text:
MT Celebration Sightseeing Boat Tour & Cruise
Milllionaire's Row - Port of Miami - Port Everglades - Waterways and the Florida Keys for Sightseeing Day Cruises
MT Celebration A 92' luxury private sightseeing and dinner cruise party yacht - fully air conditioned with wicker seating & round tables on the upper - mid and lower decks. Continous Video of the Mega Mansions and history of Miami and Miami Beach on large plasma TV's throughout the sightseeing yacht. Food and beverage available for your cruise aboard the MT Celebration.
Dinner Cruise Special - CLICK HERE
Private charter sightseeing tours are day time cruises only
Sightseeing Cruise for corporate - convention or private cruise events. Departing from Dinner Key Marina - Coconut Grove, South Florida and cruising Biscayne Bay and the Intra-Coastal waterways of Miami and Miami Beach Florida.
Private & Public Cruise July 4th Party Dance Cruise - Biscayne Bay / Coconut Grove, Fl.
New Years Eve Fireworks Cruise - Public / Private Biscayne Bay / Coconut Grove, Fl.
_________________________ Return Back to Private Dinner Charter Home Page _____________________________
Private Sightseeing Boat Tour & Cruise Route and General Information for the MT Celebration Yacht
Celebration, the yacht boards at Dinner Key Marina, Coconut Grove Florida, our home port offering free parking and ease of access to the yacht located at Slip #1 next to the Coconut Grove Convention Center in South floridaand cruises through the calm waters of the Inter-Coastal Waterways of Miami and Miami Beach, also known as Millionaire's Row and the Gold Coast. This is a one two (2) hour long private sightseeing tour through the Inter-costal waterways of Miami and and Miami Beach viewing her magnificent Miami skyline, the Port of Miami and the heart of downtown Miami. This is a excellent cruisefor corporate or convention on the water boat activities.
Your private charter yacht sightseeing boat tour and cruise will be narrated with the below sights.
Celebration will boat tour and cruise from Dinner Key Marina - Coconut Grove into Biscayne Bay and North to downtown Miami. You will view such sites as the birth place of Pan American Airlines, former homes of Modonna - Stalone's mansion, Key Biscayne, Stiltsville, Cruise Ship Alley - Port of Miami, the world's largest operating cruise ship port in the world, narration of Fisher Island, former home of the Vanderbilt's, Florida's largest operating Coast Guard Base in Florida and the shipping and cargo docks all located in the Port of Miami.
The two hours cruise is $24.50 per person and 2 hours for private sightseeing tours. The 3 hour cruise is $34.50 per person and will include Miami Beach's Internationally known, "Art Deco District" the Island of Flagler's Monument and South Point. Your Sightseeing tour cruise will also include Star Island, homes of such famous people as Internationally known singer Gloria Estefan, the multi Million dollar estate of Sheik Al-Fasie of Saudi Arabia, the French Cabernet singer, "Edith Pioff", Miami Heats Basketball Center, "Big Daddy" Shaquile O'Neil, wrestling star Hulk Hogan, more Estates of the rich and famous.
All private charter sightseeing boat tours can included food and additional beverage service - see cost breakdown above.
Boarding Location is: 3400 Pan American Drive - Dinner Key Marina - Coconut Grove, South Florida offering Free Parking for Buses & Cars - Call or E-mail for Directions
Optional Locations in South Florida Include: (Contact your meeting planner for prices of dockage & travel time)
_______________________ Return Back to Private Charter Yacht Home Page______________________
Dinner Cruise Boats / Yachts Miami & Fort Lauderdale, Fl
Private Charter Yacht for Sightseeing and Boat Tours
Corporate - Convention Dinner Cruises Miami - Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
Weddings on the Water & Rehersal Dinner Cruises, Miami - Private Yacht Charters
Lunch or Luncheon Cruises - Private or Public Yacht Charters , Miami, Florida
Phone: 305-992-6838 Call or Text - - - Email: email@example.com
Your search was within the greater Miami, Fl area. This area covers the following South Florida cities: Fort Lauderdale, Fort Pierce, Hialeah, Hollywood, Homestead, Key Largo, Key West, Miami, Miami Beach, Naples, North Miami Beach, North Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Weston. - Member of the Miami Convention Bureau + Chamber of Commerce
Information can be found under: Sightseeing boat tours - sightseeimg miami - sightseeing attractions - sightseeing by water - water taki service - taki service - Miami boat rental, Miami yacht charters; Miami boat rentals, Florida boat charter, day boat rentals, half day boat rentals, charter boat rentals, powerboat rentals, power boats, charter boats, day charters, sailing yachts, crewed charter yachts, crewed, rent a boat, charter aboat, boat rentals, charter boat rental. Excellent day cruiser for water taxi service for dockside hotel and restaurant pick ups - Water taxi service available from Miami, Miami Beach. Hollywood to Fort Lauderdale, Florida Miami to Key, Key West to Miami ferry service, Key West day trips and cruises, private dinner cruise information
Celebration - 92' Private sightseeing yacht & boat tour for groups up to 150 guests - Coconut Grove - Miami - Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale in South Florida. Corporate - Convention - Private Charters & Tour Groups WelcomeCLICK FOR MORE PICTURES
Private Charter Yachts: CLICK HERE
2 Hour Sightseeing Cruise & Tour: @ $29.50 p/person based on 50 guests guarantee
3 Hour Sightseeing Cruise & Tour: @ $36.50 p/person based on 50 guests guarantee
Cruise Includes: Sodas & Juices - Bottled Water Service for the Duration of Cruise
Fuel Cost: Included in sightseeing yacht charter rate
Nararration on Board: English & Spanish - Included
Optional Beverage Service: Frozen - Beer - Wine & Hard Liquor Click Here
Onboard Hors d'Ouvres & Service: Click to View Selection
Optional Charges: DJ $275.00 - Live Entertainment $950.00Charter Sub Total: $__________
7.0 % (state tax): . . . $__________
Capt., Crew & Staff: : $_750.00
At Chater's End It's Customary to Tip Your Captain and Staff Directly
Phone: 305-992-6838 Call or Text - - - Email: email@example.com
Return Back to Private Charter Yacht Home Page
MT Celebration
Phone: 305-992-6838 Call or Text - - - Email: email@example.com
See Additional Sightseeing Boat Tour Pictures and Cruising area Below
Bay Excape - Private Charter Sightseeing Boat Tour Information
Date of Charter / Rental: ___________________ Charter Yacht / Boat Selection MT Celebration
Boarding Docks: Dinner Key Marina - Coconut Grove, South Florida
Number of Guests: Based on a guarantee of 50 guests for exclusive use of yacht Celebration
_________________________ Return Back to Private Dinner Charter Home Page _____________________________
Celebration Private Sightseeing Charter Tour Cost Breakdown


text:
Below is one of my all time favorite charts … it's a real time chart of the EXACT top in Crude Oil using a bunch of geometry, music and numbers.
in this chart we see the square root of 12 (3.464), natural squares 121*121, geometrical arcs, 2.424 (12*2/12*2), square of nine targets, square root of 2 (1.4142) and an Adams Pitchfork expansion. Even w/ all of the math coming out, you can still see by commentary that it still could have blown thru …remember it was parabolic.
after the high was in place it fell like a stone to this level:
here's the possible count and notice the 36 area was being targeted. that was basically since it had gone parabolic it would "probably" go down to the beginning of wave 1. Also, talk about cool and synchronicity – the exact high was on my birthday. How 'bout them apples?
take a look at the above – note, it is a log chart and the two blue arrows will show the same correction in terms of percentage …hence, this is a very powerful way to look for targets as the move is working …just an fyi. try it, you might like it ….Mikey sure did!
below is the Oil Services Index and note the last wave (e) forecasted to complete and then higher.
remember the AMEX OIL INDEX ($XOI) is is a price-weighted index of the leading companies involved in the exploration, production, and development of petroleum. It measures the performance of the oil industry.
here's the Oil Services index ($OSX)
and, finally, a picture of crude oil and the XLE (energy sector ETF)
So, in summary, looks like we have "another" piece of the S&P 500 jig saw puzzle that wants to go a little higher before major patterns should be complete. Stay tuned ….

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Last week the TRX Systems team participated in the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. CES 2016 had over 170,000 attendees from over 150 countries. Like last year, the TRX booth was located in Eureka Park, an amazing area of the show with a huge number of innovative companies and a constant buzz over the 4 day exhibition.
CES was a huge success for TRX. With more than 500 companies visiting our booth, CES provided a great opportunity for the TRX team to speak about our new NEON cloud-based Signal Mapper and Personnel Tracker applications with potential users in the industrial, manufacturing, public safety, military and healthcare environments.
At CES, TRX introduced a new NEON Personnel Tracker application that enables users to be mapped and located in both 2D and 3D in areas without GPS including inside buildings, outdoors in urban canyons and underground. A small wearable accessory pairs with standard mobile devices using Bluetooth, enabling ubiquitous indoor location and tracking.
People that visited the TRX booth were extremely excited to see the new FeatureSLAM and Personnel Tracker videos. The videos from CES can be seen again at TRXSystemsTV.
This year at CES, there were more than 3,800 companies launching products across more than 2.47 million square feet of exhibits. CES is the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technology. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for almost 50 years. TRX Systems is sure to be back at CES 2017.
Thank-you very much to everyone that came to the TRX booth – we hope to speak with you again very soon!
Comments are closed.
Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.
May 2023


