vicki is headed to the event with Alexis, who thought Salsa costume meant Disney Princess on Ice. I guess it's better than Heather's attempt which was more Barbie Stewardess than costume of any kind. I'm guessing she hid all her hand sanitizer wipes under the shoulder epaulet thingies. Proving they were sincere in their makeup session, Heather and Alexis greet hello with no incidents or injuries. Gretchen ignores her…
Also appearing is Lauri who has been invited by Tamra. However now that Tamra and Vicki are friends again, Lauri serves no purpose and Tamra is frantically texting her to keep the drama at a simmer.
Terry, who hasn't met Lauri, questions Slade about how they know each other. Slave goes into detail about how they were essentially 'friends with benefits' who didn't date outside the bedroom, if you get my drift. He also provides detail about Lauri's sexcapades score and rates Gretchen as off the charts. Terry was egging him on which I'm sure is going to get him a serious mouth washing out from Heather after she views the show. Slave is soooo classy. I'm sure his sex score is on par with his bank account balance: 0.
Things start off on the right foot (see what I did there), but then the food comes out. At the sight of Lydia eating chips and guac much, MUCH discussion is had over her thinness. Lauri, who has never met Lydia, keeps making comments about how lucky she is to be able to pig out and keeps insisting she'll bloat out like some sort of famine child if she consumes a carb. Nice. Then Slave whispers to Gretchen that he is going to nickname Lydia "cheeseburger" cause she needs to eat a few. Annnnnd unfortunately despite crunching on chips, Lydia has bionic hearing and heard exactly what Slave said! Oops.
To her credit, Lydia doesn't hesitate to directly call him out on talking about her behind her back, whilst she was in hearing distance. 'Haven't you read Heather's book,' she hisses, glowering into her guac. Slave tries to deny that he was talking about Lydia behind her back, cause naturally he wanted her to hear it since he whispered. Gretchen is, of course, defending him and talking loudly about how Lydia misinterpreted his comments – I mean Slave would tell her if she was fat too, right! I mean we all remember what he said about Tamra and Vicki!
Lydia does not back down and then eventually decides Slave is not worth her time. She lets us know she sometimes really likes Gretchen, but there's a lot of things about her that raise red flags. Like Slave. And Mexican strippers.
Tamra and Eddie arrive last and they went all Dancing With The Stars. I think Tamra even managed to snag herself an authentic costume, which she should have left to Petra. It wasn't exactly what I would call flattering.
Then Brooks shows up right when Tamra and Vicki are talking. Good lord his wardrobe is so tacky! He has some grocery store flowers with him and although Vicki seems genuinely surprised to see him we all know the producers schemed to have him show up. Tamra looks like she ate some rancid penis pop at the sight of him. She is then forced to have a conversation with Cooties about the fight they had last season and misinterpreting her mouth. Brooks, pretending he hasn't watched all the back episodes of RHOC,
Bored with Cheeseburger-gate Lauri sidles over to Tamra to discuss Brooks. Apparently one of Lauri's esteemed children has a good friend who is a hooker or something and also the much-younger girlfriend on the side to Brooks.
They're both living off Vicki's money?
It's creepy stalkerish how involved in Vicki's life Lauri is. #ObsessionByBravo I mean it's a bit Lifetime movie with a side of SWF. Does she keep an Excel spreadsheet of all Vicki's alleged extramarital hookups for quick reference? Tamra is disgusted to learn the latest about Brooks, although not surprised.
Then finally they all salsa. There's that awkward 5 seconds when Tamra finds herself partnered with Brooks and it's like the bottle landing on the gross dude in spin the bottle.
More drama unfolds over the cheeseburger comment. Lydia reminds Slade that sometimes the things he says can seriously offend people. Like maybe, possibly, perhaps Vicki got a nose job after he called her Miss Piggy. Slave, proving that he needs $10 for the douchebag jar, blames THE INTERNET.
Lydia fixes her Bratz doll rainbow sparkle eyes on Slave and zeros in with "I see who you are." Cue Gretchen getting all her in face calling her judgmental and again claiming Lydia doesn't know the back story. I cannot stand when Gretchen does this – all this constantly insisting we don't know the real amazing Slave. And that everyone is wrong about him.
It's also obvious that she's not really over what Tamra did/said to her all those years and is projecting and blaming Vicki. As annoying as Vicki is, she wasn't the one trying to destroy Gretchen – that was Tamra! Yet Gretchen forgives her after being given some cheap Lia Sophia friendship bracelet.
Lydia is done with the situation – and suggests Slave pay more attention to Malibu Beach Barbie and the hair chemicals that have depleted her ability to reason.
Across the party Tamra is making good on her promise to be nice to Alexis by inviting her wedding dress shopping with the rest of the group. Alexis is excited to finally be included in something without it being a secret plot to feature her as the punching bag. Poor girl – so desperate. But sweet. And look at ol' Tammie Sue being decent for a change. But sadly, no good deed goes unpunished…
Because hot on her heels is a deranged former pageant Barbie with a serious vendetta! Yep, Gretchen immediately accosts Tamra to give her a Heather about how she won't be going dress shopping if Alexis is there since there not even really friends. Unless of course Tamra secretly gave her a bracelet too! Gasp! I mean isn't this how it all started with her…
Instead of Tamra begging Gretchen to come and bring her penis straws, Tamra pretty much rolls her eyes and reminds Gretchen that it's her wedding Bravo is paying for – not Gretchen's. Perhaps if she wouldn't have shacked up with a deadbeat Bravo would want to film her wedding dress shopping too. And Alexis' invite stands.
Harsh. Harsh like hair bleach or bad perms. And just like that Gretchen is yesterday's BFF.
[Photo Credits: BravoTV.com]


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Bundesliga side Leverkusen are set to wear ski masks for Wednesday's Europa League game in Group B against Norway's Rosenborg Trondheim with sub-zero temperatures expected.
The players trained with the masks on Tuesday in their final session at Lerkendal Stadium and have faced freezing temperatures since they arrived in Norway.
Leverkusen beat Trondheim 4-0 in the first leg on September 16 in the warmth of early autumn in Germany, but coach Jupp Heynckes expects very different weather in the frosty second leg.

subset: commoncrawl


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There are lot of occasions in life where one has to say "NO" to something due to several reasons. However saying "NO" to people straight away especially to the near and dear ones is a TASK as big as climbing Mount Everest ! It is painful and filled with guilt. But we smart Gujaratis have discovered many ways to say no without saying the word "NO" 😛
Following are 8 Ways In Which A Gujarati Says No Instead Of Using The Word "NO"
1) Chal ne hu jou chhu
If there is a line between "yes" nd "no" then it is this "chal ne hu jovu chhu" zone. Evu to su jose bhagwaan jaane. Aa "jovani" process is never ending 😛
2) Maaru nakki nathi
This phrase is somewhat towards "NO" but still it keeps the hopes alive 😛 The reason for using this phrase is ke loko pachi chadhi na bese. You can always say "me to pehla j kidhelu ke maru nakki nathi!"
3) Thodi vaar ma kahu tane
This way gets the award of the most irritating way of saying "NO" because that "THODI VAAR" never ends. Thodi vaar thodi vaar karta karta bau vaar thai jaay ! but thodi vaar pate nai ! 😀
4) Baapa ne puchvu padse
This way gets the award for the "SAFEST" way of saying no. You can be like "Maari to ha j che ! pan bapa ne puchvu pade ! Bapa keh e final"
5) Maari tabiyet thik nathi
This way gets the award of the most convincing way of saying NO especially when you have to go somewhere and you want to say "NO" 😛
6) Tu moto / moti thais pachi..
This is the KID'S SPECIAL way of saying NO 😛 Kai pan levu hoy, kase javu hoy "na beta amna nai.. tu moto thais/ moti thais pachi" and it goes on till the time you get married yourself have your own kids and start saying the same to them 😀
7) Thodu pehla kidhu hot to thai jaat
This way is generally used when some one tells to do some work which you don't want to ( like NAVRATRI na PASSES 😛 ) This way gets the boomerang award ! Rather than you feeling bad to say no, saame vada ne thay "yaar pehla aane kai didhu hot to kaam thai gayu hot !" 😀
8) Hu thodo kaam ma chhu
And this one gets the EVER GREEN – SADAA BAHAAR award 😀 Kai na male to chelle "hu thodo kaam ma chhu amna, pachi vaat karu" Saying this in lower voice and serious tone makes this way extremely EFFECTIVE 😀
Jokes apart.. Sometimes it is best to confront and say "NO". It is rightly said in Gujarati "Jeevan ma 'NA' paadta shikho, hamesha sukhi rehsho !" 🙂
Have more such ways which you use or is used by your friends ? Feel free to add in the comment section below 🙂
Like, comment and share 🙂


