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From: "Annavajjala SarmaDate: August 14, 2016 at 10:46:16
India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) is unique in most aspects. No other country can boast of such a set-up. Not convinced? Read on.Responsibility for India's national defence is discharged through MoD, which provides the policy framework and wherewithal to the armed forces. MoD has five Secretaries, heading different departments. Here is a closer look at their functioning.
According to the Allocation of Business Rules of the government, the Defence Secretary heads DoD that is responsible for the defence of India and every part thereof, including preparation for defence and all such acts as may be conducive in times of war. In other words, he is tasked to ensure the defence of the country. Surprised? Yes, it is his responsibility and not that of the Service Chiefs.For such an onerous responsibility, it is natural to expect a highly experienced defence expert/veteran to be occupying the chair. After all, to ensure defence of the country (including preparation and execution) is no routine job. But MoD is different. Any bureaucrat can foot the bill, even if he cannot differentiate between a mortar and a howitzer or a rocket and a missile.India has had Defence Secretaries whose earlier service had been limited to Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry. Most do not know even the basics of defence imperatives. To mask their ignorance and inadequacy, they resort to the time-tested expedient of deferring decision-making. India is the only country that considers experience in fisheries or handlooms to be good enough to equip a bureaucrat to handle defence of India. No wonder we claim 'Mera Bharat Mahan'.
Development of indigenous defence industry is DDP's prime responsibility. Although DDP has a vast domain of 39 ordnance factories and 9 defence public sector undertakings, the performance of DDP has been pathetic to say the least. It is solely responsible for the current pitiable state of the indigenous defence industry, wherein India remains dependent on imports for 70 percent of its defence requirements.The world over, promotion of defence industry is considered to be a highly specialised assignment. However, India is an exception. Any bureaucrat can be appointed as Secretary DDP. Some come with no experience of industry or defence. Their incompetence manifests itself in their prejudiced and blinkered approach towards the private sector. Blocking the entry of the private sector to ensure regular flow of orders to the public sector becomes their sole mission. Instead of exploiting the enormous technological prowess of the private sector, DDP impedes its participation in defence production.In all 'Buy and Make' cases, DDP always nominates a public sector unit to receive technology for indigenous production. Instead of absorbing technology, most units choose the easier path of assembling imported sub-assemblies and selling to the services at a huge profit. The case of TATRA vehicles exposed the rot that has set in. Rather than undertaking the onerous task of manufacturing, most public sector units have become traders of imported systems under DDP's patronage.Utter failure of DDP can be gauged from the fact that India has acquired the dubious distinction of being the largest importer of conventional weapons in the world with 14 percent of the global share. Some achievement after seven decades of independence! DDP ought to be ashamed of it. But, we still have the audacity to claim 'Mera Bharat Mahan'.
DRDO has 52 laboratories in multiple disciplines. It employs over 5,000 scientists and about 25,000 other scientific, technical and supporting personnel. The track record of DRDO is abysmal to say the least – a chronicle of false claims, tall promises, inexplicable delays and sub-optimal products. It has the unenviable reputation of never developing any equipment conforming to the parameters in the promised time-frame. Some claim to infamy!Although DRDO's annual budget is close to Rs 14,000 crore, its total success is limited to the replication of some imported products (commonly called 'reverse engineering' and 'indigenisation'). Time and cost overruns are taken for granted. The history of three key projects (Arjun tank, Light Combat Aircraft and Kavery aero engine) undertaken by DRDO is a true indicator of the gross inadequacy that afflicts it.Failure to perform its primary task of developing weapon systems has forced DRDO to delve into bizarre areas to justify its existence. Many will be shocked to learn that DRDO expends defence funds on projects like developing new breeds of angora rabbits, collecting newer varieties of orchids and identifying sharpest chillies. No other country can boast of such defence R&D, except 'Mera Bharat Mahan'.
DESW deals with all resettlement, welfare and pensionary matters of ex-servicemen. Strangely, not a single serving or retired soldier has been posted to it. It is totally manned by bureaucrats. Interestingly, India cannot have the Minority Commission without minority members or Women's Commission without women; but it can have DESW without ex-servicemen. Welfare of retired soldiers has been entrusted to the people who have never faced a bullet and who know little about the challenges faced by the retired soldiers. Hence, they cannot be faulted for their complete lack of empathy.A comparison of DESW with the US Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) will be enlightening. All the top officers of DVA are ex-servicemen. It is headed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Robert A. McDonald, a veteran of 82nd Airborne Division. Most of the subordinate functionaries also possess extensive military experience. They appreciate that soldiering is a unique profession with challenging convolutions.DESW has acquired notoriety as the first barricade of bureaucratic negativity. Most proposals get rejected at DESW level itself. Instead of looking after the welfare of veterans and standing up for their rights/entitlements, DESW contests every judicial verdict that goes in favour of ex-servicemen, war-widows and even war casualties. As a result, troops and veterans view DESW as an antagonistic entity. India must be the only country where MoD does not enjoy the trust of its veterans. What a sad state of affairs in 'Mera Bharat Mahan'.
Defence Finance is responsible to examine all defence matters having a financial bearing; render financial advice; assist in the formulation and implementation of all schemes/proposals involving expenditure; and assist in the formulation and implementation of defence plans. In other words, they are custodians of government funds and oversee all defence expenditure.Notwithstanding the colourful taxonomy of Defence Financial Advisors, Defence Finance officials are ill-equipped to provide any financial advice. Most are graduates in subjects like Sanskrit, English Literature and History. As they are not familiar with even the basics of finance or economics, it is unfair to expect them to grasp minutiae of financial imperatives. How can officials who know nothing of finance and are totally ignorant of defence issues contribute to the evolution of a sound defence finance plan?
What to talk of rendering advice, Defence Finance officials are incapable of even doing their basic job of account keeping. In March 2016, the Defence Minister shocked the nation by revealing that India's USD 3 billion were lying forgotten with the US government for years, without earning any interest. Worse, India continued to make fresh payments to the US for new weaponry. Whether it was a case of ill-management, lack of attention or sheer incompetence, it could have happened only in 'Mera Bharat Mahan'.
As can be seen, MoD is responsible for all facets of national defence. Unfortunately, it suffers from major fundamental flaws in its organisation and functioning. It is entirely manned by bureaucrats and officials who are clueless about defence matters. The service headquarters are mere attached offices. They do not form part of the decision making apparatus.MoD is a citadel of bureaucracy and is totally devoid of professionalism. The world abhors dealing with it. Since 2014, a measly sum of USD 1.12 million has come in as FDI despite the government raising the cap to 100 percent. Incompetence results in vacillation and lack of decision making; and that dissuades all prospective investors.
Most disappointingly, the political leadership remains a powerless spectator. Howsoever broad Modi's chest may be and howsoever well-meaning Parrikar may be; bureaucracy continues to call the shots and not a single (yes, not a single) reform has been implemented during the last two years. All those pre-election boasts have proved to be mere baloney. MoD carries on functioning in its lethargic and inept manner. Hopefully, our chants of 'Mera Bharat Mahan' will continue to deter potential enemies of India._._,_.___


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Hushon celebrates 30 years with new owners
UK: Ben Johnstone has been appointed MD of Portsmouth-based air conditioning distributor Hushon UK following the retirement of co-founder Tony Martin.
As a result of the changes, the company is now jointly owned by Ben and his largely-retired father Ken Johnstone, who founded the business in August 1987 with Tony Martin. Paul Wadsworth remains as technical director.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Hushon UK was formed to distribute the Hushon range of medium and large capacity split and packaged air conditioning systems, latterly Hitecsa has been the main supplier of these products.
Building on its success in this field, air handling plant was added and, significantly, the Toshiba range of air conditioners in 2006, thus allowing them to offer one of the widest product solutions.
In his new role as MD, Ben Johnstone said: "Having now taken over the reins of Hushon UK, I look forward to continuing to provide our customers with the same level of customer service and support that they have come to expect over the last 30 years. We are also putting plans together to be able to increase our sales with the three suppliers that we currently represent."

subset: commoncrawl


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The Trimble 5600 DR 200+ is a robotic total station that provides a long range surveying capabilities. Technical specifications are available from the Trimble web site by clicking here.
This instrument is capable of 2″ angular precision and, in reflectorless mode can measure distances up to 600m with an accuracy of 3mm +/- 2ppm. With the active prism, the EDM can measure distances up to 5,500 meters with an accuracy of 2mm +/- 2ppm. Used for control point placement, site stake-out, micro-topography surveys and more, the 5600 provides a flexible solution to many geomatics applications. The instrument may be linked via an integrated UHF radio to the powered prism pole so that, as the pole moves from point to point, servo motors swivel the total station's telescope in both horizontal and vertical angles to stay aligned with the active prism. Because the data logger is attached to the prism pole, the operator can control all aspects of the instrument remotely: one person surveys, even high resolution micro-topography, are feasible and have been demonstrated many times by researchers at CAST. One example was in the creation of a very high resolution topographic map of the Double Ditch Site by Ken Kkvamme and his collaborators. Information on that project is available here. Another project, at the Pea Ridge National Battle Field, used the system in a similar high precision mapping effort. Both angle and distance measurements are easily integrated with GPS data collected from the Trimble 5700/5800 in a least-squares network adjustment using Trimble's Geomatics Office software. The systems has been used in a number of innovative projects.
Green vectors represent measures from the 5600 total station to an active prism pole as part of a micro-topography survey. The orange vectors represent GPS base-lines measured in fast-static mode using the 5700/5800 instruments. The GPS observations were integrated with the total station survey to establish a geodetic reference for the survey.
The system was purchased with support from an NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant.


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A Horse of a Different Color: The Changing Voices of Web Content
Most of us probably remember the horse of a different color from "The Wizard of Oz." One moment it was green, and the next, bright red. Well, web content is a bit like that fabled horse. Each of the different types of writing has a distinct personality and requires a style and voice all its own. If writing web page content is part of your job description, you'll need to know all the different types of horses you'll be herding, and recognize just how to make the most of each of them.
- Press release – This is the workhorse of the web content world. He's steady, strong, and a solid, no-nonsense brown. A press release needs to pique the interest of news outlets if it hopes to be picked up by them, but has to do so with verifiable facts, not sales language or hyperbole.
- Tweet – This little beauty is a bright pink carousel pony, spangled with stars and sparkles. Meant to be fun and bouncy, a Tweet is usually a bit irreverent. And, just like the little toy horse at the carnival, a Tweet is small, just 140 characters in length, and that's counting spaces and punctuation marks.
- White paper – A white paper is a stodgy, gray plow horse. Some people may think he should be put out to roam the pasture, but he still has a job to get done. White papers are serious, nearly academic-quality articles that need to be clear and authoritative. Their intention is to help the reader solve a problem, understand an issue or reach a decision. But that argument must be made with hard cold facts and old-school attributions, including, according to the Purdue OWL writing lab, a list of cited works .
- Blog post – Think of a blog post as a pony at a birthday party. A sweet, speckled Shetland. Party ponies, like blog posts, are fun and not at all formal. They toss their pretty heads and make people laugh, and no one takes them too seriously. They're also easy to take care of because, being small, they don't take up very much room.
- Article – An article is a sleek, chestnut race horse: modern and readable, but with a touch of class. It's also fast. The frenetic pace of the internet puts a lot of demands on our attention. Webpage articles need to be quickly scannable, or readers lose interest. This means short, easily digestible paragraphs and eye-leading headers speeding us toward that finish line.
- Product description – This is a flashy black trotter. A real looker with head held high and polished hooves flashing. His every move says, "Look at me!" A head-turning pretty boy, he's all about conservation of motion; no wasted words for this guy. A product description is succinct and evocative, just like the clipped, high-stepping gate of our trotter.
So, there you have it: the low down on all the different types of web content. And, if you haven't already guessed, as a freelance writer, you'll sometimes need to be a horse of a different color yourself. "How?" you ask. Just stand ready to change your voice and style as needed for each assignment you tackle.
Kate C is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.


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Vetements: Bitcoin boys and babes are all the rage
Just when you thought that brands were getting back to doing live shows on runways, when along comes Vetements with another digital lookbook in an ode to Bitcoin billionaires.
Which just about made sense, as the collection was an ode to the new wealth created by social media entrepreneurs.
Though, apparently, very much celebrity-shy new clients for this brand, seeing as practically every one of the 72 looks featured a mask. And in an ironic piece of mickey-taking on modern materialism, the backdrop to the static lookbook was a wallpaper made of One Million Dollar greenbacks. The print reappeared on clunky space-age boots, face masks and even a Statue of Liberty gown.
"Originally catering to royals and the aristocracy, in the early 20th century couturiers focused on a new type of clients - industry tycoons and their families, who made money with everything from oil and real estate to butter and chocolate bars," the brand's director Guram Gvasalia explained in a mock-up of a Wikipedia page, sent with the show press release. Which joked that the show budget was one billion dollars.
"With the Fall-Winter 22-23 main collection, Vetements is pushing to redefine the couture and savoir-faire of the previous generations for the new era, that is defined by all-new social and economic phenomenon's that can transform a person's life overnight - the new wealth of Bitcoin millionaires. Someone who invested 1000 dollars in Bitcoin in 2010 would now be worth short of 80 million dollars; social media millionaires who rose to fame and wealth by simply being themselves and sharing the most private moments of their lives," continued Guram, the brother of Demna, designer of Balenciaga.
The net result was a collection with all the edgy attitude and voluminous silhouettes one expects from Vetements, though often in unlikely new fabrics. The men's and women's double-breasted blazers and coats were cut with supreme aplomb yet made in atypical fabrics like jersey and molton wool. Though the biggest news was body stockings in fantastic prints – from industrial screws and bolts to calendars and betting slips to autumn leaves.
The exaggerated volumes, shiny velour, wacky prints and brilliantly cut wrap cocktails all oozed streetwise glamour. However, it remains rather ironic that the DNA of Vetements; created by two Georgian refugee brothers, and referencing thrift shop, secondhand styling, should now be considered the go-to destination for Bitcoin billionaires.
An awful lot of people have made a lot of money from Bitcoin. As did many people during the South Sea Bubble of 1720, that era's most famous financial collapse. But many people also lost shirts in the South Sea Bubble, including Sir Isaac Newton, and many older, wiser heads expect thousands to do so in Bitcoin, as the last people in are left holding the bag.
But at least when they do, they can buy one of Vetements new T-shirts as a consolation. It reads: 'Money can't make me happy, but Vetements can.'
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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No Doubt Natural Foundation
An innovative colour adjusting foundation full with nourishing ingredients that soothe, hydrate, cover and protect.
This all-natural foundation is weightless, and has a medium, buildable, semi-matte coverage.
Aloe vera, chamomile, and squalane nourish, soothe and moisturize the skin while thyme battles spots and acne.
Zinc oxide (non-nano) and vitamin E help protect the skin during the day and provide anti-aging properties.
For all skin types, including sensitive and acne prone. Hiro Liquid Foundation has the pleasant sweet smell of vanilla.
Available in 9 shades named after famous flapper girls from the 20's:
- #02 Fitzgerald (For the fairest Complexions)
- #04 Bow (Light Skintone with cool Undertones)
- #06 Daniels (Medium Skintone with cool Undertones)
- #08 Bara (Light to Medium Skintone with warm Undertones)
- #10 Moore (Light to Medium Skinton with neutral Undertones)
- #12 Talmadge (Medium Skintone with warm Undertones)
- #14 Brooks (Medium to Dark Skintone with warm Undertones)
- #16 Baker (Dark Skintone with warm Undertones)
- #18 Smith (Deep Dark Skintone with warm Undertones)
100% Natural – 88% Organic – Vegan – Gluten Free
30ml in an airless bottle.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Water, Zinc Oxide, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit*, Glycerin¹*, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Powder*, Boron Nitride, Lecithin ¹*, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera (Candelilla Wax), Squalane, Matricaria Recutita (Chamomile) Flower Extract*, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Vanilla Planifolia*, Origanum Vulgare (Oregano) Leaf Extract*, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Extract*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract*, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract*, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract*, Hydrastis Canadensis (Goldenseal) Extract*, Linalool**, Geraniol**, Limonene**. May contain: CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491 (Iron Oxide Red), CI 77492 (Iron Oxide Yellow), CI 77499 (Iron Oxide Black)
* Organic
¹ Derived from plants
**naturally occurring in essential oils
High Performance, Natural Cosmetics with very high organic percentages. Cruelty-free, non-gmo, gluten-free & vegan.
Impressum / Datenschutz


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Santa Monica Outdoor Patio Furniture Coffee Table
Santa Monica outdoor patio furniture wicker rattan coffee table with glass top will add style and convenience to your patio furniture set. With its .25 inch glass tabletop as a flat surface to place drinks, meals or decor for outdoor gatherings, this coffee table is the perfect center piece to your current outdoor furniture set. Its high-quality, and durable wicker rattan base is made to last. Unique yet familiar at the same time, this outdoor coffee table will become a favorite!
- COFFEE TABLE DIMENSIONS - Coffee Table Weight: 56 lbs. Table Dimensions: 40" W x 20" H x 40" D
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Breaking News
Science And Technology
Taking its place alongside the design greats of all time, the Design Museum, London, welcomed a new exhibit this evening: the Range Rover Velar.
Velar launches with a suite of consumer technologies, working together to create an in-built technology butler. At its heart is an all-new, cutting-edge infotainment system called Touch Pro Duo.
Dubbed Blade by development engineers because of its slender profile and clean surfaces, the innovation makes the in-car technology experience clearer, quicker and more enjoyable, enhancing every journey, said a statement.
The fourth member of the Range Rover family was unveiled in spectacular style at the Design Museum to a capacity audience who also enjoyed a Velar photographic exhibition by world renowned photographer Gary Bryan. The images are now being showcased on the brand's Instagram channel: @landrover
Velar is the first vehicle to be launched and displayed at the new Design Museum, which opened to the public in November 2016 after moving from its original Shad Thames location. The new model was simultaneously shown for one night only in a pop-up display in Kensington High Street, West London, alongside the Range Rover Evoque, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover.
Velar will be on public display in the Design Museum in a unique installation, until March 5. The exhibit is called 'Reductionism', showcasing the philosophy of stripping away complexity to reveal true quality.
The last time Land Rover displayed a vehicle in this way was in the early 1970s when the original Range Rover was shown at the world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris, as an example of "exemplary industrial design".
Jaguar Land Rover also announced a partnership with the Design Museum, which will bring a series of collaborations, exhibitions and events to the museum over the next three years.
Land Rover chief design officer Gerry McGovern said: "We are delighted to be able to begin our partnership with the Design Museum with such a significant vehicle. The new Range Rover Velar brings a new dimension of modernity to our brand while reinforcing our total commitment to design and engineering excellence."
The new Velar fills the space in the Range Rover family between the Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Sport.
Refined for every occasion, for every terrain, Velar uses unique sustainable materials and advanced engineering to continue Land Rover's drive to go Above and Beyond.
Created from a clean sheet using Jaguar Land Rover's lightweight aluminium architecture, it is safer, stronger and cleaner and improves driving performance, the company said.
Velar continues Range Rover's history of innovation, incorporating advanced technologies, compelling design and absolute attention to detail.
Peter Virk, Jaguar Land Rover's director of connected car and future technology, said: "Two high-definition 10-inch touchscreens are your window into the world. The connected infotainment system learns from you and anticipates your needs, serving you what you want, when you want it – but never intrudes letting you enjoy the drive, while it takes the stress out of daily life, like any good butler or digital personal assistant should."
Advanced consumer technology is reflected in the use of trend setting materials. Unique in the segment, the Velar offers a sustainable, premium textile seat material as an alternative to leather. The Dapple Grey material was developed together with Kvadrat, Europe's leading manufacturer of high-quality design textiles, and is complemented with Suedecloth inserts.
Pivotal to the contemporary, design of Velar are the full Matrix-Laser LED headlights, the most slender ever to appear on a production Land Rover, the flush deployable door handles, and the Burnished Copper coloured detailing on the front bumper blades and fender vents.
Velar has a sophisticated four-corner suspension system, delivering peerless refinement with unrivalled comfort and control, it said.
Five engines are offered at launch, ranging from the clean, responsive 180PS 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel, to the potent 380PS supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine. A 300PS Ingenium petrol engine will join the Velar range later in 2017
GMT 15:26 2017 Friday ,22 DecemberVW sacks executive jailed over 'dieselgate': report
GMT 12:54 2017 Friday ,22 DecemberBaidu accuses former exec of stealing self-driving car technology
GMT 17:41 2017 Wednesday ,06 DecemberUK car sales extend slump: industry body
GMT 14:49 2017 Sunday ,19 NovemberUS rejects Ford petition to delay recall of 3m vehicles
GMT 19:06 2017 Wednesday ,08 NovemberBMW revs research spending higher, profits fishtail
GMT 10:33 2017 Tuesday ,24 OctoberSingapore to freeze number of cars on its roads
GMT 13:26 2017 Tuesday ,17 OctoberTesla sacks hundreds of workers on Model 3 stall: source
GMT 21:18 2017 Saturday ,07 OctoberTesla delays big rig truck debut; Model 3 in 'production hell'
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©


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Get Your Sales and Marketing Working as a Team
Are your sales and marketing systems working together to drive ROI?
Marketing and sales teams have the same goal – turn a prospect into a customer. When properly aligned and working together they provide a unified platform for both teams to track and analyze customer activities and behavior. Better integration means better flow through the sales funnel and accelerated growth.
Join Sean Leonard, CEO of ActiveDEMAND, and Shirine Ziar, US Manager of noCRM.io as they discuss how integration between your sales lead management and marketing automation platforms will accelerate the buyer's journey through the sales funnel.
View the webcast and learn more on:
- The sales and marketing alignment challenge
- The role real-time communication plays
- Accelerating the buyer's journey through the sales funnel
- How to get your lead management and marketing automation working in sync
- Business benefits of integrated sales and marketing systems
- And more…


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Residential Garage Doors
Questions? Call us today!
All Steel-Craft products offer excellent basic design, careful workmanship, superior materials and are engineered by technicians who work exclusively on door applications and are experts in meeting and exceeding any construction specifications. The Residential line of insulated garage doors are manufactured utilizing the very latest in modern technology. Each section incorporates a mechanical interlock along the entire length to ensure there is no delamination of the steel skin from the urethane. This design adds strength and durability to the door, and is only available from Steel-Craft Door Products.
Polyurethane injected sandwich panel doors are the best that are available in insulated garage doors today. They are incredibly strong, light weight, and extremely well insulated.


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Who nose with these people! Andy Cohen asks a simple question that launches a tirade of insults between Melissa Gorga, Teresa Giudice and Jacqueline Laurita on part two of The Real Housewives of New Jersey season 7 reunion episode airing on Sunday, November 13, as seen in Us Weekly's exclusive sneak peek.
"I need to know something. Melissa, did you have four nose jobs?" Cohen asks while toeing into the lion's den.
Melissa gives a quick and emphatic "No!" in response, then reiterates that it's the "worst-kept secret" that she has had a nose job.
Before she can say much more, Laurita inserts, "One? Not two different doctors?"
"Why do you care?" Gorga shoots back, with Giudice "Oh, my God"-ing in disbelief.
"I stated the f–king obvious, Pinocchio!" Laurita snaps. She adds that she doesn't even care whether Gorga got work done or not: "It's about the fact that she could lie with a straight face."
We get a brief moment of comedic relief from Siggy Flicker and Dolores Catania, who both agree that they'd like to be the ones with the most plastic surgery after Laurita outs them as such. Don't forget that the first time we met Flicker, her face was covered in post-facelift bandages. And back to the battle.
"History shows that you both are liars," Laurita insists, and officially drags Giudice into the fight with a sharp, "You went to jail for it!"
"You're a s–t friend," Gorga states, which was too much for Flicker and Catania as the shot pans to them looking aghast.
"You are a very low, dirty bitch," Giudice hits. "Look at her clown-looking face." Now it's too much for Cohen as well, who sounds exhausted when he finally chimes in, "Alright, alright."
Then Gorga and Giudice go at it, arguing over whether Laurita is a s–t friend or a clown.
"She's a wolf in lamb's clothing, but she's a wolf with rabies," Giudice settles, giving everyone a chance to chuckle at the misused idiom.
Check out the explosion in the clip above, and watch the second part of The Real Housewives of New Jersey's season 7 reunion on Bravo Sunday, November 13, at 10 p.m. ET.


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Opal Cabochon Post Earring
We chose to cut our opal in a custom round cabochon shape because we wanted to create a perfect mirror for gazing into the unique fire that each of these beauties has within. That's why she's smooth and round and ready to call in luck and prosperity.
Not sure which gemstone is meant for you? Take our Power Gem Quiz.


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Wheelchair delivered to Sasha Surkov
Sasha's mother has sent us some pictures and kind words of gratitude:
Hello! Thank you sincerely foundation members and the people who helped raise money to purchase a wheelchair for my son. Today we bought one. Sasha is very pleased and comfortable in it. Thank you very much for your compassion and kindness. May God protect you!


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Kevin Zimmerman, Arizona Desert Swarm: Arizona's improvement on defense was a good sign, especially against a very good running back in John White. Just when it felt like the wheels were coming off on that side of the ball, Jeff Casteel's crew got it back together and made key plays in the fourth quarter -- the Wildcats had three forced turnovers on downs.
Adam Butler, Pacific Takes and Pac Hoops: They made plays when they had to. It wasn't the prettiest game that anyone's ever seen, quite the contrary, but they managed to keep lanes open for Carrey and Star Lotuleilei was rendered inconsequential. Defensively they did what they needed to, keeping Travis Wilson just uncomfortable enough that he couldn't win the game.
Alec Sills-Trausch, ZonaZealots: I think the fact Matt Scott was able to play the entire game was the best thing any Wildcat fan could have asked for. He may not have played great, but him getting reps was ideal, especially with the upcoming game against ASU just a few days away.
What to work on: Defense. Arizona's defense will always be a "work in progress" this season. There are far too many injuries and the players are just not right for the 3-3-5 scheme Rich Rod presents. We'll see if there is any "progress" Friday night against Arizona State.
SB Nation snippet
More from Zimmerman on the Arizona defense:
Jeff Casteel's defense can take much credit for the turnaround. Where Scott struggled in the passing game, going 12-of-27 for just 160 yards, UA's defense held strong throughout. Take Utah's deep drive to the Arizona 4-yard line in the first quarter as proof -- the Wildcats stuffed John White on a 4th-and-1 to take the ball, the swing leading to a 44-yard John Bonano field goal to get the scoring off.


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There are many fun traditions and activities associated with the fall season, from drinking the famous pumpkin spice latte to watching the homecoming game at your local school. Seasonal activities usually begin in September and run throughout October and the beginning of November. Some farms offer accessible options for their fall events. Although these options could be wheelchair accessible, we recommend calling the specific place you would like to visit ahead of time to make sure what you want to do is wheelchair accessible, as well as learn of possible barriers you may encounter while you're there. We've compiled a list of classic activities to do either on your own or with your loved ones this year.
Accessible Apple Picking
One tradition that is enjoyed by people of all ages is apple picking. You can browse the selection of different apple varieties that each orchard offers. There are many fun recipes for apples for you to try throughout the season. If you aren't one for baking apple pies or making your own warm apple cider, you can just enjoy a cup of apple cider.
Baking in a Wheelchair
Maybe apples aren't your preferred flavor for dishes, but that's okay! There are plenty of alternate options for traditional seasonal flavors. Fresh pumpkins, spices and cranberries would make great additions to your pies, cookies and other desserts this fall. With the Jazzy Air® 2's* power adjustable seat height, you can elevate 12" in just 11 seconds, allowing you to reach your ingredients on shelves and in cabinets in your kitchen.
Go on a Hayride
Many farms offer hayrides throughout the fall season. You can take a ride through the fields to see the beautiful colors, pumpkins and vegetation. For those who love to get into the holiday spirit and be scared around Halloween, farms sometimes offer haunted hayrides when it gets darker out.
Accessible Corn Maze
Each year, farms offer different themes for their corn mazes. Many corn mazes have paths that are wide and flat enough for a wheelchair to safely travel through. However, we still recommend that you call the farm ahead of time to ask if their corn maze is wheelchair accessible.
Another factor to consider when visiting a corn maze is weather. While the ground is normally flat, after a rainstorm, it can get very muddy and bumpy, making it both difficult to navigate with your power chair and easy to get your motorized wheelchair dirty.
Much like hayrides, some farms offer haunted corn maze experiences at night.
Decorate a Pumpkin
If you prefer to embrace the autumn season at home, one option you have is decorating pumpkins. You aren't limited to carving a pumpkin just for Halloween. In addition to carving, you and your loved ones can enjoy painting faces, designs and other patterns onto your pumpkins. You don't have to take a trip to a farm to buy pumpkins, many local markets sell both big and small-sized pumpkins.
If you do decide to carve a pumpkin, another fun activity that you can do with your family is seasoning the pumpkin seeds with your favorite seasonings and bake them in the oven for a tasty snack.
If you are interested in using power adjustable seat height to make memories with your friends and family, but you don't know where to buy a Jazzy Air® 2, check out our motorized wheelchair FAQ page to for more information!
*FDA Class II Medical Device designed to aid individuals with mobility impairments.


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A customizable HR department at your fingertips
Human capital recruiting, screening, onboarding, management, and improvement
Expertise whenever you need it
Practice makes perfect and it's very important that you anticipate interview questions and have thoughtful answers in mind. Interviewers are not looking for simply "yes" and "no" answers. They are probing to learn as much as they can about you by utilizing "behavior-based" questions. Think about how you would answer questions such as:


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Prejudice has caused the pain and suffering of others for many centuries. Some examples of this include the Holocaust and slavery in the United States. In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, racism was the cause of much agony to the blacks of a segregated South. Along with blacks, other groups of people are judged unfairly just because of their difference from others. The prejudice and bigotry of society causes the victimization of people with differences. Some who are discriminated against are those who are born differently than the majority.
One person that is treated unfairly is Calpurnia, as you can see when Aunt Alexandra tried to get Atticus to fire Calpurnia, because in her eyes, Calpurnia wasn't a good enough female role model. This is a prejudice action, because Calpurnia is as good as a role model as Aunt Alexandra, if not better. Aunt Alexandra is a bigot and doesn't see the character of Calpurnia, just the color of her skin.
Another person who is treated like an inferior is Scout by her teacher, because she knew how to read. "She discovered that I was literate and looked at me with more than faint distaste." Scout is treated like it is her fault that she knows more than the average child did. She learned earlier than others so she gets punished unjustly.
Tom Robinson is also one who is discriminated by a biased community. Tom is found guilty by the jury in his case against the Ewells. The guilty verdict is a direct result of a racist community. Tom was never given a fair chance in the trial, even though the evidence was proving him innocent.
People that are born differently often get mistreated and are discriminated against. Another group that is treated poorly in the society...


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(MEXICO NEWS DAILY) — In the face of rising levels of crime in Jalisco there is evidence that self-defense forces have formed in the state capital.
People presumed to be residents of Guadalajara are using social media to recruit new members to vigilante groups to patrol the streets of neighborhoods plagued by crime, such as Jardines Alcalde, the newspaper Reforma reported today.
The attitude of the posts accompanied by the hashtag #YoSoyAutodefensaYaBasta (I'm a Self-Defense Member Enough Already) is one of open defiance and outright aggression.
"We already have 30 members in the self-defense group. It's time for the criminals to clear off and steal from somewhere else. Whoever comes in, I'm ready and I don't give a damn if I take a few bullets; I prefer that than them shooting someone in my family," a presumed member of a self-defense group in Jardines Alcalde wrote.
"If you catch people red-handed, before you take action, send a message so that the others arrive in support to give them a good beating," another presumed member said.
Other posts offer advice about applying for a firearm permit as well as how to use it and where to practice.
Although some social media users who have commented on the posts see the creation of self-defense groups as a radical measure, the majority defend the move as a last resort, citing the lack of protection provided by official security forces.
The president of a residents' association in Jardines Alcalde told Reforma that the emergence of self-defense groups in the area is worrying, adding that municipal police are monitoring the situation.
Salvador Quiroz Nuño explained that local residents are fed up with crime and pointed out that while the residents' group doesn't support the actions of people who take law enforcement into their own hands, it doesn't tell them not to.
Another self-defense group reportedly formed in the Alcalde Barranquitas neighborhood at the end of last year, where residents armed themselves with Tasers and pepper spray to ward off intruders.
In addition to high robbery rates, violent crime has also plagued Guadalajara and Jalisco in the first two months of 2018.
There were more than 120 homicides in the state in both January and February and 60 in the first week of March.


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Lawsuits That Make You Want to Slap Someone
Posted on Jun 18, 2007 in Personal Injury
Paris is still in jail today; her dad came to visit yesterday afternoon – it was, after all, Father's Day. Sister Nikki is telling all who'll listen that Paris isn't in jail for DUI … she's in jail for driving on a suspended license.
Meanwhile, Kristy Swanson was arrested last night in Ontario, for assaulting her boyfriend's ex-wife. She's filed a counter charge against the ex. And, discovery proceeds in the pants lawsuit — an administrative law judge is suing Custom Cleaners for $65 Million because they ruined a pair of his pants. One pair. According to a Canadian Press report, Judge Pearson actually cried on the stand last week, as he described the loss.
Then, there's the Port St. Lucie case, where the owner of the Delmonico Grill has sued the Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers, and its restaurant reviewer – a woman named Patricia Smith – because they gave the Grill a bad review (here's the review).
Now, this isn't the first time a newspaper has been sued because there's been a bad review and the restaurant claims to have lost business because of it. Port St. Lucie's own Hometown News reports on other cases in Dallas, and in Pennsylvania. Dallas had a re-do and the case was dropped.
Interesting about the Port St. Lucie case — it's still going on, because it survived a motion to dismiss just like the pants case. And it's getting attention from as far away as Britian, where the Guardian saw fit to report about the case. Of course, the Guardian was very British about the whole thing – the article concludes with:
"I was forgetting, of course, that the US's famous right to free speech is circumscribed by the right of people to sue over virtually anything. Oh yes, and then there are the ambulance-chasing lawyers as well."
Let me just point out that, yes, there are lawyers who'll take a case without depth (I'm being tactful here). There are also lots and lots of folks shopping around for attorneys to file lawsuits for them.
Lawyers are forbidden to sue based upon frivolous, or meritless, claims. They can face monetary penalties for doing so; in most jurisdictions, they can also have their law licenses suspended.
Early on, in these types of cases, motions are filed to dismiss them. Both the $65 Million pants case in Washington D.C. as well as the Delmonico Grill restaurant review have passed that test. The judges found them to be legitimate controversies.
So, while Paris may seem silly and Judge Pearson is weepy and the Delmonico Grill may or may not serve fresh bread and produce, there are legitimate legal issues involved in each of them. They've all survived judicial review.
Makes you want to slap someone, right? The question is just who.�


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Estimating the Technology of Cognitive and Noncognitive Skill Formation
This paper formulates and estimates multistage production functions for children's cognitive and noncognitive skills. Skills are determined by parental environments and investments at different stages of childhood. We estimate the elasticity of substitution between investments in one period and stocks of skills in that period to assess the benefits of early investment in children compared to later remediation. We establish nonparametric identification of a general class of production technologies based on nonlinear factor models with endogenous inputs. A by-product of our approach is a framework for evaluating childhood and schooling interventions that does not rely on arbitrarily scaled test scores as outputs and recognizes the differential effects of the same bundle of skills in different tasks. Using the estimated technology, we determine optimal targeting of interventions to children with different parental and personal birth endowments. Substitutability decreases in later stages of the life cycle in the production of cognitive skills. It is roughly constant across stages of the life cycle in the production of noncognitive skills. This finding has important implications for the design of policies that target the disadvantaged. For most configurations of disadvantage, our estimates imply that it is optimal to invest relatively more in the early stages of childhood than in later stages.
This paper was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (SES-0241858, SES- 0099195, SES-0452089, SES-0752699); the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD43411); the J. B. and M. K. Pritzker Foundation; the Susan Buffett Foundation; the American Bar Foundation; the Children's Initiative, a project of the Pritzker Family Foundation at the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago; and PAES, supported by the Pew Foundation, as well as the National Institutes of Health|National Institute on Aging (P30 AG12836), the Boettner Center for Pensions and Retirement Security and the NICHD R24 HD-0044964 at the University of Pennsylvania. We thank the editor and three anonymous referees for very helpful comments. We have also benefited from comments received from Orazio Attanasio, Gary Becker, Sarah Cattan, Philipp Eisenhauer, Miriam Gensowski, Jeffrey Grogger, Lars Hansen, Chris Hansman, Kevin Murphy, Petra Todd, Ben Williams, Ken Wolpin, and Junjian Yi, as well as from participants at the Yale Labor/Macro Conference (May 2006), University of Chicago Applications Workshop (June 2006), the New York University Applied Microeconomics Workshop (March 2008), the University of Indiana Macroeconomics Workshop (September 2008), the Applied Economics and Econometrics Seminar at the University of Western Ontario (October 2008), the Empirical Microeconomics and Econometrics Seminar at Boston College (November 2008), the IFS Conference on Structural Models of the Labour Market and Policy Analysis (November 2008), the New Economics of the Family Conference at the Milton Friedman Institute for Research in Economics (February 2009), the Econometrics Workshop at Penn State University (March 2009), the Applied Economics Workshop at the University of Rochester (April 2009), the Economics Workshop at Universidad de los Andes, Bogota (May 2009), the Labor Workshop at University of Wisconsin-Madison (May 2009), the Bankard Workshop in Applied Microeconomics at the University of Virginia (May, 2009), the Economics Workshop at the University of Colorado-Boulder (September, 2009), and the Duke Economic Research Initiative (September, 2009). A website containing supplementary material is available at http://jenni.uchicago.edu/elast-sub. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Published Versions
Flavio Cunha & James J. Heckman & Susanne M. Schennach, 2010. "Estimating the Technology of Cognitive and Noncognitive Skill Formation," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 78(3), pages 883-931, 05. citation courtesy of


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Listen: Northeast Party House - Perfect Lines
Perfect Lines is a raw, wild beast of a single.
Any Given Weekend, Northeast Party House's debut album, was a marring of their rock roots doused in fiery synths and then set on fire with a flamethrower. Their latest single Perfect Lines is gritty, guitar-lick heavy number separating them from the over-used reference points of Bloc Party. Also for a moment can we just admire the simplicity of their cover art, it looks like something you'd draw on one of your textbook after a full year of doodling with bad colours included because you only have three highlighters. Albeit a lot better done as most people cannot draw. But back to Perfect Lines! It almost slips into a psych-feel at times with reverb washing over on the guitars and bass but the very core of this song is rock. Gone is the clean riffs that you could pick out in tracks like The Haunted replaced by a more lo-fi mood none of their music to date has contained. Perfect Lines is also the first hint at what Northeast Party House's new album will sound like once they record it after their Later S'traya' tour:
Fri 14 August - Ballarat @ Karova Lounge
Sat 15 August - Geelong @ Barwon Club
Thu 20 August - Sydney @ Oxford Art Factory
Fri 21 August - Adelaide @ The Gov
Sat 22 August - Brisbane @ The Triffid
Fri 28 August - Melbourne @ 170 Russell


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EU H2020 Triangle Project Open Call Experiment
An experimentation proposal (titled 5GVR) from Digiotouch on developing a 5G powered Virtual Reality mobile application for Android devices has been accepted as a part of the Open Call (OC6) of EU H2020 Triangle Project.
Digiotouch is working on a VR app (called Digiotouch VR) for Android devices targeting Smart Museum, and Smart City verticals, and currently, the app is powered by our Cloud-based Paradise IoT Platform. The fundamental objectives of the 5GVR experiment are twofold-
Develop a MEC application server for high-quality multimedia content caching and delivery. Since the server is located very close to the VR headsets, our VR app will benefit from low latency (~10ms). The MEC application server will obtain multimedia content from the Paradise IoT Platform. In addition to that, the app is also enabled by 5G features like low power consumption, improved QoS, and support 10x more simultaneous connections brings.
Make our VR app 5G-ready. 5G is anticipated to break the current barriers in VR adoption and make the latter a mainstream technology. We will test our app in Triangle Testbed and obtain a certification for upcoming 5G systems.
About Triangle Project - TRIANGLE is building a framework to help app developers and device manufacturers in the evolving 5G sector to test and benchmark new mobile applications in Europe utilizing existing and extended FIRE testbeds. This framework will evaluate the Quality of Experience and enable certification for new mobile applications and devices.
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 688712.


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Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino
Situated under the picturesque Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder is only 15 minutes from downtown Santa Fe, and about an hour from Albuquerque International (ABQ) Airport. Enjoy all the hotel facilities, with a choice of six restaurants, and a seasonal outdoor pool which opens in late spring, and an indoor pool open year-round.
Behind the hotel's striking Pueblo exterior lies the most exciting casino hotel in New Mexico. The casino is situated under the hotel. You will find 1,200 slots, 18 tables, roulette wheels and a poker room with tournaments twice weekly. The casino hosts regular events, from internationally famous live bands, to stand-up comedy.
Towa, this Santa Fe hotel's on-site golf club, boasts three courses, each taking advantage of the natural features of the landscape. The final par 3 on the Bill Phillips-designed Boulder Course drops 100 feet from tee to green. Get fitted for top brand rental clubs by PGA professionals in the golf store. Practice on a driving range in view of Santa Fe Ski Basin.
Pamper yourself in Wo' P'In Spa, with a full-service salon, revitalizing treatments, or therapeutic massage. Enjoy the sauna and steam room, or relax in a private couples' treatment room. Work out in the private fitness center with 24-hour key access. Host any event at Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder. An on-site wedding chapel and 66,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and banquet rooms cater to functions of up to 1,800 guests for the ultimate celebration.
Cities of Gold Hotel & Casino
A New Mexico legend is yours to experience at Pojoaque Pueblo. The Cities of Gold Hotel is a full service hotel which includes: 124 deluxe guest rooms, a full service restaurant with room service, an outdoor cantina (seasonal), free wireless, laundry facility, pet friendly, a business center, and 6,600 square feet of meeting space. Guests have complimentary access to the modern gym and pool, located at the nearby Wellness Center. Free shuttle service is available to the Buffalo Thunder Resort Casino and Downtown Santa Fe.
Homewood Suites
Roadrunner RV Park
Welcome to Roadrunner RV Park, a tribally-owned business. Conveniently located just 15 miles north of Santa Fe on US Highway 84/ 285, we are a 63 site RV Park with 20, 30 and 50 Amp Sites, as well as water and sewer. All sites pull through. Wifi is available too. Tribal amenities nearby include access to a wellness center with basketball, racketball, workout rooms, a swimming pool, and an outdoor track. A full range of eating establishments is nearby, on tribal lands.
Our central location enables you to experience a Native American, authentic stay, with a full range of visitor amenities. Enjoy the Poeh Cultural Center and Museum is located across the street, restaurants at the Buffalo Thunder Resort and Casino


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Safariland, a BAE Systems line of business, announced today that it has released two more body armor models that satisfy the requirements of the National Institute of Justice's (NIJ) new Voluntary Body Armor Compliance Testing Program under NIJ Standard-0101.06 (NIJ-06).
Safariland's XT-300 Type IIA (#BA-2A00S-BR01) and XT-300 Type II (#BA-2000S-BR01) models have been determined by the NIJ to comply with the new NIJ-06 standard. These two models are part of Safariland's Xtreme Series of concealable body armor, and are now available for purchase. Along with its previously announced compliant models, Safariland now has four body armor models that are listed as being compliant with NIJ-06.
The NIJ introduced the Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor NIJ Standard-0101.06 to establish minimum performance requirements and test methods for the ballistic resistance of personal body armor in order to improve performance so that officers receive adequate protection against those threats likely faced over the next decade. According to the new NIJ-06 standard, body armor must now be able to defend against increased velocities of ammunition calibers to better reflect current street threats and law enforcement duty weapons. These new performance requirements are critical components to improving the life-protecting equipment being used by law enforcement.
"We are very pleased by our R&D team's continued success at developing, testing and releasing NIJ-06 compliant body armor models," said Safariland President Scott O'Brien. "This expansion of our comprehensive line of NIJ-06 body armor further establishes Safariland as an industry leader. Most importantly, it illustrates our commitment to saving the lives of those who protect us."
Safariland's NIJ-06 body armor models combine the latest technologies with advanced ballistic materials. The newest available models under Safariland's Xtreme Series include:
§ XT-300 Type IIA – Tested against the 9mm & .40 cal. threats, this model provides optimum ballistic performance in a robust design.
§ XT-300 Type II – Tested against the 9mm & .357 mag. threats, this model also provides optimum ballistic performance in a robust design.
These newly approved models add to Safariland's line of previously approved NIJ-06 body armor models:
§ XT-700 Type II – Tested against the 9mm & .357 mag. threats, this model provides advanced ballistic protection in a lightweight, hybrid design.
§ XT-300 Type IIIA – Tested against the .357 Sig & .44 mag. threats, this model provides optimum ballistic performance in a robust design.
With the introduction of these new NIJ-06 body armor models, Safariland continues its tradition of excellence in protecting law enforcement officers. Recently restructured to incorporate all of its previously independent operating brands, the company is united under one name: Safariland. Together, Safariland's body armor models combine the heritage and expertise of American Body Armor, PROTECH, SAVVY, Safariland Armorwear and Second Chance.
About Safariland
Safariland, LLC is a premier provider of law enforcement and security products and services, delivering a full-range of customer-specific solutions. For more information about Safariland and its body armor products, as well as information on the new NIJ-06 standard, visit www.safariland.com.


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Kenya Larkin-Landers Season 2023-24
Kenya Larkin-Landers enters her second season as an assistant coach on the LSU women's basketball staff. She joined the Lady Tigers prior to the 2008-09 season after serving three seasons in the same capacity at Oklahoma State.
Landers, 29, joined the OSU staff in 2005 and was instrumental in helping lead the Cowgirls to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in 2007 and 2008. In 2008, OSU reached the Sweet 16 before falling to LSU, 67-52, in the New Orleans Regional Semifinal.
Prior to her tenure at OSU, Landers began her coaching career at Trinity Valley Community College. In her first season on the staff, she helped guide the Lady Cardinals to a 32-3 mark, collecting regional and conference titles along the way.
Landers played professionally overseas for two seasons, leading her squad to the Israeli Women's League playoffs twice. She was third in the league in scoring during her first season and was tabbed as the league's point guard of the year. She was also named an all-league selection both years.
The Duncanville, Texas, native began her collegiate playing career at Trinity Valley where she starred for two seasons at point guard. As a freshman, she directed the Lady Cardinals to a 36-0 mark and the 1999 National Junior College Athletic Association national championship.
Rated as the fourth-best junior college point guard as a sophomore, Landers led Trinity Valley to a 24-6 mark and the Region XIV title on her way to garnering first-team all-region, and first-team all-conference honors before moving on to the University of Texas.
Landers played in each of the Longhorns' 65 games during her two seasons in Austin, starting 62 times and leading the squad in assists both years. She started all 32 games as a senior to help Texas reach the Sweet 16.
Landers finished her Longhorn career with 443 points, 195 assists and 97 steals before being invited to the 2002 WNBA Pre-Draft Camp.
She earned her bachelor's degree in education from the University of Texas in 2002. Landers is married to Michael Landers, who is the Athletic Director and women's basketball head coach at Baton Rouge Community College.
Landers' mother, Dinia Johnson, and her sister, Maya Johnson, 14, reside in Duncanville, Texas. Her 19-year-old brother, Corey, is a junior in college.
Birthdate: March 13, 1980
Age: 29
Hometown: Duncanville, Texas
College: Texas, 2002
1998-2000 Trinity Valley Community College
2000-02 University of Texas
2003-04 European Pro Leagues (Israel)
2004-05 Assistant Coach ? Trinity Valley Community College
2005-08 Assistant Coach ? Oklahoma State
2008-present Assistant Coach ? LSU


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Autodesk Tinkercad shares:
Over the course of five days, kids between the ages of 10 and 15 worked with design experts and engineers from Autodesk to brainstorm ideas. Local San Francisco non-profit, KidMob, facilitated the expereince with help from industry leaders and graduate students from CCA.
Every Thursday is #3dthursday here at Adafruit! The DIY 3D printing community has passion and dedication for making solid objects from digital models. Recently, we have noticed electronics projects integrated with 3D printed enclosures, brackets, and sculptures, so each Thursday we celebrate and highlight these bold pioneers!
Have you considered building a 3D project around an Arduino or other microcontroller? How about printing a bracket to mount your Raspberry Pi to the back of your HD monitor? And don't forget the countless LED projects that are possible when you are modeling your projects in 3D!
The Adafruit Learning System has dozens of great tools to get you well on your way to creating incredible works of engineering, interactive art, and design with your 3D printer! If you've made a cool project that combines 3D printing and electronics, be sure to let us know, and we'll feature it here!


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Medicaid Planning & Medicaid Eligibility Attorney
Medicaid Planning & Medicaid Eligibility Lawyer Spartanburg, Greenville, Upstate SC
The elder law attorneys at the Smith & Haskell Law Firm, provide a broad range of elder law services including Medicaid planning and Medicaid eligibility issues for people in the Spartanburg, Greenville, and Upstate surrounding areas and throughout South Carolina. We are committed to helping people and families, while focusing on providing attentive and compassionate legal counsel; navigating you through every step in the legal process while protecting your interests and advocating for your rights.
Our Medicaid planning attorneys for the Smith & Haskell Law Firm assist individuals and families the complexities of Medicaid laws and rules. We strive to create an environment for those in need of benefits to be eligible to receive the best possible care for them or a loved one should they require nursing home or other care.
Effective Medicaid Planning addresses Medicaid Issues and Medicaid Eligibility
The laws surrounding Medicaid eligibility are complex and you should consult an experienced and knowledgeable Medicaid planning attorney to address issues and provide you with a comprehensive strategy tailored to your individual situation. The Medicaid planning process involves developing a plan to reallocate your assets in such a way that Medicaid will not take them into consideration when determining your eligibility for coverage. If you will require nursing home care in the future, you will then qualify to have Medicaid pay for the cost of care, rather than depleting your own resources to cover these costs. Our experienced Medicaid planning attorneys provide guidance throughout this process.
Medicaid planning is a process of working within all applicable laws to set aside savings for the benefit of nursing home residents who will otherwise be economically devastated by the exorbitant cost of private nursing home care. Through asset preservation, implementation of a Medicaid plan allows the resident continued access to the many things not otherwise covered by nursing home Medicaid.
Items not within the scope of Medicaid coverage include a private room (often medically necessary for residents with behavioral issues arising from advanced dementia), companion caregivers (to supplement the personal care provided by overworked nursing home staff), geriatric care manager services, eyeglasses, dentures, hearing aids, beauty shop visits, cable television, telephone line, and all other personal belongings. For more examples see our Medicaid Planning resource)
Informational Resources Regarding Medicaid Planning
For general informational purposes, we have provided relevant information to frequently asked questions about Medicaid planning. This information is a reference as the complexities of the Medicaid laws and rules and we encourage you to schedule and consultation with a Medicaid planning attorney today to speak about your individual situation.
Choose a South Carolina Medicaid Planning Attorney – Spartanburg, Greenville, Upstate SC
A Medicaid planning lawyer at the Smith Law Firm, LLP will help you navigate through the complexities of Medicaid laws and rules. Medicaid choices are just too important to leave to chance.
Benefits of Medicaid Planning
- Optimize healthcare options in a Nursing Home or other care
- Preserve assets and long-term savings
- Utilize cost-effective options
- Access to funds to provide for needs not covered by Medicaid
If you or a loved one has questions about Medicaid planning and Medicaid eligibility, we encourage you to contact a Medicaid planning and eligibility attorney to discuss your situation with the Smith & Haskell Law Firm today at 864.582.6727 to schedule an appointment. The Medicaid planning attorneys at the Smith & Haskell Law Firm can help, don't wait and act now.
The Total Advocacy Firm" Since 1926 | Serving the UpState of South Carolina | Spartanburg County | Greenville County | Anderson County | Chester County | Laurens County | Pickens County | Richland County | York County | Cherokee County | Union County | Oconee County


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I have only been to four countries, so I haven't been to too many places. Unfortunately. I want to go everywhere in the world. There are so many crazy adventures to get up to around the world, and I want to do as many as I can.
I want to go skydiving, go on a safari and see the big five, see Mayan ruins, go white water rafting, see the Globe theatre, ride on the top level of a double decker bus, go hot air ballooning in Cappadocia, explore Petra, wander around the Amazon, see the Great pyramids. And SO much more.
There is little that I don't want to do.
While I still have so much yet to see and do, I have had a few epic adventures that will always stay with me.
The first is traveling to Australia on my own. Yes I was going for a job, but it was still on my own and I had to explore on my own and make friends on my own and figure out things about myself I never knew, on my own. IT WAS INCREDIBLE! Read about how I become an au pair here.
Next was going to the Australia zoo. Home of the crocodile hunter, to me, this is the ultimate zoo. They have so many animals, have a medical center that visitors can go check out, have animals walking around the zoo so that people can see them and get to know the animals. This zoo is all about education and conservation. It is the epitome of what all zoos should be. Read about how I embarrassed myself while at the zoo right here.
I have always wanted to snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef. Who knew it would happen when I was 22. This was so incredible. I have a fear of open water, but I met three amazing friends that morning, who I ended up spending the whole week with. Having them there with me made what could have been an anxiety inducing day, an incredible one. The reef was better than I could have imagined. The colors were so vibrant, and the photos will never do what I saw justice. If I lived in Australia, I can guarantee I would be going back every year.
Exploring Hobbiton. I'm pretty sure that enough is said here, but in case you don't get excited over the word 'Hobbiton', it is the best place! I love the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies, and getting to pretend to be a Hobbit while wandering around real Hobbit homes, no words. Seriously. Seeing famous landmarks from the movies was the best, and then getting to have a drink in the Green Dragon afterwards is something I will never forget. Read about my whole adventure, or just check out some photos.
As many incredible adventures as I have had, the one that sticks out to me the most is by far the most adventurous one that I have ever done. Bungee jumping in Taupo, New Zealand. I had originally planned to do my jump in Queenstown, but since I wasn't going to be making it to the South Island I knew there was only one place I was going to be doing my jump. The view from the jump platform in Taupo is so beautiful. I could have just skipped jumping and stared at the views. Of course, that wasn't going to happen. Read about when I took the plunge.
All of these adventures were so perfect, there are times that I will have stored in my memory forever. I can't wait to have some more experiences that will be added to my memory bank, and eventually be shared with you all.
What are some of your most memorable experiences?


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CREATOR OWNED HEROES #7, out in December, features contributions from all four TRIP CITY curators. Jeffrey Burandt writes and Dean Haspiel draws the horror comic BLOOD + BRAINS, Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel and Seth Kushner write, and Seth creates the Photocomix for the sci-fi, COMPLEX: Love_Underscores_You, and Seth photographs indie comix creator Evan Dorkin for his and Christopher Irving's LEAPING TALL BUILDINGS: INDEPENDENT SPIRITS profile on Dorkin.
Plus, jam-packed issue features a new Darwyn Cooke comic, new KILLSWITCH comic by Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, Jerry Lando and Paul Mounts, a new comic by Steve Niles and Scott Morse, plus a slew of articles, including Steve Bunche.
We TRIP CITYers are honored to be in such esteemed company!
CREATOR OWNED HEROES #7, from IMAGE COMICS and available for pre-order now.


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I've voted -- absentee.
Have you?
No October/November surprises for me.
If you call to tell me whom or what I ought to vote for, I'll tell you it's too late. ...
If you can't tell me a month ahead of time that my girl's been tainted by seven years of late nights at a "questionable" bar down near Castro Street, well, you don't deserve my attention.
Rove's October surprise?
Rove's November suprise?
Go for it, Mr. Rove.
Folks, you are too late to influence the likes of me. I done already voted.
And I'm not the only one ...
: views from the Hill
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Avoid the mud slinging. Vote early.
Posted by Sal at 11:00 PM
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Ticket Price
All Tickets are subject to availability and Terms and Conditions applied.
200Get Tickets
Fee waiver for Civil Servants from State of Penang, MBPP and MPSP.This also including the team/staff from UNDP Malaysia, Penang Institute, Centre of Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS) USM and selected organisations and community leaders.
International Delegates
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FreeGet Tickets
Students will be required to present a student ID at check-in. Failure to present a valid student ID will require payment in order to participate.


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The wife of the governor of Edo State, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, has called on women in the state to stand by the truth and exhibit sincerity of purpose while also charging the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) not to relent in helping women and children fight for their rights.
Receiving the executives of the state branch of FIDA at Government House in Benin City, Mrs. Obaseki said the government would give priority attention to improving the welfare of children in the state.
She also commended FIDA for its passion and identifying with the present administration in its determination to move the state forward.She, however, appealed to members to work with the government as commences advocacy programmes across the various local government areas to sensitise women on their rights.
The wife of the governor assured that government would ameliorate some of their challenges, especially in securing a befitting office accommodation and attending conferences locally and internationally.
The state Chairperson of FIDA, Mrs. Edeke Maria Omozele, said the body's activities include seeking legislative reform to facilitate passing the bill on equal opportunities aimed at guaranteeing women elevation in political positions.
She added that FIDA also collaborates with security agencies and the Ministry of Women Affairs to seek legal justice on issues of violence against children and the vulnerable, while also disclosing its resolve to execute an advocacy campaign in Esan land to sensitise people on the issue of female children having a stake in their parents' estates.
The Guardian
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EPJ Web of Conferences
Volume 16, 2011Research, Science and Technology of Brown Dwarfs and Exoplanets: Proceedings of an International Conference held in Shangai on Occasion of a Total Eclipse of the Sun
|Article Number
|Number of page(s)
|Future Projects
|Published online
|18 July 2011
CHIRON – A new high resolution spectrometer for CTIO
1 ZAH-Landessternwarte, Heidelberg, Germany
2 Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
3 CTIO, La Serena, Chile
4 University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
Small telescopes can play an important role in the search for exoplanets because they offer an opportunity for high cadence observations that are not possible with large aperture telescopes. However, there is a shortage of high resolution spectrometers for precision Doppler planet searches. We report on an innovative design for CHIRON, an inexpensive spectrometer that we are building for the 1.5-m telescope at CTIO in Chile.
The resolution will be R >80.000, the spectral format spanning 410 to 880 nm. The total throughput of the telescope and spectrometer will be better than 12%, comparable with the efficiency of state-of-the-art spectrometers. The design is driven by the requirements for precision Doppler searches for exoplanets using an iodine cell.
The optical layout is a classical echelle with 140 mm beam size. The bench-mounted spectrometer will be fibre-fed followed by an image slicer. An apochromatic refractor is used as the camera. Image quality and throughput of the design are excellent over the full spectral range. Extensive use of commercially available components and avoidance of complicated custom optics are key for quick and resource-efficient implementation.
© Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2011
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Attack on Damascus's 'Pen of Steel,' a Writer in All Languages
Beirut39-winning novelist Samar Yazbek was detained and beaten. Syrian songwriter Ibrahim al-Qashoush, author of a popular anti-regime song, was murdered, his vocal cords apparently ripped from his throat. And this Thursday, political cartoonist Ali Farzat, Damascus's "Pen of Steel," has had his head, arms, and hands severely beaten.
In a 2005 interview, two years after Farzat was forced to shut down his independent paper—the first under Assad—he told interviewer Scott Davis, in response to a question about whether he continued to publish at home and abroad:
Yes of course I am because my drawings are not anchored to a certain place and time, although they spring from local concerns and pains. But they are part of a comprehensive human art that touches the feelings of people all over the world. The works of the artist Mr. Charlie Chaplin are a clear example of what I mean.
Farzat described his favorite target as "this whole world with its contradictions" and said that he doesn't use text, in general, because: "A comment would push the picture in the frame of local understanding of the language. Hence, my pictures aim their criticism at the practices without any written language, this makes them a humane art talking in all languages."
In both the interview with Davis and another with Sabah Hawasli, the specter of Palestinian cartoonist Naji al-Ali's assassination was raised. Certainly, Farzat was aware of the danger.
You can buy a collection of his work from Cune Press. And much more at Farzat's official website.
Today's "Cartoon Movement"cartoon is in support of Farzat.
A number of Syrian authors and artists have signed a statement condemning the attack. Samar Yazbek is among them. The statement can be found here.


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Transitions, Transitions
Are we ever not in transition? Recently I was talking with a friend about how we felt that at some point in our lives we would have 'arrived', like we had 'made it' and some of the messy business of not knowing what we want or what we could be would be behind us. Instead it seems that the older we get the more we realize we don't know where it's all going or who will even be there with us on the journey, and maybe it's easier to learn to be comfortable in the gray muck of not-knowing.
Many of the transitions we go through in our lives are self-propelled: we decide to go to college and move away; we decide it's time to change our career or have a baby. But it's much different when the transition is happening out of our control, such as being laid off or working through the emotions of end-of-life transitions with loved ones. How we view and think about these transitions is almost as affecting as the change itself. With Spring here a little early this year a lot of people are talking about change, and it seemed appropriate to share a little about navigating the kinds of changes we feel unprepared for or even afraid of. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you find yourself in the midst of an unwelcome transition and need a little self-coaching:
1. You are not the first person to go through this. In fact, you are probably not the only person in your family or friend group to go through it either. Watch for destructive and unproductive thoughts like, "Why does this always happen to me?" Ask yourself, "Was that thought about what is happening really true?" And then, "Does the answer help me in this situation?"
2. Learn to respond to yourself as kindly as you would your best friend. You are probably scared, unsure, confused, and uncomfortable. The last thing you need to hear is a nagging internal voice that you "Could have prevented this if only…" or "I should be doing_____ right this second to fix this!" These thoughts, as common as they are, will only serve to stress you out further. Remember this transition happened against your will, and there is nothing you can do now to change that.
3. You're okay. No matter what craziness is happening around you, YOU are okay. You may have just lost your job, or a loved one, or your house. But YOU are okay. You were born with innate wellbeing, and you still have that in this situation. In fact, you probably also have several friends, family members, or other loved ones who are not affected by this situation who you can lean on.
4. You deserve help. Find a mentor, coach, or therapist. You don't have to figure out what to do alone. Many others are nearby who are waiting to help you with this, professional or otherwise.
5. This too shall pass. Even the worst of changes will come to an end eventually. You'll find a new job; you'll move forward from the grief of the lost loved one. You will be changed for going through this, and maybe that is the biggest transition of all- we change as changes come. You are not fixed, etched in stone as the You of 2015. You will change, you will grow, and that is a blessing.
Gracie Miller
Life Purpose and Career Coach
April 2019
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How Did "This is Us" Reveal the Ultimate Parenting Goal?
"As parents, we talk a lot about what we want for our kids. I can come up with a whole bunch of fancy words to make me sound smarter than I am, but the one word that I keep coming back to is 'okay'. We want our kids to be okay… So will you help me?"


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The art of cosmetic dentistry is responsible for the fabulous, dazzling smiles you see today. Gaining ground in the field of cosmetic dentistry is the practice of Total Facial Esthetics, which takes your entire facial and smile appearance along with your personal treatment goals into account rather than focusing solely on improvement of the teeth. As a graduate of the University of Minnesota's Contemporary Restorative and Esthetic program, Dr. Marko Kamel has mastered the dental craftsmanship required to bring your dream smile to life.
Your personal goals and oral health needs are what guide Dr. Kamel when creating your path to a brilliant, confident smile in Woodbury, MN. You can expect a thorough, one-on-one consultation with him to discuss your individual situation and how you picture your future smile. Though one or more cosmetic dentistry services may be required to help you reach your desired objectives, the results can be life-changing! Cosmetic procedures performed by Dr. Kamel and our talented team are listed below.
Woodbury Dental Arts is the best dental office I've ever encountered. Dr. Kamel and his staff are friendly, conscientious, and skilled professionals. I have taken my grandchildren to Dr. Kamel, and recently both my wife and I have required treatment. Dr. Kamel's tools are state-of-the-art, his manner is calming (as is his staff), and he makes sure that his patients get in and out as quickly as possible--which is reassuring and comforting.
I recently needed a root canal procedure. Dr. Kamel made time for two emergency treatments on short notice to ease my pain while I suffered from an infection that prevented an immediate root canal. After being treated, I was called by Ryan to make sure I was not uncomfortable. I wouldn't go to any other office than Woodbury Dental Arts.Thomas R.
Put your smile transformation in the hands of our artistic, experienced expert.
I understand the information disclosed in this form may be subject to re-disclosure and may no longer be protected by HIPAA privacy regulations and the HITECH Act.
New Patients: 651-564-7212
Current Patients: 651-436-7559
Fax: 651-436-7553


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Good morning, FWJ folks! Here are your writing jobs.
I hope you land a new gig or two. Good luck!
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Freelance Writing Jobs
Content Writing Jobs
- Technical Product Marketing Content Writer – OpenVPN
- Digital Content Creator, Deals – KCN (Remote)
- Tech Reporter List Writer – ScreenRant (Multiple Countries)
- Freelance Writer – NJ Mom LLC; $50/hr (Remote)
- Content Writer – PICC (Remote)
- Content Writer for Articles and Press Releases – Steep Digital (Remote)
- Freelance Technology Writer – First Page Sage (Telecommute)
- Entry Level Content Writer – The Web and Marketing Bureau, LLC (Remote)
- Part-time Content Writer – Ten Thousand Villages (Remote)
Copywriting Jobs
- Copywriter & Email Marketer – My Green Fills (Remote)
- Copy Writer/Content Manager – EngageUSA; $200-4225/week (Remote)
- Marketing Copywriter – Aquent;$25-$30/hr (Remote, Houston)
- Creative B2B Copywriter – Upwork (Remote)
- Marketing Copywriter – Bankers Healthcare Group (Remote)
- Copywriter and Content Manager – Autumn Consulting; $14-$23/hr (Remote)
- Marketing Writer – WordSouth Public Relations, Inc. (Remote)
Proofreading/Editing Jobs
- World Changing Editor – Self Publish -N- 30 Days (Remote)
- Managing Editor for Non-Fiction Book Series – ClydeBank Media LLC; $30/hr (Remote)
Journalism Jobs
- Managing Editor – NJ Mom LLC; $20/hr (Remote)
Plan/Proposal/Grant Writing Jobs
- Senior Proposal Writer – Rubix LS; $26-$55 (Remote)
- Freelance Grant Writer Assistant – Boules Consulting; $15-$16/hr (Remote)
Technical Writing Jobs
- Chapter Writer: Business Office Applications – Wisewire, Inc; $30-$40/hr (Remote)
- Technical Writer – Vineti Inc (Remote)
- Consultancy: Writer – Common Ground, Middle East/North Africa/Asia Research (Remote)
- Technical Writer/ Documentation Analyst – K-Tek Resourcing LLC; $20-$30/hr (Remote)
General/Misc. Freelance Writing Jobs
- Script Writer for narrative stories – Learning.com (Remote)
- Quiz Writer – Women.com (Remote)
- Research Writer – Access Philanthropy; $15/hr (Remote)
- Editorial Intern – Tandem (Remote)


