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Ecoligo, a company that invests in solar energy production, and the Ghanaian company Yingli Namene West Africa have just commissioned a 401 kWp mini solar power plant at the Central University in Tema City, Ghana.
The Central University of Ghana is now partly lit by electricity produced from renewable source. This is a mini solar photovoltaic power plant that has just been commissioned at this research and higher education institution based in the city of Tema, near Accra, the capital of Ghana. The project was implemented by the German company Ecoligo, which specializes in financing small solar projects.
It has a partnership with the Ghanaian company Yingli Namene West Africa, which designs, supplies and builds mini solar power plants. The one that has just been commissioned at the Central University, located in Tema, has a production capacity of 401 kWp.
According to Ecoligo, this installation will prevent 192 tonnes of CO² emissions per year. Its construction required an investment of 445,000 euros, which was entirely financed by crowdinvestors on the ecoligo.investments crowdfunding platform. The administration of the Central University will simply pay an invoice that includes the costs of maintenance, monitoring, and insurance.
According to Ecoligo, Ghanaian companies can use the sun's rays to save money, but there are currently no financing solutions appropriate to the situation to make the investment profitable. The Berlin-based company is solving this problem by relying on Yingli Namene West Africa. The latter has also entered into a partnership with CrossBoundary Energy Ghana, a subsidiary of CrossBoundary Energy, an investment fund that finances off-grid solar roof projects for companies in Africa.
In February 2019, CrossBoundary Energy and Yingli Namene West Africa commissioned a 400.4 MWp solar off grid on the rooftop of the Spintex Road bottling plant of the Ghanaian company, Kasapreko Company in Accra.
Jean Marie Takouleu


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It is being reported by various media outlets, including our pals at Broad Street Hockey that the Philadelphia Flyers have recalled forward Harry Zolnierczyk to replace Sean Couturier in tonight's line-up against the Winnipeg Jets.
Harry Zolnierczyk has been recalled from the Phantoms. He'll probably be in the lineup tonight in Winnipeg. sbn.to/YU9VW2— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) February 12, 2013
Couturier had made the trip west with the club, but is now being sent home after suffering from flu-like symptoms the past few days.
Zolnierczyk appeared in thirty-seven contests for the Flyers last year in which he registered three goals, three assists and thirty-five penalty minutes. In forty-six games with the Phantoms this season, Zolnierczyk has scored nine times and added another eight assists, good for seventeen points on the campaign.
For more coverage on tonight's game, be sure to check in with Arctic Ice Hockey throughout the day as we continue to bring you comprehensive coverage leading up to puck drop.

subset: commoncrawl


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Over the weekend, the New York Times acquired a recording of John Stankey, the AT&T executive overseeing the newly acquired Time Warner, now Warner Media, speaking to the staff of HBO about the year to come. He told the employees that it would be a hard year, and he wanted the company to get "bigger and broader." He said, "We need hours a day. It's not hours a week, and it's not hours a month. We need hours a day. You are competing with devices that sit in people's hands that capture their attention every 15 minutes." Stankey did not mention Netflix by name, but the company loomed over his remarks: HBO needs to be more like Netflix, a neat reversal of Netflix's proclamation, years ago, that it needed to be more like HBO.
Then, Thursday morning, the Emmy nominations were announced, and for the first time ever, Netflix received the most, 112 to HBO's 108. HBO had led all networks in Emmy nominations for the past 18 years. The Emmys (and, by the way, I think the Emmys should be taken about as seriously as a rock-skipping contest; call me a snob!) are a major metric of prestige, a leading arbiter of acclaim. Netflix's "throw billions of dollars' worth of shows at our viewers and sees what sticks" style—which results in some truly mediocre shows HBO would never air, lots of perfectly watchable shows HBO might air, and a handful of very good ones—has now generated more nominations than HBO's careful, thoughtful, slow production process.
This accomplishment seems to support Stankey's point. Just by virtue of making so much more television—more than 70 new series during the eligibility period, when HBO aired about 20 new and returning shows in the same time frame—Netflix managed to topple HBO from the position it had held for the past 18 years. Forget hours: to stay ahead in the prestige game, HBO's bread and butter, it would seem to have to make more series to keep up.
But there's another way to look at these numbers. HBO still has way more nominations per show than Netflix does: Of the 10 shows with the most nominations, HBO had three; FX had two; Hulu, Amazon, and Netflix each had one, which is another way of saying that Netflix got the most nominations because it had the most shows, not the best ones. (Netflix and HBO do both have two contenders in the Best Drama category. HBO has three in the Best Comedy category, to Netflix's two, though one of HBO's three is Curb Your Enthusiasm, for a not-good season.)
And then there's the historical view: For many, many decades the Emmys were an ode to the status quo in which the networks dominated— and this was even after TV had started to be, generally speaking, more than mediocre. HBO's Emmy dominance stretches back to 2000, the dawn of the "golden age of TV" and The Sopranos, but even that "dominance" couldn't get HBO a single nomination for The Wire. For all its claims to reinventing the way people watch, Netflix, in so many ways, is like a network. It's a service that tries to appeal to everyone, one that you never have to leave as long as you're happy watching something that is perfectly fine—thus Jason Bateman's nomination for Netflix's Ozark, aka male Emmy voter comfort food.
Of course, Netflix has some good shows, including my beloved GLOW. But the network's Emmy dominance is a reflection of volume, and an emerging status quo. There's so much good stuff that some will be recognized—yay, Atlanta, Betty Gilpin, and Sandra Oh! And there's so much good stuff that it can't all be recognized—boo, where's Halt and Catch Fire and a million other things? Amid this overkill, you begin to see Emmy voters doing what they have to: glomming on to the stuff they can actually remember aired this year, however good (or bad) it is—The Handmaid's Tale, Westworld, This Is Us—and using brands like HBO, Netflix, and FX to look for contenders. Unlike Netflix and the networks, HBO and FX aren't trying to appeal to everyone, but in terms of reliably attracting attention for their series, they too are the new networks. Meanwhile, ABC's Modern Family finally wasn't nominated for Best Comedy this year. Netflix airs more OK shows than any platform in history. Its Emmy dominance doesn't mean more than that, but it's also not going to end anytime soon.


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We cannot escape noticing today will mark the tenth anniversary of the tragic events of 9/11/2001. On that fateful day, I happened to be working in a government building across from the Pentagon. I watched in disbelief as flames engulfed our military's headquarters. I thought I was in a bad dream and that I would wake up at any moment. When I started out to work that day, I thought the day would unfold like any other day, but I would later pray that by some extra ordinary miracle, I could get home to see my loved ones one more time.
It's not unusual that we as nation would want to memorialize the heart-break of that day, and garden lovers have found a way to so as well. To mark the occasion, there are a number of gardens around the country commemorating the events of 9/11 with a ceremony.
Since Flight 93 was bound for San Francisco, there you will find commemorative gardens at Pleasant Hill and Union City's Sugar Mill Landing Park. By next summer, Napa is planning to unveil a memorial garden and sculpture to commemorate the tragic events.
In two separate ceremonies in Los Angeles, the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Gardens will be unveiled this weekend and will feature a 30-foot twisted steel beam from the twin tower wreckage.
In NYC, the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is offering a free All Garden Pass on Sunday.
In Chicago, the Chicago Botanic Garden will host a free carillon concert in honor on the 9/11 victims and their families.
Britain suffered great loss on 9/11 as well, and the nation will mark the anniversary with a remembrance ceremony to be held at the memorial garden next to the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London.
In Shanksville, PA, the Remember Me Rose Garden thrives in honor of those on Flight 93.
Is there a garden ceremony near you? Let us know.


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Fulfillment Information
- Please allow between 6 to 9 business days for your order to be shipped.
- We are a print on demand based company which means when we receive your order, the design is printed then shipped to you.
- Your item didn't fit? No worries, exchanges are welcome, we want you to have the perfect fit so you feel... "beyond great".
- However, carefully review all product information and sizing before making a purchase.
- Full refunds are only issued for defective or damaged items.
- If you have any issues don't hesitate to email us, we will help in any way we can.


