text: I am fairly new here and do not know if these questions have been asked earlier. My order was placed for a late July delivery (my current Lexus lease expires then). I have asked this question of two Tesla employees and have gotten two different answers: About a decade or so from now, when it comes time to replace by 70kw battery, will it be possible to replace it with a higher capacity battery at that time? For example, if the 70kw replacement were to become 75kw and the higher end battery replacement will be 120 kw, could I purchase the 120kw replacement at that time?


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I made a little Festival Survival kit for Warren and DIY-ed a gift bag. It's so easy, you're going to think im ridic for even posting it. But here it is -
All you need is a brown bag and some old scraps of whatever. I had some left over paper scraps, old tube tickets, stickers, used envelopes, magazine pages, scraps of wrapping paper, tissue papers, whatever.
Next start sticking all the scraps over the brown bag. Layer the different pieces over each other.
keep going.
et voila!
It would also be cool if you were giving it to a friend to use computer printed photos and any other "friendship-memorabilia".
Personalised gift bag, done.
ps. Reading festival was awesome - and will share some stories from it soon!
ps. Reading festival was awesome - and will share some stories from it soon!

subset: commoncrawl


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BAGHDAD — A suicide car bombing in Iraq's eastern Diyala province killed at least 40 people gathered at a marketplace to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Iraqi police officials said at least 40 people were also wounded in the attack in the town of Khan Beni Saad. Hospital officials confirmed the death tolls. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press.
The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, according to messages posted on Twitter. The claim could not be independently verified but it was posted by accounts commonly associated with the group.
Parts of Diyala were captured by the Islamic State group last year. Iraqi forces and Kurdish fighters have since retaken those areas, but clashes between the militants and security forces continue. The Sunni militant group has been behind several similar large-scale attacks on civilians or military checkpoints as it seeks to expand its territory, which includes a third of Iraq and Syria.


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Visual Storytelling
Visual media, from comics to anime, interactive video games, and movies, are all ways of telling stories. The process of storytelling is similar, in many aspects, from one medium to another. Here the author, with thirty years' experience in visual media, has distilled what he knows about the process into a guide that includes everything from drawing to narrative to technique, as well as an essay by Harlan Ellison and sections by other experts.
Profusely illustrated, with examples to demonstrate the proper way to guide the reader's or viewer's eye or mind (comic book panels, storyboards, covers, action scenes), the book is invaluable for anyone who wants to understand the mechanism of putting together a game or film. Flowcharts illustrate the steps in the production process; experts discuss everything from figure drawing and perspective to temporal flow, as well as the differences among depth, character, and atmosphere lighting.
Caputo has previously written the best-selling How to Self-Publish Your Own Comic Book as well as hundreds of his own comic books, including Speed Racer, Astro Boy, and The Terminator.
While his new book is by no means a full-fledged technical guide to creating any one of the media discussed, it is an outstanding place to begin, whether the reader wants to create a video game or understand the process that goes into putting together a successful comics adventure. There's plenty of technical detail guiding the narrative, as in this example about interactive gaming: "if something … included in game play results in imagery changes throughout the game world, there will simply be too many polygons for the machine to draw in at one time, and the game will crash."
Excellent examples and explanations are provided for everything from conveying time lapse in graphic novels to putting together effective action scenes in movies. The author points out the creative advantages and disadvantages of each medium (comics offer greater artistic freedom, whereas anime, movies, and video games require input from many sources, thus changing the original artist's concept—sometimes beyond recognition). Caputo also includes quotes from people in the industry, such as Catherine Court, executive producer of Septerra Core, on the impossibility of expecting creativity "on demand," and filmmaker Kevin Van Hook on the importance of timing in editing.
This is a superb guide to the process of making visual media work. Black-and-white and color examples, film stills, storyboard sketches, and schematics all make abundantly clear the work and creativity involved in making a world realistic enough to draw in the audience, whether in print, on film, or on screen. As the author makes clear, the story guides images, and images can enhance the story, but putting the two together effectively is an art. Those wanting to understand that art better are well served by this book.
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The author of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the author for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.


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Best Connection to be used between two schools
A school is planning to connect or to extend its LAN to the other schools which is 70 meters from each other. Actually, the school is planning to extend its property.
A school is planning to connect or to extend its LAN to the other schools which is 70 meters from each other. Actually, the school is planning to extend its property.
The connection of network between these two schools that are 70m apart will result into a Wide Area Network. This simply means two networks that are connected over a wide area.
The first thing to assess is the point of sight. This means that you need to see if the distance between these two schools has any destruction that may hinder you from creating a wireless network as this will reduce bulkiness of cables and also equipment. For wireless network, perform the following:
1. Assess the environment and ensure there is point of sight as this will determine the signal strength.
2. With the go ahead, establish a point in any one of the schools where you will mount the access point for the wireless signal. Make sure the location is strategic.
3. Ensure all the machines to be in the network have wireless network cards or wireless capabilities so that they can receive the signal.
4. Define each machine through the server by defining the IP addresses on the domain name specification keeping in mind that the gateway IP is the one defining the number or the IP address of each machine via the server, while the server defines the path.
5. Name or assign these addresses in ascending order in number form and make sure you note for each school.
6. Test the network by initiating the signal strength and also sharing of files and other data.
When it come to cables, the same format is used only that you have to have several switches of a few number of ports, and then ensure you also use the network cables to link these switches.
The machines IP definition is still the same via the server only that the cables must be aligned and attached to the specific port that defines them.
Each machine from either school must be linked to the server via the switches and the machines of this other school must also be fixed to the switches and the different switched linked together via cables and then onto the server. Testing is still done the same way and speed and redundancy issues are seen when files are shared.
Take note to have supported software for network definitions and also back-up software for data. Also make sure tat the color coding of the RJ-45 cables is the same as the school that is connecting to the network.
Hallo Logan,
The best connection between the two buildings will be a cable network, considering that the buildings are only 70 meters apart and therefore there is nothing to be afraid of about the cost of the cable for it will not cost much.
If the school can afford, I will advice that they go for a fiber cable that offers high speeds as compared to the twisted pair cables.
Some other things that will be needed include routers which I think will be two, one being for the old building and one for the new building so that to enable routing of packets to the network in the new building. A switch for connecting the additional computers will also be required.
Hope this helps.
Lee Hung.
Networking 2 schools 70 meters apart are attainable and can be done either using wired and wireless connection.
The wireless connection will cost you a bit because of maintenance. You will need to Burry and or install wires long enough to reach to the other building 70 meters apart.
Unlike wireless, all you need is to have a wireless router, switches and a wireless repeater. These devices will allow you to connect to the Internet in by using wireless connections.
However, you'll need to create more secured wireless encryption key in the form of either Mac filtering or WEP/WPA key encryption code. This allows users connected to the Internet including teachers and most especially students.
Students need Internet access for their school projects and other purposes needed to improve their studies.
However, wired networking allows all wired desktop computers link together by the use of proxy servers, assigning IP Address and other networking settings and configuration needed to network all devices attached. In my case, I would go for wireless than wired.


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Monolith is a fully responsive Grid Based Template suitable for any kind of use. Monolith comes with 6 style of home variation. It has a fully responsive structure, so it looks stunning on all types of screens and devices.
Main Features:
- Mega Menu
- 2 type menu styles
- Carousels
- Responsive
- HTML5 Videos
- 600+ Font Icons
- Sticky Menu
- Touch Support
- Full Documentation
- Clean and professional design
- Cross browser compatibility
Source & Credits:
I've used the following images, icons or other files as listed.
- Jquery Library
- jQuery Superfish Menu Plugin
- infinite-scroll jQuery plugin
- SlickNav Responsive Mobile Menu jQuery plugin
- Cascading grid layout library
- Web Font Loader
- Lightweight, easy-to-use jQuery plugin for fluid width video embeds.
Images used in live preview are not included in the template.
High Resolution: Yes, Compatible Browsers: IE10, IE11, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Chrome, Edge, Columns: 4+Theme Preview
Monolith – Responsive Multipurpose Grid Template
Download Free Monolith – Responsive Multipurpose Grid Template
Download this file for free @Direct


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Our Christmas tree foilage is ideal for florists designing Christmas wreaths, table decorations etc. We are a foilage supplier to florists in Northern Ireland, NI.
The branches of our Noble fir, Lodge Pole Pine, Norway Spruce and Nordman Fir all make fantastic additions to any Christmas floral decoration.
We have competive rates for foilage supplies to Northern Ireland florists, if you would like to find out more about out foilage supplier service please do not hesitate to contact us.


