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International Workshop on Applied Computational Intelligence
Computational Intelligence techniques are traditionally adopted in several different application domains such as industrial, medical, decision making, gaming to name but a few. Despite this growing diffusion, there are still many possible areas where computational intelligence application is partial or could be extended and improved, due to the actual limitations in terms of computational power or strict requirements in terms of assurance of the results.
This workshop aims to investigate the impact of the adoption of advanced and innovative Computational Intelligence techniques in emerging application fields like IoT and Big Data. This edition of the workshop is focused primarily on industrial and health applications with special emphasis to real time systems grounded on Big Data ecosystems.
The workshop will bring together researchers on different disciplines from academia and industry with a common objective: go beyond the frontiers of today applications of Computational Intelligence techniques.
Topics for the workshop include, but are not limited to:
– Imaging for Industrial applications
– Computational Intelligence approaches in Biomedical Signal Processing
– Computational Intelligence approaches in Consumer Electronics
– Real-time Multimedia Signal Processing
– Intelligent User Interfaces
– Virtual-augmented reality for Healthcare
– Big Data-based Computational Intelligence for Real-time processing
– Computational Intelligence in IoT
– Processing in digital image acquisition pipeline
– Learning systems for signal and information processing and evidential reasoning for recognition
– Soft computing approaches for embedded multimedia systems
– Expert system and Decision Support Systems for health
** Important dates
Submission deadline: September 9, 2019
Acceptance/Reject notification: October 19, 2019
Camera-ready: October 25, 2019
Author Registration: October 26, 2019
** Submission
Each submission should be at most 8 pages in total including bibliography and well-marked appendices, and must follow the IEEE double columns publication format available at:
– Microsoft Word DOC
– LaTex Formatting Macros
Paper submission will only be online via: Easy Chair.
Only pdf files will be accepted. Submissions not meeting these guidelines risk rejection without consideration of their merits. All submitted papers will be carefully evaluated based on originality, significance, technical soundness, and clarity of expression by at least two reviewers. The organizers will examine the reviews and make final paper selections.
** Publication
All the papers accepted for the workshop will be included in the conference proceedings. The proceedings will be published by IEEE Computer Society. Content will be submitted to the indexing companies for possible indexing. They will be available at the conference.
** Registration
At least one author of each accepted paper must register for the workshop. Workshop registration fee is determined by SITIS. A single registration for the workshop or the conference allows attending both events.
** Workshop Co-Chairs
– M. Anisetti, Università degli studi di Milano, Italy
– G. Jeon, Incheon National University, Korea
– A. Chehri, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Canada
– V. Bellandi, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
** Program Committee
– Kitsuchart Pasupa, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Thailand
– Xiangdong Chen, Nanjing University of Posts and Communications, China
– Xiaomin Yang, Sichuan University, China
– Wang Lei, University of Jinan, China
– Anand Paul, Kyungpook National University, South Korea
– Wei Wu, Sichuan University, China
– Yong Fang, Chang'an University, China
– Jiaji Wu, Xidian University, China
– Fulvio Frati, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
– Luigi Arnone, STMicroelectronics, Italy
– Marco Sacco, ITIA-CNR, Italy
** Contact
– firstname.lastname@example.com


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The whiskey sour is, hands down, a classic cocktail and one that is great both for people who love whiskey and for people who might be on the fence about whiskey (read: they haven't tried enough good whiskey yet and it's your job to show them the light). The first written references to the drink come from the late 1800s, though most likely the drink itself, like many classic cocktails, had existed in some form for a time before that. We enjoy this cocktail because it has all of the hallmarks of a good drink — spirit, sugar, sour, and a "weak" element (from that old saying) — in proportions that have been dialed in over the last century-plus.
If you're nervous about using an egg white in your cocktail, you could omit it (and, technically, the first iterations of the drink did not feature an egg white), but you will not have the same creamy mouthfeel or consistency. If you still want the mouthfeel but can't get over the egg thing, you can find a substitute for egg white in aquafaba, otherwise known as chickpea water. If you're doing that, you'll want to use about two tablespoons per egg white. Either way, it is up to you. For our video, we omitted the egg white.
Below, check out our video showing how to make a rye smash cocktail shot by The Manual's own Riley Young with Eddie Riddell at Trifecta Tavern in Portland, Oregon. Trifecta Tavern is open nightly and serves up an exquisitely curated cocktail program (thanks to Riddell) and a variety of seasonal dishes from executive chef Chris DiMinno.
How to Make a Whiskey Sour
Glass: Rocks
Tools: Shaker
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 1 egg white, optional*
- Cocktail cherry, for garnish.
Method: Add all ingredients except cherry to a shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a rocks glass with a large cube of ice. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.
*If using an egg white: Add all ingredients except cherry to a shaker without ice. Shake well. Add ice and shake again. Strain into a rocks glass with a large cube of ice. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.
This recipe features Garrison Brothers Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the winner of the Bourbon category in The Manual Spirit Awards 2019. If you're looking to find other cocktail videos, we recommend checking out how to make a Bee's Knees, a Blood and Sand, a mojito, or a whiskey smash.
Further Reading
- How to Drink Whiskey: A Beginner's Guide
- A Brief History of Bourbon, America's Whiskey
- 5 Classic Whiskey Cocktails You Should Know How to Make
Editors' Recommendations
- This is how to make an Irish coffee like a pro bartender
- The 9 Best Whiskeys for Making a Bar-Worthy Old-Fashioned at Home
- How to Make an Eggnog and Mix into 6 Cocktail Recipes
- How to Make Southern Giblet Gravy
- How to Make Spicy and Sweet Mexican Hot Chocolate

subset: commoncrawl


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The way fear creates violence is quite interesting. One must first analyze: Where does violence come from? to find out that violence is created from fear. You are free to skip the previous post, but become aware by your own analysis of the fact that violence and fear are intimately tied.
The image of self needs a sense of security in order to function. There are different types of security: Physical and Psychological. If there is a threat, then the process of fear begins to be self evident.
Psychological security cannot be found in our exterior, but we are taught that it can be found through money, goals, and power. The only thing that can be gained through these "objects" is physical security. However, one must be aware that physical is never really possible. You can have an accident or have "bad" luck.
The first step in order to gain awareness is to realize that the concept of security as we have been taught is a total lie. We struggle into finding someplace, sometime, and somehow. It is always a tomorrow to be gained, a past to be overcome, but what happens with the present moment? It gets lost in the midst of the concept we call time.
Why have we created a shrine out of time? Why is the concept of time so deeply ingrained in our system of beliefs?
This psychological security will never be found outside of yourself. Psychological security depends solely on your ability to understand yourself and be aware of yourself.
However as one gets deeper into the process of fear, it might be more difficult to become aware of our involvement in it; unless we are constantly informing our consciousness of this process through mindfulness.
Is this true? How Find out by observing your self as you act within violence, fear or sadness. Maybe I am wrong at this, so become an empiricist of your own mind!
I am only a guide, not the rule!
If I ask you, are you afraid of death? Will you take some time to consider this? Or will you instantly say: Naaa… I do not care about dying. Bring it on!
If you instantly answer that you are not afraid, could it be that you are so deep into the process of fear that you cannot recognize it? If you answer again with a simple no, then I ask you: Have you been angry recently?
If you answer no, then stop reading! You might not ready to understand this or you might already be pure peace. Your call. No hard feelings!
Let's move on with those who can actually accept that fear is present in their lives most of the time in a very subtle mode or are not actually living inner peace.
You might be aware of the fact that you do not live a profound inner peace, but maybe you have never experienced a moment of fulfillment that is not directly related to an achievement.
Are you ready so tired of suffering that you cannot bear it anymore? Are you tired of trying to achieve the impossible because there is always more to crawl into? Are you in a state of depression that cannot be ignored any longer?
Well, if you are in that state of complete surrender to the reality that is being presented day by day. You feel there is no way out… I have good news for you!
The greatness of becoming more aware is always waiting for you!
Your suffering is directly proportional to your violence and fear. You might ask: Where does suffering come from? How does suffering relate to fear?
It is all related in a very subtle way. You can become aware of it through direct observation of your thoughts and feelings as they begin to creep in and try to control you.
You might say, "Well, that is too difficult. I cannot do it. I have never done it."
Well if you think you can't, then you are not sick tired to your bones of suffering. Believe me! Once you say, enough is enough from your most inner core…
You CAN do it! Nothing but yourself is stopping you!
Tired of suffering?
Choose awareness over control.
Choose fulfillment over power.
Choose inner liberty over goals.
Choose love over fear.
Choose peace.
I have given you a simple guide with a hypothesis of the process of fear. My theory might not apply to you, but it is a walked path that can help you understand yourself faster.