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As promised earlier this month, giant coffee chain Starbucks will be offering free Wi-Fi in its U.S. and Canadian operated stores as a way to bring in customers bearing notebooks, netbooks, mobile devices, smartphones, and WiFi-enabled gaming units. Although Starbucks has offered up to two hours of free Wi-Fi to members of its My Starbucks Reward program—and folks with Wi-Fi benefits via AT&T have been able to tap into the Internet at the coffeehouses—Starbucks is throwing the doors wide open tomorrow. If you have Wi-Fi gear, you can use it at Starbucks, no headache required. Although they hope you'll buy a snack or a beverage.
"Our customers were asking for a simplified Wi-Fi offering, and free Wi-Fi has been a top request on MyStarbucksIdea.com," said Starbucks CEO, president, and chairman Howard Schultz, in a statement. "We're excited to turn this feedback into action and believe our customers will be delighted with the enhanced experience they'll find in Starbucks stores."
The free Wi-Fi capability will span nearly 6,800 Starbucks locations in the United States and another 750 in Canada. Starbucks is sticking with AT&T as its backend provider for Wi-Fi and Internet connectivity in the U.S.; Starbucks has been working with AT&T on Wi-Fi offerings since 2008. In Canada Starbucks runs the service in conjunction with Bell Canada, in an arrangement that goes back to 2005.
Later this year, Starbucks also plans to introduce the Starbucks Digital Network, which will operate in U.S. company-owned stores (rather than franchises) and offer free, unlimited access to a set of usually for-pay sites and services and content, as well as local community news and free downloads. Starbucks Digital Network will be a partnership with Yahoo.
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With news that tens of billions of barrels of oil reserves have been found near Gatwick airport, England has confirmed it will happily share its new oil wealth with the rest of Britain and not make a song and dance about it.
Faced with declining North Sea reserves, the new discovery is likely to provide a welcome fillip to the national coffers over the coming decades.
"Natural resources are a luck of the draw thing," said a representative of the new English oil industry.
"Faced with a stroke of good fortune like that, who wouldn't want to share it with the neighbours?"
"You'd have to be a right selfish twonk to try and keep it all to yourself, or to lay some sort of private claim to it."
"Who would do such a thing?"
Meanwhile it is reported that wildcat exploration for similar-sized reserves will begin in Yorkshire over the next year.
In response to the news, a spokesman for Yorkshire said "If we find any oil, we're bloody keeping it. The rest of you can bollocks."
"You're all puffs anyway," he added.


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× Service About Us About Us School Based Services Insurance Careers FAQs
In addition to ABA therapy, we also provide family training services. Family training will help families learn the new learning style being implemented on their child and help empower the family unit. We believe it is vital to always keep the family involved in the process of assessing the child's needs and setting appropriate goals.
Family education is a valuable tool for "behavior awareness" and appropriate response techniques. This collaborative effort is led under the guidance of our BCBAs. Strong family participation can assist in furthering the advancement of the child.


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Civilizations - Portuguese
The Portuguese are balanced, but their unit specialties allow them to counter specific things. If you use the Portuguese properly and you know who you're facing, you always have a strong chance to win. If you use them improperly, you're screwed; but used properly, you can defend against any specific problem that may pop up.
Also, the Portuguese are designed to quickly spread themselves out across the map. Being able to see the topography before your opponent can be a great, intangible advantage.
- Rushing: ***
- Booming: ***
- Turtling: *****
- Royal Guards: Musketeers, Dragoons
- Called the 4th-easiest civilization to play.
The Portuguese Explorer has a unique ability called Spyglass. This basically cuts through the fog of war, and allows you to see unexplored territory. Just another reason why the Portuguese can plan well before attacking.
Free Covered Wagons with each Age upgrade
Most civilizations can't place an additional Town Center until Age 3, but the Portuguese can place one at Age 2. Whenever there's an Age advancement, a free Covered Wagon will appear at the Town Center. This way you can keep a decent amount of area for yourself.
Cassadores replace Skirmishers. They have low hitpoints, but trade that for decent range and great attack power. When protected, Cassadores can rip apart other infantry units.
Organ Gun
Also with low hitpoints, the Organ Gun can obliterate all infantry units. It has a short range and isn't that great against buildings, but one Organ Gun that's protected can take out almost a dozen soldiers with ease. If you're turtling, an Organ Gun protected by Pikemen can almost do the entire job for you.
Portuguese naval units and Dragoons are stronger than other civilizations. With proper technique and enough resources, the Portuguese can achieve naval supremacy early in the game, which can be devastating in water maps.
Against the Portuguese
The problem with the Portuguese is that they can do pretty much anything due to their unit strengths. If you try to rush with cavalry, their Dragoons can hurt you. If you try to rush with infantry, the Cassadores and Organ Guns will put an end to that. If you try transporting your army across water, the Portuguese navy will sink you.
The basic way you have to deal with the Portuguese is to achieve a balance in your units, then attack their weak point of their colony. The probable strategy they'll use is turtling, so you'll probably have time to gather yourself and figure out what to do. Use your explorer or a native scout to see what their strategy will be, and where they're building up their defenses.


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I asked on my Instagram page whether I should leave my gray hair alone or color it and you guys unanimously voted for color. I'm in 100% agreement with you and am going to show you how I color my hair at home to make my hair match my youthful face.
I'm coloring my hair using Schwarzkopf Keratin Color Anti-Age Hair Color in Espresso, with 100% gray coverage.
The kit comes with a pre-treatment designed to help achieve even color results. That's good for me since I'm using a different brand than the last time I died my hair and I want my previously dyed hair to blend well with my freshly dyed hair.
After I dye my hair I'll be styling it into bantu knots.
To start I apply the pre-treatment to my hair from root to tip.
Next, I mix the #1 and #2 and apply it to my hair starting at the roots. Most of my gray hair is around my hairline and down the center of my scalp. When I wear my hair down toward my face it's barely even visible, but when I want to wear it pulled back like the style I'm doing today, my gray hair is obvious. While I understand we're all going to have gray hair someday, I'm not ready for that day to be today. When my face starts to look wrinkled, I'll be ready, but not today. After I worked the dye into my roots and smoothed it onto the tips of my hair, I let it sit for twenty minutes then rinsed.
The final step in the dying process was to condition my hair with the Keratin Care Complex conditioner.
For the style, I started with freshly washed and dried hair parted into six sections. I applied styling putty to each section and put each section into a ponytail.
Next, I attached some Jamaican Maliy hair to each ponytail with a rubber band and wrapped it around itself to create a Bantu knot. Using the extension hair gives my Bantu knots a fuller look than I can achieve with my own hair.
Once all of the knots were secure, I embellished the Bantu knots using gold elastic thread.
The before and after.
This was my first experience using Schwarzkopf Keratin Color Anti-Age Hair Color and I love how soft my hair still felt after the process.
There are a ton of Schwarzkopf Hair Colors on the health and beauty section of Walmart. I can't wait to share a new color and hairstyle with you in a few months.
Do you color your hair at home?


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At just $18.95 per month per user, OnSIP has proudly provided reliable, low-cost cloud phone service to thousands of businesses for more than 15 years.
We offer:
I loved OnSIP's approach of offering an easy-to-use cloud service that works with any SIP phone. ... It's clear they stay focused on what customers want.
I congratulate the ones that do the hiring [at OnSIP] for finding a team of awesome and knowledgeable employees.
With every call, they've been patient, friendly, and incredibly helpful ... I would recommend OnSIP based on their customer service alone.
You have to search long and hard for a service that comes near to OnSIP in terms of friendly and responsive support, pricing, and reliability.


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This week Stromquist hosted a Drive to Savings Day with Siemens and GA Power to educate our customers on the benefits of Variable Frequency Drives and GA Power's current rebate programs for VFDs and other HVAC equipment. Most people already know that installing a VFD can save money by cutting back on the energy it takes to run equipment, but not everyone is aware that there are additional savings to reap by taking advantage of GA Power's rebate opportunity. For any NEW drive installed on existing equipment, GA Power will issue a $50 per HP rebate. So a 20 HP drive will bring a $1000 rebate. Add that to the money saved in energy costs, and the new drive will pay for itself very quickly!
If you are in Georgia and would like to install some new VFDs, call Stromquist at 404-794-3440. We sell great, competitive drives from Honeywell, Johnson Controls and Siemens. We'd be happy to help you put some money back into your budget. Then maybe you can roll those savings into a new chiller that will also qualify for a GA Power rebate. To get more information on GA Power's Rebate Programs, click here.


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The Role of Disease Management in Pay-for-Performance Programs for Improving the Care of Chronically Ill Patients
The current investigation examined pay-for-performance (P4P) and disease management (DM) approaches to health care. Fifty diabetes DM programs that were a part of the 2002 Diabetes Management segment of the National Business Coalition on Health's eValue8 Request for Information (RFI) project were evaluated. The study outcomes were the HEDIS Comprehensive Diabetes Care indicators.
Key Findings:
- Slightly more than half of the health care plans varied in how they implemented DM approaches with more variation in areas such as Practitioner Interventions and less variation in domains such as Patient Registry.
- Approximately two-thirds of the plans gave primary care physicians diabetes guideline adherence reports. Thirty percent of plans gave physicians monetary incentives for adhering to guidelines.
- Almost all of the plans (98%), put diabetes guidelines in place and just over half (54%) collaborated in some way on the guidelines.
- Regression analyses indicated that the structure and process of DM programs was not strongly or consistently related to HEDIS indicators of diabetes care.


