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Days of Wine and Greek Oregano July 31, 2009Posted by Stella☆LunaC in California Dreamin', Dog House, Healthy Living, Wander Wisconsin.
Tags: Greek Oregano
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Today was probably the most perfect day we've had all summer.
Woke up at 7:30am and lay there thinking about our morning walk we'd be taking shortly, and finally drug myself out of bed at 8:24 to begin the routine: get dressed, wet and pick out hair, put the coffee pot on and then downstairs to grab a plastic bag and paper towel, feed Miss Pepper because she won't shut up unless her food bowl is adequately filled. Put shoes on, go back upstairs to retrieve cell phone, (because you never know, I could fall and break a leg and would have to send Igor back to get help, and he would probably stop to play with every dog in the neighborhood on his way back to get help. Or worse, he'd go home and con dad into a Biscotti and not bother to tell him where I might be laying in a heap….)
Phone in pocket, I throw on my flannel, mainly to hide the bag which will be hanging from my belt loop. I can also flail it about to fend off the pesky deer flies we usually encounter along our journey.
On the road by 9am, we head up the hill, where the sun has yet to crest over the trees-it's a cool walk and we don't work up a sweat, even on the uphill side. Coming back, we can pick up the pace on the downhill, and the coffee pot is really sounding like a good idea when we get back!
There are a few new people in the neighborhood, and we always get a smile from the ones who haven't met Igor yet. Most recognize his breed, and only yesterday, I had one person ask what breed is he? To which I replied, "he's a Standard Poodle, and not the French kind-he's GERMAN!" They have to repeat his name a few times, while chuckling. "Igor…EEeeeeeee-Gor!" hehehee!
I received a pail full of Greek Oregano from the neighbors next door-they were cleaning around their beds, and asked if I'd like to have some for our gardens, which I gladly said YES to. So this afternoon, after I got all our orders packed and my work caught up, I headed outside with a hearty TGIF!!
I dug in and began cleaning out a bunch of Purple Coneflowers from around my tomato and pepper planters, so they could get more sunlight. The resulting pile of flowers was so beautiful, I gathered them up and put them in a pile in the next-door neighbors' yard, where they would surely find them before going in for the day. Sure enough, after I went in I got a lovely email from her, exclaiming how she loved the flowers almost more than chocolate, and they brightened her day!
DH made me a new hair toy today! He's got a bunch of walnut scraps his dad brought over, and we've been getting requests for double prong shawl pins, so he's been working on a few ideas. He handed me the prototype, and I was instantly in love with the primitive design and color~ the mineral oil really brought the wood alive~
I like things simple, no foo-foo for me-me ~
I think we're going to Stan's Lumber tomorrow to get a new mailbox post, YIPPY SKIPPY! Owait, I better hold off on the Yippy until we actually HAVE the post-then I can get real excited when we are closer to having our mailbox back up and repaired 🙂
I read a news article from back home, in the SacBee today, which made YAHOO news:
Sacramentan buys old vinyl 45s, finds out they were his mom's
What were the chances of that happening???
At the end of a beautiful day, I am thinking I will sleep good tonight, for a change. And be up early tomorrow to take DD to work at 9am. Our morning walk will happen when we return, if it's not raining…
Blair Stitch Project | Mommy Socks July 29, 2009Posted by Stella☆LunaC in A Stitch in Time | Discussions.
Tags: cable, cardigan, hoodie, knit, Mary Maxim
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I started my second pair of socks~ I had some Bernat Baby Jacquards Berries and Cream yarn left over from Baby Rhonda's assorted booties and hatties I made for her last April. Preemie knits take absolutely no yarn to make and I have nearly a whole ball left.
The pattern is easy, and was taken from a 1950 World Editions Magazine, Knit 'n' Purl (cover missing) Men's Cable Socks, page 27. I'm going to gift them to my oldest daughter, so she can have matching "Mommy Socks" like her baby girl's!
I have been itching to learn cable knit, so that when I'm ready, I can make this sweater:
I'm tempted to get the kit (Starlett yarn and pattern)-at only $29.99 + $9.95 S & H, that's a great deal for a long knit cardigan.
I'm also eyeballing this pattern:
back to meh socks, going to have to bone up on cable twist, right, left, upside-down, every-which-way-but-loose techiques!
Teh To-Do List keeps getting longer, and lonnnnger and lonnnnnnnnnnger!
KDTV Eunny Jang Knits July 26, 2009Posted by Stella☆LunaC in A Stitch in Time | Discussions.
Tags: Eunny Jang, Interweave, KDTV, knit, knitting, socks, video
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I have been fascinated by the knitting techniques of Interweave KDTV's Eunny Jang, and wanted to learn more-she made it look so effortless!
I watched several videos and was mesmerized as I watched her fingers fly. Then something clicked like a light switch turned on. She is incredibly fast, but oddly, that didn't bother me like some of the videos I had seen. So, I picked up a pair of knitting needles, a ball of scrap yarn, and sat down to try and attempt her technique.
The first hurdle I had to overcome was the most obvious: I'm a Lefty. But as I picked up my yarn, and mimicked her method of wrapping and knitting, the most incredible thing happened. It felt RIGHT! For the first time since I have picked my knitting back up after 30+ years, the stitches fell into place without a hitch.
I kept going, until I had a length of knitting, and was surprised to find that I had not dropped a single stitch, not once. The whole technique flowed together and the stitches were easily executed, like never before. Now when I read about the benefits of knitting on the tips, this is exactly what that refers to. Also, I find that I am only knitting from the wrists, not using my whole arm to "throw the yarn", and causing less fatigue, much easier.
I highly recommend that anyone starting out watch her videos on InterweaveVideos. The following video is a demo of Jogless stripes and can be viewed by clicking this YouTube linke: http://www.youtube.com/user/InterweaveVideos#play/uploads/8/GshD9_qlUfE
It may not be the right technique for everyone; we all have our own individual style. But for me, this works!
I'm heading upstairs to work on my second pair of socks, and already I can see how much faster this pair will go! Pics and updates to follow 🙂
New Video Link : Cable Knit Stitch July 24, 2009Posted by Stella☆LunaC in A Stitch in Time | Tutorials.
Tags: cable knit, Eunny Jang, knit, video
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As a subscribed member of Knitting Daily, I have been enjoying the wealth of informative tips, tricks and video instructions, to help me along with my newfound love of knitting.
The next video is an excellent visual aid for learning cable stitch (left or right, front or back)
Knitting a Basic CAble -KDTV with Eunny Jang
Join Knitting Daily Today! for all of the Interweave Videos. tips, tricks and invaluable resourses to make your projects a success!
Have fun!
I'll call this one, "WEIRD WEDNESDAY"… July 22, 2009Posted by Stella☆LunaC in The Stuff of Dreams.
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Posted 7/22/2009 at 10:48 PM
had the most freaky dream in the wee hours of the morning.
all started when I realized I wasn't getting to sleep anytime soon, between Route 66, the TV show (1:30am) and just before The Naked City.
Tossed and turned until almost 5am. Just when I thought I was going off to LaLa Land, there was an ear-piercing clap of THUNDER, which woke me out of my slumber – I swear it was right outside the window.
DH was in the kitchen shutting windows when it happened, and swore he saw more than heard the lightning actually emerge from the ground and light up the whole back woods with a "CLAP" that was 10000x's louder than anything he'd heard before.
By the time I got back from shutting down all computers in our office, I detected the pungent odor of burnt ozone. I have only smelled that one other time in my life, when I was nearly knocked off my feet by an overhead thunderbolt, back in my 20's. I remember feeling the hairs on my neck rise, right before that happened, and the sound of the air coming alive and a crackling like bacon sizzling. I was thankful it wasn't me sizzling that day.
After peeling Spaz, our 'Keet, off the side of his cage, and placing him back on his perch, I went back to try to get to sleep again. No problem this time, I drifted right off. Within an hour, I woke myself up hyperventilating about the most horrific dream I had involving our Spoo, Igor and a rogue black bear that wandered into my dreams….scared the bloody crap out of me, and I could not get back to sleep again
Finally at 7:30am I gave up and got ready for our early-morning walk. Igor was about as ready as I was, NOT!
I hate when I have such vivid dreams, especially when they involve family, and can have potential to come true…..
Tomorrow, I think I'll go out back and see if I can find the point of origin of that lightning bolt. Maybe I'll get a cool rock in the deal.
Ohey, I was surprised my hair hadn't turned totally white during the night~
Sweet Dreams….
Pineapple Book Mark – REVISED July 20, 2009Posted by Stella☆LunaC in A Stitch in Time | Patterns.
Tags: bookmark, curtain pull, fan pull, pineapple
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This pattern is a spin-off of the Pineapple Curtain Pull/Fan Pull:
- Oasis Curtain/Fan Pull
- Rose Curtain/Fan Pull
I have omitted the plastic ring, to make it book-friendly.
*Note: Until I figure out how to add a pdf or doc file, click the image below to open it up in a separate post so you can copy and print it. 🙂
Aunt Lydia's Classic Crochet Cotton, #10 (1 ball)
1 inch plastic ring (Boye Brand) you can purchase these from Chappy at her eBay store here:
Steel crochet hook size 9
Rnd 1: *for bookmark no ring: Ch 10, join to form ring.
Rnd 1: work over ring as follows:
Row 1: Sc 30 closely over ring, *To make cord for bookmark string: (midpoint of circle), make an 8-10 inch chain to length, sc in 6th ch from hook, ** (skip 6 ch, sc in 6th ch), repeat from ** until you get to the end of your chain, sc in beginning sc, then resume sc over ring for the other half , covering closely, sl st to join.
Row 2: Ch 5, 2 dc in same space as sl st, ch 2, 2 dc (shell made), ch 3, skip 6 sc, 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in next st (shell made), ch 5, turn.
Row 3: Shell in ch-2 space of shell (shell over shell), ch 3, 15 trb in next ch-3 sp, ch 3, shell over shell (herein referred to as S.o.S), ch 5, turn.
Row 4: S.o.S, ch 3, 1 trb, ch 1, 1trb in each of 15 trb, ch 3, S.o.S, ch 5, turn.
Row 5: S.o.S., ch 3, skip next ch-3 sp, sc in first ch-1 sp, (ch 3, sc in next sp) 13 times, ch 3, S.o.S, ch 5, turn.
Row 6: S.o.S, ch 3, skip next ch-3 sp, sc in first ch-1 sp, (ch 3, sc in next sp) 14 times, ch 3, S.o. S, ch 5, turn.
Continue in this manner until 1 loop remains, ch5, turn.
Last Row: S.o.S, ch 3, sc in loop, ch 3, 2 dc in sp of next shell, ch 1, sc in sp of last complete shell made, ch 1, 2 dc in same shell were last 2 dc were made, ch 5, turn, 1 sc in joining sc (between last 2 shells). Fasten off.
Check out Ravelry for more exciting ideas and projects I've completed!
Purple Coneflower Doily and more moments in crochet history… July 17, 2009Posted by Stella☆LunaC in A Stitch in Time | Projects, Vintage Books.
Tags: Black-eyed Susan, cable knit, doily, Purple Coneflower, Star Wheel Tablecloth
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I finished another doily a few days ago; I have been busy with other things and just now getting caught up on posting.
I'm enjoying all the different variations I'm imagining with each one, and letting my gardening creativity unleashed! (Do you see new possibilities in this latest picture?) Oyes, the rose color is on my list now 😉
Pattern from: South Maid Special Doilies for Special Times Book 364 Page 13
An old tablecloth can be very inspiring in the most unexpected way!
This is the same pattern I used to make the Black-eyed Susan Doily.
I also received a copy of the Table Topics Book No. 123, the Spool Cotton Company 1938, for my Star Wheel Tablecloth, (page 14) and can work on this ongoing project at my leisure, until I get it to the size I want.
OHey! I got my new set of 3 cable needles today too! I am going to start practicing on the cable stitch and then work up a pair of socks when I get going.
Happy Hooking!
Christmas Floral Round, 17 years late(r) July 9, 2009Posted by Stella☆LunaC in A Stitch in Time | Patterns.
Tags: Christmas Floral Round, doilie, doily, Purple Coneflower
2 comments
I finally finished the Christmas Floral Round, 17 years in the making! It wasn't hard at all, just loooong overdue!
I started this as a gift for a dear friend (*name withheld to protect the surprise) in 1994. Life-changing events happened, I moved, then found this in a bag, pattern and all! I even found the receipt tucked inside the ball! 😀
Oxi-clean is GREAT, it came out perfectly white, age spots disappeared, Billy Mayes would be proud!
It was a bit overcast outside on the morning I took this; I'll update with a better pic soon!
I worked up two other projects real quick in the past couple weeks, why I haven't been in here as much lately~
This is another gift for another Life Sis, and again, name withheld in case she's reading 🙂
I've made a coaster to go with another set (gift) and naming it the Purple Coneflower Set:
Doily pattern: Leisure Arts #? Special doilies for special times
coaster pattern: Leisure Arts #2395, Thread Coasters to Crochet
These coasters take about 2 hours to make, a quick project while enjoying a cup of tea.