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Disappointingly, the voice directions proved to be less than adequate. For some reason, the spoken instructions are simpler when Walk is selected instead of Drive. At all but the simplest of junctions, the terse "turn left" or "continue straight" message in my ear was ambiguous, and if I turned around to consider the options then any sense of direction was quickly lost.
What I needed was more context. "Turn left into Aldgate St," instead of just, "Turn left", would have been a good start. Better still, if I could ask questions such as, "Which road should I take?", "Describe this junction," or the kids' favourite - "Are we nearly there yet?"
Google Glass could have put the map into my view, but who wants to look like part of the Borg Collective? And for that matter, I don't much want to be seen talking to myself either, so give me an earphone for one ear and some buttons I can press without looking at the them, and I'll be happy.
I think Google may have missed a trick - Google Glass is expensive, but Google Ear could be a free downloadable app.
There's a similar problem when using SatNav in my car. If I want to detour to get fuel, then using the touchscreen to zoom out and look around the local area is tricky, not mention dangerous and illegal. There's trend among car manufacturers now to replace dashboard controls with a large touchscreen, expanding this problem to even more tasks, from turning up the fan to changing radio station. (At least someone is thinking about this, but the communication is not rich enough in that interface for what I want.)
If I was using Google Ear to navigate while driving, and the set of standard buttons I can operate without looking at are mounted on the steering column, I could reroute without even looking at the screen, let alone touching it.
The key requirements are these:
- A set of buttons that can be operated without looking at them. Not too few, and not too many, and I'll need a set I can use in my car, and a set I can use while walking, and perhaps a set at my desk.
- The set of buttons needs to be standardised, so that multiple manufacturers can supply them in various forms - a set on a bluetooth-connected key-fob, a set for the steering column, a set on the side of a bluetooth earpiece (killing two birds with one stone), ...
- An intuitive set of conventions for the use of said buttons, which remain the same in all contexts. Think of the buttons on a games console controller - the left and right buttons always mean the same thing, so their use quickly becomes second nature.
- Audible communication from the device. It wouldn't all have to be spoken - short sounds can indicate status, progress, etc
- Some conventions for the structure of the voice output, which fit in with the button input conventions, and aim for efficient interaction between device and user. For example, if I search for something, the spoken response could start with a simple, "28 results," and then I can decide if I want it to start listing the results or if I will refine the search first.
- Voice input commands for situations where button input would be too complex - for example, trigger voice mode with the buttons and say, "Find nearby petrol stations."
- It lives in my phone, so I have it with me at all times.
What do you think? Would you use it?


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The Tourist Board of Gran Canaria, the Town Hall of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the Port Authority of Las Palmas have opened today, Tuesday 4th November, at the City Marina, the tourist information office to attend the crews of the 242 boats participating in the 29th edition of the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers), the world's biggest transoceanic regatta, organised by World Cruising Club, and also the ones participating in the 2nd ARC +.
The Tourist Information Point is already installed at the City Marina of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, right in front of the ARC HeadQuarter's plattform, and will remain open until Sunday the 23rd of November, from Monday to Friday, from 9am and 2pm and from 3pm to 6pm; and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 2pm, to offer the participating crews of this internationally renowned event any kind of information of the islands and its capital city (guides, maps, timetables, guided visits, cultural schedule, etc.)
The 29th edition of the ARC and the 2nd edition of the ARC+ have around 242 participating boats of 35 countries and they will remain berthed at the City Marina of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to set sail next Sunday the 23rd en route to the caribbean island of Saint Lucia, a 2700 nautial mile oceanic crossing that has become a reference in the world sailing circuit. Next Sunday the 9th of November, the participant boats of the ARC+ will set sail with a stop at Cape Verdes.
For this edition, the Tourist Board of Gran Canaria, along with the Town Hall of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the Port Authority of Las Palmas have organised a schedule of activities for all, crews and locals who wish to share these days at the City Marina of the Grancanarian Capital to enjoy this event.


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Clarence Barnes
Hi my name is Clarence. If you listen to the radio, you might have heard me in New York on Z-100, In Los Angeles at KIIS FM or Movin' 939. I am also probably the only guy you know named Clarence. So now can we be friends? I'm working on this website right now, if you would like to speak to someone who can attend to your needs immediately, just click the red button below.
talk soon.


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WAG 08-04-04-e.
Foster care payments for foster adults or children not included in the SNAP unit are the foster person's income and do not affect the SNAP unit's eligibility or benefit amount. This applies even if the payments are made to the SNAP unit that provides the
foster care.
If the unit chooses to include the foster adult and/or child in the SNAP case, include the foster care payment with the unit's other nonexempt income when determining eligibility and benefit amount.


text: Digital U.S. Text Message Spam Infographic: 84% of Teenagers Affected. 68% of General Population By Todd Ogasawara|August 5, 2011 Share By Todd Ogasawara|August 5, 2011 Share One of the biggest irratants in life to me (what a friend of mine would term a "first-world problem": Things that bother you assuming the basics in life are already met) is text message spam (SMS spam). Tatango's SMS Marketing Blog has a fascinating infographic summarizing the demographics of the problem. Text Message Spam Infographic A survey of 500 U.S. consumers implies that: – 68% of people have been affected by text message spam – 84% of teenagers under 18 have encountered SMS spam – 12% U.S. phone owners do NOT have a text message plan and are being charged to receive unwanted SMS spam – The FCC has the authority to fine $500 per SMS spam message You can find the full infographic at the link provided above. It is, in my experience, impossible to eliminate SMS spam. However, one possible way to reduce it is by giving people a third party phone number to contact or text you at. I, for example, give people my Google Voice phone number. It can ring my cell phone, process voice mail and manage SMS. It can also block phone numbers on a per number basis. Google does not charge for what is essentailly unlimited text message or per number call blocking. It also lets me manage and respond to text messages from a desktop, notebook or iPad computer. Share http://adweek.it/2k35QSs copy Adweek Adweek


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Don't know if this would work, or if I'm reading the list wrong. It's been years since I played but rereading their rules I noticed that you can take power mauls, supression shields, and the ranged weapons. Since it doesn't say you exchange your pistol for the boltgun, shotgun, heavy stubber or plasma/flamer/grenade launcher.
So I was thinking, could it work to give them all shields and mauls, and give them all boltguns and shotguns, save for the special weapon, the heavy stubber, and the sarge? The idea of them all running around with a 2+ save and still having a range weapon makes me believe I'm reading something wrong : but if it is an option, I"ll be considering it the next time I play.


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Premier Touchless Drying Systems
Premier Touchless Drying Systems of Merrill Wisconsin manufactures custom drying systems for OEM's and Distributers all over the world. We take pride in our custom systems suit to fit many industries, specializing in the car wash needs. We at Premier manufacture everything from start to finish at our location. Premier also offers lit signs and graphics, Precision Laser Cutting, a complete line of Vacuums and Self Serve Hand Dryers. Our focus is quality and service with no strings attached.
Phone: 715-539-3100
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Roads and Maritime Services aims to improve road safety for the heavy vehicle industry and the wider community through effective regulatory programs, and high quality compliance, enforcement and adjudication programs and systems.
Roads and Maritime enforces heavy vehicle compliance with road transport laws by checking heavy vehicles for mechanical roadworthiness, mass limits, dimension limits, load restraint, driver licensing and vehicle registration, and driver work/rest hours. We also conduct investigations into potential breaches of road laws related to Chain of Responsibility.
In this section...
Chain of Responsibility
All parties in the road transport supply chain have specific obligations under the law to prevent a breach.
Load & height restrictions
Safe loading of vehicles and restraint of loads are important in preventing injury to people and damage to property.
Speeding & camera enforcement
Information on how heavy vehicle speed is monitored in NSW through camera and other enforcement programs.
Inspections & checks
Roads and Maritime performs random and targeted, intercepts and inspections of heavy vehicles.
Industry investigations
Roads and Maritime regularly conducts investigations into aspects of the road freight industry.
Heavy Vehicle Industry Compliance
Statistics related to activities carried out by Roads and Maritime.


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Gifts for Him
Looking for the perfect gift for the man in your life? Whether you're shopping for your partner, dad, grandfather or friend, we offer a wide range of wonderful gift options to suit all tastes. We have a great selection of Scottish gifts for him, including books and iconic comics such as Beano and The Broons & Oor Wullie, as well as beautiful photo calendars. For something a little bit more unique, we also offer luxury food and drink hampers and malt whisky tasting sets.
Our gifts for him also include Dartington crystal tumblers and glasses, The Broons & Oor Wullie tumblers and t-shirts as well as subscriptions to the some of the country's favourite magazines. Shop our range of fun and original Scottish gifts for men today.
- Aberdonian T-shirt£18.99
- Corbetts Map Sweatshirt£25.00
- Munros Map Sweatshirt£25.00
- The Beatles Line-up T-shirt£18.99
- Doctor Who Line-up T-shirt£18.99
- Dad's Army Line-up T-shirt£18.99
- Gin Tour T-shirt£18.99
- Whisky Tour T-shirt£18.99
- Born to Play Golf T-shirt£18.99


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Has this year not zipped by at lightning speed? Did you blink, and it was gone? Christmas has arrived...and with it, a sacred hush falls over the world.
Much as I love the fanfare...the boxes and bows...the decorations and food, Christmas, of course, is so much more. These things are merely the outward celebration of a glorious event, the birth of Christ.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
I wish you, my friends, a blessed Christmas and, for the new year, continued remembrance and celebration of the most important things in life.
deryn xxoo


