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I'm so pleased that you've stopped by for a visit. It is my wish that you will find encouragement and understanding as a fellow law enforcement family member. I want to provide some background on who I am and why I hope you join me on this journey.
Many of you are in the same boat. Loneliness. Unknowns. Fear. They are parts of the LE family life.
From that day forward, we were in for quite an adventure. His job has led us from the streets of Los Angeles to the foothills of gold rush history; from the garlic-scented farms of Gilroy to the suburbs of Sacramento (twice). Each place had its own personality, with different people and flavor of experience. We've made a lot of friends along the way, and have wonderful memories of each place.
Meanwhile, Brent and I brought four children into our family. Two girls, two boys – a good balance. I spent ten years homeschooling our kids in response to their individual needs academically and emotionally. I retired in May 2011, with the confidence that it was the best ten-year investment we ever made. Already, we are reaping the rewards as we see their young lives progress. Currently we are caring for a beautiful college graduate who loves children and travel, a married CarMax appraiser/buyer, a gifted college student studying nutrition science, and a high school athlete whom the ladies seem to favor.
We have lived alongside police officers all these years, going through the ups and downs together. About ten years ago, we made a conscious decision to reach out to even more police families. Our department had seen an increase in the number of suicides and on-duty deaths, and opportunities presented themselves. It intensified after Brent took the helm of the CHP Academy. Through the partnership of other officers, wives and our EAP unit, we further developed programs designed to help new officers and their families understand what they will face as law enforcement, and give them some tools to utilize within their homes. It was during this time that the idea for my book was born.
I learned a lot along the way. I also had about 35 other families who were willing to share their struggles and triumphs as well. We understand the difficulties of the law enforcement career and its effect on our personal lives. I hope our vulnerability will comfort and inspire you in your own marriage.
After CHiP took off in 2011, this opened up all kinds of opportunities to connect with other police families and learn even more. I have been to the Philippines, Canada, several states in America, and I've listened and gleaned much from police families in each place. From this knowledge I've developed four- and eight-hour seminars called Backup for the Home, an interactive look at the fundamentals for a lasting and thriving relationship within a crisis-driven career. The second four-hour segment goes deeper into special areas of difficulty and how to move ahead as a couple (PTSD, Critical Incidents, Office Politics, etc.). Both four-hour and eight-hour seminars are available to present in your area now.
The research took me all over the south and the west coast to interview pilots, doctors, officers, and flight medics. It also gave me a glimpse of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and its effects on those who love their warriors. Finally, Brent and I were invited to the White House to witness a long overdue Medal of Honor Ceremony that was put into motion with a video we found in our research.
In short, it is a training manual for long term relationships using police concepts, training, and culture as the backdrop. This book has over 1,000 people from 50 states and Canada speaking into it. Although it is addressed to officers, I recommend spouses read it as well, as there is a lot of great information not included in CHiP.
My approach to all resources is one of positivity, humility and openness to learning. I am not a therapist, but I do ask questions and listen well. It is my goal to learn and grow from conversations, research, trainings, and the work I do with police families.
I am a woman of faith in Jesus Christ. My work stems from the healing grace that I have found in my relationship of over 30 years with God, but I understand the complexities of departmental policies regarding religion. I am sensitive and capable to present in both secular and faith-based scenarios appropriately. All three of my books are written for all adult audiences.
Brent and I continue to come alongside other officers and their families through the good and the difficult. It isn't easy, and we all need a little help from time to time. I partner with like-minded individuals and organizations, bringing in different wisdom and strengths to further meet the needs of police family members.
My hope is that through the lessons I have learned and am learning in my marriage and others, I can pass the wisdom on to you.


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My husband once tried to set me up with a very short rodeo clown named Jed.
When we first met he was dating someone else and asked me to double date with his then—girlfriend and her cousin—the aforementioned cowboy. We met at an establishment famous for their baby back ribs, and I drank a lot of tequila. Like, a lot.
No one at the table talked but me and Matt—about what I can't remember—but needless to say there was no romance with the rodeo clown.
Several months later, Matt was single and asked me to watch his band play. He played bass in a cover band and by this point I'd begun to think he was pretty cute. So I agreed, and when I walked in and watched him jamming it was basically over—ladies, amiright?
December 2, 2006 we had our official first date.
Drinks and a snowball fight in the park.
Since that day I've known how he's felt about me. He's always respected me, supported me, been my equal. He was supposed to graduate that December—and thanks to a royal screw-up on his adviser's part—he had to stay an extra semester.
We always joked that we would invite his adviser to our wedding—thanking him as the indirect cause for the success of our relationship—but our wedding came and went and we forgot to invite Roger.
We lived apart for a year—I eventually joined him in Kentucky—and even though that year was tough (and really expensive traveling back and forth) it made us really strong.
We've now celebrated ten birthdays together, which feels like a lot of birthdays. That's ten different cakes. The first cake I made for him was German Chocolate and was it awful. But Matt doesn't care about stuff like that. To Matt, cake is cake. He's extremely balancing to me—thank god. To me, every meal feel like it needs to be special. And to Matt, as long as it makes him full, he's grateful. I need more of him.
If I'm ever on death row—not that I can ever think of an instance why I would be—and I need to pick a last meal, they better start the conversation with me at least two weeks before I'm set to die.
My relationship with my husband is special. He climbs giant mountains, I like my feet planted right here on the ground, thank you very much. He prefers to do a lot of research about something before making a purchase, I'm much more impulsive. He's cool under pressure, I'm more of a firecracker.
But one thing is for sure, we love each other even when when we don't. I can always count on this one person in my life to love me and laugh with me—even when life feels so completely unfunny. I can always count on him to make me pretty and loved. And I can always count on him to leave his eBay searches open so I can see what hiking boots he wants to buy, but doesn't need.
This cake, his favorite combination of flavors, is in celebration of his 32nd trip around the sun.
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 ¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup safflower oil
1 cup strong coffee
1 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Get prepped. I made a six-inch three-layer cake, but you can make a two-lay 9-inch cake if you'd like. This recipe has enough batter for either. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line cake pans with parchment and grease lightly with oil.
Dries and wets; wets and dries. In a medium mixing bowl add all dry ingredients and whisk until well combined. In a large mixing bowl add wet ingredients and whisk until combined. In several additions, add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, making sure not to over mix.
Bake, bake, bake. Pour batter evenly into prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto cooling rack.
(This was enough for a naked cake. Frosting is not Matt's favorite. But if you like a more even cake to frosting ratio, go ahead and double it.)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons blood orange juice
1 tablespoon blood orange zest
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat cream cheese and butter until completely smooth. Beat in juice and zest and neat until well combined. With the mixer on low, beat in sugar. Gradually increase the speed on the mixer and mix until frosting is smooth. Use to frost completely cooled cakes.
Adapted from Rooted Magazine, Winter 2015.

subset: commoncrawl


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Category Archives: Music
Vogel Street Party MMXVI
This years Vogel Street Party MMXVI has been another stunning event. Many thanks to the hard working crew who organised and ran the event and to the sponsors.
As usual most of the images are in my preferred black and white style although some are colour.
Here are a few images from the day, if you would like to see more please visit my Flickr account.
Nook and Cranny Music Festival 2016
A festival of Dunedin musicians, singer-songwriters, bands and solo acts for the launch of NZ Music Month 2016
Held 1 May 2016 at the Dunedin Public Library
Dunedin, New Zealand
Here is a sample of images from the day there are more on my Flickr account
Graeme Downes
Photos ©Paul S Allen 2016
If you are the artist represented in the image please contact me if you would like the full size image also other images available.
The Rockabilly Ball – Dunedin Fringe Festival
All-star Leo Ladell band and Both Sides of the Line Perform at the Dunedin Fringe Festival event "The Rockabilly Ball" at the Lone Start Cafe. The MC for the night was Warren Voight.
A fantastic night of rockabilly music and dancing.
The Rockabilly Ball
Dunedin Fringe Festival
Photos ©Paul S Allen 2016
If you have an event coming up in Dunedin and want a photographic record of the event (street photo style and not formal or posed) Please contact me.
If you would like some portraits done even simple shots for your social media accounts let me know.
Black and white is my colour of choice check my Flickr account for portfolio.
Also contact me if you would like a musician/singer/songwriter to perform in Dunedin.
Available evenings and weekends.
Black and White – 2015 Retrospective
The video below contains images I have made throughout 2015.
I features people & places around Dunedin, New Zealand. It contains some of the protests, events and celebrations that have happened in Dunedin in 2015.
Music: Show me the way – © Paul S Allen 2013
Images and video: ©Paul S Allen 2015
Rise Above – South Dunedin Benefit Concert
A benefit concert was held for the people of South Dunedin who have been badly affected by the recent flooding. The purpose of this was twofold: 1/ To provide an opportunity for community encouragement and support. 2/ To collect funds via a donation at the door of the venue to go in its entirety to the Dunedin City Flood Appeal The concert featured great Dunedin musicians .
- Martin Phillipps from The Chills
- The Mentalist Collective
- Reo
- Dave Coleclough
- Robyn Johnston
- Ronnie Stash
- Steve King
The MCs on the night were Damian Newell from The Breeze and Darryl Baser from Baser Social Media Entry was by donation and over $1,100 was collected for the Dunedin Flood Appeal from the approximately 150 people in attendance. The concert was organised with the kind and donated support of volunteers, musicians and performers, with special thanks to the following Supporting organisations
- Kings High School
- Baser Social Media
- DunedinMusic.com
- The Breeze
- Reo
- Southern lights
- Crombie Lockwood Insurance Brokers
- Strawberry Sound
- Armourguard
- Office of Clare Curran mp for Dunedin South
- Dave Coleclough Music
- Robyn Johnston Music
- Art House Media
- Westpac bank
No funds collected went towards any running cost or any organisers of the event or artists featured. Thank you to all those who came to the show and for all those who helped with organisation and publicity. Paul Allen Organiser
More photos on flickr Here are a few of the photos. Martin Phillipps from The Chills The Mentalist Collective Ronnie Stash Clare Curran mp Dunedin South (Labour) Steve King Robyn Johnston Dave Coleclough Reo


