text:
Thank you to Beckett, Wi-Serina, Panther, Charm Boy, Missy and many more (plus their owners and friends) for being part of my 2013. What a great year!
I hope all of you and your families have a wonderful 2014! Be safe!
Thank you to Beckett, Wi-Serina, Panther, Charm Boy, Missy and many more (plus their owners and friends) for being part of my 2013. What a great year!
I hope all of you and your families have a wonderful 2014! Be safe!
I know you're dreaming about turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, but it's time to think about holiday shopping, too! What better gift to give the horse lover in your life than a horse hair bracelet made from the tail of your loved one's favorite horse or horses (I can combine more than one together!)
Since each item is handmade by me, I need time clean it, braid it, finish it and get a fine piece of jewelry back in your hands for gift giving. Here are this year's deadlines:
The horse hair needs to be in my hands with an order form on or (preferably) before December 10 so I can start on your jewelry.
All horse hair must be in my mailbox by December 17 for Christmas delivery. Any orders and horse hair received after December 17 will be delivered after Christmas.
Your horse hair and order forms can be sent to:
Red-Tail Designs, LLC
813 Porter St.
Easton, PA 18042
You can send a check along with your order form and horse hair, or I can invoice you when I receive the order so you can pay with PayPal or a credit card over the internet.
Keep in mind that if you don't know which jewelry piece to pick, you can always give a gift certificate. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me or call me at 610-905-8399.
Well, we survived Hurricane Sandy! That was the worst storm I've seen in my many years here in Pennsylvania. Unbelievable, there are still homes in the East without power and many people have lost their homes, cars and other possessions. If you'd like to help these folks donate, contact the American Red Cross.
A week of kids home from school, no power and bailing out the basement, and I lost complete track of time. Did you know it's November already?
That means it's time to secretly harvest some hair from your friends' horses and send it me so you can wow them this holiday season with some custom horse hair jewelry. It's really a showstopping gift that's perfect for any horse lover.
Since each item is handmade by me, I need time clean it, braid it, finish it and get a fine piece of jewelry back in your hands for gift giving. So keep these deadlines in mind:
Don't forget to include the order form! If you have any questions, please feel free to email me or call me.
By now you probably heard that I've been working on the video podcast Sticks and Stones with my friend Julia of Wee Sheep Knits. We share our creativity with the world by giving insight into projects we're working on and providing a DIY segment for the folks at home to try.
In Episode 9, Julia taught us how to dye wool yarn using food coloring. It was right up my alley. (Truth be told: we may have burned out my microwave setting the dye, but it was still a blast.) It's one of those projects that leaves you hunting around for other objects you can dye. And find something I did: my kid's lunchbox. I decided to give dyeing whirl beyond the yarn when my daughter and I dyed her lunchbox.
The lunchbox began life as a pink LL Bean nylon lunchbox. My daughter got it when she was in Kindergarten and after 4 years of use it shows no signs of giving up (go LL Bean!).
The problem is that my now 4th grader is not the pink princess she used to be. We decide to pour on the food coloring and see if we could give it a makeover. I'm happy to report that it was a success! Here's how we did it.
I let my daughter apply the colors to the lunchbox. She chose sky blue and leaf green Wilton icing colors. The butterfly patch did not dye at all, but the nylon lunch box did. And laundering the lunchbox removed the bits of dye that got inside the lunchbox. So now I have a happy kid and a few more years before I have to buy new school supplies.
My sister-in-law loves fabric, so when I saw a post on Craft about how to use fabric and embroidery in jewelry, I knew I'd found the right birthday gift for her.
Instead of using a frame pendant used in the Craft post, I used a double-sided pendant from Hobby Lobby and two single pendant frames from Rio Grande. Then I employed Lisa Pavelka's Magic-Glos UV Resin. This stuff is so easy to use and it cures in the sun in 5 minutes! Who could ask for more (except for maybe a sunny day).
On episode 4 of Sticks & Stones, the collaborative video podcast I've been working on, I talk about how I created the pendant. Below are the official directions:
Truth be told, I messed up the pendant I showed on Sticks & Stones so I had to make another pendant for my sis-in-law's birthday. I ended up making her two pendants so she can choose which one she wants to slip onto the necklace.
Magic-Glos covers photos, metal, found objects, just about anything you would want to collage onto a pendant. You can also use it for inclusions, such as sprinkling in glitter between the layers of resin. This maybe be my new go-to birthday present for friends and family.
As a journalism major, I dabbled in all areas of media to see what worked for me. One semester of Havenscope, our university TV show, made me realize broadcast journalism wasn't for me. This week, I finally got to put to work those few skills I learned from Havenscope when I appeared on Channel 69's Sunrise news show talking about my horse hair jewelry. I had a great time with reporter Melanie Falcon, as we did three live segments in which we demonstrate the steps to creating a singular piece of jewelry.
If you didn't get to see the program you can check it out here.
Melanie was a whiz creating jewelry on the fly and she headed out of our TV segment with a horse hair bracelet with beads. I'm teaching that class this weekend, February 4, at the Museum of Indian Culture. Melanie and I had a fun time working together and the live TV aspect wasn't as stressful as I imagined it would be.
Response due to the television exposure was so great that I scheduled a second horse hair jewelry class for tomorrow afternoon. The power of television is immense! I can't believe how many folks saw the segments.
We'll likely run the class again in April, so if you didn't get to make it this time, you'll have another chance. Email me to put you on the waiting list and I'll let you know when the next class will run.
My kids got a kick out of watching me on TV. When I got home my son wanted to know if I was going to do this job every week. Sorry, buddy, my TV career isn't happening anytime soon. I'm happy with my 15 minutes and leaving the rest to Melanie.
Join me this weekend for a Porcupine Quillwork Class at the Museum of Indian Culture. Sunday, January 15, 2012, I will offer Quillwork Part 1 from 10 am to noon and Quillwork Part 2 from 1 pm to 3 pm. Signup is required so contact the Museum or me by Friday, January 13. Snowdate for the class is Sunday, January 29. More information..
I've been getting calls about Christmas gifts since the beginning of October. And as soon as Halloween is gone, it seems like Thanksgiving and the Christmas are here in a flash!
Check out some fun styles I created this year:
This Saturday, July 9, I will be teaching an Adjustable Horse Hair Bracelet class at The Bead Hive in Coopersburg, PA. Horse Hair will be provided at this class or you can bring your own hair. For more details, check out The Bead Hive. You can also register and pay online. See you Saturday!
In Pennsylvania, we know we're on our way to summer and hot days when the strawberries arrive. Sweet and juicy with that satisfying snap when you pluck them from the plant.
Our first post-Memorial Day activity is a trek to Trauger's Farm to pick strawberries. Under the beating sun (because it's always 95°F the day we decide to go), we fill our buckets upon buckets with strawberry sweetness as we fill our bellies (don't tell the folks at Traugers, although I think strawberry smeared all over the kids faces give us away).
Our favorite strawberry item is smoothies. We freeze the strawberries so we can have smoothies until next April, when we exhaust our stores of frozen fruit. Strawberry cordial gets me through the dark days of winter. Plus there's strawberry-rhubarb sauce and strawberries with whipped cream, sometimes jam, and any other concoction we can think of until the blueberries come in and become our new favorite.
Over the last few years we've worked on a strawberry "patch" in our front flowerbed. It began with a novelty hanging strawberry plant. Last year I added a few more plants in tiered barrels so they send runners for new plants into the barrel below.
For my daughter's birthday last year we gave strawberry plants as the party favorite. I asked Trauger's what I needed to do with these tiny plants that looked like no more than scraggly roots. They had very specific directions for caring for these plants. For a Darwinian Gardener like me it seemed very complicated:
"When the strawberries have flowers, pinch the flowers off so they don't produce fruit this year. In winter cover with straw and then next year they will produce strawberries."
I started off with good intentions, plucking little white flowers. Then, as the plants grew as big as the others, I forgot which were the old plants and which were the new plants. Straw over the plants? I think not. Instead they froze under 3 feet of snow. And unbelievably, we have more strawberries than ever. Further proof that Darwinian gardening works.