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Key to Happiness
Being and Getting
The world has never been busier trying to be happy than it is right now. We buy. We work. We create. We diet. We exercise. We set goals. We work two jobs. We work three jobs. We get more education. Read more books. Attend more seminars. We leave our kids at daycare. We don't eat together as a family because we're so busy. We sit in our cars or in trains for hours as we go to and from work. We despoil the planet.
On and on it goes. We're like mice on a spinning exercise wheel racing towards happiness.
That must be where we think we're going, towards happiness, or else why would we do all this stuff? Why would we spend less time with our family and friends, less time in our homes hanging out, less time playing together, less time in the garden, less time chatting aimlessly, less time eating leisurely, and less time simply doing things for no other reason than that we simply enjoy doing them?
Why, in one form or another, do we work so hard?
Yes, you might say, but I enjoy my work. I enjoy it more than anything else.
If that's true for you, that's great. You can count yourself amongst the lucky ones, because for the last fifty years the trend has been for decreasing satisfaction with work.
As a matter of fact, studies show that there seems to be decreasing satisfaction with many things.
Throughout the 1950's, Gallup Poll data showed that the British were happier than they are now. In 1957, for example, 52% of the respondents said they were 'very happy' as compared to 36% who say they are 'very happy' today.
Interestingly, during the same period of time, from the 1950's to the present, the average person in Britain has experienced a 200% increase in wealth, but a decrease in happiness.
This kind of data has been collected for many countries around the world. R.D Putnam reports in Bowling Alone that in 1955 44% of Americans enjoyed their working hours more than anything else they did. In 1999, only 16% of Americans could say the same thing.
During the same period, from 1955 to 1999, the country had enjoyed great economic prosperity but it did not make people happier.
Japan has experienced a 500% increase in income over the last 40 years, but the level of happiness has remained unchanged, and may even be showing a slight dip, and that was before the current economic crisis.
For fifteen countries in Europe, the decade ending in 2000 showed either no increase in happiness or a slight decline, though Europe experienced great economic expansion during the decade.
More prosperity, more money, and more success, do not seem to make us happier; in fact, the opposite seems to be true.
Of course, we need enough money to buy food, clothes, shelter, necessities, health care, and the like, but that amount of money is surprisingly low in comparison to our aspirations, which can seemingly be unlimited. And those unlimited aspirations, those attempts to be all you can be, and to have all you can have, is making us less, rather than more happy.
We know this. We've heard the saying. Money can't buy happiness. Or love. And yet we go right on doing just that as we increase our unhappiness and deplete the planet.
It's a long, deep, and convoluted story, and not fully understood, but it has something to do with the way we understand things. It has to do with our brains, our wiring, with the fact that we sort of have two brains, the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere, and that though both contribute to our view of the world, the views are different and they often clash.
Right now the left hemisphere, what we can call logic central, is in ascendancy. And the right hemisphere, the be-here-now, the go-with-the-flow hemisphere is getting a good whooping from the left hemisphere.
Put simply, we're out of our right minds and in our left minds, and we've lost sight of the things that make us truly happy.
We've had our eyes on the prize, or prizes, but it's been the wrong prize.
You can't go at happiness directly. You have to go towards the things that you think will make you happy or allow happiness to arise. And the very act of going towards is part of the problem. Goal-directed activity is a very left-brained activity and it can interfere with happiness, because happiness is only here and now, in the moment, if it's anywhere. As the pace of activity has heated up around the world happiness has gone down and depression has skyrocketed.
So if money and stuff and goal-directed activity don't make us happy, what does?
Health? You'd think so, but research doesn't support that.
There could be a number of things, but in his research Robert Putnam found that in the U.S. and around the world happiness is best predicted by, 'the breadth and depth of one's social connections.'
That's it. Now we know where the real 'prize' is. It's in the depth and breadth of our friendships and relationships. It's in our connections with our family, our friends, and our community.
And how might you increase 'the breadth and depth' of your social connections, other than the obvious ways of spending more time and energy in these areas of your life?
Fortunately, that question has been studied by researchers, too.
(As you can see, the left hemisphere is a good thing to have because it helps you do this kind of research. The problem occurs when things get too out of balance, as they seem to be doing during this time in history.)
One key to deepening one's ability to connect with others is a healthy acceptance of ourselves. And how do we achieve a healthy acceptance of ourselves? By being open and vulnerable. By being honest and present and willing to let go of control, predictability and safety. By being okay just as we are, which means standing still and accepting ourselves as we are, unfinished to-do lists and all.
Herein lies one of the keys to the mystery of why we often find ourselves wrongly going after things like money and possessions that leave us less happy. Money and possessions are about security and control. They're left-brained activities. It's how the left brain goes after happiness.
They're the opposite, in many respects, of vulnerability and openness to whatever happens in the moment, the domain of the right hemisphere. Control, invulnerability, and protected-ness interfere with our ability to develop deep connections with others. They interfere with our ability to cultivate the soil of happiness.
We have to stand still long enough to connect. To stand still, we have to accept our selves and our lives just as they are. As we accept, we open, to ourselves and to those around us. As we open, our connection deepens and broadens. And a smile comes across our face, but we don't know it, not yet, because happiness has found us, and we haven't found happiness. We're happy, so happy that we will only know about it later, when happiness has passed a bit and our left hemisphere can take a look at it and enjoy the afterglow.
So, the next time you notice yourself racing towards things you think will make you happy, stop and realize that you will never be happy till you slow down and connect, first with yourself, and then with whatever and whomever is around you. That connection, not more money or things or achievements, is the foundation of the happiness we seek.
I can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com and 805/680-5572.


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SARS, bird flu, swine flu, Ebola, Zika. It is hard to believe that not too long ago, there was an idea that infectious diseases had been largely conquered, at least in principle. Then along came AIDS, and now with more people on the planet and more travelling, new infections are actually becoming more common.
Ebola has infected almost 30,000 people, killing 11,000, and inflicted an economic cost of more than $2 billion on some of the poorest countries in the world. SARS infected far fewer – 8,000, and killed 800, but because it hit richer places, it cost more than $40 billion. A recent report on global health risks put potential global losses from pandemics at around $60bn a year.
America's National Academy of Medicine suggests that $4.5bn a year, about 3% of what the rich world spends on development aid, invested in medical research, public health services and better emergency co-ordination could significantly strengthen our defences against disease.
More effective health systems would help fight illnesses such as tuberculosis that costs perhaps $12bn a year, and malaria which probably costs several times that. Better research could help find vaccines to treat diseases that at the moment are mercifully rare, but which could become pandemics, such as Lassa fever and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.


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City Hall News
Southern Dallas wins new development project from Cowboys Emmitt Smith
Dallas City Council approved two new major development projects in southern Dallas through the city's Office of Economic Development: The first, a new Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) center for Georgia-based company Chime Solutions. The second, a substantial rehabilitation of the former Urban League of Greater Dallas building on South Lancaster Road for office and retail use.
Chime Solutions
Chime Solutions is a human resources and staffing firm headquartered in Morrow, Georgia. This new 51,000-square-foot BPO center — its first outside Georgia — will be located at Red Bird Mall.
By 2021, Chime anticipates creating over 1,000 full-time jobs at the new center. The range of jobs will include customer service agents, human resource specialists, desktop support specialists, trainers, operations managers, and a site director. Annual wages are expected to range from $29,000 to $80,000+ and all jobs will include a full benefits package.
This business development project is the first office incentive project located in southern Dallas in at least 20 years. Chime Solutions is a privately-owned and certified minority- and woman-owned business. The Dallas City Council approved an economic development grant of $2 million to facilitate this project.
Red Bird Mall, located in southern Dallas at US Highway 67 and Interstate Highway 20, is currently undergoing a $220 million redevelopment which will transform the mall into a mixed-use development, with new options for shopping, dining, entertainment, residential multifamily, office space, medical offices, and a hotel and conference center.
It also features the recently opened Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC) at Red Bird, which provides a variety of services for entrepreneurs and startups, as well as a new Starbucks.
Urban League of Greater Dallas building
The former Urban League of Greater Dallas building, located at 4315 South Lancaster Road, will undergo a substantial rehabilitation by E Smith Communities, a real estate company owned by former Dallas Cowboys star Emmitt Smith. Upon completion, the building will include workforce readiness, community wellness, and retail tenants.
The 29,686-square-foot building will build upon the success of the adjacent Lancaster Urban Village, a mixed-use redevelopment project completed in 2014, and is located across the street from the VA Medical Center and DART rail station.
The $4.4-million project will provide opportunity for local employment and services to the surrounding challenged residential market area with an anticipated 100 jobs to be created. The Dallas City Council approved an incentive to provide gap financing for the project in the form of a $750,000 grant.
In addition to these two projects, the City Council also approved a $500,000 grant to The Golden S.E.E.D.S. Foundation for neighborhood enhancements in The Bottom, a residential neighborhood south of the central business district, as well as the creation of the Southern Dallas Investment Fund, a $2,500,000 fund to support small businesses in southern Dallas.
"These projects attest to the City's larger focus on southern Dallas," says Mayor Mike Rawlings in a statement. "Through today's actions, we will positively impact local residents by providing employment, retail, and wellness options in the heart of their communities."