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Trina's Poetry Junction | home
Coffee | Extension | Always Heard | My Unborn | Toddler | The Key | Face to Face | Quest | Distress | Not Me | Alive | True to Me | The Path | Imagine that | Online | Empathic | Rainbow in flight | Heinz | Five Years | The Gateway | Meaning? | Blossom | Glass House | Chain
Perishable equations, a filter of demise.
Creations so unworthy befitting of a crown.
Enlightened past the realm of hope.
Relationships I dare not quote.
A fantasy unfolds.........................
Obstacles do block the path.
Pretenses penetrate the cracks.
Religious thoughts do harbor near.
Doubts are high, upcoming fear!
Beauty roams above the trees.
A budding new desire grows.
Flowers bloom, the dew is clear.
Unleashed reflection in a mirror.
Destiny, above, beyond
A camouflage under the rose
To see, to be, a world unknown
The lost, the found, the stepping stone
Quantity is not the key
Releasement can not justify
Begin, begun a journey quest.
Until I'm there I will not rest!
Copyright © 1999-2000, Trina Zacharias


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Well, it ain't the Jordan I, but its still pretty aight. This is the Big Nike Spike Lee edition. Not exactly sure why they chose a model that looks like an Air Jordan that Spike was never technically attached to back in the day, but that's Nike for ya. At least its still a basketball sneaker and the colorway is obvious. Its called the Big Nike cause they have Big NIKE on the backs. All leather uppers with slightly overlayed side panels. Specs on the tongue, this is the brother of the Spike Lee Blazer. "Brooklyn. Top of the food chain".
Click for more pics. (apologies for the photographic improvisation)


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Epson WorkForce 60 (Epson T126) Set of 4 Remanufactured High Yield Ink Cartridges (1Black, 1 Cyan, 1 Yellow, 1 Magenta) serves as an economical compatible printer consumables to Epson inkjet printers, Stylus NX330, Stylus NX430, WorkForce 435, WorkForce 520, WorkForce 545, WorkForce 60, WorkForce 630, WorkForce 633, WorkForce 635, WorkForce 645, WorkForce 840, WorkForce 845, WorkForce WF-3520, WorkForce WF-3540, WorkForce WF-7010 ,WorkForce WF-7510 and WorkForce WF-7520. This Epson WorkForce 60 (Epson T126) Set of 4 Remanufactured High Yield Ink Cartridges is built by professional technicians and is guaranteed to deliver the same printing performance and printing page yield of OEM Epson inks.
ColorTonerExpert Epson WorkForce 60 (Epson T126) Set of 4 Remanufactured High Yield Ink Cartridges will save you around 50 to 60% of your usual printing expenses and are sure to deliver the best prints from your Dell inkjet printers. These inks have undergone into several quality control tests to ensure that they will perfectly work with your inkjet printer and will not affect printing quality. As mentioned earlier, choosing this remanufactured Epson inks can also save you lot money since it is offered at a much lower price compared to OEM Dell ink cartridges and will also astound you by delivering the same printing performance and page yield as its OEM counterpart. Furthermore, using this as replacement printer cartridges will not void your printer's warranty as according to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty of 1975.
ColorTonerExpert partnered with best remanufacturers in the market to be able to provide products that simply just work right out of the box. All our remanufactured laser toner cartridges are backed with 3 Year Money Back Guarantee for your 100% satisfaction. We also offer Free Shipping on all orders $35+ within the continental USA.


text: Hogy Hogy SE Barbarian Sandeel 7 Inch 28g Olive The Hogy Barbarian Sandeel offers baitfish imitating colour patterns on a newly designed sandeel style head. The unique design of the Barbarian Sandeels locking curve allows a maximum transfer of energy towards the point while setting the hook. This... MSRP: Was: Now: £7.95 Add to Cart


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Les Leopold speaks in Portland--with video
On Friday, author Les Leopold shared his expertise on the roots and remedies of the current recession to an audience of about 150 people here in Portland. He was also interviewed earlier in the day on KPOJ-AM and KBOO-FM. Leopold's most recent book is The Looting of America, How Wall Street's Game of Fantasy Finance Destroyed Our Jobs, Pensions and Prosperity and What We Can Do About It.
Both Will Seaman of pdxjustice.org and Robert Coones videotaped the talk (and an important intro by AfD Portland President David Delk on a statewide campaign finance reform initiative that needs Oregonians' support!). Robert Coones' video is embedded below--the link is http://blip.tv/file/2346884/.
David Delk also interviewed Les for the "Conversations with Doctor Don" cable program. That one hour interview will be available for viewing in the Portland Metro area as follows:
Tuesday July 14th, 11:00 PM Channel 11
Friday, July 17th, 8 PM Channel 21
Saturday, July 18th, 9 am Channel 21
Sunday, July 19th, 3 pm Channel 21
Monday, July 20th, 1 pm Channel 21
This interview will also be available on the web at video.google.com; we'll post here so check back! A Portland book study group may also be forming to read Les's book--if you're interested, email David Delk at email@example.com.
Thanks to Alliance for Democracy for arranging Les's visit to Portland and to the co-sponsors of the event: Economic Justice Action Group of the First Unitarian Church, The Real Wealth of Portland, and The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, as well as Josie Ko.


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Parsian kowsar Hotel (Tehran)
The Parsian Kowsar hotel is located in the Central of the Tehran city, this hotel is within easy access to the governmental and business departments, museums, shopping malls, recreation centers and palaces which invite both tourists and businessmen to stay in a four star hotel with traditional monuments , lovely relaxed atmosphere and make the best of their time. Parsian Kowsar hotel has 96 rooms range from single and double to a suite, which is on five floors. All rooms are elegantly furnished and include televisions, satellite, central video system, radio, fridge, air-conditioning, bathroom, hairdryer and telephones. If you want to spoil yourself after a long day the hotel also has a massager armchair.
Other facilities:
v 24 hours reception
v Personal box
v 24 hour taxi service
v Barber shop
v 24 hour room service
v Laundry
v Swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi
v Gym
v Restaurant
v Conference and convention rooms
v Car parking
v Prayer room
v Fax, high speed internet connection
Parsian Hotels your first choice in Iran
© 2012 Parsian hotels Company. All Rights Reserved.