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|PDH Online Course Description
|PDH Units/
Learning Units (Hours)
John C. Huang, Ph.D., PE
This course provides guidance for the calculation of the bearing capacity of soil under shallow and deep foundations supporting various types of structures and embankments based on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Design Manual on Bearing Capacity of Soils. This manual presents estimates of obtaining the bearing capacity of shallow and deep foundations for certain soil and foundation conditions using well-established, approximate solutions of bearing capacity. Principles for evaluating bearing capacity presented in this manual are applicable to numerous types of structures such as buildings and houses, towers and storage tanks, fills, embankments and dams. These guidelines may be helpful in determining soils that will lead to bearing capacity failure or excessive settlements for given foundations and loads.
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials.
User's Guide to Timed & Monitored Online Courses:
For Timed & Monitored (T&M) online courses, you need to log into your account to view the course content. You must complete the required study time (min. 50 minutes for each PDH) before you can submit your quiz answers and obtain your certificate of completion. However, you may print out the quiz questions anytime after purchase.
You do not need to complete the T&M course in one sitting. You may view the course content from office or home using different devices with Internet connection. Our website will keep track of your total time spent. If necessary, you may print the course content for ease of reading while you are online. You may also preview the content of C119T by viewing the content of C119 since they are identical.
For T&M courses, You need to actively view course content online - at least click your mouse once in a while. The on-screen tracking clock may stop due to inactivity at your end. If that happens, you may resume your clock by pressing F5 key on your keyboard or by refreshing your screen. Thank you for your cooperation.
NY PE & PLS: You must choose courses that are technical in nature or related to matters of laws and ethics contributing to the health and welfare of the public. NY Board does not accept courses related to office management, risk management, leadership, marketing, accounting, financial planning, real estate, and basic CAD. Specific course topics that are on the borderline and are not acceptable by the NY Board have been noted under the course description on our website.


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Hello lovelies,
Happy Thanksgiving weekend!
I'm sharing some favorite grow-your-greatness resources today. That 'True Wealth' and 'Conducting a Life Audit' are also opportunities to connect and play with them together…in person on Sunday afternoon (Nov 29) and virtually on Monday evening (Nov 30).
Let me know Saturday if you're in for one or both. 🙂
Have a beautiful, enjoyable Thanksgiving day. – Anne
Hello lovelies,


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- Self-priming.
- The capacity is directly proportional to the rotation speed.
- Non pulsating constant flow, therefore no vibrations in fittings, valves or coupling.
- No foaming or churning of the liquid.
- Only one shaft seal or with magnetic coupling.
- Heating jacket around the casing in one cast.
- Full performance is available in either direction of rotation.
- The casing can be rotated and delivered with 90° or 180° (in-line) ports.
- Relief valve against over-pressure incorporated in the pump.
- Heavy-duty construction optimized for rare maintenance
Typical Applications
- Additives
- Adhesive
- Asphalt
- Bitumen
- Chemicals
- Chocolate
- Coal Tar
- Coatings
- Colours
- Cream
- Creosote
- Diesel Fuel
- Emulsions
- Epoxy resins
- Fats
- Foams
- Fuel oil
- Gasoline
- Gelatine
- Glucose
- Glue
- Glycerine
- Glycol
- Grease
- Heat transfer oil
- Hot melt
- Ink
- Isocyanate
- Kerosene
- Lacquer
- Lube oil
- Mineral oil
- Molasses
- Naphtha
- Oil
- Paint
- Paraffin
- Petrol
- Pitch
- Polymer
- Polyol
- Printing ink
- Resin
- Soap
- Starch
- Tar
- Varnish
- Viscose
- Wax
…and many more.
Bare shaft
Bi-Block on base plate
On Trailer with 4 wheels for flat ground
Options & Spare parts
Flanged ports DIN or ANSI with ¼" threaded holes for Vacuum-meter and Manometer.
Casing with the threaded ports (available for the R 35 & R 40 Pumps).
Idler: available in Gray Iron, Stainless Steel or Hardened Steel.
Rotor: available in Steel, Stainless Steel or Hardened Steel.
Pin: available in Hardened Steel, Stainless Steel or Tungsten carbide.
Bushings: available in Gray Iron, Sintered Iron, Carbon-graphite, Sintered Bronze, Bronze, Hardened Steel or Tungsten carbide.
Packing gland: available in GFO© Graphite filled PTFE or White Lubricated PTFE (Food grade).
Mechanical seal aviailable in different materials.
Quench reservoir (+O2) to keep a quench liquid inside the mechanical seal, preventing any contact between pumped liquid and air.
Mechanical seal with secondary packing gland in order to continue to work even with broken mechanical seal.
Cartridge mechanical seal aivailable in different materials.
Seal-less with heavy-duty magnetic coupling.
Safety-relief-valve against over-pressure integrated in the pump.
Bearing housing with external oversized and maintenance-free ball bearing to take axial and radial loads.
Base plate with grounding.
Victor-SX elastic coupling.
Victor-PX super-elastic coupling.
Flender-BDS flexible coupling for the Atex pumps.
Heating device on Victor R pumps
Heating jacket around the casing in one cast with flanged ports.
Heating jacket on the cover (+R2) for cast iron & stainless steel pumps.
Heating jacket on the cover (+R2) with flanged ports.
Heating jacket around the casing with counter-flanges to weld.
Heating plates on the casing with threaded ports (+R3).
Integrated heating jacket all around the pump.
Port Arrangement
90° Position 1
45° Position 2
90° Position 3
90° Position 4
45° Position 5
90° Position 6
180° Position 7


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instructional resources
the authors
486 pages
web site
maintained by authors
suggested list price:
price to college bookstores:
instructional resources
the authors
486 pages
web site
maintained by authors
suggested list price:
price to college bookstores:
eighth edition
Thomas L. Tedford
University of North Carolina, Greensboro
Dale A. Herbeck
Northeastern University
This award-winning textbook explores the evolution of our present-day free speech rights through major legislation and Supreme Court decisions. Guiding readers to an understanding of complex concepts with clear explanations, brief abstracts of major court cases, and numerous study aids, it shows how historical challenges to freedom of speech arise anew with the emergence of new technologies, political issues, and social concerns.
Thoroughly updated, the eighth edition integrates recent laws, regulations, and court cases, showing how historical issues—such as sedition, prior restraint, defamation, and obscenity—shape contemporary concerns such as access to government information, Net neutrality, Internet Service Providers' liability, streaming video and copyright, privacy and defamation in social media, reporters' privilege, student speech rights on and off campus, and national boundaries in the Internet age.
Historical perspective shows the rich diversity of events and cases that shape current law and debate.
Conceptual structure shows how historical laws and cases shape current policy, even in the Internet Age.
Clear, colorful,substantive explanations illuminate historical and contemporary cases, engaging student readers and inviting further exploration.
Landmark case boxes summarize key facts and significance of major Supreme Court decisions.
Excerpts from major cases, throughout the text, allow students to engage with the decisions that form First Amendment law.
Clear organization and abundant internal summaries guide student reading in a superb introduction to free speech history, perspectives, and laws.
Photographs, illustrations, and diagrams highlight significant cases and bring history alive.
Recent legislation and Supreme Court decisions, including important rulings on threatening speech, the right not to speak, privileged communication, streaming video, and abortion clinic protests, are incorporated.
Current controversies are reflected and updated, exploring the implications of historical laws and precedents in the Internet age.
Enhanced and updated graphics and photos aid student comprehension and highlight current issues.
For more detailed information, please see the preface and detailed table of contents.(Links are on the left.)
Instructor's manual includes model syllabi, assignment and project ideas, term paper topics, classroom exercises, video lists, and other resources.
Web site, author-maintained, offers full texts of major court decisions and other resources. Click on this paragraph to access the site.
From the back cover
"This is an exceptional book. It masterfully introduces students to the philosophical roots of the First Amendment, while also helping them to understand the practical realities of First Amendment law in the twenty-first century. It is accessible, smart, and comprehensive."
Stephanie A. Martin, Southern Methodist University
"I'm impressed with the constant improvement on a great text. I'd call it the most authoritative and up-to-date textbook on the First Amendment available today."
David R. Dewberry, Rider University
"The book is excellent. The writing level clearly conveys ideas without shortchanging the ruling of the court."
Pat Arneson, Duquesne University
"The quality of research and thoroughness of coverage is impressive. One of the major strengths of the book is that it maintains its currency and accuracy in a rapidly evolving legal environment."
Karen Whedbee, Northern Illinois University
"It is completely up to date, and its analysis of case law is very simple and clear. The eighth edition provides a very in-depth, comprehensive analysis of case law."
Juliet L. Dee, University of Delaware
"It is by far the best book on the topic. It makes history come alive."
Tony Palmeri, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh
Additional comments
"The book does a good job covering philosophy, history and case and case law.... it covers all of the relevant cases, and the 'Landmark Cases' provide a brief explanation of the most important, controlling cases. Explanations are clear and concise as are the historical contexts in which the cases occur."
Larry L. Burriss, Middle Tennessee State University
"This book is the best on the market at taking complex materials from philosophical and judicial sources and synthesizing them into a historical narrative."
Ryan McGeough, University of Northern Iowa
"It provides a basic foundation for students without a background in history or poli sci."
Paula Tompkins, St. Cloud State University
"A recent discussion had the software engineers in class asking key questions. Tedford & Herbeck's succinct coverage of e-mail privacy and its impact upon these other concerns was at the center of the discussion."
Grant Cos, Rochester Institute of Technology
"It is thorough and easy to read."
Charlyne Berens, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
"[Major strengths are] general organization; updated cases and examples."
David Trebing, Kent State University
"Excellent survey of major cases."
Matt Dunn, Colorado State University
"I think it is—by far—the best survey book about First Amendment jurisprudence on the market today, and probably the best one ever written."
Stephanie A. Martin, Southern Methodist University
"It is a superb text and it is a consummate pleasure for me to teach the course with this text."
Adrienne E. Hacker Daniels, Illinois College
"It is well written and engaging."
Jason Reineke, Middle Tennessee State University
"It is by far the best comprehensive text on free speech."
Roger Soenksen, James Madison University
On the new edition
"Keeping up with the ever-growing body of media law, and the ever-changing legal climate, the authors have done an excellent job in maintaining a relevant and useful text."
Larry L. Burriss, Middle Tennessee State University
"The incorporation of the recent developments is crucial. Some of the recent developments – such as net neutrality – are of great interest to the students and foster discussions that help make the historical underpinnings of free speech relevant to the twenty-first century."
Rebecca Gardner, California State University Sacramento
"I was glad to see more information about court rulings in terms of off-campus speech, and in particular the growing problem of social media and Internet speech, and whether schools have any jurisdiction there. I was especially glad to see all of the new material about WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden."
Stephanie A. Martin, Southern Methodist University
"The revisions are good and the authors have brought some current examples that students will relate to."
Edward C. Brewer, Appalachian State University
"I appreciate the inclusion of the Wikileaks material."
Adrienne E. Hacker Daniels, Illinois College
"I love the book's ability to highlight the major cases, and I'm happy that the eighth edition features these cases as well."
Jennifer Keohane, George Mason University
"The landmark case boxes are excellent. The illustrations keep students' attention."
Pat Arneson, Duquesne University
"Students find the key cases boxes in the text incredibly useful."
Ryan McGeough, University of Northern Iowa
"[The graphics] are very helpful, especially the text boxes."
Paula Tompkins, St. Cloud State University
"I still love the landmark case boxes."
David R. Dewberry, Rider University
"The organization style and chapter recaps are very helpful to students. And I often reference the key cases sections and charts."
Rebecca Gardner, California State University Sacramento
"The headings are clearly marked, allowing students to recognize the difference between details and big ideas. I teach students to look for internal previews, summaries, and case summaries. The diagrams are also very helpful to my students."
Karen Whedbee, Northern Illinois University
Resources for instructors
"Good instructor's manual. Good test questions!"
Tony Palmeri, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh
"The instructor's manual is solid. The course projects and bibliographies in the instructor's manual are an excellent resource."
Karen Whedbee, Northern Illinois University
Upon publication of the first edition of Freedom of Speech in the United States in 1985, the Speech Communication Association (now the National Communication Association) presented the author with the H. A. Wichelns Memorial Award for "outstanding scholarship in communication and law."
Following the publication of the fourth edition, the Text and Academic Authors association presented Freedom of Speech in the United States with the William Holmes McGuffey Longevity Award, as a textbook "whose excellence has been demonstrated over time."
In 2006, the National Communication Association presented the authors of Freedom of Speech in the United States with the Franklyn S. Haiman Award for "outstanding published research on freedom of expression."
Thomas L. Tedford taught the course in freedom of speech at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, for more than two decades prior to his retirement. He received his B.A. from Ouachita College. His M.A. and Ph.D. are from Louisiana State University.
He was active in the Commission on Freedom of Expression of the National Communication Association since its inception in the early 1960s, having served as the chair of the commission, editor of its newsletter, and editor of its Free Speech Yearbook. Tedford is coeditor with John J. Makay and David L. Jamison of Perspectives on Freedom of Speech: Selected Essays from the Journals of the Speech Communication Association (Southern Illinois University Press, 1987), and the author of Public Speaking in a Free Society (McGraw-Hill, 1991). His writing on freedom of speech has also appeared in the Speech Teacher, the Free Speech Yearbook, the English Journal, and the American Library Association's Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom.
Dale A. Herbeck is a professor of communication and the chair of the Communication Studies Department at Northeastern University, where he teaches courses in communication law and freedom of expression. He received his B.A. from Augustana College. His M.A. and Ph.D. are from the University of Iowa.
His scholarship—which includes numerous book chapters, articles, and papers presented before scholarly societies—has been recognized with the Franklyn S. Haiman Award of the National Communication Association, the Distinguished Service Award of the American Forensic Association, the James Madison Award from the Southern States Communication Association, the Robert M. O'Neill Award from the Commission on Freedom of Expression, and the Past President's Award of the Eastern Communication Association. Herbeck also received the Donald H. Ecroyd Award for Outstanding Teaching in Higher Education from the National Communication Asssociation. He has served as president of the American Forensic Association, president of the American Communication Association, chair of the Commission on Freedom of Expression of the National Communication Association, and editor of both Argumentation and Advocacy and the Free Speech Yearbook.
copyright notice