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Parents looking for another way to reduce their cell phone bill may be interested in tips on how to save. One way is to get a worry free cell phone spy software download any phone to track usage on your child's phone. This can give parents an easy alternative to cutting cell phone usage. The software is easy to use and lets parents learn cell phone habits that could be blamed for jacking up the bill. Parents can reduce or stop usage of certain apps and commands. Once you find out why the bill is so high then you can work on keeping it down and limiting activities done on the phone.
States Could Fine Parents for Repeated Acts of Bullying
There are states looking at potential regulations that include holding parents responsible for bullying that occurs from their child. For example, the state of Wisconsin is considering fining parents for repeat offenses of bullying. Cell phone monitoring could help detect bullying and parents can put a stop to it or take whatever action is necessary to discourage it. There are parents that feel this law wouldn't be necessary, but others are warming up to the idea since it raises awareness for parents about their child's actions.
Keep Car Insurance Premiums Affordable
Who wants to pay high insurance premiums? Parents kind of get stuck paying more insurance when they have a teen driver added to their policy. Parents warn their teens about using cell phones behind the wheel but some teens don't listen. Cell phone monitoring and other spy tools for cell phones can track phone usage when teens drive. There are software options that can turn off or restrict access to certain features or apps, so teens are not tempted. Aside from having safety features in the vehicle to encourage safe driving, smartphone monitoring could help reduce accident risk.
Prevent or Stop a Crime
Cell phone monitoring can help parents learn possible criminal activity that could lead to legal costs. Teens are sharing information all the time when talking with friends and peers. Nowadays, parents are taking the heat for actions committed by their child. The child isn't always the only one suffering consequences. Teens may choose not to go to school and the parent could get in trouble along with the child. In some cases it can be a fine if it is a repeat offense. Other actions such as committing robbery, theft, or property damage could be detected through cell phone monitoring when teens make plans to meet up during awkward hours.
Control Data Usage on Cell Phone
An expense many parents complain about is the cell phone bill. When teens have a phone through a shared plan it could cause the cost to increase. Using spyware can help track how cell phone is used and determine where additional charges are coming from. The software for spying on a cell phone will record details related to data usage and downloads. This can give parents an idea of what their child does on a regular basis with their cell phones.
Once parents get an idea of how their child uses their device they can set rules on how often certain activities can be done on the device. Parents may also learn about inappropriate content on their child's phone such as websites visited, photos shared and email messages received from others. Parents can take necessary measures to ensure data usage is kept to a minimum to keep the cell phone bill manageable. Another alternative includes making the child pay for overages or additional charges accumulated on the account related to their actions.


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Your first thought is "yeah right", but before you finish that thought, let me tell you that this really happened and actually it really happens all the time. It's not even remarkable. The catch? It takes serious planning. These things don't happen overnight, but with a little bit of work, anyone can take a ridiculous over the top vacation, saving thousands and thousands while doing things they may have not ever considered possible. $25,560 sound off? You're right, it was more like $30,000…
Planning + Background
Vacation time is precious and we aimed to pack in the best of Asia on a nine night trip starting in the US. In short, the best way to save major money is to book flights and hotels using points and miles. There are tons of ways to earn points and miles without leaving home, meaning you don't even have to be a frequent traveler to earn them, though it helps. We'll get to the details below…
The Flights
We're flying New York to Tokyo, Tokyo to Hanoi, Hanoi to Bangkok, Bangkok to Hong Kong and then home to New York. For those keeping score, that's two open jaw round trip flights, and a one way ticket booked separately. We booked New York to Tokyo, Hong Kong to New York as one open jaw round trip and Tokyo to Hanoi, Hanoi to Bangkok as the second open jaw. We added on one flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong to break up the trip, allowing a stopover in Bangkok.
New York to Tokyo, Hong Kong to New York In Japan Airlines + Cathay Pacific Business Class
How We Booked: Before British Airways devalued, almost three years ago, we signed up for three credit cards per person. We got the British Airways Visa card with 50,000 point bonus, Amex Gold with 50,000 transferrable point bonus and Chase Sapphire Preferred with 50,000 point bonus. We were able to take advantage of some bonus promotions, which let us earn a bonus when we transferred our Amex points to British Airways.
Our Cost: 140,000 miles + $112 per person. New York to Tokyo: 70,000 p/p. Hong Kong to New York: 70,000 p/p.
Cost Using Cash: $7,500-15,000 per person. Minimum $15,000 total.
Savings: Minimum savings of $7388 per person.
What YOU Can Do: You can take these flights for less miles than we paid by earning American Airlines or Alaska Airlines miles. You can earn them from credit card spending, flying, online shopping and even buying the miles needed immediately from American or Alaska for flights on Cathay at a large discount in their current sales.
Tokyo to Hanoi, Hanoi To Bangkok In Japan Airlines + Qatar Airlines Business Class
How We Booked: British Airways calculates the amount of miles you need for a free flight on distance. The shorter the distance, the less miles and the better the value. Over the course of a year we did a couple of easy things to earn more miles. We referred friends to our Chase Sapphire Preferred cards. Meaning, we sent an email to a few people who we knew wanted to get a good travel card and in exchange, we got 5,000-10,000 points per sign up. We also signed up for promotional emails, and when American, British Airways and Iberia offered 25,000 bonus miles for every business class ticket purchased, we each earned a whopping 25,000 miles each on tickets that only cost $686 in an amazing sale. Noticing a pattern? Pay attention to deals and promotions (which of course you can find here).
Our Cost: 46,500 miles + $56 per person. Tokyo to Hanoi: 37,500 p/p. Hanoi to Bangkok: 9,000 p/p.
Cost Using Cash: $3,230 per person. Minimum $6,560 total.
Savings: Minimum savings of $3,186 per person.
What YOU Can Do: Fly, get a credit card that can earn British Airways miles or just use the British Airways online shopping portal "Gate 365" to get miles for everything you buy online from your favorite stores. One laptop can net you as much as 25,000 miles, more than half way to a free ticket on one essential purchase.
Bangkok to Hong Kong In Cathay Pacific Business Class
How We Booked: Every day spending adds up. Aside from nights out, clothes and all that stuff, we put our phone bills, car lease payments, cable bill and every daily grocery purchase on our credit cards. By doing so, we earn a minimum of one mile per dollar spent, sometimes more than five per dollar spent. From every day spending we were able to rack up an additional 25,000 points per person, making these luxurious flights a breeze, without spending a dime we didn't need to anyway.
Our Cost: 15,000 miles + $15 per person.
Cost Using Cash: $604 per person. Minimum $1208 total.
Savings: $589 per person.
What YOU Can Do: Never spend money without earning points. If you earn miles on every dollar you spend, free flights add up. Also, never fly without earning miles, even if you don't think you'll fly that airline again.
The Hotels
Two Nights Ritz Carlton Tokyo
How We Booked: The Ritz in Tokyo is as good as it gets. To score two free nights there, we grabbed the Ritz Carlton Rewards Card, which offered a 140,000 point sign up bonus, enough for two free nights. The card also comes with Club Level access three times annually on all paid stays, which will come in handy later in the trip…
Cost Using Cash: $529 per night. $1058 total.
Savings: $1058.
What YOU Can Do: You can stay at Ritz Carlton hotels for free using Marriott points. There's a Marriott Rewards credit card and a Ritz Carlton card which each offer at least one free night and elite perks. You'll earn hotel points on all purchases, enabling you to earn future free nights all the time. You can also buy Marriott points in sales from time to time.
Four Nights In Hanoi
How We Booked: Whoops, we haven't yet. Vietnam unfortunately (for the country) has one of the weakest currencies and many of the nicest five star options that only run about $75-$125 per night. We are still weighing our options, but using the fourth night free on our Citi Prestige card, we will pay for three nights but get four. The card offers fourth night free on all paid hotel stays, anywhere, which is arguably one of the greatest credit card benefits in the world.
Cost Using Cash: Roughly $300
Savings: Roughly $100 (Free 4th Night).
What You Can Do: If you're in the US and travel, the Citi Prestige is one of the best possible cards, offering lounge access for two on almost all flights, fourth night free on an unlimited number of hotel stays (yes, really), a $250 annual airline credit which even counts for the cost of booking a ticket, free Global Entry and more.
One Night Intercontinental Hong Kong
How We Booked: IHG, the chain behind the Intercontinental Hong Kong often sells points in extreme sales. If you know what you'd like to do with them, they can be your ticket to swanky stays without the price tag, we booked the hotel when it was 50,000 points per night for $287 with points purchased in an IHG sale.
Cost Using Cash: $446
Savings: $159
What YOU Can Do: You can either wait until the next IHG points sale and buy points for cheap, or you can instantly grab 70,000 points, more than enough for a free night at this hotel, with enough points left over for another free night at another hotel with the IHG Rewards Card. I'd personally just buy the points in a sale, I don't hold the IHG card and don't plan to…
Two Nights Ritz Carlton Hong Kong
How We Booked: Earlier I mentioned that with the Ritz card, you receive three upgrades to club level annually on paid stays. Believe it or not, we paid for this stay, but with the upgrade to club level, where we receive free food and drinks (yes alcoholic drinks too) all day, we'll save a small fortune each day while enjoying a larger room at no additional cost. Expensive? Very, but how often do you plan on taking a 15 hour flight to Asia?
Cost Using Cash: $417 per night. $834 total.
Savings: It depends how much you eat and drink. I say.. $150 per day.
What YOU Can Do: No great tips here, we paid for this, we just got extraordinary benefits which help justify the cost of the stay and having the credit card which got us free nights earlier in the trip. Win win…
BUT Wait, We Could've Done SO MUCH BETTER…
We chose pure luxury, opulence, over the top fashion for this trip, because it's not one we plan to do often. If we had gone for more economical hotels using points we could've pretty much comp'd every nights stay rather than just a couple. If we had used Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) points or gone for Marriott's lower end properties, we would've been able to use less points and still stay in nice hotels. Furthermore, if we had collected better types of airline miles for the trip, such as Alaska or American Airlines miles, we could've done all of this for even less. So yeah, we really did this, you could actually do much better and really, you should.