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Loaded with two charming leads, this movie doesn't quite pull off its con
Nicky Spurgeon (Will Smith: After Earth) has a charming smile and a light touch. He's adept at cons from lifting wallets to convincing investors that an empty warehouse is the Federal Reserve. A third-generation conman, Nicky has managed to stay successful in the game by staying isolated.
When he meets Jess (Margot Robbie: The Wolf of Wall Street), a beautiful con clumsily targeting horny men, he sees potential. Jess becomes his student in the true art of the hustle.
Soon his able pupil can emerge from crowded streets laden with wallets, watches and jewels. When their professional relationship turns romantic, Nicky panics. Explaining that love is dangerous in their business, he tosses Jess a pile of cash and takes off.
Three years later, Nicky is working a scam on a billionaire racing magnate when he spots Jess. His deft touch fails. Distracted and lovesick, Nicky tries for both Jess and the money. His dangerous play could cost him his life and the girl.
If Focus were a conman, it wouldn't be a very good one. In a movie about misdirection and distraction, plot is convoluted and the numerous twists are telegraphed obviously by writer/directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy, Stupid, Love). Experienced moviegoers will pick out twists long before they're revealed. Watch for shots that last longer than they should.
Nor does the film offer tension or propose stakes. The pair never seems in real danger, even when a gun is pointed at their heads. Nicky seemingly never makes a misstep, which creates a sense of invulnerability. Since Nicky is infallible, there's no need to worry about him; everything must be part of his plan.
Though the plot fizzles, the herculean efforts of the stars keep Focus watchable. Up and coming Robbie sparkles as Jess, who she makes an eager student who thrills at every watch she slips off her marks. Her enthusiasm and charm are beguiling, and she is susceptible to panic, which makes her interesting.
As the man who has a plan, Smith's Nicky is smooth to a fault. Smith fails to give Nicky vulnerability, but he succeeds in reclaiming his shine as a movie star. He's slick, cool and exceptionally likeable as he hustles through the movie. Focus is an effective reminder of why Smith became one of the biggest stars of the screen, standing he lost in the wake of After Earth and Men in Black III.
The stars work well together, too, and we fall for the way they play off each other.
Focus isn't a good crime film, but it's an enjoyable romantic comedy. Buy a ticket for Smith and Robbie's sexy banter. But don't let them near your wallets.
Beauty is in a guy's eye
High school is a lot like the Occupy Wall Street movement: Only one percent of the student body is satisfied with their looks and lives. For the other 99 percent, it's a four-year slog toward graduation.
Bianca (Mae Whitman: Parenthood) is a senior who thinks she's part of the one percent. Best friends since childhood with beautiful, smart and kind Jess (Skyler Samuels: American Horror Story) and Casey (Bianca A. Santos: Happy Land), Bianca takes it for granted that she's as cool and popular as her friends. Her jock neighbor, Wesley (Robbie Amell: The Tomorrow People), shatters her delusion that she's a worthwhile human being by informing her that she is a DUFF — Designated Ugly Fat Friend. As a DUFF, Bianca is the gatekeeper to her hot friends. Her existence is acknowledged only because of Jess and Casey.
Bianca is confusingly beautiful and slender. Only her style of T-shirts and minimal makeup makes her a DUFF.
Yet Bianca accepts this idiot's opinion. She turns on her friends as traitors who befriended her so they would look better by comparison. She dumps them for Wesley, who helps transform her into a babe.
With his advice on dressing, chatting up boys and making out, Bianca ascends the social ranks. She gives up schoolwork in favor of professionally styled hair and makeup. Who needs academic achievements when you've perfected the art of a good blowout?
Director Ari Sandel (Aim High) fills the screen with emoticons and text-speak. Each frame looks like it's pulled from a SnapChat.
His characters are all horrible. Granted, teens aren't always warm and likeable, but Bianca and Wes are such brats that it's hard to conjure up much sympathy for either.
The DUFF is the latest bad advice offered to kids in the guise of entertainment. As in most teen movies, this one has a message about being yourself and finding your inner beauty. But it's hard not to notice that Bianca's "true self" greatly resembles the dream girl Wes molded her into.
Only teens could love this movie, though they shouldn't.
These spies could use some sensitivity training
There aren't many gentlemen in Eggsy's world (Taron Egerton: The Smoke). His stepfather is an abusive criminal, his friends are petty thieves and his mother refuses to let him leave home. When a stolen car and a high-speed chase through London land Eggsy behind bars, the outlook is bleak, until Harry Hart (Colin Firth: Before I Go to Sleep) shows up.
Hart has the pull to get Eggsy sprung and charges his dropped. Hart, it seems, has always felt the need to repay Eggsy's father for saving his life. He also offers Eggsy the chance of a lifetime: training to join the secret Kingsman gentlemen spies.
Kingsman enjoy the freedom of independence. The only mission is to do good throughout the world. Named for one of King Arthur's knights, each spy is a highly trained killing machine with impeccable outfits and outlandish gadgets.
Eggsy joins a group of elite teens hoping to earn spots at the Kingsman's table. While he trains, a media mogul known as Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson: Kite) is planning a nefarious new world order with the help of his henchwoman Gazelle (Sofia Boutella: Monsters: Dark Continent).
A throwback to the James Bond-era of drinks, sexism, ridiculous violence and punn-ish jokes, Kingsman: The Secret Service could have been a fabulous over-the-top action romp along the lines of John Wick. It has all the elements: silly accents (from Jackson and Mark Hamill), thrillingly gory fight scenes and a charming cast. Director Matthew Vaughn (X-Men: First Class) is a deft hand at action, crafting fast-paced battles that are bloody, brutal yet beautiful. A musical sequence featuring exploding heads manages to be a hilarious tribute to Michelangelo Antonioni's Zabriskie Point.
As the bespoke spy whose impeccable manners make James Bond look like a back room brawler, Colin Firth exudes unflappable charm. He also convincingly sheds his posh exterior for a couple of fight sequences that highlight his physicality. As the successor to Hart, Eggerton is a talented new discovery with plenty of charm. His crooked smile and bravado help ease awkward dialog and scenes.
With a talented cast, great action and a fun concept, what could go wrong? As it turns out, not much. Kingsman was well on its way to earning a place in the pantheon of action greats. Until its final 10 minutes.
A running gag in the final moments is so vile and sexist that it nearly spoils the movie. Too crude to repeat in a family-friendly paper, the joke would have been at home in a Seth MacFarlane movie. It's made worse by Vaughn's dedication of the film to his mother.
Too bad this fun and fast-paced thriller about gentlemen spies ends on a decidedly ungentlemanly note.
A cacophony of noise and colors for youngsters
What would you do if you lost yourself?
Forget The Conjuring and Paranormal Activity. The most bloodcurdling movie of the last five years is a quiet drama about a brilliant woman slowly losing everything that matters to her.
Dr. Alice Howland (Julianne Moore: Mockingjay Part I) is a linguist, professor and sought-after speaker. The fiercely ambitious woman raised three children while climbing to the top of her field. She wrote the seminal textbook in linguistics, teaches a popular course at Columbia University and still finds time for date night with her doctor husband (Alec Baldwin: Blue Jasmine).
On her 50th birthday, Alice is going strong, noticing only a few signs of aging. Sometimes she forgets a word when speaking to a class, as well as names. But when she gets lost jogging a well-known campus trail, she worries. Her diagnosis is much worse than the brain tumor she fears. She has early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
Refusing to be defeated, Alice throws herself into finding ways to keep her mind. But occasional lapses turn into frequent confusion. She can't hold a conversation. Words slip from her mind just as she needs them. Her own home betrays her, and she finds herself lost.
To her family, Alice's descent is torture. Their strong, vibrant matriarch is reduced to childlike behavior. Husband John tries to be strong, but he misses his partner and escapes into work so that he can afford his wife's expensive care and forget that the woman living with him now barely resembles his love. Her children help when they can, but watching her deteriorate means glimpsing their own possible futures.
Poignant, beautiful and utterly terrifying, Still Alice shows us the horror that is Alzheimer's disease. Directors Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland (The Last of Robin Hood) wisely choose to underplay the drama, slowly building on Alice's deteriorating state. There is no tension to the story, no miracle to save the day. The film peaks in the middle, when Alice breaks down. Thereafter it slowly fades away, mimicking Alice's journey.
As Alice, Moore proves that she remains one of the best actresses of her generation. Her performance is a slow descent into hell. Everything that makes up a person, her ability to express herself and her memories, is stripped away until Alice is a shell, capable of only the most basic vocalizations. It's a brutal performance, one that will likely earn Moore the Oscar and one that will leave you weepy and uncomfortable.
An impressionistic tale of a painter
J.M.W. Turner (Timothy Spall: Blandings) better expresses himself through paint than words. A famed member of the Royal Academy of Art, the Victorian artist travels Europe capturing vivid landscapes.
Turner stands out from other academicians in more ways than one. They are refined; he is not. His manner is awkward and his speech accented with a thick brogue. His fame keeps him from humble circles, so he is often on his own. Closest to him is his father (Paul Jesson: Closer to the Moon), who has always supported his son's art and works as Turner's studio assistant.
As his father's health declines, Turner becomes more isolated. His only friend is Mrs. Booth, a landlady at a seaside town where he paints. He calls himself Mr. Mallord to maintain his anonymity, even as the friendship deepens to romance.
Turner's artistic obsession is capturing the spirit and the light of his subjects. He has a sailor lash him to the crow's nest during a winter sea crossing to capture the light; he walks for hours in search of the perfect composition.
Cinematography is stunning. Leigh fills his film with Turner's paintings and its locales, treating us to sweeping seascapes, pastoral leas, surging trains and austere battleships.
Spall's performance is one of the best of the year. His Turner is an almost feral creature, driven by nature's beauty. He grunts instead of speaking. He spits on his canvas in the middle of a show to loosen the oils and make changes. He watches human interaction with the interest of an alien observer.
The artist is famous in his native England as an early experimenter in the style that would become known as Impressionist painting. But his international renown is not that of Picasso or Monet. Director Mike Leigh (Another Year) assumes a well-versed audience, so his film may be difficult to follow. Do yourself the favor of a bit of research before you go.
We've got a long way to go — but look how far we've come
By 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo: Interstellar) was a household name. His nonviolent protests had provoked the American government to strike down segregation laws. It would have been a victory for any other man, but even as King accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, he knew there was more to do.
While whites could no longer keep blacks out of their establishments, they were doing their best to keep them from the polls and off the ballots. Black men and women who attempted to register were asked demanding questions, forced to recite the preamble of the Constitution and usually dismissed. When brave souls managed to register, their names and addresses were printed in the newspaper, making it easy for the Ku Klux Klan and other violent groups to find them.
President Lyndon Johnson (Tom Wilkinson: The Grand Budapest Hotel) is sympathetic. But he is bombarded by Vietnam protests, and his attention is divided. He tells King that the Civil Rights Act is victory enough for now, and he'll consider proposing new legislation about voter registration in the coming years.
King isn't satisfied. He needs a cause to gain publicity, win the sympathy and support of whites and put political pressure on lawmakers. With the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, he plans a march from Selma to Montgomery in protest of Alabama's voter registration policies. Selma's brute sheriff and the state's racist governor will surely earn them headlines by violent opposition to the march.
King is monitored by the FBI, scrutinized by his own movement and watched from every outside angle. His family is threatened. Can he endure the pressure?
Unlike many biopics of great men, Selma isn't a canonization rite. Instead, director Ava DuVernay (Scandal) wisely chooses to show the human behind the saint. Her King is having marital problems, is frustrated with the slow progress of his movement and, in his darkest hours, worries that his methods are not worth blood and death. He clings to his purpose and his faith because he has become the spokesperson for a group that desperately needs a voice. He relies on his SCLC family to help him keep his eyes on the prize.
Selma is a beautiful, humane look at one of the greats of American history.
Oyelowo captures the power and vulnerability that made King so compelling. He mimics the cadence and drama that made Dr. King's speeches so memorable; don't be surprised if you get goose bumps listening to these sermons. But the actor is most effective during quiet moments, when King leads not by fiery oratory but by refusing to break under pressure.
Before you decry the movie's inaccuracies, consider this: All biopics create inaccuracies for the sake of drama. If they didn't, they'd be called documentaries. Fellow Oscar contenders The Imitation Game, Foxcatcher, The Theory of Everything and American Sniper all stray from history, some quite a bit. Yet Selma is the only film criticized for it. What does that say?
Selma shows many grim scenes of beatings and ugly racist interactions, but it is not a movie about hate or blame. It's about the hope and determination to overcome. Buy a ticket and join the march.
A biopic with a body count
Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper: Guardians of the Galaxy) was raised to believe there were three types of people in the world: Wolves, sheep and sheepdogs. Wolves preyed on the weak and took what they wanted. Sheep did as they were told and hoped to never meet a wolf. Sheepdogs took responsibility for the flock and beat back the wolves.
A natural protector, Kyle spent his early life bumming around the rodeo circuits of Texas, looking for women, beer and brawls. The bombing of the U.S. embassy in Kenya awakened his sheep-dogging skills. An excellent marksman, he was recruited to the SEALS as a sniper charged with keeping Marines safe as they raid homes in Afghanistan.
Kyle proves a superior sheepdog. Eerily calm and sure of himself, he picks off men, women and children who seek to harm his troops.
Four tours later, Kyle has become The Legend, with more confirmed kills than any sniper in U.S. history. When the Taliban puts a price on his head, he is unfazed. It's the home front that terrifies him.
With his wife and children, Kyle is a tightly coiled spring. He obsessively watches bloody sniper footage and worries about the men he isn't protecting. Normal social interactions make him squirm, and the slightest noise can provoke a violent reaction.
Director Clint Eastwood (Jersey Boys) turns this true story into a war between duty and family. Based on Kyle's bestselling autobiography, the film doesn't debate the merits of the war or the morality of killing. Eastwood, who famously said "it's a hell of a thing, killing a man" in his masterpiece Unforgiven, has abandoned this moral ambiguity. Kyle becomes a sort of John Wayne figure, single-handedly taking out the baddies and saving the day.
This unquestioning approach makes a simplistic movie.
Still, Eastwood knows how to construct a compelling narrative. The opening sequence, in which Kyle must decide whether to shoot a young boy, is heart-pounding. But Eastwood wisely saves the greatest pressure for the scenes at home. Using clever sound editing and tight close-ups, he traps Kyle in the frame, a prisoner in his home.
Cooper's excellent performance keeps the film grounded. Besides making an impressive physical transformation to play the hulking Kyle, Cooper delves deeply into his character's mind, making his zeal impressive and frightening. But every time he drops his gun, Cooper looks like he wants to crawl out of his skin.
Together, Eastwood and Cooper create a thrilling tribute to a real person.
Can you enjoy a mystery when the mystery makes no sense? It turns out you can
Larry 'Doc' Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix: Her) fancies himself the Phillip Marlowe of the Free Love generation. With long hair, lots of drugs and a general distrust of the establishment, Doc runs a small private detective agency — when he's not bumming around on the beach, high as a kite.
When Doc's ex-girlfriend Shasta (Katherine Waterston: Boardwalk Empire) shows up asking for a favor, Doc knows it's bad news. Shasta's latest flame is real estate developer Mickey Wolfmann (Eric Roberts: Jake's Road), who owns half the county. But Mickey's wife and her new boyfriend disapprove of Mickey's New Age philosophy. Afraid he'll give away his millions and leave them destitute, the Mrs. and her boy toy want Shasta's help to have Mickey committed.
Shasta wants Doc to figure out what's really going on and to foil the plot against Mickey. Still in love with Shasta, Doc agrees. On his first day of snooping, Mickey goes missing, and Doc wakes up next to a dead body.
Now Doc must solve a murder, find a mogul and remember where he hid his stash, all while avoiding the oppressive attentions of his police officer nemesis Bigfoot Bjornsen (Josh Brolin: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For).
Daffy, fun and fairly nonsensical, Inherent Vice will make you feel as high as Doc. Director Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master) adapted Thomas Pynchon's California pulp into a woozy cluster of character and comedic set pieces. Think of it as Chinatown on a bender.
Pynchon's novel has been called unfilmable, and Anderson may prove the point. Inherent Vice is a visually rich, deep character piece, but the central mystery and surrounding plots are nearly incomprehensible. Characters wander in and out of scenes, plotlines are dropped or randomly introduced. You'll need a flowchart to keep up with everything.
Can you enjoy a mystery when the mystery makes no sense? It turns out you can. Anderson has always been able to coax fantastic, nuanced performances from his actors, and in Inherent Vice it's Phoenix. He gives a wonderful, lived-in performance that makes Doc a loveable loser instead of an annoying cliché.
As Doc's police foil, Brolin offers surprising depth in what could have been silly. Brolin grounds Bigfoot's establishment persona in a mix of repression and depression that make the character almost tragic instead of a brute.
For all the great performances, the real star of any Anderson film is the camera work. He carefully crafts each scene, with framing, art design and tracking shots that add depth. A wealth of sunny vistas, urban grime and 1960s' sensibilities, Inherent Vice is a beautiful sight, even if you can't follow the plot.
Much like Doc's journey through money and free love, Inherent Vice isn't an easy path. It will challenge and confound you.
Loneliness and tragedy fuel the genius that saves the world
Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch: The Hobbit) is an odd duck. Brilliant at arithmetic but horrible at social interactions, Turing is mercilessly mocked at boarding school. His only friend introduces him to cryptography, where he discovers a world he can understand.
The grown-up Professor Turing would have been another in a long line of oddball academics but for World War II. Instead he joins an elite circle of cryptographers tasked with cracking the German Enigma. A coding machine hitherto impossible to beat, Enigma allows the Axis powers free lines of communication to coordinate attacks that left the Allies reeling.
The British captured one machine, but without the code key, which the Germans change every 24 hours, the machine is useless. While the other cryptographers work 18 hours a day on a Sisyphean task, Turing plans to create a machine that can run codes faster than any human.
Loud, massive and expensive, Turing's machine seems like the creation of a mad scientist. The socially challenged Turing — whose homosexuality, then illegal, is a complicating factor — must figure out how to convince the establishment that his machine is the only way to win the war.
Most of us now have versions of Turing's machine in our homes and in our pockets. We call them computers.
Director Morten Tyldum (Headhunters) creates a competent portrait of a complex man. But intercutting scenes from Turing's school days and future downfall into the race to beat Enigma, he struggles to make the whole gel.
Screenwriter Graham Moore (The Waiting Room) also skimps on character development — but not on platitudes. You'll hear the film's mantra — "Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine" — many times. Turing is the only character who gets the semblance of a real personality. The people surrounding him fill out stereotypes.
Cumberbatch turns in a stunning performance. Now an old hand at playing geniuses on the Autism spectrum, he makes Turing a frustrating, funny and pitiable man. His Turing is much like the machine he creates, a whirring, seemingly emotionless being capable of amazing feats.
Another actor rising above the writing is Keira Knightley (Laggies), who turns a Girl Friday role into an interesting, nuanced look at a woman who sees more to life than the conventions of her time.
With Cumberbatch and Knightley's insight into the loneliness of genius, The Imitation Game is a good movie — though one that could have been great.
© Copyright 2019, New Bay Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.