text:
Say hello to 'Trolls,' farewell to 'Modern Family' this week
which had its theatrical release quashed by the coronavirus pandemic — arrives for home rental. The Strokes are back with their sixth album, this one produced by Rick Rubin, while a host of friends including Christopher Guest helps Joe Satriani on his 18th record.
Here's a collection curated by The Associated Press' entertainment journalists of what's arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.
—"Parasite": For the housebound, little could be more perfect than Bong Joon Ho's best-picture winner. Two months back (or, emotionally speaking, roughly 80 years ago), " Parasite" became the first foreign-language film to win the Academy Awards' top honor. Bong's sly and biting class satire, a cunningly engineered genre contraption, is set almost entirely inside the homes of two families — one poor, one rich. Now, you can stream it in yours, too. It debuts on Hulu on Wednesday.
—"Columbia Noir": A year ago, the Criterion Collection, which puts out immaculate discs of many of the best art-house, foreign and classic films, launched its own streaming service, the Criterion Channel. To commemorate its anniversary, Criterion is bringing back this fabulous inaugural series that gathers some classic noirs ("In a Lonely Place," "The Big Heat") along with some less well-known but equally delicious titles ("My Name Is Julia Ross," "Murder by Contract"). Beginning Wednesday, "Columbia Noir" returns with 13 additional films.
— "Trolls World Tour": Most new movies that were headed to theaters have been postponed due to the pandemic. But this Universal Pictures release is heading straight to on-demand and digital rental beginning Friday. You can read that as either an olive branch to shut-in families or a hint that "Trolls World Tour" wasn't worth saving.
—Jake Coyle, Film Writer
There's really no goodbye in television, given reruns and the potential for reboots, but two admired sitcoms will officially wrap up this week. ABC's "Modern Family," with five record-tying best comedy series Emmys over 11 seasons, airs its hour-long finale at 9 p.m. EDT Wednesday, following the retrospective documentary "A Modern Farewell" (8 p.m. EDT). Pop TV's very different family circus, "Schitt's Creek," is signing off Tuesday with its finale at 8 p.m. EDT and, at 9 p.m., the tribute "Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell." The series built a devoted following during its six seasons and finally won over Emmy voters last year, earning a best comedy series nomination and nods for stars Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara.
— A four-part town hall series addressing the pandemic's effect on African Americans and steps to counter it will debut 8 p.m. EDT Wednesday on BET, which is working in partnership with the NAACP on the event. Among the aspects of the coronavirus crisis to be discussed: Its health and economic toll and how activists can press for equitable legislation, BET and the civil rights organization said. Viewers are able to join with an interactive toll-free conference call that also is to be streamed at https://naacp.org/call-to-action-program. The town hall will be available across BET's social and digital platforms immediately after it concludes, the channel said.
Tracy Morgan and TBS' "The Last O.G." returns for season three at 10:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday, with Morgan's Tray continuing to adjust to life after prison. The quest for a new home and source of income leads him to gentrified Brooklyn and a plan to give "hood legend" tours; what could go wrong? Tiffany Haddish plays Tray's ex-girlfriend and mother of his twins, with JB Smoove, Katt Williams, Marla Gibbs, Sasheer Zamata and Mike Tyson among the guest stars.
There's a second chance to see a big-name concert raising money for charity, "Fox Presents the iHeart Living Room Concert for America," airing 9 p.m. EDT Monday on the Fox network. The hour-long concert was hosted by Elton John and features Alicia Keys, Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell, the Backstreet Boys, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mariah Carey, Tim McGraw and others, along with messages from health professionals. In announcing the encore presentation, Fox said the telecast had raised more than $10 million for Feeding America and the First Responders Children's Foundation since it first aired on March 29, with both charities continuing to accept donations.
— Lynn Elber, Television Writer
The Strokes, "The New Abnormal": With powerhouse player Rick Rubin in the production chair, The Strokes are back with their sixth studio album. Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Albert Hammond Jr., Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti return with their first release in seven years, which is out Friday and has already earned an A- score from Entertainment Weekly and four out of five stars from NME. The album cover for "The New Abnormal" features the 1981 painting "Bird on Money" by Jean-Michel Basquiat and first single "At the Door" was performed at a Bernie Sanders rally.
Joe Satriani, "Shapeshifting": Joe Satriani is releasing his 18th studio album Friday and he's worked with a wide range of musicians to put the project together. On "Shapeshifting," the guitar maven has teamed up with Kenny Aronoff (John Fogerty), bassist Chris Chaney (Jane's Addiction) and keyboardist Eric Caudieux, who suggested that Satriani invite Lisa Coleman of The Revolution to the studio. Coleman plays on the tracks "Waiting" and album closer "Yesterday's Yesterday," which also features Emmy- and Grammy-winner Christopher Guest on mandolin.
— Mesfin Fekadu, Music Writer
Catch up on AP's entertainment coverage here: https://apnews.com/apf-entertainment.
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text:
Author:Suzanne Woods Fisher
Series:Lancaster County SecretsPublisher:Revell BooksRelease Date:September 2011Pages:208Source:publisher |LitFuse Group |My FTC DisclaimerPurchase: Amazon |BarnesAndNoble |Deepershopping.comRating: 5 Books
Jaime and C. J. Fitzpatrick began their married life as most couples do–in love and looking forward to a bright future together. But four years later they've drifted apart and are almost ready to call it quits.
Mattie Riehl was hoping to give her husband Sol the Christmas gift they have both longed for–news that a baby was on the way. But as usual, she is disappointed. The holidays bring an acute awareness to Mattie that her dream of a big family isn't likely to become a reality.
Then a winter storm raging outside blows the Fitzpatricks into the Riehl home–and into a much slower pace of life. Can these two couples from different worlds help each other understand the true meaning of love this Christmas?
Author Bio:
Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. In both her fiction and non-fiction books, she has an underlying theme: You don't have to "go Amish" to incorporate many of their principles–simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily– into your life.
When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth. Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.
I absolutely LOVE Suzanne Woods Fisher! She has been my favorite author for sometime now and I look forward to each and every novel she releases, both fiction and non-fiction. So, I was quite excited to have the opportunity to read this newest novel in her Lancaster County Secrets series.
Christmas. My favorite time of the year, both to experience and to read about! There's just something about the miracle to The Baby and the smells and sights during the Holiday season. Reading about Christmas is always so fun. I lose myself so fully among the pages, nothing else matters, and the story comes to life for me.
In this particular novel, I got to visit friends, as well as meet new ones. Sol and Mattie. They were amazing characters and first introduced in Suzanne Woods Fisher's The Choice. I fell in love with them then, and this novel only made me closer to them. Sol has been through a lot in his life(I won't tell you what he went through in case you haven't read The Choice-book 1 in the Lancaster County Secrets series), but through the power of God, he always embraces it and moves forward. Sweet Mattie. Wanting to please her husband, Sol, she is trying to give him more children, yet she can't, when she experiences the awful heartache of a miscarriage. Watching these two embrace the miracle of the season, embrace each other and their son Danny, and embracing God to lead them through anything was powerful.
But, I would like to say that though Sol and Mattie will always be my favorite characters from Lancaster County Secrets, Jamie and CJ, Englishers who are on the brink of loosing each other, quickly became a part of my heart. Watching them, and their struggles, my heart just went out to them. Seeing them learn the power of forgiveness and the way Faith in God will move any mountain, was beautiful.
I definitely give this novel a high 5 Book rating. It's the way to go, to start the holiday season off early! The sights of Lancaster County in the snow and winter, the sounds of the horse and buggies and the music, all of it will touch your heart and transport you to the heart of the story! Another home run from Ms. Fisher and I can't wait for her new novels to be released! She is a seasoned Amish novelist and one who definitely knows how to keep her readers happy!
Please visit other stops on the tour by visiting here.
It's Christmas in September!
To celebrate the release of her first Christmas book, Suzanne Woods Fisher has teamed up with her publisher, Revell, to bring you the "Christmas in September" iPad Giveaway! The winner will be announced on 9/27 at the A Lancaster County Christmas Facebook Party! Details below. Tell your friends and join in the fun (9/7-9/27).
Oh and be sure to follow the blog tour here – many of the bloggers have copies of the book to giveaway!
Suzanne and Revell will be presenting one merry winner with a Christmas Prize Pack (valued at over $600):
- A Brand New iPad 2 with Wi-Fi
- $25 gift certificate to iTunes
- A copy of A Lancaster County Christmas
To enter, click one of the icons below. But, hurry the giveaway ends on 9/26.
But, wait! There's more! The winner will be announced at the A Lancaster County Christmas Facebook Party on 9/27 at Suzanne's author page. During the party she'll be revealing something *BIG* – you won't want to miss it. She'll also be hosting a book chat, trivia contest and giving away a few early Christmas presents! Hope to see you there.
The Giveaway:
Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of this book to giveaway in the US only. All entries MUST include an email address. Open to US residents only please. Giveaway ends September 20th@1159pmEST
Mandatory entry: Leave a comment on this posting, telling me your favorite Christmas novel.
Bonus entries (MUST BE IN SEPARATE COMMENTS):
+2 Be or Become a follower of Reviews By Molly on Twitter
+2 Be or Become a follower of Reviews By Molly on Facebook
+3 Blog, Tweet, or Facebook about this giveaway and leave me a link (can be done once each day)
+1 Grab my blog's button and add it to your blog somewhere& leave me the link where I can find it :~)


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It's only about 10 km from Landhotel Felchow to the historic old town of Angermünde – a journey easily travelled by car, bus, bike or even by foot. Angermünde invites you to walk in the steps of the writer Ehm Welk's "Heiden", to marvel at the many restored historic buildings, to visit the medieval Marien church or the Franziscan Abbey. You could also pay a visit to the lovely assistants from the tourism information office located in one of the city's gorgeous frame houses, or you could enjoy some cake and coffee whilst discovering the intricate details of the fascinating fountain created by the Uckermark artist Christian Uhlig.
Angermünde – a city with more than 775 years of history
Since its foundation in 1230 the former peasants' town Angermünde is a an important hub for the South East of the Uckermark. After an eventful past it currently inhabits around 15.000 people. In contrast to its rather low population numbers Angermünde ranges between the 10th and 15th largest cities in Germany – similar in size to large cities such as Dresden and Bremen. This is due to the fact that 23 surrounding villages had been incorporated in the past. Actually to be precise it is only 22 villages and one city – as the district Greiffenberg received its town charter in the 13th century.
Historic Old Town Angermünde
The historic look of the old town of Angermünde was almost perfectly preserved. Angermünde is a member of the working committee "Cities with historic City Centres" in Brandenburg. The old town was almost completely restored in an unprecedented preservation program and now offers a picturesque atmosphere with its stunning red brick buildings, frame houses and beautiful inner court yards. The tall Franciscan Abbey and the Marien church with its Wagner organ are the most visible architectural highlights. There are organ concerts and events taking place in the abbey on a regular basis. It's also the permanent exhibition place for the local historical society.
Stone-rich Angermünde
Every two years sculptors from all over Europe meet for the Angermünde hard-stone symposium which was initiated by the Altklünkendorf artist Joachim Karbe. The artists use so called foundlings for their works – huge granite stones which were left behind by the melting glaciers of the last ice age around 10,000 years ago. You can discover their creations on a walk through the old town or a stroll along the scenic Münde lake water front.
On the trail of the "Heiden from Kummerow"
The "Heiden from Kummerow" marveled in awe on their "migration": "Randemünde looked just like a cosmopolitan world city with its mighty Marien church, its abbey, the powder tower…"
And this "Randemünde" is nothing else but the pristine Angermünde – which every August is the destination of a re-enacted migration from Biesenbrow – which is the real life version of the town Kummerow mentioned in the popular German book by Ehm Welk. With a bit of luck you might be able to spot one of its lovely main characters on your explorations through Angermünde.
Impressive Surroundings
Almost two thirds of the Angermünde area are part of the great reservation zones National Park Lower Oder Valley (Nationalpark Unteres Odertal) and the biosphere reserve Schorfheide-Chorin (Biosphärenreservat Schorfheide-Chorin). The city regards itself as a bridge between the two and promises a rich and colourful natural experience for all visitors.