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At Toastmasters we make a big deal of counting every filler word uttered by a speaker during their prepared speeches and uttered during impromptu speaking. The Darth Vader of the Ah Counting universe, and we have a few of them in my club, even catch the "ahs", "ums", "you knows", "so", "you see", and other filler words uttered during every speaking moment. The Darth Vaders take their job very serious and take pride of reporting every lapse to the speaker when giving their role report at the end of the meeting. Regardless of what our beloved Darth Vaders would have you think, an occasional filler word will not destine your presentation to failure. A speaker with good content, content that is important to and useful for his or her audience will earn the audience's forgiveness when an occasional filler word slips from between the speaker's lips. There will be no forgiveness for the speaker who commits one or more of the 7 Deadly Sins and get caught in the act. Your presentation will be doomed to fail and you, the presenter, to disgrace.
Everyone knows what the Biblical 7 Deadly Sins are, they were drummed into our heads during those seemingly endless Sunday School classes;
but how do the Biblical 7 Deadly Sin relate to the world of public speaking?
The First Deadly Sin: Sloth.
A speaker commits the unpardonable sin of Sloth when he or she fails to prepare properly for his or her presentation. Sloth is another word for laziness. Speaking in public, whether formally or informally, is an activity essential to our success in business, in life itself, yet many people never put forth the effort needed to master it.
People join Toastmasters because they see the need to improve their communication skills. They achieve that goal in a setting where everyone wants to see them succeed, a safe environment. Sadly, because it is a safe environment where their speeches are evaluated to motivate, they are never under pressure to become all that they could be. Many Toastmasters are guilty of Sloth because they never prepare for their speeches until the eleventh hour and depend on their ability to speak extemporaneously to get them through their 5 to 7 minute presentation. The Competent Communication Manual, the manual containing the first ten speech projects that every Toastmaster must complete to reach his or her first level of competency, is a veritable communications textbook, with a wealth of invaluable information on speech making, but far too many Toastmasters never really study that material. Far too many Toastmasters simply rush from one project to the next on their way to getting their Competent Communicator Certificate. They are guilty of Sloth because they do not put forth the effort to master each project before moving on to the next project.
The Second Deadly Sin: Envy.
As public speakers we are guilty of this unpardonable sin when we express the belief that truly great speaker got to where they are because of luck or because they were born with the gift of gab. Those guilty of envy believe that great speakers are natural born speakers. Speakers who are guilty of the Deadly sin of Envy are likely to commit other sins because of it.
They commit the sin and crime of vulgarism. They steal the stories and anecdotes of other speakers and claim them to be their own.
They steal other speaker's Power Point presentations and tell everyone that they created them.
They copy the speaking styles of successful speakers, never putting forth the effort to find their own voice.
These speakers doom themselves to failure because they know that they are phonies. This self awareness leads to their lack of self-confidence and promotes their nervousness in every speaking situation. They are their own worse enemy.
Beginning with the Second Deadly Sin, a chain reaction sets in, each deadly sin leading into the commission of the next deadly sin. Envy leads directly into Lust.
The Third Deadly Sin: Lust.
Picture your audience naked. I cringe every time I hear someone tell a new speaker that. It is common advice. It is also the worse advice anyone could give a speaker. The theory behind it is picturing an audience naked makes them appear just as vulnerable as the speaker feels. Picturing an audience naked might help feed the speaker's erotic fantasies, but it will not help them become better speakers. Picturing you audience naked is falling prey to the unpardonable sin of Lust. Picturing your audience naked can lead to other distractions that make speaking even more difficult. I'll leave it up to you to imagine what those additional distractions might be since I want to keep this post G-Rated.
The Fourth Deadly Sin: Gluttony.
The unpardonable sin of gluttony is committed by speakers who believe that more is always better. More Power Point Slides, more numbered or bulleted lists, more graphs, more words on every slide, more detailed examples, more of everything. The speakers who have fallen prey to the unpardonable sin of Sloth are especially susceptible to the Deadly Sin of Gluttony because they allow their visual aids to take the place of a presentation. Gluttony leads the speaker down the path to Greed.
The Fifth Deadly Sin: Greed.
The unpardonable sin of greed is the sin of excess. Speakers commit this deadly sin when they go over the time limits of their presentation. Going over the time allowed for your speech is a violation of the unwritten contract that you have signed with your audience. The members of your audience are busy people and they have penciled in a certain amount of time to hear your presentation, to exceed that amount of time means that you are interfering with their next scheduled meeting or task, and that is never good for you or for them. On the other hand, they will appreciate it if you finish a couple of minutes early because that will give them a minute or two to relax between appointments. However never finish too early or the audience will fell cheated. If you are scheduled to speak for 30 minutes and finish in 27, that's great; finish a 30 minute speech in 20 minutes and the audience will feel cheated especially if they paid good money to hear what you had to say.
The Sixth Deadly Sin: Wrath.
Commit this unpardonable sin and the wrath of God will descend upon you and your presentation. A speaker commits this Deadly Sin when he or she handles problems that may arise during a presentation in an inappropriate or otherwise bad manner. It does not matter how bad a presentation is going; it does not matter whose fault that may be, surrendering to the provocation and becoming angry is counterproductive. Getting angry—whether at yourself, at someone in the audience, or at some other factor that affects you speech—is the worse possible thing that you can do during a presentation. Anger displayed by you makes your audience uncomfortable. Your anger destroys your credibility in the eyes of your audience.
So why do speakers succumb so easily to these first six Deadly Sins? The answer to that question lies within the deadliest Deadly Sin of them all, the Seventh. The Seventh Deadly Sin is the progenitor of all the other unpardonable, Deadly Sins.
The Seventh Deadly Sin: Pride.
Speakers fall prey to this unpardonable sin when then succumb to the thinking that being a public speaker is all about them. They are too full of self. They think that they really are "all that." As Solomon wrote in Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, And an haughty spirit before a fall (KJV).
Now Hear This: Public Speaking is Never
all about you
about the lavish praised the MC may bestow upon you during your introduction
about your razor sharp delivery
about your lavish, elaborate Power Point slides
public speaking is always all about your audience and the message that you have for them.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Tony Russo Hip Resurfacing with Dr. McInnis 10/4/2010
I am 48 weekend warrior guy who went from
constantly moving to slowly dwindling activity to the point of
pretty much forcing myself up to our home gym 4 – 5 days/week.
Ultimately I found it was OA in my L hip that was holding me back. I
tried steroid injections which only showed me how things could be
with a better joint; I met with a local joint replacement
surgeon/friend who thought with my anatomy, age, prior activity
level the BHR was my best option.
Surgery (BHR + a
couple other ortho issues) scheduled for 10/4/10.
Got extremely nervous before the date poor sleep, etc. If you are in
the same boat talk to your MD about a sleeper as it will help
Because I was having a carpal tunnel
release during this OR time I ended up needing a platform walker
which freaked my wife out a bit. Surgery went great, woke up with an
epiphany… no joint pain! Granted with the dissection & positioning
required for the BHR the surrounding muscles hurt, spasmed & bruised
but what a relief! Got my immediately post-op with oral pain meds
(occasionally supplemented by IV morphine). Never needed a PCA pump.
Could have gone home as early as POD 2 but day 3 worked better.
Ditched the walker <1 week post-op, single crutch for a week, now on
a cane. Progress has been rapid & without a hitch so far. Using pain
meds only at night for >1 week.
enthusiastic to the extreme – I can see the promise of getting my
old active life back.
Many thanks to Dr Doug
McInnis (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) & his entire team, Kootenai Medical
Center, the outstanding nurses, & PT/OT personnel!