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Here's a super way to make Poetry Teatime treats extra special: use a shaped cookie cutter! Check out these 7 fun ideas.
7 Cookie Cutter Treats
1. Toast with Jam
Pictured above, just cut out a shape in the bread then top with butter and jam or honey or whatever spread your kids find yummy. You can toast the bread first if you'd like. And here's a heart-shaped cookie cutter set (affiliate link) that includes multiple sizes up to 4 inches wide.
2. S'mores Cut Outs
Add a fun twist by cutting out shapes on the graham crackers! Find the easy instructions at Cute Food for Kids.
3. Imprinted Sandwiches
Press the blunt side of the cookie cutter into bread, toast it then fill with favorite sandwich fixings (here's an example).
4. Shaped Fruit
Create a fruit salad and cut out shapes in melons. Here's a cute set of mini fruit-shaped cutters (affiliate link).
5. Frozen Whipped Cream
Freeze whipped cream on a cookie sheet and use a cookie cutter to cut out hearts or other shapes. Add to hot cocoa! Find out more on 365 Days.
6. Hearts in an Apple
Check out this awesome recipe at Happy Together. Make the full sandwich or if you're in a rush just use the apples with cutouts.
7. Buttermilk Beignets
If you want to go all out then make these buttermilk beignets or "fritters" as the English refer to them (note: the recipe calls for peanut oil) and use cookie cutters as suggested.
There are many others ways to use cookie cutters (like cutout brownies). Be creative!


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"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
– Title IX
With one stroke of his pen, President Nixon signed into effect a law that changed sports forever. It was called Title IX, and since that day in 1972, the number of young girls playing sports at the recreational, high school, collegiate, and professional levels has skyrocketed. From 1971 to 2011 this number increased exponentially- from a shockingly low 295,000 participants to 3.2 million annually. Statistically, a great accomplishment. Yet, if Title IX has shown us anything, it's that girls have never rejected play. In fact, they can't get enough of it…
Girls who participate in sports are more likely to earn better grades during school and graduate at a higher percentage than those who don't.
Recalling their childhoods, females who were active in recreational sports reported better confidence, self-esteem, and health in their physical and social lives.
When asked to identify the keys to their success, 80% of female fortune 500 executives identified athletics as a key component to their success.
Yet, even after 42 years of continued success and increased involvement across all levels, girls still lag behind boys in participation and possess a sports drop-out rate TWICE that of their male counterparts. The reasons are many, however, they provide an alarming look at a sports culture that, despite one recent milestone, still thinks that playing ball "like a girl" is a bad thing.
In fact, while most athletes experience bouts of self-esteem or periods of burnout that may lead them to abandon athletic pursuits, female athletes face a number of additional disadvantages in their sports career.
Fewer Opportunities
Girls have 1.3 million fewer opportunities to play high school sports than boys.
Lack of Women Coaches
When Title IX came into effect, females coached approximately 90% of women college's teams. Yet, reporting on collegiate coaching trends since 2000, ESPN revealed that as high as 56.6% of coaching positions for women's teams are held by men.
Lack of Role Models
While plenty of positive females exist (a few are featured at the end of this post), young girls face many external pressures, which, ultimately, lead to a lack of enjoyment in sports. Even Olympic female athletes aren't safe from society's criticism.
Though it's challenging to change the perception of a whole culture, if parents, athletes, and fans can improve their stance on female sports than playing "like a girl" might not be a bad thing.
Now that we know why girls quite sports let's take a look at how we can keep them motivated to play.
Comparatively, girls are more willing to try more sports than boys. This means that finding any type of sport for your daughter (or yourself) should not be too hard. From dance to football, girls will try just about anything to stay active.
Regardless of the fact that youth sports strengthen family ties, a parent's role in supporting their daughters' athletic careers is especially important. Female athletes achieve less support and attention for their achievements. So, if you can take off work early to catch a game, do. She'll appreciate it.
As I mentioned above, there isn't a lack of inspirational female athletes, however, more often than not, they don't make the headlines. That's why if your daughter's looking to get into sports, make sure to surround her with positive female role models. But remember, a strong female athlete isn't always the one on TV. She can be the woman running down the street or the one winning a marathon.
If you're organizing a league, it's a good idea to invite women in your community to get together and talk about their athletic experiences. So, as often as you can, try and host league forums where featured guests talk to the athletes in your community. Building positive and sustainable relationships ensures that all athletes stay in the game longer.
What's Next?
Read our Complete Guide to Organizing a Sports League or create your own league for free now!


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The world is in motion.
It never seems to sit still for very long.
When I do happen to find a spot to stop, there is always this dreaded looming fear that stuff is happening and I am not part of it.
Missing out.
Life passing by as I breath.
Is it life?
Or is it just a fantasy of life.
An illusion.
The lie that I buy into because there is somewhere else I need to get too, something else I need to accomplish.
At its basest point, it does boil down to this internal, infernal need.
As if by not fulfilling that primal lust I will be left empty.
Stressed if I do, stressed if I don't.
Caught in between the waning and the wont.
Pulled to rest, pulled to go.
Life is short, scream YOLO.
Such a lie that that is, bought and sold on the unfulfilled promises that there is something more out there that you just have to discover.
To be fulfilled, you have to find it.
The voices rise in a cacophony tumultuous tense, more phony then tense.
And me.
In the middle.
the World in Motion from JASON VALENTINE on Vimeo.


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Feric Feng born May 21, 1974 is an Artist and one of the most interesting Conceptual designers in fabulous of film, & animation projects. He began his formal art training at the age of 12 in Taiwan and was awarded honors for his thesis project "Inside Out" - an animation that propelled him into involvement with the feature film Final Fantasy in attending New York City's School of Visual Arts.
His delicate artwork is very precise; it is simple and clean, yet intricate with geometric shapes, fine lines, and complimentary layers. Feric produced a standout graphic book in 2004 based on his concept "Fevolution"- a fusion of fantasy and evolution which harmoniously marries the ideas of organics, mechanics, and Buddhist philosophy.His artwork was featured in National Design Museum NY, SJMA, AIGA, Graphis, and American Il- lustration, Also His animation" Inside Out" has been shown at Holland International Animation Festival, the Ottawa International Animation Festival, and the NYEXPO Festival, among others.
Design is not only a game, but also a tool by deconstructing the concept. It needs to be destroyed in a creative way. The structure of the objects would emerge by breaking up and reconstruct themselves. New possibilities and values would be found out through the process of reconstruction. Compare the new model being reconstructed and the original one. A discussion would occur upon the topic. The discussion is open-minded and public. This is the core stone of the design. This is the core value of design.
And so. If they are all lies, why not make an effort? If they are all lies, why not step outside the world of make-believe and say something else. Design shows a package ability in term of the vision. Design combines different concepts and reveal them in the same visual style. I package myself and my work in this way again and again. But in truth, I feel these theories are unnecessary.
All theories are false, when you don¡ıt agree with them. Lies can be sensible, and become real when endorsed. Theory for me is a tool to convince the an audience. But it is not the basis of my creations. It is a pervasive misconception that the best design is simple, even simplistic. I don¡ıt believe design is simplistic.Designers apply fabulous methodology onto the content of the design. I built up my original design content based on a eastern philosophy emptiness using methodologies as grid systems. Those methodologies could be imagined as a cage of pure imagination process. The concept of the design is organic. The style of the design is always against the formal rule. You don¡ıt need reasons for everything. I always believe design evolves naturally. But these are all fabrications. When I explain myself plausibly and describe my real process, I often feel guilt-ridden. I have a whole range of different methods to embellish.
This string of pretext, take on its own life. Forms its own structure, story, world. I begin to believe my own make-believe. I research, concoct theories, gather relevant (or irrelevant) material to back up these deceptions. Dispute illogical reasoning. Debate explanations.Maybe I have multiply personalities. But I insist that design is alive, organic, and will be changed on the go according to its environment. One third of my time is spent designing. Two thirds of my time is spent justifying my work. Making up theories. After the fact. I lie. And then lie to hide the cover up. And lie again.
Designers apply elaborate methodology to content.
I invent content based on an eastern philosophy of emptiness. Methodologies can be imagined as a cage for pure imagination. Design is organic and methodology is a structure against which design plays.
--Eric Feng, 2007
Joia / Chile / Interview / 08
Giant Robot / U.S / Cover Artist / 08
Theme / U.S / Interview / 06
Hi-Fructose / U.S / Cover Artist / 06
Belio / Spain / Interview / 06
Empty / Australia / Interview / 06
Neon / Italy / Cover Illustrations / 06
Black & White Graphic / Featured Designer / 03
étapes / France /Featured Artist
Low Fat Graphic / Featured Artist / 03
Coast To Coast / Featured Artist / Die Gestalten Verlag / 02
72-Dpi Animate / Featured Artist / Berlin-Based Die Gestalten Verlag / 01 Pictoplasma / Character Designs / 09.01
(Mainichi) Japanese Newspaper Interview / 05.01
Idn (International Designer Network) Magazine / Featured Artist / 01
Yale School of Arts / SanYu Scholarship / 07
AIGA / 50 cover Books / 04
11th annual dusty film festival award / animation - Outstanding achievement / 00 International Short Film Festival / Inside Out / 00
Holland International Animation Festival / Inside Out / 00
Ottawa International Animation Festival / Inside Out / 00
Nyexpo Festival / Inside Out / 00