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Leftist comedian Jim Jefferies has been cashing in on the anti-Trump craze in recent months. His Comedy Central program, "The Jim Jefferies Show" focuses primarily upon deriding the President of the United States. But a clip from Jefferies' past shows him to be a hypocrite at best, and a predator at worst.
On a podcast predating the #MeToo controversy, Jefferies openly boasted about giving illegal drugs to a 17-year-old girl and fornicating with her. Name-dropping Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher and movie actor Russell Brand, Jefferies described the story in grizzly detail to an interviewer.
"I f-cked her at the end of a festival when she was performing in a play with her grandfather. Back then, she was 17 years old," Jefferies said. He claimed he didn't know that she was underage, but then immediately justified it by saying it is the age of consent in the United Kingdom.
Jefferies is referring to Georgina Baillie, a former member of the "Satanic Sluts." After her encounter with Jefferies, she developed a serious drug problem. She has since cleaned up and become a serious actress, but Jefferies enabled her addiction by giving her illegal drugs prior to the sexual exploits.
"I did ply her full of ectstacy," Jefferies said, noting that he just gave her the drugs to do voluntarily. He would go on to brag to everyone he could in the comedy community that he had sex with this underaged girl.
After Jefferies' television show 'Legit' was cancelled by FXX following two seasons, the depraved atheist comedian has reinvented himself as a paragon of virtue as he lectures the American public about the evils of Trump and the virtues of gun control. Jefferies' past in his own words shows an immense amount of hypocrisy though, similar to Harvey Weinstein, Al Franken and other disingenuous predators of the political left.


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Oddly Enough, Zach Galifianakis Is Joining the Cast of Ava DuVernay's 'A Wrinkle in Time'
With Ava DuVernay's A Wrinkle in Time, we've learned to expect the unexpected. First, she made the decision to update the story, having a black protagonist and a mixed-race family at its center. Now, she's trying her hand at gender-swapping, casting Zach Galifianakis in the role of Happy Medium, a character originally depicted as female.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Galifianakis is in talks for the role of a being who lives alone in a cave on a misty planet, and is "able to view different times and places." Essentially, he has the ability to show Meg Murry (Storm Reid) and the rest of our heroes anything that's going on anywhere in the Universe, at any time. The Medium is happy because he normally chooses to see only happy things, but when Meg and her friends show up on his doorstep, the things they request he show them become more and more depressing to see.
Galifianakis is mostly recognized for his comedies, but he often adds a very sensitive, tragic angle to the characters he plays, and will be able to imbue the Medium with an even mix of droll and melancholy that the character needs. And he'll be in good company, as the cast for this movie is already ridiculously amazing: Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, and Oprah Winfrey will be playing Meg's three helpers, with Gugu Mbatha-Raw as her mother and Chris Pine as her father. There are only a few roles left to fill before the movie starts shooting later this month in LA, and DuVernay and her associates are still looking for non-white actors to play Meg's brothers and her friend Calvin.
A Wrinkle in Time is scheduled to open in theaters sometime in 2018.


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Australian Tour Packages
Explore our range of tours today
If you're looking for a holiday where you have dramatic scenery, the opportunity to explore and an inclusive package then perhaps a tour holiday in Australia, should be your next adventure.
Australia as a country is so diverse and massive to explore, and it can be tiring to explore everything behind the wheel of a car or via constant air travel. So why not unpack and unwind on some of the best cruises in Australia, and spend your time enjoying the journey rather than dreading the next leg of travel. With so many tour deals, Australia has an abundance of choice and is certain to have the perfect option for you. Experience dramatic landscapes and clear blue waters aboard a high quality vessel complete with knowledgeable staff, beautiful furnishings and exquisite dining options. Take the opportunity to join the crew for additional excursions in their adventure vessels that allow you to explore hidden beaches and secret coves along the coastline of Australia, inaccessible by land or air. Whether you are looking for an intimate and personal adventure or want to relax in true, all-inclusive luxury Kimberley cruise, we will help make your dream a reality. Here at Broome, Kimberley & Beyond we are passionate about this beautiful land and want you to experience everything it has to offer, which is why we are proud to offer our range of some of the best cruises in Australia. For any additional information please look through our portfolio listed below or alternatively give one of the team a call today on 1300 245 565.Read more
AAT Kings – Guided Holidays
Discover the very best that Australia have to offer on one of our unique Guided Holiday experiences. You'll be blown away by the mesmerizing beauty of these stunning places and their depth in culture.VIEW DETAILS
Absolute Ocean Charters – Broome
Absolute Ocean Charters is Australia's favourite, family-owned Broome Fishing charter company. Discover the best of the North-west on one of our famous Broome Fishing Charters, a spectacular Whale Watching experience off Cable Beach or a relaxing Snubfin Dolphin Watching Eco Tour in Roebuck Bay.VIEW DETAILS
Adventure Wild Kimberley Tours
Adventure Wild Kimberley Tours offer a 12 day Kimberley tour itinerary departing from Broome. Over 12 days travel out via the Gibb River Road to Kununurra, and return via Fitzroy Crossing and the Bungle Bungles to Broome.VIEW DETAILS
Air Kimberley
The Kimberley, renowned for its dramatic and beautiful landscapes, towering cliffs, rocky headlands, sandy beaches, natural rivers, spectacular waterfalls and thousands of islands off the remote sandstone coast. Inland lies the rugged Kimberley plateau, with its deep gorges and cascading waterfalls, the striking King Leopold Ranges, and Windjana and Geikie gorges, which cut through the limestone oVIEW DETAILS
APT – Kimberley Extended Tours
With 16 years experience in Kimberley touring, APT Kimberley Wilderness Adventures let travellers experience the Australian outback in comfort and style. Take in the 'must see' sights of the Kimberley including the Gibb River Road, Bungle Bungles and the Mitchell Plateau.VIEW DETAILS
Astro Tours
Broome's Astronomy Experience a 2-hour educational and entertaining mind bender using big telescopes, lasers and fun under some of the best stargazing skies on the planet. You'll find Greg Quicke running star shows for the public from April to October at the Astro Tours dark site an easy 20 minutes drive out of Broome, Western Australia.VIEW DETAILS
Based in Kununurra, Broome and Karratha, Aviair offers corporate air charter services, regular passenger transport and beautifully crafted scenic air tours. Previously known as Slingair, Aviair was established in 1984 and has grown to become the first choice for air charter services in the north west of Western Australia.VIEW DETAILS
Broome Adventure Company
Experience the natural wonders of Broome's coastline on a paddle adventure. Take time to explore this amazing marine environment where you have a chance to spot a sea turtle from your kayak. A popular and fun tour for all ages.VIEW DETAILS
Broome and Around Charters & Tours
Enjoy the magnificent and unique treasures Broome has to offer on one or more of our tours in air-conditioned comfort knowing that your health and safety are at the forefront of our procedures and that we want to surprise and delight you while you are on our tours.VIEW DETAILS
Download Our Brochure
Get a copy of our brochure by filing out your details below.


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Monday, December 19, 2011
A Rant - The U.S. Postal Service
A couple of weeks before we closed on the house, I got my mail forwarding service in South Dakota set up, got my address and my "Box" number. Then I went to my local post office to get my change of address form sent in.
After standing in a crowded line handled by one and only one counter person, it was finally my turn. The postal clerk barely spoke English.
"I need to submit a change of address form, please" I said. The clerk didn't understand me. I repeated myself a couple of times until she understood. She handed me a printed card that said the office no longer accepted change of address requests, it had to be done on line at the listed Internet web address.
I went home, logged in and ended up paying $36 to a contracting company for the USPS to get my mail forwarded to our new address. Where does paying money to a contractor to get your forwarding address taken care of make the USPS remain solvent?
Fast forward to Saturday, our first forwarding of our mail came from our SD mailing company to my son's house. Opening the box, I found all the mail that was forwarded had a mistake in the address, the USPS contractor failed to put my box number on the forwarding labels. Fortunately, the mailing company looked us up by name and hand wrote the box number on each of the several dozen pieces of mail. Something I was glad to see, but felt bad that they had to do that extra step.
All the mail where I had sent in the new address myself (magazines, bank statements, credit card) were correct. One interesting piece of mail was from the Postal Service itself.
I opened the USPS envelope and it was a notice concerning my forwarding address. It listed my old address and my new address, but they didn't have the box number listed. The notice also said if my forwarding address was incorrect to immediately call the 800 number they supplied.
I waited to Monday morning to call, knowing there would be no one there over the weekend.
Of course, my phone call would be answered by the next available customer service representative. After almost 30 minutes of having that sentence imprinted forever in my brain by hearing it every 30 seconds, a real live person, masquerading as a customer service representative, answered.
I explained the notice I had received and I told her the forwarding address was incorrect. The rep said the only way I could fix it was to go to my local post office and submit another forwarding address request. I told her there was no way I could do that because: 1.) I was 3000 miles away from that post office and 2.) they did not accept forwarding address applications, they required it to be done on line. I asked if she could make the correction as it said in the USPS notice.
She said no, she was not allowed to make address changes, and advised me that I should call my post office back in Virginia. I said no thanks, and told her that she was absolutely no help whatsoever. Some customer service.
So, lets see, the USPS no longer accepts change of address forms, you have to do it online and pay a contractor. Then when they get the change of address information from the contractor, they pay someone to generate a letter, which must cost something telling you to check you new forwarding address and if it is incorrect to call a customer service 800 number, which must cost something to speak with a customer service rep to get the error corrected and said customer service rep is not allowed to make a correction.
Is it any wonder the Postal Service is losing money every year? They are paying people who can't help you, generating form letters costing money that are meaningless and contracting out services to companies as a cost saving measure who can't get things right and charge you for that service.
Sort of makes you yearn for the good old days of the Pony Express.
I certainly will go out of my way in the future to not use them every chance I get. I'll do more and more of my business on line.
Fortunately, the forwarded mail will become less and less as I make my new address known to the companies and people I need to continue to correspond with. I feel bad that my South Dakota mailing company has to pick up the slack from the USPS, but they know what good customer service is.
Okay, rant over. There were no four letter words used in the "resolution" of this problem. ;c)
Thanks for visiting and feel free to leave a comment.
20 comments:
Wow - what lunacy! I never knew you had to pay to get your mail forwarded. I'm just glad you got a good mail service, unlike me. Don't ever use America's Mailbox!!!!ReplyDelete
I have never been able to understand how it's good business sense to put someone who does not have a good grasp of the English language in the customer service department. I have to agree ... no wonder the post office is losing money.ReplyDelete
I don't believe there is a fix to this problem. Our mail forwarding order with usps also left off our box #. Our MF Service also looked us up. I think they are used to it. It appears the PO has a database of legal addresses. None of these addresses include the mail services box designations because they are only addresses the mail service made up for their convenience.ReplyDelete
I'd be curious if others had a different experience, but ours was the same as yours. We are also SD residents.
PS-My guess is if there are any that work correctly, it would be Escapees in Livingston. They seem to have a relationship with the PO.ReplyDelete
i am disgusted by the fact that the post office has a limit of 30days for holding mail. it is ok this time, but our next trip may e five or six weeks! not sure what i will do then,.ReplyDelete
We use GoodSam out of Florida, when I first turned in the change of address the lady grabbed a pen and scratched out the PMB# (Personnel mail box)on the form. When I asked her why she did that she told me "because I don't know what it is".ReplyDelete
But they can't be losing money because they still manage to sponsor a couple of Olympic Teams
Sigh..this too shall pass. One of the bumps in the road to full-timing..nothing ever goes smoothly!ReplyDelete
They must have just started the $36 charge to change an address because when I did it back in June, I did it for free through the USPS and it worked out perfectly. I guess this is how they are trying to solve their budget crunch, but poor service isn't going to help them.ReplyDelete
I feel your pain ... we moved just a few blocks away and it took several visits to the post office to get our forwarding to work right. We first did it online simply because we try to avoid going to the post office at all if we can ... no monies involved (maybe because it was a local forwarding change). A week later, the new owners of our old home called to say they were still getting our mail, so Mui went to the post office to resolve the issue. That worked ... for a while. All in all, I think he had to make three trips to the post office. No wonder the post office is losing money. With service like that, I have changed over to email where I can ... I'd love to send "real" Christmas cards, but I even stopped doing that when it took over a month for them to be received overseas last year (and this after mailing them a month in advance.ReplyDelete
Wow Paul that is really terrible service. More like postal no service. Wonder what snow birds will do now? We paid nothing just back in March with 6 months of forwarding renewable for another 6. But postal clerks who don't speak English- I'd have been asking to see the manager and sending this on to my congressman and senators. Give them something they can do without disagreeing.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousDecember 20, 2011 at 8:34 AM
I hear ya! I have been using a PO Box for almost ten years. My mailbox at home I go to once every two weeks, grab all the junk mail out and throw it in the trash can. Even my PO Box gets very little mail since I have gone paperless on all my billing and do it on-line.ReplyDelete
And they wonder why people are using them less and less?
On the plus side, the postal workers that are at my PO Box are very courteous, professional and knowledgeable.
What a pain in the stamp!ReplyDelete
We lucked out. Catherine asked our postal carrier in St. Charles and she told us not to use the online service because they would charge us. We just filled out the paper card and handed it to her- no problem.ReplyDelete
just plain old 'redonckulous'!!ReplyDelete
Recently it took 36 days for my mail to arrive from my South Dakota mail service, but in 12 years of using their services, only once was my mail completely lost.ReplyDelete
After all that frustration that you have had to deal with, please don't go "postal"!ReplyDelete
Kevin and Ruth
Okay, tell us how you really feel:) I think the post office is going to have to get a grip or become redundant.ReplyDelete
wow talk about bad customer service..the whole customer service industry has certainly gone by the wayside...hang in there maybe you can get it straightened out sooner better than later...have a very very Merry ChristmasReplyDelete
OMG! Have you checked to see if there's a black cloud following you? You're smart to get everything online and automatic. I don't even need mail anymore.ReplyDelete
$36??? And, what is a USPS contractor? I just changed my address online for $1 directly at the USPS website. Is this brand-new?ReplyDelete


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J. V. Stalin
Source: J. V. Stalin on Post-War International Relations
Publisher: Soviet News, 1947
Transcription/Markup: Brian Reid for MIA, 2008
Public Domain: Marxists Internet Archive (2008). You may freely copy, distribute, display and perform this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit "Marxists Internet Archive" as your source.
Text of the telegram sent by Mr. Hugh Baillie, President of the United Press of America, to J. V. Stalin, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the U.S.S.R., and the text of Stalin's reply.
To GENERALISSIMO STALIN,
KREMLIN, Moscow.
I should like to direct your attention to the statement given by Mr. Winston Churchill to the United Press of America for distribution to newspapers and radio throughout the world. In this connection I wish to renew my suggestion that you give to the United Press of America a statement on the world situation.
If you desire to answer Mr. Churchill's argument for speedy actions by the United Nations Organisation Security Council on the Iran case, the United Press would be glad to distribute your views to the world.
Should there be other questions concerning Iran or world peace and security which you would care to discuss, I urge that you avail yourself of our facilities. With best wishes.
(Signed) Hugh BAILLIE,
President of the United Press of America.
March 22, 1946.
To MR. HUGH BAILLIE.
Thank you for your kind suggestion. I cannot admit Mr. Churchill's argument as convincing. As to the question of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Iran, it is known to have been already positively settled by agreement between the Soviet Government and the Government of Iran.
(Signed) Joseph STALIN,
Chairman of the Council of Ministers.
March 25, 1946.


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Last week, I started my latest wardrobe challenge (you can find the "rules" outlined here if you missed my earlier post or need a quick refresher!), and I wanted to share a quick update on the outfits I wore during Week One of the challenge. As a reminder, you can follow along with me on Instagram Stories to see what I'm wearing each day.
(Oh, and you'll notice there are only six outfits included below, and that's because I totally forgot to snap a photo of my outfit last Saturday — whoops!)
Wednesday, November 1:
(jeans: LOFT / top: LOFT / flats: Off Broadway)
Thursday, November 2:
(jumpsuit: Old Navy / wedges: Target — these are similar!)
Friday, November 3:
(leggings: Express / top: TJMaxx / wedges: Target)
Sunday, November 5:
(leggings: DYI — I got them at Pure Barre W-S! / top: BP. by Nordstrom / wedges: Target)
Monday, November 6:
(leggings: Garbe Luxe — I got these from Pure Barre W-S as well, last fall / tee: Target / slip-on sneakers: Target)
Tuesday, November 7:
(jeans: Paige Denim / top: Sophie Rue — it was a Stitch Fix find / wedges: Via Neroli)
What's your top pick of the outfits I chose this past week?


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Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown are teaming up to co-host the upcoming 'CMT Awards,' but it's not just glitz and glam that is being discovered backstage.
A new friendship has sparked.
In an interview with Cody Alan, Kelsea and Kane credit the 'CMT Awards' for their newfound friendship.
'It's been forever since we have really done anything. It's nice to be able to do something with people, especially to do something with fans, and involving music and to put all of that into hosting something like the 'CMT Awards' is amazing," says Kelsea.
"We have never done anything before," Kane chimes in, referring to his previous relationship with the "Miss Me More" singer. "Me and her husband have been on tour together before, stuff like that."
"It's all in the family," jokes Kelsea.
"I just found out that she is from Knoxville today," laughs Kane.
"You're from Chattanooga?" Kelsea questions.
"Georgia, but right on the line, so we are like an hour and forty-five minutes away from each other," responds Kane.
"I just learned that today. It's funny, me and Kane have written together, but we haven't hung that much," shares Kelsea. "We had this amazing day of press together, and I am like, "Man, I just got a new friend out of this. This is amazing." It's the best kind of thing to bond over music, and you know, just hang out."
Catch the new pals host the two-and-a-half-hour performance-packed show on Wednesday, June 9th at 8p/7c broadcasting on the CMT network, including MTV, MTV2, Logo, Paramount Network, and TV Land.
Photo Credit: John Shearer, Getty.


text: Rechargeable batteries. It is a completely environment-friendly vehicle since it Ensures Zero Pollution. Its running cost is low and it can be effectively recharged with electric power supply available at homes. . It is efficient E-Cargo Rickshaw is a special type of e-Rickshaw in which 7 persons can travel. It runs on powerful ntly driven by a powerful motor. It does not need much maintenance to function. It can be used to supply bulk quantities of various types of goods thus it can be used both as a passenger vehicle as well as a goods vehicle.


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Frequently Asked Questions
The Crisis Consultant Group, LLC has been in existence since March 2004. What began as just an idea and attempt to empower those that work with individuals in crisis, has grown into a small, yet extremely successful company, helping make the world a bit safer. Having reached over 300,000 students at the time of this writing, the Calm Every Storm, Crisis Prevention and Intervention Training® curriculum is widely recognized as the most realistic, most effective, and safe de-escalation and crisis prevention training in the industry. Training events have stretched across the USA, into Canada, and the USVI, with plans to expand globally in the next few years. For examples of who we have served click HERE.
- Downloadable version – You will be able to download your certificate from your student "Dashboard" upon completion of your course
- Hard-copy version – Certificates are included in the course handbook if purchased with your course (optional)
More questions?
Give us a call, we are happy to discuss it!
- Yes!
- Find out more about how our curriculum aligns with Best Practices HERE
More questions?
Give us a call, we are happy to discuss it!
- We provide CERTIFICATES with our training, not "cards" of any color
- Our certificates are individualized to the student, show date, course length, description, Id#, and official authenticity codes
- Our training is currently utilized in the United States, in Canada, and the USVI and in alignment with Best Practice guidelines
- More alignment information: HERE)
More questions? Give us a call, we are happy to discuss it!
- All certifications provided by CCG last for ONE year
- If you order the "Additional Year" option during checkout, you will be notified when its time to renew
More questions?
Give us a call, we are happy to discuss it!
- We offer "Crisis Prevention and Intervention Training (CPIT)® which is our unique curriculum built to teach you how to de-escalate crisis situations through non-aggressive, and non-violent verbal intervention techniques. Our methods have been utilized across the USA and Internationally for over 15 years
- There are a number of vendors providing "Crisis Prevention & Intervention" training, any of which you may choose to meet your specific needs
- Many trainings will have similar names/initials due to all of us focusing on the prevention of crisis situations, etc. and management of aggressive and/or challenging behavior
- Over 15 years ago we decided there needed to be other alternatives in the "Crisis Prevention" industry aside from the vendors that existed at that time
- We have risen to be one of the leaders in this industry through our more realistic, more effective, and safer methodology
More questions? Give us a call, we are happy to discuss it!
Great question!
- 99.5% of our students can answer YES!
- We have been utilized all over the United States, in Canada, and the USVI (at the time of this posting 9-2018)
- Our training is in compliance with Joint Commission, CARF, DOE, CWLA, and related Best Practices and Accreditation guidelines, and has been in use around the United States since 2004
- If you have concerns about approval, we recommend you check with your organization, and/or your employer/State prior to purchase, as laws and expectations change which are beyond our control
- We do NOT offer refunds for our online training courses
Still concerned?
Give us a call, we are happy to discuss it!


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The Male Brain
I love this funny picture quote of The Male Brain! For many females, I think they would agree with the somewhat accurate depiction of...
A Kid Asks his mom how he was born on whatsApp…
Haha this is so cute! Do you get the whole story?
Jerry Seinfield Quotes About First Dates
True Say Mr. Seinfield! True Say!
Funny Pic Quote: Don't be too Picky!
Just a little reminder to not be so picky when it comes to giving someone a chance!
Funny Pic Quote: I Just had to Friend Request That
Do you think this will be a common answer 10 years from now?
100 Possible Relationship Status Selection Options on Facebook!!
OK, so we are all in"some" sort of relationship status categories at any given point in our lives. Facebook has not gotten up to...
Funny Valentine's Day Flowchart (for guys)
Here is a funny Valentine's Day Flow chart for guys on what to do on Valentine's Day if they're looking to get some! You might...
Days Before Valentine's Day
Check out this funny graph of all the events that take place just before valentines day! Source: 9gag.com Check out these great posts: Valentines Day Pictures Collection Homemade...
Dating Quote from the Classic Rodney Dangerfield
Rodney Dangerfield was perhaps one of the most well known comedians of his time. Give him a 'like' and keep his comedy going.
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Natural Finish 8 PC Comfo Glider w/ Console Set
- Free delivery. Contact us for eligibility.
- Rent-to-own available.
- Sold as-is. (Want similar? Let us know below.)
Natural Finish 8 PC Comfo Glider w/ Console Set
1- 5' Comfo Glider
2- 2' Comfo Gliders
2- Adirondack Chairs
2- Rectangle End Tables
1- Rectangle Coffee Table
This set is Brazilian Walnut on Black
At Miller's Mini Barns all of our modern outdoor furniture is made of 95% recycled content in Berlin, OH by Berlin Gardens. Our poly-lumber furniture is strong, comfortable, and stylish. Easy care and durability, even in harsh weather conditions, make this furniture a wise and responsible choice.
Standard Features
Available in Regular & Natural Finish
Smooth feel with no splinters
No cracking or splitting
Virtually no maintenance
95% Recycled content
Color permeated, UV stabilized
Rust-free fasteners
Minimal face fasteners
Many style, color and fabric options
*Foot Stools and Cup holders optional


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Trademark Asphalt Services is committed to the safety of our customers during the COVID-19 pandemicRead More
Trademark Asphalt Paving provides sealcoating & asphalt paving to Hillsboro OR. Our services include residential & commercial paving & repair in Hillsboro OR. We also provide line striping & sealcoating to Hillsboro OR. We specialize in the latest porous pavement applications. We also install residential sports courts, basketball courts, tennis courts, and provide property maintenance & management services to Hillsboro OR. We are even a grading & excavating contractor in Hillsboro OR.
Whether you are a homeowner, builder or facility manager needing driveway paving or parking lot paving, Trademark Asphalt Paving will exceed your expectations by delivering top notch asphalt paving services in Hillsboro OR. Click here for a free quote or contact us directly for any urgent needs. Thank you for choosing Trademark Asphalt Paving.


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Grilled Nopales
Earlier today I blogged a link to a cactus recipe.
Here's a delicious looking recipe for grilled cactus that you can now make on your cactus-briquette-fired grille.
I thought the photo looked so delicious that I should blog the recipe. Here goes!
Grilled Cactus Paddles (Nopales Asados)
Makes enough for 24 taquitos or serves 12 (side dish)
Start to finish:20 min
Cactus paddles (nopales or nopalitos) are an important vegetable in Mexico, particularly in the central and west-central parts of the country. Their flavor—reminiscent of summer's green beans but with a hint of acidity—adds freshness and succulence to the taquitos.
- 12 cactus paddles (nopales or nopalitos)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
You'll have to click through for the instructions, but I would highly recommend it.