text:
Updated Photography Section
After so long, I finally uploaded my photos from my Yunnan Trip last year. The trip is really good. The views and scenery in China is astonishing and breathtaking. The grandeur of the mountain and the sweeping plains is really something to behold. On the other hand, I witness the really poor region of china where people still engage in agricultural economy. The children there do not have proper education and spend their life in the fields. Even for those that do go to school, they probably have to walk a few hours a day to get to the nearest school. It is a interesting experience I had in that trip. Anyway, as usual, I ramble too much. Enjoy the photos


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Technip was awarded a significant(1) contract by CHS Inc.(2) to provide proprietary technology and EPC(3) for a 40 thousand normal cubic meters per hour grassroots hydrogen plant at the CHS Refinery in Laurel, Montana, USA.
The plant is part of the company's ongoing upgrades to boost efficiency, increase diesel production and process additional crudes at its refinery.
The design will utilize Technip's high efficiency top-fired steam reforming technology to produce high purity hydrogen and export steam as well as the latest nitrogen oxide reduction technology to ensure minimum emissions.
Technip's operating center in Claremont, California, USA, will execute the project, which is scheduled for completion in 2017.
Stan Knez, President, Technip Stone & Webster Process Technology, commented: "With this key hydrogen project, we are pleased to continue our long-term relationship with CHS. The award reinforces Technip's strategic focus on early involvement in projects with our steam reforming technology as a key differentiator."
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Friday, December 14, 2012
Information Access and Gaming Journalism
When it comes to publicly available information and analysis, the professional gaming press sites are always at a disadvantage compared to the crowdsourced masses due to sheer force of manpower. The place where the media outlets have an advantage is in information provided directly from game developers/publishers. This serves a valuable function for the gaming public, but it also puts the gaming press in a very different position from those who cover politics or finance. When all the real information is coming from the people you are covering that - not the product placements or full-screen ads - inevitably affects the tone of the coverage.
It's not impossible to do real investigative journalism when it comes to online gaming - Unsubject's work to back up what many of us are thinking about Kickstarter with real numbers comes to mind. It's also unavoidably subjective because the information you'd really need to make a correct call is not public and will never become public. More often than not, you end up with something that looks more like my recent post about Turbine - the best speculation that can be cobbled together using old, vague, and limited data.
You could argue that gaming isn't actually important enough to deserve real journalism, but there is a real demand. Whether a company is actually going to deliver what they're telling the press they plan to deliver matters, because it affects purchasing decisions. When we get to the point where - even as my income has gone up to the point where I can reasonably afford as many games as I feel like playing - the default purchasing decision is "wait and see" for lack of information, it's the folks who made the product that doesn't get the sales or subscriptions it merited who are going to suffer.
4 comments:
- Psychochild said...
Basically, the state of games "journalism" is an issue of money. We live in a capitalist society, so we measure something's worth by how much money it makes.
We have the confluence of four factors:
1. People don't like to pay for stuff online, so people who would use proper game journalism are unlikely to want to pay for it.
2. The ones who are willing to pay are the ones who want to reach the readers: the game publishers/developers. So, they buy ads.
3. Ads are sold based on views. To get more views, you need exclusive content or linkbait. This is why you see sensationalist articles all over the place.
3. To get exclusive content, you need access. To get access, you need to be on good terms with the source. Since the source also pays for the ads, the game "journalists" are basically beholden to the publishers/developers.
We might say bloggers could change this, but let's be honest: they've been co-opted into the system. The biggest sites often try to explain that they're really "just bigger blogs". And, a number of people who write blogs would jump at the opportunity to write for a larger site.
If we could figure out how to make the people who use the content pay for it, it would solve a lot of problems. But, if you could figure that trick out I think it would have a lot bigger applicability outside of games news sites. :)
- December 15, 2012 at 6:41 PM
I agree with Psychochild. Video games "journalism" is funded by the very organisations that the "journalists" are meant to be investigating. Print newspapers suffered to this to an extent as well, but they were also funded by classified ad revenue.
On top of this, there are some very vocal gamers who see bias and corruption everywhere. Game review was too positive? BIAS. Game review too negative? BIAS. And writers push back at the constant criticism and accusations they've been bought off. So we have a writer-reader ecosystem where no-one trusts anyone.
I actually think one of the major flaws in games journalism is that it is stocked with people who lack experience outside of games culture. For instance, having knowledge about finance or how businesses work or applied sociology or artistic criticism or something that means they can write from a point of knowledge rather than just rant from opinion. Currently it seems that a lot of writers lack any real understanding of anything other than "I like video games".
But obviously that's popular enough to gain readers. So perhaps we get the games writing we (as a gaming group) deserve.
- December 16, 2012 at 2:49 AM
- Green Armadillo said...
@Unsub: It's a cycle. Why would someone with business experience want to work for what the current press can pay? But why would I want to pay for stuff that's no better than I can find on free blogs?
- December 16, 2012 at 8:58 AM
@Green Armadillo: Hey, I agree. Open access to information and easy dissemination makes hobbyists into the New Experts. Those who get paid don't get paid much and have to work the hardest.
- December 17, 2012 at 9:34 AM


text:
- cover 40 - 300 Hz using bandpass to increase the efficiency at the top end
- effectively meet the horn at 300 Hz with the acoustic source close to the horn (achieved with the slot port at the top)
- reduce the "thermal load" on the subs with music
- fit inside the large corner bass traps I have planned
August 13, 2011
Black widow test box measurements and impressions
2 comments:
Hello Paul,ReplyDelete
Where are you at with this project?
I would like to try something similar in the 30-300Hz range using a TAD TL1801, to put it closer to the midbass driver and avoid the boost from the floor in the upper part of its range.
Have you compared this acoutsically filtered version to a normal BR version (slot removed) with eletrical EQ only (with the same target response) ?
I sold the driver as it wasn't suitable to run up high enough to work with a midrange horn. Now using a sealed box with an Eminence Magnum.ReplyDelete
I didn't compare very carefully but tried it with the front chamber, then removed the chamber. The results weren't radically different as I recall.
My priorities are a little different now, where I prefer to have the box in the corner in a bass trap, with minimum size and a sealed box.