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The Medium Viola Leather Zip-Round Purse
Material: Polished Croc leather
Dimensions: 8 x 11 x 2.5 cm
Neat and compact in our signature black Polished Croc leather, The Viola Zip-Round Purse will easily fit a smaller bag but packs a lot into its well-organised interior with a spacious coin section, a notes section and slots for six credit cards. Comes beautifully boxed – a great gift idea.
There's a place for everything and everything in its place with this elegant little purse. Handstitched in our signature Polished Croc leather in smart black, The Viola Zip-Round Purse is the perfect choice if you like to travel light. Neat and compact, it will easily fit a smaller bag but packs a lot into its well-organised interior with a spacious coin section, a notes section and slots for six credit cards.
The Viola Leather Zip-Round Purse comes in a purple OSPREY LONDON presentation box – a gorgeous gift. Simply enter your gift message in the checkout when prompted and we'll take care of the rest.
- Women's cute and compact OSPREY LONDON leather zip-round purse handstitched in calf leather with an embossed croc print with a high shine finish.
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- The coin section secures along three sides via a gold metal zip with a chunky OSPREY LONDON branded gold metal zip-pull. The embroidered OSPREY LONDON winged crest can be found within the zipped coin compartment.
- The interior is lined in Polished Croc leather and our romantic English Rose print jacquard.
- Comes in a smart purple OSPREY LONDON presentation box.
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At OSPREY LONDON we select the leathers used for our accessories for their individual beauty, performance and feel. Each skin is unique, so any quirks are viewed as characteristic of leather's natural appeal.
As with all natural materials, leather needs special care so follow these recommendations to help keep your OSPREY LONDON leather accessory looking as desirable tomorrow as it does today:
- Keep your product away from direct sources of light and heat.
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Treat it well and your OSPREY LONDON product will give you pleasure for many years to come.


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Soldering This "black art" of the electronics industry is shunned and feared by many. There is no real reason for it though, because with the right tools and some practice anyone with a steady hand can solder basic electronics. Okay, I must admit that like with all arts, there are some geniuses running around that […]
Entries Tagged as 'Technical'
Soldering an ecu
April 10th, 2008 · Comments Off
Tags: Chiptuning · Technical
Chiptuning eprom types and datasheets
March 24th, 2008 · Comments Off
This is a small list of the most commonly used eproms in ecu's. Clicking on the link will give you the datasheet of the device in pdf format. 27c256 27c512 28f512 27c010 27c1001 29f010 29f200 29f400 29f800
Tags: Chiptuning · Technical
March 12th, 2008 · Comments Off
Exhaust gas temperature or the short : EGT. In tuning turbocharged engines this is and should be a major concern regarding longevity of your engine and turbo. By altering injection times, the start of injection, the injected amount and the turbo pressure you will in effect alter the temperature of the exhaust gasses that flow […]
Tags: Technical


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Dilijan, Armenia Alaverdi, Armenia
83.3 km, estimated 1 hour 24 mins
Vea toda la información detallada sobre este viaje por carretera en la parte inferior del sitio web, justo debajo de estas líneas.
Road Trip
- 1.Head west on M8 toward Shamakhyan St34.3 km40.740355,44.863219
- 2.Turn right onto Nersisyan St1.1 km40.794715,44.509118
- 3.Turn right onto Aghayan St1.1 km40.803399,44.516108
- 4.Slight left1.9 km40.801881,44.529444
- 5.Turn right onto AH81/E001/M640.5 km40.813868,44.537341
- 6.Turn right to stay on AH81/E001/M671 m41.090692,44.643461
- 7.Turn right3.9 km41.090415,44.644222
- 8.Continue onto Mikoyan Street0.2 km41.091934,44.657248
- 9.Turn right86 m41.091972,44.659102
Others travel from Dilijan, ArmeniaFrom Dilijan, Armenia to Alaverdi, Armenia
83.3 km, estimated 1 hour 24 minsFrom Dilijan, Armenia to Alaverdi, yerevan
98.7 km, estimated 1 hour 30 mins
Others travel to Alaverdi, ArmeniaFrom Dilijan, Armenia to Alaverdi, Armenia
83.3 km, estimated 1 hour 24 minsFrom Yerevan, Armenia to Alaverdi, Armenia
179 km, estimated 2 hours 50 mins
Slm Soft en twitter
route from Dilijan, Armenia to Alaverdi, Armenia by car. 83.3 km, estimated 1 hour 24 mins.
Highway route Generated between Dilijan, Armenia and Alaverdi, Armenia.
The distance between these two points is 83.3 km, estimated 1 hour 24 mins.
Under the road map we have generated, you will see safety cameras you'll find on your journey, must be borne in mind that although we update our database daily, is possible which is installed any control radar speed near of Alaverdi, Armenia not yet shown.
If for any reason you see that something is wrong or that you can improve or just want to comment on this trip, you can do so in the bottom of this page.
Road map between Dilijan, Armenia and Alaverdi, ArmeniaLarger Map
Speed swatch near the route
Places near your route (within 30)
What can you see by the way?
Autor: Dimit.
Autor: Tadunia
Autor: Hakob Markosyan
Autor: nerako
Autor: akop1984
Autor: akop1984
Autor: Marina R.
Autor: peace-on-earth.org
Autor: peace-on-earth.org
* Images provided by Panoramio are under the copyright of the authors


text:
Welcome to the world of high performers!
Consid is one of Sweden's fastest growing companies which provides consulting services within IT, management and digital marketing. We ensure that our customers becomes the best in the world at what they do by taking advantage of the digital world's possibilities.
The future starts here.
Our vision is to create one of the leading IT and management companies by treating our colleagues and clients alike – we work to develop their abilities, inspire them and provide them the conditions to make strategic decisions that result in long-term and sustainable benefits for themselves and...Read more