text:
Just a few days ago I posted a story of a knowledgable traveler who ran into a Customs and Border Protection official apparently in a bad mood. It wasn't a pretty story. The story ended with him losing his Global Entry privileges.
For frequent travelers, Global Entry is a privilege we don't want to lose. It saves us countless amounts of time when coming back into the US, something we do frequently. The frustration here is the arbitrary action of the CBP officer. It didn't appear that Michael did anything wrong. Expired medication doesn't appear to be a violation of CBP policy.
It seemed there wasn't much recourse here. There's an appeals process of sorts, but it seemed murky, and with a long response time.
That's why I was pretty surprised to see such a considerable turn of events in such a short time. Michael received a phone call from a CBP official. The official apologized, stating that his Global Entry privileges had been revoked for an invalid reason. Just like that, his privileges were reinstated.
The Final Two Pennies
The official who contacted him noted that his blog post and related social media traffic alerted them to the error. They didn't disclose how they came across his post, or how they connected him with the post. That's the part that has me insanely curious.
At any rate, the story has a happy outcome. CBP made a mistake. They fixed it. There's a happy (if more cautious) traveler today.
The post Wow! Customs And Border Protection Admits Mistake, Reinstates Global Entry was published first on Pizza in Motion

subset: commoncrawl


text:
All of the commonly used functions and features of IMPLAN Pro are made available in the Tasks menu. On initial startup the Tasks menu will appear as shown below. Additional functions may be added to the menu by making changes in User Preferences.
Opens the New Model window and displays all previously created models. Users can name the model and choose the location where the New Model will be saved.
Allows the User to access previously created models. Only one IMPLAN model can be open at a time. Only one Model may be open in each instance of the software however multiple instances of the software can be run simultaneously.
Closes the opened Model.
Provides a quick glance of the economy of the Study Region, in 5 different views: Model Information, Gross Regional Product, Economic Indicators, Areas in the Model, and Top Ten Industries.
Initially, Setup Activities is the only active option in the Analyze menu. Here you will create Activities and Events. When at least one Activity, with an associated Event, is created, the Analyze Scenarios button is activated.
Create Scenarios from Activities produced in the Setup Activities screen. Scenarios provide a framework for designing impacts. Once a Scenario has been created, the Scenario Results button will be activated.
This will display the results of the analyzed Scenario. The results are presented in three tabs: Summary, Detail and Tax Impacts.
Opens the Study Area Explorer table to view the background Information about Industries, Institutions, and Commodities in your Study Region.
In the Social Accounts Explorer tables, you can review the Social Account Reports, Balance Sheets, and Industry x Commodity SAM and IxC I/O Accounts.
View the Industry x Industry Accounts Explorer tables which include: Reports, Industry x Industry SAM, and IxI I/O Accounts.
The Multiplier Explorer reports are for both Summary Multipliers and Detail Multipliers for all 536 IMPLAN Industries.


text:
A prominent Democrat is calling for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
Congressman John Murtha calls the war "a flawed policy wrapped in illusion" that puts the future of the United States at risk. At a Washington news conference Thursday, he argued that the mission of ousting Saddam Hussein from power has been accomplished, and that the continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq is a catalyst for violence.
Mr. Murtha, a military veteran who initially voted for the war, is the most prominent lawmaker to call for an immediate withdrawal. He said he would introduce legislation to force a U.S. pull-out from Iraq.
Reacting to Mr. Murtha's call, several Republican House members said to leave Iraq now would let down the Iraqi people and embolden terrorists.
Earlier this week, the Senate approved a non-binding resolution that next year should see a significant transition to full Iraqi authority.


text:
Systems Integration
Connect your business processes
Time is money. Tired of manually keying in data from one system to another? Oasis can help. Our systems integration services are designed to Connect your Business Processes, saving you time and reducing the margin for error. We support integrations with all of our CRM, ERP, HRMS and document management solutions.
Looking for a custom integration? If you can dream it, we can do it.
Got questions? Contact us.
Help us help you.
Sometimes out of the box just doesn't cut it.


text:
Edward J. Joyce is president and chief operating officer of the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE). He began serving in that capacity in June 2000, following his election by the CBOE Board of Directors. Prior to that, Ed served as executive vice president in charge of business development and in that role was responsible for coordinating various key activities central to relationship management. He has been with the Exchange since 1974.
Joyce serves on the Board of Directors of the Options Clearing Corporation and CBOE Futures Exchange. He is on the Advisory Board of the Illinois Council on Economic Education and is active in the Knights of Columbus. A second-generation Irish-American with roots in Kilkenny Wexford and Clare, he earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Illinois State University and an M.B.A. from DePaul University.
Married with three daughters, he says, " I am proud of my Irish heritage and the values that have been passed down to me, including the enjoyment of life and the importance of family and friends."


text:
LETTER: Congressman Tom MacArthur has fought to protect seniors
As elected officials, we have a responsibility to be honest with those we represent, many of whom are seniors, and we are simply fed up with the negative, false campaign Andy Kim and his allies are running. Every day, residents mention the negative attacks against Congressman Tom MacArthur that are flooding their mailboxes and airwaves, and we want to take this opportunity to set the record straight.
Mr. Kim and his supporters continue to falsely attack Congressman MacArthur, saying that he voted for an "age tax." Independent fact-checkers at PolitiFact recently judged these attacks as not true. They also pointed out that the so-called "age tax" in these ads doesn't refer to a tax at all, and has nothing to do with those on Medicare or those who get their health insurance through their employer. Mr. Kim and his allies completely ignore the fact that our congressman has been a leader in trying to reduce out-of-control healthcare costs, which have been largely caused by the Affordable Care Act, which Mr. Kim supports. These "age tax" attacks are a scare tactic, plain and simple, and Andy Kim ought to be ashamed of himself for pushing this false claim.
Contrary to the lies Mr. Kim and his allies continue to push, Congressman MacArthur led the fight in Congress to cut federal taxes for seniors. Tom voted to double the standard deduction, which many seniors take when they file their taxes, and he supported an additional standard deduction of $1,300 for those who are over the age of 65. He also successfully made the medical expense tax deduction more generous. That's real money back in our pockets.
While Mr. Kim supported a $700 billion cut to Medicare and even supports a plan that could eliminate Medicare Part D, our congressman was named a "Champion of Medicare" by the Coalition for Medicare Choices – and for good reason. He always votes to protect Medicare and Social Security. Tom's bill, the SENIOR Communities Protection Act, which cracks down on criminals who defraud Medicare to flood our communities with drugs and misuse Medicare dollars meant for seniors, just passed through Congress and will soon be signed into law. He's worked with Democrats and the president to bring millions of new Medicare dollars per year to Deborah Heart and Lung Center, so they can continue to provide world-class care to South Jersey seniors.
Tom also worked with both Democrats and Republicans to increase funding to prevent elder abuse. And in the three years he's been in Congress, Congressman MacArthur and his office have an incredible reputation for helping those who reach out for assistance. We know this because he has helped our families, friends, and neighbors – and even some of us.
Congressman MacArthur is not afraid to work across the aisle to get things done for our district.
It's why he was again named in the top ten percent of bipartisan lawmakers in Congress, by the nonpartisan Lugar Center. We know Tom. He's there for us and we are there for him. The undersigned will be working tirelessly to spread the word about Tom's accomplishments for older constituents like us. We encourage Mr. Kim to drop the negativity and lies. We have been around a while and we can see right through it.
Editor's note: This letter was submitted by the MacArthur for Congress Campaign and signed by 104 elected officials from Burlington and Ocean counties who are over age 55.
The letter was signed by Councilman Gerald LaCrosse, Beachwood; Councilman William Cairns, Beachwood; Councilwoman Beverly Clayton, Beachwood; Councilman Edward Zakar, Beachwood; Councilman Gregory Feney, Beachwood; Councilman Jim Fozman, Brick; Mayor Paul Kennedy, Ocean Gate; Councilwoman Joella Nicastro, Ocean Gate; Councilman Bruce Cox, Ocean Gate; Councilman David Kendrik, Ocean Gate; Councilman John Serpica, Ocean Gate; Mayor Lawrence Cuneo, Pine Beach; Councilwoman Susan Coletti, Pine Beach; Councilman Robert Budesa, Pine Beach; Councilman Barry Wieck, Pine Beach; Councilman Raymond Newman, Pine Beach; Mayor Oscar Cradle, Sr., South Toms River; Councilman Kevin McCormack, South Toms River; Councilman Sandford Ross, South Toms River; Mayor John Spodofora, Stafford; Councilman Paul Marchal, Stafford; Councilman Raymond Fix, Stafford; Councilman Stephen Fessler, Stafford; Councilman Alan Smith, Stafford; Mayor Frank Caputo, Barnegat; Deputy Mayor Alfonso Cirulli, Barnegat; Committeman Joseph Lopes, Barnegat; Committeman John Novak, Barnegat; Councilwoman Judith Noonan, Berkeley; Councilman John Bacchione, Berkeley; Councilwoman Sophia Gingrich, Berkeley; Councilman James Byrnes, Berkeley; Councilman Stephen Berglund, Island Heights; Mayor Nick Juliano, Lacey; Committeeman Gary Quinn, Lacey; Committeeman Tim McDonald, Lacey; Councilwoman Anita Zalom, Lavallette; Councilwoman Joanne Filippone, Lavallette; Councilman David Finter, Lavallette; Mayor Walter LaCicero, Lavallette; Councilman James Borowski, Lavallette; Mayor Robert Sabosik, Point Pleasant; Councilman Joseph Furmato, Point Pleasant; Councilman John Wisniewski, Point Pleasant; Councilwoman Antoinette DePaola, Point Pleasant; Mayor Anthony Vaz, Seaside Heights; Councilman Michael Carbone, Seaside Heights; Councilman Richard Tompkins, Seaside Heights; Councilman Louis DiGuilio, Seaside Heights; Councilwoman Agnes Polhemus, Seaside Heights; Mayor Robert Mathies, Seaside Park; Councilman Ray Amabile, Seaside Park; Councilman William Kraft, Seaside Park; Councilwoman Faith Liguori, Seaside Park; Councilman Fritz McHugh, Seaside Park; Councilwoman Gail Coleman, Seaside Park; Councilman Lance White, Mantoloking; Mayor Daniel Collamer, Waretown; Committeeman Ken Baulderstone, Waretown; Mayor Tom Kelaher, Toms River; Councilwoman Maria Maruca, Toms River; Councilman Brian Kubiel, Toms River; Councilman Mo Hill, Toms River; Councilman George Wittmann, Toms River; Senator Christopher Connors, LD9; Assemblywoman DiAnne Gove, LD9; Senator James Holzapfel, LD10; Assemblyman David Wolfe, LD10; Assemblyman Greg McGuckin, LD10; Senator Robert Singer, LD30; Assemblyman Sean Kean, LD30; Assemplyman Edward Thomson, LD30; Freeholder Director Gerry Little, Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders; Freeholder Joseph Vicari, Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders; Freeholder Virginia Haines, Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders; Freeholder John "Jack" Kelly, Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders; Councilman Robert Thibault, Beverly; Councilman Mark Schwedes, Beverly; Committeeman Samuel Davis, Chesterfield; Mayor Kate Fitzpatrick, Delanco; Committeeman Bob Dovey, Delanco; Councilman John Adams, Eastampton; Councilman Paul Ostrander, Florence; Mayor Frank Masciocchi, Hainesport; Deputy Mayor Leila Gilmore, Hainesport; Committeeman Ted Costa, Hainesport; Councilman Robert DiEnna, Marlton; Mayor Robert Higgins, Mansfield; Committeeman Frederick Cain, Mansfield; Committeewoman Janice DiGiuseppe, Mansfield; Councilman Gary Miller, Medford Lakes; Councilman Mike Locatell, Moorestown; Mayor Dennis Roohr, New Hanover; Mayor Suzanne Cairns Wells, Riverton; Mayor Denis McDaniel, Springfield; Deputy Mayor Anthony Marinello, Springfield; Councilman Peter Sobotka, Springfield; Councilman Tim Quinlan, Pemberton Borough; Mayor Harold Griffin, Pemberton Borough; Mayor Michael Di Croce, Shamong; Committeeman Ronald Heston, Southampton; Mayor James Young, Sr., Southampton; Senator Dawn Addiego, LD8; Assemblyman Joe Howarth, LD8; Assemblyman Ronald Dancer, LD12


text: Barack Obama speaks candidly about the death of Trayvon Martin. Speaking from the press briefing room at the White House on Friday, Obama makes his first comments since George Zimmerman was acquitted last week for shooting the 17-year-old. Obama declares that Martin could have been him, 35 years before, urging Americans to understand the pain African-Americans feel over the young teenager's death


text:
Artist: Jablonsky, Carl Gustav
Title or Name: Pap Proetores, (1 & 2) Salome, (3) Lamius, (4&5)Postuerta, (6&7) Anna
Plate Number: CCXXIII
Publication: Natursystem aller bekannten in-und auslandischen insecten
Date Published: 1783-1804, Germany
Medium: Copperplate Engraving with original hand coloring
Paper: Laid
Condition: Light crease on the left side, tiny tear top left corner well away from plate mark, otherwise Excellent
Paper Size: 10-1/2″ x 9-1/4″
Plate Mark: 8-3/4″ x 6-3/4″
Includes: Brief Artist Biography
Prints from this publication are rare, and feature very nice original hand coloring.
Note: Please read item descriptions for accurate condition report. Due to digital photography, shades and coloring in artwork and/or mats can vary slightly from the actual color due to the light conditions under which the photos have been taken. Digital photography can at times cause slight distortion as well, for example straight lines in an image or on a mat can appear wavy or broken, particularly in close ups.
Please read item descriptions, as we will do our best to disclose all known conditions.
If you would like to see additional photos or close ups of this item, please feel free to contact us with your request.


text:
Fox rejects 'Jesus hates Obama' Super Bowl ad according to site creator Richard Belfry
The Fox Television Network may have been displaying integrity by refusing to run the 'Jesus Hates Obama' commercial during the upcoming Superbowl but the controversial ad has brought exposure to the campaign created by comedian Richard Belfry.
The ad features two bobblehead dolls, one of President Barack Obama and another of what appears to be Jesus Christ.
While "Battle Hymn of the Republic" plays, the camera pans to both dolls signifying a standoff with Obama's figurine finally falling into a fish bowl.
The Jesus doll stands proudly wearing the company's signature shirt that reads, "Jesus Hates Obama."
A block of text on the front page of JesusHatesObama.com reads,
"Do we really believe that Jesus hates Obama? Of course not! However, we do believe in freedom…as in the freedom to make fun of the Obama administration with novelty t-shirts…our products may be a joke but so are the policies of this administration."
Belfry explains,
"This isn't a stunt and we're definitely not trying to capitalize on the horrific events that happened in Arizona. 'Jesus Hates Obama' has been around since 2009, we've made a ton of money with limited exposure so we and our investors can see the potential this brand has, which is more popular than ever."
The popularity of the site may not reach the Superbowl audience it was intended for, but somehow the denial of the ad has been leaked to the media and Belfry may just be in for a bigger payday.
There is heavy speculation about the funding of this site and now about the release of this story.
Watch the "Jesus Hates Obama" commercial below.


text:
On May 27, 2015, our most anticipated Art Licensing Ask Call of each year will take place. Paul Brent will be doing his fabulous SURTEX trend review for the first half and answering questions the second half…
This is where WE NEED YOU… we need your questions to make these calls great.
Since both Paul and I will be exhibiting at SURTEX the week before the call, we would so appreciate you sending us some great questions NOW and not waiting till the last minute. (I'll beg… do I need to beg? Please don't make me beg…) Many artists are surprised to learn that while we often have 100+ artists calling in and listening live, I also often receive only 10-15 questions. We need more to make sure there is variety so can choose a group of topics that will help you better understand the business.
It's simple – in the box below, please enter your name and email and a question that you have about how the art licensing business works. It can be anything from art to marketing to business practices… what do YOU want to know?
[xyz-ihs snippet="Ask-Paul-Brent—May-2015—question"]
Thank you in advance for getting us your questions asap and we look forward to the call in May!
Here's to your creative success!
– Tara Reed


text:
Why Us ?
Venkateshwaran- Practical approach to issues, clear discussions to patients for their awareness, economic solutions, clean and speedy work, friendly approach to complete a overall satisfaction to customers.No hesitation for recommendation to others.
Ranganath Raj- It was a very good treatment with very less pain. This was pending for so many years, thanks to Dr. Nagesh it got over within 2 days. The staff was also good and the timing and punctuality is appreciable.
Poornesh- I had a bad feeling and scared about dentists, doctors of Nagu dental proved it wrong. Thanks!!
Mary- Four days back I accidentally fell down and my teeth was broken partially and one teeth was shaking badly, then I thought my life was over. Then I came to Nagu Dental Clinic,where the doctor gave me confidence and gave me a very good treatment. I am really very very happy. I cannot forget Dr.Nagesh in my life.
Vishwanath- Nagu Dental clinic is like heartly smiley humanity clinic. Treated me as a mothers love. I feel very happy because I heard somewhere that doctors are god, Thanks.
Ramesh Rao- The doctors of Nagu Dental attended to my problems promptly.I am extremely happy with treatment I got from them.They are modest and the staff are efficient and what more to say about Dr.Nagesh and his team.I strongly recommend this clinic to all.
Sangeetarani- This is one of the very good dental clinic in Bangalore.I am positively very much convinced by the service provided by the clinic and assisting doctors.High quality technical equipment is being used here and timings are flexible.
Vijay- Aesthetic interiors with warmth of the attendants and Doctors.
Doctors explain the problem and the solution in detail helping me to understand well.
All in all a good clinic to visit again. Thanks a lot to all the doctors.
Ravi- I came to this clinic referred by my friend.I liked the way they guided me with many options and referred other clinics since I could not stay here for total treatment. They are not money minded.
Beena- Dr Nagesh at Nagu Dental clinic is very well experienced. I got 3 wisdom teeth extractions at his clinic which was done using latest technology equipments. Its cost effective too when compared to other clinics.
Kannan- I have the good experience of getting back to my original dental situation. The problems were addressed properly and the right treatment was given.
Gayathri- The treatment given in Nagu dental clinic is good and the rates are reasonable. I went under root extraction and replacement of teeth to tooth coloured zerconia teeth. I am satisfied by the service and treatment given in this clinic.
Tejaswi- Good value treatment worth the money.
Joy- Very ethical doctors, I am surprised, keep it up
Neela- Very well looked after. Knowledgeable Doctors. Feel comfortable and confident.
Dr.Ismail- The treatment was nice, doctor was sympathetic towards patient!
Namdhini- I got cosmetic corrections in my front tooth, rct and cap done.They responded to my problems and gave me an affordable package.They are so flexible with payments. I am very satisfied. All should try this clinic.Doctors have treated very well.It was nice and good treatment.Customers will come to this clinic again and again
Cost of Treatment
The costs may vary depending on the experience, location, facilities available and other factors of a dental clinic.It is always better to personally visit a dental clinic rather than just enquire the rates.
Nagu Dental Clinic hopes you take an early, right decision and get your treatment done before it is too late and costly.


text:
Right time wrong place write it why not
it's only ink paper and time you're the
only one who has to know if that's how you want it
but no that's not in your nature you crave the
attention much as you hate that
you need it as much as you hate the
very notion of a need for attention in
anyone but write it write it out parse it learn something
about yourself this is how you do it you
introverted exhibitionist you're a
curious piece of work aren't you
curious enough you hope but enough for what
for money? recognition? to escape death?
to understand? to understand what
to finally understand what the fuck it is you want?
or rather to finally just hurry up and want anything more than
one more drink to want anything
more than mere escape
because you can't do that no one can and your efforts
will kill you and that's not escape
because time time time it passes it
runs out that's what it does it's
cirrhosis a bad wreck a short rope the end of time
but wasn't faulkner a drunk too yeah but wasn't he also a
miserable son of a bitch and if all you had to do to
create great work was suffer and be miserable
would you do it if you could make that choice
but it doesn't work that way the work comes second and
you suffer anyway and most of us aren't lucky enough
good enough whatever to create much of anything
so now you've got something written down to
remember it by but it's transient transitory transit
transition into another sentence what's the word thought phrase page
word thought thought word salad this long forgetting o fallibility
of memory of all things but maybe if you really write it you'll
know yourself a little better afterwards but out of ink paper and time you're
running out of one and you need all three to do the thing
or four if you count actually having something to
say but who has that dostoyevsky? kant? probably they did but
who knows after all what the fuck did socrates know about himself anyway
did alexander know himself well enough to know that the
typhus would kill him does god know he's a kid holding a
magnifying glass to an anthill on a sunny day do you figure
pol pot knew himself or bin laden or the
buildings or the planes or the murdered
millions and all the time ravels
out and you into it and
it into you and the
page too.


text:
First of all, let me outline what the plan was:
The wedding was in Princeton, NJ but we were going to be staying in Philadelphia with relatives. Since my daughter was in the wedding party, that would mean two days of trips to/from Philly-Princeton (rehearsal/dinner and ceremony/reception), but it also meant we'd be passing the Hamilton Supercharger (near Trenton). There would be no charging ability where we were staying but with the Supercharger close by we weren't worried.
After the wedding festivities, we'd turn South and go to stay with more relatives near Washington DC. We'd play the tourists from there, commuting from their place to/from downtown DC for 3 days. Next we'd drive from DC to yet more relatives in the mountains Southwest of Harrisburg. A day of hiking would be followed by another move to a music festival in mid-Pennsylvania for a day and then night of camping... then home.
Getting from our home near Pittsburgh to Philadelphia was going to be the tricky part. We live just a few miles from the Cranberry Supercharger and the PA Turnpike interchange there. Normally we'd just hop on the Turnpike and follow it all the way to Philadelphia. Unfortunately, despite an aggressive building schedule, the PA Turnpike is still missing at least 2 Supercharger locations on the Eastern side of the state. Our options were: (A) range charge in Somerset, PA or Hagerstown, MD at those Superchargers and then plan on charging at a Tesla store/service center as we entered Philadelphia, (B) plan on finding/using public chargers in Harrisburg while on a lunch stop and then go direct to Philly or (C) stay on the Supercharger route as it currently exists and divert into Maryland and approach Philly by way of the Newark, DE Supercharger.
Being "newbies" the decision was made to take the slightly longer route and stay close to the Superchargers.
This would turn out to be a huge mistake.
Secondly, let me explain why we left without fully charging the car. Partly it's because I'm chicken. I know pushing the full capacity of the pack isn't great for its long term health so I charged it to about 90% overnight and then restarted the charging process when I first got up the morning of departure. It charges slower as it gets full but we still pushed well into about 95% charge while loading the luggage. We've never fully charged the car so I actually don't KNOW what the full range is-- the highest I've seen is 267 miles but even that wasn't fully charged.
Since we'd be on the Turnpike anyway, we'd be passing Somerset in about a hundred miles and Hagerstown was about 200 miles away. Even adding in a generous buffer, 262 miles should/would be plenty to allow us to skip Somerset completely... and a few more miles was not going to make a difference anyway. If we were using them faster than rated, we could still stop in Somerset for a few more electrons-- a nice option.
Fortunately the Model S is a tremendous pack animal. All our shoes and some camping gear were piled into the compartment underneath the trunk (we call it "the basement" and it's where your exhaust/muffler system would otherwise be). Computer/camera gear went into one of the saddle bags (large compartment behind the rear wheel on the side of the trunk where your fuel filler neck would otherwise be). All the other wedding related luggage and food supplies fit easily in the main trunk (including 2 full sized suitcases and several shopping bags) and still fit under the parcel shelf (since we'd be parking in downtown DC eventually, keeping things out of sight was important).
With a quick double check of the lists and the route, we were off! What could possibly go wrong??
Click HERE to continue on to Part 1.
Video clips from the first leg of our road trip-- if you haven't seen them already:


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Gaming knitters, check this out! A Kickstarter is underway for Welcome to Yarnia: A Yarn Quest Knitting RPG. It's billed as "one part knitting pattern, one part Role-Playing Game, and one part Choose Your Own Adventure." I'm in!
You can check out the details on the Kickstarter here, and also the Yarn Quests for 2017 and 2018 over at Ravelry.


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Elizabeth Paulino, 14, Ridgewood, NY
If I said I was sorry
Would that change things?
More From Seventeen
If I say I love you
Would you come to me?
If I say leave
Would you stay?
There's things I don't get about us
Why would I say I'm sorry
If I'm innocent?
Why would I say I love you
One more time?
If the first time you didn't even listen?
Why would I say leave
If I always want you with me?


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Belairdirect's push to be anything but exciting
In a new campaign, the insurance provider touts the benefits of offering simplified coverage.
Many brands continue to take more experienced-based approaches to their marketing with promises of helping consumers get the most fun and excitement out of life.
But insurance company Belairdirect is driving the other way in a campaign called "Uninteresting," positioning itself as the most boring provider you could ask for. When dealing with insurance, the brand suggests "excitement" is not always what it's cracked up to be.
A new national 30-second TV spot, launched this week, depicts people in the context of typically exhilarating activities, such as bungee jumping or mechanical bull riding. But the ad attempts to show how these fun experiences can easily go astray. It ends with the Belairdirect's knight spokesperson promising consumers that it "will have you on your way as simply and uninterestingly as possible."
Belairdirect worked with Sid Lee Toronto on creative, PHD Montreal on media and National Public Relations on PR.
"Life can be complicated, but insurance shouldn't be. Insurance is best when it's uneventful," says Humberto Valencia, VP of marketing at Belairdirect. "Our promise is insurance simplified and this campaign reinforces the notion that insurance should come without any unpleasant surprises."
The campaign is being supported by 15-second pre-roll ads, billboards and social videos on Instagram and Facebook. Assets will be in market until April 15.
"Uninteresting" follows the brand's product-focused "Insure-vention" campaign in January, which encouraged customers to switch to Belairdirect and combine their home and car insurance to save money.


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My Rating: 3.5 ❀'s
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Add to Goodreads
First of all, I was dumbfounded by how the novel was unfolding. The plot made sense, don't get me wrong but I kept wondering who the hero was. And where he was. I was sitting thinking, am I missing something? Is the hitman/kidnapper actually the hero? I'm supposed to buy this? Because in romancelandia, that doesn't fly. At least, not for this reader. I know Sandra Brown has a thing for the anti-hero but still, I didn't get where she was going with Shaw.
But, our famed author had a twist up her sleeve, as always, which caused me to breath a huge sigh of relief. And that was when the novel really started resonating with me. In hindsight, I should have picked on her twist, but while my mind did go there once or twice, I never really figured that bit out. Enough said here I think, I would hate to spoil things for you dear readers.
I ended up enjoying the novel. The sizzle between the main characters is ever present, but I have to say, a bit too Neanerthal for my tastes. I have been finding I don't like the portrayal of certain alpha males lately, some of them come off as sexist and have been rubbing me the wrong way. I liked the hero mostly, but I didn't really connect with him and he failed to give me even a tiny le sigh feeling.
I think most fans will love this novel, but for me, while it was certainly was entertaining, I think I was thrown by too many little things that got under my skin to really love this book. And the ending didn't excite me, though I believe many readers will be surprised by the baddies and their actions. To me, it simply followed a natural pattern of behaviour so I wasn't especially gripped by the resolution. However, while this novel wasn't a favourite of mine, I do recommend you give it a try because I'm sure most fans of the genre will enjoy the story and style of writing, not to mention, the engaging plot.
Happy Reading,


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SC said that choosing a faith is the substratum of individuality and sans it, the right of choice becomes a shadow.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has set aside the Kerala High Court verdict and restored the inter-faith marriage of Hadiya and Shafin Jahan, saying the former had "absolute autonomy over her person." Observing that the faith of a person was intrinsic to a person's meaningful existence, the top court said that choosing a faith is the substratum of individuality and sans it, the right of choice becomes a shadow.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, which gave two separate but concurring verdicts, said the "expression of choice in accord with law is acceptance of individual identity".
"Faith of a person is intrinsic to his/her meaningful existence. To have the freedom of faith is essential to his/her autonomy; and it strengthens the core norms of the Constitution," the bench said in its detailed verdict which was uploaded on the apex court's website on Monday.
The Supreme Court had on March 8 set aside the high court verdict which had held as null and void the marriage between Jahan and Hadiya, who had appeared before the court and had categorically stated that she had converted to Islam and married him on her own free will.
Referring to the Hadiya's father contentions, the top court said he may feel there was "enormous transgression" of his right to protect the interest of his daughter but his viewpoint cannot be allowed to curtail her fundamental rights.
"Therefore, the High Court has completely erred by taking upon itself the burden of annulling the marriage between the appellant and the respondent no.9 (Hadiya) when both stood embedded to their vow of matrimony," it said, adding that the freedom was both a constitutional and a human right.
"Deprivation of that freedom which is ingrained in choice on the plea of faith is impermissible," it said.
The top court said the realisation of a right is more important than the conferment of the right and such actualisation indeed ostracised any kind of societal notoriety and kept at bay the patriarchal supremacy.
"It is so because the individualistic faith and expression of choice are fundamental for the fructification of the right. Thus, we would like to call it indispensable preliminary condition," the chief justice, who penned the verdict for himself and Justice Khanwilkar, said.
The bench said that non- acceptance of Hadiya's choice would simply mean creating discomfort to the constitutional right by a Constitutional Court which is meant to be the protector of fundamental rights.
"Such a situation cannot remotely be conceived. The duty of the court is to uphold the right and not to abridge the sphere of the right unless there is a valid authority of law. Sans lawful sanction, the centripodal value of liberty should allow an individual to write his/her script. The individual signature is the insignia of the concept," it said.
Justice Chandrachud, who wrote a separate concurring order, said that choice of a partner whether within or outside the marriage lies within exclusive domain of each individual and intimacies of marriage "lie within a core zone of privacy, which is inviolable".
"The right to marry a person of one's choice is integral to Article 21 of the Constitution. The Constitution guarantees the right to life. This right cannot be taken away except through a law which is substantively and procedurally fair, just and reasonable," he said.
Justice Chandrachud also said the strength of Indian Constitution lay in its acceptance of plurality and diversity of culture and courts were duty bound not to "swerve" from the path of upholding the pluralism and diversity as a nation.
"Intimacies of marriage, including the choices which individuals make on whether or not to marry and on whom to marry, lie outside the control of the state. Courts as upholders of constitutional freedoms must safeguard these freedoms," he said.
He said that interference by the state in such matters has a seriously chilling effect on the exercise of freedoms and others were dissuaded to exercise their liberties for fear of the reprisals which may result upon free exercise of choice.
"The chilling effect on others has a pernicious tendency to prevent them from asserting their liberty. Public spectacles involving a harsh exercise of state power prevent the exercise of freedom, by others in the same milieu. Nothing can be as destructive of freedom and liberty. Fear silences freedom," he said.
Justice Chadrachud said the high court had transgressed limits of its jurisdiction in issuing a declaration annulling their marriage in the course of hearing of a habeas corpus petition.
"The schism between Hadiya and her father may be unfortunate. But it was not part of the jurisdiction of the High Court to decide what it considered to be a 'just' way of life or 'correct' course of living for Hadiya. She has absolute autonomy over her person," he said, adding that the high court had entered into a domain which was alien to its jurisdiction in a habeas corpus petition.
The top court clarified that the National Investigation Agency, which was earlier asked by the court to probe into the matter, might exercise its authority in accordance with the law but validity of the marriage shall not form the subject matter of the probe.