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What Are the Psychological Profiles of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump?
Grand Old Lady has online certificate degrees on the Science of Happiness from UC Berkeley and the Indian School of Business.
Right now, two world leaders are trying to decide if they will be allies or enemies. One (Vladimir Putin) seems to be very difficult to read, and the other (Donald Trump) has vulnerabilities that are an open book. They run two of the most powerful countries in the world, Russia and the United States.
The Oxford University Press has written about the hubris syndrome of Donald Trump, while Psychology Today has written about the hubris syndrome of Vladimir Putin. Jessica Tracy, author of "Take Pride: Why the Deadliest Sin Holds the Secret to Human Success," said people with hubristic pride use aggressive strategies to get power and dominate others, but the power they wield is not from respect but born of fear.
What Is the Hubris Syndrome?
The Hubris Syndrome is a mental illness that psychiatrist Lord David Owens says tends to occur among people in power, particularly politicians. It may impair the behavior and decision-making of afflicted politicians, Owens says. He adds that the hubris syndrome is oftentimes acquired when the person holds a very powerful position with few to no restraints.
The dictionary defines "hubris" as "excessive pride, self-confidence, or arrogance." "Syndrome" is defined as "a group of symptoms that together are characteristic of a specific disorder, disease, or the like." Owens says that people with this syndrome probably had other mental illnesses before they acquired power and developed the hubris syndrome. All of these mental illnesses may overlap upon attaining great power. The following are mental illnesses that tend to overlap with the hubris syndrome:
Mental Illnesses That Overlap With the Hubris Syndrome
- Narcissistic personality disorder. This refers to an inflated sense of self-importance, a craving for admiration, and a lack compassion for others. The leader wears a mask of ultra-confidence, but in reality suffers from low self-esteem and keen vulnerability to even the slightest criticism.
- Antisocial personality disorder. A mental condition of a person with a pattern of manipulating, using, or encroaching on the rights of others. Oftentimes this behavior is criminal.
- Histrionic personality disorder. The American Psychiatric Association says HPD is manifest by a pattern of excessive attention-seeking emotions, usually beginning in early adulthood, including inappropriately seductive behavior, and an excessive need for approval.
- Bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder. In its manic phase, grandiosity is a symptom of bipolar disorder. One feels superior, and "larger-than-life".
When a person who has some or all of the above characteristics comes into a position of power, he or she is vulnerable to the hubris syndrome. At a certain level, hubris can lead to a shift in the leader's behavior, rendering him or her unable to be fully functional on the powerful job he or she holds.
Symptoms of the Hubris Syndrome
- World view. The leader considers the world to be a place for self-glorification, and he uses power to achieve this.
- Messianic mission. The leader shows messianic zeal and personal praise in his or her speech, and may merge his or her identity with that of the nation or the organization he or she represents.
- Accountability. The leader feels he or she is only accountable to a higher court, such as the court of history, or the court of God. He or she also believes that this higher court will vindicate the leader.
- Manner of speech. The leader may speak in third person, or use "we" in conversation, just as the royals do.
- Contempt for others. Ordinarily one feels anger toward an equal. But the leader with hubris syndrome often feels contempt, which is reserved for people he or she believes is his or her inferior, especially when the person criticizes or tries to advise the leader. People with the hubris syndrome know that they are important and powerful, and they thrive in this and may even elevate it to grandiose proportions.
- Image is all. This leader tends to do things or actions mainly to enhance his or her personal image. In fact, concern for outward appearance and presentation is disproportionate in terms of priorities.
- Impetuosity. People with hubris syndrome can be very charming, persuasive, inspiring, and bold. But if they are also impetuous, i.e., they refuse to listen to or take advice, all of the above is useless. If this person has achieved a position of power and acquired the hubris syndrome, he will negate the good qualities he or she has and may behave recklessly and impulsively.
- Thin skin. This person cannot withstand public scrutiny, back stabbing, and attacks by opponents. He or she will need a form of self-exultation and may do this by adopting a grand feeling of mission and importance.
- Loses touch with reality. The leader is no longer in touch with the real world. He or she will permit moral rectitude to preclude practicality, regardless of cost or outcome. This often results in the leader's progressive isolation
- Unaffected by bad outcomes. The leader is not affected by his or her failures and bad outcomes. Instead, he or she always sees his or her outcomes as successful.
- Exaggerated pride. The person feels overwhelmingly self-confident, bordering on self-omnipotence, and belief in what he or she can achieve. He may abuse his power to the point of damaging the lives of others. He may decide that this is an occupational hazard that comes with power and leadership.
- Extreme hubristic behavior. This occurs when a cluster of symptoms are triggered off by power. This is why hubris syndrome is considered an acquired condition. It only comes to light when the person comes to possess great power and overwhelming success for a period of years, with minimal to no constraints.
- Hubris Syndrome/personality change. The change may occur after a trauma, due to a psychiatric illness, as a result of chronic pain, or due to an unspecified type of incident.
- Incompetence. The result is incompetence. The person often does not pay attention to details and finds it hard to make rational decisions. Some may say he or she has "lost it" or become "mad". The behavior change has actually occurred due to the hubris syndrome.
- Deflects illness. The leader will not want to admit illness, seeing it as a sign of weakness. For this reason, he or she cannot be treated or medicated, even if he or she may experience anxiety, neuroticism, and impulsivity.
- Drugs. The leader may take drugs, usually unsupervised by a doctor. For this reason, the drug becomes more dangerous because there is no prescription in terms of dosage, and it may be taken in combination with other substances.
Scale of Hubris Syndrome
There is a scale on the hubris syndrome. On one side it can be a good, productive thing. But on the extreme end it is very bad. Sometimes the hubris syndrome is transient, oftentimes it is not. External events influence how intense a leader's hubris is, and when it will begin. It is usually acquired over time, and if the leader has kept his powerful office for a very long period of time unchecked, hubris can be at its worst. Examples of leaders in history who had hubris are:
- Josef Stalin. Although he had hubris, he came to learn from his mistakes.
- Adolf Hitler. He had extreme hubris which, during defeat, led him deeper into a fantasy world. Hitler became more autocratic with his generals. Eventually, he and his wife Eva Braun committed suicide together.
- Benito Mussolini. He had both bipolar disorder and hubris.
- Mao Tse Tung. He also had both hubris and bipolar disorder.
Vladimir Putin's Childhood
Let us now compare the hubris syndrome of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. We will begin by talking about their childhoods.
Vladimir Putin has done a good job of hiding his secrets well, to the point that no one really knows who the real Vladimir Putin is. Throughout his 12 years in Russian politics, no new information about his background has come to light. There are a few early biographies, but they too provide very little information about him. Putin can make himself seem to be anything to anyone.
Avidan Milevsky Ph.D., wrote in Psychology Today what is known and confirmed about Putin's childhood. Milevsky said, "Putin is dealing with a complex childhood dynamic." Born on October 7th 1952 in Leningrad, Russia, Putin's father, also named Vladimir, worked for the Soviet Navy and later, during World War II, for the NKVD, the infamous law enforcement agency of the Soviet Union. His mother, Maria, worked in a factory and sometimes did janitorial work.
Vladimir Putin Was Raised as an Only Child
Before Vladimir's birth, his parents had lost two children. One, Albert, died in infancy. The other, Viktor, age one, died during the diphtheria plague, in the midst of the German 872-day siege of Leningrad in World War II. Viktor's body was laid in a mass grave.
Vladimir's mother was traumatized by the siege, and almost died from starvation.
Putin visits the mass grave in St. Petersburg, but his official biography from the Kremlin website does not mention his siblings. The repression of this part of his early family narrative implies that he has struggled internally with these memories.
Born to parents with previous children, Vladimir was raised an only child. Typically, parents of only children are overprotective. But Putin's parents, more than parenting one child, had also lost two others. Milevsky says it is likely that Putin was highly overprotected growing up. His mother disliked judo, his favorite sport. Milevsky calls this the "classic response from an overprotective parent."
Only children experience difficulty developing social relationships, and tend to be loners. They prefer to work alone. Putin was a recluse. Milevsky notes, "Put together the unspoken, tragic loss of his two siblings, being an only child, and his overprotective parents and we may have some glimpse into the complicated psyche of this recluse, with an inflated ego, and something to prove."
Influences of Putin's World View
- A Marxist-Leninist world. In this world Putin learned to view anything that was a product of capitalism and bourgeois oppression with contempt.
- USSR culture. This culture believed that the ends justified the means. This made it easy for Putin to rip apart an international treaty made with the Ukraine, guaranteeing the latter its independence in return for giving up its nuclear weapons.
- Superiority complex. Putin succeeded Boris Yeltsin as president in 2000, and was reelected in 2004. In 2008 he was appointed Prime Minister, and became president again in 2012. He treated his cabinet with such contempt that during a meeting in 2006, German Chancellor Angela Merkel advised him to treat his cabinet with more respect.
- Western contempt. Putin also holds in contempt all Western leadership including Cameron and Obama. We have yet to see how the relationship with Trump will work out.
- Invasion. Putin invaded oil-rich Crimea and swiftly abrogated the country. This generated nationalist fervor, which Putin needed, as Russia's economy was decaying amid corruption and an aging workforce.
- Oneness with Russia. Milevsky predicts that Putin will remain in power until 2024 or beyond. He says Putin likely believes that Russia is doomed without him.
- Overall superiority. Putin likely feels contempt for political leaders who might succeed him, for the Ukrainians who thwart him, and for German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who tried to advise him.
- Out of touch with reality. Merkel once told Obama that Putin lives "in another world".
- Contempt is the core of his psychology. Ian H. Robertson, Ph.D. wrote in the article, "The Danger That Lurks Inside Vladimir Putin's Brain", published in Psychology Today, that 15 years of power has resulted in contempt playing an important role in Putin's psychology. He adds, "Absolute power for long periods makes you blind to risk, highly egocentric, narcissistic, and utterly devoid of self-awareness."
- Fear. Putin is also driven by fear that loss of power makes him and his regime vulnerable to prosecution.
- Ideology. The ideology that drives him, as mentioned in his biography, is, "I consider it to be my sacred duty to unify the people of Russia, to rally citizens around clear aims and tasks, and to remember every day and every minute that we have one Motherland, one people and one future."
Donald Trump's Grandfather Friedrich
In 1885 Friedrich Trump, 16, picked up his only suitcase, and stepped off a boat that had taken him from Germany to lower Manhattan. The young boy mastered English, changed the spelling of his name to Frederick, and became a naturalized US citizen. He then went to Seattle and saw the restaurant, Poodle Dog in a red light district. He leased it and advertised it as a place with "private rooms for ladies".
Friederich then married and had children. He moved with his family to Queens, New York. He bought some properties, but died in a Spanish flu plague in 1918. His 12-year-old son, Fred, inherited the business. Fred, (the father of Donald Trump), pretended that he was a rich estate agent executive. In this way, he built his empire in property development. By the late 1920s Fred sold houses in Queens at $4,000 each. After work he would walk through construction sites and pick up nails that would be re-used. Friederich was Donald Trump's grandfather, and Fred was his father.
Fred claimed to be of Swedish, not German descent. This myth continued until 1990, especially when Donald Trump wrote his 1987 best-seller, "The Art of the Deal". The younger Trump claimed he was Swedish, despite the fact that his German grandmother lived across the street from the family home until she died. This intergenerational white lie sheds light on Trump's life and "career of truthiness", David Smith wrote in The Guardian.
Other Facts of Trump's Childhood
- He was born in 1946, the fourth of five siblings born by Frederick C. and Mary MacLeod Trump.
- He lived in Jamaica Estates, Queens, New York. His family had the biggest house in the neighborhood with 23 rooms, and a colonial style façade with six doric columns that the neighbors called the "Gone with the Wind mansion."
- His mother Mary, a Scottish immigrant, loved being the focus of attention, and loved the good life.
- His father encouraged Donald to "be a killer." The first chapter of Donald Trump's book, Crippled America, is imbued with the feeling of danger and a need to be tough. He feels the world cannot be trusted.
- In the book, Trump recalls his father "would drag me around with him while he collected small rents in tough sections of Brooklyn…It's not fun being a landlord. You have to be tough."
- Donald once asked his father why he had to always stand to the side after ringing the bell of a tenant's house. His father replied, "Because sometimes they shoot right through the door."
- Mark Golding, a childhood friend from ages 6-13, said the Trumps had a swimming pool, but not many books.
- In grade school Donald was known for his wild shenanigans. He always refused to admit to his mistakes. Even then, he would say anything that came to mind. Some children felt he was a bully. Neither did he get along with most of his teachers, Golding told The Guardian.
- Trump's father was formal and strict. He supported Barry Goldwater's presidential run. Trump's mother was enthralled by the British royalty.
- When Trump was 13, he and some friends sneaked into the subway of Manhattan to buy switchblades, like those in the movie, West Side Story. When his father found out, he sent Donald to military school.
- The family went to church at Marble Collegiate, whose head pastor was Norman Vincent Peale, author of the bestseller, The Power of Positive Thinking.
Mark E. Button, in an article published by the Oxford University Press, noted that when Trump calls a critic a "loser," questions someone's faith, or refuses to seriously engage the media, "he reveals that he is in politics, but not really of (or passionate about) sustaining democratic politics."
Indicators of Trump's World View
- Life Narrative. In a 1982 interview with People Magazine, when asked about the backdrop of his life narrative, he said, "Man is the most vicious of all animals, and life is a series of battles ending in victory or defeat."
- Greatness of self. The seminal goal of a narcissist is to promote his or her own greatness to the world. In his 2005 book, TrumpNation, Trump told journalist Timothy O'Brien, "I'm the king of Palm Beach…(celebrities and rich people) all come over (to Mar-a-Lago). They all eat, they all love me, they all kiss my ass. And then they all leave and say, 'Isn't he horrible.' But I'm the king."
- Money. Trump wrote in one of his books that "Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score."
- Still the kid in Queens. In Trump's book, "Crippled America", he said a first step to victory is to strengthen the armed forces. "Everything begins with a strong military. Everything. There has never been a more dangerous time." He called ISIS members "medieval barbarians" to be pursued "relentlessly wherever they are, without stopping, until every one of them is dead."
- Tactics. Jessica Tracy, author of "Take Pride: Why the Deadliest Sin Holds the Secret to Human Success," noted that hubristic pride for Donald Trump got him where he is today, in business and politics. His tactics include intimidation, insulting people, calling competitors names, and threatening violence either explicitly or implicitly.
- Not introspective. Mark Singer, who interviewed Trump in the late 1990s for The New Yorker noted that Trump "doesn't have a sense of irony. He's a terrible listener but that's a characteristic of narcissistic people. They're not engaged with anybody else's issues…he's not terribly introspective. He's more interested in the next fight, the next battle."
- Self absorbed. Author Gwenda Blair wrote of Trump's speech during his father's death in 1999. Trump spoke mainly about himself, saying it was the toughest day of his own life. He then spoke of his father's greatest achievement -- raising a brilliant, renowned son.
- Big investment in social dominance. Psychologist Dan P. McAdams wrote in The Atlantic that "It is as if Trump has invested so much of himself in developing and refining his socially dominant role that he has nothing left over to create a meaningful story for his life, or for the nation. It is always Donald Trump playing Donald Trump, fighting to win, but never knowing why."
- Criticism. Trump once sent Gail Collins of The New York Times a copy of her column with her photo circled, and the words, "The Face of a Dog!"
- Bullying. Trump wrote in his book, "Never Enough" of "some nasty shit" that singer Cher had said about him, and bragged, "I knocked the shit out of her (on Twitter), and she never said a thing about me after that."
- No mob control. When campaigning, Trump has encouraged supporters to beat up protesters saying, "Get 'em out of here! I'd like to punch him in the face." He calls his opponents, whether they are journalists or politicians, "disgusting" and "losers."
- Lies. PolitiFact assessed the truthfulness of statements by the 2016 candidates. Trump's score:
- 2 percent of Trump's claims are true.
- 7 percent are mostly true.
- 15 percent are half true.
- 15 percent are mostly false.
- 42 percent are false.
- 18 percent are lies.
- Howard Gardner, a psychologist at Harvard, was asked by Vanity Fair what he thought about Donald Trump. His answer, "Remarkably narcissistic."
- George Simon, clinical psychologist, gives workshops on manipulative behavior. Simon considers Trump "so classic that I'm archiving video clips of him to use in workshops because there's no better example (of narcissism)." He adds, "Otherwise I would have had to hire actors and write vignettes. He's like a dream come true."
How to Handle a Leader Who Has a Hubris Syndrome
In the political context, Vladimir Putin is very powerful. He feels personally humiliated that the USSR fell apart, and he is driven by contempt for the weak, decadent West. He feels personal and national superiority to western powers. Psychologically speaking, appeasement will only fuel Putin's contempt. When he shows contempt for international law and treaties, strong, early action is needed. It may pose an economic burden, but it would be less than the long term consequence of the cost of appeasement.
In sum, the best way to deal with a person who has hubris syndrome is to remove the person from power, if you can. Otherwise, you must have checks and balances that will keep the person within the realms of reality. That way, there is either less time for the person to do much harm (if he or she is removed from office), or you can control the degree of harm he or she creates.
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-winner-effect/201403/the-danger-lurks-inside-vladimir-putins-brain
- http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/02/15/putin-personality-disorder/
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/200904/vladimir-putin-and-his-political-dog
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-psychology-dictatorship/201405/putins-graduation-speech
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/band-brothers-and-sisters/201403/putins-dark-sibling-psychology-and-the-crisis-in-russia
- https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/132/5/1396/354862/Hubris-syndrome-An-acquired-personality-disorder-A
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/11431850/Inside-the-mind-of-Vladimir-Putin.html
- http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/editorial/The-dangerous-hubris-of-Mr-Donald-Trump_54477
- http://news.ubc.ca/2016/09/27/when-arrogance-trumps-pride-ubc-expert-on-how-pride-can-propel-some-to-success/
- http://www.smh.com.au/comment/hubris-syndrome-proposes-link-between-personality-disorder-and-power-20141114-11n6cu.html
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jul/16/donald-trump-narcissist-profile
This content reflects the personal opinions of the author. It is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge and should not be substituted for impartial fact or advice in legal, political, or personal matters.