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These are first box joints made with my box joint jig after adapting it from my table saw to my router table. They aren't glued up, which is my excuse for the gaps at the bottom of the slots.
Here's the jig itself. It's based on the one in a recent Shop Notes. I originally built this for my table saw, but I wasn't happy about the quality of the joints I was getting with my dado set. Instead of running in the miter slots, this version is guided by the outboard runners. One of the runners can be adjusted for a tight sliding fit on the table. The white insert is hardboard. As in the article, it can be replaced when it gets chewed up.
Got this comment from an anonymous visitor:
Guess you make the dado first, then use the straight bit to cut the slot in the bottom board and the fence. No alignment problems that way. Seems like a great idea.


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Copenhagen gets new cruise terminal
05-10-2017 10:00:00
The Board of Copenhagen Malmö Port, CMP, has given the green light to build a new cruise terminal in Copenhagen. The terminal is placed in continuation of the existing Oceankaj in the outer Nordhavn and is capable of handling more than 5,000 passengers per arrival.
"With a new terminal, designed for more than 5,000 passengers, we will be able to receive more and larger vessels in the future. Through the establishment, we ensure that Copenhagen retains and enhances its position as the leading cruise destination in Northern Europe," said Barbara Scheel Agersnap, CEO of Copenhagen Malmö Port.
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Copyright © Maritime Denmark


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Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Jessi Colasante - Jessi Colasante
Yet another new name to celebrate on the vibrant soul scene in 2008. Jessi Colasante, although diminutive in frame heralds a powerful voice equal to that of the powerful India who appears on many Masters At Work productions (check her "Backfired" for a barn-stormin' performance!) Jessi has a voice that can twist and turn in any direction and has the same rare ability that Ledisi has. Take the opening song, a warm soul mid tempo cut that sounds intimately recorded in a small studio, and live to boot. The driving rhythm is an instant winner, the percussion and acoustic guitar barely restrained, eager to give more, and at the end of the song they certainly do, pretty much in a Teena Marie "Portuguese Love" sort of style – the Brazilian rhythms kick in and make an already toothsome song extra spicy for the palette of the good music connoisseur. This is not unique, Jessi's love of all things Rio bubbles to the surface quite nicely and much to my approval. The wistful "Am I Supposed To" is gentle by definition; a reflective piece that struggles with its own sense of desire and the need not to be hurt. Songs like this from Independent artists can sometimes come across as too personal and too introspective; written for their own healing process more than the pleasure of the listeners, but I don't feel this is the case here. The mournful nature of the song is not at all depressing, the strings add an extra urgency and you can hear an important ingredient in her voice that is missing from much R&B today and that is determination, strength and courage. The tempo, though, does not languish in the pain of relationship troubles for long. A salsa dip arrangement and rollicking beat supersedes this with the vibrant "Inside Out". One of my favourites is "In My Life" with its leading keys and Afro-Cuban percussion, and the superb slinky jazz number of "My Necessary", which reminds me of Angela Johnson's type of work, but with a strong Latin slant. If you like a hi-hat 70s vibe then "Are You Ready For Me" should contain enough ingredients to satisfy. I love this, but prefer the jollity of "Rhythm Of Our Lives" more. I personally think that this Lady tends to work better on the uptempo grooves, and her ability to weave in a Latin sound does nothing but add lustre. Well worth checking out.
Barry Towler
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I had a really difficult time writing this week's post, because there is not just one type of woman leader, and I really wanted to write about the evils of women leadership, so I decided to generalize and not discuss any of my leaders in particular. I do want to talk about all the 'bad' things we see come out in women who become leaders, and how that can impact others around them. Hopefully, this can bring some awareness and discussion to the women who strive to become leaders! Maybe I just want to start a discussion so that women will start noticing other women.
This is a topic that is very complex and would require a psychology degree and perusal of a myriad of books on women leaders. I am sure that a life-time could be spent discussing women in leadership and why we behave the way we do! I find the topic absolutely fascinating.
As a woman, generally I like other women. In fact, I am an advocate for women to get ahead in our society; to move up in leadership positions, to be entrepreneurs, to study in math and science, to work in construction, to be crime reporters and sports broadcasters, and to move out of the stereo-typical mold that society has placed us in for the last several thousand years before we were something more than the property of a man. But I am also an advocate for a woman to stay at home and raise her kids without any judgment, if that is what she wants to do! I will be the first person to give another woman a hand up in her quest to pull herself out of judgment and oppression, to rise above and lead others in a purposeful quest, whether it be in the boardroom, politics, PTA, as an entrepreneur, or a mother! Triumph! Success! Greatness! And, alas, drama.
Over the past thirty-odd years that I have been in the working world, I have had both male and female leaders. Mostly female in fact. Out of about twenty leaders, twelve have been females. Overall, my experience has been that women seem to feel that they have something to prove. Maybe not all of them, but a good majority that I have dealt with want to appear to be stronger, fiercer, more intelligent, and (weird) better dressers or prettier or richer, than not just the men they work with, but the women as well.
After watching the "I am Fishead Are Corporate Leaders Egotistical Psychopaths" documentary with commentary from Dr. Hare, and another wonderful documentary film by Jennifer Siebel Newsom published in 2012, entitled 'Miss Representation' I have come to some realizations.
Not everyone aspires to leadership. Sure, most of us have some leadership qualities, but not everyone is inspired or motivated to be the person in charge. But those that are, may have some specific personality traits. Power-seeking, money-motivated, better than men, my worth is more than sexuality therefore, I will be less than sexual, disregard for traditional women's role of family, children and home and possibly even a disdain for it, are some traits that I have clearly viewed in my personal experience with women leaders.
Perhaps the women leaders are justified in feeling this way. Observations tell me that other people do not often give women who strive to be leaders a fair shake. Before they even get started, they are labelled as 'bitches', 'dykes' (even if they are not gay), 'overachievers', 'pant-wearers' (what? I like pants, especially on cold days) and other unfortunate monikers perhaps more suitable to strip clubs and street corners.
The last organization I worked at had a mentoring program that I avidly participated in, believing that I could glean insight from leaders of the secrets and habits of their success. In this program, I met the most amazing mentors – I had one male mentor and one female.
The male mentor I chose to teach me specifically about oil sands mining and processing and to help me understand how the various groups in our organization relate to each other and work together. I felt this would help me understand the flow of the business. Although he was fabulous, this story is about women.
My female mentor was probably one of the most wonderful women I have ever met in my life, and I chose her specifically to teach me about the characteristics, behaviours and critical thinking required to be a leader – in particular a female leader. The most worthwhile thing that this woman taught me was that in any situation, you need to identify what is important and all the other flotsam and jetsam is just that – fluff that does not matter. This little bit of advice allowed me to work through issues without letting unimportant, unrelated topics take my time and attention away from the goal. She taught me that if the item does not add to the goal, then forget it and don't worry about it; don't let it bother you. In essence, do not take it personally; even if the item seems to be personally aimed at you! If there is no relativity to the important end goal, it does not matter. Ignore it, or at least, do not focus on it. This is a life lesson that I have been able to use over and over again.
This woman was nonjudgmental. But more than that, she helped me to put less judgment on myself, and feel like I was important. As a result, I grew more confident. She always approached situations with a purpose to identify the meaning and the goal; however, she was able to keep the human element in focus as well. People are important and should not be 'trod on' or their feelings ignored. Everything we do in the world is because of people, therefore, people should be considered. Think about that for a minute. You do not have to do what is best for everyone, but you do have to be fair, and you have to consider how a choice, change or decision affects people. She embodied everything that is considered womanly and at the same time corporate leadership, strength and prudence, the whole time maintaining class and I have no idea how it all happened! Women and men both admired her and held her on a pedestal without feeling threatened by her. She exuded confidence without the presence of arrogance, and had an aura that shone around her making you want to believe and follow any quest she led. I wish that more leaders could be like that. I wish that more women leaders could be like that, but alas, I have met very few. I hope you have had better luck.
Women leaders I have met often talk about each other behind their backs. They seem to secretly hope that another woman leader will fail or look stupid. Conversations I have had with my past female leaders make me think a good many of them are somewhat vindictive.
Some of the women leaders I have worked with were more direct than their male counterparts, and gave orders rather than a request. I have experienced women leaders who do not talk to me for days and only come to my desk when they want something. Sure, she will say please and thank you, but those are the polite attributes required for the conversation; no actual care went into that statement. Her relationship with me is one of conditional need, rather than collaboration toward a common goal. If she can use my skills to fulfill a need to jet her toward her goal, then she'll talk to me. Otherwise, I am a tool in the cabinet, waiting for my next use. Not once, have I had a male leader who was like that.
I have seen some egregious behaviour from our women leaders. Using her leadership power to punish an employee a little more than required because she personally dislikes that person. Denying other women opportunities if they happen to have a family that may 'get in the way' of their responsibilities. Scheduling meetings during lunch and after hours to achieve her goals, without considering that perhaps priorities need to be pared back a bit if they are continuously spilling over normal work hours. Ending a relationship with a long-time friend of hers because now she is the leader and it may get in the way of her advancement.
Sheryl Sandberg told all of us perspective women leaders to 'Lean In'. There has been a big movement in this area. More and more women are leaning into the table and participating in the conversation. Great! At a 'Lean In' group I attended, I spoke with one woman in her early thirties who was so proud of the work she had been doing to move forward in business stakeholder communications. Her work was being recognized and she felt her career was taking off. When she told us about her three small children at home, she became teary-eyed and visibly withdrawn, both her mood and her shoulders drooping. She was missing her time with these little angles, as she was working extensive hours and needed to rely on her husband and babysitters to raise her three beautiful daughters, so that she could become the well-rounded all-powerful woman that society demands us all to be. Ouch! Lean in, right?
Why do women leaders feel that they must prove they are better than men? Women leaders are just different and bring a different perspective. It is very true that women and men are extremely different, recall John Gray's Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. But it's a good thing that we are different, as we can balance the yin and yang of every situation.
We live in a very misogynistic world and the media often has an in-your-face honest and ugly way of showing us how society sees and treats women. This influences also how we, as women, treat ourselves and other women.
None of us is perfect. My Dad had a saying 'No one is perfect, except for you and me. And sometimes I wonder about thee!' This always made me laugh, but it is prudently true. We tend to see events from our own views, perspectives, morals, beliefs and actions. Everyone is different; no one is perfect; everyone, absolutely everyone makes mistakes.
*Psychopathy is a personality disorder where a person reacts to their surroundings without a conscience; the emotional connection is absent. There is a stunning lack of empathy. They have the ability to look at other people as mere objects, manipulating other people for their own ends.
Hmmm, sounds like some of the characteristics of a leader….
There is a fundamental mistake in this world in the belief that everyone else feels the same way that we do, but everyone can have a different perspective on the exact same situations, problems and motivations. In the 'Fishead' documentary, they identified that the Corporate Psychopath believes that with wealth, comes power. So, the leader is probably making a large sum of money, more than you as the peon, anyhow, and it makes them feel powerful.
67.5 Million North Americans have taken antidepressants like Valium and Prozac. These SSRIs (Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) change metabolism of serotonin in the brain, narrowing of emotional range and indifference to the social world. This affects simple human empathy, or can cause the lack of it.
Why is it important in society for people to blindly obey authority? Leadership begs us to give me your power and I will give you security (or the illusion there of). None of the rich guys made it big by being empathetic – why should someone who is on their way up the corporate ladder care about people?
Making extreme amounts of money can have an effect on leaders to want to devour more amounts of money. They have a desire to get it all and have it all – don't we all? I mean, I would rather be rich for sure! Psychologically the limits can be removed and the mind goes for what it wants. Happiness is not what you get from 'more'. When we long for something, our notion is that if we can get it, we will be happy, and society tells us if we cannot get it, then we are not successful.
No one who does 'evil' ever thinks that what they are doing is 'evil'. It starts out small, just little things that only hurt one or two people, because it's their own fault anyhow, isn't it? Once you cross the small steps between good and evil, the steps get easier and easier until what you are doing is irrefutably evil.
From a very early age, most of us are told to mind our own business, and if the programming works, then we don't want to get involved in bad things that are happening. We are all influenced by the actions and decisions of other people around us. A real leader in this world should be seeking power for all people, but it seems like most are self-serving seeking power only for themselves. How a leader treats me at work can have a ripple effect on how I treat the next people I encounter in my world.
Maybe women leaders are not any worse than men leaders, but society gives women a biased slant. Women in power are often seen in a negative light. Hillary Clinton was told 'Iron my shirt' and she was called a 'bitch' when she spoke forthright and strongly. A woman leader's credentials are always questioned as if she cannot have earned anything of value on her own merit.
All of us have become numb to the subtly nefarious ways the media misrepresents women, putting them into a pigeon hole that is unfair. What are the consequences? Are the rest of us women questioning women leaders too harshly, judging them because we have an image of how women are supposed to behave?
Perhaps, as a woman, we should just stop criticizing women leaders, and have some empathy for them and the hurdles they are crossing for us, or perhaps… in spite of us. Yes, of course they are not going to do it right all the time, and sometimes not any of the time. This is new territory for women and we need to support each other to get through whatever we aspire to accomplish.
If women don't stand up for each other, who else is going to do it?
*Items italicized and underlined are direct quotes from the documentary "I am Fishead Are Corporate Leaders Egotistical Psychopaths"
Question: What would you be willing to do for other women?