text:
Liana Gardner
Liana Gardner is the multi-award-winning author of 7th Grade Revolution, The Journal of Angela Ashby, and the Misfit McCabe series. The daughter of a rocket scientist and an artist, Liana combines the traits of both into a quirky yet pragmatic writer and in everything sees the story lurking beneath the surface. Engaged in a battle against leukemia and lymphoma, Liana spends much of her time at home, but allows her imagination to take her wherever she wants to go.
She fostered her love of writing after reading Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and discovering she had a great deal in common with the character Jo. The making up of stories, dramatic feelings, and a quick temper were enough for her to know she and Jo would have been kindred spirits.
Liana volunteers with high school students through the International Trade Education Programs (ITEP). ITEP unites business people and educators to prepare students for a meaningful place in the world of tomorrow. Working in partnership with industry and educators, ITEP helps young people "think globally and earn locally."
Liana is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
Books and Awards
- 7th Grade Revolution
- 2018 Digital Book World Awards Winner in Best User of Social Media in Book Marketing
- 2018 American Fiction Awards Winner in Preteen Fiction (Ages 10-12)
- 2018 Silver Falchion Award Finalist in Best Juvenile
- 2018 Digital Book World Awards Finalist in Best Book (Children's)
- 2018 International Book Awards Finalist in Children's Fiction
- 2018 Hollywood Book Festival Honorable Mention in Children's Fiction
- The Journal of Angela Ashby
- 2018 Hollywood Book Festival Honorable Mention in Children's Fiction
- The Journal of Angela Ashby — Release Date 9.25.2018
- 7th Grade Revolution — Release date 10.24.2017.
- Diary of a Misfit ("Current Event," a short story in Diary of a Misfit, was featured in the Story Chairs project, an audio installation featuring the work of 32 writers, musicians, and readers.)
- Tattered
- Nowhere Feels Like Home (Pearson Prize Teen Choice Award 2010)
- Misfit McCabe (Pearson Prize Teen Choice Award 2009)
Current Projects
Her Middle Grade book, The Journal of Angela Ashby, launched 9.25.2018 from Vesuvian Books. Liana is currently working on a Middle Grade "Homeless Myths" series, with the first book titled, The Star Warriors and the Secret of the Red Key. Her most recent YA novel, Speak No Evil, has been completed and will come out with Vesuvian Books in Spring 2019.


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Health Care
Mount Sinai, Cleveland Clinic hospitals settle false claims charges
Two South Florida hospitals paid millions in fines this week to settle charges that they filed false claims with Medicare for implanting cardiac devices in patients during a waiting period when doctors are supposed to hold off and see if the patients recover on their own.
Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach and Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston were among 51 hospitals nationwide to pay more than $23 million in fines, closing a sweeping federal investigation into hundreds of hospitals for improperly billing Medicare for implantable cardioverter defibrillators or ICDs.
According to the Justice Department, Mount Sinai paid $1.9 million in fines while Cleveland Clinic Florida and five affiliated hospitals paid $1.6 million.
Mount Sinai officials declined comment. Cleveland Clinic issued a written statement that said, in part, "Cleveland Clinic would provide the same treatment again if presented with the same illness. … While we believe that the charges were appropriate, we chose to settle the matter rather than engaging in expensive litigation that distracts from our mission."
ICDs are implanted near and connected to the heart, where they deliver electric shocks that treat life-threatening changes in cardiac rhythms.
Medicare reimburses hospitals about $25,000 for each implanted device, but patients first must meet certain criteria before coverage kicks in. Doctors are required to wait and see if the heart improveson its own — 40 days for a heart attack and 90 days for heart-bypass surgery or angioplasty.
Federal officials alleged that from 2003 to 2010, each of the settling hospitals implanted ICDs during the prohibited waiting periods.
Most of the settling hospitals were named in a whistleblower lawsuit filed in federal court in Miami by Leatrice Ford Richards, a cardiac nurse, and Thomas Schuhmann, a health care reimbursement consultant. The whistleblowers have received more than $3.5 million from the settlements, according to the Justice Department.
With these additional agreements, the Justice Department's investigation has now yielded settlements with more than 500 hospitals totaling more than $280 million. Among the South Florida hospitals included the earlier settlement are Aventura Hospital and Medical Center, Kendall Regional Medical Center and Palmetto General Hospital in Hialeah.


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Non-Profit Organizations serve an important role in our society. As a growing sector of our economy, these organizations do not always measure success the same way for-profit businesses do. As for-profit companies determine success as mainly reflected by the bottom line, non-profit entities are driven by its impact on public service. With their focus on civic duty, social service, cultural benefits, and its reach to individuals in need; these organizations need a business partner to address the financial, compliance, and regulatory issues they face so that they can do what they do best – make the necessary impacts in the communities we call home.
Gerson Preston has a specialized team that helps not-for-profits address the specific issues that only non-profit clients face, such as: meeting the special accounting, auditing, and reporting requirements for non-profit organizations; evaluating outcomes in non-profit terms to satisfy contributors and board members and comply with third-party needs and federal grants; and applying the most recent accounting, auditing, and reporting changes affecting non-profits.
We review internal controls and financial statements, including presentations in accordance with the latest audit and accounting guides, SFASs, SOPs, and OMB reporting forms. We also work with the non-profit board of directors to help the organization deal with:
- Fraud Issues
- Risk Management
- Tax Exemption
- Cash vs. Accrual Basis Fund Accounting
- Depreciation
- Restricted Contributions
- Inter-fund Transfers
- Fundraising
- Allocation of Joint Costs
- Combined Financial Statements
- Related Parties
- Client Representations
- Change in Auditor
- Requirements Under Government Auditing Standards (The Yellow Book)


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What is the anaerobic threshold?
You can image the Anaerobic Threshold as the safe limit of the exercise without an excessive component of the anaerobic metabolism. Bellow this level you can stress your body safely. You only need digital watches with heart rate monitor (Casio, Speedo, Polar etc.) to check you Anaerobic Threshold during your exercise of any kind.
The Anaerobic Threshold can be defined as the breakpoint between two systems of exercise metabolism. From this point muscles need more oxygen than the body can transport. Due to this shortage, the muscles start to produce more lactate (acid) in the blood, than the body can consume. This acidity of blood leads to the exhaustion.
The Anaerobic Threshold can be expressed in various physiological parameters like Heart Rate, Oxygen Uptake, lactate concentration etc.
The Anaerobic Threshold gains in course of years great importance for diagnostics of relevance for a lot of internal diseases and for the prescription of suitable physical activity as an upper limit of load, after its overrun follows the sudden development of metabolic acidosis. Workload intensity beneath the Anaerobic Threshold level is sufficient in physical activity for purposes of prevention and rehabilitation, while intensities above the Anaerobic Threshold of sufficient duration must be used to increase sportsmen efficiency.
The anaerobic threshold conception arisen in relation to the classical theory of the oxygen deficit and the oxygen debt in sixties [1]. The theory is based on the fact that oxygen lacks in working muscles during long-last load and this is the reason for the increase of the lactate production and for the change of pulmonary ventilation and gas exchange. The Anaerobic Threshold is confidential indicator of patient fitness contrary to maximal exercise values, because in contrast to maximal oxygen uptake correlates with the total workload period [2].
[1] Wasserman, K.W., J.E. Hansen, D.Y. Sue, B.J. Whipp: Principles of Exercise Testing and Interpretation. Philadelphia: Lea&Febigner, 1987
[2] Vago P, Mercier J, Ramontaxo M et al. Is ventilatory anaerobic threshold a good index of endurance capacity? Int. J. Sports med. Vol. 8, pp. 190-5, 1987.
Terms Of Use
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Tag: Alex Kropinak
by Daniel Pickett
February 5, 2015
An all new Hi-larious Marvel Super Heroes: What The–?! from our super talented pal Alex Kropinak: Will his own unwillingness to adapt doom the plans of the technological terror known as Ultron? When the Avengers' archenemy presents his latest scheme to an unholy alliance of villains, outdated browsers and a swarm of pop-up ads could…
by Daniel Pickett
November 17, 2014
The Aliens Minimates have arrived, and the Aliens are facing off against the Colonial Marines in this short stop-motion animated work by Alex Kropinak. The Aliens vs. Marines Single Pack Assortment is available now at comic shops and specialty stores. Find your nearest comic shop at http://bit.ly/findcomicshop or order online at http://www.diamondselecttoys.com
by Daniel Pickett
October 24, 2014
Every year, the spirit of Halloween takes over the world for 31 glorious days, and Diamond Select Toys unleashes a new batch of Monsters! Based on Universal Studios' iconic horror films of the 1930s, '40s and '50s, DST's 7-inch scale Universal Monsters action figures have become an annual tradition, and now they're starring in their…
by Daniel Pickett
June 16, 2014
by Daniel Pickett
June 7, 2013
The third series of The Walking Dead Minimates hits comic shops and specialty stores on June 12th, and has already been spotted at Toys "R" Us. To commemorate the occasion, Diamond Select Toys and Art Asylum have put together a short film starring all of the TWD Minimates to date, and it's not for the…
by Daniel Pickett
January 28, 2013


