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Source of material commented on: http://tinyurl.com/yfjk533
In a recent Course Meets World piece, I reported the story of Mohammad Sohail, a convenience store owner who offered forgiveness and help to an armed man who tried to rob him. This week, I read a follow-up story reporting the most recent development in this remarkable holy encounter: the would-be robber's expression of gratitude for Sohail's priceless gift of love. I see this whole story as a beautiful real-life parable of the power of forgiveness.
First, a quick summary of the story I reported in my previous piece: Sohail was closing his store in Garden City, New York one night when a man with a baseball bat burst in to rob him. Sohail grabbed a rifle from behind the counter and pointed it at the would-be robber. To Sohail's surprise, the man broke down in tears, told him he was just trying to support his starving family, and begged for forgiveness. Moved by compassion, Sohail put down his gun and gave the man $40 dollars and a loaf of bread. All he asked for in return was a promise never to rob again.
This act of kindness touched the man so deeply that he wanted to convert to Sohail's Muslim faith. Sohail gave him this gift as well, helping him make the profession of faith necessary to become a Muslim. Afterward, the two men shook hands, but when Sohail went to the back of the store to get some milk as an additional gift for his new Muslim brother, the man disappeared.
That was the end of it. But this brief encounter was powerful and life-changing, for it gave both men priceless gifts. The would-be robber received the gift of forgiveness and kindness; Sohail received the gift of joy that comes from helping a brother in need. As Sohail humbly put it, "I'm a very little man. I just did a good job. I have a good feeling in my heart. I feel very good."
But it turns out that the man's disappearance was not the end of it. The follow-up story reports that some time afterward, Sohail received a letter from the man who tried to rob him. The man expressed his gratitude for Sohail's kindness and enclosed $50, $10 more than Sohail had originally given him. And he described how the encounter had transformed his life for the better:
Now I have a new child and good job make good money staying out of trouble and taking care of my family. You gave me forty dollars thank you for sparing my life Because of that you change my life.
Sohail, humble as ever in his response to the letter, makes light of the incident even as he expresses a profound truth:
When you do good things for somebody, it comes back to you. I gave him $40 and he sent me back $50. It was a good investment.
In my original piece, I shared how in my mind, this incident powerfully demonstrated a number of teachings from A Course in Miracles. It reminded me that you can forgive in any situation, no matter how extreme. It showed that extending forgiveness to another person can truly transform that person, even to the point that he "converts" to the forgiver's loving thought system — in this case quite literally, as the man decided to become a Muslim. Finally, it illustrated the bedrock Course teaching that when you forgive, you yourself receive the gift. You too are "converted" to the thought system you are teaching, as the other person's acceptance of it reinforces it in your own mind. I summed it all up with this key passage from the Course, which gives us nothing less than the formula for salvation:
Forgive and be forgiven. As you give you will receive. There is no plan but this for the salvation of the Son of God. (W-pI.122.6:3-5)
To me, these latest developments in the story further demonstrate these teachings from the Course, and illuminate some other Course teachings as well. First, from the man's letter, we can see even more just how much Sohail's forgiveness transformed him. He had been profoundly moved on the day of the attempted robbery, and it is apparent that the change of heart he experienced that day was not a passing thing. It stayed with him. The seed planted that day continues to grow. We can even see how his inner transformation has manifested on the outside. He has a new child and a new job. He's stayed out of trouble (keeping his promise not to rob again) and is taking care of his family. And he is apparently doing well enough that he can pay Sohail back with interest.
In addition, there are a couple of other Course teachings I see demonstrated by these later events. The first is the Course's teaching on the role of gratitude in the process of salvation. The Course tells us that one of the most powerful ways the forgiver's gift returns to him — a way that teaches him that he is an innocent Son of God and thus enables him to experience forgiveness and salvation for himself — is through the gratitude of the one he has forgiven. The recipient of the forgiver's gift sees the light of God in him, and responds accordingly. You see this idea, for instance, in passages like these:
The joy of teaching will yet be yours. For the joy of teaching is in the learner, who offers it to the teacher in gratitude, and shares it with him. (T-16.III.7:3-4)
The sick, who ask for love, are grateful for it, and in their joy they shine with holy thanks. And this they offer you who gave them joy. They are your guides to joy. (T-13.VI.10:5-7)
As [the light in you] shines your brothers see it, and realizing that this light is not what you have made, they see in you more than you see. (T-14.II.4:4)
Sohail regards himself as a "very little man" who did nothing special, but the man he helped sees more in him than he sees. And however humble Sohail's public response has been, imagine the joy he must have felt deep inside while reading the man's letter. How would you feel if you almost killed a man, but instead put down your gun and offered him help, and saw that action completely transform his life? How would you feel if the man then verbally expressed to you his immense gratitude for changing his life forever? When you see such concrete evidence of the goodness that came forth from you, wouldn't you feel more pure, more innocent, more forgiven than ever before? As Robert likes to say, if to err is human and to forgive divine, wouldn't you feel divine?
The second demonstration of a Course teaching has to do with the man's monetary gift to Sohail. I'm reminded of the prayer from Lesson 345 of the Workbook:
Father, a miracle reflects Your gifts to me, Your Son. And every one I give returns to me, reminding me the law of love is universal. Even here, it takes a form which can be recognized and seen to work. The miracles I give are given back in just the form I need to help me with the problems I perceive. (W-pII.345.1:1-4)
The "law of love" here is expressed succinctly in the previous lesson: "What I give my brother is my gift to me" (W-pII.344.Heading). This is true of anything I give, but this lesson speaks specifically of miracles: Its title is "I offer only miracles today, for I would have them be returned to me." So, whenever a person give a miracle — like Sohail helping the man who tried to rob him — that miracle is returned to the one who gave it.
What I want to focus on here, though, is the last line I've quoted. Prior to this line, we've been told that "the law of love is universal": It works both in Heaven and on earth. In our current state, of course, the earthly form of the law is much more relevant to our daily lives, so we are assured that even on earth, "it takes a form that can be recognized and seen to work." What is that form? The last line here tells us: "The miracles I give are given back in just the form I need to help me with the problems I perceive." In other words, just as the Holy Spirit guides you to give a miracle in the form that would be most helpful to the receiver, the form in which it returns to you is the form that is most helpful to you, the giver.
What follows is a bit of conjecture, but it has at least some basis in the story: Sohail's joke that his $40 gift "was a good investment" because he got $50 back. It was a joke, but I'm guessing that he truly was glad to get this little surprise in the mail. Convenience stores don't rake in a lot of money in the best of times; in these hard economic times, I'm sure they're struggling like every other retail business. I'm willing to bet that this unexpected money was very much needed. So, while of course I don't know for sure, I can't help but wonder if the monetary gift was a case of Sohail's miracle of forgiveness returning to him in just the form he needed to help him with the problems he perceived.
This idea that we receive our miracles back in the form we need to address our own problems is immensely reassuring to me. Of course, this teaching doesn't mean that we should give to others in expectation that we'll get particular things back. When Sohail gave the would-be robber the $40 and a loaf of bread, he wasn't doing it because he thought he would get $50 back later. It was a true gift of the heart, and the content of the gift returning to him was the gratitude of his brother. But all of us struggle with the fear that if we just give give give, we'll be drained dry. This fear is often what keeps us from giving as much as we could. It is good to know that not only do the miracles we give return to us, but they do so in a way that meets all of our needs: our deep need for love and our earthly needs too. We don't have to fear that giving miracles will suck the life out of us. As we take care of our brothers, God will take care of us.
Thank you again, Mohammad Sohail and the man whose life you changed forever, for so powerfully demonstrating the beautiful and practical teachings of A Course in Miracles.


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Does anyone know of any security issues with this software and is this trojan horse a real threat?
Thank you,
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Late last week, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice (collectively, the Agencies) announced that they will hold a public workshop regarding topics in health care competition on February 24–25, 2015. The notice invites stakeholder comments, which the Agencies will review in preparation for the workshop. Comments must be submitted by February 16, 2015, in order to be considered prior to the workshop.
Although comments broadly relating to evolving provider and payor models are welcome, the Agencies identified several topics on which they would find stakeholder input particularly valuable. These include:
1. Early Observations of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)
Since the 2011 Statement of Antitrust Enforcement Policy Regarding ACOs, the Agencies have largely adopted a watch-and-wait approach with ACOs. The Agencies' questions within this category have as much to do with the competitive impact of ACOs (in particular, in the commercial market), as they do with gathering fundamental feedback on whether ACOs have been successful in aligning payor, provider, and patient incentives. Key areas of interest include: evidence of cost reductions or quality improvements; spill-over effects, if any, between Medicare and commercial ACOs; and impact on market power and patient referral patterns.
2. Alternatives to Traditional Fee-for-Service Payment Models
The notice observes that, in recent years, health policy experts have emphasized the importance of shifting away from fee-for-service payment models and towards value-based purchasing. This trend was significantly accelerated earlier this week, when Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell announced that the agency plans to restructure Medicare provider reimbursement so that by 2016, 30 percent will come from outcomes-based payment models, rising to 50 percent by 2018. Despite the desire of many to move away from fee-for-service models, value-based payment models present their own set of issues. The Agencies solicited information about how alternative models could be successfully instituted by providers of all sizes, without harming either competition or patient access.
3. Trends in Provider Consolidation
The Agencies have long expressed skepticism as to whether provider consolidation generates quality improvements and cost reductions that cannot be achieved through other forms of collaboration. In the notice, the Agencies requested comments relating to three types of trends in provider consolidation.
First, the Agencies asked for information regarding hospital-physician practice mergers. In particular, the Agencies are interested in evidence relating to physician practices being able to submit claims for facility charges post-merger, whether hospitals and physician practices have greater bargaining power that they can leverage into negotiating higher rates, and whether the merging parties' predicted quality increases actually arise post-merger. Second, the Agencies raised the topic of whether "cross-market" hospital mergers are uniquely anticompetitive, and whether traditional antitrust tools can adequately assess future harm to competition. Finally, the Agencies asked for examples of provider-payor consolidations and the competitive implications of such mergers.
4. Provider Network and Benefit Design
The Agencies referenced the recent trend towards networks that restrict access to providers and expressed concern that certain network contracting strategies could be self-defeating. In this vein, the Agencies posed questions regarding whether network designs such as narrow networks lead to cost reductions, and the extent to which market structure and degree of provider competition impact network and benefit design. Additionally, the Agencies solicited information about certain ongoing regulatory and legislative initiatives (e.g., essential benefits and network adequacy requirements, any willing provider laws and price transparency rules) that could either positive or negatively affect efforts to implement innovative network and benefit designs.
5. Early Observations of Health Insurance Exchanges
Against the backdrop of the health exchanges' continued efforts to find their footing, the Agencies posed a series of questions relating to whether the exchanges have affected competition in health insurance markets, in particular, on the number of competitors, the variety of products offered and the pricing as compared to plans sold prior to the institution of the exchanges.
* * *
Although the Agencies will only consider comments for purposes of the workshop if they are submitted prior to February 16, 2015, the Agencies welcome comments on both the questions posted in the public solicitation notice and the workshop dialogue itself until April 30, 2015. A copy of the text of the Federal Register notice is available here.


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Wed, 24 November 2010 at 1:20 pm
Paul Wesley & TR Knight: 'Elling' Opening Night!
Paul Wesley and T.R. Knight step out for the opening night performance of Elling on Broadway on Sunday (November 21) in New York City.
The 28-year-old Vampire Diaries actor pulled on a knit cap for the after party, held at Soho House in NYC!
Elling stars Brendan Fraser and Denis O'Hare as mismatched roommates dealing with women, work and friendship.
10+ pictures inside of Paul Wesley and T.R. Knight at the opening night performance of Elling…
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Credit: Paul Kisby; Photos: Getty Posted to: Paul Wesley, TR Knight
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Pandemic Studios upcoming World War 2 action / adventure The Saboteur has today been officially confirmed for a December 4th European release by publisher EA. A release date for the United States has not yet been confirmed, but it is unlikely that the date will stray far from the one stated by EA today. The game, which will be released on the PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, is set in the Nazi-occupied city of Paris during the second World War.
The story focuses on race car driver Sean Devlin, who is engaged in a personal crusade against the German forces occupying the French capital. The player must navigate through the open-world representation of Paris and (as the name of the game suggests) sabotage the German efforts within the city. In doing so, Devlin will open up opportunities for other factions, such as the French Resistance to open the Nazis more directly. At last June's E3, the game received multiple awards for its art style and unique portrayal of the war-torn, gritty city of 1940 Paris. Also, the game will feature a unique system in which decisions or actions done by the player will affect the overall resistance of the Parisian citizens against the German forces.


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'Blast in the Burg' welcomes new corps
JOHNSONBURG – Now in its third year, the Blast in the Burg III drum and bugle corps competition is sure to be another hit with area spectators. This year's show is slated for Tuesday, July 31 at 6 p.m. at Memorial Field in Johnsonburg."Due to overwhelming support, there will indeed be a Blast in the Burg III," said organizer Terry Feronti of Johnsonburg.Advance tickets are available until 3 p.m. on July 24 and may be purchased in Johnsonburg at the Johnsonburg Press office, Johnsonburg Senior Center, Beck's Bar and Grill, Central Hose Hall, and The Old Brickyard; in Ridgway at Cliffe's; Wilcox Beverage in Wilcox; and in St. Marys at Vito's, Ivan's and Printing Plus, as well as at the DuBois and Kane chambers of commerce. There are separate prices for adults and children under 12. General admission adult tickets at the gate will cost slightly more. Feronti is also offering an option of mailing tickets to spectators as long as the buyer sends a form of payment along with a self-addressed envelope to 534 Glen Hazel Rd., Johnsonburg, PA 15845. All checks should be made payable to Terry Feronti. Any inquiries may be made to his email at firstname.lastname@example.com the open class drum corps competing in this year's show are returning groups 7th Regiment of New London, Conn.; Blue Saints of Ontario, Canada; and Vanguard Cadets of Santa Clara, Calif., along with new participants Raiders of Wayne, N.J., Spirit of Newark from New Jersey and Forte of Dallas, Texas."It was wonderful. I loved the crowd," said Feronti, referring to last year's crowd of 1,150 spectators.As in years past, area schools have agreed to host the visiting drum corps. 7th Regiment is staying at Johnsonburg Area High School and the Blue Saints at Johnsonburg Community Center; the Raiders will be housed at Kane Area Middle School for an additional two days after the competition; the Spirit of Newark will be at Kane Area High School; Forte will be at Ridgway Area High School; and the Vanguard Cadets will potentially be at Youngsville High School, a middle point between Erie and Johnsonburg as the group is returning to Erie for a Saturday competition.According to Feronti, housing may be subject to change. He said half of the proceeds from the cash drawing held during the event are donated to the host schools.All of the 2012 competing drum corps finished the 2011 season in the top 20."I really don't think I'm going to be able to top that show from last year," Feronti said, noting the 2011 show featured the top three open-class corps. "All efforts are exhausted each year to bring the highest quality lineup of open class corps. Some years I succeed, other years, perhaps not! Circumstances beyond my control and the availability of corps limit which corps will compete in a Blast in the Burg III."Pick up a copy of the Saturday, June 30, 2012 edition of The Ridgway Record for more.


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OHL Roundup: Otters beat Storm 2-1 in OT, narrowly escape lowly Guelph with winNHL.com @NHLdotcom
GUELPH, Ont. - Kyle Maksimovich scored in overtime as the Erie Otters narrowly escaped Guelph with a win in Ontario Hockey League action Tuesday.
The battle between the OHL's top team and its basement-dweller turned out to be closer than expected, with the Storm keeping its modest points streak alive at three games (1-0-2).
Jake Marchment opened the scoring with a power-play goal 19 seconds into the second period, but it took James McEwan just 47 seconds to erase that slight advantage.
The teams remained deadlocked at 1-1 until Maksimovich scored 41 seconds into overtime on a power play.
Goaltender Michael Giugovaz kept Guelph in the game with 35 saves.
Devin Williams stopped 29 shots for Erie.
The Otters struck on two of four power-play chances, while the Storm was shut out on two attempts.
Bulldogs 3 Firebirds 2 (OT)
FILNT, Mich. ? Trent Fox scored his second goal of the game in overtime to lead Hamilton over the Firebirds.
Matthew Strome also scored for Hamilton ().
Will Bitten and Cullen Mercer scored for Trent, while,Brent Moran made 52 saves.
67'2 5 Frontenacs 2
KINGSTON, Ont. ??? Sam Studnicka had two goals and an assist as Ottawa downed the Frontenacs.
Jeremiah Addison, Ben Fanjoy and Austen Keating had the other goals for the 67's ().
Zack Dorval and Ryan Cranford scored for Kingston ().
Rangers 3 Knights 2
KITCHENER, Ont. ??? Gustaf Franzen had a goal and an assist as the Rangers held off London.
Adam Mascherin and Doug Blaisdell also scored for Kitchener ().
Owen MacDonald and Jack Hidi had the goals for London ().
Petes 5 Steelheads 1
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. ??? Hunter Garlent had two goals and an assist to lead Peterborough over the Steelheads.
Logan DeNoble, Adam Timleck and Nick Grima also scored for the Petes ().
Nicolas Hague had the lone goal for the Steelheads ().
Attack 4 Battalion 2
OWEN SOUND, Ont. ??? Petrus Palmu scored twice to lead the Attack over North Bay.
Matthew Struthers and Jacob Busch added goals for Owen Sound ().
Kyle Potts and Mike Baird replied for the Battalion ().
IceDogs 3 Wolves 1
SUDBURY, Ont. ??? Johnny Corneil had two goals and an assist as Niagara beat the Wolves.
Jordan Maletta had the other goal for the IceDogs.
Michael Pezzetta scored for Sudbury ().


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MOSCOW, June 17 (Itar-Tass) - President of the Russian migrants' federation Muhammad Amin Madjumder criticized the proposed bill to introduce a 30,000-rouble promissory note for migrants entering the country, as "superfluous" initiative and discrimination against foreigners.
"I believe it's not just discrimination, but humiliation of migrants. They are trying to humiliate them in various ways, especially when lawmakers come up with such proposals. Migrants are regarded as second or third rate whereas migrants are people," he said in indignant comments to Echo Moscow radio.
"Lawmaker should examine the problem; it's as if they have nothing else to do," Madjumder went on to say, adding that "no normal deputies would support the bill.
He called for developing another approach to the solution of the problem of legalization of migrants.
Russia's Federal Migration Service /FMS/ said it does not support the proposal.
"What's 30,000 roubles to an Uzbek citizen, for example? It's like three million roubles to us. It's practically unrealistic for migrants to raise this sum," head of the FMS department for Moscow Olga Kirillova told reporters on Monday.
Kirillova said she regarded this measure /introducing entry notes/ as very harsh.
Earlier on Monday, mass media outlets reported that State Duma lawmakers Alexei Zhuravlyov and Sergei Zhigarev /from the Liberal Democratic Party /LDPR/ had drawn amendments to the federal laws on the procedure of exit from the Russian Federation and entry into the Russian Federation. It commits the foreigners who enter Russia visa-free to purchase a migration note.
Under proposed legislation, it is a new financial instrument ensuring the solvency of the foreign citizen. "A migration note, which is a note to order, is acquired by a foreign citizen who has come to Russia under the procedure that does not require a visa, within the view of ensuring his or her solvency in case of deportation. As a valid financial obligation, it is due for redemption in case of foreign citizen's leaving Russia," the authors of the bill said.
The believe that it will help save Russia's national integrity, decrease the crime rate and attract additional funds to the state budget, which might reach 225 billion roubles a year given par value of the migration note at 30,00 roubles, and 7.5 million migrants entering the country each year.
Lawmakers noted that Russia deported 35,134 persons last year, and 28,585 in 2011. Deporting a native of a Central Asia country costs 30,000 to 40,000 roubles on the average. "These expenses create an unjustified load on the budget and dismantle the effect for the national economy from the labor of foreign migrants," the authors said.
The parliament is to debate the new bill in the autumn, Zhuravlyov's press service told Itar-Tass.


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- Does the weather affect the cave tour or gem panning?
- Are you open on Memorial Day, 4th of July or Labor Day
- Are cameras allowed in the cave?
- Are cell phones allowed in the cave?
- Can I take my child into the cave in a stroller or backpack carrier?
- Is the tour wheelchair/walker accessible?
- Can I bring my purse/camera bag/backpack into the cave?
- We are traveling with our pets, what options do you have for pets?
- What age is recommended for Prospector Creek® gem panning?
- What are our options for food while visiting Crystal Cave?
- Can children take the tour alone?
- How many stairs are on the tour?
Does the weather affect the cave tours and gem panning?
No, the cave is fun rain or shine and is not affected by the weather. The gem panning sluice is outside but covered and we also have a covered, but not heated , picnic pavilion for those less than perfect days. Please be aware of the weather conditions on the surface and dress appropriately.
Are you open on Memorial Day, 4th of July or Labor Day
Yes, we are open on all summer holidays and with normal hours. We are open 7 days a week from April 1 to October 31!
What type of clothing is recommended?
The cave temperature is 50°F (10°C). Jackets or sweatshirts and closed-toe shoes are recommended, but not necessary. In addition, you might be spending some time outside on the surface. In our visitor center we do have a nice selection of Crystal Cave sweatshirts and T-shirts available for purchase.
Are cameras allowed in the cave?
Yes, we allow point and shoot photography (no video or audio) inside the cave. Please be mindful that the tour will be moving through the cave so there is limited time to compose a photo. For this same reason tripod, monopods, or selfie sticks are not allowed in the cave.
Cave photography can be challenging. We recommend you use a high ISO setting on your camera and a slower shutter speed. For some cameras this may be called a "night sky" or "city-night" mode. Due to high humidity, many times a flash will illuminate the water vapor in the air, so if you see this "ghosting" effect, try to limit your use of flash.
If you are interested in more time to compose your shots or using monopods, tripods and slave flash units you may want to consider signing up for a custom tour
Are cell phones allowed in the cave?
Of course! Many people use the camera function on their phone for photography. We should mention that that radio signals do not pass through bedrock so there is no cell service underground.
Can I take my child into the cave in a stroller or backpack carrier?
While your child is welcome, strollers or backpack child carriers cannot be accommodated due to multiple flights of stairs and several low passages during the tour. We recommend a front mounted swaddle/sling carrier for little ones. We would be happy to store your stoller in our back offices during your tour (free), just ask a staff member at the ticket counter.
Is the tour wheelchair/walker accessible?
Unfortunately, due to how Crystal Cave was naturally formed we enter the cave via a series of stairs and ramps. As such the tour is not suitable for wheelchairs or walkers.
Mystery Cave in SE Minnesota is entered through the side of the hill and, as such, they have an accessible tour. Please contact them for more information on accessibility options for their cave
Can I bring my purse/camera bag/backpack into the cave?
Yes, small purses or bags may be brought on the tour, provided they fit inside our "size test box" located in our visitor center. Larger bags or anything you don't want to carry may be locked in our complimentary lockers before the tour. The lockers are located in the basement assembly room and are free to use.
We are traveling with our pets, what options do you have for pets?
Our surface activities, including our nature trail and picnic grounds, are pet friendly. All pets must be on leash and under your control at all times. Please be respectful and clean up after your pet. Pets, comfort animals or emotional support animals are not allowed in the cave or in the visitor center. If the weather is cool, you may leave your dog in your car, if the weather is hot we suggest either leaving your dog at home or having someone remain on the surface during the tour (one option is to switch roles after the 1 hr tour is over)
Due to Federal (USFWS) and State (DNR) regulations, pets, comfort animals or emotional support animals are not allowed into Crystal Cave. This includes small breed dogs or other pets that are typically carried. Because of these regulations Crystal Cave does not allow pets, comfort animals and emotional support animals in our gift store. Crystal Cave complies with Federal ADA regulations regarding service dogs. If you have any questions please contact Crystal Cave.
What age is recommended for Prospector's Creek® gem panning?
Visitors of all ages enjoy panning for gems, minerals or fossils from around the world. You are guaranteed find a great selection in each bag of ore mix. All gems, minerals and fossils are real and everything you find is yours to keep! We include an ID card to help you identify your finds and at our ticket counter we have examples of what is found in typical ore bags. It is fun for young visitors or adults who enjoy identifying or collecting gems, minerals and fossils. Some guests have used what they found to make one-of-a-kind jewelry.
Gem panning is a separate surface activity from the cave tour. Please feel free to walk over to Prospector's Creek® and take a look at the sluice or watch other guests. The sluice is designed with low areas for young children, higher areas for adults and there is an ADA sluice section as well.
It's OK if not everyone in your group wants to purchase gem panning ore, your entire group is still welcome at Prospector Creek®!
What are our options for food while visiting Crystal Cave?
At our visitor center we offer cold drinks, ice cream, pre packaged sandwiches, muffins, donuts, fresh coffee, tea, and specialty candies. We also have numerous picnic tables in our shaded picnic grounds and park style charcoal grills. We also have a shared, covered picnic pavilion with 14 picnic tables. Within 1/4 of a mile there is a Subway restaurant. Feel free to grab a sub and head back to our shaded picnic grounds!
A mile down the road is downtown Spring Valley and there is a restaurant and a local bakery for a snack, lunch or dinner.. There are additional restaurants in the surrounding communities as well. If you would like to eat after your visit be sure to pick up our local dining guide when you are here. It lists a number of restaurants on your route home.
Can children take the tour alone?
Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian (i.e. an adult) during the cave tour.
How many stairs are on the tour?
There is a total elevation change is 70 ft down and 70 ft back up during the one hour tour.
Going down into the cave the first series of stairs is about 30 steps, which will bring you to the first level of the cave. You will then take a couple minute break before going down a short ramp that brings you to the second level of the cave. You will be on the second level for about five minutes and will then head down to the third and final level of the cave. There are two ramps and about 20 stairs total that bring you down from the second level to the third level of the cave. You will stay on the third level for a majority of the tour.
Going up to the surface from the third level you go back up the stairs and ramps to the second level which is where the final room is. You will spend about 5 minutes in the final room and then head back up the ramp to the first level of the cave. You will take just a moment before going up the rest of the stairs up to the surface.


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I haven't written anything since LeBron James saved my soul by beating the Oklahoma City Thunder back in mid June. Nothing. I got halfway through an NBA Draft Review before reading Bill Simmons' take on the same thing, realized mine sucked in comparison, and then scrapped it. Since that moment I have watched the entire first season of Workaholics 2.8 times, a miserable amount of Curb Your Enthusiasm, and put a fruit snack into a rotating fan and laughed like a four year old at it when it got smacked around the cage of the fan. The summer of snapchat has been fun to me, but I stopped writing when I shouldn't have. For that reason, this article is about the roots of why if you're reading this, you love sports, and if you love sports, why you love sports, because I love sports. We like sportz.
If you missed me, I apologize. I let the 14 regular followers of this blog down. You probably didn't though as I tend to inflate my own importance. But my obligation to write is not to the faithful 14, it is to myself.
My first sports memory is going to the Kingdome with my parents and my godparents for a Mariners game. I was afraid of the Mariner Moose (I just don't trust the guy), and so my godfather took me up to the very last row of the stadium so the Moose wouldn't come up there, and from that moment on I could watch the game in peace. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to like baseball when you aren't living in constant fear of a seven foot tall woodland monster with crazy eyes. Baseball became from that point on not my favorite sport by any stretch, but a crutch. There's nothing on TV at 8:30PM in mid-July, you know what, I'll watch the M's lose 4-1. I've never expected anything from my baseball team, I don't really enjoy watching other teams play. I don't get stoked for Sunday Night Baseball. But I always have the Mariners in my back pocket. They are terrible now, but I can make fun of them whenever I want while they are terrible, I can make Justin Smoak jokes (Smoaks), but when they get good in the 22nd century I will be one happy guy.
That's what being a fan is. I've paid my dues. I have seen so much bad baseball, through my mullet phase, my lesbian Tim Lincecum phase, through my semi normal cut I have now that I am endowed with the ability to ride the Mariners train whenever I please. I feel bad for a fan base that has never experienced a dreadful era of baseball, or of any sport. Having a laughable sports team is something that I have based my entire life on. My dad taught me Take Me Out to the Ballgame with the addendum, "So root, root, root for the Mariners / If they don't win it's the same!" That is the only thing I know. The extension of this argument goes over to a section of sports that I care about more than anything.


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Barrick's Lumwana mine has budgeted nearly $3 million in 2012 to support sustainable development initiatives in communities near the Zambia-based mine. That's up from $2.7 million a year earlier.
Commissioned in 2009, Lumwana is located in Zambia's North-Western province, 65 kilometers west of the provincial capital of Solwezi. Lumwana produced 159 million pounds of copper in 2011 and is expected to produce 155-165 million pounds this year.
The Agri-Food Innovators (AFI) program is one of many community development initiatives funded by Lumwana. The program, which launched in 2008, helps local farmers learn different irrigation technologies and sustainable farming methods. It also funds research aimed at introducing high value crops to the region. "Subsistence farming is a way of life and, together with mining, forms the basis of the economy around Lumwana," says Brenda Liswaniso, Sustainability Manager at Lumwana. "We thought it was very important to support the people in this sector."
The AFI program also supports a local micro-financing business, which has made it easier for farmers to fund their businesses. "Because they are considered a high risk for nonpayment, it is difficult for small-scale farmers to go to a regular bank and secure a loan," Liswaniso says.
Barrick provided $50,000 towards the micro-finance initiative, and CETZAM Financial Services, the company that runs the operation, is providing up to $200,000 worth of loans in local communities. Loan repayment rates are above 90 percent, well above the repayment rate for similar programs in Zambia, Liswaniso says.
In 2011, the AFI program engaged the government-run Mutanda Agricultural Research Institute to help introduce new crops to the area. Barrick contributed $100,000 to the initiative. To date, more than 80 farmers have participated in testing and production of high value crops, such as rice, wheat, soybeans, mangoes and Irish potatoes.
Lewis Nsangabukila is one of those farmers. Last year, he began shifting production from corn (maize) to rice. So far, he has generated $1,910 from his rice crop, about double what he would have earned from corn. He plans to convert his entire farm to rice production and learn new farming practices to improved crop yields. "I am never going back to maize," he says.
Another major initiative supported by the mine is the Lumwana Development Trust Fund. The trust supports infrastructure projects identified by a committee consisting of local traditional leaders, government and mine management, though Barrick does not vote on which projects will go forward. The mine contributes 75 percent towards the cost of projects while local communities contribute 25 percent. This year, Lumwana is budgeting $770,000 for the trust, up from $580,000 in 2011.
In late August, Barrick formally unveiled 22 projects supported by the Trust Fund. The projects, some of which took years to build, are spread across several local communities. They include schools, staff houses, rural health centers and several production centers that provide employment opportunities to women. At one of the production centers, for instance, women produce bags used by Lumwana's geological department to collect ore samples. All told, Barrick contributed about $1.4 million to help build the 22 projects.
"Barrick Lumwana is determined to collaborate with host communities to foster a stable, healthy and safe environment in which to live and work, and to promote sustainable socioeconomic development," says Wayne Schiller, Acting Managing Director of the Lumwana Mining Company, a Barrick subsidiary that oversees operations at the Lumwana mine.
Lumwana recently launched another program to support women in partnership with a local NGO called YAPYA, (Youth Investment Trust of Zambia). Under the initiative, 60 women in the nearby town of Mutanda have been provided with dairy cows to supply nutritious milk to local residents. The milk is stored at a milk collection center, whose construction was funded by Barrick with a $90,000 donation. The women use income earned from milk production to pay for their cows and, ideally, generate enough revenue to purchase additional cows. The women receive training in how to care for their animals and manage their finances. They are also provided with a bicycle to transport the milk to the collection center. "From the beginning, we have focused on strengthening women's participation in the local economy to help alleviate poverty," Liswaniso says.


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Should I replace my dryer control board?
We had a power outage at our house and my dryer (Maytag Bravos Dryer MEDB850WQ0) stopped working. The power tripped for a second or two and I noticed my dryer beeping. It was showing fault code F:73. I cleared the code and attempted to start the dryer. Power comes on to the panel, I can rotate the knob to any selection, all lights come on except the amount of time per selection. I can add time, but the default amount does not show. When I press start, it beeps, but nothing happens. I have checked 240V at the outlet and continuity with the thermal fuses. Everything checks OK.
The Maytag Tech Sheet recommends for fault codes F:72-F:78 to replace the console electronics. I believe this includes both the control board and control panel. Should I replace both, attempt replacement of just one (which one), or should I check something else first?
Is this a good question?


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Do you want to plan a trip to the Canadian Rocky Mountains but have no idea where to start? The hardest decision will be narrowing down what you want to see. It will never seem like you have enough time to take in all the beauty the mountains have to offer. Below are the basics to get you headed in the right direction. With a little research you'll be all set to make the most of your visit.
When Is The Best Time Of Year To Visit The Rocky Mountains?
There's no correct answer to "When is the best time to see the scenery?" The Rocky Mountains are a year round destination with spectacular scenery in every season. So how do you decide when to visit? Our post on When is the best time to visit Banff National park and the Rocky Mountains will help you narrow it down to a time of year that suits you by looking at things like weather, temperature, seasonal activities and your budget.
Perhaps you want to time a visit that coincides with a popular event such as the Lake Louise Ice Magic Festival or attend the Calgary Stampede?
Keep in mind that winter is a long season in the mountains, especially in higher elevation areas like Lake Louise. Spring time is still skiing season, the summer months pass by quickly to lead way to the colours of fall and then it's all up to mother nature as to how early the snow returns. Seeing the coloured glacier lakes is on the wish list for many. If this is your goal make sure to time your visit accordingly. See our post on When do the Rocky Mountain lakes thaw and get their beautiful turquoise colour?
These additional posts on our site can help to decide when to visit the Canadian Rockies.
- Pros And Cons Of Banff And Jasper National Parks In The Shoulder Season Of April And May
- Misconceptions and Mistakes Made When Visiting The Canadian Rocky Mountains
How To Pack For A Canadian Rocky Mountain Trip
Weather across Canada varies dramatically. While it may be spring like in Vancouver on the west coast, the mountains are still buried in snow. If you're visiting between November and March it's a must to have proper winter clothing including boots, an insulated winter jacket, gloves and a warm hat. During the rest of the year there can be wide variances in conditions and temperatures. Be prepared with several clothing options. For more information see our post on What to expect for weather and temperatures in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
What needs to be in your suitcase depends on the time of year, the length of your stay and the activities you plan to participate in. For information on what to put in your suitcase see our post on How to pack for a visit to the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
What Is An Ideal Length Of Time To Spend In The Rocky Mountains
We recommend a minimum of a week to get a taste of what the mountains have to offer, especially if you are trying to fit in several places such as Banff and Jasper National Park. Visitors often under estimate how vast these areas are and the driving times involved in getting around. A visit limited to just Banff may be suitable to 3 to 4 days. If you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing and adding in activities such as hiking you'll likely want more time.
Ten days to two weeks is ideal to take in things at a leisurely pace or see attractions in neighbouring Kananaskis Country, Yoho or Kootenay National Parks. When flying make sure you account for the time needed for getting to and from the airport. If your budget and time allows there are places worth visiting like Drumheller and the Badlands or the small but charming Waterton Lakes National Park. There's several other alternative parks and overlooked areas in the Rocky Mountains.
Driving a circle route that includes the west coast of B.C. warrants at least ten days to two weeks. It's nearly 850 km's between Vancouver and Banff and a minimum of 9 hours of driving time each way. It's best to break up the drive with at least one overnight stay. If you are driving just one way a few days would suffice for the drive, but then you'll want to add on additional days to spend in the Rocky Mountain National Parks and in Vancouver and perhaps Vancouver Island. For options see our post on driving routes between Vancouver and Banff and Jasper.
Getting To The Canadian Rocky Mountains
The flight options available to international visitors may have them accessing the Rocky Mountains through one of several airports. Calgary is the closest international airport, followed by Edmonton and then Vancouver on the west coast of Canada.
For those coming from other destinations within Canada or North America there are domestic flights as well as train travel, buses, guided coach tours and self driving. More detail is covered in our post on Options For Getting To The Canadian Rocky Mountains.
Navigating The Rocky Mountains Once You Arrive
Self driving in the mountains is the most popular option because it provides the greatest flexibility. The roads are easy to navigate and many people feel comfortable driving themselves around. The exception would be the winter season. Driving at this time is not for everyone and shouldn't be attempted by those without any experience.
If you're flying into one of the international airports you can conveniently arrange to pick up your rental vehicle there. Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise and Jasper also have vehicle rental options. Make sure you understand all the details of your contract including the insurance coverage, whether it has unlimited kilometers and the return policy. There may be restrictions that can void your insurance including driving on un-paved roads or taking the vehicle into the U.S.A. Many companies prohibit using chains for winter driving as they can cause damage to the vehicle.
If you're thinking of driving one way between the west coast of B.C. and the Rocky Mountains or vice versa it can be an expensive option. The one way drop of fee between the two destinations can be as high as a thousand dollars. Do your research to see which companies offer the cheapest rate.
If you do not want to self drive you can consider booking a tour as part of a package with your flight or book tours to attractions with local companies. It is possible to get around some areas of the mountains with public transportation and shuttles. For more information see our post: How to get around the Rocky Mountains without a vehicle.
Canada Driving Road Laws And Safety
Driving and safety tips can be found at the following sites: For the province of B.C. at ICBC Road Safety and for Alberta at Saferoads.com/drivers. Other provinces may have varying regulations.
Where To Base Yourself In The Rocky Mountains
Whether you base yourself in one spot in the Rocky Mountains or change accommodations depends on what parks you want to see and how much driving you are willing to do. In Banff National Park you can choose between staying in Lake Louise versus the Banff Townsite. There's usually no need to stay in both places. Day trips to explore the park as well as heading west into Yoho National Park and the southern end of the Icefields Parkway can be done from either location.
There's an option of using the town of Canmore as a base. It is not in the national parks, but sits just a 15 minute drive east of the Banff town site. One town might appeal to you more than the other depending on your tastes. We've covered the differences here in our post on Canmore versus Banff.
If you plan on spending time in Banff and Jasper it's best to book accommodation in both places. The driving time from the town of Banff to Jasper is approximately 3.5 hours in each direction. It would be a lot of driving to do as a return day trip between the two and it wouldn't leave you enough time to see all the incredible attractions along the Icefields Parkway. For more information see our post on Tips For Driving The Icefields Parkway and for comparisons between these two parks check out Jasper National Park versus Banff National Park.
Accommodation Options
The amount of accommodation choices in the Banff and Canmore area can be overwhelming. Jasper is a bit more limited and in Lake Louise the options are sparse in comparison. There's times of the year where winging it is simply not an option. During times of peak demand the lodging in all of these areas may need to be reserved months in advance. If you leave your booking too late it may be difficult to find a room or you can be stuck paying exorbitant prices.
There's a wide range of accommodation types from high end resort style properties and lodges to mid-range hotels, condo suites, bed and breakfasts and budget friendly hostels. For more information on selecting accommodation during the various times of the year see our post on How To Visit Banff On A Budget.
Camping is available for tents and RV's. If you plan to camp be aware that not all campgrounds are able to be reserved. Some sites operate on a first come first served basis. See Parks Canada Camping Reservations for more information. The main season for camping is from late May to early October, outside of that time frame there are very few camping options.
Canadian And Rocky Mountain Cuisine You May Want To Try During Your Visit
Canada is a multi-cultural country and therefore has a variety of different foods to try as well as some cuisine unique to the country. Many of the same foods can be found in the Rockies along with some dishes specific to the mountains. See our post on Foods And Drinks To Try During Your Canadian Rocky Mountain Visit.
Required Passes For Visiting Canada's National Parks
Park passes are required for entry into any national park in Canada. You can buy a day pass at a park gate or at visitor centers within the parks. If you intend to visit several of Canada's national parks or spend more than a few days in them consider an annual Parks Canada Discovery Pass. With it, you can visit more than 100 national parks, marine conservation areas and historic sites across Canada. Passes are not required for entering our provincial parks or recreation areas.
Update for 2017. To celebrate Canada's 150th birthday entry into the National Parks is free. For more information see our post on Understanding the Parks Canada Entry Fees
What's The Best Way To Pay For Things On Your Canadian Rocky Mountain Vacation.
If you're visiting from another country it can be a daunting task to try and figure out the best way to pay for things on your trip. No matter what the method you choose you will incur expenses in the form of currency exchange and transaction fees. It's just an inevitable part of the cost of traveling.
What many people end up doing is using their credit card for their accommodation, vehicle rental and other major costs and accessing local currency to pay for the lesser daily expenses. For more detailed information on using various forms of payment see our post: Tips for currency exchange and using international credit cards in the Canadian Rockies.
Taxes That Tourists Pay In The Rocky Mountains
Whether you are a tourist or a citizen of Canada there are taxes that you will pay on goods you purchase, services used and on our accommodation and other vacation expenses. For detailed tax information see our post taxes you can expect Taxes That Tourists Can Expect To Pay In The Canadian Rocky Mountains.
Tipping Etiquette
Throughout the Rocky Mountains and the rest of Canada tipping is practiced. If you're an international traveling visiting Canada it be confusing knowing who and how much to tip. Our post Canadian Rockies Tipping Etiquette outlines a basic guideline that you can follow.
Required Travel Documents To Visit Canada
Find out what you need to enter Canada long before you book your trip. Most travelers will need a valid entry document such as an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or a visa. It will depend on your citizenship. U.S. citizens are an exception. They still need to present acceptable travel documents and identification at the border. A passport is still highly recommended for U.S. citizens traveling into Canada. It may be required by your airline or other transportation authority.
Check the Canada Customs site to find out what items are not allowed to be brought into the country and anything that may have your entry denied. Everything you need to know about the required documentation and entry into Canada can be found here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/tourist.asp
Medical Insurance And Travel Insurance
Travel with adequate insurance to cover the cost of medical emergencies while you are in Canada. If you do not have insurance the cost of emergency medical treatment could be overwhelming. Trip cancellation insurance can give you some peace of mind knowing you are covered if you have a necessary reason to cancel your trip.
Canada Time Zones
Canada is a large country spread across 6 different time zones from east to west. If your visit is focused on Jasper, Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks you will only have the Mountain Time zone to be concerned with. The entire province of Alberta is on Mountain time and it extends into a small portion of the neighbouring province of B.C.
Most of Canada practices Daylight Savings Time. From late Autumn through to early Spring is Mountain Standard Time (MST), it is UTC-7. From early Spring to late Autumn is Mountain Daylight Time (MDT), it is UTC-6.
West of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks it is the Pacific Time zone. It is one hour behind Mountain time. Keep this in mind when traveling. You'll either lose or gain an hour depending on the direction of travel between the two time zones.
If you're driving there are signs marking the time change. On the Trans Canada Highway the change occurs at the eastern slope of Rogers Pass. On the Yellowhead Highway the time change is the western boundary of Jasper National Park at the continental divide, signs mark the time zone change in both directions.
Legal Drinking Age And Smoking Laws
The legal drinking age is not the same across Canada, it is set by each province. In Alberta it's 18, but take note if you cross over into nearby B.C. it's 19. This is for both consuming alcohol and purchasing alcohol. For smoking laws see http://health.findlaw.ca/article/smoking-laws-by-province/.
Cellphone And Wifi In Canada And The Rocky Mountains
Don't expect that you will be able to get cell phone reception throughout the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. It's not something that can be relied upon outside of the town site areas. For more information on cell phone and WiFi service in the mountains see our post: Cell Phones And WiFi In The Canadian Rockies.
Electrical Plug And Voltage Information For Canada
Depending on the country your electronics are from you may need a socket converter for the plugin and possibly a voltage converter to operate the device in Canada. Many modern digital devices such as laptops and cellphones are now made for world wide voltages, but always check otherwise you could damage the item. For more information on what you may need to operate your electronics see Power And Plugins In Canada.


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- Your Government
- Police Department
- Police Info Counter
- Animal Control
Animal Control
Our Animal Control Officer, who works within the La Mesa Police Department, investigates a wide variety of problems related to both domestic and wild animals and enforces ordinances such as leash laws and dog license requirements. Please see the following sections for information on dealing with wildlife (coyotes, raccoons, skunks, etc.) and tips on resolving neighborhood animal
noise complaints in the City of La Mesa.
noise complaints in the City of La Mesa.
Urban Wildlife Information
More Information
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Animal Noise Complaints
Animal Noise Complaints Facts and Information
Missing Pets
If you are missing your pet, you should report it to Animal Control so that we can enter it into our lost and found directory. All stray animals picked up in La Mesa are taken to the El Cajon Shelter, so you should also check there for your pet.
Shelter Information
The City of La Mesa does not maintain its own animal shelter. We contract with the City of El Cajon to provide shelter services. If you wish to adopt an animal, please contact the El Cajon Animal Shelter by phone at 619.441.1580 or in person at:
1373 N. Marshall Avenue
El Cajon, CA 92020
La Mesa Police Department - Animal Control UnitAnimal Control Officer C. Newmark
8085 University Avenue
La Mesa, CA 91942
Contact: 619.667.7536
Hours: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
After hours contact La Mesa Police Department 619.667.1400
Unincorporated Areas
La Mesa Animal Control only services the incorporated City of La Mesa. Unincorporated areas of La Mesa such as Mount Helix and also the Spring Valley area are serviced by the County of San Diego Animal Services. They can be reached at 619.278.9760.
Lemon Grove
Lemon Grove is under the jurisdiction of Chula Vista Animal Control and they can be reached at 619.691.5123.


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Salon Inspiration
Hours of Operation for Client Services:
Monday – Friday: 10:30am to 8:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
AIB is a Premier Redken School
Salon Inspirations is a full service salon where beauty begins and ends with each client.
At AIB Salon Inspirations we offer many different spa and beauty services to both male and female clients.
Using brand name products such as:
- Redken Hair Color
- Redken Shampoos
- Redken Conditioners
- Redken Styling Aids
- Redken Hair Repair Treatments
- Image skin Care Products
- Botanical Science Skin Care products
- OPI Nail Polish
- Plus many other brand names our clients are familiar with.
Full Service Salon
At Salon Inspirations, we train our students to beautify their clients with different services like, Hair Styling, Hair Coloring, Highlighting, Perms, Hair Cuts, Facials, Peels, Waxing, Advanced Esthetics, Micro Current, Microdermabrasion, Anti-Aging Treatments, Acne Treatments, Event Makeup applications, Updos, Acrylic Nails, Spa Manicures, Spa Pedicures, Nail Art Designs, Gel Nails, plus so much more!
Customer Service
Great customer service is provided and is practiced daily to make your "Beauty Experience" Awesome! Whether you're receiving a pampered Skin Care treatment, Spa Pedicure, or Highlights for your hair, you will be treated like you're part of the AIB family.
In each area of our Cosmetology Program, Advanced Esthetics Program, Nail Technology Program, Skin Care Program and Full Specialist Program, our Future Professionals are training hard to meet expectations to achieve their career goals. By using their theory education along with their hands-on skills they're taught to incorporate all their knowledge to produce the very BEST desired outcome for their clients. Many of AIB's spectacular clients encourage our students to do their very best and we Thank you!
Call Today
Let us pamper you today. Relax, Renew and Reinvent yourself with a little help from us here at Salon Inspirations!
Call Now To Reserve Your Client Service Time. 727-532-2125
Salon Inspiration has many retail products for sale in our "Retail Center" and as a Redken Premier School we have a great selection of Redken Hair products you'll want to purchase to take home to maintain your FABULOUS look!
Salon Inspiration is here for all your Beauty needs!
Retail Brands Offered:
We are conveniently located inside American Institute of Beauty, Inc. School, at the south west corner of Belcher Rd. and East Bay Dr. in Largo, in the Publix shopping center.
Contact us at 727-532-2125 to schedule an appointment. See map below.
Check out our Salon Specials and Promotions to save some money on your next beauty service! Check them often as they change frequently for additional SAVINGS!
*American Institute of Beauty, Inc. gift cards are not transferable, have no cash value, no returns and cannot be used to purchase another gift card. American Institute of Beauty, Inc. is not responsible for lost or stolen gift cards. Services performed by supervised students.


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Office of Admissions
The University Of Houston Office Of Admissions helps prospective students become future Cougars!
The Office of Admissions guides students and visitors with recruitment efforts, campus tours and events, admissions processing, and transitioning accepted students into the UH community.
- Location
- 120 Welcome Center
- Hours
- Monday - Thursday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Sunday: Closed
- Mailing Address
- University of Houston
Office of Admissions
Welcome Center
4434 University Drive
Houston, Tx 77204-2023
- Contact Information
- Phone: 713-743-1010, option 4
E-mail: email@example.com
- Areas of Responsibility
Office Staff
Executive Director of Admissions
Mardell Maxwell
Director of Student Recruitment
Jeremy Lane
Director of Processing
Lorianna Mapps
Interim Director of Prospective and New Student Programs
Joseph Ratcliff


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BOSTON, Mass. (March 2, 2017) – City Year Boston will welcome more than 400 guests to the Sheraton Boston Hotel on Friday, March 3 for its annual Legal Community Breakfast. The event is the education nonprofit's eighth gathering of Boston's legal industry leaders, which raises critical funds in support of City Year Boston's service to students in 21 Boston Public Schools.
The program will include featured remarks from Jonas Svedlund, General Counsel at GE Ventures. He will discuss his role at GE, and the causes and people that shaped his career path. He will also share GE's philosophy around innovation and investing in the Boston community, particularly in the futures of the city's students.
WHAT: City Year Boston's 2017 Legal Community Breakfast
WHEN: Friday, March 3, 2017
7:15 a.m. Guest networking hour
8:00 a.m. Speaking program and call for support (9:00 a.m. close)
WHERE: Sheraton Boston Hotel, 39 Dalton Street, Boston
WHO: Featured Speaker: Jonas Svedlund, General Counsel, GE Ventures
- Sandra Lopez Burke, Vice President and Executive Director, City Year Boston
- Christopher Hui, City Year AmeriCorps member at Winthrop Elementary School
- Ian Epperson-Temple, City Year alumnus, Law Clerk for Manion Gaynor & Manning
For Press: Please present press credentials upon arrival at registration.
Photos from last year's event featuring Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey can be found on City Year's Flickr.
About City Year Boston:
This year, City Year Boston has recruited, trained, and deployed 265 AmeriCorps members into service in 21 schools across the Boston Public Schools (BPS) where they reach more than 10,000 students every day and will collectively serve more than 450,000 hours over the academic year. For more information, go to: cityyear.org/boston.
About City Year:
City Year is dedicated to helping students and schools succeed. City Year partners with public schools in 27 urban communities across the U.S. Diverse teams of City Year AmeriCorps members serve full-time in schools, providing high-impact student, classroom, and school-wide support to help students stay in school and on track to graduate from high school, ready for college and career success. A proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network, City Year is made possible by support from the Corporation for National and Community Service, school district partnerships, and private philanthropy from corporations, foundations and individuals.
About GE Ventures:
GE Ventures identifies, scales and accelerates ideas that will help make the world work better. Focused on the areas of software, advanced manufacturing, energy and health care, GE Ventures combines equity investing, new business creation, licensing and technology transfer to deliver an innovation platform designed to drive growth for partners and GE. For more information, visit http://www.geventures.com, or follow on Twitter (@GE_Ventures) and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts
Jonathan Palumbo, City Year Boston
Susan Bishop, GE Corporate


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Troubled Masculinity and Broken Houses in OBSESSED
May 11, 2009
The recent movie Obsessed has been called in bad taste, and of course that's true. It's probably a little easier to spot the vulgarity here, because of the inter-racial sexual scandal, the flinging around of the slur "bitch," and the sight of Beyonce kicking ass in heels. These are all more obvious signs that we should be uncomfortable, even though we tend not to notice much of the latent violence, racism, and misogyny of more mainstream and white films. I'm actually curious about a certain terrible pleasure in taunting back, in having the upper hand for a moment, even at the cost of dredging up dangerous stereotypes and cultural divisions. The morally suspect, lascivious white woman; the vanquishing of the white woman stealing the Good Black Man; the defense of the upwardly mobile black family against the threat of the corrupt white trickster — these are old and harmful tropes for sure, but they express different fears and prejudices than the usual ones that jam the airwaves. Besides, the film is rife with conflicting messages about gender, race, and the family — and isn't that why we're here?
The plot is simple. Handsome successful Derek (Idris Elba) exchanges a few pleasantries with the skinny blonde temp at the office, who turns out to be bat shit crazy. Lisa (Ali Larder) continually tries to get in his pants, stalks him, and compromises his integrity. Eventually she notches up the stalking to kidnapping levels, and only a major girlfight with wife Sharon (Beyonce Knowles) can stop her.
December 18, 2008
This article is still being written? And emailed around like it's news?
The Demise of Dating – Charle s Blow (NY Times)
Sigh. Mr. Blow obviously didn't read my round-up of these pieces from two years ago. Or he did, and just regurgitated them.
Guess that means this blog still has a reason to live. Apologies for the months of neglect, but we're coming back big in '09!
Happy holidays ~
A Defense of Sex and the City
June 12, 2008
In the couple weeks since Sex and the City movie came out, the film has taken something of a beating at the hands of the news media. These articles read much less like film review than cultural critiques, perhaps because the movie was poised to disrupt box office trends, or because the four-year hiatus gave everyone an opportunity to say his or her piece about the series and its legacy. Embarrassed by the fan frenzy (female pleasure is just so frivolous), many of these reviewers have taken out on the movie issues that have long been understood about the show. Goodness knows I have plenty to say about what's wrong with SATC on the big, or small, screens. I'd like to take this moment, however, to stand up for a film that was, at the very least, a love letter to fans, but also significantly more than that.
Anthony Lane begins his snide review in the New Yorker with a reflection on the excitement and secrecy that surrounded this release. Standing in line at the theatre, Lane shares his predictions about the plot with a woman nearby:
I took a wild guess. "Apparently," I said to the woman behind me in line, "some of the girls have problems with their men, break up for a while, and then get back together again." "Oh my God!" she cried. "How do you know?"
Already, Lane begins with the notion that the film's subject matter is too appallingly trivial to care about. What an incisive and witty take-down of those silly female fans: this movie is about nothing but love and suffering, and it definitely wasn't worth his time.
Lane reveals a nasty condescension towards the subject matter; indeed, many writers seemed mortified by the masses of women who invested their time, money, and emotions into this movie. Slate assembled four of its women writers to dish on SATC, and their conversation was saddled with the persistent need to condemn and distance themselves from the movie's frivolity.
Meghan O'Rourke: Carrie, after Big Jilts her, says, "I feel like I took a bullet." Um, really? You mean like a soldier?…
Erin Bucklann: So many audience members were sobbing throughout my screening and I was struck by hearing more crying in that movie than during any serious war movie or mourning scene I've watched in a looong time.
Measuring stories of intimacy, friendship, and heartbreak against war, politics, and tragedy, these critics participate in a didactic and classically sexist framework that assigns value to one experience over another and pits the mythical and heroic against the everyday and interpersonal. Historically, women's stories have always been relegated to second-class art, and it looks like not much has changed. This is a zero-sum game in which women always lose.
I Didn't Sleep With Her. But I May As Well Have.
May 21, 2008
Last night, the first season of Gossip Girl came to a close, or, a kind of fizzle. But if Georgina's comeuppance was a tad disappointing and all the promising relationships (Lily & Rufus, Blair & Chuck) somehow relapsed, the show might have had one of its most telling and honest moments yet.
After much misunderstanding, Serena and Dan reach what might be the point of no return. The previous episode ended with Dan, manipulated, confused, and believing that Serena just drunkenly cheated on him, canoodling with Georgina on a stoop. The big question was, would they have sex or wouldn't they? You'd be forgiven for optimistically thinking, as Serena and I did, that Dan and Serena "were forever," and that the writers would never pull something so cruel. Turns out they're even crueler than we could have expected.
The next morning Serena finds Georgina coming out of Dan's bedroom: she assumes the worst but really doesn't want to know the details. Dan, however, insists on sharing them: "I didn't sleep with her," he tells Serena. Relief! "But I may as well have." Yikes.
Grown-ups usually get pretty nervous over the idea of hooking up. They put the phrase in quotes, they ask each other what it means, and then they declare that kids themselves don't know what it means. That's the inherent danger in hooking up: the ambiguity. No doubt many of young people's romantic and sexual interactions are ambiguous, and I'd like to return to this topic later–exactly how much uncertainty can our delicate frames withstand, I wonder–but in this particular case, it seems that hooking up is scary not because it's vague but because it's heartbreakingly explicit.
The bloggers at New York know just what I mean: in their weekly tally of Gossip Girl's "reality points," they declared "Plus 8 for the fact that Dan offers an awkward, horrifyingly evocative confession of said visit for the purposes of clearing his own conscience: 'I didn't sleep with her. But I may as well have.'" They go on to allot "Plus 2 for the fact that that totally means oral." Whatever interpretation you choose, what's so awful about this moment is that it requires you to wonder: if they didn't have sex, what EXACTLY did they do instead?
Just a few weeks ago, a shocking photograph hit the blogosphere and tabloids: Pamela Anderson was spotted reading former Punk Planet editor Anne Elizabeth Moore's latest book, Unmarketable: Brandalism, Copyfighting, Mocketing, and the Erosion of Integrity (New Press, 2007). In a bikini, no less:
And really, who doesn't enjoy a good read in the sun? While gossip blogs made a few painfully old dumb-blondes-can't-read jokes, Jennifer Pozner chose instead to point out the cognitive dissonance of "one-woman brand-maker for Playboy, Stuff, G.Q., Baywatch, V.I.P., and numerous other my-boobs-move-media devices" reading AEM's excellent tract against corporate creep.
A brand is a symbol, perhaps also a phrase, that connotes very particular meanings and qualities, and most essentially, that is standing in for a product. The most successful of brands don't just suggest a specific idea, but actually come to mean them. In other words, if you looked up Busty Blonde in the dictionary, you might just find Pamela Anderson. The product could be any number of things, from Baywatch paraphernalia to men's magazines. It's a powerful thing to attach Anderson's name and image to a product; people might purchase it because they're attracted to her and want to find out more, but many will also pick up a product for the simple reason that it's Pamela Anderson. You know that you have branding power when someone will buy something simply because your name is on it, even if that thing is totally unrelated to your work and identity. Celebrity perfumes, for example.
The tricky thing about a person actually becoming a brand is that you run the risk of your body actually becoming the product. Women, already commodities, are particularly vulnerable to this trading in flesh. Like Victoria Beckham in this provocative/misogynist Marc Jacobs ad, women can be tumbled into an enormous shopping bag and carried home, dangling a pair of twiggy legs that aren't even recognizably human.
Except, in this case, where the varnished doll-like legs are recognizably Posh. Victoria Beckham, of course, is a perfect example of successful branding. From the beginning, the Spice Girls were built on the idea of five distinct women with easily defined and internally consistent personalities. This premise allowed femininity to include such meanings as sporty and…scary? (read: not white), thus propelling the concept of girl power to the global scene. By way of this, the Spice Girl industry also established the notion of girl power as an explicitly commercial tool, one that initiated pre-teen girls into the role of consumer.
Over the course of the last five months, Sex Like Men was at a standstill. No new posts, no comments, no sign that it would ever live again. And yet, during these same five months, one Friday in February to be precise, 1,220 people read my post on Vanessa Hudgens. That day was an extreme, but pretty much every day that particular post gets me more attention than anything else on this blog (although Marina's nice plug did shift the numbers recently: thanks!) The great pity is that this post isn't even a good one! It's not analytical, certainly not profound, but something more like filler. Of course, most of the people who've landed up there don't mind. They're weren't necessarily looking for analysis, so much as pictures of Vanessa Hudgens naked. That brings us to one of the more disturbing features of the blogging world: the ability to track the search terms people were using when they stumbled upon your site:
"vanessa hudgens"; "vanessa hudgens naked"; "vanessa hudgens naked pictures"; "sex fuck girls naked"; "sex children girls"; "vanessa hudgens pics"; "vanessa hudgens sex"; "naked vanessa hudgens"; "men who want to watch young girles have"; "pigtails sex"; "lesbians having sex naked"; "vanessa"; "women sex party"; "vanessa hudgens naked pics"; "girls watch men have sex"
I know. The name of this blog is Sex Like Men. There was bound to be some confusion. Which is exactly what concerns me–that, despite my wish not to judge people's desires, I'm terribly dismayed every time I read these search terms. Is this really what people look for on the Internet? Obviously it is, and the truth is that I just didn't want to know.
Abstinence: Close Your Eyes and Think of Gandhi
April 1, 2008
Sure, I'll admit it. Sex Like Men has been out of commission. But that was before a spokesperson for the anti-sex campaign went and employed my phrase, in the goddamn New York Times Magazine (you'll remember them from that classic piece, "The Kids Call It Hooking Up"). This most recent article features Harvard student and abstinence-crusader Janie Fredell, who argues that:
"Conventional feminism teaches that control of your body means the freedom to have sex without consequences — sex like a man. 'I am an unconventional feminist,' Fredell said, in the sense that she asserts control by choosing not to have sex — by telling men, no, absolutely not."
While abstinence-only programs are federally funded and touted by many of the nation's leaders as the only moral choice, on a conventional college campus in the Northeast, the public decision to abstain from sex can be a lonely road. But Janie had coping mechanisms of her own: "To bolster herself, she often thought of Gandhi and Nelson Mandela."
No, Really, You Have to Eat: Body Image on America's Next Top Model
November 12, 2007
Last Wednesday, it happened. The "plus-size" contestant got kicked off America's Next Top Model. We'd all been waiting for it–the only real question was what excuse they would use this time. Actually, it was pretty harsh: Sarah was deemed too skinny for plus-size but too big for regular modeling, and unceremoniously booted from the show. She wept. It was sad.
As Sarah herself had pointed out, she's a regular-sized girl. Who's hot, and really awesome, but whatever. I guess we're not supposed to expect a girl like Sarah to win Top Model–call me crazy, but I actually had thought the show might evolve.
It's not just the judges' decision that proved me wrong, but the rest of the episode as well. We've got a major front-runner this season, Heather (at right), and her almost unbeatable appeal comes from a pale, bony body and striking, sometimes disturbing, features. Besides making Asperger's the hottest new neurological disorder, Heather takes great pictures and charms the audience and the judges with her awkward eagerness. She also plays up a kind of false modesty—her favorite story to tell goes something like, "Until I was eleven, I sincerely believed I was ugly." (Sounds tragic, Heather. We're glad to hear you've since recovered.)
Iphigenia in Skinny Jeans
October 22, 2007
Thanks, Koreanish, for this sad/funny post on the way the media (everyone) hounds young female celebrities in some weird ritual sacrifice. My feelings exactly.
We prop these women up, rewarding all kinds of idiotic behavior, only for the pleasure of punishing them when they stumble. (For more, see my previous posts on Vanessa Hudgens and Paris Hilton.) As you say, "it was like after Princess Di instead of 'never again' it was 'oh yes, annually.'"
And can I just say, I fucking hated Iphigenia in high school? Even that one important film version from the '70s. It's just this small gag reaction I have to the brutal sacrifice of young women in the service of working out society's problems.
Gossip Girl: All's Fair on the Upper East Side
October 19, 2007
Dear Gossip Girl,
In the first episode of this admittedly fascinating show, Chuck attempts to rape Jenny on a rooftop. He's mildly punished by the valiant brother Dan, but faces no consequences from his own social group. In almost every episode, he pays fleets of women to service him and his friends, not to mention making sexist and classist remarks at any moment—-but his friends seem to brush it off. "That's Chuck," they justify, or, more likely, "That's what this world is like." As Chuck says himself that first night: "It's a party–things happen."