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"Disjointed propositions can hardly be called true; truth can only exist in systematic form." -- Dr. Gordon H. Clark
Recently I have been studying for my professional educator's certification through an alternate route to teaching in the public school system. Much to the credit of the current philosophy of education there is now an emphasis on higher order thinking skills and logical processing of information rather than simply regurgitating facts, dates and rote memorization. Not that the latter skills are unimportant but merely reciting information is not the same thing as understanding, comprehension and genuine learning. Of course, as an Evangelical and Reformed Christian and an Anglican I have problems with other presuppositions in the philosophical approach to public education.
That being said, the following quote from Dr. Gordon H. Clark supports the view that higher order thinking skills is an essential part of learning and education:
Results and MethodsWhen the opposition between truth and falsity is taken as fixed, or even if truth is considered to have evolved to a given point, there is a tendency to see the significance of philosophy in the results so laboriously achieved. And in ordinary prefaces, perhaps in ordinary systems, these results are contrasted with the results of other authors. College students in particular think they have learned philosophy when they can state these results: such as, Aristotle said the world was finite; Plotinus put a One above the Intelligible World; Descartes argued, Cogito ergo sum. If they write them down correctly, they think they should get a good grade. That these propositions should be supported by reasoning hardly occurs to them. What is worse, instructors sometimes obscure the reasoning by using the twentieth-century pedagogical stupidity of so-called objective examinations. In reality all this sort of thing is an attempt to combine the appearance of being in earnest with an actual neglect of the subject matter. These results by themselves are not philosophy. Common unreflective opinion usually distinguishes between the method and the content of the positive sciences; but in philosophy no such separation is possible. The conclusions arrived at are meaningless apart from a knowledge of the process by which they were obtained. Disjointed propositions can hardly be called true; truth can only exist in systematic form.Gordon H. Clark. Thales to Dewey: A History of Philosophy: An Entertaining and Enlightening Survey of the World's Great Thought. Reprint, 1980. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1957). P. 443.
Dr. Clark was quick to point out in his theological lectures and books that Calvinism is not a disjointed hodgepodge of pick and choose proof texts. Rather, Calvinism is a complete systematic exposition of the basics of biblical theology drawn from the Holy Scriptures. The Reformed confessions are by no means an exhaustive exposition of all the particulars of Reformed theology, but they do stand as a basic systematic summary of the most important points of the doctrines of sovereign grace. Of course, Dr. Clark also said that proof texting is something everyone does, including liberals. In and of itself, proof texting is not bad. It is when proof texting is misused or out of context that problems arise.
I have to wonder why more pastors in Reformed congregations do not take seriously the challenge of Christian education? After all, what is the point of having an educated minister who is prepared for pastoral ministry if he is keeping his congregants ignorant rather than instructing them in biblical theology, systematic theology and Reformed confessional theology? Christian education must be more than dumbing down everything to a few rote recitals of key Bible verses and a few quotes from the Shorter Catechism. No, true understanding comes from synthesizing and processing the propositional truths of Scripture and the systematic outline of those truths in the Reformed confessions and catechisms. In short, it is the duty of the minister not to just give memorable one-liners from the pulpit but to teach higher order thinking skills through expository preaching from the Scriptures and the Reformed catechisms.
It is also the duty of the pastor to encourage Christian education through attendance in Sunday school where the leaders have been taught how to do basic exegesis. These leaders should have an adequate understanding of Scripture and the Reformed confessions in systematic form. In other words, if there is no higher order thinking going on in the sermons or in the Sunday school, the pastor is not doing his job, nor is anyone being properly discipled in the Christian faith as a total worldview and as a systematic understanding of the Scriptures. Even a plow boy can understand the Bible if someone shows him how to read it as a whole.


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From its opening in 1975 as a small, holistic storefront market in the newly formed Columbia, the story of David's Natural Market draws a number of parallels to the story of Columbia as a whole.
David's, like Columbia, was founded on groundbreaking ideals. The store – originally called Nature's Cupboard of Love – has grown steadily over the decades, thanks to strong community support. Once one of many shops in a row of storefronts, David's swallowed up, storefront by storefront, an entire wing within the Wilde Lake Village Center.
Growth in Columbia has also prompted community leaders to produce fresh redevelopment plans promising future sustainability.
While grand plans...