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Jeremy Lin was made the Los Angeles Lakers starting point guard when it was revealed that Steve Nash would miss the whole 2014 NBA season with a back injury that will ultimately retire the two-time MVP.
Angry Kobe
And it seems like Kobe Bryant is wishing he could turn back the clock and grab the bags that caused Nash's nerve injury for him to make sure he'd be healthy.
Because, just two games into the season, Bryant is already getting annoyed with the newbie Lin for not running the off-season well enough for Kobe.
Not only is Lin not playing well in terms of scoring but he's also struggling to run the offense, something that has frustrated Bryant, with Kobe telling the former Harvard guard to step it up.
Related Articles:
- Julius Randle suffers broken leg
- Lakers could make Lin second scorer
- Miami Heat are still contenders without LBJ
Bryant was said to be working with the new players and rookies in an attempt to bring them along quicker rather than give his teammates the cold shoulder like he did last year.
But it's really hard to blame Kobe for being annoyed with how the offense is playing. The Lakers looks so slow in possession and after two game they have already fallen into the trap of giving the ball to Bryant late in the shot clock, forcing him to try and do something with a broken play.
In both of the Lakers games so far this season Kobe has been the team's leading scorer, registering 19 and 31 points respectively in both times out on the floor against the Rockets and Suns.
Slow Lin
Lin has never really been a player that has proven he is good enough to be a starter in the NBA, barring that spell he had in New York with the Knicks, the California native has not been able to hold down a starting job and would have been Steve Nash's backup had he not gone down with injury.


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Help / FAQ
You need some help? Here you can find the help you want at our FAQ or Frequently Asked Questions-page
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: With each spot, you can Add a Comment, like: "watch out for the cops", or "this is my favourite skatespot". You also can check who posted a comment with that spot and when he did that. At the comments-page, please fill in your city, so other people know what they can do with the comment you added.
: If you know for sure that a spot is no more, or an image has broken down, you can click at this Report Icon. By clicking on it, you can report any fault you want to the webmaster. You don't have to fill in the name of the spot again, we know what spot you are talking about.
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Don't use the regular contact-form, we have made a wonderfull form for you to add new skatespots or a new skatepark, you can find it at the newspots-page
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Advertise on skatespots.be and put your brand or site in front of thousands of skatepark riders. Skatespots.be delivers niche targeting in a 1st-class editorial atmosphere. Visitors to skatespots.be are active consumers of gear and information on skateboarding, that means results for your ad-money!
You can check our stats if you want to and you can advertise via banners, text links, animated ads etc...
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You also get some extra oppurtunities to earn money, and you'll get interesting links to skatesites as well as good non skatesites
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If you placed an order, you can check the status of it here.
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By clicking on this link, you will be able to order extra points to buy skatespots stuff. You get 7,5 extra points wich wil cost near €1,30. Don't forget to click the link and fill in your email! If you forgot to fill in your email, we will not be able to add your points.
Notify on/of
At your registration you could choose to be notified everytime a new skatespot is added. At this page you can change this option. Everytime someone adds a skatespot, you get a little email with some details as Where it was added and some little explanation.
Add your skatesite
Here you can add your own skatesite, it will be added at the links-page after being reviewed


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Nicole Miller Fall/Winter 2014-2015 Collection " New York Fashion Week
The Nicole Miller fall/winter 2014-2015 collection sent fighters to the catwalk of New York Fashion Week fall 2014, who, despite their mystic and dark characters, still managed to remain ultra-feminine and sophisticated. For her fall 2014 fashion line, Nicole Miller looked to the female warriors, in particular to Boudica, the Celtic tribe queen for inspiration and the result is more than striking. It was a perfect fall line, which demonstrated many chic aspects of cold season dressing and brought pretty cool ideas for dressing like a real fashionista throughout the rainy season!
The warrior theme of the Nicole Miller fall/winter 2014-2015 collection was preserved due to the use of abstract tribe-inspired patterns, a darker color palette mainly consisting of black, shades of brown, deep red and gray, the patterned black leather, the small studs attached to some pieces here and there, as well as the earrings and the necklaces the models had on. Feathery skirts and peacock tail dresses talked more about the wild nature of the beautiful area this tribe resided in.
From a mere glance at the Nicole Miller fall/winter 2014-2015 collection, one gets to know that leather is still going to be a strong fashion trend for the new cold season, used for biker jackets, skinny pants, skirts, vests and, of course, footwear. Fur and feathers still preserve their firm position in the top of fall fashion trends, being used here for creating the chic mini skirts, the puffy scarves, the shaggy vests and the tops.
While the Nicole Miller fall/winter 2014-2015 collection makes a strong fashion statement with its new message, there are still pieces that perfectly describe the designer's inclination towards feminine and sophisticated vibes. Little drapy dresses and miniskirt and top duos are vibrant examples of this style.
Finally, the warrior woman's more elegant and special occasion side was portrayed by the delicate tops with transparent inserts and feathers, the skirts and dresses with metallic shine and the spectacular small clutches. The Nicole Miller fall/winter 2014-2015 collection has it all for the modern woman with a strong personality and a well-shaped fashion style, no matter where she plans to go and what mood she has the day she wants to sport Nicole Miller!
Photos courtesy of WWD


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Thursday, June 25, 2015
Mallory Knox
Rest day today
smile emoticon
(Plus I wanted to sort out our Mallory Knox tickets - really looking forward to seeing them at the UEA in October.) Righty. Revisions are calling. (I've been thinking more than writing, these last couple of days, and it's sorted in my head - so wish me no phone calls or other annoying interruptions. Have a nice day!
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Kate Hardy
10:22 am
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In his book, " Cold Hard Truth on Men, Women, and Money," Kevin O'Leary shares a pragmatic, if slightly alarmist, perspective on money.
"Here's the cold hard truth," the "Shark Tank" investor writes. "No matter how much money you make, the world is designed to take it away."
Between the bank collecting fees, the lender charging you for a mortgage, the credit card companies facilitating your spending for a price, the insurance companies scaring you into unnecessary policies, and "complicated financial products" like annuities taking advantage of your confusion, O'Leary explains that you have to be on the defensive and have the knowledge to protect yourself from losing money.
He writes:
Student loans, credit cards, and mortgages are powerful financial tools that are necessary if you want to live a full, well-rounded life. But you can see how easy it is for the average person who doesn't understand how these tools work ... to make money mistakes.
This doesn't mean you have to play the victim, he explains. Defending your money against the onslaught of costs and demands "starts by waking up to the truth about your financial situation. By doing that, you'll begin using clearheaded reasoning instead of emotions when making money decisions. And that alone will change the way you relate to money."
So how do you become "clearheaded" about your financial situation? It starts with the most basic of tasks: tracking your spending and creating a budget.


text: We just returned from a two week road trip to the Pacific Northwest. We do a lot if hiking and find it very convenient to keep hiking gear and boots in the frunk. It is a great seat while putting on boots. It started at Crater Lake when several people asked us if we were OK or needed help. We politely answered that we were fine wondering if our advancing years were making us appear helpless (we are not). Next a park ranger at the Hoh Valley Trailhead pulled up and asked us if we the people needing a jump. We said we were not and then noticed an ICE across the parking lot with the hood up. An ah ha moment as we realized that the hood up is a distress signal. Being creatures of habit we persisted in our practice and had no less than another half dozen offers for help from rangers and visitors. We converted these kind offers into opportunities to educate on the wonders of the Model S. If you are interested our trip started in Grass Valley, up I-5, KOA in Klamath Falls, Camped at Crater Lake toured andk hiked and made it to Grants Pass on a single charge, Up the Columbia Gorge to the Dalles (12 amps overnight) then North to Olympic National Park, great 70 amp charging available in Port Angeles. Ferry to Victoria then to Nanaimo ferry to Tsawwassen, side trip to Siver Falls State Park OR on to Detroit Lake SC (why) then home. PM me if you would like details. Side Note on Ferries. You have to be there an hour ahead of time and wait packed in in the staging area. Everyone is waiting and the Model S attract a lot of attention with emboldened drivers asking lots of questions. Last note. If you plop down on the frunk with extra force, it is a great alternate method for removing the nose cone.


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Effects of Treatment Integrity Failures during Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior: A Translational Model
Effects of Treatment Integrity Failures during Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior: A Translational Model - Download this document for free, or read online. Document in PDF available to download.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, v43 n1 p47-70 Spr 2010
Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) is used frequently as a treatment for problem behavior. Previous studies on treatment integrity failures during DRA suggest that the intervention is robust, but research has not yet investigated the effects of different types of integrity failures. We examined the effects of two types of integrity failures on DRA, starting with a human operant procedure and extending the results to children with disabilities in a school setting. Human operant results (Experiment 1) showed that conditions involving reinforcement for problem behavior were more detrimental than failing to reinforce appropriate behavior alone, and that condition order affected the results. Experiments 2 and 3 replicated the effects of combined errors and sequence effects during actual treatment implementation. (Contains 1 table and 7 figures.)
Descriptors: Behavior Problems, Disabilities, Integrity, Reinforcement, Behavior Modification, Intervention, Outcomes of Treatment, Special Needs Students, Undergraduate Students, Autism, Grade 4, Elementary School Students, Error Patterns, Adolescents, Mental Retardation, Special Schools, Time on Task
Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. Available from: Department of Applied Behavioral Science. Kansas University, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045-2133. Tel: 785-841-4425; Fax: 785-841-4425; e-mail: behavior[at]mail.ku.edu; Web site: http://seab.envmed.rochester.edu/jaba/index.html
Author: Pipkin, Claire St. Peter; Vollmer, Timothy R.; Sloman, Kimberly N.
Source: https://eric.ed.gov/?q=a&ft=on&ff1=dtySince_1992&pg=2342&id=EJ877519


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Rough Life: 1940
Submitted by Jiggsy on Wed, 2010-11-03 11:33
Tags: Autos | Gals | Jiggsy Gallery | John Vachon | Great Depression
Resident of river bottoms shacktown with her dogs, Dubuque, Iowa. Photo taken in 1940 by photographer John Vachon. FSA - OWI Photograph Collection. Old photographs provided by LOC. Original Medium: nitrate negative.
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#87 "Welcome Back Jennifer" - MommyBeta Podcast
Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 1:09PM
This week we congratulate Jennifer on her birth and birth story, we discuss the increase in midwives delivering babies, and dealing with a picky eater.
We also announce that we are going to move the MommyBeta podcast to a monthly show. Thanks for your support everyone!
Listen to the podcast here.
tagged birth story, c-section, jennifer nichols, midwife, mommybeta, natali del conte, natali morris, podcast, vbac


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Software Developer .NET C#
Immediate opening. Fantastic on-site (i.e. no travel) opportunity with a growth oriented company.
Key Job Responsibilities
Develop code, appropriately employing object-oriented design methods and patterns. Solve problems of considerable scope and complexity. Support custom and open source systems and ensure code is designed to operate as expected under extremely high load. Have the ability to debug and research issues independently.
Requirements Include:
- Exceptional software development experience with ASP.NET and C#, core competency
- Experience with Microsoft SQL Server, including Stored Procedures, Views, UDFs and Transact SQL
- Experience with using Microsoft's Visual Studio 2010 or 2012
- Excellent Object Oriented Programming skills
- Solid knowledge of Javascript and AJAX techniques
- Ability to write efficient and tested SQL queries
- Experience with Web services
Applicants will be expected to take a knowledge assessment test as part of the interview process. This is a full-time position requiring work on-site only. Competitive market salary with very generous medical and dental benefits as well as a matching retirement plan. We maintain a healthy work/life balance. All candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. This position does not offer sponsorship. We are located next to I-95 at Cypress Creek in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
To apply, send a resume and cover letter to email@example.com with the subject line "Software Developer."
No phone calls. No recruiters.


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Understanding the History and Professionalism of ASHI.orgAmerican Society of Home Inspectors
Before 1976, there was no established body that was in charge of ensuring that American homes inspectors met certain standards – one could have their home inspected but the inspector was under no obligation to follow any guidelines. That year, however, a group of home inspectors decided that an association would help improve their business and that is when they came together and formed ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. It is a non-profit organization that is tasked with coming up with guidelines to guide inspectors during inspections.
In addition to inspection guidelines it has other duties as well. It is tasked with coming up with a professional code of ethics for its members and it is also their job to give consumers assurance on quality of inspections. Every state across the United States has its own ASHI office and it is a trusted and reliable institution.
To make sure that all inspectors remain professional the society has come up with a list of rules that all members must adhere to. To start with, no inspector can have a commission arrangement with a realtor. They also cannot offer to do any repairs that the realtor may recommend. To make sure that inspectors are up to date ASHI has to update them on the latest building technologies, professional skills as well as materials.
ASHI inspectors aren't just useful when one is buying a home. They can also come in to address specific problems in the home. They can look at things like cracked walls and foundations, problems with insulation, soaking basements and they can even come in when one is doing home inspections – they advice the home owner on what they can do to improve on the quality of the property. They are also often called to inspect once building work or home improvements are complete.


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Higher Education
Multi-Dwelling Units
Industrial & Commercial
Download Offering Guides and Brochures
Telkonet Testimonial
In the News
iRiS PR
SmartCon Solutions Offers...
Elegant Guest Facing Technologies
The SmartCon & Premium Products Alliance;
bringing together property and performance
SmartCon Hospitality Solutions is an independent energy
management integrator specializing in the installation and commissioning of automated occupancy based guestroom controls.
SmartCon's collaboration with technology manufactures provide the hospitality industry with a complete solution to occupancy based room control integrations. SmartCon (Smart Connectivity)
is aligned with a variety of preferred manufacturers and vendors that provide leading edge thermostats, lighting controls,
electronic locking control systems, and other occupant environment amenities.
We are approved integration installers for Marriott corporate properties and IHG.
We will custom design the perfect offering for you, or you can select a basic system from one of our Offering Guides.
AC Hotel Oyster Bay California
Offering Guides and Brochures
Our Process
Your time and resources can be stretched thin most days, so we'll spare you the trouble of juggling multiple transactions and varying terms. First, we provide our potential clients with options; a presentation of cutting edge products from multiple vendors, while recognizing your potential budgetary concerns. You decide the products you want, we deliver.
Project Management
When your project becomes ours, rest easy.
SmartCon's project management team begins with a disciplined approach from planning through executing, and ultimately closing your unique project goals. We embrace the opportunity to apply our knowledge, skills and techniques which are designed to accomplish a singular, successful result.
All projects require a defined scope of work with outlined resources. However it isn't always as simple as following a process. The SmartCon team is experienced in dealing with the unexpected. When new challenges present themselves, we remain focused on the project objectives. SmartCon is always driven by providing quality solutions, meeting expected target dates, and staying within budget.
Installation & Commissioning
workmanship begins at the critical stage of installation. We know that with a strict focus on quality installations, our customers have realized a better cost savings and uninterrupted occupant comfort and safety. Our attention to detail at this stage has also resulted in extended equipment reliability and life.
But we don't stop there. All projects undergo a post-installation inspection, ensuring a smooth transition into the commissioning stage. Whether your property is a new facility or it's time for an upgrade, SmartCon provides the highest level of installation and commissioning services. You can't afford to have rooms down, and neither can we.
A true partnership begins with trust. All of us at SmartCon believe this to be the vital first step in building a lasting collaboration. It all starts with getting to know you, exchanging points of view and securing your confidence in SmartCon's ability to provide a solution.
Our goal is to share objective advice to initiate problem solving, which in turn will improve your property's performance, maximize your business' growth and contributes to your long term intentions. We look forward to the opportunity to address any and all inquiries on project budget, process, product, schedule and services. With a plan in place that is designed for your facility's specific needs, we roll up our sleeves and get to work.
Once SmartCon has presented an aesthetic array of options to compliment your in-room design, you make your selections. We then create a wiring diagram for your facility, and move to install and program the desired functionality for your property's room automation and thermostat controls. The various options, including light intensity, privacy and service notifications, heating/ cooling fan speeds and visitor annunciation can be specifically created to accommodate your taste.
Energy Management
Title 24
The state of California has instituted occupancy based room control standards that require hospitality industry compliance in an effort to achieve energy efficiency. The adopted codes emphasize lighting standards, without compromising the quality of lighting and preserving environmental quality. SmartCon Solutions, in conjunction with their industry alliances, provides the solution that best fits your facility through energy saving lighting and HVAC technologies.
Load Control
An Energy Management system's capability to remotely control power consumption in high capacity buildings has proven to be an effective operating application, which does not affect the customer's day to day business needs. The simple shift of reducing energy consumption to periods of lower demand can dramatically influence energy cost savings. In addition, an enhanced guest experience can be achieved through controlling room lighting ambiance.
Big Data
The SmartCon Solutions team has the experience in analyzing the information that generates from your Energy Management System. This data can provide insights into your facility's energy consumption trends and expose patterns that can determine causes of energy waste and other system issues. Through the use of analytics that can anticipate a facility's energy functionality, companies can improve decision making and implement an accurate strategic plan.
otels spend roughly $7.5 billion on energy expenditures every year, yet the typical hotel room is vacant approximately 70 percent of an average day. Lighting and HVAC costs represent two of the largest uncontrolled operating expenses, but they don't need to be, if you have a hotel energy management system.
The SmartCon Hospitality intelligent automation platform allows you to develop and deploy targeted solutions that dramatically reduce energy consumption, improve operation efficiency with truly measurable results and create a more comfortable customer experience.
Demand Response
A SmartCon installed and commissioned automated demand response program provides the latest in technology for optimizing energy usage during the stages of demand response, ensuring facility responsiveness. This technology can ensure a reliable and swift functionality. An energy rationing approach, especially during peak periods, allows facilities to respond automatically, temporarily controlling energy usage. Targeted energy consumption during demand reduction events assists in meeting incentive payments and cost reductions.
Occupancy Based Room Controls; A smart management of temperature and light
Your energy management agenda starts at the door. Here's how saving energy through occupancy detection could work for your facility:
The door contact switch signals the room's thermostat, which acts as the "information center" that the room has become occupied, immediately adjusting temperature, welcome lighting and drapes adjustment. A Passive Infrared Sensor (PIR) continues to detect occupancy, assuring that the desired temperature is maintained. Conversely, shortly after detection of room vacancy, the door switch will return the room to an increased energy saving level, with the temperature effectively stabilizing at a predetermined, unoccupied state.
The SmartCon team will work closely with you to structure and implement an energy management system that works best for your facility. Expertly installed and commissioned room energy controls can provide revenue savings of up to 30 percent per room, per year.
Lighting & Room Automation
Sophistication meets Automation
Smart lighting will subtly, but effectively, influence the ambiance of a hotel room, complementing the aesthetics of its décor, while also providing convenience and energy efficiency. Brighten or dim any light in the room—or your entire property—with a single touch. Or automate lighting to respond to your life, without any touch at all. With configurable, custom engraved buttons, everyone will know what each button does. Built-in sensors change the button brightness depending on the lighting of the room, so they're always perfectly lit.
It's not just smart, it's brilliant.
Do not disturb/Make up room
Guest privacy and convenience can be maximized through the integration of DND/MUR commands. SmartCon, in alliance with their premium industry partnerships, can integrate customized exterior corridor and in-room controls that compliment your property's décor and ensure guest comfort and hotel staff efficiency.
Lock Integrations
The hospitality industry has become the major player in door lock safety integrations. This evolving technology not only provides optimal guest room security, it also expands operational efficiencies and contributes to cost effectiveness. Door lock systems communicate via an on-line virtual network, and are capable of providing reports pertaining to room access points, enhancing customer security. SmartCon is experienced in the integration of door lock technologies from various vendors, and with any property management system.
Shades and Sheers Controls
Integrated with lighting and temperature control systems, window treatment technologies provide an additional step in the energy savings process, without affecting guest comfort. SmartCon Solutions can integrate an automated system that enables hotel staff and guests to regulate the amount of light desired for any designated areas, and/or time periods throughout the day.
Mini-Bar Systems
As independent third party software integrators, SmartCon Solutions is experienced in the commissioning of guest room mini bar technologies. This automated application has become an industry standard, providing staffing relief, loss reduction, tracking reports and a streamlined check-out process.
Mobile Hospitality Applications
As travelers become more tech savvy, they expect their travel experiences to follow suit. Today's hotel guest brings an average of three connected devices with them during their stay. This is a great opportunity to tap into their already existing habits that will provide a more engaged experience.
Hospitality comes into play.
Working in conjunction with the EcoSmart platform, the app literally puts the controls in the guests' hands. The app can also be designed to easily integrate with your existing guest loyalty app, providing a seamless interaction with the hotel branded content. To top it off, you can pre-program rooms to a loyal guest's specific setting during their stays and potentially capture an even more loyal customer.
Hospitality is the Next Frontier
for Voice Control
The hospitality industry is trying to gauge which assistant is best for letting hotel guests control the lights, temperature, and drapes in their room, according to Bloomberg. This comes just months after Wynn Resorts installed Echo devices in its flagship
Las Vegas resort.
Hotel chains present a massive opportunity for smart home device makers and ecosystem providers. Hotels and resorts are preparing to increase their spending on IT, according to a survey by HospitalityTechnology; 57% of chief information officers planned on increasing their IT spending in 2017, and 52% said digital customer engagement was their top strategic goal.
SmartCon Hospitality partners with Volara, the market leader in voice-based hospitality solutions
to integrate with the
management, lighting, and
networked room automation
control solutions they install.
SmartCare Maintenance/Service Partnership
Our SmartCon Service Partnership Plan provides unparalleled support for your energy management issues and concerns. At the core of our SmartCare Partnership Plan is remote, proactive monitoring.
SmartCare Service Plan
Intelligent Building Solutions
SmartCon Solutions is partnered with BuildingIQ providing us a unique, leading-edge solution to help our customers manage and conserve energy.
Reduce Energy Without Sacrificing Comfort
In a wide range of installations, our systems have consistently demonstrated it can reduce HVAC energy consumption and costs by 10-25%, while maintaining guest comfort levels -even in buildings rated as highly energy efficient by LEED, ENERGY STAR®, and NABERS.
Add Intelligence to Your Building
Traditional approaches to making buildings smarter focus on only two factors: cloud computing and sensing. Our services and platform is comprised of five major components: data capture and analysis, modeling, measurement & verification, control, and human expertise. Incorporating these five components constitute a more comprehensive approach to the Buildings Internet of Things.
Technology With a Human Touch
BuildingIQ's 5i Platform has deep capabilities in data ingestion, aggregation, monitoring, trending, predictive analytics, visualization, automation and optimization of HVAC energy usage and consumption. Human expertise informs BuildingIQ's unique energy data analytics to provide the basis for identifying operational and equipment anomalies.
Proven Solutions
Our customers include major hotels properties, which have deployed the system in a variety of buildings types.
Visualization - Energy Worksite
Energy metering is the first step in
understanding how you use energy.
Energy worksite
Baselining, measuring, and managing
Facilities-led energy initiatives.
Energy Worksite is SaaS analytics tool powered by an advanced algorithm that monitors the energy consumption of a building on an hourly basis. The service uses whole building energy interval data and/or sub-meter data to detect and provide alerts for anomalies in energy consumption, as well as supporting savings impacts. Energy Worksite models energy use to predict and alert hotel operations staff of variances between actual measured consumption and the expected energy calculation. Energy Worksite delivers clear and straightforward reporting, on demand or on a customized schedule, and user customized dashboards.
With Energy Worksite, a hotel manager/operator gets a quick overview of the energy consumption of their properties, instant outlier identification, and rapid knowledge about over-consuming, under-consuming, or on target buildings and metered systems.
Building Operations
Our take on the Building Internet of Things
brings an array of products and services to help you manage, tune, and operate your hotels through big data, re-commissioning, and continuous commissioning
Facility Worksite
Fast work order ticketing and intuitive task scheduling.
Busy Hotel management personnel are constantly juggling lots of tasks and priorities to keep their sites running well and guests happy. At times, it's chaotic, a constant balancing act between the predictable —preventive maintenance, scheduled events— and the unpredictable —occupant service requests, ad hoc events. The answer to these needs is Facility Worksite: a service request and work order management system (aka, ticketing system) that is quick and easy to use, and is very cost effective.
Facility Worksite makes it easier to manage the predictable and unpredictable demands that facilities teams face daily and helps them get things done quickly and efficiently. It's quick to deploy and securely accessible from any web browser. It can be deployed standalone, or as an integral part of the broader platform, which helps manage and optimize HVAC operations and occupant comfort.
Predictive Control
24/7 optimized control, built-in measurement & verification, and demand response uniquely tailored to your Hotel. withe the addition of forward looking models, properties can be continually, intelligently optimized to stay one-step ahead of high costs while keeping guests comfortable.
Demand Response
For automated managed energy curtailment programs.
Automated demand response service enables owner/operators to participate, and take full benefit from, utility driven demand response programs simply, easily, repeatedly, and measurably. Demand Response is akin to a specialized form of Predictive Energy Optimization™ (PEO), but instead of an energy cost driven optimization paradigm, Demand Response achieves event goals through a more aggressive time-based curtailment strategy that still seeks to optimize comfort. Unlike other DR solutio Demand Response automatically controls the BMS down to the zone- leveraging learning models for the building's thermal behavior, BMS capabilities, and tenant comfort.
Phone: 860-519-5297
Toll Free: 844-633-2412
50 Founders Plaza, Suite 306
East Hartford, CT 06108
[email protected]