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Sustainability and the construction of profit in the textile chain
by Larissa Roviezzo, REGENERATE's cofounder
* Article originally posted in FFW fashion portal – Translated from Portuguese
As a sustainability consultant, I have participated in numerous discussions that sought to find sustainable solutions for our industry. Topics such as the use of new materials, companies transitioning the implementation of strategies into the product design phase, application of circularity (strategies that follow the concept of Circular Economy), and the search for obtaining certifications and increasing transparency, among others, are on the rise. In the midst of so many discussions, I always had the following thought in mind: "we need to talk about building profit!".
Today's fashion industry is established on the ideas of lower production and purchasing costs, large volume and long term. With this reasoning, factories sell their services at maximum capacity and low value. Retailers buy at the lowest price to keep their margins high and dilute the cost caused by risks such as: lack of inventory (or excess), freezing of working capital and reduction of the selling price.
Covid-19 showed that the 'larger order – lower cost' structure does not leave the industry immune from financial risk when there are no active consumer markets. With that, the wheel that seemed to spin tirelessly stopped, resulting in excessive inventory, suppliers with no payments, and a lack of new orders. In times of crisis, clothing is not considered an essential product. What is essential though is the source of income for workers in the chain.
Covid-19 showed that the 'larger order – lower cost' structure does not leave the industry immune from financial risk when there are no active consumer markets.
Is this business model outdated? The time has come to change the culture of minimal cost and rethink new ways of collaborating.
John Thorbeck, president of consulting company Chainge Capital, defends a new model for the textile chain. For him, optimizing Lead Time (moment between when the order is placed by the customer and the effective delivery of the product) and the Just in Time production (everything must be produced, transported or purchased at the exact time), are the keys to reducing risks, and thus costs, in the textile industry. Two concepts that reduce, for example, the costs of excessive inventory and, consequently, the waste generated at different points in the chain.
For example: Instead of beginning production on a collection six to twelve months in advance, rather produce for a collection that will be launched next month. This model is similar to the business model implemented by Zara, who puts out 12 collections a year. This not for the purpose of stimulating consumption, but rather in terms of speed of production.
It may seem contradictory in terms of sustainability, but in fact this model reduces overproduction and the environmental impacts caused by it. It reduces risks and costs, and, consequently, frees up a larger margin to be used in the cost of the product. In other words, clothing can be sold at a higher price per unit, which will benefit workers in the chain, and provide more resources for retailers to implement the use of sustainable materials and processes in their products – which are currently some of the highest costs.
For this model to succeed, the upstream (suppliers of raw materials, weaving, clothing) and downstream (distributors, wholesalers, retailers) relationships of the textile chain need to move closer together, collaborating instead of fighting for the lowest cost. Through this approach the industry will begin to share the risks and the rewards. And of course, it is also crucial to invest in technology, data sharing and strengthening the local supply chain.
Even if the idea of sustainability has not been attractive to all so far, the capital market shows that the topic is finally being taken seriously. Investors are prioritizing the investment of their capital in companies that meet environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. These movements characterize the strengthening of global changes towards more sustainable industries.
Inevitably, times are changing and the current structure of the textile chain does not seem to support the needs of these new times. Quarantine destroyed the illusion that we only prosper individually.
…none of the world's problems is technically difficult to solve; they arise from human disagreement…Charles Eisenstein
For this reason also, there is no longer room for us to continue looking for increasingly cheap suppliers and producing unnecessary mountains.
As writer Charles Eisenstein said, "none of the world's problems is technically difficult to solve; they arise from human disagreement".
* Article originally posted in FFW fashion portal – To read original article in Portuguese visit: FFW SUSTENTABILIDADE E A CONSTRUÇÃO DO LUCRO NA CADEIA TÊXTIL
Cover illustration source: techpacker.com


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Oklahoma's Premier High Complexity Diagnostics lab
Providing accurate & reliable lab results in a timely manner
Provectus Diagnostics
Opened in 2015, Provectus Diagnostics in Tulsa, Oklahoma is a High Complexity Laboratory, specializing in Definitive (Confirmatory) Toxicology Testing for Pain Management, Diagnostics & Susceptibility Testing, Nursing Home Antibiotic Stewardship and Acute Care Antibiotic Stewardship.
Our goal at Provectus Diagnostics is to promote the appropriate use of Antimicrobials through the Antibiotic Stewardship Program, which can have a broad impact on improving clinical outcomes while reducing overall Healthcare costs.
Definitive Toxicology Testing
Urinary drug testing (UDT), as a means to assure compliance and monitoring of proper medication use, is becoming common place in the clinical practice of pain management. Make informed decisions with objective information through Definitive Toxicology Testing.
Diagnostics & Susceptibility Testing
Resistance can be determined by detection of a gene that is known to cause resistance to specific antibiotics. Susceptibility Testing is used to determine which antimicrobials will inhibit the growth of the bacteria or fungi causing a specific infection.
Nursing Home Antibiotic Stewardship
Antibiotic Stewardship refers to a set of commitments and activities designed to "optimize the treatment of infections while reducing the adverse events associated with Antibiotic use." standards for assessing, monitoring and communicating changes in a resident's condition by front-line Nursing staff.
Acute Care Antibiotic Stewardship
A growing body of evidence demonstrates that hospital-based programs dedicated to improving antibiotic use, commonly referred to as "Antibiotic Stewardship Programs (ASPs)", can both optimize the treatment of infections and reduce adverse events associated with antibiotic use.
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We offer a host of diagnostic-based solutions that empower Medical Practices all over. Contact us for customized solutions for your specific needs.
Join Our Team
Provectus Diagnostics accepts online employment applications. You may submit your information, resume, and cover letter here.
To ensure consideration for employment, please fill in the form as accurately as possible. We will review your application, keep it on file, and should a vacancy arise, we will consider you for the position.
Still Have Questions?
At Provectus Diagnostics we want to make sure all your questions are answered. So we have created an FAQ page to touch on some of the most common questions our customers ask before engaging our services.
If you still have a question after reading the FAQs, just Contact Us and we will be happy to provide an answer.


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Berry Vanilla Buttermilk Cake
Makes 10-16 servings
Moist and delicious, this cake gathers its flavors from a generous dose of vanilla and a tangy buttermilk base. Fresh berries plopped in the batter appear as colorful polka-dots when the cake is sliced. Top each slice with sweetened whipped cream and more fresh berries.
Cake Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
3 eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
3-1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
36 raspberries (plus additional for garnishing)
36 blueberries (plus additional for garnishing)
Vanilla Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons milk
Sweetened Whipped Cream:
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Cake Instructions:
(1) PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. PREPARE a Bundt pan by buttering well and dusting with flour, or by spraying with a flour-infused oil baking spray.
(2) BEAT together the softened (room temperature) butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. (This is where the texture of the cake is formed.)
(3) ADD the eggs to the butter-sugar mixture one at a time beating after each addition until incorporated.
(4) COMBINE in a separate medium bowl, the flour, salt, and baking powder. WHISK until the dry ingredients are evenly distributed.
(5) WHISK together in a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, the buttermilk and the vanilla extract.
(6) ADD one-third of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and BEAT on low until combined. POUR in one-third of buttermilk mixture, combine until incorporated.
(7) REPEAT with the addition of the second third of the flour, followed by the second third of the liquid. ADD the final third of flour and final third of liquid similarly.
(8) POUR a third of the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, add half the berries. Add the next third, then the other half of the berries. Top with the remaining batter until the batter is approximately one-half inch from the top of the pan.
(9) BAKE in the preheated 350°F oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer placed in the middle of the cake is removed with out liquid or crumb. Do not overbake.
(10) COOL the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then INVERT onto a cooling rack and continue to cool for an hour.
Vanilla Glaze Instructions:
(11) COMBINE the powdered sugar, vanilla, and one tablespoon of the milk in a small bowl. WHISK together until combined. ADD additional milk by the teaspoonful until the right consistency is attained. A three-second ribbon is ideal for drizzling. (A three-second ribbon is the amount of time it takes for icing dribbled from a spoon back into the icing bowl to disappear.)
(12) DRIZZLE the glaze over the cooled cake. ALLOW the glaze to set for 30 minutes.
Sweetened Cream Instructions:
(13) STIR the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla together in a small, deep bowl until dissolved.
(14) WHIP the cream with a whisk, immersion blender, or hand mixer until soft peaks form.
(15) SLICE the cake and top with a generous dollop of the sweetened whipped cream. GARNISH, if desired, with additional fresh berries.
Recipe adapted from Nordic Ware, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
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