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Cheers...Mike wrote:Nice job particularly like the sink looking forward to the next installment
Since I won't be having any gas on board I thought I perform the simple task of removing the gas locker. It wouldn't budge so I ended having to cut it out with my trusty angle grinder, I've left the door in place for now but that will have to come out soon.
I also disconnected the Logic One PSU from the consumer unit and binned it as it only put out 11.5 volts / 5 amps and I'd read they are crap and have a habit of catching fire
I managed to get hold of some ali locker door frames yesterday and 4 locks, they are the old fashioned type but were cheap and big (5 foot by 1 foot) So it means I can get away with only one locker door per side. Out with the angle grinder and I managed to get the hole cut out without to much trouble, the curves in the corners were a bit more tricky but I used a serious of straight lines to follow the curve as best I could. I then used a grinding disk to curve them and a file.
After cutting out one I'd had enough for the day and I think my neighbours had to.


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|Bernard Arnault
Two months later LVMH announced that it has increased its holdings on Hermès to 20.2 percent. During this time descendants of Hermès founder Thierry Hermes, who between them hold 73.4 percent of the company's capital, first demanded that LVMH sell its shares then took the unusual step of pooling their shares into a separate holding company. In January, they received the approval of the French stock market regulator to do this. Based on previous statements by the family members in published reports, the new holding company will have more than 50 percent of the capital and have first right of refusal on the remaining shares held directly by the family.


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Answered By: Rick Ernest Last Updated: Jul 18, 2017 Views: 38
Answered By: Rick Ernest
Last Updated: Jul 18, 2017 Views: 38
If you need to clear a quiz/test attempt in Bb, you can do so by following the steps below:
Navigate to the Full Grade Center in your course, and select the student attempt you want to clear by clicking the edit button next to the attempt grade. Select the attempt by clicking the "Attempt date time."
The quiz attempt will load on the next page, and (if not already displayed), click the "Test Information" link.
Once you can see the test information details, you can click on the "Clear Attempt" button to remove the attempt and allow the student to retake the quiz/test. Note, this will cause the student to have to retake the entire test; there is no option for resuming a previous attempt at the quiz/test.