text:
Events of the last week have overtaken not just America but much of the content of my current novel, The Women of the Oak Savannahs. In this book I tell the story of a community of pregnant women that rise up and in act of civil disobedience blockade and attempt to protect and preserve a precious wooded hillside in Napa County.
Five years of work has gone into this manuscript. There are many characters. One of the villains is a dangerous deputy sheriff. His actions taken as part of a tactical squad during a mass arrest of the pregnant women stands out as haunting to my eye. He puts one citizen in the hospital from a beating, falsely imprisons another, forces sex upon a woman in another.
Many days over many months while dealing with these scenes I was often filled with doubt and a sense of being too contrived, being too dramatic, that there was insufficient reason to place a broken deputy into this manuscript. But, I also have a community of pregnant women committing an act of nonviolent civil disobedience and for the first time in their lives facing arrest and imprisonment.
We live in a precious fragile world. Destroying trees to make room for more vines, more wine, more tasting rooms may nor may not be the right thing. As in George Floyd's being murdered by four Minneapolis Police, thinking they would get away with whatever they want to do, that is true until it is not true. We don't know for certain why Mr. Floyd's murder has triggered such a huge reaction but it is in fact put our democracy on the brink, not since the Civil War has there been such strife.
I was considerably less ambitious and my choice of finding a community of pregnant women to form the blockade was in part my effort to embody the metaphysics of another desecration on the hillsides, the cutting down of thirty-thousand trees, the contamination to the drinking water, the extinction of the salmon, the increased rate of cancers, and my effort to get my readers to care about the people fighting to for a better world. That fight has leaped off the page and out onto the streets of America. Here is a small fragment from the end of the novel, where the midwife speaking to one of the pregnant women gives voice and words to the meaning of bringing a precious new life into the world
"Never give up on the majesty of who you truly are. A woman is the gateway, a mother manifests flesh for the spirit's vision. That force in your womb is a soul with a birth certificate, named and dated, place and time of first breath, father and mother. Soul… I testify to you, under penalty of punishment for surrendering false word, girl know this, a woman's heart is not unlocked by merely touching the surface of her skin. Not your white skin, not my black skin. Our power, the heart song that resides within extends like a wave all the way back to that first flash of primordial light, we are the sousaphone player's belly busting pitch perfect bass note Big Bang. Womankind is light's most lickerish fusion of mind and body. We are the soul-makers. I can feel our spirits twine-bound, matriarch to matriarch to all these she-trees. You, wounded, pregnant, riven with doubt, up to your chi-chis in doll face despair, the twisted double helix pairings, the genetic plotting points, life's instruction manual passed down by our ancestors, we are what remains of the best who were here before us, you seize hold of starter batter from your mother, hold this cosmological code in the furnace of your womb sending evolutionary wisdom into the oncoming climate crisis infused onrushing century ahead. Your body's wonder-working is far more indomitable than you allow your worried mind to know."