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In my last post in this series, I talked about the idea of how we service gifted students across the country. One of the methods for organizing gifted education is different than the others, so I saved gifted pullout services to have its own post. There's a lot of hype and professional dialogue around this method of instruction, so let's take a look at this service format.
Should gifted students be pulled from the regular education classroom?
The short answer is…. there is no short answer.?This question is a complicated, messy question with no final answers.
It is important to consider the following points about a gifted pullout service:
- Gifted students should be pulled when appropriate. Several research studies have been completed that have concluded that gifted students need separate instruction at times. As we've spoken about before in this blog series, gifted students are often not gifted in every subject. A student who?excels in Math may struggle in Reading. They should be in a gifted cluster or gifted pullout for Math, but in a general education classroom for the other subjects. There are many factors within a school structure that can make this difficult. If gifted pullout services just aren't possible in your current situation, the next best idea is to cluster gifted students in the same homeroom.
- Gifted students should not be totally?segregated?from their peers. Gifted learners need different instruction. For sure. However, they don't need to be separated from grade-level peers all day. Our gifted learners often have social and emotional struggles, so allowing them to interact with non-GL peers is a necessity.?We want them to be in heterogeneous groupings for social interactions as much as possible.
- Resources for gifted learners are limited. As of April 2018, only 4 states in America and 0 provinces in Canada fully fund gifted education initiatives in their schools. That leaves 46 states, DC, all USA?territories, and all of Canada's schools without as many resources as gifted students should have access to. Many schools can't afford to pay for Gifted Intervention teachers, nor are they mandated to do so.?The financial piece of the puzzles poses an obvious problem.
Students should be pulled from the regular education classroom when it is possible (financially) and when it is appropriate (only for subjects in which they have tested gifted).
How Do I Support Gifted Learners in My General Education Classroom?
You've got this!!! Here are some proven methods for getting the most of your gifted learners while they're in your general education classroom.
- Long-term, open-ended projects are your friend. Project-based learning (PBL) is crucial to the development of your gifted kiddos. While your regular ed (and possibly special ed) kiddos might need supports and grade-level guidance, your gifted learners can be forging ahead with deeper content inside of the PBL you've set up.?STEM and STEAM projects are also great!!
- Example: In Science, you are doing a unit on electricity. Your gifted learner(s) might want to explore how electricity is transmitted around your community. They might do a cost analysis of local companies and their electric rates. They might explore the efficiency of certain light bulbs.
- Allow variety and choices in curriculum. There are some things we just?have to teach. I get it. Whenever possible, allow the gifted students to make a choice in the curriculum. Let them choose their own topics or design their own project or assessment. They could explore content outside of what Common Core (or your state/provincial standards) mandate and then link it to the standards you need them to!
- This book has excellent ideas on how to design and organize these opportunities for your students!
- Use critical thinking. Every student deserves (and needs) critical thinking questions. Gifted students need that cranked up even more. Try a Depth of Knowledge Level 4 question such as explaining alternative electricity sources across multiple sources (analyze and synthesize). Isolated critical thinking with gifted learning is not enough; they need to be exposed to this kind of thinking and problem solving daily.
- Flexible grouping and flexible grading. One thing that drives gifted learners batty is being compared to others, or being asked to do the same thing as typical peers. Throw in the fact that many students compare their grades during group projects or discussions, and you are asking for a meltdown.
- Homogeneous grouping is the most effective for gifted learners in terms of academic interaction, while?heterogeneous?grouping is the most effective for social skills and emotional health. The more you can allow your gifted learners to flex between these groupings, the happier and more challenged they'll be!
- You can use a different form of assessment, a different rubric, and/or a different method of work samples when grading using your "typical peer" rubric isn't appropriate. There is nothing wrong with allowing your gifted learners to do things a little differently.
- When possible, compact the curriculum. Compaction of curriculum is one of the easiest tricks of gifted education. What is compaction?
- Take, for example, the computation of decimals. An average learner needs to learn addition of decimals, then subtraction, then multiplication, then division. A gifted learner can pick up the four operations quickly – allow them to do so, then challenge them with new material.
- Another example is figurative language. In 4th, Common Core asks students to recognize and define some figurative language devices. My gifted learners fly through this, so we focus on adding it to their writing and written responses in class instead (which also increases the rigor).
There is no magic bullet to teaching gifted kids in a regular education classroom. It's not easy, but it's so worth it. My goal is to make it easier for you. We're teachers, gosh darnit… we can do it!
Please reach out to me with questions, comments, or if you need help with this! I'd love to hear if you implement any of these ideas in your own classroom. Let me know how it turns out by commenting below!


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Able Piling Switch to Integrity's Construction Accounts Software
Able Piling are a well established contractor providing foundation solutions to a wide variety of clients, now part of the Franki Foundation Group in Belgium.
Previously running Sage, Able Piling began their search for a new system as recording project costs with their existing systems required time consuming manual work via a number of standalone systems.
After researching a number of systems including Navision from Microsoft, Able Piling chose Evolution M from Integrity Software and will now benefit from a fully integrated, industry specific accounting, project costing and payroll system to underpin the company's current structure.
Evolution M construction accounting software can also meet the future expansion plans of the business by incorporating additional modules for Purchase Ordering, Plant Management, Stock and Works Orders.
To discuss how implementing a fully integrated construction management system could improve the efficiency and control of your business, please contact a member of our team today.


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If you're like me who is pretty into music whenever I'm creating the next 'big' LEGO Idea concept (perhaps like a massive 18,000-piece custom LEGO Fortress of Solitude), or simply while sorting out my long, neglected LEGO bricks, having something to listen to focuses your energies at any task at hand. Perhaps an even better alternative is to listen to a podcast – much more if it is geared towards LEGO. As the BrickBlogger aptly observed, there are not many very dedicated podcasts for LEGO fans around, but there are some that are faithful to the craft. Here are some of them that are not just informative, but kind of funny and entertaining as well.
Jeff and James "All Sorted" LEGO Podcast
Whenever these two stay-at-home Canadian dads are not busy taking out the garbage or mowing the lawn, you can find them chatting their way running three separate podcasts: Breaking Dads which runs every Mondays dealing with the lighter side of parenting; Epic Gumdrop which talks about video gaming and airs every Fridays; and of course All Sorted every Wednesdays. Now on their 40th episode and going strong, this dynamic dad duo runs the show with such interest and zest that you'll hardly notice that 20-30 minutes have passed already. With topics that are thoroughly researched, Jeff and James can communicate them in a way that is uniquely LEGO: fun and engaging. You can listen to their episodes via YouTube and iTunes.
Joshua Hanlon and Matthew Kay's "Beyond the Brick" LEGO Podcast
Joshua and Matthew started Beyond the Brick back in 2011 with the goal of having a thought or two from the world's leading LEGO builders and designers and as a platform to showcase awesome LEGO MOCs. Highly respected within the LEGO community, the tandem has already produced more than 150 podcast interviews and sharing recent developments within LEGO's brick world. Each episode is around 30 minutes to an hour and features some minimal video and images depending on the topics being discussed. You may catch them through their YouTube channel right here.
I hope you enjoy these cool podcasts for LEGO fans as much as I do. If you happen to stumble upon a similar LEGO podcast, be kind enough to hit the comment button and let us know.


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Hour 1:
The Dak Pickup
Presidential Proclamation #1
2016 Thanksgiving Proclamation
Has Black Friday Gone Red?
Housing Crash Part 2
Wealth Update
Hour 2:
AI Creates Own Language
The Nuke Train
No Privacy Left Score
Read My Lips...
Listen To Speakers
In The News:
A Tale Of Two Droughts:
Illinois Imploding
Feeling Your Oats Will Cost More
Asian Shipbuilding Sinks
40% Non Performing
Watching The Watches
Spy Tech:
The Spy Grid Race
Spy City In A Box
Russian Mini Tank
Aspartame Prevents Weight Loss
Did You Want Aloe Vera In Your Aloe Vera?
Bigger Picture:
"Donations" Down
That's A Lot Of Bull
Beta Test In India


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While reactive chat supports the customers that know they want support, proactive chat invitations allow you to engage website visitors before they come searching for assistance.
Done well, you can offer excellent online service to every visitor that comes through your virtual door.
Unfortunately, it isn't as simple as just making your chat messages pop-up dynamically on a screen. Proactive chat invitations require attention and care to be a useful part of the customer journey.
So, we've put together some best practice tips that will help you optimise your proactive chat strategy.
Proactive problems
Proactive chat invitations are the online equivalent of an attentive shop floor assistant. Rather than serving customers when called upon, they offer a friendly presence upfront.
There can be no denying that proactive chat is a powerful tool. Many online businesses, however, worry that using proactive chat could annoy website visitors, rather than wow them with insightful service.
The worry that proactive chat invitations could frustrate customers is valid.
When deployed haphazardly, proactive chat invitations can elicit the same rage from customers that repeated pop-ups would. Website visitors end up feeling harassed, as you put an irritating obstacle between them and your content or products.
The pitfalls of proactive chat invitations
There are many pitfalls to avoid when implementing a proactive chat strategy. Businesses need to be careful not to force themselves on the visitor by overusing proactive chat invitations.
Instead, the aim is to provide a friendly 'hello' or wave, which lets customers know a representative is there to help.
There are three main things to avoid:
1. Intrusive invitations
Don't have automated invitations stalk your visitors – particularly if they've already declined an invitation to chat.
No one wants to be bombarded with the same invitation every time they access a new page of your site.
2. Generic messaging
Don't use generic invitation messages when inviting a visitor to chat. For best results, target the message based on each individual journey.
A focused message is far more likely to get a response than one that could apply to anyone, as the customer feels addressed personally.
So, use as much customer data as you can to personalise your proactive chat invitations.
3. Interruption with pizazz
The flashier and more obnoxious the chat invitation, the more likely visitors will liken it to an annoying pop-up.
When offering an invitation to chat, simplicity is key. Avoid flashing banners, ping sounds, or sliding the chat across the page to grab the visitor's attention.
Potential invitation triggers
You need to let your customers scope out the site and access your content before inviting them to chat.
It's important to know both who to target with proactive chat invitations, and when to target them. For example, you might change the messages surfaced for returning visitors as opposed to new ones.
Or, you might set up a chat invitation to trigger when visitors land on pages that usually have high bounce rates.
Other triggers can relate to a visitor's on-site behaviour. For example, proactive chat invitations can be highly useful when targeted to people who have been idle on a page for a long time, people that are exploring your FAQ section, or people that have shown high interest by browsing several pages.
These targeting metrics can vary in effectiveness from site to site, and you'll find the best triggers and targets for your company through trial and error.
Effective proactive chat invitations
So, now you can avoid driving customers away with poor proactive chat invitations. The final step is to optimise them over time.
The top three steps to take are:
1. Test and refine your triggers and invitation messages
There is no master recipe for perfect proactive chat invitations, and every business will find success with a different concoction.
So, analyse what is working and what isn't. Always strive to improve your service by reviewing and tweaking your strategy.
2. Keep the tone consistent throughout the customer journey
From the chat invitation, throughout the chat, to any follow-up correspondence you have with the customer, keeping your tone consistent gives your brand a strong voice and identity that'll stick in the minds of your customers.
3. Respect the visitor's decision.
If a visitor has already declined the chat once, that should be enough. You've shown them you're there to chat, and they'll come to you if they need to.
If they aren't ready to engage, don't harass them.
Proactive chat is a powerful customer support tool that can make your service impressively prophetic to customers.
It lets you offer the same great service to every visiting customer, not just the ones that seek you out.
So, are you ready to implement powerful proactive chat invitations on your website? Start today with a free trial of WhosOn.