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After several long weeks of negotiations, the White House and House Republicans announced in the late hours of April 8 that they have agreed on a $1.208 trillion spending package for the remainder of FY 2011. The package represents nearly $40 billion dollar cut in non-defense discretionary spending for the remainder of FY 2011.
The House passed the bill Thursday with a vote of 260-167, and the Senate is expected to pass the measure later Thursday as well, in time for the president to sign it by midnight on Friday when the continuing resolution expires. In order to get the deal passed through regular order, Congress passed a short-term budget deal that keeps the federal government funded through the rest of the week.
Similar to the cuts provided in H.R. 1 (the original continuing resolution for FY 2011 that passed the House) this latest package appears to have a severe impact on federal construction accounts. Based on a list of cuts provided by the House Appropriations Committee, AGC has determined that funding for federal construction accounts will be cut by $21.9 billion. Among the biggest cuts are:
Not all of these cuts will have the apparent impact on the construction industry. For example, the Federal Highway Administration funding cut rescinds $2.5 billion in existing contract authority that had been previously apportioned to states but was never funded. The cut to high speed rail funding disrupts President Obama's plan for a nationwide network that has yet to materialize. In addition, a major portion of the Department of Defense cuts represent reduced construction activity due to the closeout of BRAC 2005.
Previously, AGC issued guidance to assist contractors engaged in work with the federal government should the government shut down.
AGC continues to communicate to Congress that the planned cuts have the potential to eliminate jobs and will have a real and lasting impact on the entire economy. Before cutting federal construction dollars a thorough evaluation of the programs needs to occur. AGC sent this letter to Congress today, and will continue to advocate for sound investment in our nation's infrastructure as consideration of the FY 2012 budget commences.
FY 2012 Budget
After the House completes business on the FY2011 spending bill, it is scheduled to begin debate on the FY2012 budget.
The "Path to Prosperity," released by Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), is a framework that directs Congress to cut at least $5 trillion dollars of spending over the next decade by: reforming Medicaid to become a block grant program; reconfiguring Medicare to be a voucher program; defunding health care reform; and reducing taxes. For transportation, the budget resolution calls for significant reductions in spending with total budget authority decreasing by 31 percent from current levels.
Ryan's outline suggests that the Highway Trust Fund not receive any additional revenues from either a user fee increase or general fund transfer, and that the surface transportation reauthorization bill will have to reflect these reduced funding levels. The budget proposal suggests that Congress can keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent without additional general fund transfers or increases in the gasoline tax by consolidating dozens of separate highway programs identified by the General Accountability Office as duplicative.
This proposal is the first shot in the budget wars that will be fought later this year in addressing the nation's difficult deficit situation. While the budget resolution is not legislation, the Senate will also fashion its own version that will have to be reconciled with the House-passed version. Although the budget resolution is non-binding, it does present the blueprint that governs future budgetary decisions by the Congress. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) has already indicated that he intends to write a surface transportation reauthorization bill that will be constrained by the revenue currently coming into the Highway Trust Fund.
AGC and its transportation construction stakeholders sent a letter to Chairman Ryan and all Members of the House expressing our opposition to the cuts in transportation.
The President's Long-Term Budget Plan
President Obama released his own vision for long-term spending Wednesday. His outline proposes $4 trillion in deficit reduction over the next 12 years. He calls it a "balanced" approach as deficit reduction would be attained from a combination of spending cuts and tax increases. The release of the plan was not coordinated with Democrats in the House or Senate. His call for a 16-member congressional working group on the budget with a goal of finishing work by the end of June was a new wrinkle for an already complex budget negotiation process.
The president's plan calls for cutting non-security discretionary spending by $770 billion, reducing security spending by $400 billion, and repealing Bush-era tax cuts for the "wealthiest Americans." His plan also aims to save $480 billion from Medicare and Medicaid.
NOTE: This story has been updated from an earlier version. After
passage of the continuing resolution in the
House and Senate on April 14, the House Appropriations Committee
updated their FY2011 budget cuts chart. These numbers are different
than what was previously published in AGC's Construction Legislative
Week in Review and Federal Contractor Report on April 14.
For more information, contact Sean O'Neill at email@example.com, or Marco Giamberardino at firstname.lastname@example.com.
In 2006 Congress
added Section 3402(t) to the IRS Code (26 CFR Part 31). That section provides that the Government of
the United States, every State, every political subdivision thereof, and every
instrumentality of the foregoing (including multi-State agencies) making any
payment to any person providing any property or services on a public project
(including any payment made in connection with a public program) shall withhold
3% from all payments as a guard against possible business tax evasion. Under the statute, as amended, this section
will apply to payments beginning in January 1, 2012. This tax withholding provision encompasses
essentially all public construction projects, not just federal contracts. Moreover, it applies to the total contract
price, not to the net revenue or income generated from the project.
Example: a small contractor holds
a $5 million public contract which is estimated to be completed in one
year. This 3% withholding law requires
withholding of $150,000 on that contract.
Meanwhile the contractor expects to net approximately 2.5%, $125,000,
after paying for supplies, services, subcontractors and other ordinary business
expenses. The tax on the revenue
generated is at most 35% of the net revenue, which means the maximum tax owed
on the $5 million project is $43,750.
Ultimately, the government has withheld $150,000 for $43,750 in tax
Example: a small contractor holds
a $5 million public contract which is estimated to be completed in one
year. This 3% withholding law requires
withholding of $150,000 on that contract.
Meanwhile the contractor expects to net approximately 2.5%, $125,000,
after paying for supplies, services, subcontractors and other ordinary business
expenses. The tax on the revenue
generated is at most 35% of the net revenue, which means the maximum tax owed
on the $5 million project is $43,750.
Ultimately, the government has withheld $150,000 for $43,750 in tax
In addition, the IRS
published proposed (draft) regulations to implement this tax provision in 73
Fed. Reg. 74082 (12/05/2008). While the
comment period ended nearly two years ago, the final regulations have not yet
been released. While the draft
regulations are fairly extensive, one provision, at 26 CFR § 31.3402(4)-3(c) is
expressly noteworthy. It reads:
(c) No withholding on successive payments. If a government entity or its payment
administrator makes a payment that is subject to the withholding requirements
of § 31-3402(t)-1 to a person, no subsequent transfer of cash or property from
that payment by such person to another person is treated as a payment subject
to withholding for purposes of §§ 31.3402(t)-1 through 31.3402(t)-7. (Emphasis added)
(c) No withholding on successive payments. If a government entity or its payment
administrator makes a payment that is subject to the withholding requirements
of § 31-3402(t)-1 to a person, no subsequent transfer of cash or property from
that payment by such person to another person is treated as a payment subject
to withholding for purposes of §§ 31.3402(t)-1 through 31.3402(t)-7. (Emphasis added)
Example No. 1 to
this draft regulation discusses the treatment of a progress payment of $48,000
to the prime contractor which includes $18,000 for work done by
subcontractors. Under the IRS's example,
the entire amount paid to the prime contractor is subject to the 3%
withholding. However, the prime
contractor's payments to its subcontractors are not subject to this
withholding. Whether intended or not by
the IRS, some industry representatives interpret this example to mean that the
prime contractor may not withhold any part of this 3% withholding from lower
tier firms.
There are currently
several bills (H.R. 674 & S. 89) containing language to repeal the 3%
withholding provision as several Senators and Representatives recognize the
negative effect of this provision on a firm's cash flow. It could also stimulate needless
prime/subcontractor issues related to the implementation of the withholding provision.
If you believe that
this provision should be repealed, please consider writing your Senators and
Representative as soon as possible. Click
here for a suggested draft letter.
Alternatively, visit AGC's
Legislative Action Center to write your Senators and Representative. Currently
H.R. 674 has 73 cosponsors in the House. To see if your Senators and
Representative are or have been a cosponsor of legislation to repeal the 3
percent withholding mandate, click here.For more
information, contact Karen Lapsevic at (202) 547-4733 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Read the statement from the White House here.
For more information, contact Karen Lapsevic
at (202) 547-4733 or email@example.com.
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Secretary of the Department of Transportation Ray
LaHood partnered with AGC to hold a press conference on the importance of
underground damage prevention. This follows on the heels of an event in March
where the Secretary kicked off National Safe Digging Month at
This event was held at AGC member company Skanska's
jobsite in the D.C. metro area, where Skanska offered LaHood a tour of the
jobsite, and Washington Gas demonstrated utility locating tools. AGC CEO Steve
Sandherr opened the event with the contractors' point of view.
"Every day many of our 33,000 member firms are likely
to begin excavations at projects like this," Sandherr said. "Yet while this
field is empty, there is no telling how many lines and the risks they pose lie
beneath. Contractors have an obligation to
call 811 before excavating a site like this. Utility firms have an
obligation to identify and flag where their lines are. And all of us have
a responsibility to dig safely so construction workers can get home to their
families at the end of the day."
Common Ground Alliance president Bob Kipp also spoke,
praising AGC for its support and for the commitment of the professional
excavation community to underground damage prevention. He cautioned the casual
excavator to remember to call 811 for the safety of everyone. Secretary LaHood
opened his remarks by praising AGC for being a top partner in its support for
infrastructure, safety, and jobs. He stressed that safety is DOT's top
priority, and pipeline safety was no different. He further urged everyone doing
any kind of digging to call 811 first, wait for locators to identify buried
facilities, and dig with care.
For more information, contact Scott Berry at (703)
837-5321 or email@example.com.
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In collaboration with the Transportation Construction
Coalition and Americans for Transportation Mobility, AGC and the Ohio
Contractors Association today launched an ad campaign in Ohio to push for new
federal transportation investments and legislation. During the event, The Road
Information Program, or TRIP, released a new report that finds poor road
conditions cost Ohio motorists and businesses billions annually.
The Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Contractors
Association, Transportation Construction Coalition and Americans for
Transportation Mobility said during Columbus and Cincinnati-area news
conferences that Congress should pass the long-delayed federal highway and
transit bill that funds most road, bridge and transit improvements in the U.S.
The report, titled "Future
Mobility in Ohio: Meeting the State's Need for Safe and Efficient Mobility,"
finds that deficient roadways cost the average Ohio motorist up $933 a year and
rob the state's highway users of $6.5 billion annually.
For more information, contact Brian Turmail
at (703) 837-5310 or email@example.com.
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Join your industry allies in Washington, D.C. on May 24-25 for the
Transportation Construction Coalition's 2011 Legislative Fly-in as we make the
case that "Transportation Moves the Economy." Your Congressional delegation
needs to hear from you about the importance of transportation infrastructure
investment to the nation's economy – creating jobs while building the future.
Federal transportation programs face challenges like
never before. SAFETEA-LU expired on September 30, 2009 and funding for the
highway and transit programs have been continued through a series of short term
extensions. Highway Trust Fund revenue is insufficient to support current
funding levels. A multitude of new Representatives and Senators are unfamiliar
with how these programs operate and the benefits they bring not only to their
states or districts but to the national economy. Congress needs to understand
that reduced Federal investment undermines state and local transportation
programs and hurts the construction industry: contractors, material suppliers,
designers, equipment manufacturers and labor.
The Fly-In schedule is as follows:
Tuesday May 24, 2011
11 am-1:30 am - AGC Issues Briefing Lunch
2 pm-4:30 pm - Legislative Briefing
6 pm - Capitol Hill Reception
Wednesday May 25, 2011
7 am-7:45 am - Continental Breakfast
8 am-5 pm - Congressional Visits
To register for the Fly-In and for hotel
information please click
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If you are engaged in any aspect of constructing, designing, or planning a
Federal project and you are a general contractor, specialty contractor,
service/supplier, attorney or any other important stakeholder already engaged
in the Federal market, this conference has a place for you. If you are
interested in learning more about Federal contracting opportunities and how to
get started, this conference is a great place to begin your learning
experience. AGC Chapter leadership and staff are also invited to attend and be
a part of the great meeting.
Continuing on the success of separate concurrent tracks that highlight
each of the unique federal and federally-assisted markets, AGC has added an
additional new track of education sessions to help contractors at all
experience levels better understand and be successful in the federal and
federally-assisted markets. The Water Infrastructure Track includes
meetings with agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of
Water, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Army Corps of
Engineers – Civil Works Directorate. The Federal Facilities Track
includes meetings with the General Services Administration, the International
Construction Agencies, and the Military Construction agencies of the Department
of Defense. The Highway and Transportation Track features meetings with
the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration and the
transit and rail agencies.
To learn more about the conference, download the conference brochure and
register, visit the conference
For more information contact Marco Giamberardino at (703) 837-5325 or email@example.com.
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AGC Townhouse, 53 D Street SE • Washington, DC 20003 • 202.547.1625 (phone) • 202.547.1635 (fax)• www.agc.org
AGC Home | About AGC | Advocacy | Industry Topics | Construction Markets | Programs & Events | Career Development | News & Media
To ensure delivery of AGC's Construction Legislative Week in Review, please add 'firstname.lastname@example.com' to your email address book or Safe Sender List. If you are still having problems receiving our communications, visit our white-listing page for more details.
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Contact Us
Instead of taking responsibility for their own mistakes, children readily shift blame. How do we teach kids to admit their faults and humbly apologize? Dr. Scott Turansky, co-founder of National Center for Biblical Parenting, offers these insights.
It's not my fault!
Isn't it amazing that some children seem to be able to see every factor that went into their current problem except their own part in it? Indeed, some kids have a problem blaming others and not taking responsibility for their part of the problem. In the child's mind, it's always someone else's fault. These children have the ability to see all kinds of reasons why an offense occurs, but can't see how their own actions contributed to it, or at least they don't want to admit it.
Children who blame, lie, or resist taking responsibility have a character weakness. It's not enough to just use parental authority to overpower a child or worse yet, to humiliate a child. Those techniques are counterproductive. It takes courage and humility to admit fault. Coaching children to rise to the occasion and, at times, requiring that they do so, can be an excellent way to increase confidence levels in that child.
God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. —James 4:6
Humility and Courage Required
In your family, talk about the difference between pride and humility by doing a few activities to encourage humility as an important success principle for life. Everyone can participate providing examples of what humility looks like. You might simply ask, "What is a way you did or will demonstrate humility today?" Or brainstorm ideas of ways people demonstrate humility and why it's helpful. You could contrast humility with arrogance and describe how they are demonstrated and why people appreciate one and are annoyed by the other. This could be fun to role play as well, joking together but in doing so making a point.
Be careful of parenting approaches that actually encourage defensiveness in kids. Parents who tend to ask investigative questions about an offense make the error of encouraging kids to explain their defense. Asking "What happened here?" Can cause children to focus on the faults of others. Asking the question, "What did you do wrong?" is often more productive.
The underlying problem in many children is the reluctance to admit fault for various reasons. Sometimes, it's fear of punishment or parental disapproval or the self-condemnation that comes from admitting weakness. Those deeper issues must be met with a bigger approach involving teaching, coaching, and training.
The reality is that admitting fault isn't a sign of weakness but is a sign of strength. The person who responds well to correction learns faster and matures more rapidly. Taking time to dialogue about these truths can help kids resist the urge to blame problems on others.
Used with permission Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN. All rights reserved. National Center for Biblical Parenting
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Together, we glorify God by making disciples of all nations.
Together, we glorify God by making disciples of all nations.