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My husband is starting back at school for the first time in 20 years. I wanted to make this crazy period in his life fun and as easy as possible. Thank goodness we live right near a CVS because they help me help him at an affordable price. Like boys of all ages, he likes it when I pack his lunch, however, he is not too fond of the Scooby-doo lunch box we had! Since I am a Gold Emblem Taste maker, CVS sent me this cute igloo bag perfect for his lunches chock full of great Gold Emblem goodies. The line is MSG free and the majority (when possible) is free of trans-fats as well. This is perfect for my migraine-prone hubby.
The snacks also taste great and can be found at 7,400 CVS/pharmacy locations nationwide. We tried goodies such as Mediterranean apricots, raspberry shortbread cookies (which I totally ATE ALL OF THEM* cause they are MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE COOKIE IN THE WORLD), greek yogurt bar, natural granola/cranberry mix and a sparkling fruit burst strawberry kiwi drink. Also included was home premium dinner napkins and antibacterial moist wipes from the Total Home line! Did you know you can get 15-20% savings when you shop CVS brands over national brands. The cool thing is YOU DON'T SACRIFICE QUALITY, at all. You also get 20% back to buy other fantastic items you need! What are you waiting for? Check out all the cool back-to-school items you can get from CVS! This is perfect for me because I can grab the snacks my boys love, get the supplies for home I need and have money left over for makeup and magazines for me…Yep, it is all about me!
*Yes, I admit, I should have shared, but I really love those cookies. They did not even make it past the photo session. Note the first bite gone in the "C" above


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Can you use a water flosser with braces and how effective is it? If you have braces we explain the importance of water flossing and showcase the correct cleaning method.
Flossing should be an important part of your daily oral hygiene routine.
Traditionally flossing is done with the use of dental floss. Floss consists of a cord of thin filaments which the user maneuvers between each tooth. This movement scrapes away plaque and small food particles that a toothbrush cannot reach.
But a jet of water can be even more effective.
A thorough cleaning using string floss can take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes.
In addition to the time commitment that is required each day for proper flossing, some people complain that the use of dental floss is painful and leads to bleeding gums.
String floss, up to now, has also been the primary mechanism used for keeping certain dental implants clean. Braces being the most common of these.
Toothbrushes are not designed to clean braces.
For those people with braces flossing needs to be a double-duty each day. One for the cleaning of their teeth and two for the cleaning of the bracket and wire system of their braces.
The design and intricacy of braces make the flossing of teeth and the cleaning of the braces difficult and time-consuming.
Braces present new surfaces for bacteria to cling to and colonize on. Keeping them clean is thus very important.
Braces also interfere with the natural cleaning action performed by your tongue and inner cheeks.
A professional clean of your braces by a dentist is always an option. But for many, the cost implications of this mean that the use of string floss has been the only choice.
Can You Use A Water Flosser With Braces Safely And Effectively?
Yes, you certainly can!
A water flosser, oral irrigator, or dental water jet is the most efficient and cost-effective method to clean any type of mouth brace.
These are the best flossers for braces.
The devices deliver pulses of water at high pressure. This mimics the cleaning action of string floss.
For those people who find the use of string floss painful and/or time-consuming, the water flosser is the perfect option.
For many, it is also an easier and more convenient, if not perfect, cleaning device for the intricacy of their braces.
Independent clinical studies by the major manufacturers claim that the use of a water irrigator is more than twice as effective as string floss. Especially when removing plaque and food particles in people with certain dental implants.
Additionally, there is a teeth water irrigator for most circumstances. There are designs covering cordless, travel, counter-top, and children usage.
The premium brands also come with a choice of nozzles. These are designed for different cleaning actions, one of them specifically for cleaning braces.
Voted The Best Water Flosser For Braces On Amazon
The Aquarius Waterpik Water Flosser is an Amazon Choice product.
This water irrigator machine has a huge amount of sales and a very high star rating from happy customers. This makes it the best Waterpik for braces on offer.
We can safely vouch for this well-known brand name as it has the American Dental Association stamp of approval
The Benefits Of Using A Water Flosser With Braces
Prevents De-calcification
De-calcification is the condition where the protective enamel layer on your teeth is weakened.
This is caused by the eroding action of plaque and acid. The build-up of bacteria on the tooth surface is the culprit.
Symptoms are dull white spots on the tooth surface.
These are serious because this damage cannot be reversed or treated. This usually happens when an area of the tooth surface is not cleaned or cannot be reached for cleaning.
People with braces have a greater chance of being affected by this due to the obstructive nature of their dental implants.
Careful cleaning of braces by traditional string floss can prevent this damage.
However, water flossers are the perfect device for the prevention of de-calcification because of their ease of use.
The thin nozzles and pulses of high-pressure water make the cleaning of tooth surfaces behind braces a simple task.
Prevents Gingivitis
Gingivitis, one of the types of gum disease, is the inflammation of the gum tissue lining the tooth.
If left untreated it can lead to the more serious condition of periodontitis.
Gingivitis is caused by the gum lining becoming irritated by the build-up of plaque and acidic toxins secreted by bacteria.
For someone who brushes their teeth daily, but does not floss regularly, gingivitis can occur where the toothbrush cannot reach.
Again, water flossers are the ideal device to prevent this form of gum disease.
Easier To Use Than String Flossing
Traditional string floss requires a time commitment. And for some people, it can be a painful exercise.
The nature of string flossing requires that the floss filament be maneuvered between each tooth for thorough cleaning.
It can also be the cause of floss cuts and the bleeding of gums.
Water flossers mimic the cleaning action of string floss:
- is pain-free
- less time consuming
- easier to use than traditional string floss
This makes this oral cleaning device a very attractive alternative.
The pulses of high-pressure water do all the hard work. The small thin nozzle can be easily directed to any part of the mouth by the user.
Easy To Operate
Most modern oral irrigators or water flossers are designed for the best end-user experience possible.
Typical models only require the user to select the intensity of the pressurized water stream. A simple switch turns the water stream on or off.
Most models are also shaped much like your modern electrical toothbrushes. This makes them easy to maneuver inside your mouth.
The shape of the head which delivers the high-pressure water stream is such that no tooth surface will be difficult to reach.
Will Not Injure Your Gums Or Cause Bleeding
Even though the water exiting your oral irrigator is under high pressure, usage of this device will not lead to bruised or bleeding gums.
This is ensured by the fact that the high-pressure water stream is not continuous. It is delivered by way of very quick pulses.
The only damage these devices deliver is to any plaque or lodged food particles between or on your teeth.
What Happens If You Don't Floss While Wearing Braces?
Braces exponentially increase the available surface areas for the natural bacteria in your mouth to attach to and colonize.
Braces also obstruct the use of traditionally designed toothbrushes as well as the natural cleaning action of your mouth.
If left unclean, braces and their associated extra concentration of bacteria can quickly lead to plaque build-up, which in turn begins the process of gum recession. This also leads to higher levels of acidic toxins in your mouth.
The soft gum tissues will be the first to suffer from the mild inflammation symptomatic of the gum disease gingivitis.
The increase in bacterial activity and plaque build-up will also lead to the extrinsic discoloring and staining of your teeth.
Both of these are treatable and reversible. But if not done so can and will lead to the more serious conditions of:
- tooth cavities
- de-calcification
- periodontitis
These require expensive visits to the dentist and possibly multiple tooth extractions.
Periodontitis is the more serious form of gingivitis. It is characterized by:
- heavily inflamed gums
- bleeding gums
- the loosening of teeth due to gum tissue pulling away from the teeth
- bone loss around the teeth
- bad breath
Periodontitis can also lead to inflammation in other parts of the body. It can be a causative agent towards conditions such as:
- strokes
- heart attacks
- atherosclerosis
- high blood pressure
How Do Water Flossers Work?
The best brands of water flossers use a combination of water pressure and pulsations to do their cleaning work.
Water is typically sucked up from a water tank. The water is then ejected under pressure from a small nozzle at the business end of your machine.
Studies have shown that pulses of high-pressure water are better at cleaning than a continuous stream of water.
This combination blasts away those films of harmful bacteria and small food particles from between your teeth and from between your teeth and gum lining.
Most brands of water flossers will allow the user to adjust the pressure of water, from a gentle clean to a maximum clean.
Multiple choices of nozzles will also allow the user to perform different or specialized cleaning actions. Such as the cleaning of braces.
The device is hand-held like your modern electric toothbrush. It can be easily maneuvered inside the mouth making the cleaning of each tooth a simple task.
How Do You Use A Water Flosser?
After you have found a water flosser you like, now you need to know how to use it.
This type of braces floss tools is easy to use with a little practice – you will find the best method and sequence that suits you after a few uses.
A typical model of water irrigator will require the user to fill a water tank with lukewarm water.
Most models will allow the user to select the level of cleaning required, from gentle to maximum.
Then it is a simple task of holding the flosser nozzle inside your mouth and turning it on. Remember to do this over a sink as water will be flowing out of the mouth during the cleaning process.
Hold the nozzle at a ninety-degree angle to your teeth. Concentrate the water stream at your gum lining and the spaces between your teeth.
It is recommended that you start at the back of your mouth and move forward.
The cleaning process should take no more than 2 to 3 minutes.
If you are wearing braces the cleaning process may take longer. You will need to aim the water stream at the spaces and surfaces around each of the brackets.
If there is any water leftover empty it into the sink to prevent any growth of bacteria in the water reservoir.
Remember that water flossing is not meant to replace your toothbrush. Water flossing can be done either before or after brushing according to your preference.
Since you should be brushing your teeth twice a day, you should be water flossing at least once a day.
Do You Have To Floss Everyday With Braces?
Like traditional string flossing, water flossing must be done before or after each brushing.
Brushing must be done at least twice a day for proper oral hygiene.
Therefore the simple answer is whether you are wearing braces or not, you need to water floss or string floss at least once a day.
Is a water flosser safe for braces?
A water flosser is the safest, easiest, and most effective method of cleaning your teeth and braces. Improve your gum health and use the water flosser with the orthodontic tip attached specifically developed for cleaning braces. It is clinically proven to be more effective than using dental floss.
Is water flossing as good as regular flossing?
Standard dental floss is generally considered an effective tool for cleaning the tight spaces between the teeth. A water flosser is easy to use, quick, and helps remove food particles and plaque buildup from all around your teeth, which is more than dental floss will do. If also prevents bleeding and reduces gum disease – but is not a substitute for regular brushing.
How do you remove plaque from braces?
Standard dental floss is generally considered an effective tool for cleaning the tight spaces between the teeth. A water flosser is easy to use, quick, and helps remove food particles and plaque buildup from all around your teeth, which is more than dental floss will do. It also prevents bleeding and reduces gum disease – but is not a substitute for regular brushing.
What happens if you don't floss with braces?
If you don't floss you have a high possibility of developing the gum disease gingivitis. This makes your gums sensitive, red, and swollen. Gingivitis is caused by bacteria from leftover food between teeth and braces.
Do you have to floss every day with braces?
To ensure your teeth and gums stay clean and healthy, it is advisable to floss at least once a day. Braces are a trap for food and they need to be cleaned out regularly to stop bacteria creating gum disease.


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Website to Visuals – Scraping Website into Data within SAP Lumira
Digital business demands dictate an ever increasing need for the extraction of information and useful deductions from live/ real time data on the web. Be it manufacturing or sales or any other department, they all require to base their decisions on real time data. Building visualizations from static data however, is very simple. But this does not provide a solution, for example, to a sales management executive who wants to visualize real time sales by product category. This is where there arises a need for a method for extraction and visualization of live data. While SAP Lumira helps best with the visualization, we need a method for extracting this live data into SAP Lumira.
Import.io seems to be the best option to fit the requirement. It is free, easy to use and powerful with lot of features that we can use for extracting the data into SAP Lumira. Read on to find out how to scrape a website and bring in live data for creating visualizations.
I had come across this great blog post: http://scn.sap.com/community/lumira/blog/2014/06/08/using-importio-to-extract-any-data-from-the-web-into-lumira-shuffle-up-and-deal-edition by Ronald Konijnenburg about using import.io in Lumira to extract data from the web where you can follow to setup and expose Data as an API inside import.io
We would need to have live data. Every time we need Lumira to fetch the updated data from the website and so the CSV method would not work. The DA extensions of SAP Lumira would help us connect to the Data source. So let's build a DA extension for SAP Lumira. For our simplicity of understanding, we are taking the same WSOP data from http://www.wsop.com/players/index.asp?pagenum=1
The process of DA extensions is simple enough to fetch the API and bring the data into Lumira. The data is converted into CSV and is then consumed by Lumira for Visualization. The extension is then installed into Lumira.
Figure 3: Print data
You can then build the extension into binary file and use it in Lumira.
You could check out the following Lumira – Open Source Data Access Extensions to learn about DA extensions and developing DA extensions for SAP Lumira.
Installing and Executing the Extension
1. Installation of the Extension is simple. Place the binary file in the Desktop\daextension folders located inside the SAP Lumira install folder.
Figure 4: installing extension
2. Open SAPLumira.ini and add the following two lines at the end
-Dhilo.externalds.folder=C:\Program Files\SAP Lumira\Desktop\daextensions
Figure 5: Editing SAPLumira.ini
3. Open a new Document inside SAP Lumira. Select External Datasource and click on Next
Figure 6: Accessing the External Datasource
4. Select the importio-da-extensions and click on Next
Figure 7: import.io extension
5. You will be prompted for the URL+API key. This URL is obtained from import.io when you save the Data source and extract the API.
Figure 8: URL+API key
6. You will be prompted for the number of pages to be fetched. Often websites have pagination that contains data across multiple pages. So you can set how many pages you want to fetch.
Figure 9: Page Number
7. You will be fetched with all the Data. This data can then be created as a Data source in Lumira.
Figure 8: creating dataset
Creating the Visualization
Here, we create couple of visualizations that give us an insight into the World Series of Poker rankings.
This tree chart shows the comparison of the number of bracelets and rings won by players in WSOP and the tag cloud displays player name by their WSOP ITM. These two charts give the viewer an idea of the players with maximum victories in Poker circuits and the World Series itself.
Figure 9: Tree chart- Bracelets vs Rings
The DA extension for import.io is completed. You can feel free to download the code and the executable from my github https://github.com/sgsshankar. Now Website to Visuals is just a button away with SAP Lumira and DA extensions.


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Fall is my favorite decor season! I love leaves, pumpkins, and fun Halloween decorations too! But out of all of the decor I can use for Halloween and Fall, Pumpkins are my very favorite. I have them in all shapes, sizes, and materials and I'm always looking for more! With the weather starting to cool and fall approaching quickly, this is the perfect time to add more pumpkins to your Halloween and fall decor! These simple Hexagon pumpkins can be completed in less than 30 minutes (excluding drying time) and they're so easy to customize to fit your decor too!
Here are the supplies you'll need to make your Hexagon Pumpkins:
- Walnut Hollow Hexagon Wall Decor (I used the small, and large size)
- Walnut Hollow Birch Value Bag (20 Pack)
- Orange Paint
- Paint Brush
- Ribbon
- Hot Glue Gun and Hot Glue
Step one:
The Hexagon Wall Decor shapes come ready to be painted or stained right away! Choose an orange paint that matches your style and evenly coat the entire Hexagon shape. I used an orange chalk paint and only one coat. I like that you can still see the wood grain through the light layer of paint. You can add more paint, or less depending on your style. Allow your paint to dry completely. If you are planning to display these pumpkins outside you will need to use an appropriate sealer on top of the paint.
Step two:
After your paint is completely dry, you can add your pumpkin stem! Choose 3-5 small birch slices from the Birch Value Bag. Add a dot of hot glue to one side of the hexagon shape, and press a birch slice onto the Hexagon. Add a dot of glue onto the small birch slice, and stack a second birch slice. Repeat until your pumpkin "stem" is as long (or short) as you'd like it! I curved my stems to the side a little.
Step three:
Tie some raffia ribbon or a fun fall colored ribbon around your pumpkin stem to complete your Hexagon Pumpkins! This step is optional of course, but I love the fun touch it added to the finished pumpkins. You could also add some fall leaves, or a wire vine twist to your pumpkins if you wanted too!
Add a painted Jack-O-Lantern face to the pumpkins for a Halloween specific look, or leave them plain and keep them out all season long!
When do you decorate for Fall? Do you combine your Fall decor with Halloween or do you keep them separate?


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Many people are suffering from high cholesterol level. This situation should be treated immediately because it can cause many health problems, such as heart attack, stroke, depression, atherosclerosis, and many other health issues. These health problems can be dangerous for most people. Because of this reason, many doctors recommend their patients to treat their high cholesterol level immediately. There are some useful tips and methods that can be followed for reducing the cholesterol level effectively. It is also a good idea to consume certain supplements for maintaining normal cholesterol level easily.
CholesLo is one of the best supplements on the market these days. There are many benefits that are provided by this product. This supplement is recommended for all people who want to decrease their high cholesterol level effectively. When people want to reduce their cholesterol level effectively, they can consider taking this supplement in their daily life. It is a complete heart health solution for all people who want to have healthy heart easily. This product is specially made in USA, so all customers can rely on its quality. There are more than 500,000 satisfied users who are happy with the quality of this supplement. Here are some important things about this product.
Go to CholesLo™ Official Site + Specials & FREE bottle option
CholesLo Ingredients
This supplement is made from some effective ingredients. All ingredients are added to this supplement to improve the quality and performance of this product. Synergy Optimizer blend is the main ingredient that can be found in this product. This formula is very useful to help all users maintain their cholesterol level. There are some other ingredients that are added to this supplement, for example Co-Q10, red yeast rice, policosanal, garlic, pantesin, guggulsterones, artichoke leaf extract, and also phytosterols complex. Those ingredients are very useful to optimize the lipid profiles, including total cholesterol, HDL/LDL, and also triglycerides.
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CholesLo Pros
1. Safe product
This product is recommended for all people who want to decrease their cholesterol level safely. There is no harmful side effect that can be caused by this supplement. It is free from gluten, animal based products, genetic modified organisms (GMOs), fillers, and many other additives. It is specially made from safe ingredients that are very useful to maintain good cholesterol level. Most ingredients are made from natural products. Therefore, this supplement is safe for most users. Many doctors also agree with the consumption of this high quality supplement. They recommend their clients to take this supplement for reducing their high cholesterol level.
2. Provides a lot of health benefits
There are many health benefits that people can get from this supplement. The main purpose of consuming this supplement is to maintain good and healthy cholesterol level. This supplement can also reduce some other harmful ingredients in the human body, for example triglycerides, homocysteine, arterial plaque, inflammation agents, and many other unwanted materials. When this supplement is consumed regularly, it can be used to normalize blood sugar, cleanse liver, optimize HDL and LDL level, and provide many other health benefits. Therefore, this supplement is good for people who want to improve their health effectively.
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When people are looking for the best supplement for reducing their cholesterol level, they can consider using the CholesLo. This product is claimed to be very effective to maintain good cholesterol level very quickly. Most people are able to see good improvements on their cholesterol profiles in a few months. The effectiveness of this supplement can be improved by combining this supplement with healthy lifestyle, such as regular exercises, healthy diet, proper sleeping, and many other good habits. There are a lot of good reviews from other customers about this feature. Many people are happy with the instant result from this supplement.
4. Guaranteed product
This is another benefit that is provided by this product. This product is guaranteed to satisfy all customers who want to reduce their high cholesterol level. When people are unhappy with this supplement, they can get their money back easily. They can simply contact the manufacturer of CholesLo when they want to get a full refund. There are some professional customer representatives who are ready to help all customers complete their refund procedure. This company always wants to give the best experience for all customers. Because of this reason, this warranty is provided for all customers today.
CholesLo Cons
1. Strong garlic flavor
Some people feel uncomfortable with the strong garlic flavor from this supplement. This flavor comes from the natural garlic extract that is added to this supplement. This garlic is specially added to the formula because it can bring a lot of health benefits for all customers. This ingredient can be used to improve the cholesterol profile effectively. Many doctors also recommend the consumption of garlic for their clients. When people want to improve their health naturally, they need to consume garlic regularly. Because of this reason, all customers don't have to worry about this ingredient.
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Like other lawmakers in Austin, state Sen. Dan Patrick would like cut back on high-stakes testing.
But Patrick would like to expand another exam.
"I would also like to see the state fund SAT for every student."
The SAT is a college entrance exam. It's administered by the College Board and costs $50 dollars.
Patrick is a Houston-area Republican and chairs the Senate Education Committee.
The state's college prep program has lost about $10 million.
But Patrick says the state can find the money.
Some districts already help students take the SAT – like the Houston Independent School District.
"For the third year in a row, Houston ISD has set aside a day, a class day for every junior in the school district to take the SAT exam. For us, this year that happened this past Wednesday. We had about 10,000 juniors sign up to take the exam."
Jason Spencer is with HISD. He says the SAT Day costs just over $350,000.
"We realize that there are certain artificial barriers that really prohibit some students from taking the exam. Traditionally the SAT is given on weekends. We know some students have a hard time getting to the testing site on the weekend. And then cost is also a barrier — taking the SAT is a $50 dollar fee for typical students so we waive that."
In just two years, HISD has almost doubled the number of students who take SAT.
Their scores have also improved.
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IMF slashes India's growth prediction to 7.3 per cent for 2018
Further, the international financial organisation forecasted a rate of growth of 7.8 per cent for 2019.
New Delhi: The International Monetary Fund on Monday slashed India's growth rate prediction to 7.3 per cent for 2018 and 7.5 per cent for 2019. In its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO), the IMF noted that the reduction in growth predictions was due to the negative impact of the recent hike in oil prices, coupled with a modification of the monetary policy due to soaring inflation rates.
"The projection is 0.1 and 0.3 percentage points lower for 2018 and 2019, respectively, than in the April WEO, reflecting negative effects of higher oil prices on domestic demand and faster than-anticipated monetary policy tightening due to higher expected inflation," it said.
In April this year, the IMF said that it expects India to re-emerge as one of the fastest growing major economies in the 2018 - 2019 period, projecting the country's growth rate at 7.4 per cent in 2018.
Further, the international financial organisation forecasted a rate of growth of 7.8 per cent for 2019. It explained that the increase is mainly due to the strong private consumption, as well as fading transitory effects of demonetisation and implementation of the national Goods and Services Tax (GST).


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Sharing Incumbent Information - Where do you draw the line?
Roma replied to Roma's topic in Contract Award ProcessThe clause 52.222-17 was not specifically added at the order level for the previous orders, nor was it added at the BPA level (3 of the 4 orders were made under a multiple award BPA), however, it WAS included within the GSA Schedule contracts. Thank you for that GAO decision - that is helpful! Yes, the current contracting team believe that parts of the order are subject to SCA and include 52.222-41. Thank you for drawing my attention to (n)! Very helpful! Unfortunately, the previous BPA & orders had not been let with the understanding that SCA applied due to the computer employee exemption; however, our contracting team has since changes hands, going forward, we (the new team) have reevaluated that approach and believe that although many positions within the requirements are exempt under the computer employees rule, not all of them are exempt, so we are being careful to also address SCA going forward. Thank you all for your advice! Greatly appreciate it!
Looking for some advice here... I'm a Contract Specialist with a pending competitive action under GSA FSS IT Schedule 70 for IT services. We have two incumbents in place under four separate orders, and all will expire soon. We are in the process of re-competing a single new order for the continued services. The RFQ has been posted to eBuy as a SB set-aside and we are currently accepting questions. We have also included 52.222-17 non-displacement of qualified workers in the solicitation. Of course, as a result, we are getting a lot of questions asking for details about the incumbent(s) and their previously provided effort, including details about their employees. My question is, where do I draw the line? What is acceptable to share, and what incumbent information should be protected? Both of the incumbents are also eligible to compete for the new order. The particulars that may be important in this scenario is that the new order is more all inclusive of services that had previously been provided under four smaller orders. The previous orders had mostly been issued as Labor Hour contracts (but not all). We have written the new requirements in a performance work statement format as FFP contract type with separately identified tasks. So far, we have released the previous award numbers, incumbent company's names, the period of performance for each order, and the total awarded amount of each order. Within the PWS for the new order we also included historical information such as "historically this task has been performed by 2 contractor FTE", etc. But many of the questions we are getting are asking for far greater detail such as: "Are you satisfied with the incumbent workers (meaning the incumbent contractor's employees)? and if so, can you provide their POC detail and name so we can gain an understanding of what their desired compensation would be? Can you provide detail as to how long they have been supporting in this capacity?" They have also asked for historical level of effort (in hours). I'm trying to determine how much information we need to provide, how much should we provide, and how do we make or keep the playing field fair? What is typical? What is not ok to reveal? We are truly open to all interested parties, whether they be an incumbent or a new vendor, and I want to be sure to maintain the integrity of the competition. What is your advice? Thanks!
I have a procurement that I am working as the Contract Specialist under DOI that is an IAA for services in which the selling agency (another agency within DOI) provided the draft Statement of Work for us to use in preparing the IAA documents. My agency is the requesting agency. In the draft SOW they provided to me they have included a five year period of performance consisting of a base year and four option years, however they have included the following language regarding the pricing: "3. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE - The overall period of performance is estimated to be five year period of time. This agreement is structured as one base year and four option years requiring mutual and annual agreement of the involved agencies, as well as notification and acceptance of potential price changes. 4. COST The cost for the Base Year... is Firm Fixed Price at $XX,XXX. Option periods will be priced closer to the start of the specified option date. " Since one year money is being used we are only able to fund a single year at a time. It is a firm fixed price contract type for non-severable annual services (they perform surveys for us on an annual basis). My question is: is this 'pricing to be provided later' a legitimate approach? I've been under the impression that in accordance with 17.202(c)(1) &(2) that options should be pre-priced at the time of the initial award. The other agency is claiming that 17.2 is only in reference to Contracts and not IAA's. I am not finding anything (within FAR nor DOI policy) that shows that IAA's would be excluded from this part of the FAR. Am I missing something? Either way we would have to issue either a mod or a new IAA each year, but my concern is more about whether or not we can include non priced options in an IAA.
Real Estate Services Exemption to SCA - FAR 22.1003-4
Roma replied to bob7947's topic in Contract Award ProcessMy apologies, Yes you are correct in what we are buying. Thank you!
Real Estate Services Exemption to SCA - FAR 22.1003-4
Roma replied to bob7947's topic in Contract Award ProcessThank you for reposting this... I'm just learning how to use your site. I appreciate the patience!!!
Real Estate Services Exemption to SCA - FAR 22.1003-4
Roma replied to bob7947's topic in Contract Award ProcessThank you! So then is the micro purchase threshold for this type of procurement $3,500 instead of the $2500 limit? - This is the crux of what I am trying to get at, and why my research on this even started, because many of these actions fall between $2500 and $3500. I just want to be sure I am doing them properly.


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Matthew Wilcox authored
It is a relatively common idiom (8 instances) to first look up an IDR entry, and then remove it from the tree if it is found, possibly doing further operations upon the entry afterwards. If we change idr_remove() to return the removed object, all of these users can save themselves a walk of the IDR tree. Signed-off-by: Matthew Wilcox <firstname.lastname@example.com>d3e709e6