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Holland America Group's expansive new office brings its brands into closer alignment.
Holland America Group called on SkB Architects to consolidate its operations within a single facility, with an aim to bring its Holland America, Princess and Seabourn brands into closer alignment and increasing its operational efficiencies. Securing a five-story, 150,000-square-foot building near Seattle's waterfront (a building that was still in design), provided the opportunity to realize their vision in built form.
Originally founded in 1873 as a Dutch shipping line carrying both freight and passengers, Holland America Group, was instrumental in transporting hundreds of thousands of immigrants to North America and is the embodiment of global travel. The spirit of adventure, an important part of the company's DNA, is reflected in the design of its headquarters; a setting that embraces creativity and the cross-pollination of ideas.
When was the project completed?
How much space?
150,000 net RSF
Was this new or renovated space?
SF per person?
158 SF per person
How many employees?
What is average daily population?
Describe workspace types.
The new headquarters is conceived as an open-office environment, encouraging communication and collaboration between the company's brands and their 950 employees.
Critical to the workplace design strategy is the concept, "alone together," an approach to space that acknowledges a person's natural desire to work independently, yet be near others. A robust variety of meeting and social gathering spaces supports this idea, as well as a technology network that ensures full connectivity throughout the building.
What kind of meeting spaces are provided?
Wide variety. From private, enclosed spaces that accommodate a handful of employees to a large private, boardroom with state-of-the-art A/V capabilities to open spaces integrated into the space itself. Hotel-esque settings suitable for impromptu meetings and alternative work places are the norm.
What other kind of support space or amenity spaces are provided?
Hubs, located on each floor, provide a range of amenity space options to satisfy the desire for social engagement and a place for to eat or grab a cup of coffee, while more isolated touchdown areas provide opportunities for quiet reflection. The cafe, located at the top of the building, affords a prime view of Elliott Bay—where company ships regularly put into port—a place where all staff are able to enjoy the best seat in the house. For those employees that commute via bike or workout over lunch, there are ample locker rooms and showers.
What is the project's location and proximity to public transportation and/or other amenities?
There are eight bus stops which are 1.5 blocks and the Seattle Center monorail linking to downtown Seattle is approximately eight blocks away.
Was the C-Suite involved in the project planning and design process? If so, how?
Yes, the company leadership set the project goals to re-align their workplace strategy to facilitate greater collaboration, communication, and cooperation. They participated in design review and an executive visioning session.
What kind of programming or visioning activities were used?
Executive vision session, leadership interviews, focus groups and departmental interviews.
Were any pre-planning surveys conducted to get employee input?
Yes, an all-employee survey was conducted.
Were there any other kind of employee engagement activities?
Focus groups gathered feedback on project-related issues. Workstation mock ups of four products facilitated workspace and work-style feedback with employee surveys at the mock ups.
Were any change management initiatives employed?
Surveys, noted above, focus groups, mock ups, question/issues board for staff, robust intranet documenting project status and FAQ responses, design town hall summaries open to all staff, and site tours during construction.
Please describe any program requirements that were unique or required any special research or design requirements.
Emergency Response Center on site required careful integration with audio-visual systems and response network. The full-facility generator backup required detailed coordination with mechanical consultants. Commercial kitchen and dining area utilized a cashless payment system and featured a test kitchen.
Was there any emphasis or requirements on programming for health and wellbeing initiatives for employees?
Yes, the project team welcomed employee feedback on health and wellness room (yoga, workouts, etc.) and shower facilities.
Were there any special or unusual construction materials or techniques employed in the project?
- Interior water feature – fully welded stainless steel recirculating fountain, locally carved stone at fountain drop face.
- Stained alter slats on curved wall.
- Etched concrete compass rose in lobby.
- Custom mosaic tile pattern on lobby wall – image from HA Group photo.
- Large round pendant lights in open office areas in lieu of conventional linear lighting.
What were the major furniture products used?
- Teknion (work station system)
- West Elm Workspace (ancillary seating)
- Vitra (café chairs)
- Andreu World (stools)
- The Senator Group, Via (conference chairs)
- Geiger, Bright, Ton, Roger + Chris (accent seating)
What kind of branding elements were incorporated into the design?
According to co-designer Shannon Gaffney, "We felt the space should feel like Holland America without having to see a graphic or logo. We come from the school of thinking that brand should be woven throughout the space versus a tack-on afterthought. Given that, we unearthed unique aspects of the Group's brand that allowed for design elements such as lighting, material selection and furniture to achieve the right look and feel."
Examples include a water feature that flows from a pool on the second floor down to the lobby, providing a subtle auditory reference to the brand, a compass rose etched in the concrete floor of the reception area, brass nautical clocks above the reception area couch, porthole windows connecting each floor to the atrium space and light fixtures, placed at one-fathom intervals up the atrium wall that serve as a nuanced reminder to the maritime nature of the business.
What is the most unique feature of the new space?
A four-story-tall feature wall, featuring abstracted portholes aligning with each floor of the building, partially clads one side of the five-story atrium. From the lobby, the rhythm of the portholes draws the eye upwards to take in the entire volume of the space, while the portholes themselves frame views of Elliott Bay and provide visual orientation throughout the office. Light fixtures, placed at one-fathom intervals, wash the feature wall with light and serve as a nuanced reminder to the maritime nature of the business. A water feature flows from a pool on the second floor down to the lobby, providing a subtle auditory reference to the brand.
Are there any furnishings or spaces specifically included to promote wellness/wellbeing?
Yes, the project features health & fitness room, locker room with showers, and bicycle parking. An internal communicating stair encourages staff to use stairs between floors. A mothers' room supports nursing mothers. Additionally, staff workstations are configured to maximize access to daylight and views. Sounds of water resonate through the building for a feeling of wellbeing.
What kind of technology products were used?
Meeting areas feature digital display monitors with integrated audio for conference and video conference calls. Company announcements are shared on digital displays distributed on each floor and at elevator lobbies. The multi-screen feature in the lobby communicates company info via a digital world map as staff and visitors enter the building.
If the company relocated to new space, what was the most difficult aspect of the change for the employees?
The company relocated to a new building on an adjacent property. The biggest change was the shift to 100% open office, however, due to the vast improvement to the work environment this was quickly overcome as staff occupied the new space.
How did the company communicate about the changes and moves?
The company used a robust intranet to keep staff updated on design and construction progress.
If change management program was in place, what were the most successful strategies?
Yes, staff tours of the construction and mock ups of the work stations proved most successful to put staff at ease.


