text: Artist: Lil' Kim f/ Puff Daddy Album: Nobody Do it Better Than Us 12" Song: Nobody Do It Better Than Us (Remix) * Typed by: email@example.com, email@example.com * This was originally supposed to appear on "Notorious K.I.M." but was only released promotionally as a single. [Lil' Kim] (Puffy) (Yea) This is it, this is the one (That's what I'm talkin' about right here) Aye yo Puff I don't think they ready for this one (They ain't ready baby) You ready? (No doubt) Yeah me too (Let's do it) [Lil' Kim] If gettin' money is a crime, then I confess It ain't about money, I could care less I used to be a B now I'm a C breast I get em hard, you handle the rest My music like heartburn, burn your chest Like a nigga stick the ax inside your backs You be like, "What the fuck was that shit?!" Gimme some more I love my fans, gotta make 'em dance Would I ever make a whack joint? (Not a chance) All my male friends call me M&M Cause my pussy melt in your mouth and not in your hands Just a bad girl always rockin' dimes With the see-who's-stockin' skaters with the Lizzy's Purpose with the deadbeats Usually spotted by my Goldilocks While birds movin' flocks, I'm movin' drops Cop the Ferrari when I'm roomin' the range Two of the same, it ain't a thang, pocket the change Now I'm just doin' my thing enjoyin' the fame Why not ain't no other bitches hot in the game 1 - Nobody do it better than us Nobody do it better than us Nobody do it better than us Nobody do it better than us Nobody do it better than us Nobody do it better than us [Lil' Kim] Lil' Kim, yeah everybody knows me In a class by myself, never where the ho's be I just avoid where all my foes be Cause God damn muthafuckas is nosey Wanna know what I'm wearing? What I'm drivin'? What I'm doin'? Where I hang out at? Who the fuck I'm screwin' Damn I move way out to the boondocks So I can have a little bit of privacy You bought a tiny ass condo Way across the water with a telescope So you can spy on me You clowns belong in the circus Steady tryin' to hurt us Tell me what's the purpose They say I'm prejudice, the only presidents that I fuck with Is the ones that's dead, like the big heads Never stingy with my Benji's Got enough dough to buy the West Indies Invest in Fendi's, own Laurendi's Start my own doll like Mark & Mindy's Free all my niggas from the penitentiary And keep puttin' out records till the turn of the century Repeat 1 Uh uh, hold up, wait, hold up, wait a minute [Lil' Kim] You got a 5 and I got a 6 Back it up! What's wrong with this picture? Nigga pack it up! I need a 6 figga nigga (uh huh) Yours is big but mines is bigger Cause the Benji's is what it's all about Do my ladies know what I'm talkin' about If my shoes cost more than your car Hah, don't expect to get far You the kinda nigga that like to plot Call your friends, tell 'em that you hit the jackpot I keep razors in my bras, for all you womanizers That's how much I despise it's up I don't get it I ain't wit it Can't see how other woman did it Niggas screamin' gimme, can't get a penny Yeah I got plenty But you ain't got any? Now picture me takin' my hard earned money Throwin' it away by spendin' it on a dummy All he gon' do is spend it on another honey I say let the nigga stay bummy I don't need a nigga I jerks it out Take it old school and smurf it out Give me a B and I'll murk it out Niggas know QB gon' work it out! Repeat 1 Nobody do it better than us Nobody do it better than us [Puffy] (Lil' Kim) (Can't nobody do it better to you than us) Nobody As we proceed to give you what you need (Can't nobody do it better to you than us) In 2000 baby (Can't nobody do it better to you than us) And we rock on and on All hail the Queen (Can't nobody do it better to you than us) All hail the King B.I.G forever and we won't stop Roc-A-Fella Undeas Lil' Ceasar Brizz, Lil' C-Gutta, Money L Trife, nigga Blake C


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Follow the sample letter format on how to write a vendor proposal acceptance letter, vendor acceptance is a confirmation from the company to vendor that the proposal is accepted and also both are legally working together for certain time. Acceptance letter is replying to the vendor and also providing detailed information about what documents and guidelines the vendor should follow.
The letter or email should be written in details, like from which date they are going to work together and what restrictions the vendor has on the services or products. Below is a sample proposal acceptance letter to vendor.
Sample Proposal Acceptance Letter To Vendor:
Subject: Proposal Acceptance Letter
Respected Jackson,
We have had a delay in replying to your proposal letter, as we had to list out entire best vendors, to offer our services. Out of which your company was selected as one of the best and we are ready to accept your proposal. You will be our vendor from Nov 1st 2015, as we have the new project launching in this month.
You will handle all the marketing, advertising and digital media marketing. We are very clear with our terms and conditions; henceforth we want you to go through the complete guidelines document attached before signing. We are happy to accept the proposal as our research shows that you have been the best print and publishing company till date. Overall you will be handling our marking of our clients and products; we don't need any delay in the final output.
I hope we can meet soon to discusses in personal and sign the required documents. You can come down any time to the office before Oct 25th 2015. If any other queries you can call us or reply to the same. Thanks so much for contacting us and we will always have a good mutual business.
Thank you,

subset: commoncrawl


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If you're one of the many folks like Aaron Nelson at Hijinks Inc. who feels like paying over $85 per month for both data and voice service is a little extreme, the idea of paying only $30 per month for unlimited data for your iPhone is mighty appealing.
The cost issues of buying an iPad 3G and appropriating its MicroSIM for an iPhone aside, this is a pretty slick little hack involving a razor and some tape. You can either utilize an obsolete SIM or a plastic gift card for this hack, which involves cutting out a slot in either the sacrificial SIM or the gift card to accommodate the iPad's MicroSIM.
Once you've created the MicroSIM holder you can insert it into the iPhone's SIM cradle. At this point, you're almost good to go. The final touches involve setting up a custom Access Point Name (APN) in your iPhone's profile settings via unlockit.co.nz to convince your iPhone to use the hacked SIM for accessing the 3G network. After this, you can cancel your iPhone service and use various VoIP clients like fring or Skype for your phone functionality needs. Hijinks Inc. has full step-by-step instructions for your perusal.
I've had good luck using fring with a SIP account over AT&T 3G, and when the multitasking ability comes to the iPhone OS this summer, running a client in the background will make it easier than ever to use a VoIP client exclusively for voice on an iPhone. (If you're an Android owner, you could probably use the iPad SIM with Google Voice over VoIP to make calls.) That said, PCWorld won't be held responsible if you damage or brick either your iPad or your iPhone in the process of this hack! If you do go through with this, let us know how it went (and what you're doing with the leftover iPad) in the comments.
[Hijinks Inc. via Hack-a-Day]
Like this? you may also like…
- Get a Micro-SIM the Easy Way–With Scissors
- Untethered Jailbreak for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch
- Android Now Running On iPhone 3G


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OK- I have to admit, not a fan of raccoons, especially when it comes to my fish/ fish tank.... but I mean, how can you not think this little guy is cute????
I mean look at him!!!
What's he looking for? Hahahah Just looking at this cracks me up. He looks like a little bitty bear!
He was hanging around the first shade house, crawling up the sides and peering in. And let me just say, he was so not scared.
I am worried that he is so young and alone.
But can you stand it???? He's so cute!


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There's a rumor swirling around right now that could turn this blazing fire of an NFL offseason into an inferno. According to New England Sports Network's Dale Arnold, there's a very real possibility that Tom Brady won't spend the 2022 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but rather with another Florida team a little further south.
Keep in mind, Arnold was the first person to break Tom Brady's decision to join Tampa Bay two seasons ago. That has led several NFL fans to take the tweet above rather seriously.
The meaning of the tweet was expanded upon during a WEEI radio show called Merloni & Fauria. One of the hosts claimed that he texted Arnold and asked for clarification to which Arnold responded that the Bucs and Dolphins are both working on a deal right now, but it's still unclear whether or not a deal will be reached.
This comes just two days after the Dolphins sent five draft picks including a 2022 first-rounder to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for star receiver Tyreek Hill. Perhaps that is why Brady has sudden interest in the Dolphins, if what Arnold says is true. They now have one of the best wide receiver corps in the league, and Hill would arguably be the most explosive receiver Brady has worked with since Randy Moss. Furthermore, prior to Brady's announcement that he would be returning to the Buccaneers in 2022, Miami was a hot spot for rumors revolving around the seven-time Super Bowl champ. The Brady family allegedly purchased a house on Miami's exclusive Indian Creek Island earlier this year. It would make sense that Brady would want to spend more time near his family, and while Miami and Tampa are not very far from one another as is, it's still a four-and-a-half hour drive.
Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians has previously expressed an appreciation for Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. After Tua was drafted in 2020, Arians declared Tagovailoa should be the Dolphins' starter if healthy. Arians went on to compare Tua's situation to his time with Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, and Ben Roethlisberger. While Arians never flat-out said he liked Tagovailoa as a prospect, it's hard to imagine a situation where Tagovailoa is not part of the trade for Brady if the rumors of this trade are true. Throw in the fact that one of Tom Brady's best friends, tight end Rob Gronkowski, has not re-signed with the Buccaneers despite Brady coming out of retirement nearly two weeks ago, and you've got yourself a spicy rumor with some real teeth.
That said, there are still several holes in this theory. For one, per a report from The Athletic, Brady is still actively recruiting free agents to join him in Tampa Bay. Why would he be doing that if he was planning on spending 2022 in Miami? At the start of March, Arians claimed that it would take five first-round picks for any team to acquire Brady in a trade. The Dolphins don't have that kind of capital. While the team does have two first-round selections in 2023, they have none this year and it's hard to imagine Arians & Co. would be willing to part ways with Brady if they can't acquire anything that helps the Bucs in the immediate future.
Lastly, the rumor has since been shot down by other reporters. Jeff Howe of The Athletic has stated that there is "nothing happening between Tom Brady and the Dolphins."
It seems unlikely that the Bucs would opt to give Brady up considering what they've been able to accomplish in his two years with the team and how poor the NFC South will be next season. