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- This article is about the board game mentioned in the series. For the Nick.com video game reinterpretation of the game, see Pai Sho (video game).
|"I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game."
|— Iroh to Zuko.[1]
Pai Sho (牌數)[2] is a two-player game that is popular throughout the World of Avatar, appealing to people of all ages. Dating back to the era of Raava,[3] legend has that it was invented by the spirits,[4] and the game has remained popular among people all over the world since that time. It is a game of both strategy and chance, with each culture having developed its own rules and variations of the game.[2] Prior to the group's existence being publicly revealed at the end of the Hundred Year War, the Order of the White Lotus used Pai Sho to identify its members by forming a lotus flower with the tiles.[1]
Pai Sho is played on a large, circular board split with twelve sections and divided into an 18x18 grid of colored squares. Round tiles are used as pieces, with each tile having a different image. Players receive a certain number of tiles which are placed and moved around the board.
Over the years, the rules of the game varied from culture to culture; for instance, some consider to game to be a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat game of chance, whereas others see it as a slow, methodical game of strategy.[2]
White lotus tile
The white lotus tile, like all Pai Sho tiles, is a round, black, circular piece about one-and-a-half inches in diameter. It is identified by the image of a large white flower that takes up most of the tile. According to Iroh, many underestimate its importance. Iroh once took time away from Zuko's search for the Avatar to pick up a new tile at the seedy merchants pier.[5] The tile was also utilized in Aang's Pai Sho game with Monk Gyatso, during which that latter attempted to inconspicuously switch the lotus tile with the piece that the Avatar had formerly placed. Additionally, a white lotus tile was given to Sokka from Master Piandao after the former was successfully trained in swordplay; the emblem on the gate to his estate also resembled the tile.[6]
Order of the White Lotus
In a bar at the Misty Palms Oasis, Iroh played a game with another White Lotus member, Fung, as a way of identifying himself as part of the society. The key to recognition between members includes scripted dialogue revolving around the opening move of placing a certain tile, the white lotus, in the center of the board, followed by the rapid placement of pieces in an exact pattern that mirrors the central piece.[1]
Notable players
- Pai Sho bears a resemblance to the board games Go, Chinese checkers, straight checkers, and Xiangqi.
- According to Zuko, Pai Sho can be used for gambling.[1]
- The name of the game mimics that of the Chinese tile game Pai gow, through which gambling can also be performed.
- A large Pai Sho table can be found at the Western Air Temple.[11]
- The rock tile's symbol is the same as the Earth Kingdom's emblem.
- Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko made up Pai Sho without thinking out all of the rules. The actual rules were thought out by the people of Nickelodeon when they designed an online game of Pai Sho for fans to play.[12]


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Long before "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" young Gypsy & Travellers create a TV documentary about their culture.
TypeDocumentary / Workshop
Year2006 - 2007
In 2006, Noise teaches a group of 15 young Romany Gypsy and Irish Travellers from West Yorkshire, how to record their life and culture for a TV documentary. The film produced and distributed by Urban Canyons for Noise Festival reveals some very traditional Gypsy values versus modern lifestyle trends, long before the more populist C4 series "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" hit the screens.
The film is set around the historic Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria. The fair is the oldest and biggest European gathering of Gypsy and Travellers. Every year, over 30,000 visitors descend on the sleepy Cumbrian town to meet their relatives and friends and still trade horses. The inspirational programme offers a greater understanding of the often discriminated community. The young filmmakers interview their older relatives, visit the Gypsy Lore Archive, meet famous Gypsy wedding dress designer Nico and seek the varying opinions of Appleby's shopkeepers, councillors, the local police and young people about the annual mass influx of Gypsies and Travellers.
'Gypsy Fair could well become the definitive and enduring chronicle of the Appleby New Fair. Gathering, encompassing every aspect of the event and giving a genuine unbiased account of the attitudes of both those people who love it and those who hate it.'
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
The first screening of the film takes place in Appleby, in June 2007, just a few days before the annual fair starts. The event is attended by the young filmmakers and their families and members of the local community. The screening was a chance to get rid of stereotypes, and gave a better idea of why Gypsy and Travellers converge on their town every year.
NOISE enables the young Gypsies and Travellers filmmakers to gain an Arts Award accreditation for their work. The recognised qualification comparative to a GSCE is presented to one of the filmmakers by Chancellor Alistair Darling when he visited the NOISE office in Manchester.
'The quality of the film and project was of a high standard. The adviser had worked hard in supporting a challenging and diverse group on a major piece of heritage themed work.'
Buzz Bury, Arts Award Moderator
Screened on Teachers TV, Community Channel and Horse and Country TV. Over 80,000 views on YouTube.
Copies have been bought by police forces, local councils and schools across the country.
Buy it!
Get your own DVD of 'The Real Gypsy Fair' at the NOISE online store here.
'Documentaries of the Gypsy and Traveller communities have been filmed before, but rarely by the young people from within the community. This project enables young Gypsies to create a record of their culture from their own point of view. Their participation helped them to gain new skills, which they can pass onto their peers for the benefit of the community.'
NOISEfestival.com CEO Denise Proctor
'By taking part in this project, I can use a camera and interview people better. So much work has gone into making this film, and we are very proud of what we have made.'
Teresa Birtle, Young Filmmaker

subset: commoncrawl


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Title: Application Specialist
Department: Visual Simulation
Key Responsibilities -
Work on the development and deployment of services activities.
Consultancy service for each deployment to assessed and managed.
Experience in COTS software like Creator, Vega Prime, OSG, 3D MAX, MAYA, Unity3D, VBS2, MASA SWORD, GL Studio, SCADE, VR-Forces, STAGE would be added advantage.
Work closely with sales to build customer proof cases/benchmark.
Has to support customer technically, provide training to internal & external customers.
Work closely with sales and technical team.
Willingness to travel within India.
Primary Skills:
3 years experience in C++ programming is a must.
Good knowledge of System integration skills.
Secondary Skills:
OpenGL knowledge would be added advantage
Competencies Required:
Working experience on simulators
EDS Technologies Pvt. Ltd (EDST), established in 1995, is the largest PLM and Real-Time... Visual Simulation solutions provider in India, with its corporate office in Bangalore and having direct presence in Chennai, Gurgaon, Noida, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Pune and Ahmedabad. EDST employs nearly 180 skilled professionals with high end industry experience.
EDST, with its established partnership with global leaders provide Manufacturing, PLM and 3D Visual simulation solutions, bringing in the most complete solution for any size and type of industry. EDST's differentiation is its domain expertise, consultative approach and hands-on understanding of customer requirements required to drive successful implementations with world class training and technical support.
EDST has the largest customer base in the Indian Market having more than 1000 customers from aerospace, automotive & supply chains, industrial machinery, high-tech and electronics, railways, infrastructure, consumer packaged goods, engineering service providers, defense, research and education sectors . EDS Technologies continues to invest and expand its solutions portfolio to address the emerging markets in India. Read full description


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The Samsung Galaxy F is a device that hasn't exactly remained much of a secret, with various leaks already surfacing across the net.
The Galaxy F is a device which mimics Samsung's flagship Galaxy S5 device but substitutes the plastic rear case for a metal body. A new leak seems to just reinforce what we know about the device, in that the Galaxy F appears to be aimed at Samsung's premium Galaxy S line.
Samsung's Galaxy F is expected to include a 5.3-inch 2K display with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, as well as sharing the same heartrate monitor and water/dust resistance present on the Galaxy S5.
With leaks ramping up for the device, it wouldn't be surprising if we see Samsung make an official announcement for the Galaxy F very soon.
SOURCE: PhoneArena
The post Samsung Galaxy F leaks yet again, release imminent? appeared first on AndroidGuys.
« Kyocera's affordable waterproof LTE-enabled Hydro Icon announced for Boost Mobile CyanogenMod 11.0 M7 released; based off Android 4.4.2 »


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A few years ago I saw some cute lunches called bentos online and thought they would be fun to make for my daughter. I was familiar with the term bento from living in Hawaii and traveling in Asia. I loved the cute spin that I was seeing on these boxed lunches. As we approached Kindergarten, I decided that I was going to make cute bentos for my daughter's lunch each day. I wanted her to be eating a full, healthy lunch and to feel comforted by being apart during the day with my loving gesture.
I am starting this series of tips here at Diana Rambles called Bento Basics to teach others how to make sure your child is eating healthy with fun lunches.
Tip: Introduce new foods by making their food fun! I didn't want to be sending junk food in my daughter's lunch, so when I give her new foods or ones she's not a fan of, I make them cute by using a cookie cutter, decorating, or making it fun.
|Hazelnut spread introduced in a butterfly shaped sandwich. Skewered blueberries adds to the fun!
|Introduced cantaloupe (starfish) and edamame in this under the sea themed bento.
|My daughter won't eat peas at dinner, but she will in a cute lunch!
Tip: Making cute lunches doesn't have to be expensive! You don't need a lot of gadgets to make lunch cute. While there are lots of bento supplies out there, you can use simple containers, cookie cutters, and even make your own food picks.
|Disposable restaurant container used for a road trip bento for my teen son.
|Daddy-Daughter dance theme in a muffin tin for lunch at home. Silicone liners from a dollar store.
|Angry Birds packed in a plastic container. Nori (wrapper used in sushi) for black accents.
Tip: Don't worry if your creation isn't as cute as those online! There are a lots of very cute & creative bentos out there. Don't get hung up on how cute or fun yours are. You only have 1 person to impress and that's your kid or whomever you are making the bento for. Here are a few of my less than perfect lunches that my daughter adored.
|This was my very first bento.
|My panda turned out kind of creepy, but she loved it!
|This is supposed to be a flower garden.
If you have any questions, please leave them as a comment. I will reply below each comment. I may include some of the questions in upcoming parts of this series.


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Server - Supervision Application
Connecting Supervision GUIs
Rapid Response and Complete Connectivity
The supervision centers of complex networks like those in telecommunications, transportation and gas distribution must share information among scores of operators in real time to enable them to respond within seconds to a malfunction or other unexpected event. This makes the software linking their graphical user interfaces (GUIs) invaluable. It must deliver high performance and scalability as a middle-tier mediation server, and lend itself readily to maintenance and expansion.
Stay in Sync
Rogue Wave Server can synchronize hundreds of GUIs and connect them to the data flow of a network. When an alarm is triggered in the network, it is sent directly to an operator, and the operator's response is instantly shared with other operators throughout the supervision system. Rogue Wave Server shortens the time between alarm acquisition and display even when several events per second must be processed and the system has thousands of objects.
Supports Knowledge Integration into Supervision Systems
Rogue Wave Server can efficiently map a physical description of a network to one or more graphical displays. These displays are then shared among computers to ensure communication among operators. Rogue Wave Server provides the high-performance synchronization services needed for supervision applications. It frees system integrators to concentrate on delivering their core expertise instead of spending valuable time building a server support system to link widely distributed GUIs. Supervision systems are delivered faster and serve longer with Rogue Wave Server.


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Upcoming Events with Tag: Band Camp1 past event with this tag
Jun 29, 2019
This Saturday
Music for All Summer Symposium
12pm @
Ball State University
Music for All has been providing positively life-changing experiences at its summer camp for over 40 years. It's America's Camp: the national summer learning experience for band and orchestra students, and teachers. We bring together the best faculty, exciting concerts and events, and students from band and orchestra programs from coast-to-coast who share a love of music-making, performance, and student leadership.
To learn more visit, camp.musicforall.org, or by calling 800.848.2263.


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Hello there, my friends!~
Just wanted to pop by and let you know that I have many pieces of my original art plus some prints now on display and ready to buy at Shades of Brown Coffee and Art in Tulsa, Okla. This includes many of my Scandinavian themed pieces such as The Norwegian Bride, Lars, and Deep in the Winter Wood. If you're in the area, I'd love for you to stop by! And get one of their amazing coffees while you're at it!


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I awoke this morning to an insistent rapping at my front door. Hastily if groggily making myself presentable I managed to open the door…to find only a box with my name and address upon it. Thinking this might be some new film to review from Scream Factory I quickly made short work of the tape around the box and opened it to reveal…
…a Joker playing card as well as…
…this Sherlock Holmes Pipe. Which could only mean one thing. It was time to join forces with my old allies of the Super Blog Team-Up to once again discuss a single subject that unites us for a single day. This time the subject is Versus. Elementary, my friends, elementary.
Being such a big fan of Batman I decided to focus on that epic battle through the ages between the Clown Prince of Crime and the World's most famous Detective…no, not the Dark Knight in this case but that one time that the Joker matched wits against Sherlock Holmes himself!
Sort of.
Beginning on May of 1975 and sadly only lasting until October 1976, DC Comics released a total of nine issues where the Joker took the spotlight. Legendary writer on Batman, Dennis "Deny" O'Neil took the job of crafting a comic series where the Joked could not only be the star of the series but wouldn't come under fire from the Comics Code Authority. While O'Neil scripted only four of the nine issues he realized that they would have to really draw back on the Joker's more frightening aspects not to mention his ability to murder innocents at the drop of a hat. So he and fellow writers, Elliot s. Maggin as well as Martin Pasko made the Joker a rather wicked prankster.
The shocking thing is how absolutely fantastic these nine issues turned out, they aren't exactly lighthearted but they certainly fall under the category of fun. At times the Joker even would find himself at odds with the fellow members of Batman's Rogue's Gallery like Two-Face…
…and even the Scarecrow.
In the sixth issue of the comic the Joker in disguise sneaks onto the stage of a theater hundreds of miles from Gotham where a famous thespian named Clive Sigerson is performing as Sherlock Holmes. Why? To merely tweak the nose of any do-gooder that considers themselves a detective and since Sherlock Holmes isn't real he decides to punish Clive.
After Clive is subjected to the spring-loaded punching glove to the face he is clocked across the brow by a heavy smoking pipe prop courtesy of the Joker. Stunned he watches the villain and his henchman escape…actually they dance and sing their way off the stage.
Hey, when it comes to the Joker you do things with style or not at all!
An unforeseen side effect though is that Clive now thinks he is in fact Sherlock Holmes, kind of like George C. Scott's character from 1971's They Might Be Giants. The stage show's Producer demands that a stagehand…named Watson…follow Clive/Sherlock to make sure while he is wandering the city he doesn't get into trouble. Unfortunately for the stagehand who used to be a sailor and whose nickname was "Dock" Watson, the confused actor is hot on the trail of the Joker which leads him to a Golf course where the two do battle with the weapons at hand.
This is the Joker of course and which means he is always prepared to put the actor out of action so he can make his escape.
It is quickly revealed that Batman's greatest foe is using the works of Arthur Conan Doyle to plan his capers…in the case of the golf course heist he makes off with the flag from the fourth green, the "Sign of the Four".
Sherlock/Clive deduces that the Joker's next target is a sailing ship that just so happens to be named The Baskervilles!
Why is the Joker there? Well, he is below deck using a cutting torch to remove one of the clasps from a steel door…which is explained is used to secure hatches on ships an action referred to by sailors as "Dogging down the hatches", the Joker considers himself holding a "Dog" and another name for a dog is a hound, so he possesses the Hound of the Baskervilles!
I won't ruin the remainder of the comic as I am quite happy to report that you can pick up this very issue over on Comixology for a mere .99 cents! I would highly recommend you pick up the other eight issues of this DC Comics series as well because at least for myself it's quite refreshing to revisit a time when the Joker was so much fun, dangerous but not exactly deadly.
As always with the Super Blog Team-Up you can visit other sites throughout the day that are presenting their own take on the subject of Versus:
Between The Pages: Star Wars Versus…
Bronze Age Babies: Civil War – Silver Age Style! Tales of Suspense 58 ? Captain America versus Iron Man
Crapbox Son Of Cthulhu: ROM versus The Jack of Hearts
Chris Is On Infinite Earths: Blue Beetle versus Guy Gardner
Longbox Graveyard: Fire and Water: Human Torch versus Submariner
In My Not So Humble Opinion: Captain America vs. Wolverine
Superhero Satellite: Batman versus Guy Gardner
Unspoken Decade: War Machine versus Cable
Coffee and Comics Blog: Spider-Man Versus Ghost Rider
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- Retro Radio Memories Ep. 099 – The Gibbering Things - June 20, 2019
- Pop Culture Retrorama Podcast Ep. 06 – Summer Special 1 - June 19, 2019


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This is my article that was printed in The Princeton, NJ US1 Newspaper on September 28, 2011. The name of my article, "When Home Falls Between the Cracks". Please click on the line below to view my article.
The newest article is my letter to the Editor: Called, Homeless Update:
I met Miss H. four years ago. She lives outside at a location I will not disclose. She lives there from spring until winter, for the past 20 years she has lived outside. She is around 68 years old. She is mildly Schizophrenic. She will not take medication, period. Her family wants nothing to do with her. Please know about Schizophrenic people before you say what she should do or anything for that matter. This is the facts, she is homeless and frankly better off on the streets of Princeton, NJ than Trenton, NJ where the junkies and people who would harm her at the shelters there. The only other place they would put her is a mental institution. Have any of you been there or saw one???? We are working with what works for her, not forcing our will on her because that will not work.
I have cared for her along with a husband and wife and another single women like myself. I have a failed fusion in my neck from a 2008 car accident, being in pain now since 2007 has been a night mare for me and helping Miss H. takes me out of my self. If I can do this along with all the other things I have to do, you can help too. I am asking people to do a some fund-raising for me or contribute to my fund raiser on face book or send a check to the Post Box mentioned on the video and in the Route 1 News article.
The women who has been paying for Miss H. (my little homeless lady) will not be paying for her hotels anymore in the coming winters. I can't blame her she has done a lot for 5 years or more, it looks like it is my turn now and my hopes your as well. Please set up a collection box in your office you can copy and paste her picture from here or ask me for a copy. She feels safe in hotels as long as there is an out side entrance and it is near Princeton, NJ, she feels safe here.
I need to raise at least $3,000.00 by December. That would be rent for December Thru April/May. The hotel she did stay in was flooded so, I have to start looking now. I am in hopes that they have every thing up and running so she can go back there. I will pay what ever is not donated. I will not have her outside in the bitter cold. Please, I need all of your help. Miss H. worked hard for many, many years and was not always ill. She deserves help, love, compassion and kindness as we all do. Please help me to help her!
Thank you, Suzanne Newman
Please click on story (The Blue High Lighted Area)above to donate to the Facebook fundraiser if you prefer to donate through PayPal. Then click on the Facebook logo to get to the donation page.


text: Neko_master_Luna Report post Posted January 15, 2010 (edited) I thought this might be fun to try, seen it on another site & thought I'd give it a shot. Plus I think we can do better at it. I'll post the phrase, "You know your an otaku when & then fill in the blank?" I'll start. So long as it's a different answer each time, the game continues. You know you an otaku when_you have to make a list of needed manga before you go to the book store. Edited January 15, 2010 by Neko_master_Luna Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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|André's Kaiserschmarren (left) vs. Shelley's Kaiserschmarren (right)
To put it simply, Kaiserschmarren are Austrian-style pancakes that are also popular here in Germany. Similar to North American pancakes in terms of its batter, Kaiserschmarren differs in that it contains whipped egg whites. It's cooked differently as well. While being fried in a buttered pan, it is split into chunky pieces (using 2 turners) and then (usually) served with a fruity sauce. But we just prefer icing sugar. Who's Kaiserschmarren turned out better, you ask? Mine or André's? Well, I gotta admit... mine just weren't as light and fluffy as his. :( Here's the recipe we both used, minus the addition of raisins.


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A 'barrister' is an independent specialist advocate and advisor. As a general rule, members of the public cannot brief a barrister directly through a solicitor. A simplistic analogy is to see the solicitor as a General Practitioner and the barrister as a specialist. You would need a referral to a specialist from the GP.
What do Barristers do?
A barrister is best known for their advocacy before the Courts but it is true to say that their strength lies in Dispute Resolution, both judicial (before Courts or tribunals) and non-judicial (through negotiation, mediation or arbitration).
A barrister has the training and experience to anticipate the range of likely outcomes and to work with the solicitor and their client to choose the most appropriate path, so it is helpful to involve a barrister at the outset.
A barrister's advice at this time can help to clarify the management of the entire dispute resolution process and empower clients to make informed decisions.
Advice and Opinions
Because of a barrister's intimate knowledge of the Courts, their specialisation in advocacy and litigation and their ability to quickly identify the crucial points of a case, barristers are also valued for their advice and opinion work and they are often called upon to assist in this regard as soon as a dispute is indicated.
Early advice and skillful negotiations can obviate the need for costly litigation and a barrister can weigh up all considerations before advising on a course of action which involves litigation.
If the case does proceed to trial, a barrister can provide effective representation and advocacy, with:
- Specialised knowledge of their area of law
- Detailed knowledge of the rules of evidence and their application
- Full understanding of litigation tactics
- The skills to identify the most appropriate case preparation
- The ability to persuade the client's adversary or the Court of the merits of the case.
Alternative Dispute Resolution ('ADR')
A growing number of barristers specialise in arbitration and alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
Arbitration is widely accepted as an alternative form of resolving commercial disputes, particularly in the context of international commercial transactions.
Increasingly, Australian barristers have expertise in domestic and international commercial arbitrations with many approved as arbitrators with national and international bodies. Other forms of ADR include mediation, expert determination and hybrid dispute resolution processes.


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1. On Monday, my coworker/former K teammate went in to labor, and she gave birth to a baby girl on Monday night at about 8:20! This is great news, of course, but my coworker was a little bit sick, and she passed the infection on to the baby. :-( So the poor baby was born with a fever, and she's currently in the NICU. She also aspirated when she was born, which may be another reason she's in the NICU. I feel bad for my coworker/former K teammate- she's had a lot of family stuff going on lately, and I just feel bad for her! I sure hope Baby J is released soon!
2. My students took their informational books and we turned them into digital presentations for our Writing Celebration! Our school has a set of 20 iPads, so we used iMovie to turn them into digital presentations. This wasn't the ideal solution, but it was what was available, so it's what we used! They turned out pretty good, especially since I had to rush to get them finished in time for the Writing Celebration (since I decided to do this at the very last minute!) These worked out better because the parents could actually see and hear their child's writing instead of when they read their little writing pieces that are so tiny the parents can't see them! The kids were so shy about showing their videos, though. Too cute. (I was going to share a link to one of their videos, but I realized that you can't see it unless our STC gives permission, and I'm not sure how to go about doing that. Sorry.)
3. We made s'mores today and did some writing. We also did some graphing with Lucky Charms. The kids were so excited about all the fun food-related stuff we did today! So was I! I didn't get any pictures of the kids doing their graphs, because I was helping them make their S'mores. Oh well.
We made S'mores using this S'more maker that my mom had. She bought it at a garage sale for $2, so I borrowed it. I got the idea from Faith from First Grade Fantabulous. Of course, it just uses a light bulb to warm up the marshmallows, so I had to nuke them in the microwave to warm them up a bit! We didn't have all day to make S'mores, and I only had 1 S'more maker!
4. I finally posted some products in my Etsy shop after the miserable failure of a craft show last weekend. There are a few things available in my shop. I'm considering setting up a table at another event in April, but I'm not sure yet. Please feel free to check out my shop and share the word!


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Get an alert when new John Parr dates are announced
Throughout his illustrious career John Parr has toured with the likes of Toto, Bryan Adams, Heart, Richard Marx, Journey and John Waite to name just a few...With album sales of over 10 Million, John had several movie hits throughout the 1980's, including 'The Minute I Saw You' from Three Men and a Baby soundtrack (1987), the power ballad 'Restless Heart' from The Running Man soundtrack (1987), not to mention the Worldwide No.1 hit 'St Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)' from St Elmo's Fire (1985) which resulted in a Grammy Award nomination.
See more info at johnparr.net
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Wednesday, April 5, 2017
OKCupid: New homepage and sign up procedure.
Please remember OKCupid is in war with Tinder.
Both owned by Match Group.
SA article: "Match Group: Could Tinder's Explosive Growth Be Under Threat?"
Alexa shows an inverse spike after 2017 New Year's Eve for several online dating sites including Match, PlentyOfFish, Zoosk, eHarmony, EliteSingles and many more!
Publicado por FERNANDO_ARDENGHI en 6:36 AM
Etiquetas: match group, OKcupid, tinder
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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AlexandAlexa create a 'no rules' approach to dressing for S/S 19
Dec 24, 2018 | By Rose Garrod
Jan 17, 2014
It's our favorite time of year! We're kicking off our F/W 14 coverage with a stop in Florence, checking out Pitti Bimbo.
Bursts of raspberry hues feel refreshing as the color gains traction across classifications while neutral animal, peacock, and Aztec prints add a sophisticated touch. Designs for girls gravitate toward sparkle details on leggings and jersey sweatshirts along with pleated jersey skirts and boxy dolman tees with high-low hems. Boys move towards marled yarn raglan tees, quilted baseball jackets and iridescent puffer jackets. Babies look extra sweet in gnome hoods.
Along with spotting some of the latest trends, we checked out two new brands we can't help but love. Newcomers RaspberryPlum blew us away with their fresh remix of nautical meets prep school while Japan-based HisashiHidanoBaby adds an unexpected flair to footwear, adding shark bites and bones to soles.
The brands shown above:
Know what's next. Become a WGSN member today to benefit from our daily trend intelligence, retail analytics, consumer insights and bespoke consultancy services.


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In Josh's family, they have the tradition of writing a Thanksgiving Day psalm and sharing it with the family. Here is mine...
I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Even though it seems everything is changing,
the very foundations of our lives uprooted...
Yet will I trust Him. I will praise Him for His faithfulness.
He holds the future in His hands.
Even though our family is shaken by the fragility of health,
the touch of cancer too close for comfort...
Yet will I trust Him. I will praise Him for His faithfulness.
He holds our lives and health in His hands.
Even though this baby came at an unexpected time of transition,
making this mother wonder and worry at the details...
Yet will I trust Him. I will praise Him for His faithfulness.
He holds the plan for this little life in His hands.
Even though leaving the future of these people, this place, this work
that we have come to love is so difficult...
Yet will I trust Him. I will praise Him for His faithfulness.
He holds this body of believers in His hands. He will complete it.
As the mountains surround [us]
So the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forevermore.
View from our backyard of the mountains on Thanksgiving morning 2010
Isaiah 43:1-3, 7, 10-13
But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior... Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.... "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?"
Isaiah 43:1-3, 7, 10-13
Thursday, November 25, 2010
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Are you interest in Italian architecture? Do you want to know what architecture you simply must see on your holiday to Italy? Our guide to architecture in Italy gives you the facts & information you'll want to know.
Ancient Rome was once the world's superpower and capital of culture. While much of what Italy achieved in its history may be no longer be easily accessible to ordinary people toady, this is not the case with Roman architecture in Italy. The origins of Roman architecture in Italy actually lie with the Greeks, some of whom migrated to the south of Italy bringing their knowledge of architecture with them. The legacy of Greek architecture in Italy can still be seen today in some temples scattered across the south of Italy including Sicily. The Romans learnt architecture from the Greeks and developed it to create works of architecture on a much grander scale. Although by no means the only surviving example of Roman architecture in Italy, the Coliseum in Rome represents the pinnacle of Roman architecture in Italy and gives the visitor an idea of how developed architecture was in Italy nearly three thousand years ago.
Roman Architecture outside Italy
Apart from Roman architecture in Italy, examples of Roman architecture survive as far away as England in the west where Hadrian's Wall stands, and to the East, the remains of an entire Roman town can still be seen at Ephesus in Turkey.
Byzantine Architecture in Italy
After the decline of the Roman Empire, leadership in the field of Architecture passed to the Byzantine Empire based in modern day Istanbul. Architecture in Italy from this period has obvious Byzantine influences which are most visibly seen the in the Basilica of St Mark in Venice.
Romanesque Architecture in Italy
The Romanesque school of architecture originated in the North of Italy in the 11th century and remained the dominant style of Architecture in Italy, France and Spain for about one hundred years. Romanesque architecture in Italy is characterised by the prolific use of semi circles in several aspects of architecture including all doorways and window frames. Those interested in seeing examples of Romanesque architecture in Italy should visit the town of Pisa in the north of Italy.
Gothic Architecture in Italy
Gothic architecture was the school of architecture that replaced Romanesque in much of Western Europe. Although gothic architecture has its roots in France, it spread quite quickly to Italy in the 12th century and remained popular until the 13th century. A good example of architecture in Italy built in the Gothic style is the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi.
Renaissance Architecture in Italy
The Renaissance was a time of great advances in art in Italy. Renaissance architecture, among other things, is notable for its use of art to adorn the walls and ceiling of buildings. Several great names in Italian art such as Raphael and Michelangelo were central to the development of Christian art in Italy during the Renaissance under the patronage of the pope. One of the most famous examples of the fusion between Renaissance art and architecture can be found at St Peter's Basilica in Rome.


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Just had to share what our lovely 4 year old daughter Lydia, thought of last Tuesday's civic duties on election day. We all went as a family to the local elementary school so Daddy & I could cast our ballots. The children were great, very patient as we checked in, filled out the forms, and checked out.
However, when we got back to the car, Lydia asked where we were going next. "We're taking Daddy to work and then going home, honey." "But Mommy, we never got into the BOAT!"
Saturday, November 11, 2006
1 comment:
- Martha A. said...
That is funny! Amazing what children will do to our words!
- November 16, 2006 at 9:40:00 AM PST
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Dry Body Brush
A body brush that reduces cellulite and exfoliates dry skin. Read More
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The dry body brush helps reduce cellulite for smoother, softer skin by stimulating and increasing blood circulation. The brush promotes skin elasticity and exfoliates dry flaky skin leaving your skin feeling refreshed & healthy.


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The San Diego County Water Authority announced a tentative agreement Thursday to buy all of the output of what will be the Western Hemisphere's largest seawater desalination plant, clearing a major hurdle for construction. The plant in Carlsbad will produce 50 million gallons a day, enough to supply about 7 percent of the San Diego region in 2020. If the deal is approved by the water authority board, the developer, Poseidon Resources, would sell bonds to finance 82 percent of the project, estimated at $900 million. San Diego would pay $2,042 to $2,290 for an acre-foot of water, more than twice what it pays to buy water from outside the region.Continue reading the main story
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This week's episode of The Sporkful podcast is up! Listen through the player or iTunes/Podcasts app. (And please subscribe!)
A while back we had legendary food critic Mimi Sheraton on the show. She told a story about a time she had 104 pastrami sandwiches in her car. She was taking them to a scale to weigh them to see which Jewish deli gave you the biggest sandwich for your money.
Well a Sporkful listener named Bill in San Clemente, California, heard that episode and called in with a pretty provocative question...
Do places make smaller sandwiches for women?
This week on The Sporkful, we set off on a mission around New York City with our friend Laura "L.V." Anderson. We buy a bunch of sandwiches, weigh them, and crunch the numbers to see if the sandwiches made for her are smaller than the ones made for me.
(Actually, our friend Lauren Hale, a researcher at Stony Brook University, crunched our sandwich stats -- better to leave the fancy math to the experts!)
We carefully selected four places where the sandwich maker also takes your order. Laura and Dan went into each place, one after the other, and ordered the same sandwich from the same sandwich maker. Then we took our twin sandwiches back to WNYC and weighed them on the mail room scale.
There are SO MANY factors to consider in an experiment like this.
Like what if a sandwich maker is unconsciously discriminating against women? Or what if it's not gender that tips the scales of justice, but rather height or race or profession? (Would you bulk up a sandwich for a ballerina -- or a construction worker?) And what if the sandwich maker is a woman?
Is sandwich sexism real? Listen in to the full episode to hear the results of our investigation. (And be sure to check out Laura's companion piece on Slate!)
And you can contribute to sandwich science by going out your favorite sandwich place with someone of the opposite sex, buying two identical sandwiches at same time of day and made by the same person. (Make sure you weigh them before you take a bite.)
Email us your results, and Professor Hale will crunch the new numbers!
This week's episode of The Sporkful podcast is up! Listen through the player or iTunes/Podcasts app. (And please subscribe!)
Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!
This is a rebroadcast of an earlier episode.
This show features the song "Let's Make A Sandwich" by the amazing Two Man Gentleman Band.
Interstitial music in this episode by Black Label Music:
- "Scrambloid" by Kenneth J. Brahmstedt
- "Hip Hop Slidester" by Steve Pierson
- "Can You Dig It" by Cullen Fitzpatrick
- "Midnight Grind" by Cullen Fitzpatrick
- "Private Detective" by Cullen Fitzpatrick
Photos: FlickrCC/jeffreyww, FlickrCC/donkeyhotey, FlickrCC/bionicgrrrl, FlickrCC/Maria-Marta Nemes


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Friday, November 19, 2010
Tattoo Friday
12 comments:
- AnonymousNovember 19, 2010 at 11:58 AM
Oh wow that's an awesome tattoo :DReplyDelete
Sometimes I'm tempted to get my favourite characters permently printed on me but I'ma big ol' coward at the end of the day!
This is great, maybe I'll finally get an idea for my Sam and Max tattoo.ReplyDelete
That's really awesome. It must be a huge honor to have a silly cartoon you draw for fun to be engraved upon someone's skin permanently.ReplyDelete
Or at least kinda creepy.
Silly cartoon?!!!!!ReplyDelete
That's great, but it would be better to have one of a rat eating a snake, with the caption "Born to watch my rat eat a snake"ReplyDelete
Just kidding, it looks awesome :D
I think I should post a page of tattoo designs for folks to print and take to their local tat artist.ReplyDelete
Being a silly cartoon isn't a bad thing. I wasn't trying to insult it. It's in my top ten favorite things in the world, at least.ReplyDelete
I grovel at your feet, sir. It is an honor to have you mad at me.
In this context, "silly" obviously means profound and thought-provoking.ReplyDelete
I'd like a page of tattoo designs to print and take to my local tat artist. What the tat artist chooses to do with the page is up to their discretion.
Does Max have a tattoo of her on HIS shoulder? That'd be weird.ReplyDelete
Max is naked, so I think we would have seen it by now.ReplyDelete
I've never had a tattoo because I've never found something to be tattooed, now I know :DReplyDelete
something like this I think :D
I always wanted make a tattoo of the rats.ReplyDelete


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RankAttack technology does not submit your site to the search engines. Rather it creates a persona of popularity around your site in the eyes of the search engines. Brand new technology. The purpose in RankAttack technology is simple: get the search engines attention and make them want to list your Web site under the keywords you desire. The search engines need reason and incentive to include your Web site in their massive database--and they need big incentive to make you a high ranked listing. In the old days you could just modify your meta tags and submission programs and that was good enough--but that was the old days. Today there are billions of Web sites competing for the best ranks and you need to take your SEO efforts up a notch to contend. Take a moment and read about RankAttack technology before you download.
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|Windows Me Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows 98 Windows 95 Windows NT Windows
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Former nurse Malcolm Webster, 52, was found guilty in May of murdering Claire Morris in Aberdeenshire in 1994.
Webster, of Guildford, Surrey, had also denied attempting to kill Felicity Drumm in New Zealand in 1999.
He was jailed for life for the crimes, committed as part of a plot to claim almost £1 million in life assurance money.
At the High Court in Edinburgh, judge Lord Bannatyne said Webster – who must serve 30 years before he can apply for parole – had committed "cold-blooded, brutal and callous" crimes for financial gain.
He said: "The murder of your then wife was an appalling one and all right-minded people will be utterly shocked."
The 1994 crash was originally treated as an accident after Webster said he had swerved to avoid a motorcyclist. However, the crash was later reinvestigated, after concerns were raised in the wake of the second crash, in Auckland involving Felicity Drumm. New tests showed Ms Morris had traces of drugs in her system.
Malcolm Webster married Felicity Drumm, right, after Claire Morris died.
Webster was also found guilty of intending to bigamously marry Simone Banarjee, from Oban, Argyll, to gain access to her estate.
He pretended to have leukemia, and during the deception he shaved his head and eyebrows.
In January 2008 police warned her about Webster's past as they closed in on him.
In more Malcolm Webster related news, police are also investigating concerns over the deaths of three children at a hospital in Abu Dhabi where Webster worked in the 1980s.
Newswarped is impressed that the court had the sense to impose a hefty sentence on Malcolm Webster and remove him from society.


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To get dolled up is the ultimate end product of any shopper's existence. Think Pretty Woman if you don't understand. The popular 1990 movie where basically Julia Roberts' character goes into a fancy store and get snubbed by the staff, wearing her hooker dress on Rodeo Drive. A study out of Harvard Business School about nonconformity recently made the news, suggesting that dressing down might actually signal more purchase power and intent than someone wearing, say, a fur coat and a dress. The research — published in the Journal of Consumer Research and authored by doctoral student Silvia Bellezza and two Harvard professors — found that luxury shop assistants in Milan perceived those outfitted in gym clothes as more moneyed than people who were spiffed up. It makes sense, as confident types — and confidence is key here, you must come off like you're deviating from the norm on purpose — typically don't see the need to overcompensate. I tested the theory out for myself on a recent morning trip to the famous Robertson Blvd with my bff. Wearing sweats, converse and a light, plain unidentifiable cropped leather jacket, and cloth tote. I made sure I looked otherwise groomed and not homeless — showered, hair blown out, little makeup in tact with a swipe of berry Chanel lipstick. My bff was there to observe things from afar. It should be said that I know this experiment is far from scientific: It was a specific day at a specific time, with specific employees. By no means am I trying to make any blanket statements about the stores I went into, which I picked because either I've purchased from them before or just had good browsing experiences. The verdict? Don't go to fancy stores in sweatpants if you want people to fawn over you. True, there were some exceptions, but overall I was passed over — even when there were no other customers around. Not a great feeling. Of course, ideally, you shouldn't have to dress a certain way just to get someone to say hello to you, but I'd be lying, after going through this little escapade, if I said it didn't help (and of course, you could always ask for assistance first). But if you do indeed still want to dress down for your next day of retail therapy, I observed that a good handbag seems to trump all. Maybe even sweats.Read more →
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Saturday, March 29, 2014
House of Harlow released a ready-to-wear capsule collection in limited numbers last summer. This is Nicole Richie's accessories line, if you didn't know! It must have done pretty well, because now, just in time for (what else?) festival season, the brand has launched its first full ready-to-wear collection — and it's pretty much exactly what you'd expect from the brand. From laid-back, slouchy pants to geometric print tanks, it exudes the kind of easy California vibe we've become accustomed to seeing from House of Harlow, which first launched with accessories in 2009. "It's been so gratifying to see the fan base that has grown for our accessories over the years, so I'm thrilled to provide our loyal customers with fashion to complete their look," Richie said in a statement. "It's exciting that House of Harlow 1960 is now one step closer to being a complete lifestyle brand." The collection is available at www.houseofharlow1960.com, House of Harlow prices ranging between US$60 and US$300.Read more →
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When Lesley Hazleton was writing a biography of Muhammad, she was struck by something: The night he received the revelation of the Koran, according to early accounts, his first reaction was doubt, awe, even fear. And yet this experience became the bedrock of his belief. Hazleton calls for a new appreciation of doubt and questioning as the foundation of faith — and an end to fundamentalism of all kinds.
Lesley Hazleton: The doubt essential to faith
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A portrait – in poetry or painting – will seek to capture a likeness, but a likeness alone (however accurate) is not enough. The best portraits seem possessed by their subjects. Their wit, vigour, suffering, anger are not merely reflected but enacted every time the poem is read or the painting seen. The same is true of self-portraits, but they are much harder. We often mystify and misunderstand each other, but we are even more opaque to ourselves, so a powerful self-portrait is a work of exploration, an act of making. This often requires an imaginative leap (as with Neruda's Animal of Light), and the poems discussed below all make such leaps. Some are close to completion, others feel like work in progress, but they all – in different ways – do more than simply reflect. Without knowing the poets, it's impossible to say if their poems capture a likeness, but they all have a presence, and offer the reader a vivid encounter with a person. It's been a pleasure to read these self-portraits.
Daniel Brint's poem I Have Become Detailed is an unsettling and effective self portrait set in a place where self-possession is hard to achieve.
I have become detailed by Daniel Brint
I have become detailed, imaged, resonated.
Machines, nurses, orderlies render the minutiae
Of nerve and stem, define a new, reflected self
Of unsuspected complexity. I am passed through tunnels,
My atoms sifted in darkened rooms,
Defective blood scrutinized objectively.
In spaces mirrorless and bright.
A child's face against a dusty window
Flapped open to the air, eyes remain
Where flesh has withered, a cold perfume
Of chemicals and odorless poisons –
And now my father's face stares back,
As if, positioned at this nucleus of silence
Only extremes are revealed, and distances closed.
The central phrase (and current title) – I have become detailed - is very arresting, and calls to mind Keith Douglas's remarkable poem Simplify Me When I'm Dead. In Daniel Brint's poem, the sense of a person being scanned, monitored, observed in clinical detail is very well evoked, as is the bewildering array of medical technologies. In its current form, the repetition of the title in the first line weakens the opening of the poem, but it's so effective in the first line that I'd consider changing the title. In a few places, the punctuation works against the poem, as with the full stop after "objectively" at the end of line six, and the capitals at the start of each line seem unnecessary in a poem like this. Poems will often gain (as do short stories) from an earlier exit point, and I was tempted to suggest ending this poem with the strong image of the father's face. However, the last two lines are powerful, and their language (especially "nucleus of silence") fits the poem well.
Sarah Davies's poem is a quirky self portrait, seen through the arrival in her family of a dog, also called Sarah.
At fifteen, Mother called to me by the name of our dog by Sarah Davies
Sarah the daughter and Sarah the dog,
brindle bitch, dark tiger stripes and round her eyes, Cleopatra kohl
Her ribs, butterfly-folded, made you aware of what they were:
a cage for the heart
Sarah would not bite; she barely barked
She used to shiver when she was touched, but became accustomed to it
Loved running and the ground raced to catch her up
Walked with grace three steps behind,
her head narrow enough to slip the collar, but she stayed
Looked like she could win a race, but the lines were barely pure enough
Gouge on her muzzle from a fast hunt
She came to heel at the calling of her name,
given by the shelter girls; what a coincidence,
the same as the daughter of the house, though they
were never seen together
She haunted the father and the brother,
pulled slightly on the lead when it was the mother walking
because she carried all the shadows of the house with her
When asked how Sarah was, this mother said
thin, nervous both: the girl, the dog.
I'm a bit uncertain whether Sarah Davies intended At fifteen, mother called to me by the name of our dog to be the title of her poem or the first line. I think the long title (though I think long titles can be surprising and effective) doesn't work here because it gives away too much too soon. The poem describes very well the awkwardness of the daughter and dog having the same name, and the growing sense of similarity ("thin, nervous both") between them. The writing is spare and lucid, with occasional moments ("barely pure enough / Gouge on her muzzle…") when it seems to lose its way. There is punctuation in the poem, but it isn't carried through and used consistently, and the poem suffers in places for that. I'd also look again at the integrity of some of the lines. A line like "Looked like she could win a race, but the lines were barely pure enough" is so long that it's hard to maintain a sense of rhythm and unity. I think the final stanza (especially "she carried all the shadows of the house with her") is beautifully judged.
Dawn Hobbs's poem 7.15am is a portrait of youth and longing.
7.15 am by Dawn Hobbs
I drag my leather boots from under the bed,
my pink tights from the drawer,
and dress loosely;
tie a silk scarf behind my head
and look into the mirror.
I see the reflection of the window,
the avenue, the row of houses
on either side, down to where
they disappear in a blue haze
to the North,
and wonder why I dress this way
when so few see me.
I have a mind to travel
beyond the distant haze
to cities
where, in bars and crowds and sleaziness
I can blend
and pout my lips
and bore into the depths of old men's souls
with ice-blue eyes
(though mine are brown and smouldering)
One day all this will happen;
but now I strip,
pull on my jeans
my cotton shirt;
toss the leather boots back under the bed,
slip into cream shoes.
Soon I will grab the sandwiches my mother has made,
kiss her,
leave to catch the 8.05.
I like the way the whole scene is described through the mirror, and the story told through the detail of the choice of clothes, although the differences between the two outfits – at the beginning and end of the poem – could be clearer. The poem is particularly impressive when it looks deeper into the mirror, beyond the figure dressing, at the reflection of the window with its orderly rows of familiar houses and the "blue haze" beyond them with its promise of cities, "bars and crowds and sleaziness" and the future. The shift from the eyes in her imagined future to those in the mirror is effective, but some of the details in the poem could be pushed further, beyond the familiar territory of "ice blue" and "smouldering".
Harriet Torr's poem Myself As Flea is an engaging portrait that owes something to John Donne's famous poem The Flea.
Myself As Flea by Harriet Torr
When I left the circus,
I took to walking the streets,
looking for skirt. I've followed
your crimson petticoats from day one,
there's no end to lace and tulle,
your flourish on park benches
when you sit catching the sun.
But one day, I followed a shadow
in the folds of your coat
and you carried me indoors.
I swell with blood and pride,
plan places for division,
separate aisles between the bed and post,
your soft folds like plums to my thistledown probe.
This poem starts very well, with wit and swagger, and the play on "looking for skirt". Like Donne's poem, it describes a seduction, or an attempted seduction, but the swagger of the opening doesn't quite carry through. Most poems get tighter and shorter with redrafting, but I'd like to see this one get a little more expansive. I have a feeling that there's more to come from this poem, more detail and more swagger, carried by the voice of this sassy flea.


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NFPA-101 Life Safety Code & CMS Compliance for Healthcare Facilities
Due to the recently issued requirements by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), low-profile fire extinguishers are the only fire extinguishers which may be surface-mounted in the corridors of healthcare facilities while maintaining compliance with NFPA-101, Life Safety Code - 2012 edition. Otherwise, when surface-mounted, typical fire extinguishers that protrude more than 4-1/2" are not compliant.
|August 22, 2017
|Kevin Kozlowski
|Jump to Comments
Category : Codes & Standards | Building Management | Building Inspections
Tags :NFPA 101 | The Joint Commission | HFAP | DNV | CMS | Healthcare | Codes & Standards | ADA | Safety Inspection | SafetyScan | Fire Extinguisher
Atlanta I-85 Fire & Overpass Collapse: Revisiting Hazardous Material Storage Requirements
It is estimated that over 220,000 vehicles travel daily over the stretch of interstate damaged in last week's fire, just north of midtown Atlanta, GA. As commuters struggle with the new reality in a city already plagued by traffic woes, Georgia Department of Transportation officials, investigators and fire and safety officials search for answers in the wake of the disaster. At the same time, those responsible for establishing and enforcing codes and requirements aimed at preventing these incidents look to learn and adapt in the wake of the event.
|April 06, 2017
|Joe Scibetta
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Category : Codes & Standards | Industry Perspective
Tags :NFPA 1 | IFC | Codes & Standards | NFPA 400 | Industry News
Louisiana State Fire Marshal Provides Guidance for Businesses Regarding Reopening After Historic Flood
The Louisiana State Fire Marshal released guidelines and requirements for businesses who plan to reopen following the historic flooding that impacted the region recently. An estimated 6.9 trillion gallons of water fell across the impacted area in early to mid-August.
The following guidelines as published earlier today are in effect through the end of November 2016:
|August 26, 2016
|David Spence
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Category : Codes & Standards | Building Management
Tags :Facility Management | Building Owner | Codes & Standards | OSHA | Lousiana | State Fire Marshal | Natural Disaster
OSHA Penalties Skyrocket 80% with Changes Effective August 1, 2016
Effective August 1st (2016), companies with more than 250 employees can expect increased scrutiny and fines under OSHA's new enforcement and penalty policies. Area directors from OSHA can offer companies with fewer than 250 employees a fine reduction of 20%.
Under the new guidelines, fines for incidents increased by 80% to a maximum of $124,709 per citation. If multiple employees are involved - and the violation is deemed egregious by OSHA - the offending company can be cited for each employee at the full $124,709 per citation. The penalty for willful and/or repeat violations is now set at $12,470, and the timeframe for classifying a violation as willful or repeat was expanded by two years, from a 3-year period to 5 years.
|August 22, 2016
|David Spence
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Category : Codes & Standards | Building Management | Building Inspections
Tags :Facility Management | Building Owner | Codes & Standards | Best Practices | OSHA | Industrial
CMS Top 10 Life Safety Code Violations & the New Final Rule
Audits by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services accredited agencies can cause sleepless nights for those responsible for fire and life safety systems in healthcare occupancy types. Not only can the outcome lead to having to cut employees loose and steep fines, but because these audits results are reported publicly it can also have a negative impact from a public relations standpoint.
The fact is only 20% of facilities pass annually with zero discrepancies. To help facility management and maintenance better prepare for audits the CMS release a list of the top ten life safety discrepancies by the percentage of facilities cited. Keeping these in mind when preparing for an audit could help you become the one in five to pass your next audit rather than the exception.
|August 10, 2016
|David Spence
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Category : Building Management | Building Inspections | Codes & Standards
Important NFPA Code updates to ScanSeries & Reports
As a result of frequent requests from healthcare format users using SprinklerScan, there is a NFPA 25 1998 edition year option now available for SprinklerScan on the Setup page and Building Edit page.
|October 29, 2015
|Joe Scibetta
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Category : Codes & Standards | Tips, Tricks & How-To's
Tags :ScanSeries | Product Update | Codes & Standards | NFPA 25 | Healthcare
Codes and Standards: Keeping in Step Will Keep You Moving Forward
With hundreds of different devices and systems on the market, it is imperative for fire and life safety professionals to be knowledgeable about the codes and standards that apply locally in order to ensure code-compliant inspections and testing.
Such knowledge, in turn, needs to be as ongoing and evolving as the dynamic code development process itself. Revisions to codes and standards typically take place every three to five years. With these periodic revisions, significant changes that affect inspection, testing and maintenance are often applied as a result of the vitally important, interactive relationship among manufacturers, researchers, engineers and other experts in the fire and life safety industry.
|October 16, 2014
|Joe Scibetta
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Category : Codes & Standards | Industry Perspective
Tags :Codes & Standards | Best Practices | NFPA | AHJ | Resources


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40 days. Forty days is what we have Sweet Sisters as we journey into 2017 and read The Purpose Driven Life together. In the Bible, Noah endured 40 days of rain, Moses and His people 40 years in the desert, and Jesus was tested for 40 days in the desert. Forty is a time of Testing in the Bible that produces growth and depth. In modern times, the reality show Survivor is also based on this 40 day time period. A lot of growth can happen in 40 days. We are going to spend two days on each of the 40 chapters so we really are going to do this over Eighty days sweet sister….So I am hoping for twice the powerful impact on our lives. Are you ready?
"I was made by God, for God" Say it out- loud my sister.
The God of the Universe wants to spend time with you.
The Holy God of the Universe wants to have a love relationship and just spend time with you. We are selfish, broken and sinful and yet He continues to woo us.
How can we comprehend something so incomprehensible?
Just keep saying it over and over "I was made by God, for God"


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WELCOME to our Technique Blog Hop!! This month there are 13 of us highlighting "Quick Glitz" as shown on page 35 of the
Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book under Tips and
Techniques. This blog is a great big circle so you can start wherever you want and continue through to see all the fabulous artwork incorporating this technique.
Let's get started!
If you are coming from Sheila Wilkersons' blog, then you are on the right track!
Will the Cricut cut slippery material like a heavy transparency? Absolutley! I admit, I was a little nervous, but it cut it like butta!I have been kicking this idea around for awhile, and decided to give it a try. I used my Art philosophy cartridge and cut an offset circle
on my 12x12 clear sheet. Then I applied StazOn White ink with a sponge around the circle to give it the frosted window look. Then stamped all kinds of snowflakes around the page.
|Add some Bling and glitz baby!
|Can't wait to get a photo in there!
|BEFORE-page without glitter glitz applied to page-BORING!
I used the Snowflakes stamp set #D1480, which I also was able to cut the image out with the cricut and stamped Snow Flurries #D1384. What pretty snowflakes! I also used liquid glass to apply the bling in the center of each of the big snowflakes and some silver Glitz glitter gel (Z1482)around the center of the rhinestone. Then I used some Stardust glitter Gel and applied some swirls around the circle I cut in the page, and added some more chunky glitter on top of that! Talk about sparkle. WHoa!!! The snowflakes I cut out using the Art Philosophy cartridge, where all glittered up too, along with the "SNOW" title.
The background paper I used behind the clear page is "Magnifique".
Any Questions please feel free to e-mail me at email@example.com
or post a comment
Please! Check out the WHILE SUPPLIES LAST section on my website. There are lots of great deals!
Now hop on over to Debi Barber's blog.(The beginning of the hop)While there you will find a listing of all participants and their blog addresses if you should get lost or want to reference a blog along the way.
Thanks for looking, and come back and visit my blog
often for some more great Cricut and stamping ideas.
one more project....
|Love that little ribbon slide!! Looks like Santas Belt Buckle!!
Hope you found some inspiration here..
Merry Christmas!


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Our Philosophy
The NeuroMedical Center Philosophy
Excellence in the Neurosciences and Care of the Spine.
To be a Nationally known Center of Excellence for Neurosciences and for Treatment of Neurological and Neurosurgical Disorders.
High Quality of Care | High Patient Satisfaction | Sound Moral and Ethical Decision Making | Efficiency Including a Reasonable Profit | Team Spirit or "Esprit de Corp"


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If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the East of the River Career Exposure Camp at:
The Southeast White House a.k.a. "The People's House"
2014 Career Exposure Summer Camp
Attention: Ms. Christina Henderson
2909 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E.
Washington DC 20020
Telephone: 202-581-0800
Or by email to:
Please note, you will receive a quicker response by email.


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Rouse cross country is starting the next phase of the season at the Cedar Park Cross Country Invitational on Saturday.
Until now, head coach Kelly Thompson said the Raiders have still been on a summer training schedule. The race at Cedar Park signifies when they switch to race specific training leading up to the district and regional meets in late October.
"The Cedar Park meet is a huge meet and it's a tough course," Thompson said. "It runs a little differently than the other courses. It's a good one to see when we stand. Up to now, we've just been racing for assessments as to where we are."
The Cedar Park meet begin at 7 a.m. at the Cedar Park Cross Country Course with the elite girls' 5K and the elite boys' 5K with seven runners apiece followed by the varsity boys' and girls' races featuring 10 runners.
The race will be followed by a 2-mile fun run to help raise funds to support the Cedar Park cross country team. You can sign up to participate until Sept. 16 at cpxctrack.com.
Rouse sent its entire girls team to the state meet last season and sent one boy, James Tisdale to Old Settlers Park. Most of the girls' team is back this time around and Tisdale leads an improved boys team looking to get back to the state meet as a group.
Junior Emily Forster finished second at the Pflugerville meet last Saturday with a time of 19:11.13. Rouse freshman Sydney Knight finished third at 19:24.60. Megan Ombres' seventh place finish completed the trio of Raiders in the top 10.
Rouse won the meet with 33 points and had all five scoring runners finish in the Top 15 of the overall race.
Vista Ridge's Madison Chang finished in the Top 10 at the Pflugerville meet as well, finishing in 19:27.20.
The Vista Ridge boys duo of Nick Alfaro (16:26.55) and Sasha Longmire (16:30.83) finished in 12th and 13th place, respectively. The Rangers' boys team took third overall with 117 points, 83 behind the winners from Stony Point.
Rouse senior James Tisdale, a state competitor from a season ago, finished second in the boys' race with a time of 15:40.40 and Danny Madrid came in sixth at 15:51.47.
"The kids want it," Thompson said. "They had a great summer of working together. There aren't a lot of them, but the ones that are there want to be successful and they know they can be successful."
Even though Vandegrift is replacing most of its girls' team, the Lady Vipers don't have lower expectations. The boys' team, meanwhile, features some talented runners that are hoping to get back to the state meet.
Jordan Mathis leads the girls and won the St. Andrews meet last weekend with a time of 18:28.00. Brianna Garza finished sixth at 19:23.30, Kylie Bryan's ninth 19:36.70 and freshman Gemma Goddard finished 10th with a time of 19:44.50.
On the boys' side, Anthony Monte came in third place and finished with a time of 16:03.80. He ran a15:51.00 at the Marcus Invitational near Dallas last weekend and finished 10th. The Vandegrift school record is near 15:25, according to head coach Collin Sully.
"I've been very pleased with how the season has progressed," Sully said. "We have some amazing freshmen girls coming up and a group of boys that have their eyes set on one goal. The kids that put in the work and have trusted the process have really been reaping the rewards."


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You can pick and choose various LZ77 variants - for LZMA as well as for other LZ77-based formats like Deflate. Of course this choice can be extended to the compression formats themselves. There are two ways of dealing with this choice.
- You compress your data with all variants and choose the smallest size - brute force, post-selection; this is what the ReZip recompression tool does
- You have a criterion for selecting a variant before the compression, and hope it will be good enough - this is what Zip.Compress, method Preselection does (and the ZipAda tool with -eps)
A criterion appearing obviously by playing with recompression is the uncompressed size (one of the things you know before trying to compress).
Obviously the BT4 (one of the LZ77 match finders in the LZMA SDK) variant is better on larger sizes than the IZ_10 (Info-Zip's match finder for their Deflate implementation), but is it always the case ? Difficult to say on this graphic. But, if you cumulate the differences, things begin to become interesting.
Funny, isn't it ? The criterion would be to choose IZ_10 for sizes smaller than the x-value where the green curve reaches its bottom, and BT4 for sizes larger than that x-value.
Another (hopefully) interesting chart is the way the probability model in LZMA (this time, it's the "MA" part explained last time) is adapted to new data. The increasing curves show the effect of a series of '0' on a certain probability value used for range encoding; the decreasing curves show the effect of a series of '1'. On the x-axis you have the number of steps.


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My dear beloved brother, you will probably never see this leave alone read it, but still, I will write it. I write this letter with a heavy heart and with cries and pains no words can describe because it is about you, my loving brother. I remember when we were young and dad had just gotten a transfer, it was me, you and him before the others could join us. You were a very responsible boy, played your duties as an older sibling diligently and lovingly. You would wake up early, prepare breakfast, and serve it, before rushing to school yourself. Those were the good old days.
Then you grew up, adolescence came together with its bag of challenges. I do not know if you were not too strong to overcome them or you just chose to entertain them. The sweet, handsome, bright young boy was quickly replaced by something else. Suddenly, school was an option, education became just another word and drugs became your closest friends. How you managed to finish school beats me but God has his ways. You finished but failed since you were a bright boy who chose to waste his life. You are a great thinker and quite good in literature and have your way with words, traits I have noticed. I doubt if you have seen them yourself. The transition from teenage to adulthood has been the worst. You became a great shadow of your former self. Always drinking, always smoking whilst supplementing with other drugs. You chose to hang with bad company, which surely corrupted your good morals. You began wasting away, not only physically but also mentally, emotionally and spiritually. You became your own idol. Pleasing yourself at whatever costs. So many times you've escaped death narrowly, evaded arrest plus a myriad of things we may not know of. Do you ever see the hand of God in all these?
You drink, laugh and merry with your friends but deep down you are a tormented soul. Deep down you long for home, you long for peace, you want out. Why can't you see it brother, you cannot do this on your own. In and by yourself there is no capacity to change for the better. It is not your life; it was given to you, why not entrust it to God the sustainer of all life? You need God brother. Do you ever see the pain you cause us, your family? Yes, you do not just affect your life but those of people around you. We tried loving you, then we became angry, anger grew to resentment and bitterness for some of us. We do not understand you. We try but we don't. We don't understand how you would just let yourself go, how you would waste your life, throw it all away. Many a times we have failed you as your family, many a times, we have not shown you love; we have given up on you, forgetting that we ourselves aren't any better and it's only by God's grace that we are what we are. So, I pray for you brother. I pray to God that you may find solace in Him. That He may enable you to kill your idols and worship the God who sits on the throne. I pray that when the trumpet blows for you, you will be found ready. I pray salvation; I pray freedom, love and joy. I pray for us too, that we may learn to understand you, to love you, appreciate you more and show you mercy and grace just as we have received the same. I pray for you brother, because I love you and it hurts that you are wasting your life.
With these few remarks, I put my pen down and continue praying for you. Lord help me not to give up, not forgetting that salvation is from you and that what seems impossible with man you can do it. Even the vilest sinner, you can save. Therefore, I cast him in your care. To all with unbelieving family members, keep praying, keep loving and keep trusting. He who is above all shall surely come through, in His wisdom and time.
Your Loving Sister,
Grace & Peace


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This is a list of the best web builders online. Most of them are free. If you want to create your website yourself, this is what you are looking for.
Sometimes we have a difficult time communicating with web designers or web developers. We can't understand them or they can't understand us… it get's messy. The solution to those problems is that we should use an online web builder and create the website our self. You'd be shocked to know how simple this stuff has become.
If you want to make a personal web page, business website or even an e-commerce business, you can do it all without even consulting with a web developer.
Here are some more Free Website Builders.
These web builders will help you to design your website, which is a very easy thing to do since all you do is drag and drop. There's always guidance available for publicizing and other relevant stuff there is to running a website.
Free Web Builders
All these web builders offer free account but that doesn't mean there's no paid account. You'll have to check whether you need a paid account or the free ones are enough.
This is a web builder designed for designers. This tool focuses especially to give shape to your imaginations. Of course, you don't need any HTML knowledge to do that.
Probably the most popular website builder on internet today. It suits everyone, it is updated regularly, you can choose from hundreds of designs, your site looks good to search engines, and you can get all this for free. What else can one want?
Aircus let business or individuals to create simple responsive website for free. They don't need any technical knowledge, they just follow simple wizard. Created website works on all different devices from PC, tablets to mobile phones.
Features of Weebly are unmatched! On their free account, you can use your own domain name, you can place ads (Google Adsense etc.) but Weebly doesn't place any ads. These features are very very hard to find in free packages.
Another very popular web builder. It became popular instantly, thanks to highly valuable domain name. But on the other side, you don't find many free subdomains available, most of the good user names are booked. Nevertheless, features are impressive and they are long runner, you can trust them and buy a premium package if you'd like to.
Let's Eat
Quote from website: Restaurants are hard work. Websites shouldn't be.
This is a website builder exclusively designed for restaurants and bars.
Yola is very useful for small business owners. They love if for its tools and services. I found the price plans for paid packages a bit higher but they can be worth it.
Using Webnode is a dream comes true for the newcomers, but techies don't find it that attractive. It is fast, easy and free, these three words define Webnode in the best way but "easy" would be the written in bold words. You can also create a blog here.
Probably the best choice if you want to create an online store quickly. Fairly easy to use packed to Paypal transaction tools, ecommerce tools etc.If you are a photographer or a designers, having a personal shop online can be a very good idea.
Web Starts
Web Starts is not that popular actually, but it does happen to have quite a few virtues. One can use his own domain, that's a huge convenience. Another perk of using this web builders is its compatibility with search engines.
Overall, this is a nice little web builder if you are a business user. Probably not that good for portfolios.
Doodle Kit
I just said WebStarts is not a ideal for making portfolios. On the other hand, Doodle Kit is perfect for portfolios, albums and gallery type stuff. Doodle Kit has been around for quite some time so it deserves your attention.
This list can't be completed without Moonfruit. Millions of websites are running on Moonfruit and it is one of the most popular web builders on the planet.
One of the oldest runners in online web builders. The most impressive feature I found here is that they give free $50 credits free website accounts. That's odd, but they are doing it.
The best choice for creating personal pages. Very simple, very effective. You won't get much search engine optimization or other techie stuff, but that's why I only mentioned personal pages.
Relatively a new web builder but it has bagged a lot of success. Personally I don't think this is good for you if you are DIYing a website for the first time. WiX (2nd in the list) should be a better one.
Snap Pages
Like Roxer, SnapPages is ideal for creating personal pages but it also contains some high-end features.
Created mainly for business users who want to do some kind of e-commerce on their website.
This is a mixture of CMS and web builder. You'd love it if you work with word processors a lot.
Google Sites
I almost forgot Google.
After the fall of Yahoo's Geocities and MSN's Windows Live Spaces, Google Sites is the lone surviving web builder from once troika of web builders.
Google sites focuses on collaborative sites, realtime collaboration portals etc.
To conclude, it is great choice for some, but many find it hectic and unnecessarily complicated. They find it so because they do not need collaborative features.
Premium Only Web Builders
This tool focuses on building multilingual professional websites. Of course, this is a businessman's choice and they do deliver high-quality professional results.
An excellent web builder for creative people. They make it possible for you to create extra-ordinary results with barely ordinary effort.
I'm amazed to see it is still running. This was the first ever web builder I've ever used back in 2004. AngelFire is another web builder made at Lycos (the other one is Tripod, mentioned above) and it works reliably.
Designed for e-commerce businessmen. If you want to sell things online but you have a difficult time communicating with designers and web developers, just use 350.


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People have strived to whiten their teeth for ages. It is a known practice to be done since the times of Ancient Romans where they would use urine and goat milk to make their teeth whiter. Studies have been done that show people with whiter teeth are seen as more intelligent or successful. The key to a whiter smile can sometimes be a mystery for many people and products claim to whiten your smile but not always produce results. Here are 5 proven methods to produce a whiter smile.
In-Office Bleaching
In-office teeth whitening can be very expensive, but it produces results very quickly. In-office bleaching is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the world today. Dentist visits for this procedure are fairly quick and can take about 1 hour to complete the process. This form of whitening is also known as power bleaching and unlike other methods done in the comfort of your own home that use a low dose bleaching agent, This method uses a high concentration of bleaching gel in a controlled environment to produce results quickly and safely. Based on how soon you want a whiter smile this could be the option you want if cost isn't a factor and you want immediate results.
Teeth Whitening Strips
Teeth whitening strips were introduced in 2001 and have become the number one selling teeth whitening product in the US. You can find these strips in just about every drug store in the country. These inexpensive strips are easy to use and most of them really work. Be sure to check the amount of peroxide in them before buying because this method can usually take longer to produce results based on how strong the peroxide is they contain.
Teeth Whitening Gels and Trays
The results from teeth whitening gels and trays can vary anywhere from 3 days to a couple weeks based on how strong the peroxide is in the product. You can get these either over the counter or from your dentist, but it is recommended you get them from your dentist for the will have a stronger peroxide content and will produce results a lot quicker. Besides In-Office whitening this is probably the next best thing to produce results quickly and not as expensive. Another benefit of getting these from your Dentist and not over the counter is they will come with custom fit trays that fit your mouth perfectly.
Chewing Gums and Mints
As far as teeth whitening products go these would be newer ones on the market today. Chewing gum and mints became popular due to a demand for a whitening agent that can be used on the go in the office or just about anywhere. To make whitening chewing gum most affective, it is a good idea to chew after meals and after eating anything sweet because whitening chewing gum has the added benefit of stimulating saliva, which neutralizes the acids that cause tooth decay. You can find many brands offering these products such as Wrigley, Dazzle Smile and Orbit.
Tooth Pastes
Whitening Toothpastes work but not very effective as a purely whitening solution. Whitening toothpastes whiten by removing surface stains on your teeth caused by smoking or eating foods and drinking beverages such as coffee or blueberries. If used twice a day, whitening toothpaste typically takes two to four weeks to make your teeth whiter. Although research has shown that if you use whitening toothpastes that contain the chemical blue covarine, it can make your teeth appear whiter with immediate results. Blue covarine sticks to the surface of your teeth to make them appear less yellow. This is one of the cheapest methods to whiten your teeth so if cost is a factor, start with the toothpaste.
By Stephen Cowan, Stephen is a freelance writer and internet marketing guru with a wide range of known topics and expertise in the SEO industry.


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I read an interesting article written by Gladys Lam on the business rules community website.
She argues that a business rule is not a "requirement," instead that requirements implement business rules. This is another example of the different ways that our industry uses the word "requirement."
I will continue to urge Business Analysts to use a broader definition of the word requirement. In this case, I include business rules in the list of requirements that belong in a requirements package. Again I refer to the definition of the word requirement in the new IIBA Body of Knowledge ". . a condition or capability needed by a stakeholder . . .". I think that business rules are needed to solve a business problem or achieve an objective. Yes, business rules exist outside of any particular implementation. So do business processes and business information. These components make up a business model that is implementation independent.
To view the article follow this link: http://www.brcommunity.com/b290.php. A username and password are required to read the article.


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Some nice new cycling infrastructure in Ward One, including improved physically separated two-way bike lane over highway 403 (Ministry of Transportation Ontario), and a new extension of the two-way cycling lanes west of Macklin to Paradise (with a further extension to come in the spring) courtesy the City of Hamilton and Ward One councillor Brian McHattie (also some credit must go to McHattie for using a participatory budget process for his ward which identified cycling lanes as a priority).
The above photo reveals the first bike-specific traffic light in the city, newly installed to address the two way bike traffic on a one-way street.
The other innovation is the raised bike lane with a newly relocated bus stop. A sign and pavement markings warn cyclists to yield to pedestrians who will cross the cycling lane to board and disembark the bus.


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Speke Hotel is the part of The Speke Group of Hotels and is proudly owned by The Ruparelia Group of Companies.
One of Kampala's oldest hotels, Speke Hotel was taken over by The Ruparelia Group in the year 1996. It was given a major facelift so as to add comforts to age and grace, all rooms were air conditioned, and wooden floors, satellite television and a minibar installed.
Speke Hotel is located in the heart of Kampala. Close to banks and business centers it offers all the charms of bygone days now complimented by efficient, modern services and facilities. Its restaurants offer a selection of dishes, there is daily entertainment, and the hotel has a well stocked bar and there are business meeting venues available.
Speke Hotel has three Restaurants and a Bar: Pizzeria – The Italian Cuisine, Khyber Pass – The Indian Cuisine, Rock Café – The Continental Cuisine and Rock Bar – The Cocktail Bar.
Speke Hotel holds a special place in the history of Uganda, you are most welcome to experience the natural hospitality by the people of Uganda.


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Comments Count! One Reader's Has Already Saved Lives.
This post is my contribution to the UN Foundation's Shot @ Life Blog Relay. Thirty bloggers are participating in this relay and I'm #6. The first 1,500 comments left on the previous five relay posts have already raised $30,000 for childhood vaccines ($20 per comment) in a matter of days! $20 is what it costs for one child to receive four life-saving vaccines: measles, pneumonia, diarrhea and polio; preventable diseases like these take the life of a child every 20 seconds. Even though the initial donation has already been reached, new fundraising efforts have been started (like by Anne Geddes) to continue to match each comment with $20. [Update: a new donor has stepped in and contributed $170,000 in extra funding to match comments left throughout the Shot @ Life Blog Relay. So the comments left already on this post did count. You raised $2,000+ already!!! Thank you. In addition to the original $30,000 funding, a total of 10,000 vaccines (worth $200k) will be provided if y'all keep commenting on THIS POST (that is new) and relay members' posts through the end of the month. Each one of your comments means $20 in vaccines are donated. YAYAY!]
As part of the Shot @ Life Blog Relay, the 30 of us bloggers are writing about someone whose comments have lifted us and/or inspired us in our blogging journey. When I read our blog relay challenge, my mind immediately jumped to a post written several years ago by Amalah on her Pregnancy Calendar.
Amalah is the pseudonym of Amy Corbett Storch, who has contributed to our site from day one. During her second pregnancy with her now preschooler son Ezra, I asked Amy to write about it in the form of a weekly pregnancy calendar. It was an instant hit and continues to be a source of great information and inspiration to expectant moms even years later.
During "Week 32" of Amalah's Pregnancy Calendar, Amy focused on pre-term labor and emergency visits to the hospital. She tells the story of visiting Labor & Delivery during the evening and how she, too, grappled with the common should-I-shouldn't-I-go to the emergency room that many expectant moms face. BUT! Amy's common sense words and authoritative, yet friendly, tone said it all:
And then, came the most important reader comment that we have ever received at Alpha Mom:
That comment, combined with Amalah's trusty advice, led to this:
AND this:
AND, we received an email from a mom sharing that she too went to the hospital based on remembering these words and it saved the lives of her and her newborn.
I can't tell you how proud I am of Amy for her writing here on Alpha Mom. But that one Pregnancy Calendar entry, that one comment from Lauren, that has saved lives. Damn, that brings tears to my eyes.
You guys are essential to making this place helpful. You push us to make sure we're thinking critically about things. You add perspective to what we share. Your words, your comments count.
Thank you.
But, I'm not done yet. Because of this Shot @ Life Blog Relay you can also help save lives with your comments. As I indicated above, $30,000 has already been raised for vaccines for 1,5000 children in developing countries (in just a few days!) and new funds are currently being raised (like through this effort by famous photographer Anne Geddes) to continue to match the comments you leave here on this post and on other blog relay posts through the month of August.
So please leave a comment and tell us about a blog or website you read where the comments teach and inspire you.
You can leave a comment on the other posts as well. Tomorrow, I'm passing the virtual donations baton to Tiany Davis of Social Savvy Mom. Visit her site and leave a comment there too, and fingers crossed, they will all be funded, giving more children a shot at life.
[Update: starting at 10am EST on Thurs, Aug 9, please continue to leave your comments on this blog as they will CONTINUE TO COUNT for vaccine grant money (there is now funding of and additional $170k for a total of $200k). EACH ONE OF YOUR COMMENTS IS WORTH $20 in children's vaccines. Thank you for your support!]


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The Puffins had already left Farne Islands for the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean the week before we arrived at Seahouses in late July. But that didn't stop us to visit Staple Island – the boat trip alone around the outer islands was worth it…and, in the end, we did see some Puffins after all. And then there were the Cormorants, thousands of them, and other seabirds, of course. But seeing Cormorants for the first time in a natural setting, watching them spread their wings to dry, was one of many things I'll never forget about this wonderful trip.
The shots below were taken when we waited for our boat to pick us back from Staple Island after we had had about an hour's exploration time. I watched a group of Cormorants getting on with their everyday life, ignoring their snap-happy onlookers.
Oooh, I've got an itchy bum! Ah, some loose feathers… Mmmh, that feels better now. , What????
Yes, a Puffin 🙂