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For practice, I'm working through some of the exercises in Folland's "Real Analysis: Modern Techinques and Their Applications."
In Chapter 2, Exercise 19, Folland asks for sequences of functions $f_n \in L^1(\mathbb{R})$ with $f_n \to f$ uniformly, but such that one of the conclusions $f \in L^1(\mathbb{R})$ or $\int f_n \to \int f$ fails. I can find examples of each conclusion failing, but cannot seem to find a single example where both conclusions fail in the following way:
What is an example of a sequence of functions $f_n \in L^1(\mathbb{R})$ with $f_n \to f$ uniformly, but such that $\int f = \pm \infty$ (by which I mean that exactly one of $\int f^+$ or $\int f^-$ is $+\infty$) and also $\int f_n \not \to \int f$?
My examples:
(1) $f_n(x) = \frac{1}{x}\chi_{(1,n)}(x)$. The uniform limit $f(x) = \frac{1}{x}\chi_{(1,\infty)}(x)$ has $\int f = +\infty$. However, we also have $\int f_n = \log(n) \to \infty = \int f$.
(2) $f_n(x) = \frac{1}{n}\chi_{(0,n)}(x)$. We have $\int f_n = 1 \not \to \int f = 0$, but now $\int f = 0 \neq \pm \infty$.
I feel like I'm missing something very obvious here. Thanks for your help.


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Table of Contents
Clockwork now supports SQLite, which means you no longer need to setup a database, but setting one up is still recommended.
So you've installed Clockwork and a schema, and you're wanting to set it up so you can finally get into the roleplaying business. You'll need a MySQL database that Clockwork can use for storing its data to use the schema correctly. If you're renting from a gameserver provider, you may have a free MySQL database that comes with your server. Otherwise, you'll need to host your own or get it from a web hosting provider. You can use a database from a free database service, but we highly recommend that you do not use them because they tend to be unreliable, and your data may be wiped at any time without notice.
The configuration data is located in /garrysmod/gamemodes/clockwork in a file called clockwork.cfg. The clockwork.cfg file should already have some entries in it, you'll just need to replace the values with your own. It is important to note that every setting must be prefixed with force, and there must be a semicolon at the end of every line that sets a value. Anything prefixed with will be completely disregarded and treated as a comment. Any values that you are going to specify must be underneath a section, which is labelled by text in between square brackets. For example, [MySQL] for the MySQL configuration section.
Configuring MySQL
Now that you've gotten your MySQL database set up and ready to have data slapped into it, you can start inputting the MySQL configuration in the Clockwork configuration file. Note: You do not need the MySQL tables to import into your database - Clockwork will automatically set this up for you. The mysql_host entry in your configuration must be an IP address, not a domain. The name for the MySQL section is [MySQL]. Below is a table of each available setting for this section.
\ mysql_characters_table \ mysql_players_table \ mysql_username \ mysql_password \ mysql_database \ mysql_host \ mysql_port \
Example MySQL Configuration
\ [MySQL] \ force mysql_characters_table = characters; \ force mysql_players_table = players; \ force mysql_username = Impulse; \ force mysql_password = beepbeep; \ force mysql_database = gmod_clockwork; \ force mysql_host = 127.0.0.1; \
Setting up MySQL on cPanel
- Login to your cPanel Account.
- Click the "MYSQL Wizard" and follow the steps, Making note of the database name,username,password. It is recommended that you select all privileges on the similar step Privileges - At the end you will be told the username and database. Some hosts show you the remote ip (Shown in orange in the image) End Of Wizard - If your mysql database is on the same server as your gameserver(Most cases they are not if you are using seperate webhosting) you will need to enter the % symbol, this is so you can tell cPanel that said remote host can access your databases.
- Now fill in the mysql configuration file on your gameserver with the information you wrote down in step 2
Clockwork will automatically create the tables for you
Setting up MYSQL on a local system
A local server is a SteamCMD server on your pc not a server provided by a GSP
- Start by downloading your Garry's Mod server via steamCMD - Gmod Wiki Article
- Follow the installation guide for Clockwork
- Download WAMP This lets us configure MYSQL and gives you a PhpMyAdmin interface
- Now WAMP is setup, start the WAMP server and you should see a icon, It should be green if it isn't click the icon then click start.
- Now click the PhpMyAdmin label, this should open your web browser, and see something similar to the image 2. The username will be " root " and the password will be blank.
- Once logged in, click the user's button located at the top then add user below the list.
- Fill in the fields, and generate or create a password. Keep host as localhost or 127.0.0.1 . Note: Make sure you select localhost in the dropdown next to the host field When you reach the next section, tick Create database with same name and grant all privileges
- This has now created a database and a user for you. You should fill in your clockwork.cfg with the information you just created.
Configuring Owner
Since there are no ways of setting the rank of a player through the console for security reasons, you'll have to edit a section in the clockwork.cfg file. You'll have to find out your (or another person's, if you so wish) Steam ID. You can do this by using an online service to get your Steam ID by your Steam community URL - such as Steam ID Finder, or in-game using the status command in console. This sets the given Steam ID to a super admin every time your server starts or changes level. The name for the owner section is [Owner]. Below is a table of available values for this section.
|The Steam ID of the server owner.
Example Owner Configuration
\\ [Owner]\\ force owner_steamid = STEAM_0:1:12345678;\\


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"Play Like a Girl" A History of Girls Basketball in South Dakota
The world of women's athletics has come a long way over the course of a century. Join South Dakota Public Broadcasting as we examine the evolution of High School Girl's Basketball. Memorable coaches and players help tell the intriguing tale of one of our state's most beloved games. From the early teams of the 1900s, to enduring a 50 year ban on girl's tournaments, and establishing world-class high school teams, watch and learn what it means to "Play Like a Girl".
Flandreau HS Girls Team - 1909
Major Funding Provided by:
Additional Funding provided by:
Northern State University
SDPB Home | Help | Feedback | State Homepage | Privacy Statement | ©2010 All Rights Reserved


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press play to hear from Roxanne Conlin
A Democratic candidate for one of Iowa's U.S. Senate seats says she's glad Congress is trying to minimize the impact of a Supreme Court ruling that removes restrictions on corporate campaign donations. Roxanne Conlin says making such donations as transparent as possible is all that lawmakers can do at this point. Conlin is seeking the Democratic nomination against former State Representative Bob Krause and current State Senator Tom Fiegen. The winner of that primary will face Republican Incumbent Chuck Grassley.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Android | Google Podcasts


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FEMA and the National Storm Shelter Association ICC 500 current guidelines for a "group" shelter state that you should allow 5 square feet per person with allowance for at least one 10 square foot for a wheelchair (more if for more than 200 people). When determining what size to build the square footage should also include another 15% beyond the footage for occupancy to allow for supplies – totes or cabinets with first aid, water, flashlights, etc.
All of our Group Shelters are built with 8" walls and have full sized handicap accessible 36" doors. The roof is coated with sealer and concrete UV elastic membrane covering which will help keep temperatures cool in the heat of summer. After completion a serial number is affixed to the shelter and a certificate issued stating that all components used by Protection Shelters LLC in construction of Tornado Shelters – doors, vents and louvers — have been tested, inspected and passed by the National Storm Shelter Association and Texas Tech Wind Science & Debris Impact Testing (the company that does testing for FEMA) — and meet the standards for design and construction of FEMA P 361 and NSSA ICC 500 2014 Edition.
What does safety cost?
Every year companies across America spend millions of dollars providing safety equipment and training for employees because they know that whatever the cost of safety, it is miniscule when compared to the cost of NOT being prepared.
Tornado weather patterns the past several years have changed to include not only the traditional "Tornado Alley" and "Dixie Alley" danger zones, but have expanded to include people and places for whom tornadoes were familiar only in movies and television shows.
At Protection Shelters LLC we know all too well what the cost of not being prepared can be. After the devastating 2011 tornado in Joplin, Missouri; Protection Shelters LLC was asked to come in and provide shelters for Hope High School to bring some peace of mind back for those students who had lost their school, their neighborhood and many of them their homes.
At Protection Shelters LLC we construct and install tornado shelters that not only meet but exceed FEMA P 361 and National Storm Shelter Association (NSSA) ICC 500 2014 standards. Doors built into walls rather than attached to them, walls that are 8" thick rather than 6"; we at Protection Shelters LLC believe that taking the "standards" and improving upon them is the only way to build. We don't strive to provide "adequate" protection; we insist that there be no doubt about your safety.
Everyone hopes that they never NEED a tornado shelter, but having one of our tested and engineered storm shelters provides the peace of mind that comes from knowing that after the storm life may be altered, but because of our shelter it was never threatened.
Your safety in the face of a storm is not only our business, but our passion. We consider it an honor and a privilege to provide for the safety of you and yours.
Deliverable Shelters
Above Ground Handicap accessible concrete shelters as small as 6X8 to as large as 10X21 can be built and then delivered to your location and set in place. They require no additional anchoring, just flat level ground.
Build on site Shelters
These shelters can be just a basic shelter or can provide an auxiliary multi-purpose space with drop ceilings, electricity, HVAC, bathrooms—Whatever your wants, needs and size requirements, we can provide a shelter that will more than meets your expectations.


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Contra Costa Water District Class
Students participate in an interactive presentation in which they learn about water, its role in California's history, and how to be clean water activists. Includes teacher resources, handouts and all experiment materials. Programs include "Amazing Water and its Three Forms" (3rd grade), "Water and Geography in California" (4th grade), and "Water Molecule's Incredible Journey" (5th grade).
|60-90 minutes
|Free to schools in Central and East Contra Costa
|Grade Level:
|Programs Available:
|Limited number
Scheduling a Program
Submit an online request form. You may also call our Education Office at (925) 947-6712 or email us. Enrollment is limited; please schedule early for the best selection of dates. Our programs are not limited to what you see in our brochure. Please contact us with special requests via email or phone 925-947-6712.
Booking Guidelines
- Maximum group size is 30 students; multiple classes cannot be combined
- A minimum of two programs is required per visit to your school
- All field trips require one adult for every five children
- Teachers and chaperones are responsible for students at all times
Special Programs
Our programs can be tailored to meet the needs, interests and abilities of any group, including home-school programs, day-care classes and scout troups. Let us know if your students have special needs, or if there is a special emphasis you would like during the program.
Program fees will be refunded if cancellations are made at least four weeks prior to your reserved date. In the event of inclement weather, programs will be held indoors or rescheduled if possible.


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Use less + (2013) by LCVS
Útil 2013
The Use Less + installation simply challenges everything, and the use of aesthetics in communication in particular. Although the installation might seem a bit old-fashioned in the smartphone + google glass age, it is nonetheless less functional. People can instantly use the installation for whatever they like, except for disconnecting the power cable. A video example of a body workout is projected on the table on the wall. If people want to use the installation in a more 'constructive' mental and social manner, they can surf the internet to search for a job, sign a petition in support of Ai Weiwei or against animal cruelty, et cetera. But people are also free to not use the installation, or to only aesthetically use it without any actual outcome. The content of the installation is thus always open for alteration.
Work description:
The installation Use Less + ( (2013) contains a random table, chair + chair, and computer with internet connection which people can use for free. A video (CLICK HERE) is projected on the table on the wall next to attached A4-papers.
A photo of the installation will appear on https://tifx.wordpress.com When people google the work they can see the installation in which they take part. During the Útil 2013 exhibition I will also shoot a little video of the installation and upload it, which then can be seen in the work itself on https://tifx.wordpress.com and the lcvonsukmeister Youtube-channel.
On the computer screen a collection of photo's from newspapers and other material will run as screen saver, which of course is changeable by any other user of the installation.
A4-papers consist of articles/quotes from:
Bourdieu, Pierre & Haacke, Hans. Free Exchange. Stanford University Press 1995.
Diederichsen, Diederich. On (Surplus) Value in Art. Sternberg Press 2008
Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, Verzoek verlagen maandbedrag studieschuld 2012.
Financial Stability Board. Update of group of global systemically important banks (G-SIBs). Basel, November 1, 2012.
Gielen, Pascal. The Art Scene. An Ideal Production Unit for Economic Exploitation? Open 2009.
Holmes, Brian. 'Liar's poker. Representation of Politics/Politics of Representation.' In: Springerin,1, 2003.
Morozov, Evgene. The Net Delusion. The Dark Side of Internet Freedom. New York 2011.
Riding, Alan. 'Slides and sunbathing: Art or entertainment?' In: The International Herald Tribune, Thursday November 2, 2006.
Saltz, Jerry. 'Money, Insularity, and a Huge Controversy for the New Museum.' In: New York Magazine, November 11, 2009.
Saltz, Jerry. 'Art Moralists. Give the New Museum a break.' In: New York Magazine, November 15, 2009.
Saltz, Jerry. 'Saltz on Defending the New Museum.' In: New York Magazine, November 16, 2009.
Sontag, Deborah & Pogrebin, Robin. 'Some Object as Museum Shows Its Trustee's Art.' In: The New York Times, November 10, 2009.
Spam e-mail by mr. Mong Hoi, Tuesday December 27, 2011.
Stallabrass, Julian. Art Incorporated. Oxford University Press 2004.
Thompson, Don. The $12 Million Stuffed Shark. The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art. New York 2008.
Žižek, Slavoj. First as Tragedy, Then as Farce. London 2009.
Et cetera
Material description:
2 tables
2 chairs
1 laptop or PC connected to the internet and free of use
1 video projected on the wall
several A4-papers which I tape on the wall


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A compressed scan of a color slide from the collection of a friend. I'm in the process of scanning their entire slide collection digitally so that they can be placed on DVD. This is just a sampling. Unfortunately, the colors are no where near what they are in the original scan.
All Images are ©Copyright by Michael Harris. Images may not be used without written permission.