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FDOT | GDOT Certified
Florida Operations: 386-668-7323
Corporate: 386-668-7745
Georgia Operations: 478-781-2090
I want to thank your team for getting that material out here early.
Per my conversation with Dispatch, we were scheduled to receive our material tomorrow (Friday). By 2 PM today we had already taken two loads.
Thank you for your help.
-- Ralph
Condotte America
"Thanks to you and your staff.
Please convey my appreciation to everyone on your fine staff.
I attached a picture of the project that we should be proud of.
Thanks again for making this project a memorable experience.
-- Luis Velez, Project Manager
Tensar International Corporation
Career Details and Application
Use the form below to apply for a position with Seminole Precast Manufacturing, Inc. (SPMI). We pride ourselves on offering a positive work environment where you're never just another employee. We understand we are only as successful as our team allows us to be, and we take that approach when choosing our newest team members. We look forward to hearing from you!
At SPMI, we make your privacy and security our highest concern. We will never share, trade, sell or misuse the information you provide to us in any way. As part of our integrity and commitment to sound business, we understand the importance of your confidentiality. You can trust our team to take the highest level of care with the personal information you provide.
Availability Date:
Maureen Del Monico
Apply for this Position Below!
SR 694 - Gandy Boulevard
I-275 between SR60 and Hillsborough River in Tampa FL
I-95 South Florida Hot Lanes
SR 429 and CR 437
American Owned and Operated
Corporate Office
Ph: (386) 668-7745
Fx: (386) 668-0867
Georgia Operations
Ph: (478) 781-2090
Fx: (478) 781-2098
Florida Operations
Ph: (386) 668-7323
Fx: (386) 668-9624


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Independence Day
India's Independence Day is celebrated on August 15 to commemorate its independence from the British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation on that day in 1947. The day is a national holiday in India. It is celebrated all over the country through flag-hoisting ceremony. The main celebration takes place in New Delhi, where the Prime Minister hoists the National Flag at the Red Fort and delivers a nationally televised speech from its ramparts. In his speech, he highlights the achievements of his government during the past year, raises important issues and gives a call for further development. The Prime Minister also pays his tribute to leaders of the freedom struggle.
On 3 June 1947, Viscount Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last British Governor-General of India, announced the partitioning of the British Indian Empire into India and Pakistan, under the provisions of the Indian Independence Act 1947. At the stroke of midnight, on 15 August 1947, India became an independent nation. This was preceded by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's famous speech titled Tryst with destiny.
" At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance..... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again."
©aromaofindia.com. All rights reserved.


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Here is this week's sketch.
Sunday, April 9, 2017
SSC150 Chocolate Bunny
Hi Everyone! Time for another Sunday Stamps Challenge. This week we have a sketch by Monika. And Easter is just around the corner!
Here is this week's sketch.
Stamps: Basket Bunch; Paper: So Saffron, Blushing Bride, Flirty Flamingo, Peekaboo Peach, Crumb Cake, Tip Top Taupe, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Playful Palette DSP; Ink: Delightful Dijon, Melon Mambo, Early Espresso, Blendabilities; Accessories: White Baker's Twine, Banner Triple Punch, Basket Builder Framelits, Stitched Shapes Framelits, Big Shot, Dimensionals.
Here is this week's sketch.
Posted by Heidi Baks at 4:00 AM
Labels: Sunday Stamps Challenge
1 comment:
- Monika Reeck said...
Yaay the bunny is cute
and the basket with bunny and eggs more cuute
Heidi love the way you used my sketch
so sweet and cute card..and the sentiment hehe sweeet
see you soon on my shoe card sweet Heidi
Monika your teammate
- April 9, 2017 at 3:10 PM
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Our Return & Exchange Policy
At Butterflies and Bikinis, we understand that it can be a challenge to buy apparel online and we want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase. In the case you are not, we are happy to offer exchanges and store credit. Please follow our guidelines below:
Please Note:
Items returned, exchanged, or processed for a store credit, must be in NEW, unworn, unsoiled and sell-able condition with all tags in place and protective shields intact where appropriate, and in their respective shipping bags. Apparel which is NOT in new condition, and has been soiled, mishandled, abused, wadded up, laundered, worn or with missing tags will be returned to the purchaser at their expense. NO CREDIT will be issued and he/she forfeits all claims. Please note discount codes/promo codes may not be applied to exchanges or store credit redemptions, store credit expires after one year.
For ALL Returns/Exchanges/Store Credit
- You must contact us within 5 business days of receipt of order based on tracking to accommodate a return, exchange or store credit. Please contact us at: [email protected] to receive your Return or Exchange Authorization Number.
- Next, download Authorization Form to the right and complete it with all appropriate information and return item to this address:
Butterflies and Bikinis, 4093 Naranjo Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93110, we do suggest obtaining tracking/delivery confirmation for your returns, Without tracking, unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that any refund or exchange will be issued in the case of lost or undelivered packages.
- We must receive the completed Authorization Form with your return/exchange items within 15 days of receipt of complete order based on tracking. Longer periods are granted for purchases being returned from outside the U.S. All returned/exchanged merchandise must be accompanied by the Authorization Form and number, which we will provide you, to be accepted.
For Exchanges or Store Credit
Please contact us within 5 business days of receiving your order based on Shipping and Tracking and return your merchandise to our Store with all the appropriate information filled out on the Exchange/Return Authorization Form with the Exchange/Return Authorization Number obtained by emailing us at [email protected] We must receive a completed Exchange Form with your exchanged item(s) within 15 business days of your receipt, based on tracking. We do provide longer periods for purchases outside the US. International exchanges are subject to shipping charges. Exchanges will receive full credit toward their exchanged Item(s). In the event an item you requested for an exchange is backordered, we will notify you of the possible delay via email. We will also contact you if the item requested for an exchange has been discontinued and we are not able to fulfill your request. Exchanges are shipped complimentary USPS First Class, additional shipping options are available per customer request and additional charges will be incurred accordingly. International exchanges are subject to shipping charges.
For Returns for Store Credit
We offer only store credit for returns, and all Store Credit expires after one year. Please contact us within 5 business days of receiving your order based on Shipping and Tracking and return your merchandise to our Store with all the appropriate information filled out on the Exchange/Return Authorization Form with the Exchange/Return Authorization Number obtained by emailing us at [email protected] We must receive a completed Authorization Form with your returned item(s) within 15 business days of your receipt, based on tracking. We do provide longer periods for purchases outside the US. Store credit will be kept on file and can be redeemed with a detailed email in response to our Confirmation Email (the email issued to acknowledge our receipt of your return/exchange) Please include all necessary specifics and email [email protected] for redemption at any time. Shipping is complimentary for all store credit redeemed items and will be shipped USPS First Class. Additional shipping options are available per customer request and customers will be charged accordingly. Store credit may not be applied to shipping charges. International store credit redemption orders are subject to shipping charges.
**Please note that we recommend you return items with delivery confirmation or tracking for your protection, we are not responsible for lost or misdirected packages.
Defective Goods
We pride ourselves on offering swimwear produced in the highest quality but if for some reason you have received defective merchandise, please contact us immediately and we will replace any defective merchandise returned to our office within 30 days of the shipment date. No additional shipping and handling charges will be incurred.
Important, Please Note:
Items Exchanged or Returned for Store Credit must be in NEW, unworn, unsoiled and sell-able condition with all tags in place and protective shields intact on swimsuit bottoms, with items properly folded and in original packaging.
Other Policies
Butterflies and Bikinis reserves the right to refuse service, Credit, and Exchanges to anyone who, in our opinion makes excessive or arbitrary orders, returns and exchanges.
Store Credit Redemption
To redeem your store credit, please reply to the Confirmation Email issued upon our receipt of authorized returns, include all pertinent information necessary to process your requests. Please note that all sales/promotions/promo codes are excluded in redeeming items for store credit.
Sale Items
Sale items are final, but may be exchanged for store credit, no refunds will be issued. We must receive your exchange request per our Exchange Policy above, time constraints are the same as well. All items on the Sale Page, as noted at top of page, are final sale, no exchanges or store credits issued.
We offer expedited shipping methods, but do not guarantee that all items are available for all services, although we do our best. We will gladly refund/credit difference for shipping options in the case an expedited shipping method is chosen and we are unable to provide. An email will be sent, in the case, we are unable to accommodate your request.
Cancellation Policy
Once an order is placed you may not cancel an order. Presale orders may not be cancelled. Occasionally, if your order has not already shipped, you may be able to stop shipping by contacting our Customer Service Department M-F, 10 to 5pm PST at 1-805-845-7459 or email: [email protected]