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How to Look for the Love of a Lifetime! Part 3
The world considers marriage to be an avenue to satisfaction for self. The view seems to be from the standpoint of seeking fulfillment in pleasure, companionship, what "I" can get out of it, and how "I" can benefit from it. These are, of course, parts of a relationship, but not the main parts. People get confused, disillusioned, and eventually give up on marriage because the above aspects are not being fulfilled to their satisfaction and expectations. Thus, they are negating what is really important and meaningful in building a marriage!
This article is part three of a four part series on how to find the love of a lifetime. In this part, it is my goal to show the main viewpoints and directions that the Lord gives us from His Word, so we can better prepare for the second most important thing we will ever do in life (the first being our salvation). So, let us look at how to prepare for a successful marriage.
If you want to be successful in life and marriage, you need to get this point: The primary purpose of marriage is not to please ourselves (yeah, that surprised me too!), but to glorify and serve God. Our desires and pleasures are not God's number one priority! Yes, God wants us to be joyful, happy, and content, but being happy means being focused on Him and not on our circumstances (James 1: 2-8). Thus, to have a successful marriage, you must be aware of what you are getting into and prepare for it. The most important guarantee for it to work is to follow His principles from His Word, not what you think, want, or have experienced. Remember, God designed marriage, and us. So, He knows best!
This may not sound politically correct, but it is true. The Bible says that God created Eve as a "helpmeet." This means she was to help Adam perform his duties of working the garden and exercising dominion over the earth. It also means there was a co-relationship for mutual beneficiation, so both could be a team, fulfilling their purpose together. Love, intimacy, and pleasure were certainly a part of it, but not the main part of their relationship and life. They did not just frolic around paradise in bliss, playing, and enjoying each other. They shared a common purpose as well as a common direction. So must we! We cannot just seek someone because they catch our eye and negate the process of knowing them and ourselves better. If we do that, as most people do, we will have a 50% failure rate. We would be very, very lucky to find happiness and contentment. If we just spend a little more time working on our relationship with each other, we will be miles ahead of the game of life and would enjoy a much happier and purposeful life that would please God and make us happier.
When we lose sight of our purpose, what God calls us to in life or in marriage, we will fall into a life of despair, not achieving desired fulfillment. When we follow His precepts, we will find the right person, stay on the right path, and experience the ultimate pleasure and fun. The irony about society is it seeks all these without God. Therefore, people become disillusioned and angry with God when they do not get them. In addition, many single Christians, for the most part, do the same!
Preparing for Marriage from the perspective of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:22-32; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Peter 3:1-7)
The theme of these passages is submission, a far cry from the American ideals of personal freedom and choice. However, consider this. Submission is not the tyrannical concept most of us harbor in our mind. Rather, it is freedom! It allows us to be free, and to have the best flowing in and out of us. It is a safe harbor of smooth waters keeping us protected from the storms of wrong actions. It frees us from bad thinking that leads to bad choices that lead to a life of misery and trouble! Wives are asked to submit to their husbands. Husbands are asked to love their wives. "Submit" translates from a military term (Eph. 5:22 Greek: hupotasso), which means "to place under" or "to subordinate" as a line relationship (1 Peter 3:1). This is not because of weakness or inferiority, or that one is better or than the other, but because God has placed, in the order of creation, the husband as head of the home, just as Christ is the Head of the Church. They have different roles, yet each one is equal in the sight of God!
Submission is not to exceed the parameters of the Will of God or of love and righteousness. To prove this, submission is not an excuse to batter or put wives down in any way. The directive to husbands is even more daunting. Husbands are called to love, which is greater than submission! Keep in mind; this was called for in a time and culture that considered women lower than farm animals! It was taught in a culture where the "alpha" male, i.e. the lead man of the family, ruled in absolute dominance for order, organization, structure, protection, and community. The mandate to love (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) was and still is to some an extreme wakeup call that commands the husband to thoroughly exhibit all of the qualities of Biblical character in his relationship with his wife. The verb (Greek: agapete) designates a continuous routine of action all of the time, not just when we feel like it. Christ loved the church not because it was holy, but in order to make it holy! Thus, we are not only called to find the person who is best for us, but to work at keeping the relationship within the parameters of love, submission, and commitment. Even if you made that wrong choice through impatience, wrong thinking, lust, and/or sin, you still have the call and opportunity to make it right, to make it work with the mate you have! After all, there must have been some spark, something that got you together in the first place, that can be rekindled.
Christ and the Church are the prime models for us in a lifelong commitment of monogamous marriage. He did not give up on us when things went from bad to worse, His grace, forgiveness, and perseverance came through. It is the model relationship for the home, for the love of children, and the fellowship and relationships we are to have. The Church is the bride of Christ, whom He loves. Your spouse, or spouse to be, is your bride or groom where righteousness, love, commitment, and holiness are to be practiced and exercised to the best and fullest possible for you (Revelation 21:1-2)!
Building your Future Relationship and Love
Here are some important things to consider, which may go against your conventional thinking, experience, and practice. Yet, these characteristics are very important, and Biblical, so, be willing to think them through as you read His Word, pray, and apply these to your relationships now, and to come.
In your search for the love of your life, you have to be willing to work on yourself. You are not perfect! Only Christ is! You have a whole host of faults and quirks that are unsuitable for public viewing or private relationships. We all do! Therefore, you have to be willing to put off arrogance and pride to address your faults and work them out with God and a pastor or counselor if necessary. Your potential mate has to be willing to do the same. If not, you will keep your bad patterns of behavior and they will just get worse as your denial gets stronger, and both of you will clash to the point you will not be able to make it work. Now, neither you nor your love to be has to be perfect, you just have to be willing and open to grow and develop into a spiritual and emotionally mature Christian.
You cannot expect a future marriage partner to fulfill you needs in any area instead, or in place of God!
Because we are seeking God's standards, we need to be looking for someone who has a growing relationship with God. You both need to be seeking to please, and grow in, Christ. Both of you must have, at the foundation of your life, Jesus as your Lord, not just your Savior. This means you are ruled by His standards and precepts, not your own selfish inclinations and motives. Both of you need to be enthusiastic about growing closer to God, enjoy going to church, enjoy serving God and others, and be a faithful and diligent member of a church. Given this, both of you should be of the same theological thinking. The combination of a Catholic and a Protestant never, ever works. One will have to give up his/her faith, or both, and when the children come, all hell will break loose! Even courting/dating across denominational lines can be sticky, as one will eventually have to leave and go to the other. Thus, you both have to be willing to endure this and, of course, be on your knees during such decisions. One of you may even have more passion for the Lord than the other, because experience, growth, and personality come into play. As you get to know each other, these things come out and you work through them. You do not have to agree with every point of doctrine. If both people agree completely, then one of you is not thinking! Just be sure you can agree to disagree and the disagreements are not about essential doctrine. You should also have similar views of society and the world (Amos 3:3).
Be careful in a relationship with people of different economic, social or ethnic backgrounds. These relationships have more hurdles to get over and require more work and maturity, not only with the two of you, but also with the families of both. I am definitely not saying to stay away, or that these are wrong. My wife and I are different on each category, and we had to jump over many more problems with our families and social stigma than in a normal (what ever that is) relationship.
Another thing you need to do before marriage is be accountable to someone, perhaps those in a small group. You will grow and change best and faster by having someone who knows you to push, encourage, and challenge you in the right direction and in the Word.
Before you are engaged, you should hide some of your more expressive emotions and feelings in your hearts. Expressions such as saying "I love you," kissing, and making out will move the relationship to be emotionally based and not relational. You will be clouded from growing deeper and building a better relationship. Such feelings need to be real and truly expressed with passion and conviction, and not out of guilt or obligation. Most people use these words and touches to manipulate the other to get what they want, and are unconcerned with building a real relationship. This must not be your motivation! When you express too much emotion or do not set boundaries with physical contact before engagement, they will become rhetoric, losing their power and meaning. You will have built where you should not have, short-circuiting your real emotional expressions and love, exchanging a quick and short lustful present for a life-long love covenant. Remember, love is patient!
Make sure both of you know how money works. Have a good Biblical concept on how to deal with budgeting and debt. Most conflicts in marriage deal with finances! If one or both of you have a lot of dept, either credit cards or student loans, you must have a plan to pay them off, preferably before marriage if possible. Make sure you have solved any spending problems and money management issues. If just one of you cannot do this, you will have an immense amount of unnecessary problems in your marriage.
You must deal with any potential problems involving character, bitterness, unrepentant sin, absence of forgiveness, abuse, lust, past struggles, and emotional problems. If you do not address these issues before marriage, the probability of the relationship working is extremely rare. But, it is not necessary to seek perfection. No one can do that, except Christ. You just need to be on the right track, and have a strong willingness and commitment to change. Moreover, allow Christ to work in you!
When you are going out with someone in courting, get feedback from mature friends, people who are older and wiser, and most importantly from your parents. You may think -OH NO! But consider this, they know you better than you know yourself. You will not realize this until after you have kids. Be discerning. If your parents are not spiritually mature or in tune with Christ, they may not be giving good advice, just as if you are not in tune with the Lord. You do not just look to one source of feedback. Consider all the possibilities and be willing to not let your emotions and lust cloud your thinking.
If one of you does not embrace any of the points we have talked about so far, you will have an extreme strain on your relationship. The odds of success are a 50% divorce rate, and of the marriages that are left, mostly are miserable! So, consider how important it is to get your act together before you say, "I do!"
How to set Boundaries (Hebrews 13:4)
We have already talked about why we should set boundaries. Now, how do we do it? One teenager once told me, cold showers, and lots of ice. I think he was kidding, but a better method would be discussing how far will be too far, then both of you agree to it and then stick to it. Yes, this is hard. However, with an agreement in place, it is much, much easier.
The main areas of physical contact in order of their usual occurrence are: holding hands, hugging, kissing (standard, then French), making out, oral stuff, and then intercourse. Some go even further with multiple partners and other extreme events. (Now, off the bat, Christians must never practice these last two, married or not!) Each of these "contacts" leads to the next. Therefore, you should draw your line one step away from the absolute "no go line." For my wife and me, we drew the line at hugging. Therefore, we did not kiss until we were engaged and did not go further until we got married. This worked great for us, and I highly recommend keeping kissing off limits until after engagement! Know this for making your line: making out will lead to intercourse. Maybe not the first or second time, but after 20+ years of counseling singles, I have never known it not lead to sex at some point! It just gets too tempting, too heated. Then, if both of you lose control…. So, choose with Godly principles in mind, as if Jesus is there, because He is!
God designed sex and the various forms of expressing intimacy. So, we are not to fear them, but honor them in their proper place--the marriage bed! He desires us to lead Godly, virtuous lives and not tempt our friends, date, or even ourselves (wrong thinking to pornography).
Even if you are definitely going to be married, do not cross that line. The line will be used to develop trust and lasting intimacy. Love is patient! In addition, if you are not sure, then you must not cross that line because that may not be your future wife or husband. You will be sinning against God and someone else's future spouse! How would you like someone making out with your spouse when you are married? You would be incensed, extremely angry, and hurt! Well, that is what you are doing! In God's eyes, timing is irrelevant!
· Make a commitment to each other and God before the emotions start! Perhaps when you start getting serious, or even after the third time you go out, you can start to talk about it, so it clears the air and the expectations. Something such as, "I do not believe in kissing until I'm engaged," will eliminate the pressure and expectations!
· Have the mindset of how would you would expect someone else to treat your spouse. Then treat that person that way! Make sure it is Biblical and not lustful or carefree!
· Stay in public places. If you are in a room, keep the door open!
· Have someone keep you accountable!
· Here is Billy Graham's rule that kept him scandal free all the years of his ministry: "Never be alone in a room with someone of the opposite sex (unless it is your wife)." He always takes a friend along with him when he travels. Why? To avoid any allegations of impropriety, and to protect him from seductive woman!
· Avoid physical orientated romantic relationships completely until you are ready to commit to marriage. Only engage the romance after your commitment. You will have the pleasure of building a meaningful lasting romance with the one person with whom you will spend the rest of your life!
· Ask yourself in dating, is this all about honoring and glorifying God? Do nothing you do not want to do in front of Christ! Are you trying to get as close as possible to God, or just trying to get in someone's skirt/pants and what is that going to get you in eternity and in your future marriage?
A look at the book of love, the Song of Solomon
The Bible is not a book on sex. However, it does contain a complete theology of sexuality. It's purpose, intent, warnings against it's misuse, and a beautiful picture of true love and intimacy, the ideal physical relationship, is set forth in the beautiful poetry of the Song of Solomon.
We can learn a lot from the book of the Song of Solomon, sometimes called the Song of Songs. Unfortunately, it is rarely used as sermon material. It comes right after Ecclesiastes and before Isaiah. It has the language of a love song or poetry. You may not fully understand the language, as your mind may fixate on, how beautiful can a flock of goats be!? Just remember, in the Hellenistic culture, these images were beautiful. Many scholars see this book as a collection of various love poetry either written by and/or collected by Solomon. This poetry expresses an intimate expression of true love to one's love of his life, Solomon to his love, a humble maiden, a Shulamite girl. It chronicles his adventure of love through all of the joys and tribulations of courtship to marriage. Jewish tradition sees this book as God's love for Israel, while Christians through the centuries saw this as God's love for the Church (John 14: 21-24; Eph. 5:23-33).
This book gives us the importance and wonder of a commitment of love that lasts. As God's love lasts for us, our love must last for our spouse, the sanctity of marital love. This book does not shy away from the difficulties and realities of love and commitment, which makes it a wondrous example for us from which to learn.
The Song of Solomon has four main precepts for us:
1. To respect and honor the divine institution of marriage. It is not to be taken lightly or for granted. It is not something that is temporary until something or someone better comes along. It is the uniting of one man and one woman in love, a romance that lasts, even through the difficult times. Solomon started out in this mindset and practice, but eventually succumbed to hundreds of wives and concubines. All he could think of was this one woman, and the regret in all of the mistakes he made!
2. This is the model of God's love for Israel and the Church. We follow this model in both the preparation for marriage and in our marriage. It has the core elements of redemption, forgiveness, reconciliation, and grace, all of which Christ did for us. It tells us how the relationship between a husband and wife should be!
3. This book translates to us a model for dating. It is an example on how we can be better at dating. We need to look at the person for whom they really are and seek them because of that, rather than lusting or for physical pleasures, which will only hide the real person.
4. Sex is designed for a proper place and time. God made sex. In and of itself, it is not evil or bad. However, it has the potential for great destruction. Outside of God's design, it becomes evil, brutal, distorts real love, and causes conflict-ridden relationships, disillusionment, and hurt.
Once the future marriage is defiled, it sets us up for all kinds of future problems. Communication, trust, and building a good relationship become lost or become very difficult. As the Word tells us, marriage must be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. This is not because He has unattainable standards, but because He knows what works, what is best, and what we should avoid (Hebrews 13:4).
The Bible calls us to purity within marriage. When we get too physical and do not set up standards for ourselves, we allow ourselves to be tricked into false intimacy. Thus, the real romance becomes skewed and lost, and our wonder, our real excitement--what is best--becomes defiled. That is why God wants us righteous with our current and future relationships, so when we are married, we will have a more solid marriage that will last, grow, and be much happier and joyful for us. Remember, God is the author of sexuality. In addition, He desires the expression of exclusive intimacy between a husband and wife. Adultery and premarital sex ruin our future relationship. When we have sex with someone, a bond is formed that will never be broken This is why sexual abuse is so painful for decades afterwards! When you have sex, you form a bond and that person is living in your brain, even past your 80's!!! Can you imagine an "ex" girlfriend or boyfriend living in your mind after you have broken up and hate each other? That is why so many relationships are messed up these days!!! We must keep God's standards or face God's judgment; "Do not arouse love or awaken love until its proper time" (Song 3:4-5).
What the Song of Solomon translates to in dating: Dating can serve two roles in our American culture, a fun outing, or to seek a mate. This can be fun and enjoyment with friends. In your dating and courting ventures for seeking a mate, your goal is to look for the right person. You must not over emphasize what the media communicates to us, exaggerating the lust and flesh and denying the real relationship, which also denies the spiritual.
God's plan for Christian marriage brings together both the spirit and the flesh, as in the "one-flesh" of the marriage ceremony. Real intimacy is the total uniting of two people, each one seeking to meet the needs of the other, not just his/her own. This cannot happen when sin of the misuse of sex, and not getting to know each other properly, gets in the way (Genesis 2:24; Proverbs 5:15- 21; 1 Corinthians 7:1-9; Matthew 19:5).
A look at the book of Ruth
Boaz was a man of integrity who had the opportunity to take advantage of a young, pretty widow. Instead, he chose righteousness as he protected Ruth and looked after her needs. He made an extremely difficult situation for her easy by not seeking his comfort or lust, and, eventually enjoyed a beautiful marriage. If he had chosen the way of the world, he could never have had a good, enduring relationship with Ruth. Ruth, who remained faithful, would also have missed out on the relationship (Ruth 2:20; 3:10-11).
Boaz was the Kinsman-Redeemer for Ruth's family. This means he was a close relative whose call and obligation was to come to the aid of a family member in distress. According to Levitical law, he could redeem property, family members sold into slavery, assets such as farm animals, and he could care for a widow, for orphans, and such (Leviticus 25:25-34; 27:9-33). However, in practice, this rarely occurred because greed took over and people took advantage of the weak and helpless. In the New Testament, Christ is our ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer, as He represents humanity and our bloodline (Matt. 1:1-17; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 2:16-17). He represents our need (John 10: 15-18; 1 John 3:16), and He has the resources (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
What the book of Ruth translates into dating: Christ is our Redeemer, and He does not take advantage of us or let us rot, as we deserve. Thus, in our dating relationships, we should also look to Boaz who was a righteous gentleman. He took it slow, got to know Ruth, and did not take advantage of her. This led to a better, stronger relationship, with romance and love entering at its proper time and place. In addition, Ruth did not fall to immorality and prostitution, nor take advantage of Boaz. Ruth and Naomi were attracted to the kindness and integrity of Boaz as he treated them both well. Boaz was attracted to Ruth's humility and nobility. Thus, we are to be kind, listen, learn, not take advantage, care, share, and take care of each another! We are to be attracted to goodness and integrity, not looks, power, wealth, or position.
Next we will conclude the series with, "Building a Good Relationship."
© 1988, 1998, 2002 R. J. Krejcir Into Thy Word Ministries www.intothyword.com
Recommended Reading:
- Pure Joy by Rick Stedman
- Passion & Purity by Elizabeth Elliot
- Dating with Integrity by John Holzmann
- Finding the Love of Your Life by Neil Clark Warren
- The Marriage Builder by Dr. Larry Crabb
- I Kissed Dating Goodby by Joshua Harris