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REDMOND, Wash. — Msnbc.com's free application for the iPhone and iPod touch continues to soar in popularity with both consumers and advertisers. The innovative app, launched in June, continues its rapid growth trend and has doubled its number of daily active users in the past two months.* In addition to offering outstanding news and lifestyle content, the msnbc.com app also offers compelling advertising opportunities, with sponsorships sold out for October and November.
Msnbc.com's free application offers advertisers a rich environment for premium brand sponsorships. Msnbc.com, in partnership with Zumobi, has integrated an innovative sponsorship for Lexus for the entire month of October. Msnbc.com's audience, combined with the flexibility that the iPhone delivers, creates an ideal environment for Lexus to engage with consumers.
"Our new mobile offerings have experienced tremendous growth. We see consumers not only downloading the free app, but coming back to use it again and again – a trend that shows they're truly engaged with our content," said Charlie Tillinghast, President of msnbc.com. "For advertisers, the opportunity to creatively showcase their brands in such a rich environment makes a sponsorship with us very attractive."
With the msnbc.com app, millions of "news explorers" can immerse themselves in a fuller spectrum of video and news stories – right from their iPhone or iPod touch. The radial interface allows for easy navigation by offering consumers a full view of the colorful menu so they can select what they want to explore. The settings allow users to easily scan and scroll through content, play and pause video, or select and read news stories. A Twitter integration feature enables consumers to easily share articles as well as track Twitter feeds from their favorite NBC News and MSNBC Cable anchors.
The free msnbc.com app is available on the Apple App Store. Consumers can also download free apps for TODAYshow.com and The Rachel Maddow Show. These apps are all part of The Zumobi Network, which offers a portfolio of entertaining, informative and useful programming and applications to enjoy on next-generation smartphones.
*Source: Internal application reporting


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New research reveals where buyers and consumers draw the normal / creepy line
Despite the industry hype, only 7% of sales and marketing professionals named social selling a priority in HubSpot's 2015 State of Inbound Sales report.
A quick Google search for the term "social selling creepy" reveals one of the biggest barriers to adoption. Out of 1.3 million results, some choice titles include "Social Selling: How Not to Be Creepy" and "Social Selling ... Without Being Creepy."
Salespeople can't seem to shake the fear that social selling practices might come off as "creepy" to prospects. And who wants to buy from a social media stalker? No one.
But as sellers know, perception doesn't equal reality. Is social selling truly off-putting to prospects? This survey report, based on opinions from over 250 buyers and consumers, defines the normal/creepy line once and for all.
In this research report, you'll discover:
Are you ready to cut through the creepy? Then download this survey report right now.


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The city known for hosting epic championship fights in the boxing ring is gearing for a knock-down, drag-out fight in the boardroom.
Jason Ader is the founder of hedge fund Ader Investments, a former Wall Street casino stock analyst, and a board member of Las Vegas Sands Corporation. His hedge fund is also a major shareholder in gaming company IGT, the largest slot machine maker in the world.
It is Ader and his allies who will square off with IGT's management in a proxy battle that is forcing Las Vegas' casino industry royalty to chose sides or get out of the way.
Last month, IGT announced that it had received a letter of intent from Ader. In it, Ader proposed replacing four members of IGT's board — IGT said absolutely not.
Now, whether Ader wanted it or not (he says he didn't) he has a fight on his hands (check out his website, rescueigt.com here). He says he has two concerns with IGT, capital allocation and corporate governance. Ader's also willing to bring his original request for four board seats down to three to make the changes that he thinks will help the company.
Since Ader's letter was made public, IGT's stock has gone up 12.46%.
"All we were looking to do was put three directors on the board to help the company, and we're happy to work with the existing board however we can," Ader told Business Insider.
IGT's customers include some of the biggest names in the gambling world — the Steve Wynns, the Sheldon Adelsons — so everyone who is anyone in Las Vegas is watching this fight. Even former Nevada Governor Bob Miller has taken a side against Ader. He sits on both IGT's and Wynn Resorts' boards.
According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, Ader has the proxy fight go-ahead from Las Vegas Sands chairman Sheldon Adelson, but the billionaire has decided to stay out of the fight..
Wynn, for his part, has decided to get involved.
"What's unique about this situation is that I'm not aware that there's ever been a proxy battle where a customer came out in support of a dissident group like Steve Wynn has," Ader said.
IGT isn't taking this laying down, of course. On February 1st IGT CEO Patti Hart and Chairman Phil Satre wrote a letter bashing Chuck Mathewson, one of Ader's board picks and a former Chairman of IGT.
From the Las Vegas Journal Review:
...the letter...spelled out how Mathewson, during his 17-year tenure as chairman and after he left the board, enjoyed a "lavish lifestyle" at the expense of the company and had an "old school" approach to corporate governance.
That absolutely infuriated Steve Wynn, an old friend of Mathewson's.
Here's Steve Wynn's statement on Mathewson and the battle (via Yahoo Finance):
"I have known Chuck Mathewson both as a business man and as a friend for over 30 years. My various companies have done business with him during his tenure as Chairman of IGT, and we have benefitted from his expertise and the leadership he brought to the position. I have also, during all of those years, had the opportunity to discuss a wide range of business opportunities and decisions with him and have steadily increased my respect for his maturity and judgment. He is a man of wide perspective and vision.
People who worked for him held him in the highest regard, as did every major company in the gaming industry with whom he dealt so successfully. It was during Chuck's time at IGT that the company came into dominance as the principal supplier of slot machines in the United States. Since his departure the company has seemed to have lost that edge.
I am personally saddened by what appears to be a paid professional attempt to smear him. I'm left with the impression that such an effort is motivated by IGT's current management's attempt to distract shareholder attention from current performance."
Ader has also requested that distressed investor Raymond Brooks and Ader Investment President Daniel Silvers join the board along with Mathewson.
In a letter to shareholders dated February 7th, Ader said that he believes his nominees to the board will bring casino industry experience and more ownership representation to the body. The three board members he wants to replace all have prior relationships with management, and he claims they have no experience in the casino industry.
According to Ader's website, rescueigt.com, the Ader Group beneficially owns more than 100x the IGT stock than that of the three directors it seeks to replace (excluding stock options).
"A board that has expertise in gaming, a board that has expertise in financial markets... that's going to help all shareholders," Ader told Business Insider over the phone.
Ader and his allies also want to refocus IGT's business on the slot machines that made it profitable in the first place. He points to acquisitions like IGT's $500 million purchase of online gaming of DoubleDown as evidence of the board's overspending.
"IGT could have built something like DoubleDown for $50 to $60 million," Ader said. By he and his allies' estimation, IGT has made about $625 million worth of non-strategic acquisitions.
Yesterday, Ader took his argument to IGT employees in a letter, writing, "IGT employees own more than 6X the beneficial ownership of the current non-employee directors and, like all stockholders, deserve to be well-represented in the boardroom."
In response, IGT blocked Ader's rescueigt.com site from employees.
IGT's shareholder meeting is on March 5th. Until then, expect bobbing, weaving, and punches galore.


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I have received some requests for allowing dogs in at least one park of New Town. Most parks in Kolkata do not allow pets inside parks mostly because dog poop menace. We are thinking of barricading a portion of Swapna Bhor that includes the pet corner zone where people with pet dogs may take a walk. The guards will keep an eye that dog poop is removed by the owner immediately. An additional fee for this facility may have to be paid to ensure cleanliness of the area.
After the loss of a beloved pet, most owners are grief stricken. A chief engineer of Hidco recently took a day off after his dog died after 12 years. In order to achieve closure after a loss, many pet owners need funeral services for their animals. We have identified a 5 kottah plot on the bank of a canal at a far end of New Town where a Pet Crematorium would be built by NKDA. The search for a designer has begun as well as a legal consultant.
* * *
|ToI dt 31 Jan 2016
|Hindustan Times dt 31 Jan 2016
Also see:


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I seriously feel like slapping myself right now… I feel incredibly sleepy this morning. There's this strange feeling that it's hard to breathe and my eyes feel so very heavy and the only comforting thought is a nice, warm, heavy blanket atop my curled up body on my bed. I seriously wish I could feel the length of time I slept… as in, experienced sleep in real time.
Sleep to me feels like a short duration of dreaming and then suddenly waking up. It's too quick, it happens in the blink of an eye, and when I wake up hours have gone by but I don't feel as though I rested for as many hours as I did… and I don't know if sleeping more would help because I'm not sure I would 'feel' the additional hours anyway.
Coffee mostly acts as an eye speculum for me… and a nauseating feeling sort of washes over me at the thought of forced awakening like that. It's torturous right? (If you should like to feel that same wave of nausea feel free to google 'eye speculum.')
I don't understand how and why I am always sleepy. The moment I head home I try to throw in an errand or two so I can feel a little accomplishment but lately by 5pm I literally just cannot stay awake a moment longer. I hit the bed and out like a light. And then I'll exercise and by my bedtime I'm not as sleepy so then I'm fucking around on my phone or trying to catch a few minutes of late night TV (a rarity for me)… and then I wake up late to make up for the missed time and then I get to work and it's zombie all over again.
Honestly waking up at 4:30am is so not sustainable… but that's the time I must wake up for work so it's not like that can change.
The first thing I think about when I wake up is "When can I go back to sleep?" And it's the thought at the back of my mind all day at work. And it's what I think about as I'm headed home or to an errand…
Also I'd like to throw in I'm getting old. I injured my wrist (I have no idea how) and it's been two weeks and it still isn't healed… it cracks when I turn it side to side and there's mild discomfort.
It's affecting my strength and daily fitness goals.
I can't wait for all the commotion to die down from moving and from cherry season. Everyday it's like clean clean clean, go look at furniture, discover that I need to go buy another 'essential' like dish-washing liquid or yet another hand soap, etc.
Basically: I feel burnt out and tired.
Or I woke up just completely out of it this morning.
Numbers at work are dizzying and a confused mess… COME ON CHERRY SEASON, be over already.


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Design Development
Today, the ATMEA1 reactor is a mature design that can adapt to all site conditions. This ready-to-order design is available for construction and requires minimal site adaptation.
A mature design adaptable to all site conditions
The ATMEA1 reactor's basic design is complete. Its generic detail design, bringing further precisions to the basic design, is set for completion in the first quarter of 2015. As such, the ATMEA1 reactor is:
- Ready to order,
- Available for licensing and construction at contract signing,
- Adaptable to all site conditions without major modifications required.
To meet a wide range of site-specific conditions, the ATMEA1 reactor incorporates safety systems to protect against extreme hazards such as:
- Seismic activity
- Flooding and tsunamis
- Tornado
- Fire
- Explosion pressure waves
A 3D computerized model will be available to send to manufacturers in 2015. Please contact us now for more details.