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Partner with Us
Let's Work Together in Growing Better Places to Live
Let's Work Together in Growing Better Places to Live
We are the leading national tree planting charity in Canada. As a not-for-profit, we're dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians by planting and nurturing trees while teaching about their value.
Our efforts to grow better places to live are made possible largely thanks to the generosity of our partners in the business community. Because of this, we have built a strong tradition of corporate partnership throughout Canada.
Our mission is to bolster Canada's urban forests and inspire people to participate in, and advocate for, community greening.
84+ million
trees planted
communities greened
communities restored following disasters
Urban Forest Conferences hosted
Our Community Tree Grants are the only national community greening, innovation and stewardship program in the country. These projects support greening in communities of all kinds from schools to hospitals and from the smallest indigenous communities to our biggest urban centres.
Through this program, we offer grants and technical and logistical support encouraging the spread of "green infrastructure" in our communities. This includes urban orchards to fight food insecurity and schoolyard greening projects.
"Partners in Planting" offers companies a way to deliver a team building opportunity alongside community engagement and good corporate citizenship right where your employees live and work.
Our experts will work with you to secure a space in your community for you to green with your employees. We take care of the trees and all the logistics of getting the trees on-site.
Help communities recover from natural disasters and pests. From floods and forest fires, to beetles and tornadoes, when Canada's landscapes and cities face threats from the elements, Tree Canada is there to support the recovery process.
Our current ReLeaf projects are Fort McMurray Wildfires, Alberta Mountain Pine Beetle ReLeaf and Emerald Ash Borer ReLeaf. Past projects included ReLeaf for Goderich Ontario following a devastating tornado, BC Coast ReLeaf, ReLeaf for the '98 Ice Storm and many others.
Our National Greening Program is our carbon compensation program. It is the simplest way for partners to plant the largest number of trees while helping to green areas in need of reforestation or afforestation.
Plant-a-tree: per email acquisition; for every new client; per product sold; in celebration of company or employee milestones; to help offset paper consumption and/or energy consumption; or to help reach CSR goals and support environmental stewardship.
Choose from among five regions: (1) British Columbia, (2) Prairies [AB, SK, MB], (3) Ontario, (4) Quebec and (5) Atlantic/North.
Carbon pollution is a serious threat to the Earth's climate. Trees are one major natural way of cleaning carbon pollution from our air, sequestering it in the ground and helping to fight climate change.
Our Grow Clean Air program allows Canadians and businesses to take meaningful concrete steps to fight climate change by offsetting their carbon emissions through the planting of native trees in Canada.
We will have a carbon expert calculate the number of trees that need to be planted in order to fully offset your emissions. All trees that we plant in your name are planted according to our rigorous carbon protocol.
The CUFN is the largest network of urban forestry experts, academics and practitioners in the country.
The Network advocates on behalf of urban forests across Canada and is composed of municipal foresters, provincial and federal environmental and natural resource agencies, professional organizations, business associations, educational institutions, non-governmental organizations, and community groups.
Our Urban Forest Conference brings together leading experts from across the country and allows for dialogue between professionals and community groups on innovative strategies, policies, technologies, research,and best management practices.
Alternating coast to coast every two years, the Conference brings together dedicated individuals and groups to share their experiences and novel approaches to the stewardship of Canada's urban forests.
National Tree Day serves as a celebration for all Canadians to appreciate the great benefits that trees provide us -clean air, wildlife habitat, reducing energy demand and connecting with nature.
On March 2, 2011 a private members motion to declare the Wednesday of National Forest Week, National Tree Day, received consent from the House of Commons, at the urging of Tree Canada.
Partnering with us is a path to stronger community engagement and corporate recognition for your concrete environmental leadership.
No two businesses are the same. Our partnerships can take different forms depending on your business's focus and interests. From fighting climate change to fighting food insecurity to greening our communities to retail sales incentives and employee engagements, we can offer a partnership that is right for your business.
As one of the fastest growing environmental nonprofits on social media, we offer an excellent opportunity to engage the public through on modern channels in association with your sponsored event or activities.
The Montreal Urban Canopy Project is a Tree Canada initiative to plant and take care of thousands of trees in Montreal with the energy and resources of the private sector.
In 2017, CN committed $1 million to plant approximately 10,000 trees on its lands in Montreal – to date 1,058 trees have been planted towards this goal. Tree Canada is now asking others in the business community to step up to facilitate the greening of their own lands in Montreal and to support the greening of others' lands as well.
This initiative is in support of the Alliance Forêt urbaine, of which Tree Canada is a member. Their goal is to plant 50,000 trees in 5 years on privately-owned lands in Montreal, an effort which will add to the City of Montreal's objective to attain 25% forest canopy cover in the next 5 years, an ambitious goal given the devastation brought on by the emerald ash borer, a destructive insect from Asia.
Tree Canada is launching a challenge to corporations with available lands in the Montreal area or those who want to sponsor planting projects to get on board. Help us grow greener spaces in "la Métropole".
We're excited to work with you to grow better communities together!
Please fill out the following form to get started and one of our tree team will get back to you between two and five business days.


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commentary Singapore
Commentary: Do schools still need paper textbooks in a digital age?
Our children grow up in a world where digital technology pervades every aspect of their lives, and educators need to leverage such tech to help them learn more effectively, argues NIE's Tay Hui Yong.
SINGAPORE: There are few things I love more than flipping through the newspapers in the morning over a hot cup of coffee. But even for a person who grew up loving books, when I now want to learn about or check something, I am more likely to look it up on the Internet.
As a teacher in school, I noticed this tendency to access information online is even more prominent among our current generation of school children. They are what Marc Prensky calls the "Digital Natives", whose lives are so entwined with information technology and digital media that tools like Google and Instagram have become verbs.
Much of their day outside of school revolve around digital platforms: They connect with friends on Snapchat, they download music from Spotify, and they shop online. One wonders then if printed textbooks are compatible with the habits of these learners. Is there potential for our students to learn through digital textbooks?
To be clear, digital textbooks have to be more than the electronic soft copies of printed textbooks. The latter merely lighten schoolbags or save trees from being chopped down only to become mountains of photocopied supplementary notes.
Instead, digital textbooks offer an immersive experience not possible in paper textbooks in three ways that can transform learning and potentially redefine the school experience.
First, digital textbooks present information in rich formats, such as illustrative videos, animations or 360-degrees visual images. Imagine the excitement in examining things not visible to the naked eye, being transported into space or watching an enactment of Shakespeare's play.
Second, they provide interactive formats. Something as basic as hyperlinks embedded into text can allow students to delve deeper into a subject, providing them a personalised learning trajectory. Feedback tools like interactive quizzes also help them check their understanding, giving them timely feedback that research tells us is important to learning.
Third, they provide connections with online communities. Unlike paper textbooks where the learner passively consumes information, a digital textbook parked in a device with an Internet connection, like an iPad or laptop, can transform students into producers of knowledge.
Students can learn and share knowledge collaboratively through the use of Google documents, discussion forums or instant messaging chat groups. Students can also express their understanding of the subject in many ways such as through creating photographs, mind-maps, audio or video recordings.
With such a wide array of new features, digital textbooks have the potential to transform learning in the classroom, if we as educators and parents can learn to harness their potential.
I still remember one student saying: "I don't have to feel stupid again", when she realised she could understand an unfamiliar word she came across in a digital textbook by hovering her finger over the word to activate the dictionary.
Resources like these and other hyperlinks offer immediate assistance to students and help scaffold learning for those who need it. Tools like these are levelling the playing field and giving students who need help that extra boost.
Best of all, the multi-media platform adapts to our students' varied learning styles, especially for those who may not absorb the best from text. Those with special needs, who have reading difficulties for instance, will have their learning strongly supported by features like text-to-speech, enabling schools to be inclusive, vibrant centres of learning for all.
While education has been mostly one-directional, with knowledge passed on from the teacher to student, the advent of digital textbooks means that learning will be increasingly self-directed.
Students can receive timely and accurate feedback on their own progress. Through bite-sized, self-accessed quizzes embedded in digital textbooks, they can check their understanding in a safe environment, to discover and build on their areas of mastery and focus on subjects for improvement.
Digital textbooks will also ensure that the information contained within is relevant to students and kept current, through the use of updated real-life examples to help students draw links between what they are learning with the world outside their school walls. These can be far more engaging and resonant than paper textbooks, with knowledge and practical applications gleaned better remembered.
If digital textbooks have such a strong advantage, then it begs the question why paper textbooks are still the norm. Some say the cost of every student owning a tablet is significant, especially for low-income families.
Perhaps, as with all new technologies, some think it is far better to take the conservative approach: Let the concept of digital textbooks mature and kinks like the cost of royalties and subscriptions to educational modules iron themselves out first.
Indeed, for education and academia, a field built on books for thousands of years, it can be daunting to push for digital textbooks. Except for the younger ones, most teachers were raised on ink and paper.
For educators, it will be challenging to figure out how to go about teaching students if students can get all the learning they need from a digital textbook. But precisely because information is becoming so freely available, educators will also have to identify, curate and ringfence the content and knowledge students are taught.
On a practical level, teachers will have to grapple with how to structure classroom learning and learning outside of school. Our education system will also have to learn how to employ technology to put together relevant learning materials that students can access on their digital textbook.
It would be a pity if sheer sentimentality or concern for the bottom line prevents a more pervasive adoption of digital textbooks.
Certainly, digital textbooks are not a panacea for better learning, because whether we can unleash the potential transformative powers of digital textbooks will depend on the actions we take.
Research, including mine, has shown that ultimately, students need skillful teachers who can capitalise on multi-media resources, interactive features and self-assessment tools that digital textbooks offer to help them become more self-directed learners.
The good news is that apps for putting together such digital textbooks are becoming increasingly widespread and user friendly, such that even a novice like myself can put together a few modules to support teaching.
Some professional development will be in order, but I am confident that educators who aspire to bring about positive learning outcomes will be open to exploring further and ultimately take action that are in the best interests of our Digital Native learners.
Dr Tay Hui Yong teaches at the National Institute of Education's curriculum, teaching and learning academic group. Her research has focused on self-regulated learning, authentic assessment and other ways to improve the learning experience for students.