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Friday, August 26, 2011
How to Get a "Next" Job?
They didn't seem like something worth talking about in a blog about finding a career outside of academia. But you know what? It's one of these filler jobs that has just about saved me in this process of leaving academia. By deciding to get a part-time job a few years back, I unknowingly made a decision that would make the process of leaving academia a thousand times easier for my future self, because I didn't have to worry about financial stress on top of everything else.
Since I doubt many of you are looking for a job similar to the one I'm doing now or to the minimum-wage food service job I did in college, I hadn't thought about how my job-getting experiences might be helpful for readers here. But ... duh! If you're reading this blog and thinking about leaving academia, there's a decent chance that you don't already have an outside job. And in fact, if you've followed the direct undergrad -> grad school -> faculty track that a lot of Ph.D.s take, you may have never held a job outside academia. So, you might be in need of some tips about how to find a "next" job outside the insular academic world. I might be able to help with that. I've had lots of "next" jobs ... in offices, in retail, in restaurants, in hotels. :)
So, how did I get these next jobs? Well, just like in the world of career jobs, sending resumes out blindly (or just walking in and filling out paper applications to hand to the front desk at random places) rarely works. The job market is very tight right now, as we all know. But even if it wasn't, your chance of being selected for a job is pretty slim when you're just one out of a huge stack of applicants. That goes double if you have no experience, even for the most entry-level job.
But there are things you can do, in my experience, that might help you get hired. These strategies have all worked at least once for myself or for people I know. So if you're thinking about trying to get a "next" job right now? Here are some ideas that might help.
First things first - network, network, network.
Ugh, I hate that word. Doesn't everyone? I hear that, and I start picturing people standing around at awkward social events, sipping cocktails and chatting about business strategies and bragging about who they know. Yuck.
That's not what I mean, though. If you're looking for a next job, you don't need to go to some weird networking event. But what you do need to do is talk to people. Primarily your friends, family, and acquaintances. Both new and old.
We all know the research that shows that most people find jobs through people they know, right? It's true. In my personal history, I've gotten four jobs this way ... and only one was through a close friend. In the other three cases, I happened to mention to an acquaintance (an old coworker, my partner's boss, and a friend of a friend) that I was looking for work, and they helped me out in some way that wound up landing me a job. Strength of weak ties, indeed.
So if you decide to start looking for that next job? Start letting people know. Briefly mention that you're looking for work in conversations, whenever it fits in. Send emails or Facebook messages to people you know who live in the area where you're looking. Let them know directly that you're looking for a job, and ask if they know of anything or anyone who could help. Mention that you're looking for work at holiday parties, happy hours, the salon, church, etc. You never know who will be able to help.
You don't need to go overboard with it, but just make sure to get the word out that you're looking for a job. Most people will try to help if they can. Think about it - if someone you knew and liked wanted a job and you knew of someone who might like to hire them, wouldn't you try to pass along the info? Of course you would. And other people are going to do the same for you.
And hey - it's not that big of a deal to ask. Worst case scenario? The people you ask won't respond, so you move on. But in the best case scenario, you might just land a job.
Second piece of advice - if you do walk into an office or workplace you're not familiar with to drop off a resume or fill out an application? Make sure to ask to speak to a manager. If that fails, at least try to make small talk with the people you come into contact with.
My partner does hiring for a company that doesn't have an extensive screening process for new hires. He'll admit that if an applicant gets to speak to him when they drop off their application and seem to be a good fit for the job, they're very likely to get hired. As he puts it: "why go through the process of calling people in for interviews if there's a good applicant already sitting in front of you?" Use this to your advantage if you drop off a resume/application. Ask for the manager.
But even if the manager isn't there, make sure to chat with the people you talk to while you're there. Don't annoy them, obviously, but be friendly and make some small talk if possible. I once got a job by chatting with the person behind the counter at a retail store while I filled out my application. When I finished filling it out, she told me that she'd make sure to put in a good word for me with her manager. The manager called the next day, and I got the job. A few months later, I paid it forward by doing the same thing for someone else who was chatting with me while filling out an application.
My third piece of advice is to cold call businesses where you'd be interested in working. Ask whoever answers the phone if they are hiring for whatever work you think you'd like to do. Thinking administrative work? Go through the yellow pages and start calling offices, asking whoever answers if they need administrative/secretarial/whatever help. Worst case scenario? They say no and you hang up. Best case scenario? You get a job.
Does this sound crazy? Well, it's how I got my current "next job." I just happened to call the office where I now work a day or two after my boss decided to hire a new person, but before the job ad had come out. And lo and behold, he happened to answer the phone when I called. I emailed my resume to him after we hung up, and had an interview and a job the next day. It probably won't work that easily for you ... but it only takes a minute to make a call, and you just never know. It worked for me!
The final way I've gotten a job was through a job fair for a company that was relocating to the city I was living in. Now, I don't recommend expending tremendous resources to travel to faraway job fairs or anything like that. You may very well wind up being one of a thousand people who show up, and never get to speak to anyone.
But if you hear that a new business is opening in your city and holding a job fair? Or your university career services office is having one? Go to it. Dress up and bring some resumes. Chat with people. Bring a friend to walk in with if you feel awkward. You never know what will happen. Maybe you'll see an empty table and walk over to see what company it is, and you'll walk out with a job. (This happened to my sister). Or maybe you'll just stumble upon a newly opened company that is hiring hundreds of people, and you'll be one of the lucky ones since you showed up. (This happened to me).
There are obviously no guarantees that any of these strategies will work. But speaking from experience, each of these things can work. In fact, they're more likely to work than just blind resume-sending. And if nothing else, you'll at least feel like you're doing something proactive to find a job.
1 comment:
Good advice, especially the emphasis on networking for those of us (like me) who suck at networking.ReplyDelete
I wouldn't discount answering random job ads, though, either. When I gave up on the academic job market around November of last year and started looking for nonacademic jobs in earnest, I landed a total of 4 interviews, all from publicly advertised jobs that I simply sent resumes and cover letters to. Two of them were federal government positions listed on usajobs.gov, and the other two, including the one I now have, were -- believe it or not -- listed on Craigslist. And lest anyone think it's only "crappy secretary" jobs that you can find on Craigslist, the other Craigslist job I interviewed for was a writer/editor position with a government contractor. I made the second round of interviews, too, but the contract ended up falling through.
But, yeah, I think I'm going to have to work on my networking skills for the next "next job."