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Keep your beverage cold or hot forever (almost) in our 30-ounce tumbler. Whether it's a cold beer, water, bourbon, or a stout margarita; you won't have to go back to the ice machine for quite a long while. It also works well for hot items such as coffee, and coffee. No tea allowed in our tumblers, hot or cold.
Our Tee Party Subscription is an exclusive monthly shirt subscription with awesome benefits available to members only.
Check out our free, mobile and desktop patriotic wallpaper based on some of our popular designs!


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When was the last time you:
- Updated your curriculum vitae?
- Updated your website?
- Checked in with your best customers?
- Sent a thank you note?
- Got new photos taken?
- Asked for a testimonial?
- Increased your prices?
- Really challenged yourself?
- Made some art?
Today would be a good time.
Pick one.


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The U.S. dollar traded lower across the board on Wednesday after Federal Reserve officials painted a mostly uninspiring picture in their latest economic assessment, calling growth overall "slight" or "moderate" across most of the country.
Overall, the Fed's 12 districts did report strength in real estate and housing. However, manufacturing in recent days has been "weak" and retail sales "mixed," according to the latest Beige Book account. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, was last down 0.36 percent at 98.38.
The euro was last up about 0.3 percent at $1.0678 against the greenback after hitting a session low of $1.05710. The dollar was last down 0.23 percent against the yen at 119.19 yen and about 0.80 percent lower against the Swiss franc at 0.9652.
This article is for general information purposes only. It is not investment advice or a solution to buy or sell securities. Opinions are the authors; not necessarily that of OANDA Corporation or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. Leveraged trading is high risk and not suitable for all. You could lose all of your deposited funds.


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You cannot ignore sensitivity of Women Reproductive health
Common Diseases in woman's Reproductive Organs
Today's woman is apparently known for its presence either in the house or at its office workplace promising its influence at both the places. As such it is very important that women health or say women reproductive health is of prime consideration due to rising female death rate due to unwanted pregnancies and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Women health reproductive is primarily concerned with health activities like contraception, fertility, infertility and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Here contraception by way of pills, condoms, diaphragm, intrauterine, vasectomy is important way to avoid unintended pregnancies and other hormonal diseases.
Fertility is the ability to conceive either through sexual intercourse or by way of test tube culture whereas infertility is whereby a woman is unable to conceive. Infertility occurs mostly due to factors such as irregular menstrual cycles, painful sexual intercourse, miscarriage or any chronic disability.
Sometimes women feel pain in their vulva leading to burning, stinging or irritation in their genitals which is termed as Vulvodynia.
Another gynecological disease frequently prevailing is Endometriosis. It happens usually in the reproductive years of a woman whereby the womb sheds during menstruation and leads to internal bleeding, infection and internal injury.
Some of the common sexually transmitted diseases found among women are Chlamydia, Genital herpes, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis and HIV.
Women are entitled to various reproductive rights whereby they have the right to knowledge to sexuality and reproduction, right to go for family planning, opt for programs that reduce women infertility and mortality rate, access to safe, affordable abortion techniques in addition to post and pre marriage counseling. Most prominently they are eligible to stop forced sterilization and get right nutrition during the pregnancy period.


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On Thursday, February 25th, I testified at the City of St. Louis City Hall in support of Board Bill Number 296, which would increase the number and types of animals allowed in the city. The bill sponsor Alderman Scott Ogilvie introduced the bill on February 5th, 2016.
As an environmental advocacy organization, MCE recognizes that industrialized agriculture threatens everything we seek to protect – clean air, clean water, open space, wetlands, natural floodplains, and more. As a result, our Food and Farm Program advocates for a localized, sustainable food system that support farmers that take care of their natural resources and provides access to nutritious, sustainably grown local food for all people across Missouri and the St. Louis Regional Foodshed.
Urban agriculture is one tool in the toolbox for increasing access to healthy locally-grown food and is especially beneficial for low-income individuals who may struggle to afford local products in the grocery store and may live in communities where healthy food, in general, is of limited supply. While individuals in the City of St. Louis are free to grow fruits and vegetables in their backyards, the number of traditional farm animals currently allowed is restricted based on the number of dogs and cats on the property. The current ordinance in effect allows only four animals in the aggregate. For example, if you have a cat and a dog, you can only have two additional animals of the following variety: chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, guineas, peafowl, or rabbits. As a result, MCE saw a need to update the current ordinance and expand the number and variety of animals allowed in the city. This animal agriculture bill, if passed, will prove greatly beneficial to St. Louisans for several reasons.
First and foremost, by expanding the limitation on small farm animals such as chickens and separating them from domestic animals, the bill can help to mitigate the effects of the food deserts that riddle large parts of our City. Allowing people to cultivate their own food and raise farm animals can be a large part of reducing food insecurity and expanding access to fresh eggs and milk, especially in neighborhoods with few or no fresh food stores.
Additionally, this measure will help strengthen our communities in many ways. In our experience, when people cultivate their own food, they are more inclined to share both food and knowledge with others. This not only brings joy to individuals and families but also fosters tighter-knit, more supportive neighborhoods. Even neighbors who may initially be opposed to their presence in a neighborhood typically become appreciative of farm animals as they come to learn more about them through the first-hand experience.
Another important benefit of expanding St. Louisans' ability to raise certain farm animals is that it expands the opportunities for nutritional, food safety, and food source education. This is important for all age groups, but is especially crucial for children and teens, helping them develop good food habits into adulthood. Lindsay Elliott, a friend of the St. Louis Food Policy Coalition and the Director of Community Health Initiatives at DeSales Community Housing Corporation, shared this experience with us:
"As a resident of Benton Park West, too many mornings pass by that I see young people awaiting their bus or walking to school with bags of chips and processed foods. This reality—their normal daily rhythm—makes me long for change. Therein lies a discrepancy I can't seem to reconcile: why is it completely normal to a child in our city to eat chips for his or her breakfast? Why do we watch it happen?
While I do not think this bill solves the dilemma of undernutrition that sweeps through St. Louis streets, it certainly has the potential to name the 'white elephant.' When I started raising chickens in my yard last year, kids on my block were overjoyed to know that these animals created food they could eat. They had never before seen or thought of where their food originated. The presence of my chickens led to 5-minute teachable moments—while I walked to and from my mailbox or coming home from work—which followed their inquisitive curiosities: 'Can we feed the chickens today? Can we have an egg?' This led to their general interest in apples, peaches, and pears. Most days, kids knock on my front door at 5:05PM to ask for an apple or pear.
That is the value of this legislation. It may not change the food crisis that faces our city, but it will push us onward in efforts to see all people, especially young children, live healthier and more nutritious lives."
The measure would not only help raise awareness among neighbors, but it would also facilitate the ability of community gardens and urban farms throughout the city to provide educational and training programs. The significance of increased awareness of how food is produced and where food comes from lies in the fact that it brings increased community participation and empowerment.
Another important benefit of this bill is that it gives St. Louis City residents additional opportunities to spend time outdoors and engage in physical activity. While certainly taking care of farm animals such as chickens and goats is not the only way to do this, it connects two important aspects of public health: nutrition and exercise. Furthermore, as raising small farm animals often engages neighbors who are curious and inquisitive, it has the potential to encourage more people to exercise and spend time outdoors with neighbors.
In addition to these benefits related to community-building, food access, and public health, the proposed legislation also carries important environmental merits. By allowing City residents to raise certain animals and use their green waste to feed the animals, the legislation helps reduce the amount of waste that goes into the City's landfills. Furthermore, because small farm animals—in particular chickens—eat a variety of bothersome and dangerous pests, they reduce the need for chemical pesticides on lawns and gardens.
Passing this bill is important for one additional reason that is particular to our City's history. St. Louis City has a significant and growing immigrant population, and many of these residents came from countries where keeping a few productive animals at home is the norm. Of course, St. Louis is very different from those places. But the fact that the proposed legislation will not only deliver numerous social, public health, and environmental benefits to City residents but will also increase the City's cultural-sensitivity, should be seen as an additional advantage.
MCE, members of the St. Louis Food Policy Coalition, community members, local farmers, and food enthusiasts firmly believe that Board Bill Number 296 will go a long way in helping City residents, and especially our youngest St. Louisans, get connected with their food, and in so doing will produce invaluable public health and community-building benefits. To summarize, these benefits include, but are not limited to:
- access to healthy and protein-rich food where there may be no adequate grocery stores
- increased community participation and tighter-knit neighborhoods
- increased awareness of nutrition and food access inequalities
- reduced green waste and pesticide use
- and increased outdoor physical activity.
We sincerely hope that the Board of Alderman will consider the merits of the proposed legislation, and take action to improve the quality of life of all St. Louisans. The Board of Alderman will vote on Board Bill 296 on Friday, March 4th at 10 am. We look forward to seeing what happens!


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I have been working on a standalone app for your Android device which easily handles access to the website, the diary and (if you have the appropriate permissions) the Parish Database. It's free, and I hope you like it.
I'm sorry there isn't a version for Apple, but they require a stupid amount of money to develop for them, and a Mac. Which I haven't. Buy an Android device.
You can download it from here


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Spell-Casting and Target Selection
The Abracadabble™ series of video game controllers and electronic game devices includes methods for casting a "spell" using a controller. Here's an excerpt from the patent specification describing an embodiment of the Wizard-Combat Vest:
"An alternative function provides for the use of a laser-tag device instead of a wand. FIG. 8A depicts a laser tag vest 801 for use with a laser tag gun 802. The vest 801 includes target points in the abdomen 803, shoulders ('epaulets') 804, etc. Physical input patterns using this type of physical input device are input by 'shooting' target points in the target vest 804 in a particular order or combination. For instance, abdomen-epaulet-abdomen can serve as a first pattern; abdomen-abdomen-epaulet can serve as a second pattern. FIG. 8A depicts the physical input apparatus 802 shooting the vest 801 in the abdomen target 803. FIG. 8B depicts the physical input apparatus 802 shooting the vest 801 in the epaulet 804. Thus the action depicted in FIG. 8A and the action depicted in FIG. 8B together form a physical input pattern, namely, abdomen-epaulet.
"When using the laser apparatus instead of the wand apparatus, not only is the spell identified by the physical input pattern but also the target of the spell is so identified: whoever is wearing the vest that a player shoots in order to perform a physical input pattern is the target of a spell so triggered. This dual usage for the information has obvious advantages when the present invention is used in a multiplayer setting. However, certain spells do not involve a target, have a default target (e.g., all evil characters), or the target is inherently the spell caster; in such cases, the sensor-based wand may seem more appropriate and intuitive to users."
~ Integrated game system, method, and device (U.S. Pat. 9,126,118)
Note: this patent family is now owned by Microsoft (the Abracadabble trademark is not).


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Normally we use different software for backing up important files and folders, encrypting personal files, locking personal USB drive and shredding sensitive files and folders. But with the first release of File Secure Free from Vitarsoft, you will not need separate application for performing the aforementioned tasks since it has all tools inbuilt and still it is Free. According to the developer
File Secure Free is all-in-one freeware in password locking folder, file and USB without any limitations. It is No.1 FREE software in protecting files and privacy, even more powerful than some paid applications. It has many useful functions, password lock folder and files, password lock USB drive, external hard drive and any other removable devices, file backup, file shredder, etc.
Features & Specifications
System Requirements
Supported OS: Windows 7/Vista/XP 32/64 bit.Processor: >750MHz Intel or AMD CPU X86(32bit) or X64(64bit).Free Hard Disk Space: 100MB or more.RAM: 256MB or above.
The installer [FileSecureFree_setup.exe ; 2.13 Mb] is not digitally signed. Installation went fast and smooth without any unwanted software. 4.1 Mb of free disk space is required. Opens homepage at the end of installation. Desktop icon is created automatically.
The software GUI is decent in look and easy to use and navigate. It is divided into four sections to backup files/folders, encrypt files, shred files/folders and lock USB drives.
|Backup Files and Folders
|Encrypt Files
|Shred Files and Folders
|Lock USB Drives
Upon closing the GUI, it stays in Tray. If you want it to exit, quit it from Tray.
Backup Files and Folders
Backup Files and Folders
Backing up files and folders is pretty easy. Just add the files and folders to backup, select them and click on 'Backup'. You will be prompted to browse for a location to save the backup and to enter a password for securing the backup. Password needs to be at least six characters long. The backup is saved as File Secure Free Image Files (*.dfi). You can of course give separate password for each different backup.
|File/Folder Backup Progress
Similarly to restore backup, you need to browse for the backup image and set a location to save the restored backup. You will need to enter the password used to make that backup.
|Backup Restore Progress
Encrypting Files
File encryption is easy as well. Add a file or folder and it will ask for a password and you will immediately see that file or files in that folder as encrypted. You can decrypt any files and folders in that list and again encrypt them. It asks for password every time you decrypt files but not at the time of encryption. You can of course use different password for each encryption process.
|File Encryption Progress
|Decryption Progress
The software uses AES encryption algorithm and adds .dfi extension to the encrypted file.
Shredding files and Folders
File Shredder of File Secure Free does the same job as Pow Tools File Shredder and File Terminator Free. Simply add files and folders to shred, select them and click on 'Shred'.
By default the shredding is done with Gutmann algorithm but there are additional algorithms like Erase and Write Random Data, National Safety Association Standard, United States Military Standard and North Atlantic Treaty organization Standard. that can be selected from the drop down menu.
|File/Folder Shredding Progress
Locking USB Drives
This module checks in real-time for any inserted USB drive and will let you lock it. You will be able to lock more than one USB connected to the PC. The locked USB will not be accessible by anyone and can be restored back to usable format only with a format (you will loose data) or by unlocking it with File Secure Free (Files will remain intact).
|Look of USB Drive Before and After Locking
My Verdict
I really liked this young tool but it has scopes for improvement.
- It do not support Drag and Drop.
- It needs to allow decrypting a particular file in a folder, when a folder have been added for encryption.
- It need to show the status of the detected USB, locked or unlocked.
- It needs to have offline documentation.
- It also should have a update check module.
I found a few bugs in it.
- It should decrypt a file while removing it from the list. It asks for the password to decrypt but do not actually decrypt it. As a result that file become unusable. You need to decrypt a file first and then remove it from the list as a precaution.
- The progress widow need not to try showing the full file path and should use dots in case it can't. See the Decryption progress screenshot and you will understand what I meant.
- The help link lead me to the help documentation of miTracker. It should lead us to the Quick Guide of File Secure Free.
With the precautions mentioned and bugs considered, it's really worth giving a try.
The software can be downloaded from the following link.
Cheers !!


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Exabytes SecondLife Cloud Backup
Exabytes SecondLife Cloud Backup provides a safe, secure and scalable data protection — bare-metal recovery (Clone Backup) and on-site cloud backup — for any data, anywhere, anytime.
The 3 kinds of services it offers support Laptop/Desktop and Virtual Server, enabling physical server backup with quick recovery via an easy to use web console.
In addition, Exabytes Cloud Backup comes with hybrid backup (backup onto local server & cloud server) that allows quick recovery for any disaster that might happen to your PC or server.
Check out the below steps to easily get started with Exabytes SecondLife Backup:
- Choose the plan that is suitable for your personal/business use. To know more, visit: Cloud Backup Solution
- Once your service has been activated, you will receive an activation email with your account login details.
- Login to your web console dashboard.
- Choose your subscription backup agent and start installing.
- Once the installation is completed, you will see the message below:
(Machine Backup Progress)
- You can now start backing up your computer or server.
- The backup you are running, including the backup status, are recorded in the "Activities" panel.
- Once the backup is successful, you can stay calm and enjoy peace of mind even when disasters/attacks happen.
(Now, your clone PC/Server is ready)
Remember, your Computer/Server deserves a second life!


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Price: $34.95
Additional Images
Washed Denim Work Pant
Style # B13 Carhartt Washed Denim Work Pant is designed to give you plenty of room and maneuverability. This 11.75-ounce 100% cotton denim version is a typical favorite. The waist is cut at the normal waist level. The seat and thigh are cut full and roomy. Multiple tool and utility pockets are provided -- and a hammer loop. Back pockets are reinforced. And leg openings are some 19-inches to fit over any work boot with no problem.


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S&P Awards
The Best Spiritual Books of 2011
365 Thank Yous A lawyer reporting on the positive results of his project to send 365 thank you notes to deserving individuals in his life from family to peripheral people.
A Lamp in the Darkness Buddhist Teachings and practices to help us navigate through tough times.
A New Harmony A wake-up call for the Christian community to heed the unfurling of a new Pentecost.
Abraham Joshua Heschel A substantive collection of writings from the Jewish teacher and moral prophet.
All That We Share A bold and imaginative call for a major paradigm shift from the market system to the commons where sharing and caring are the operative ideals.
Alone Together An abundance of insights and creative observations on our machine mediated lives and what this all means for intimacy, solitude, and being connected.
Between Heaven and Mirth Examples from scripture, teaching stories from the religions, and the lives of saints about why the way of joy, humor, and laughter is important for spiritual communities.
Beyond Forgiveness A top-drawer collection of 15 essays on understanding and practicing atonement as an act that makes amends and repairs harm.
Bill Moyers Journal A top-drawer collection of 47 interviews with independent thinkers on a wide variety of subjects.
Buddha Standard Time A timely and wide-ranging book on the wisdom Buddhism has to offer in response to the problems of time starvation, addiction to speed, and distractions.
By the Way Reveals the beauties and the bounties of living a life of everyday spirituality.
Call to Compassion An anthology of the growing movement of ethical sensitivity toward animals.
Enlightenment to Go An explanation of the spiritual insights of Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life.
Ethical Wisdom The case supporting the idea that the brain has hard-wired us to be good and compassionate human beings.
Falling Upward A visionary work about the second stage of life as an unfolding of spiritual maturity.
Fragments of a Love Story Essays on the personal spiritual journey of a Sufi mystic.
Fragments of Your Ancient Name Meditations on the names of God from all religious traditions.
God Is Subversive The views of a Christian social activist and believer in nonviolence on war, militarism, and the unjust prison system.
Grace Notes 37 stories by a gifted writer offering fresh approaches to everyday spirituality where wonder, imagination, and joy thrive.
Healing the Heart of Democracy A challenge to us to try practicing politics through the eye of the heart.
How to Train a Wild Elephant and Other Adventures in… More than 50 mindfulness exercises that can enrich your everyday spirituality practices.
Into the Heart of Life An incisive overview of Buddhist essentials from the perspective of a woman with 40 years of spiritual practice.
Keep Your Courage Speeches, sermons, and essays from the last decade which address the rampant fears of our times.
Like a Tree An extraordinary defense and tribute to the significance of trees.
Living in Gratitude A thematically rich and spiritually rewarding guide to a month-by-month practice of gratitude.
Morning, Noon, and Night A superb work of literary criticism and philosophical insights into the transitional stages of life in growing up and growing old.
Naked Spirituality An explanation of the four stages of the spiritual life and twelve practices to strengthen, sustain, and deepen faith.
Never Say Die A hard-hitting and illuminating examination of the daunting challenges facing the baby boom generation as they age.
Planting Seeds An incomparable resource on mindfulness for children with hundreds of spiritual practices.
Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation A substantive and well-rounded primer on meditation by a masterful Buddhist teacher.
Religion Gone Astray Common core teachings of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam that support the healing of the grievous problems of exclusivity, violence, sexual inequality, and homophobia.
Restoring Life's Missing Pieces Spiritual exercises for revisiting people, places, things, and self as a process of personal transformation.
Saving Civility A pathbreaking book with 52 practices and ideas for enabling us to become emissaries of civility in these contentious times.
Streams of Contentment An exploration of paths and practices leading to contentment.
The Art of Intuition An expansive and illuminating treatment of intuition as a life skill that can open many new doors for us.
The Art of Uncertainty A robust and revealing exploration of the spiritual practice of mystery.
The Artist's Rule A creative and edifying combination of practices to nurture creativity, contemplation, and monastic wisdom.
The Caregiver's Tao Te Ching Healing and helpful support for caregivers and their loved ones based on the wisdom of the Tao Te Ching.
The Cosmopolitan Canopy A rousing celebration of city, civility, diversity, and places where the walls between the races are pulled down.
The Emotional Calendar Keen insights into the challenges faced by those whose emotions act up at certain times of the year, during holidays, and on days connected with by bad memories.
The Evolution of Faith A look into the transformation of Christianity into a more compassionate, open, reconciling, and loving community.
The Flying Drum A magical mystery tour with sacred objects, mojo, mystery, and healing sponsored by indigenous elders all over the world.
The Hidden Gifts of Helping An uplifting exploration of the physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits of generosity, compassion, and hope.
The Listening Book An exploration of the spiritual practice of listening with an awakened ear.
The Nature Principle A visionary book about the widespread rise of interest in the natural world, a more balanced existence, and the transformation of our private and public lives.
The Path of the Yoga Sutras 51 key elements of the philosophy of yoga.
The Thom Hartmann Reader A top-drawer collection of essays by talk radio progressive Thom Hartman challenging us to see a new vision of America.
Tutu Authorized A wonderful tribute to the life and ministry of Desmond Tutu on his 80th birthday.
Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life Concepts and practices on 12 ways to embrace and walk in compassion as a transformative path.
Untie the Strong Woman A poetic and passionate, wild and lyrical spiritual journey into the Sacred Feminine in all her varied guises and glories.


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Harry Browne: Why Libertarians Prospered in the Crisis
|Posted on March 3, 2011 at 6:36 PM
LIO Senior Advisor Harry Browne passed away 5 years ago this week.
While newspapers and officials blamed the economic crisis on "too much" Libertarianism, claiming it proves freedom false, Libertarians were actually doing well following the "Libertarian Lifestyle" precepts of "people's philosopher and economist" Harry Browne, a US best-selling author who passed away 5 years ago this week.
Browne, who with other LIO advisors helped lead the USLP to its largest size in paying members and people in office to date by 2002--and was a twice Libertarian presidential US candidate helping smash down ballot access barriers--proposed a simple system of portfolio or investment class management for all economies.The public educator wrote many best-selling books on applying Libertarian concepts to better relationships, businesses, and public finances; and was consulted by many world leaders.
His system ( in his book Fail Safe Investing ) was based on the idea that one must not passively accept the market but 'manage upwards' with proactive thinking. Far from depending on government to regulate the economy coercively, one was best advised to realize that very regulation was the main danger and act both to defeat it, and be ready for inevitable economic changes for better or worse. The system was meant to be usable by the average person to safeguard key investments meant to produce basic income against 'officials misled by crackpot statist theories' tampering with free markets, which he held was the main reason for recurring and major economic crises.
He pointed out that by annually re-adjusting one's investments among cash, bonds, stocks, and metals such as gold each year, at least one of them grew in any economy and the re-adjustment served as a "circuit breaker" or bulwark against problems with the others. The portfolio should be the main focus of activity until it produced sufficient income. If one was willing to dedicate the time, he also recommended a second portfolio divided among home and real estate, home business, community help and disaster insurances. The disaster preparation ranged from additional cash and asset reserves to catastrophe insurance to some assets abroad to e.g. an extended supply of food, guns and medicine, and water for emergencies or major catastropes. Only with this basic security should the average person consider more speculative investments, he proposed, which would become better as the public became more informed; and nations naturally better civil and emergency defense.
Browne also felt the system would, as it spread, pressure errant officials towards reforms as they saw their policies outwitted. Widespread adoption would itself help stabilize economies while increasing investor education. Libertarians who used the system, for example, saw their portfolios rise with gold investments and automatic removal from deteriorating real estate, while automatically positioned for better investment at the lows due to more cash and survival stores for long term unemployment. In addition, he felt that the system helped critique public finance towards more stable and proactive policies and away from e.g. deficit financing and uncontrolled taxation. Similarly, he advised banks and business to use a similar philosophy with cautious reserves, which are still there while others sank or sought government bail-outs in the crisis, say fans of his approach.
Browne left a legacy of applied Libertarianism for improving households, relationships, workplaces, and citizen action in his many books; plus a project meant to help the public easily contact officials he hoped would be an example worldwide, www.DownsizeDC.org
- Check out: http://www.trendsaction.com/ and http://www.harrybrowne.org/
- Review your portfolio and set up a savings and investment plan
- Encourage local public entities and fiorms to use stabilizing investments
- Use www.DownsizeDC.org for monthly e-activism or start one locally
Categories: IMPROVE Lifestyle, ALL


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Artists, art lovers to rub elbows at Giant Springs
The community is invited to Giant Springs Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday for Art in the Park. The annual celebration is a chance for art lovers and novices to watch artists as they work on paintings, sculptures and drawings and for children and adults to pick up the pen themselves.
About 20 local artists will show their art, said Shelly Bruecken, an AmeriCorps ranger with Giant Springs State Park.
"(The artists) are going to do some art while they're being inspired by nature," Bruecken said.
The C.M. Russell Museum will have an event specifically for children, where kids too can take part in the artistry, Bruecken said.
Local artist Ron Paulick will give lessons on shapes and values for beginning artists.
"This is what we would call a simple 'value study,' drawing big shapes and trying to get a gray scale to see how those darks to lights feel in terms of the design you're going to create," Paulick explained.
Most of the supplies will be provided; Paulick advises students to bring "good eyes."
The lesson will be done with felt-tip markers of five to six values of gray.
The lessons will last an hour to an hour-and-a-half, he said.
Paulick, who has participated in Art in the Park in the past, said there was an effort to recruit new artists. As an artist himself, he said he realizes the value of such an exercise.
"I think it's because of the engagement with the public, and that's always rewarding from the artist standpoint," he said.
Paulick said attendees of the free event can expect to see people sketching and doing small studies and painting with oil and watercolor.
"This is a good way to enjoy the park," Bruecken said.
The artists taking part Saturday include Steve Nelson, Anita Ronning, Gloria Luna, Brett Corneliusen, Ron Paulick, Kay Silk, Sherry Tuss, Vera Killebrew, Bobbin Maki, Helen Gerhart, Doris Boyle, Sandy Walker, Bonnie Flaherty, Sharon Brevig, Kathleen Zuelke, Norma Lawrence, Nancy Stephens, Marie Daniels and Wayne Daniels.


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Human Lessons from a Bourbon Tornado
A tornado demolished a Buffalo Trace Distillery's warehouse miraculously leaving all barrels of aging bourbon undamaged but exposed to the elements for... Read More
Vanilla Phrasing, Vanilla Thinking, Vanilla Ideas
Posted on25 Nov 2013
Tagscreativity, definitions, efficiencies, innovation, intelligence, knowledge, phraseology, process, standardization, vanilla words, Vanilla Words-Thinking Series
People often use common words in common ways. The goal is frequently understandable and quick communications. Technical terms, representing complex actions in... Read More
Working with Psychopaths
Obviously, not working with psychopaths is the best option. That, however, isn't always practical. Additionally, it's neither practical nor optimal to distrust... Read More
Why Problems Occur (Alert #6): Same over Unique
Posted on29 Aug 2013
TagsAnatomy of an Event, boredom, change, creativity, efficiencies, emotions, event, improvement, motivation, organizational culture, problem solving, process, reinventing the wheel, repetitive strain injury, rules, security, standardization, unique, Why Problems Occur Series
Creativity is challenging especially with time pressures. Additionally, depending upon the work culture, motivation might be difficult. Heck, how many times do... Read More
Predictability as Hell: A Problem-solving Perspective
Posted on10 Jan 2013
Tagsassessments, control, emotions, heaven, hell, Influence, perspective, predictability, Predictability as Hell Analogy, problem solving, standardization, The Atlantic, The Twilight Zone, Walter Kirn
Businesses strive for predictability. Standardization helps them achieve that. Still, many employees like their jobs for their variability, "It's something different every... Read More
Vanilla Words and Uncreative Personalities, Cultures
Just as music can set the tone, so can words. Just as music can help you assess personalities, words too. In business,... Read More
Extremely Unified Groups: More Aggressive, More Destructive
Posted on20 Aug 2012
Tagsadaptability, aggressive, business planning, compliance, creativity, Daisy Yuhas, Disruptive Innovation & People Analogy, dissent, group, innovation, leadership, military, organizational culture, people, planning, product of our environment, Scientific American, Scott Wiltermuth, standardization, Stanford Prison Experiment, synchronicity, team building, University of Southern California, USC Marshall School of Business
Groups change people; a person in a group is very different alone. Subliminal influences encourage groups to accept those who adopt its... Read More
Too Much Information & Indecisiveness
Tony Hey in his article, "The Big Idea: The Next Scientific Revolution" (Harvard Business Review, November 2010 edition ), and Patrick Spenner... Read More
Best Practices = Inside the Box Thinking
One of the paradoxes of best practices is that they promote unimaginativeness because if everyone followed best practices the differentiation among competing... Read More
Standardization: A Form of Thought Control
Posted on13 Dec 2010
Tags1984, communication, expression, George Orwell, problem solving, standardization, synonym, Thoughts, Vanilla Word Analogy, Vanilla Words-Thinking Series, vocabulary, words
Expressing our thoughts is challenging especially when we don't know the words to do so. Therefore, restricting our vocabulary will tend to... Read More


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[guest post by Dana]
NBC, which recently passed on Ronan Farrow's blockbuster Harvey Weinstein scoop, announced that Matt Lauer, co-host of NBC's "Today," was fired as a result of allegations of sexual misconduct:
On Wednesday, NBC announced that Lauer was fired from "Today." It was a stunning move for a co-host who was widely considered the crown jewel of the network's news division, with a $25 million annual salary. The cause of his dismissal, according to sources, was a detailed complaint from another current NBC employee about inappropriate sexual conduct from Lauer that started on a trip at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and continued for several months.
The employee met with human resources at NBC on Monday night. In a statement, NBC News Chairman Andy Lack called this the first complaint about his behavior in over 20 years and acknowledged that it may not be the last: "We were also presented with reason to believe that this may not have been an isolated incident," Lack said.
Lauer's misbheavor was indeed, not just limited to the Sochi Olympics:
As the co-host of NBC's "Today," Matt Lauer once gave a colleague a sex toy as a present. It included an explicit note about how he wanted to use it on her, which left her mortified.
On another day, he summoned a different female employee to his office, and then dropped his pants, showing her his penis. After the employee declined to do anything, visibly shaken, he reprimanded her for not engaging in a sexual act.
He would sometimes quiz female producers about who they'd slept with, offering to trade names. And he loved to engage in a crass quiz game with men and women in the office: "f—, marry, or kill," in which he would identify the female co-hosts that he'd most like to sleep with.
These accounts of Lauer's behavior at NBC are the result of a two-month investigation by Variety, with dozens of interviews with current and former staffers. Variety has talked to three women who identified themselves as victims of sexual harassment by Lauer, and their stories have been corroborated by friends or colleagues that they told at the time. They have asked for now to remain unnamed, fearing professional repercussions.
Because Lauer maintained a carefully constructed "good guy" public persona, coupled with being an easily recognized face, interactions were limited to employees "in his stable":
Despite being married, Lauer was fixated on women, especially their bodies and looks, according to more than 10 accounts from current and former employees. He was known for making lewd comments verbally or over text messages. He once made a suggestive reference to a colleague's performance in bed and compared it to how she was able to complete her job, according to witnesses to the exchange. For Lauer, work and sex were intertwined.
"There were a lot of consensual relationships, but that's still a problem because of the power he held," says a former producer who knew first-hand of these encounters. "He couldn't sleep around town with celebrities or on the road with random people, because he's Matt Lauer and he's married. So he'd have to do it within his stable, where he exerted power, and he knew people wouldn't ever complain."
And most creepily of all:
His office was in a secluded space, and he had a button under his desk that allowed him to lock his door from the inside without getting up. This afforded him the assurance of privacy. It allowed him to welcome female employees and initiate inappropriate contact while knowing nobody could walk in on him, according to two women who were sexually harassed by Lauer.
Apparently NBC knew, to some degree, of Lauer's misconduct but allegedly chose to protect their $25 million per year investment:
Lauer's conduct was not a secret among other employees at "Today," numerous sources say. At least one of the anchors would gossip about stories she had heard, spreading them among the staff. "Management sucks there," says a former reporter, who asked not to be identified, speaking about executives who previously worked at the show. "They protected the s— out of Matt Lauer."
Most ironically, Lauer took Bill O'Reilly to task last year about his bad behavior, exhorting the fallen O'Reilly to "think about how intimidating" it was for women to file their complaints against the biggest star at the network:
In September, Lauer asked Fox News star anchor Bill O'Reilly if he'd ever sent lewd text messages to colleagues. "Think about those … women and what they did," Lauer said. "They came forward and filed complaints against the biggest star at the network they worked at. Think about how intimidating that must have been. Doesn't that tell you how strongly they felt about you?"
This, unbelievably, from one of the biggest stars at NBC, who dropped his pants and showed his penis to a female employee. In his secluded office that had a secret lock concealed under his desk to lock the door. And then actually took the employee to task for not sexually engaging with him.
(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)


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Juan is know for his extremely fast metabolism, so he often, actually daily, gets away with eating
crap most of the time while staying ripped. He's know for massive cheat days as well, insane!
Now this isn't the typical off-season diet that most people can follow without getting just flat out fat, but it works for Juan. For entertainment purposes only, here's his bulk plan:
Breakfast - Protein Pancakes, Turkey Bacon, 6 Whole Eggs
Meal 2 - Swiss Hamburger, Steak Fries, Diet Coke
Meal 3 - Protein Shake with Almond Milk, Cake and Ice Cream Pint
Meal 4 - 4 Scoops of Weight Mass Gainer with Water
Meal 5 - Lasagna, Chicken Parm, 4 Slices of Pizza, Fried Calamari, Meat Sauce Spaghetti
Meal 6 - Bagel, 6 Whole Eggs, Turkey Bacon, Cheese Slices
Training at the East Coast Mecca, Juan has been known for very long, intense and heavy training
sessions. If you're looking for where all the 45 pound plates are, it's probably in his grasp.
While pounding out heavy weights, he's know for all out brute force just to move the weight. More popular for his insane front squat poundages, he's one serious mass monster! Here's his back attack:
Deadlifts - 10 to 15 reps of 6 sets. Superset with Wide-Grip Chins.
Barbell Bent-over Row - 10 to 12 reps of 4 sets. Superset with Wide-grip Lat Pulldown.
T-Bar Row - 15 reps of 4 sets. Superset with One-arm Dumbbell Row.