text:
Unlocking the Mobile Phone
You want to buy a car, so what do you do?
Would you do the following?
Go to the nearest fuel station and agree to buy all your fuel from them for two years. Also agree to pay a hefty monthly fee to cover the cost of the fuel and car. You pay for fuel every month even if you don't use any, plus extra charges if you use more than the agreement states. In return, the fuel station supplies you with any car from their very limited range, all of which have been altered to reject fuel from any other supplier.
Very few people would sign up for a "deal" like the one above, because it would be so restrictive about what you can do and where you can drive, and gives you no option of changing supplier if you become unhappy with the service. Moving abroad or selling the car on as a used model would also be far more difficult.
Beyond just the consumer's point of view, the government might well be unhappy with a situation where competition is being eroded at no advantage to the consumer, and might move to ban such a "deal".
Yet every week millions of people take up a similarly poor "deal":
Go to the nearest phone network operator and agree to only use their network for two years, and also agree to pay a hefty monthly fee to cover the cost of calls and the phone. You have to pay for the calls even if you don't make any, and there are extra charges if you use the network more than the agreement states. In return the phone network supply you with a phone from their very limited range, all of which have been altered to refuse to work on any other network. A locked phone.
Why do people buy locked phones?
There are many reasons why people buy phones locked by phone network operators, but the chief one is that customers are being misled on many different levels. The network operators build up myths which protect their own position of power over which phones are sold and how those phones can be used.
Myth 1: "You have to buy a phone from a network operator, it won't work otherwise"
And the truth is: People can buy a phone from anyone, just like they do with cars. Unlocked phones work at least as well (and often even better) than locked ones, phone network operators do not and cannot prevent unlocked phones using their network.
As long as a phone conforms to the current GSM standard and operates on the correct frequencies for the continent it's being used in (European/Asian phones in Europe and Asia, Americas phones in North and South America, tri -band or quad-band phones work anywhere), the phone will work on any SIM card from any GSM network. It doesn't matter whether the operators of those networks want it to or not, in fact it doesn't matter if the operators have even heard of the phone.
Note about CDMA: Some pockets of the world have CDMA network coverage but no GSM network coverage. Some people claim that CDMA networks just can't use SIM cards the way the GSM standard does, but this too is a myth. An equivalent to SIM cards called R-UIM cards have been available to CDMA network operators for several years now, and although many operators may not support them, the technology exists and it's the operators' fault if they don't make it available to their customers. R-UIM cards can be used in GSM phones too, so they would let people use the same number and billing account on both CDMA and GSM networks, which would be very handy when roaming.
Myth 2: "Phones are too expensive to buy at retail, you have to buy it with an operator's subsidy"
And the truth is: A basic 2006 model phone from major manufacturers such as Motorola or Nokia can be bought at retail unlocked and SIM-free for as little as $30 plus sales tax. Music phones can be bought unlocked for the same price as an equivalent capacity iPod, and people clearly have no trouble affording iPods at retail. Even smartphones are becoming relatively cheap nowadays: the Nokia E50 running S60 3rd Edition can be bought unlocked for as little as $200 plus sales tax.
Almost all phone users in rich countries can easily afford to buy their own phone. Even in developing countries a $30 phone isn't beyond the means of most families or villages, especially if the phone brings in extra income and pays for itself.
Myth 3: "Phones from network operators are cheap or free!"
And the truth is: They're not cheap or free at all!
Phones from network operators usually end up costing you more than if you bought them separately. You pay for these "cheap" or "free" phones in installments, as part of the monthly fee for using a phone service goes on paying for the "cheap" or "free" handsets. To top it all, the phone you get is locked to one network and sometimes crippled in some way, so it's not even as functional as a SIM-free model.
There are already many different forms of consumer credit for people who want to buy something in installments, such as credit cards, bank loans and store credit. These services are regulated by the government and in direct competition with each other, so they usually offer better and clearer terms than phone network operators. You'll see exactly what you're paying for, you'll be able to buy absolutely any compatible phone model from any retailer whether the operator approves or not, it won't have its functions restricted by the operator, and you'll probably end up paying less for it overall.
Myth 4: "The operators optimise the phone to work best on the network."
And the truth is: They don't. The only things phone networks do to phones they sell are to brand them and cripple them, sometimes seriously.
Here's a good example: The Nokia E61 smartphone was a very popular model in Europe, and included Wi-Fi compatibility so you could surf the web and make internet phone calls for free when at home or in a hotspot. The American operators who were going to offer the phone didn't like this idea, and would only sell the E61 with its Wi-Fi removed. Nokia, faced with a choice of no American E61 sales or some American E61 sales, relented and the E62 was born: a phone absolutely identical to the E61 but with its Wi-Fi features removed to make free internet access impossible. American users of the E62 were forced into paying for internet access that should have been free, because the networks crippled their phone.
The E61/E62 affair isn't an isolated incident either, in the past many phones sold by network operators have had Bluetooth compatibility removed so that people couldn't download free ringtones or wallpaper from their PC or another phone. And, perhaps most infamously, operators frequently set the internet features of phones sold by them to have a "walled garden", where the user finds it difficult to access any web sites but the operator-approved ones.
Another problem with locked phones has surfaced in recent years as phone manufacturers are making their latest firmware freely available on the internet, so that users can update their phones themselves. If you have a locked phone, there's a good chance it won't work with the firmware update services because the network operators' customisation makes the phone incompatible with the new firmware. Special editions of the firmware have to be created for locked phones, but these can take a while to appear because there are so many different operators around the world with so many different customisations. Sometimes locked phones never get firmware updates available on the internet.
In theory there are some internet and multimedia message operator-specific settings which are pre-installed in locked phones, but these aren't required for basic functions such as calls or text messages, and can be installed automatically in any SIM-free phone by a text message from the operator (you just have to request such a message). Often the settings messages are automatically requested the first time you use a new phone with your SIM card.
Myth 5: "You can unlock the phone if you really want to, so locking really makes no difference."
And the truth is: Many countries now have laws or agreements that phone network operators have to allow customers to unlock their phones after a certain period, but how many people even know about this issue? And why should anyone have to unlock something they own?
Would it be acceptable if a fuel station and car sales chain locked cars they sold into only using that chain's fuel? Surely that would raise severe anti-trust issues?
Even when you do unlock a phone, you still have to contend with the operator customisations, and if they've crippled the phone's hardware (as was the case with the E62) then unlocking it won't make any difference, it's still a crippled phone. The operator customisations may also continue to cause problems with firmware updates.
Myth 6: "The phone network operators give people on contracts great package deals which they couldn't get otherwise."
And the truth is: It's similar to a trick that a certain fast food chain beginning with M does: raise the portions and then raise the total prices. Pretty soon people are eating more than they've ever eaten before, and use their phones purely to use up their minutes. Then, in a self-fulfilling prophecy, because they use up their minutes they think the monthly fee they pay is reasonable.
A much better way of doing things would be to simply lower the call charges, and let customers decide if they then want to make more phone calls.
Package deals from phone networks have one purpose above all: to confuse the customer so that they cannot easily compare the prices of different phone network operators. If people can't compare prices, they have no reason to switch operator, and stay with whoever they use at the moment. It's anti-competitive, so consequently keeps prices higher and services poorer.
Myth 7: "Phones need phone network operators, that's why they have unusual pricing arrangements."
And the truth is: There's nothing special about phones. Cars need fuel, people need food, computers need internet connections, but none of these services are sold in packages where the supplier has signed the user to a 2 year contract, and none of them lock the user's hardware.
There is no reason for phones to be priced any differently to devices that use the internet or even just electricity.
Myth 8: "Operators who receive a steady income from contracts and locked phones are able to provide better services."
And the truth is: Finland has almost universal phone service coverage, you can get a phone signal and internet connection even in the middle of a forest miles from the nearest village, and even in the north which is within the Arctic Circle. High speed mobile networks are also increasingly common and available in every major city including those in the north. Finland has half the population density of the United States, and a lower average income per head.
How is it that Finland, a poorer, lower-density country without phone contracts, and with a law banning locked phones, developed far better phone coverage than America, the land of locked phones and 2 year contracts?
2006 GSM coverage in the USA and Finland.
(Note that the pale areas on the Finnish map indicate service available with an external aerial, while the pale areas on the American map indicate no service at all)
Something has gone terribly wrong with phone network operators: the middle-man has suddenly become the king.
The phone network operators have power over their suppliers and their customers, and can dictate terms to both of them. The operators don't have to try very hard at all, so the prices stay higher and the service quality stays lower.
There are real world examples which prove that phone locking simply isn't necessary, and can actually be immensely harmful to consumers. Here's one of them:
Welcome to Finland
Until 2006, the Finnish government completely outlawed the locking of mobile phones. This led to a mobile culture where phones were separate from their network operator, just as a PC is separate from its ISP and a car is separate from a fuel station. Finnish people bought phones in the same way they bought cars, PCs or televisions, based on the merits of each model and from the widest possible selection of retailers. If they couldn't afford to pay for it up front, they paid the retailer on credit, just like they would with any other purchase.
Network operators only supplied SIM cards, and service was available on a monthly basis with no long-term contract. It's possible to change an operator in Finland within a few days without even changing your number, so if you found another operator has better prices, there was absolutely no reason to stay with the more expensive operator.
All these together, the unlocked phones, the non-contract service, the ease of changing network operator, create something of great benefit to the consumer: fierce competition.
Once consumers are able to switch from one provider to another without penalty, there's absolutely nothing to stop your customers leaving you when they're unhappy. Prices of calls in Finland tumbled while services improved as the operators did what they were supposed to do and competed to keep their customers from switching. Prices of calls were also clearly laid out, there was one single rate for all calls anywhere any time, so it was incredibly easy to compare different operators.
But then one day...
All was great for Finnish phone subscribers: phone calls were cheap and getting cheaper, it was easy to compare prices, people could buy any phone model they wanted, none of the phones were crippled or altered in any way, and phone coverage was good, with new 3G and other high speed data services constantly expanding.
How Steve Jobs threw away a chance to make a real difference with the iPhone
If one person has recently had a chance to fight against all this, it was Steve Jobs when he announced the iPhone. The iPhone was perhaps the most high profile launch of a single phone model for many years. It is also the sister product of the iPod range which is sold entirely at retail without any kind of subsidies for several hundred dollars per unit plus taxes, about the same price as SIM-free unlocked phones.
If Steve Jobs had wanted to, he could have launched the iPhone explicitly as a SIM-free smartphone, just as the Macintosh computer is sold explicitly ISP-free. He could have cut the phone network operators out of the picture completely. People will buy sim-free phones if they understand how unnecessary and restrictive network operator involvement is, as shown by the success of the phone market in entirely SIM-free countries like Finland (used to be!). Selling direct works for the iPod and the Mac, so why not the iPhone too?
Selling the iPhone exclusively SIM-free would also have allowed Apple to launch exactly the same model worldwide, which would have saved them money on production costs, brought it to the market more quickly, made it more reliable and made it easier to repair.
America isn't a market where SIM-free phones are even known about. Many Americans don't even realise they CAN use a SIM-free phone without the approval of their operator, and most tend to choose whatever their operator offers. Steve Jobs could have cut through all that, demolished this myth completely and virtually invented a whole new market segment in the US by selling the iPhone directly. The phone network middle men would have been powerless because the iPhone/iPod brand is so strong, and the entire phone world would have owed Jobs an immense amount of gratitude.
Instead, Jobs caved in to the power of the phone network operators and the iPhone has been crippled:
- If you want to buy an iPhone SIM-free, you can't.
- If you want to buy an iPhone and use it with a non-Cingular network, you can't.
- If you want to buy an iPhone but you don't live in a Cingular coverage area, you can't.
- If you want to buy an iPhone without a 2 year contract, you can't.
The fact that the iPhone is locked to a particular network fundamentally restricts who can buy it and how they can use it, in a way that isn't true with any other Apple product.
How would Apple fans react if the latest Mac computer was exclusively locked to a particular ISP, was only available to people who live in that ISP's service area, and people had to sign up to a 2 year contract with that ISP? The Apple fans would be mad as hell, so why on earth are they having to put up with exactly the same restrictions on a portable, pocket-sized Mac computer called the iPhone?
Jobs could still sell the iPhone exclusively SIM-free outside America, and it would be extremely interesting if he did that. He can do it in America when Apple's current agreement with Cingular expires, but there's no indication so far that Apple will do anything except toe the line like all other manufacturers in the US market have always done.
It's testament to the restrictive and stifling power of the US phone network operators that they can force a product as highly anticipated as the iPhone to be sold through them rather than being sold directly.
Parasitic Phone Network Operators have to be reined in
The immense power network operators wield through a combination of locked phones and long term contracts is anti-competitive. It keeps prices high and services poor, it stops people being able to buy phones they want, vastly reduces the choice of phones available, and cripples the phones that customers are allowed to buy. Consumers are harmed by it, manufacturers are harmed by it, services are harmed by it and products are harmed by it. On top of all that, it locks people into regularly buying phones they don't want or need as "free" upgrades, so there's an environmental cost too.
Mobile phones are more than luxuries now, most of the developing world is coming to depend on the mobile phone not just as a communications device but as infrastructure for banking and commerce. Mobile phones are about to become, for the first time in their history, genuinely important to the majority of people on the globe.
Phone network operators must not be allowed to sponge off the world's poor, and for everyone's sake, rich and poor, this anti-competitive and parasitic behaviour has to stop.
How to free the phone
This is all easier said than done, of course, and much of the change has to be cultural as well as technical or legal. Here are three suggestions that would help bring about this change:
- Phone-locking should be completely illegal.
- Phone network operators should not be allowed to sell phones.
- "Free" phones should not be called free, but labelled exactly like any other product bought on installments with the real total price and interest rate clearly marked on all advertising.
As the Finnish example showed though, the phone operators have a tremendous lobbying power which is difficult to overcome. While we're waiting for enough politicians to realise and accept that the operators are worth taking on, we can make a difference right now by doing the following:
1. Don't buy phones from operators
2. Don't sign long term contracts with operators
3. Buy phones SIM-free from high street and online electronics retailers and other non-operator shops
The more we do those three things, the less power the operators have, and the freer, cheaper and better the phone world becomes.
Krisse, 25 Feb 2007


text:
She is a core part of the Morgan Rose team working across a broad spread of cases including high value asset tracing and recovery.
Rose works across the full breadth of litigation work at Morgan Rose including asset recovery and tracing, trust disputes and fraud work, much of which is international and multi-jurisdictional in nature. She is currently closely involved in a £45m enforcement case concerning the tracing and recovery of assets across Europe.
Rose relishes tackling challenging and technical cases, and is known for her hard-working, thorough and client-friendly approach.


text:
By Susan Braden
Finding cheap dental treatments can be hard. And long-term use of methamphetamine, or meth as it is more commonly referred to, can result in severe oral disease that advances more quickly than typical cases. Once this condition sets in, the cost to treat it can be extensive, so cheap dental care is often a necessity.
Effects of Meth Use
The highly addictive methamphetamine is toxic to the nervous system, leading to horrible psychological, medical and behavioral consequences. The NIDA reports that more than 1.4 million Americans habitually use the psychostimulant, while an estimated 10 million have tried it at least once. While the abuse and creation of methamphetamine is widely covered and researched, scientists know very little about precisely what causes the accelerated tooth decay known as meth mouth.
Signs of "Meth Mouth"
Users generally appear healthy in the early stages of meth abuse, and signs can appear first inside the mouth. However, because of a lack of knowledge about the reasons behind meth's link to oral health, dentists are not always able to identify and treat the problem in its early stages. Though meth users may still pursue cheap care at a dentist, the dentist may not recognize the signs.
Studies and Action Steps
However, new studies show that dentists may be the new key to getting meth users the oral and medical help they need. In line with this research, the NIDA has granted nearly $2 million to the UCLA School of Dentistry to study meth mouth.
Though many past strategies have failed to curb widespread meth abuse, researchers are excited to develop the new possibility of identifying users from the dentist's chair. Lead researcher Dr. Vivek Shetty, a professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery, believes dentists are in a unique position to detect abusers, perhaps through offering cheap care. "Our finding that dental disease is a prominent marker of methamphetamine use creates opportunities to implement targeted interventions in the dental office – a hitherto unexploited setting in the management of this epidemic," he said.
The project hopes to address the persistent social problem of meth abuse from a new angle to improve the oral, medical and psychological health of communities around the nation. By making cheap dental care available in affected communities, dentists can help eliminate "meth mouth" to get meth users the help they need.


text:
Aleena Black Faux Leather Modern Bar Stool
With components of both modern and classic design, the Aleena Stool has a distinctive shape and useful features. Made of black faux leather with a steel frame and base finished in chrome, the modernism is apparent. Panels of material sewn together and pulled at the corners to create a tufted look are a throwback to styles past. Turn around to catch a glimpse of the game or speak with a friend thanks to the convenient 360 degree swivel feature, or raise the height of the seat with the gas lift piston to escape a jumping dog. Finishing off the stool is a circular footrest and black plastic ring on the base's bottom to help ward off scratches on sensitive flooring. Assembly required.
Price shown is for one chair.
Shipping: 95% of our orders ship in 5-10 business days plus transit.
21"x17"x38.25-46.75". Seat height: 24-33"
We offer free shipping as a courtesy to our customers. Any returns will be charged actual shipping fees both ways and may be subject to our standard restocking fee.


text:
The Spring 2014 Ontario OSCAR User Group Meeting took place this May 5, 2014
This regular meeting event is a great opportunity for members of the community to get together and learn more about OSCAR. Sessions are geared towards all types of users including clinicians, admin, billing and technical staff.
Future events will take place at the Stonechurch Family Health Centre located at 1475 Upper Ottawa St, Hamilton, ON L8W 3J6.We look forward to seeing you there!
Document Actions


text:
Daimler AG and BMW Group officially agreed to merge their urban mobility services into a single holding company back in March 2018 with a 50 percent stake each. And now, they want to unify their services under five categories by creating five joint ventures — Reach Now, Charge Now, Park Now, Free Now and Share Now.
Both automakers plan to invest $1.1 billion (€1 billion) to foster these urban mobility services over the coming years. There are already 60 million people using one of the 14 services currently available.
Let's go through the details. Free Now is the name of the ride-hailing company, which includes mytaxi, Kapten, Clever Taxi and Beat. Those services combined operate in 130 cities in 17 countries. Hive, a new e-scooter company, is also part of Free Now.
mytaxi, a popular app that lets you hail a taxi from your phone, already sent an email to its customers saying that the company will rebrand its service to Free Now later this year. It's unclear what's going to happen to the other brands. Chauffeur-Privé recently rebranded to Kapten, so it sounds like apps and services won't merge overnight.
Charge Now already exists and is a network of public charge points for electric cars. It provides a white label service for car manufacturers as well. So nothing is changing there.
Park Now combines an existing service called ParkNow (I know, it's confusing), ParkMobile, RingGo and Park-line. As the names suggest, they all operate parking services.
Share Now is all about free-floating services. Daimler and BMW each had its own service, DriveNow and Car2Go; they're now under the same roof.
The new Reach Now combines moovel with an existing service called ReachNow. This one is a bit weird as moovel lets you access various transportation methods from a single app. You can find your itinerary, and book and pay for various services through the app. The old ReachNow is different as it's a ride-hailing service in Seattle and Portland.
That wasn't easy to unpack. It's clear that things are still moving and plans aren't set in stone when it comes to integrations and brand simplification. Eventually, BMW CEO Harald Krüger hopes that all of those services will converge and form an end-to-end service.
"We have a clear vision: these five services will merge ever more closely to form a single mobility service portfolio with an all-electric, self-driving fleet of vehicles that charge and park autonomously and interconnect with the other modes of transport," he said in the release.
While it sounds like a wild dream, it's interesting to see that Daimler and BMW are both very serious about mobility services. They know that they can't just be car manufacturers, and must expand beyond their traditional role.
It's a competitive industry with well-funded giants, such as Uber and Didi. And if Daimler and BMW want to remain relevant, they need to invest and develop these services.


text:
CoolSculpting in San Francisco
Do you struggle with stubborn areas of fat, such as love handles, that don't seem to go away, no matter how much you diet or exercise? CoolSculpting is an innovative, non-invasive fat reduction procedure that freezes away fat, eliminating it with no surgery or downtime. The results are proven, noticeable, and lasting – leaving you looking great from every angle.
At SkinSpirit, our body experts are licensed and trained to help men and women throughout San Francisco with CoolSculpting. We invite you to book a complimentary consultation to see if you're a good fit. Please click here to schedule your consult online or call us at (855) 383-7546 to get connected to your closest location in Noe Valley or Presidio Heights.
What Is CoolSculpting?
CoolSculpting fat-freezing procedure is the only FDA-cleared, nonsurgical fat reduction treatment in the country, and we're proud to offer it to our San Francisco clients in Presidio Heights and Noe Valley locations.
How It Works
Our San Francisco-area body experts use precisely controlled cooling technology to gently and effectively target the fat cells underneath the skin. The fat cells are then crystalized, or frozen, and die. In the weeks to follow, the body naturally processes the fat and eliminates these dead cells permanently, resulting in a more sculpted form.
The SkinSpirit Experience
SkinSpirit is a Diamond Crystal CoolSculpting provider, a designation reserved for the top tier of providers across the country. We offer our clients throughout San Francisco the ability to eliminate stubborn areas of fat through this innovative technique, including:
- Chin
- Abdomen
- Love handles
- Inner thighs
- Outer thighs
- Upper arms
- Backside
- Banana roll
To speak with us about your specific concerns, please visit us for a complimentary CoolSculpting consultation at either of our two San Francisco clinics. You can schedule by phone at (415) 685-0510 for Noe Valley and (415) 767-2640 for Presidio Heights, or click here to book your consult online.
"I recently saw Madison at Skin Spirit for Cool Sculpting treatments on my abdomen. I am super happy with the results and the great customer service from the entire staff. Madison payed close attention to what I was trying to achieve and approached it with a professional point of view without making me feel pressured or self conscious. I highly recommend Madison as well as Skin Spirit for any of their services offered!"
Anticipated Results
Most of our San Francisco clients will start to notice results from CoolSculpting as soon as three weeks after treatment, and will see their best results after approximately two months.
The body continues to flush out fat cells for up to four to six months after a CoolSculpting session.
Request Your CoolSculpting Consult in San Francisco
If you are interested in speaking with one of our CoolSculpting experts in San Francisco, please call your nearest clinic below or book your consultation online here.
Presidio Heights Location
3325 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 767-2640
Noe Valley Location
3939 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 685-0510
Before + After Photos
Keep in mind that each patient is unique, and your results may vary.


text:
Package Pricing
Home improvement and home renovation projects almost always involve a number of different contractors and building materials. Having these materials installed by multiple contractors or a single contractor is an important decision. At Energy Plus, we urge homeowners to take advantage of package pricing for home improvement, having multiple services completed by a single contractor.
Package pricing for home improvement offers many advantages:
- Deal with one contractor instead of several. If you have questions or concerns about your project, it's much easier to deal with one company rather than several companies.
- Avoid scheduling headaches. There's no need to coordinate the different aspects of your project and worry about one contractor being able to start as soon as another finishes. Energy Plus will handle these project management issues.
- Get the job done faster. With Energy Plus, you don't need to worry about work interruptions or contractor scheduling conflicts. We keep working until the job is done.
- Get the best value for your money. Thanks to our experienced, highly trained workers, we can offer excellent value to our customers and excellent workmanship for a competitive price.
- Product compatibility. Since we're handling multiple aspects of your project, we make sure that materials such as windows, roofing and siding are compatible with each other.
Home improvement services from Energy Plus
- Roofing
- Siding
- Windows
- Insulation
- Gutters
- Remodeling


text:
REVIEW: Children's Hour – The Comedy Theatre, London
Lillian Hellman's 1934 play The Children's Hour is set in a boarding school in 1930s New England run by two women, Karen Wright and Martha Dobie. When a student runs away from the school, they become entangled in a story of deceit, shame and courage.
A potent exploration of a culture of fear, The Children's Hour was banned in several cities in America and also in London, though it did receive its UK premiere in 1936. This Crucible-esque play – though it pre-dates Arthur Miller's classic by two decades – tells the story of a teacher whose entire life is threatened by the rumours of an angry child.
"This production of The Children's Hour stars Keira Knightley and Elisabeth Moss. Knightley plays Karen Wright, who, along with friend and colleague Martha Dobie – played by Mad Men star Elisabeth Moss – has fought and struggled to build up a school for girls. Though there is tension surrounding Wright's impending marriage to local doctor Joseph Cardin (Tobias Menzies) and its effect on the school and Dobie, everything is rosy. That is until one child runs away and whispers an accusation in the ear of her doting grandmother in the hope of avoiding a return to the school."
"Last time the Pirates Of The Caribbean star trod the boards, making her West End debut in The Misanthrope in 2009, she received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for her efforts. Whether she will be honoured in the same way for this performance won't be known until this time next year, though she certainly makes the switch from stage to screen seem easy, her willowy, elongated frame perfectly at home under the proscenium arch of the Comedy Theatre."
"While the cast boasts an embarrassment of riches – Knightley and Moss are joined by Academy, Tony and Emmy Award-winner Ellen Burstyn as the all too easily convinced grandparent, and Emmy Award-winner Carol Kane as an eccentric failed-actress aunt – it is British stage regular Bryony Hannah who delivers the stand out performance as the repulsive Mary Tilford. She makes the blood boil as the manipulative child with a very big chip on very small shoulders, who believes the world is against her and layers lie upon lie upon lie, to disguise her own wrongs."
"While the first half, even with Hannah's livewire performance, takes its time building the pressure, the second delves into the devastating fallout for all of the characters, giving the headline stars their chance to shine, despite a script that, on occasion, sounds dated."
"Times have changed since the play was written in 1933, and the content of the malicious rumours may not have quite the same effect in the 21st century. But in a world where tabloids and magazines, social media and the internet spread gossip as though it were news, the danger of believing every unsubstantiated word you hear has never been more apparent."
I personally found Keira Knightley's performance well judged and accomplished as was that of Elizabeth Moss, however Moss did resort to wild facial contortions at times, though not as maddening as those of Bryony Hannah who spent the whole evening contorting her face to the point of grotesqueness. I am sure that from the circle or balcony this wouldn't have been as noticable but from the front row it became a maddening source of annoyance. The play itself was very much of its time and the ending lost its impact because it didn't resonate throught the years to the present.


text: Does anyone share the thought that Mr. Greenspan is getting too old to handle this ? Also that he's been around for such a long time, he couldn't have anything left to give ? Don't you think change is also needed at the Fed as much as it's needed at the Presidency ? Greenspan reminds me of thirld world leaders ... sticking to it till the very last second. Is he waiting for a revolution to throw him off ?


text:
pink + leopardTuesday, June 24, 2014
||Express pink short sleeved blouse| Nwaobiara Infinity Quad Pendant Necklace c/o| Express scroll hinge bracelet similar | Express leopard belt | Kate Spade bracelet (cannot find exact online) similar | Forever 21 black shorts | DSW gold wedges||
Is there a better combo than pink and leopard? Add in a fun pair of black shorts and you've got the perfect outfit for a night out on the town! Funny story about these shorts... I bought them almost four years ago from Forever 21. I never wore them after I bought them. Last Summer I almost got rid of them when I was cleaning out my closet. They were in my "toss pile" but since I go through it one more time before selling, I tried them on and pretty much fell in love! Now I can't get enough of them. Sometimes it pays to hold onto things!
Also, the winner of the $50 gift card to Francesca's was Christy DuBois! Congrats, Christy!
I would love it if you would follow me on GFC or Bloglovin'!
49 thoughts
Love the pop of leopard print! Also, really loving the color of your nail polish currently!ReplyDelete
The necklace is the perfect finishing touch!ReplyDelete
That hot pink looks great against that black!ReplyDelete
Love the neon pop of color your leopard belt is adorable great styling.ReplyDelete
I just started following you on bloglovin & instagram; I would love it if you could follow back!
Miss Erin
- AnonymousJune 24, 2014 at 4:12 AM
Beautiful neon blouse!ReplyDelete
I love the pink shirt on you Darcy... it's such a fun color ;-)ReplyDelete
Sometimes it's a good idea to hold on to few things ♥
Anything with pink and leopard in it is a win in my book :) love the strappy sandals!ReplyDelete
You look fab awesome outfit.ReplyDelete
love this! that pink is so pretty on you.ReplyDelete
Love your top so much! Bright and cool, you can make lots of wonderful outfits using this one!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 24, 2014 at 7:49 AM
lovely color of your top! <3ReplyDelete
sweet and sugars,
- AnonymousJune 24, 2014 at 8:17 AM
We love when a pair of shorts that didn't work before are suddenly perfect. Such a cute outfit!!ReplyDelete
xx 365hangers
I love your hot pink top! That necklace is the perfect touch, I love that color combination!ReplyDelete
prosecco in the park
I love this one Darcy! It is something that I would totally wear! Your hair was looking might fine also ;) Hugs!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 24, 2014 at 9:06 AM
Chic and lively outfit. Loving your bright top.ReplyDelete
Cute look! This color looks amazing on you! =)ReplyDelete
The neon pink top is so fun! I bet you're glad you held onto the shorts!ReplyDelete
The Tiny Heart
Loving the hot pink with the touch of leopard!! So pretty!ReplyDelete
<3 Shannon
Pink and leopard is definitely a great combo! Good thing you didn't get rid of those shorts...black shorts are definitely a necessity and those one look great on you!ReplyDelete
Clothes & Quotes
Love the combo of neon pink and leopard print! xReplyDelete
love how the pink top and the gold/earth tone accessories match!ReplyDelete
I agree with you.., sometimes you have to sort out again on clothes you don't want to wear way back and fell inlove with them again. :) ♥ the little leopard touches..ReplyDelete
Oh my goodness, this top is everything! So gorgeous!ReplyDelete
xo Kylie
that top is seriously everything! it's so bright and perfectReplyDelete
Brittani and Katie
this combo is perfect!! glad you hung onto the shorts, nothing like a good pair of black shorts!ReplyDelete
xo mk
gold-hatted lover
That's why I don't like to through things out from my wardrobe. After while I keep coming back to oldies and goodies. That's great that you didn't toss them out, they look fab in this pairing. I believe in pink and especially for summer it is so pretty. Necklace is perfect finishing touch.ReplyDelete
xoxo Ra
Digging that neon pink on you, babe!ReplyDelete
the colour of yout top is so amazing! Have an awesome day :)ReplyDelete
I AM ALSO ON: Instagram @kennydaily, Bloglovin and Facebook
What Kenny Hearts a Fashion and Decor Blog
That neon top is perfect! -Hanna LeiReplyDelete
Love your pink top - such a fun pop of color!ReplyDelete
xx, Alexa
There is NO better combo than that :) And you are looking beautiful as usual!ReplyDelete
Totally love pink and leopard together as well!! Such a classic and girly combo. I recently just bought a similar leopard print belt and I can't wait to style it with some pink! xoReplyDelete
Loving that bright pink top! Definitely so perfect with your leopard belt!ReplyDelete
You've definitely inspired me to break out of my shell and pair leopard with fun colors! I love the hot pink combo!ReplyDelete
Great outfit!! You're so right that I can "re-find" things in my closet. It's funny when you haven't worn something for ages and then all of a sudden you love it again. Definitely saves money:)ReplyDelete
Love the top! That color is perfect for this time of year!ReplyDelete
I love this look. I want your shoes!ReplyDelete
-the Preppy Student
Pink and leopard is one of my all time favorite combos!ReplyDelete
Yes! Love the bright pink top paired with the skinny leopard belt!ReplyDelete
xo Erin
Love the look, its girly yet edgy!ReplyDelete
Gorgeous outfit! Love the hot pink and the pop of leopard!ReplyDelete
I love the bright pink top!! It looks fabulous on you!ReplyDelete
Ohhh yes, I've totally pulled the same thing as you. I've had items I was thisclose to tossing, and then something in me told me to give it a second thought and then they became old faves.
xo Jackie
Something About That
- AnonymousJune 24, 2014 at 10:29 PM
That color is magnificent on you! Such a great color and you look beautiful:)ReplyDelete
xo Olivia
gorgeous look! very gorgeous and inspiring ♥ReplyDelete
New style post on the blog dear ♥
You have such beautiful blouses and a great collection of shorts. Love how you dressed up these shorts. Looking very pretty, Darcy. =)ReplyDelete
Too bad I didn't win that awesome giveaway. Oh well.
You looks adorable! I love this outfit! And I have never seen a necklace like that and I love it!ReplyDelete
Love Always,
This outfit is SO cute. Reminds me I haven't done the dressy shorts thing yet this year.ReplyDelete
Love all of the great pops of color!! You look fab, girl!ReplyDelete
Please note that if you choose to comment with your Google Account your name and email will be stored.


text:
You are here
PLEIONE® fence main characteristic is the small squared mesh. Thanks to this feature, choosing this product means to go for a fence where elegance and aesthetic join solidity and strength. PLEIONE® perimeter system can be completed with a 60x7 mm or 80x8 mm classic flat bar.
Pleione MACS
With Pleione the intelligent MACS fence system, extends its use from the large industrial site to family dimension.
• A compact, elegant and highly distinctive sensor design.
• Sensor and cable available in different colors to match any project style.
• A sensor case shape designed specifically to facilitate installation.
• A single central screw assembling mechanism.
With MACS (MEMS-based anticlimbing system), break-in and overtaking attempts are individually detected, discriminating with extreme precision natural or accidental events. Thanks to the easy installation and the remote monitoring, this package represents an important step forward for perimeter security.
Hot dip Galvanized


text:
Dive Brief:
- Google Fiber has announced in a blog post the "tough decision" to leave Louisville, KY following challenges in laying sufficient fiber to deliver high-speed broadband. Service will be deactivated on April 15, although subscribers will get the final two months of internet for free.
- The service launched in Louisville in October 2017, at which time Google tested a new construction method that used shallow trenches to lay cable to speed up construction. However, residents said cables were popping out of the road and were left exposed, and Google eventually said the problems were so substantial it would have to rebuild its entire network.
- The exit from Louisville is not expected to affect service in its 11 other partner cities. "The lessons we've learned in Louisville have already made us better in our other Google Fiber cities," the company said.
Dive Insight:
Google Fiber burst onto the scene in 2012, promising 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) internet at lower costs than traditional cable and internet providers — but those ambitions have been curtailed in recent years. In 2016, plans to expand were put on pause and some cities slated to get new fiber service were instead given wireless service. Louisville now marks the service's most high-profile failure.
As CNET describes, Google Fiber had sought to install fiber in Louisville in just five months by having crews dig trenches just two inches deep to install fiber cables, then fill them in with a solidifying, rubbery liquid. The method was meant to avoid the costly up-front costs of laying fiber (and pass rivals also trying to expand in Louisville), but the installation clearly had some problems. Google has used a similar technique — but with six-inch trenches — in San Antonio.
The loss of Google Fiber could pose a problem for Louisville, which already has a pronounced digital divide that has left some disadvantaged neighborhoods without easy access to high-speed internet. The city has sought to solve it with some non-infrastructure solutions, like educating citizens on low-cost subscriptions and encouraging business development in less privileged areas, but the Google Fiber investment was also seen as a way to increase broadband access.
The failure also comes as more localities are exploring municipal broadband projects, which have proven successful in cities like Longmont, CO. Still, others are holding out for the launch of 5G, which promises wireless speeds even faster than Google Fiber could offer and will support massive data collection and the opportunity for connected infrastructure. Telecoms have started to dole out their 5G networks to select cities, but with full service still years away, cities will still need robust and cost-effective fiber options to keep their residents connected.


text:
Tales of Symphonia, Hanamaru Kindergarten Videos Posted (Updated)
posted on by Egan Loo
The Animate.tv website has begun streaming the two-minute opening animation for the Tales of Symphonia the Animation: Tethe'alla-hen (Tales of Symphonia the Animation: Tethe'alla Arc) video anime series on Sunday. The series will launch in Japan on March 25 with Nana Mizuki singing the opening theme song "Tenkū no Canaria."
The ufotable anime studio produced the earlier Sylvarant Arc video series in 2007 and is producing the new series with returning director Haruo Sotozaki and series script supervisor Ryunosuke Kingetsu. Akira Matsushima is once again adapting Kosuke Fujishima's designs for anime. The two anime series adapt the story from Bandai Namco Games' Tales of Symphonia fantasy role-playing games, but focus on two different parallel worlds.
Starchild's website for the Hanamaru Kindergarten anime series began streaming a 90-second "Panda Neko Taisō" (Panda Cat Exercise) video on Sunday also. The story of the anime and Yuto's original slice-of-life comedy manga centers on three kindergartners and their teachers. Gainax and director Seiji Mizushima (first Fullmetal Alchemist anime, Gundam 00) premiered the anime in Japan on Sunday, and Crunchyroll is simulcasting the series online.
Thanks to Balaz Sel for the news tip.
Sources: OVA Tales of Symphonia the Animation: Tethe'alla-hen, Animate.tv
Images © Kosuke Fujishima ©NBGI © T.O.S. Production Committee © Yuto/Square Enix, Hanamaru Kindergarten Production Committee
Update: Animate.tv began streaming the Tales of Symphonia the Animation: Tethe'alla-hen opening animation on Friday, although the project's official site did not update until Sunday. The footage will be online until January 31. Thanks, hikacha.
this article has been modified since it was originally posted; see change history


text:
|Across Western Canada farmers are facing similar challenges. For starters, trying to find a rotation that works in our short growing season is tough. Add in the other realities such as herbicide resistant weeds, increased disease pressure, soil health and… read more
|Seeding winter wheat can be challenging; particularly in less than optimal conditions as experienced last fall. There are some practices that can make a big difference to the ultimate success or failure of the crop. Ken Gross, an agronomist with… read more
|If your winter wheat appears to be struggling, it may still need some time to recover. Western Winter Wheat agronomists urge growers not to assess their crop until at least halfway through spring seeding operations. Even in poor conditions, winter… read more
|By Kayla Graham This time of year calls for spring cleaning, spring seeding and a winter wheat spring assessment. The increasing hours of sunlight and warmer temperatures may entice you to conduct a crop assessment prematurely, but we encourage growers… read more
|Fertilize in fall or spring? That's the question winter wheat growers face every year at seeding time. There are several advantages to applying nitrogen (N) fertilizer in fall. Usually, N is more economical in autumn than spring, applying it in… read more


text:
Mental health
Thorn Mooney, Can I have mental illness and be a witch? [video]
Madness and language by Nimue Brown
A helpful framing of different ways to think about mental health issues.
Madness, Shamanism, and Wicca by Yvonne Aburrow
Some people have argued that people with mental health issues should not take part in Wicca, because the rituals are highly emotionally charged and involve a lot of shamanic practices which people feel might exacerbate mental health issues. I disagree – I think that the practice of Wicca can help people to integrate the psyche, which would be beneficial. Neither mental health, learning difficulties, nor learning disabilities should be regarded as an automatic disqualification for taking part in Pagan or Wiccan rituals.
Thorn Mooney, Wicca and Depression"I am disturbed by the tendency in Wiccan, Pagan, and New Age communities to eschew psychiatric care, qualified counseling, and even open discussion of mental illness in favor of, essentially, positive thinking and lots of herbal tea. There is still a trend toward shaming those who seek professional help in struggling with depression (etc.). The implication is that if you struggle with mental illness, you're doing Wicca wrong."
Marg Herder, The Long Overdue Conversation About Mental Illness
Heron Michelle, She Who is Without Oddness, Cast the First Stone
Self-harm, faith, and spirituality, by Rev Kate
Excellent article on self-harm in the context of faith and spirituality, by a Metropolitan Community Church minister (the MCC, founded in 1968, is a liberal church created by and for LGBT people).
Nimue Brown, Labels, power, and identity
On how labels you choose yourself are empowering, and how refusing others' labels and identities, and mislabeling them, can be disempowering and even dangerous.


text:
Understand your team's needs
Getting to know your team members on a deeper level can make a big difference in workplace morale, employee performance, and job satisfaction.Book A Demo
Manager Report
Equip your managers with the insights necessary to understand how their teams feels. Reports are always sent at the end of a pulse and are easily accessible via your dashboard.
Leadership Tips
Provide your managers with on the go leadership tips and recommendations to help them take informed actions while developing their soft skills.
People Analytics
Analyze your employee feedback, follow trends and equip your HR team with the data they need to improve the employee experience.


text:
Harder Network Safety Security Can Conserve Organizations Many Millions
PlayStation Network Card code will certainly not be changed if shed, ruined, or taken. 4. Go into the code at the base of this card. For explanation, a PSN card for the United States PS shop will just be redeemable in the United States PS Shop. All you require to do is buy the worth of PSN credit scores you desire, get in the PSN Shop code to include the funds to your account, and afterward invest away. The card remains in 35 Extra pound religions, which indicates you might include these funds to your PlayStation Pocketbook and also utilize it to download and install attachments, video games, and also movies lawfully. I intend to include funds to my pocketbook, as well as my account is EU. Yet what occurs when you intend to alter the e-mail or password related to your PlayStation Network login?
PSN Card functioning for PlayStation Shop account that signed up in the UK. A PSN card for the EU PS Shop can not be retrieved in the United States PS Shop if you obtain requested for any Debit Card info, or also any extremely private information such as your SSN or Checking account number. Without a doubt, some vendors also have pet crates of PS5 gaming consoles up for playstation kaart sale. You must purchase for that particular shop and utilize the same money (you can not utilize an Italian card on a Spanish account also if both usage Euro). The various other accounts additionally require to be established as a key on that particular console to permit your primary account to play material acquired by them. I'm simply asking yourself, if you have numerous accounts on a PS4, if it's your main PS4, you can play video games from various accounts on your primary account?
You can have numerous main accounts on one console, however, so it should not be a concern. Throughout the statement at Gamescom in Germany, Sony likewise introduced it was reducing the cost of its portable console, the PlayStation Vita. The PlayStation Network, or PSN for a brief, is the leading online solution of Sonys pc gaming department. This website is CONSTANTLY upgraded with FREE, LEGITIMATE PlayStation Network codes. You can finish the jobs provided to you and win cash to acquire PSN Codes conveniently. There is a load of sites asserting to produce complimentary PSN present card codes. Follow the on-screen guidelines to download and install and install the update if there is. PSN credit scores top-up cards in all worths are decreased, so whether you wish to make a sprinkle with a massive acquisition or conserve several quid, there ought to be an alternative for you.


text:
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The red and blue fabric is for sale!
And I'm working on a quilt that features all the green and blue designs and hope to get it wrapped up this week. I'll post pics as soon as it's done.
The reds turned out exactly like I wanted them to! So excited. I just uploaded a few fat quarters onto the store. Hope everyone is having a great holiday season!
And Lucinda at Septemberbird had this great pic on her site of her kitty helping with her sewing up some of the blue and green birdies. I can't wait to see what she makes!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Vote for Birdies on Chairs...please?
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
New colors
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
New embroidery kits from Curlin Reed Sullivan
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
I'm totally overwhelmed...And a winner!
And now without further sloppy gushing, the winner is....
Congratulations to Ly+Alan. I hope you'll send a picture of what you make with the Birdies on Chairs fabric!
To Gina F, I laughed really hard at your story of accidentally running over your daughter's book bag. Thanks for a great giggle.
And to Lisa from Musings from the Mama Bear, your special needs Bud Bird...that featherless torso! So glad he has you and your family to love him. I had a cat that used to pull all of his fur out and my friend called him Cat Jerky since he was so skinny and ratty looking. But I loved him anyway!!
Thanks again everyone! What a super fun day reading all your comments. And I've got some really fun stuff in the works, so if you'd like to be added to my mailing list, just post a comment with your address and you'll be the first to see the new kits! (tease, tease, tease....)
And I also got a wonderful surprise tonight! I won some vintage fabric scraps during Giveaway Day from the delightful Dallas from For the Journey! You must go see her photography! The sunflower photos are so beautiful they literally made me gasp.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
It's Giveaway Day!
As a big thank you for everyone's support and nice words on my new design venture, I'm giving away a FREE fat quarter of my Birdies on Chairs fabric!
Tomorrow morning (12/4) I'll draw one lucky winner! Here's how it works:
-Before midnight tonight, leave a comment on this post below telling me how you'd like to use the fabric. (And make sure there's a way for me to contact you if you win!)
-Using a random number generator, I'll select the winner and ship out your fabric lickety split
-And yes, I'm happy to ship internationally!
Hope everyone's gearing up for a wonderful holiday season and thanks for visiting! There are lots and lots of sites doing giveaways today, so make sure you visit Sew Mama Sew's blog for a list of participating sites!
Let me know if you'd like to be added to my mailing list so you can keep up with all the new things I'm stitching up!
Scarlet Fig Giveaway - Starts tomorrow!
And my fabulous friend Curlin, is giving away one of her adorable embroidery kits. So make sure you visit her blog tomorrow too!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Indie Giveaway on Scoutie Girl - Scarlet Fig pillow
Go spend some time and take a look at the Scoutie Girl December Indie Giveaway. There's a Birdies on Chairs pillow cover that's part of the loot!
The giveaway features a bunch of great artists and some really lovely things. Not only could you win all those pretty goodies, every entry is generating cash for a charity of your chosing.
Go enter today!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Texas Chair Project
Two years ago, Austin artist Damian Priour made 100 little limestone-and-glass chairs and then sent requests to a bunch of artists asking that they each make a miniature chair using any materials. The materials ranged from metal to wood to plastic and they were all really unique. Such a great thing to see how people interpret an every day item as a work of art. Wish I could find more images online...
My two favorites were a chair that was made out of a pile of sawdust (chair was 'drawn' flat on the ground out of loose sawdust) and a chair that was made of rusty nails bent into a really beautiful shape.
This piece was really sweet. And I found an image!
Chair by EM Studio Glass
Thursday, November 20, 2008
The fabric is officially for sale!
Here's the links to the fabrics on Etsy:
Oh So Fancy Armchair
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Things you've done
Just cut and paste and bold the things you have done.
A few I would add to their list...
-Visit Bhutan during one of the beautiful festivals
-Learn to scuba dive
-Learn to sail and then head to the Greek Islands!
-Have a family
-Learn another language (I know Spanish and a tiny, tiny bit of French)
And on this list I still want to visit ALL the travel related spots.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped (Off of a bridge in New Zealand. Super scary but super fun.)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (For Alison: Hello Madam!)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie (Does stalking George Clooney and Brad Pitt in Burn After Reading count?)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies (But I have eaten quite a few!)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Visitors from all over the world
Well folks, it's been exactly 4 months since my last day of work in advertising! (Happy dance!)
A week after resigning from my job, I packed up the apartment, dragged the dog and the cat across the country and arrived here in Austin. It's been so wonderful to have this opportunity to explore my creativity and start this business. And I'm so glad I gave myself the huge gift of being able to do it.
But there are days that I really miss Brooklyn and my friends on the east coast! Go take a stroll on the promenade for me. And eat a huge piece of lasagna at Noodle Pudding. (I swear he puts crack or something in that lasagna. I am still craving it on a near daily basis.) Lasagna withdrawl aside, it does feel really great to be back here in Austin with my mom, my old friends and so many new ones. So I guess that's my long winded way of saying thanks again to everyone for your ongoing support!
Stay tuned, I've got some really exciting stuff in the wings...
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Long overdue post
Sorry I've been so long without a post. I've been super busy so here's a quick update.
NEW Spoonflower fabric! What do you think? I am finally going to get all 3 of the fabrics up on Etsy for sale this weekend. FINALLY! Not sure what has been taking me so long on that...hmmm....
Have also been busy sewing pockets for the kitchen aprons. Friends of mine will probably recognize this style from your holiday gifts a few years ago!...Don't you just love the pom poms? They tie around the waist and are knee length. Like barista aprons but with sass. I've been calling them the Saute, Bake and Play aprons. ;)
This was the enormous pile of fabric for the fabric covered books. I nearly sold out of them at the last 2 shows so had to replentish the supply. Finally got to the bottom of the piletoday and finished them! 50 books ready to go to new homes now! Yahoo! I think I will take a break from book sewing for a while. I think that's called "book burnout".
AND I just mailed off my submission application to have one of my quilts (made it a few years ago) included in a book (about quilts surprisingly enough...) Here's two quick pics. I just love this one. I should get pictures of my other quilts up on the blog too...
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Yes we can
Monday, October 27, 2008
How cool is this?
I owe you an update on the show but am pooped and am off to bed. Just wanted to share the cool news!
Monday, October 20, 2008
First show day after tomorrow - yikes!
I'm a bit nervous about the show but crazy excited. I hope I can figure out my new fangled wireless credit card machine! Everyone wish me luck and I'll post pics of the booth and let you know how it's all received. Whoo hoo!
And if you're in Austin, please come out to River Place Country Club on Wed night 4-9 or Thursday 11-6 and visit!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Long live Spoonflower
Saturday, October 11, 2008
A really great Saturday.
Slept in a bit, walked the dog and lazed around this morning. Headed over to my new dear, dear friend Curlin's (of Pippingtooth fame) house to shoot photos of my new stuff. She has the most amazing home and she was so kind to let me camp out (literally) all day shooting on her porch. What a divine way to spend a Saturday. And the photos turned out great. The best ones are in a new photoset on Flikr, but here's a few of the ones that I just love. The pillows with the chair designs are from the fabric I designed and printed through Spoonflower. My first show is week after next and I'm so excited!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Maker Faire winner!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Ticket giveaway to Maker Faire
I have 4 tickets to giveaway: 2 adult, 1 student, 1 youth. The event is Saturday 10/18 and 10/19 at the Travis County Event Center and Fairground.
To participate in the giveaway, just submit a comment to this post using the comments section below. This Friday, 10/3, I will randomly select a winner who will get all 4 tickets, valued at $75! I'll post the winner's name on Saturday and you can email me your address so I can mail you the tickets.
What is Maker Faire?
Maker Faire is a two-day, family-friendly event that celebrates the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset. It's for creative, resourceful people of all ages and backgrounds who like to tinker and love to make things. From the event website: "In a nutshell, Maker Faire is a two-day, public gathering of tech DIY enthusiasts, teachers, students, tinkerers, hobbyists, inventors, science clubs, authors, manufacturers and retailers, print and broadcast media all coming together to share their projects. There will be scheduled performances, demonstrations, and an abundance of hands-on activities, all designed for an amazing and thrilling experience for those who attend!"
For more information on the event (maps, faqs etc...), visit their website.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Lots of new stuff
Look at my new labels! I ordered them from Hong Kong via ebay and I love, love them!
I hand dyed this linen, and silkscreened this chair I designed. I appliqued the lamp and sticthed the upholstry pattern onto the chair. I'm hoping to have at least a dozen of them done this week.
Covered composition books. The ribbons on the front are pen pockets.
The first printing of my fabric! I'll be selling (hopefully!) some small quantities.
My new favorite thing to make. I love these fabric collages! Still trying to figure out if I'm going to frame them or stretch them over canvas.
House ornaments. They are hanging off of every door knob in my house. So cheery!
I'll keep you posted!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Amazing surface design class
Rachel of Average Jane Crafter was one of the crafty crew and she documented the whole journey on her blog. Here are a few of the pics she took and a great series of posts talking about what we got to do. Thanks Rachel! You rock sister!
Photo by Average Jane Crafter
For more pics surface design class photos, take a peek at Rachel's photostream on flikr.


text:
This is our Christmas Thank You picture. I'll trim it (which is why there's so much blue space below the photo) on the right side and bottom to fit a 4 1/4 by 5 1/2-inch card base.
Our Christmas Thank You notes turn out to be "hybrid" (which is often the case). I usually add buttons, ribbon or some other embellishment as well as sometimes mounting it upon two different pieces of card stock for visual interest. Here, I've simply trimmed the picture and mounted it on a Very Vanilla card base. I've added a length of Whisper White Narrow Grosgrain and made a Faux Bow and added a rhinestone to the center of the small snowflake on the right. So simple and just enough "Wow!"
Here are some past Thank You notes I've made with My Digital Studio:
Stampin' Up! Supplies:
Stamps: None
Paper: Very Vanilla card stock (#101650)
Ink: None
Accessories: My Digital Studio (#118108), Whisper White Narrow Grosgrain ribbon (#109025), and Basic Rhinestones (#119246)


text:
One of the new features brought to the CoCo1/2 and other 6847 based machines by the CoCoVGA is a new mode that Brendan implemented. Called VG6, this mode offers a 128×96 16-color screen using the same amount of memory as a standard 256×192 2-color screen (RG6, aka PMODE 4).
With the ability to change the individual palette colors to any of the available CoCoVGA machine palette colors (512 in v1 boards, 32,768 in v2 boards) makes this an interesting mode to play with.
Though I had manually put together a number of images to demo this mode earlier, I decided it would be a good idea to write a proper converter so that images could easily be generated on a modern machine for viewing on the CoCo.
So I wrote one using my MacBook Pro, using X-windows (XQuartz) as the windowing system and packaged as a terminal app. On launching the program, you are presented with a menu window offering three choices;
– 'Import .png file (must be 128×96)'
– 'Open existing VG6 file'
– 'Exit the program'
the main menu
The program only converts from .png files of the mentioned resolution. I recommend you first prepare your images by scaling, cropping, etc, in some other image editor and save as a 128×96 24-bit .png file.
After selecting the first option, you'll get a system dialog box to browse to the image you want to convert. On opening it, you'll be presented with four conversions that the program has made of the image. My reasoning here is to present a simple conversion without a lot of confusing options. Because different images give better results with different processing, at least a few variations are required to be sure there is something acceptable to choose from.
image selection window
The four choices are all processed to fit the same optimized 16-color palette generated by an octree routine in the program. The conversions are a a floyd-steinberg dither, a diffusion dither, octree quantization without dither, and a closest color quantization.
Simply click on the image that you think looks the best, and you'll then be taken to the editor window to make minor changes before saving the VG6 file.
the editor window
In the editor window, you can see the 16 palette colors off to the right (0-15), along with two tools (an eyedropper and pencil), and two buttons to either save the VG6 file or exit the editor.
The dropper tool allows you to click anywhere on the image to select the color for that pixel as the active color, or you can directly click on a palette color box to the right to do the same thing.
The currently selected palette color will be outlined by a black rectangle. This is the color that will be used by the pencil as you edit the picture. Click on the tool you'd like to use to select it (current tool is shown with an outline).
When drawing with the pencil, you can either click individual pixels one at a time, or click and drag to change multiple pixels.
When you're ready, save your VG6 file. This file can be copied onto an SD card, put into your CoCo SDC, and viewed with my VG6 viewer on the CoCo.
Existing VG6 files can be opened for editing / saving with the second main menu choice.
Here are a couple of pictures of the original image, an indexed 16 color reduction using GIMP, and the choices presented by the converter for comparison.
conversion comparisons
Here is a video with me explaining a little bit about the program …
As most people use Windows for their modern OS, I ported this to x86 and x64 Windows versions as well. The various versions of the VG6 converter as well as a .DSK image of the viewer for the CoCo can be found here if you'd like to give them a try. All the usual disclaimers apply of course, but it works well on my machines. Enjoy! 🙂


text:
Tom & Jerry: Tricks and Treats ReviewPosted: September 11, 2012
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, ???
English, Portuguese, ???
Trailers for:
At Disc start:
Tom & Jerry: Robin Hood & his Merry Mouse
Big Top Scooby-Doo
At Disc Menu:
Peanuts Holiday Collection
Cat in the Hat
The Looney Tunes Show
Trailer for Lots of Scooby-Doo
Featured Episodes:
- More Powers to You
- Over the River and Boo! The Woods
- Fire Breathing Tom Cat
- Touché, Pussy Cat!
- The Flying Sorceress
- Tiger Cat
- Robin Hoodwinked
- Jerry's Cousin
- Invasion of the Body Slammers
- Haunted Mouse
- Trap Happy
- Spook House Mouse
- Bats What I Like About the South
- Fraidy Cat Scat
- Which Witch
- Monster Con
- Tomb It May Concern
- Power Tom
- The Itch
- Hi, Robot
Bonus Cartoons:
- Ho Ho Horrors
- Doggone Hill Hog
The Good:
Another Tom and Jerry DVD release with a theme, this time around it's all about Halloween/Horror/Holidays. This is a great DVD to get one in the mood for the fall/winter. Picture quality is crisp and clean, especially on the older cartoons.
If you are a huge fan of the Tom and Jerry Tales cartoons, this DVD is packed for of them.
The Bad:
As with the previous releases, there is a disproportionate amout of Tom and Jerry Tales Cartoons: 1 Chuck Jones era, 5 early Hanna-Barbera, 16 Tom and Jerry tales. Though that's not inherintely bad, but the was only one Hanna-Barbera that was Halloween themed. Where was "Fraidy Cat", "Dr.Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse", or even "Heavenly Puss" for a more Halloween theme? Again, why is there no love for any Gene Deitch cartoons or the 1975 Hanna-Barbera? Heck, there are even some Tom and Jerry Kids episodes that would fit in nicely with this release.
Other than the lack of respect to any other era and the odd choices from some of the older Tom and Jerrys, I can't find anything really bad about this release.
The Ugly:
Mostly Tom and Jerry Tales oriented, though I can't say that's an ugly issue. My main beef with this release, as mentioned before, is the lack of any other Tom and Jerry era cartoons.
View the News Archive


text:
GDP grew by 4.7 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2019.
All sectors expanded, apart from construction (due to the delay in the public infrastructure spending and completion of the landmark gas pipeline project).
Trade was up by nearly 6.0 percent, followed by real estate, transport, financial intermediation.
Inflow of foreign investments slowed substantially.
Exports of goods increased by 12.4 percent year on year in the first eight months of 2019.
The tourism sector remains strong.
The Georgian lari depreciated by 9.4 per cent in the period January to September 2019.
GEORGIA AND THE EaP
The six Eastern Partner countries have been making steady progress in improving the business climate for SMEs. This overview of the Doing Business indicator of the World Bank shows how Georgia has improved over the years, gradually closing the gap with the best performing countries of the world ('distance to
frontier'). Georgia has been the stellar performer, starting off very high at 75% of distance to frontier, and now standing at almost 85%.
Doing Business – Distance to frontier, EaP
Source: Doing Business, World Bank, www.doingbusiness.org
The National Statistics Office of Georgia revised its SME definition in 2017 to comply with EU standards and increase international comparability. Under the recently adopted new definitions and methodology, 99.7 percent of all firms in Georgia in 2017 were SMEs. In 2018, SMEs, accounted for 64.2 percent of business sector employment and 60.4 percent of value added. SMEs tend to be concentrated in low-value-added sectors such as trade (including repair of vehicles), manufacturing and construction, which contributed respectively 39, 20 and 20 percent of business sector employment in 2017.
Business demography indicators 2018
Source: Armstat, (2019), Georgia, 2019.
The funds invested by the European Union triggered additional loans and financial assistance in the country, effectively increasing the assistance tenfold. This benefitted 41,620 SMEs and created an estimated 11,627 jobs, beyond the sustained ones. The number of projects in the country, and with it the EU's assistance, has been on the steady rise over the ten years of EU4Business's operation.


text:
Hush Puppies are a deep-fried savory ball made with a corn-meal batter. Hush Puppies are often served with seafood in the South.
Recipe courtesy of Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking by
Nathalie Dupree & Cynthia Graubart
Serves 6
2 cups cornmeal
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
vegetable oil or shortening for frying
- In a large bowl, sift together, cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder
- Stir in the onions, buttermilk
andegg until thoroughly mixed.
- Heat the oil to 375˚F and drop the batter by spoonful's (about 2 teaspoons each) into
- Fry until golden brown.
- Move to a plate lined with paper towels and serve hot.


text:
Trump surges among likely Republican primary voters: Reuters/Ipsos poll
By James Oliphant WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After a week in which he hosted Saturday Night Live and stood center-stage at a Republican debate, Donald Trump is surging among Republicans likely to cast votes in the party's presidential primary. According to the five-day rolling Reuters/Ipsos presidential poll, Trump has leapt some 17 percentage points among likely Republican voters since Nov. 6, when he was essentially tied with Ben Carson at about 25 percent. Trump now captures 42 percent of those voters while Carson has fallen off slightly. Among all Republicans - not simply likely primary voters -Trump holds a substantial edge over Carson, at 34 percent to about 20 percent, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll. Trump's appearance on NBC's Saturday Night Live earned the program its highest ratings in two years, with 9.3 million viewers tuning in. Then, on Tuesday, 13.5 million viewers watched the debate from Milwaukee broadcast on the Fox Business Network. It remains to be seen, however, whether Trump's surge will hold in the wake of his comments at an Iowa rally Thursday night in which he tore into Carson, telling the crowd that Carson has a "pathological" temper. "If you're pathological, there's no cure for that," Trump said. "If you're a child molester, there's no cure for that." Trump then posted a video critical of Carson on his Instagram account Friday. The Republican establishment has long expected the outspoken billionaire to fade, and he has yet to give it the satisfaction. Trump has consistently held more than 25 percent of the support among all Republicans in the Reuters/Ipsos rolling poll for more than two months. The Reuters/Ipsos poll is also bad news for Marco Rubio, who is widely considered to be emerging as the establishment-backed alternative to Trump. Despite receiving rave notices for his past two debate performance, Rubio's support has remained flat, with about 10 percent of likely Republican primary voters preferring him. Those primary voters remain very down on former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. Just four percent say they would support Bush in the latest poll. The results of the five-day rolling Reuters/Ipsos poll was based on a sample of 534 Republicans with a credibility interval of 5 percent. The pool of likely Republican primary voters was based on sample of 257 voters with a credibility interval of 7 percent. (Reporting by James Oliphant; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)


text:
Apparently there is a thriving garden railroad hobby in the Portland area. The garden railroad is modelled in "G Gauge" which is larger than the old Lionel O gauge. Standard HO gauge is half the size of O which is how HO got its name.
The local hobbyists get their garden railroads spruced up for public display a couple of weekends in June. Herb's Rotary friend Hal Beighley has a nice set up and Herb was headed out to take pictures for a slideshow and invited me to tag along. I grabbed my camera and headed out with him.
Hal's layout is in the side strip between his house and his neighbor's. He had to scramble Saturday morning because his neighbor's roof gutters were blocked and lots of water dumped on his layout. But you couldn't tell he had any problems when we got there around 10:30 in the morning.
|I hear that train a comin'; headed 'round the bend.
|A couple hanging out on the porch watching trains go by.
|The classification yard; the foundation for the roundhouse in the back right has 800 pounds of concrete
|Pennsylvania RR heading through a mountain pass.
|Bill Neville, the owner of the layout.


text: Laser cutting does not cause distortion through heat, it leaves a clean edge and is able to include holes and cut outs of (almost) any shape and size. Laser cutting provides customers with a consistent product that can, in most cases, be integrated immediately into their product. One of the more important advantages of laser cutting is that of time (and therefore cost) saving. The need for hard tooling is eliminated and this can save many thousands of dollars and several weeks delay. Modifications can be made instantly.


text:
Unzipped comments on news that a contract officer in the Armenian army has been reported dead. With mistreatment in the military common and of concern to human rights groups, the blog does not appear to believe the official story that Artak Nazaryan committed suicide and directs readers to a Facebook page set up demanding a proper investigation into the incident.
Top World Stories
1 comment
[…] in the army are nothing new in Armenia, the video came at a particularly sensitive time given a spate of deaths earlier this summer. Unzipped commented on its appearance online, raising concerns and calling for an urgent and […]


text:
When you have completed your studies download and complete the Final Exam.
Essential and Comparative Theology Final Exam
Write a 1500-word (5 page) Essay on what you have learned while taking this course.
Return completed Exam and Essay to:
Mineola Bible Institute
738 Goodson Cir.
Mineola, Texas 75773
Attn: Dr. Larry L Yates