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(CNSNews.com) - Conservative leaders don't like what they're hearing from House Speaker John Boehner, the man in the middle of fiscal cliff negotiations.
One day after Boehner mentioned an $800-billion tax hike -- half the amount President Obama is seeking -- conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III said the Republican Party is no longer the party of limited government, limited spending and limited taxes:
"It is now officially exactly right behind the Democrats -- on everything," Bozell said. "It is time for conservatives to start looking for a new home. There's precious little left for us here."
Bozell, the chairman of ForAmerica Inc., also heads the Media Research Center, the parent organization of CNSNews.com.
Should Americans assume that Boehner and House Republican leaders have been misleading the country for more than two years? Bozell wondered:
"It would be impossible to count the times and ways Boehner, Cantor, McCarthy and so many others have told America that tax hikes would kill jobs and cripple the economy. Lo and behold, that's just what they've proposed, $800 billion of them," Bozell said. "They aren't taxes, no siree. They are 'revenue,' and 'loopholes' that are closed (which also begs the question: if loopholes, why were they open?)."
Why shouldn't Obama demand $1.6 trillion in tax hikes on wealthy Americans, Bozell asked: "The Republican Party has now surrendered its principles, and is in full retreat, the Democrats taste blood, and they're going for it all. I would too."
Bozell said it's no coincidence that just before releasing his proposal, Boehner orchestrated a purge of conservatives from key positions of power in the Republican Conference.
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) is among those sounding a call against the "fiscal insanity," and while other fiscal conservatives may join him, they are "firmly in the minority," Bozell said.
On Tuesday, DeMint said Boehner's offer to raise $800 billion in taxes on the wealthy "will destroy American jobs and allow politicians in Washington to spend even more, while not reducing our $16 trillion debt by a single penny."
In a statement, DeMint said it's not hard to understand the detrimental effects of tax hikes: "This isn't rocket science," he said.
"Everyone knows that when you take money out of the economy, it destroys jobs, and everyone knows that when you give politicians more money, they spend it. This is why Republicans must oppose tax increases and insist on real spending reductions that shrink the size of government and allow Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money."
DeMint says "big government" has created the nation's debt crisis -- and therefore, "big government' is not the solution:
"Washington has a spending addiction that is shackling our children and grandchildren with unsustainable debt," he said. "Conservatives fought for a balanced budget amendment last year precisely because we knew the political establishment in Washington would never stop their tax and spend addiction without it.
"However," DeMint added, "if neither party leadership is going to put forward a serious plan to balance the budget and pay down the debt, we should end this charade. We can stop the fiscal cliff with the bill that House Republicans already passed that simply extends the current tax rates and replaces the defense cuts with reductions in wasteful spending."
In March, the House passed a fiscal year 2013 budget resolution, which House Speaker John Boehner described as "an honest budget with real spending cuts, pro-growth tax reform, and serious entitlement reform."
On Monday, in a letter to President Obama, Boehner said Republicans would not go along with the president's plan to avoid the fiscal cliff. That plan includes $1.6 trillion in taxes on the wealthy as well as new stimulus spending.
"If we were to take your Administration's proposal at face value," Boehner wrote, "then we would counter with the House-passed Budget Resolution."
(CNSNews.com) - Conservative leaders don't like what they're hearing from House Speaker John Boehner, the man in the middle of fiscal cliff negotiations.


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Space Shooter Descent Heading To Nintendo Switch In Early 2019
Descendent Studios has announced that the 3D space shooter Descent is heading to Nintendo Switch in early 2019.
First launched in 1995, Descent – the first truly 3D shooter, blasts into the 21st Century with next-generation gaming technology built on Unreal Engine 4. The reboot game will offer fans both a deep single-player campaign with more than 15 missions and expansive multiplayer gameplay including spacecraft customization, multiple class roles, and four-player online co-op gameplay.
Multiplayer modes will include cooperative Survival, as well as PVP modes like Anarchy, Corporate War, and Miner Mayhem. Players will be able to unlock up to 20 ships with full tech trees across classes including attack, defense, engineering, and support.
Earth starves – resources dwindle, governments fall, and the last shreds of human civilization now belong to ruthless megacorporations. Mankind's survival depends on water and minerals from deep space. Brave pilots fight deep within asteroids- their triumphs and tragedies broadcast back to Earth as entertainment… and a way to distract the teeming masses from the grumbling of their empty bellies.
Fly your way in 20 different ships with distinct roles and play styles. Customize them with noses, wings, skins, paint jobs, and a forest of tech tree upgrades. Deep dive into Descent's immersive single-player campaign or prove yourself in a variety of pulse-pounding multiplayer modes.
Key Features
- The Legendary Series Returns
Descent returns! Journey back into the mines with the rebooted 90s classic, fully reimagined in the Unreal 4 engine for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.
- True Freedom
Experience 6-degrees-of-freedom as you explore twisting mazes and cavernous maps. Move, hide, and attack in every direction.
- Customizable Class-Based Combat
Pick your class, customize your ship, dominate the match. Choose from over 4 classes, 20 ships, and kit them out with nose, wing, skin, and other upgrades.
- Hand-Crafted Campaign
Deep dive through an immersive single-player campaign featuring over 15 missions of puzzles, side-quests, special rewards and epic boss battles.
- Built for Multiplayer
Prove yourself in our cutting edge multiplayer experience that features 4 pulse pounding modes from free-for-all to co-op.
Check out the Descent Trailer:
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