text:
I suspect that your discomfort may have something to tell you. And yes, a break now and then is needed with some of these stories. There are some that are really heavy and others that are light. What is amazing is how we are able to enter into the mental/emotional worlds of the characters and derive powerful lessons from their experiences. I can tell ya, it has already helped me a lot especially in reviewing my own life experiences and being better able to see where and how I made errors in judgment and mistakes in my choices. It may be that I followed the path that was necessary for me, but still, I am now able to see where and how I may have hurt others and why and how I should forgive those who hurt me. I can't DO anything about most of it, but knowing and sending out the thought that I'm sorry or I forgive may mean something.
But what was a dowry really, and what of morning gift?The gifts mentioned in ancient Greece and the Old Testament, diaparthenia, mohar, have sometimes been translated as morning gift, but should in fact refer to a form of bride price. [1]
The concept of a morning gift to a brideEngland[edit]
Dowry was used in England. However, the right of daughters to inherit and of women to hold property and other rights in their own name made it a different instrument than on the Continent. The Salic law, which required females to be disinherited and disenfranchised from land ownership, did not apply in England. Single women held many rights men did. The most famous example of this English female inheritance and agency right is perhaps Elizabeth I of England, who held all rights a male monarch did.
While single women held rights to hold property equivalent to those of men, marriage and married women were affected by the Norman Conquest changes to the law in the 12th Century. Coverture was introduced to the common law in some jurisdictions, requiring property of a wife to be held in the husband's name, custody and control. The Normans also introduced the dowry in England replacing the earlier custom of the new husband giving a morning gift to his bride. At first the husband publicly gave [or received?] the dowry at the church door at the wedding.
The Wiki for Morning Gift in English has just a description of a novelDEFINITIONS
- A gift traditionally given in some (especially Germanic) cultures by the husband to his wife on the first morning of their marriage.
In the novels, there are if one has read a number of titles, several ladies who consider setting themselves up as independent spinsters when they become of age or inherited from their deceased husband. It would not be entirely wrong to suggest that their spirit of courage and independence is backed up with laws that supported them. The Wiki explains that the system was not so easy to manage and continues:If the husband died first, which was frequent, there was a Widows dowry of one third of the husband's lands at the time of his marriage; the income, and in some cases, the management, of the lands, was assigned to her for the rest of her life. This concept is included in the Great Charter, and along with the recognition of female inheritance and absence of the Salic law, and women, particularly single women, holding many rights equivalent to those men held, manifests English law differing fundamentally from the law of the Continent, especially the law of the Holy Roman Empire.
With all the crusades in the 13th century, these disputes may not come as a surprise.Thirteenth-century court records are filled with disputes over dowries, and the law became increasingly complex.[57]
Now isn't that interesting? I often thought that stowing away excess men and women in gender isolation often against their will, many of whom probably were as talented as their illustrious family members, appeared like a way to regulate certain genes in the population. Many women in England seemed to have been saved from this fate. Interesting also that that several areas where the morning gift had been practised were quick to turn Protestant. Perhaps some of you living in those regions have a former monk and nun who adapted to the social changes brought about by the Reformation and whether for reasons of convenience or romance became a part of your family line?The English dowry system permitted most noble families to marry off their daughters and thereby gain extended kin and patronage ties. Marriageable daughters were a valuable commodity to ambitious fathers, and the English aristocracy sent few of their eligible daughters to convents.[58]
A serious stickler for Regency era propriety, and the Romance novels are full of them, even if the protagonist may be less enthusiastic would no doubt be familiar with a couple of verses from Exodus 22 that speak of dowry. On Biblehub they are listed under the subject of "Laws of Social Responsibility":Failure to provide a customary, or agreed-upon, dowry could cause a marriage to be called off. William Shakespeare made use of such an event in King Lear: one of Cordelia's suitors gives up his suit upon hearing that King Lear will give her no dowry. In Measure for Measure, Claudio and Juliet's premarital sex was brought about by their families' wrangling over dowry after the betrothal. Angelo's motive for forswearing his betrothal with Mariana was the loss of her dowry at sea.
|16"If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife.
|16"If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.
|16"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife.
|16And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
|16If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and he has sexual relations with her, he must certainly pay the bridal price for her to be his wife.
|17If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.
|17If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.
|17"If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the dowry for virgins.
|17If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
|17If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must pay an amount in silver equal to the bridal price for virgins."
Amazing how Tacitus puts it; and whether strictly true or not, I can see that a number of the protagonists, share this spirit of courage and daring, even if the daring frequently takes the form of daring to heal and be healed, the courage to love and be loved.18. The matrimonial bond is, nevertheless, strict and severe among them; nor is there anything in their manners more commendable than this. 106 Almost singly among the barbarians, they content themselves with one wife; a very few of them excepted, who, not through incontinence, but because their alliance is solicited on account of their rank, 107 practise polygamy. The wife does not bring a dowry to her husband, but receives one from him. 108 The parents and relations assemble, and pass their approbation on the presents—presents not adapted to please a female taste, or decorate the bride; but oxen, a caparisoned steed, a shield, spear, and sword. By virtue of these, the wife is espoused; and she in her turn makes a present of some arms to her husband. This they consider as the firmest bond of union; these, the sacred mysteries, the conjugal deities. That the woman may not think herself excused from exertions of fortitude, or exempt from the casualties of war, she is admonished by the very ceremonial of her marriage, that she comes to her husband as a partner in toils and dangers; to suffer and to dare equally with him, in peace and in war: this is indicated by the yoked oxen, the harnessed steed, the offered arms. Thus she is to live; thus to die. She receives what she is to return inviolate 109 and honored to her children; what her daughters-in-law are to receive, and again transmit to her grandchildren. ForXVIII. Quanquam severa illic matrimonia; nec ullam morum partem magis laudaveris: nam prope soli barbarorum singulis uxoribus contenti sunt, exceptis admodum paucis, qui non libidine, sed ob nobilitatem, plurimis nuptiis ambiuntur, Dotem non uxor marito, sed uxori maritus offert. Intersunt parentes et propinqui, ac munera probant: munera non ad delicias muliebres quaesita, nec quibus nova nupta comatur: sed boves et frenatum equum et scutum cum framea gladioque. In haec munera uxor accipitur: atque invicem ipsa armorum aliquid viro affert: hoc maximum vinculum, haec arcana sacra, hos conjugales deos arbitrantur. Ne se mulier extra virtutum cogitationes extraque bellorum casus putet, ipsis incipientis matrimonii auspiciis admonetur, venire se laborum periculorumque sociam, idem in pace, idem in proelio passuram ausuramque: hoc juncti boves, hoc paratus equus, hoc data arma denuntiant; sic vivendum, sic pereundum: accipere se, quae liberis inviolata ac digna reddat, quae nurus accipiant rursus, quae ad nepotes referantur.
Above had mentioned Balogh's Bedwyn series starting with the book with Lily, with Gwen staying somewhat steady throughout its pages. This book was a little deeper than some in terms of differences. and in letting go of some form of inadequacies and seeing oneself in a new way and working towards it. Thought the book a powerful story.
Started the second one 'A Summer to Remember' which picks up on the fist. There is further discovery of Gwen from just after her incidents in life that later she had told her new husband, Hugo. However this is also about the jilted bride from the wedding in the fist book, Lauren (a childhood friend of Gwen's). It is also the story of a rakehell character (the Earl of Ravenshead), by ton standards - these two complete opposites, wounded in their own ways. There is Gwen's aunt Elizabeth (cool lady), the Duke of Portfrey et cetera. So far it has been an interesting read, and one can see how Balogh's later books were synchronized. I'm also actually glad to have read the Survivor Club series fist and then to have come back and seen more of those character roots (select few for now).
I read the Bedwyn Prequel before beginning the Survivor series, and it works very well, as if the heroines of the prequel sets the stage for others to follow, even if one may ask:As per Balogh's website, these two books are categorized as Bedwyn Prequel for Bedwyn series( 6 books). But other platforms like Amazon/overdrive categorized as Bedwyn series/saga ( 8 books) depending on the platform.
Based on the timeline perspective, it does looks like Bedwyn Prequel came first, then it was combined with Bedwyn series books, then came Survivors club( some additions later).
And under A Summer to Remember:Note that Lauren Edgeworth's story is told in A Summer to Remember, which introduces the Bedwyn family and leads to the six-part Slightly series and the four-part Simply series. Gwen, Lady Muir, Neville's sister, has her story told in The Proposal, which is also the first book in the seven-part Survivors' Club series.
Good all these series are not listed as must-reads after the Bedwyn Prequel.Note that Neville, the Earl of Kilbourne's story is told in One Night for Love. Gwen, Lady Muir, Neville's sister and Lauren's best friend, has her story told in The Proposal, which is also the first book of the seven-part Survivors' Club series. Note too that A Summer to Remember introduces the Bedwyn family and leads to the six-part Slightlyseries and the four-part Simply series.
In the description of one volume/two stories of the Dark Angel Series not listed, there is also:These are two books that were first published in 1994 and 1995 respectively. The heroines are cousins and both of them appear in both books. There are three other books also linked to them—The Famous Heroine, The Plumed Bonnet, and Christmas Bride. They will be republished soon—see the Upcoming Books page for the publishing schedule.
From this it appears that A Christmas Bride connects both to The Ideal Wife Series and The Dark Angel Series, while Christmas Beau is a standalone.There is one more book in the series—A Christmas Bride, which will be out again at the end of 2012 in a 2-in-1 edition with the standalone Christmas Beau.
The connecting book appears thus to be A Christmas Bride with Edgar Downes connecting to the Dark Angel Series and Helena, Lady Stapleton connecting to the Ideal Wife series.Regency romances in order of author website http://www.marybalogh.com/books.html
The Earl of Severn is the hero of The Ideal Wife. Sir Gerald Stapleton, his friend, is hero of A Precious Jewel. Heroine of The Famous Heroine is Gerald's 'wicked' stepmother Cora Downes.
Jennifer Winwood and Gabriel, Earl of Thornhill, are the hero and heroine of Dark Angel . Samantha Newman, heroine of Lord Carew's Bride , is Jennifer's cousin. Lord Francis Kneller, hero of The Famous Heroine is a one-time suitor of Samantha's. Gabriel's and Francis's friend, the Duke of Bridgwater, is the hero of The Plumed Bonnet . The hero of A Christmas Bride , Edgar Downes, is the brother of Cora Downes, The Famous Heroine Less
The books from the Legend of the Four Soldiers have been added to the list which now counts 180 volumes including 4 doubles, making it 184.Well, I've found another set - four books in this one - by a new author: Elizabeth Hoyt. The series is called "The Legend of the Four Soldiers" and the titles, in order are:
To Taste Temptation
To Seduce a Sinner
To Beguile a Beast
To Desire a Devil
I know there is some confusion w.r.t series and 2- in-1 books for some cases. I haven't read in this Dark Angel series yet. I ended up putting on sheet to understand. Just like us, distributors are also confused. I updated the sheet. Here is the diagramThe sequence of books in the Dark Angel Series
In the spreadsheet Dark Angel/Lord Carew's Bride are listed as 1 in the Dark Angel Series, but one could also say that Lord Carew's Bride is really number 2 in the Dark Angle Series, and altogether list them as 1/2. I found a copy that had only one story and then just read that, thinking the other was not part of it.
The funny thing is that Charity lost her previous job because she spoke up against abuse, see chapter one, but I guess the point you make is in regard to her leaving after her inner struggle in chapter 16. One could also
I read Mary Balogh's Christmas Belle and maybe it wasn't so heart-wrenching as her Web series but there were so many things in there that I could relate to it was a bit astonishing.I will definitely check that out since I've already read 'The First Snowdrop.'
I'm halfway through The Perfect Kiss (Anne Gracie's Merridew Sisters), and I really appreciate the laughs. I could use the humor now, and it's a reason I like Gracie a lot. For this series, I think I like this one along with The Perfect Rake and The Perfect Waltz, and not so much The Perfect Stranger, because a main character is acting primarily for the benefit of people she/he loves on a non-sexual level, and the attraction and sex with a different person occurs incidentally during the course of trying to help the loved ones.


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Cliff Alexander is rated the #3 prospect in all of college basketball. As the big man from Curie high school in Chicago was telling the world where he was going to take his talents on television, he first picked up an Illini hat and said, "After careful consideration, I have decided to continue my education at the University of… Kansas."
We'll just ignore the fact that the school he chose is actually called Kansas University..
…and not University of Kansas. Also, the only school he had left among his final four to pick from that is named "University of…..is University of Illinois!
So clearly this was a calculated tease on the part of Cliff Alexander.
Not such a nice thing to do consider how much Illinois fans were welcoming him with open arms. Even cheering for him at two Illini home games this year.
It's not bad enough that Cliff Alexander, who's Twitter handle is ironically entitled @humblekid11 held a Lebron James style decision TV special to decide where he would ball. Alexander also had to make a classless, taunting gesture at the most pivotal moment of it for good measure.
YOU STAY CLASSY! Cliff Alexander.
His quote in the Chicago Tribune, explaining why he did what he did: "It's something my teammates thought I should do."
Real mature.
How did Illini nation take it? Well this video with NSFW language sums up the sentiment quite nicely.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He's also an analyst for multiple news talk radio stations across the country; with regular weekly segments on NBC and Fox Sports Radio. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks) and RSS Catch him Tuesdays talking Illini and Northwestern for KOZN 1620 The Zone, Fridays talking Chicago Bears for WAOR 95.7 The FanFollow paulmbanks


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Ideas Of Getting The Perfect Franking Machine
When you will be sending several emails to your customers and partners, it is important that you get the franking machine. With the right machine, you can improve your business savings and direct the funds towards other projects. The franking machines come in several models and you should ensure that the one that you have is the most advanced. Below are the tactics of getting the best franking machine
Establish The Capacity Of The Mail
You need to figure out the type of the mails that you will send to your client. the machines are designed to facilitate different businesses and you should be aware of the type of the business that you run. The small volume machines are ideally made for the business that is picking up. When you will be sending up to fifty letters emails, you should ensure that you go for the medium volume and go for the highest volume when you have a need to send multiple mails.
Check On The Functionalities
The major function of the franking electronic is to ensure that all the mails of your business have been sent. You should, however, ensure that you go for the machine with several functionalities such as the feeding systems, smart meter technology and the weighing scale abilities. you should ensure that the machine that you are selecting has more advanced features. Testing the machine before the purchase ensure that you know if the features are working.
Find Out On The Agreement
You need to be sure of the kind of the agreement that you have made with the franking suppliers. Most of the suppliers normally rent the small-sized types of the machines. The large types of the machines are leased and there is an option for the purchase. You should ensure that you understand all the fine prints of the purchase agreement.
The Maintenance Of The Equipment
You need to identify the amounts that you will spend to maintain your machine. You should ensure that the items that you select have the lowest maintenance costs. You should consult with the manufacturer on the amounts that you will use for any kind of the machine.
Maintaining communication with other business entities is crucial way to ensure that you maintain your different clients. The franking machine provides a cheap option to ensure that you are in contacts with your suppliers and business associate. You should not compromise on the quality of the machine, and you should ensure that you identify the reputable dealer. You should consider the article when you are planning to purchase the Franking machine for your business.
The Essential Laws of Supplies Explained


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As a part of 8th of March (International Women's Day) we did a Facebook campaign were we presented five great Nordic women who have all contributed to the fight for women's rights.
VIGDÍS FINNBOGADÓTTIR (b.1930) ICELAND
Vigdis Finnbogadottir was Iceland's and Europe's first female president. With a presidency of sixteen years (1980-1996), she is also the longest serving, elected female head of state of any country to date.
In 1972 she adopted a daughter, making her one of the first single women on Iceland who was allowed to adopt a child. Despite being a single mother she ran for the presidency, and won against her three male opponents. She was reelected three times before retiring in 1996.
During her presidency she became an environmental activist and fought for Icelandic language and culture, acting as a cultural ambassador in promoting the country. She made the headlines around the world when she hosted a crucial summit between the US President Ronald Reagan and the Soviet leaders Mikhail Gorbachev in 1986, while the Cold War was still going on - the two most powerful men in the world meeting under the guidance of the female president of one of the world's smallest nations.
Her motto was: 'Never let the women down' and she worked specifically to promote girls' education. Nevertheless, she pointed out that she was elected president not as a woman, but as a human being and that she was as much the president of men as of women.
In 1996 she became founding chair of the Council of Women World Leaders at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and in 1998 she was appointed president of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology.
Today she works as a UNESCO Goodwill ambassador.
Astrid Lindgren is one of the world's most popular and translated children book writers. She is currently the world's 18th most translated author and has sold more than 144 million books worldwide.
Although Astrid never defined herself as a feminist, she was de facto a fighter for women's right and gender equality. Already as a young girl, Astrid shocked the citizens of her small hometown by cutting her hair short and dressing in men's clothes and throughout her life she was never afraid of saying what she really thought and going her own way.
Astrid Lindgren's books are in fact full of strong, confident girls that go their own way.
When Pippi Longstocking was published in 1945 it become an immediate success – but also started a huge debate about how dangerous Pippi was and parents and teachers were worried about the moral decline the book would cause.
Pippi was published in an age when young girls was suppose to play quietly with their dolls, wear perfectly ironed dresses and always be obedient and well-behaved.
Pippi breaks with conventional ideas about how girls should behave. She marched into the boys' and the adult men's world without asking for permission. She was full of confidence and didn't sit around and wait for the prince to come save her on a white horse. In fact, she had her own horse that she could even lift above her head if she felt like it. Throughout the world, Pippi has encouraged girls to have fun, to be more daring and to have faith in their own ability. Pippi has even become a symbol for many feminists worldwide.
Apart from being a writer, Astrid was an opinion former and active participant in the political debates in Sweden. She was a spokesperson for peace and democracy, and was well known both for her support for children's and animal rights and for her opposition against corporal punishment. Her words often played a crucial role in the debates and she had a great effect of Swedish politics during her lifetime.
Minna Canth was a Finnish writer and activist. She was the first female Finnish-speaking writer (at that time the main literature language in Finland was Swedish) and she is regarded as one of the most important play writers in Finland.
She was a very controversial figure due to her social activity and radical social opinions. Her works often center on poverty, social problems, working class, and women's rights.
One of Canth's most famous plays is perhaps "Työmiehen vaimo" (The workers wife) from 1885. For the first time ever in Finnish theatre, the main role was played by a person with a working class background. The play criticizes the failures of society and the law system, especially concerning women's right to dispose of their own money.
The play became a sensation and started a huge debate in Finland, and a few years later a new law was founded, giving women right to dispose of their own income.
Canth was also the first Finnish female journalist and wrote over 80 articles and speeches, and just as her plays her articles were sharp and critical and discussed subjects such as soberness, women's rights, freedom of religion, finish language and socialism.
Apart from being a writer Canth was a brilliant businesswoman. When her husband died she decided to return to her hometown Kuopio and took over her father's draper factory, while also taking care of her seven children.
In 2007 Minna Canth got her own flag day in Finland, 19 of March, which makes her the first women to get a flag day in Finland. It is also the day of social equality in Finland.
HANNE-VIBEKE HOLST (b 1959) DENMARK
Holst is a best-selling Danish author behind books like "En lykkelig kvinne", "Dronningeofret' and 'Kongemordet' and her books have been translated into ten languages (unfortunately neither English or Serbian)
Her first book was published when she was only 21, and she has since then written 18 books, including teenage books, novels and debate books. Holst was brought up in a home with traditional gender roles and she early started reflecting over the injustice and inequality between men and women. This has shaped her writing and all of her books more or less revolve around equality. Throughout her books she discusses how women can break through and get on an equal level with men both at home, at work and at the center of the political power.
Her book "Kongemorden" received a lot of praising for bringing up and breaking the taboo around violence against women. Holst has received many prestigious awards for her writing and she is an important voice in the public debate, especially in the subject of women's issues and equality between the sexes.
When asked why she became a feminist Holst answered: How could you be anything else, as a fairly intelligent woman who was born into patriarchy (in 1959) and quickly realized that one of the sexes had higher status than the other?"
Her engagement in women's issues has made her a UN Goodwill Ambassador, and she also serves on the Board of Governors of the Danish Family Planning Association and is a member of the Danish UNESCO National Commission.
GRO HARLEM BRUNDTLAND (born 1939) NORWAY
"Woman power is a formidable force. Women will not become empowered merely because we want them to be, but through legislative changes, increased information, and redirection of resources. ."
Brundtland is a politician who served three terms as prime minister of Norway in the 1980s and '90s and later was director general of the World Health Organization (WHO; 1998–2003). Her engagement has especially been focused on public health and environmental issues and with the rights of women.
Brundtland is the youngest person and first woman to become prime minister of Norway. During her first term she only served for nine months (because her party lost the elections held later that year). She returned as prime minister in 1986–89 and served again in 1990–96 until her resignation.
Brundtland tells: "During these years (as a prime minister), I learned all too well what it means to be a woman in a leadership position. I faced difficulties in terms of sexism and patronizing, and in efforts to demean me and weaken my impact."
Brundtland never had fewer than 8 women in her 18-member cabinet and, overall, is credited with securing better educational and economic opportunities for women in Norway.
In 1983 she became chair of the UN World Commission on Environment and
Development, which in 1987 issued 'Our Common Future' also known as the 'Brundtland report', a report that introduced the idea of "sustainable development" and led to the first Earth Summit. Between 1998 and 2003, she served as the Director General of the WHO (World Health Organization) and is today a a Special Envoy on Climate Change for the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.


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EverStryke Match Review – Survival Kits for Emergency
Quick ReviewAbout: Other
What We Liked:it does not break easily and can withstand even weather disturbance , this is a great kit to take with you especially during camping trips , EverStryke is sold cheap that you can even get two for the price of one and so on , the product includes a match with ferro rod and wick that can help you start fire at will ,
What We Disliked:none
EverStryke has been given the thumbs up for hatching such a great concept in terms of survival product that works even for everyday life. As with any other product even if it good EverStryke match review also shares some of the things that you must do to ensure your safety when using this product. Some of the suggestions coming from EverStryke users is to move your fingers slightly off the tiny handle to avoid burns. This is a practical suggestion knowing that this is still a piece of equipment that produces fire so fire safety should be kept in mind at least from getting your fingers burn.
The flint and steel concept use for this device works great. EverStryke match review shares how this should be part of your emergency kit. You will never know when there is a need for light. Ever wonder what will happen just in case there is a sudden blackout like during storms or such weather disturbances? Don't wait until you are in the middle of the storm before you think about ordering this product. The shipment charges is fair enough to cover the expenses of shipping this product right at your door. You also get two for the price of one when the freebie offer stops and you order for the next one. Owning EverStryke is like having a tool that has existed for countless number of years only to be re-introduce in another form. The great news is because of the upgrade you will continue to enjoy the benefits of owning an EverStryke match.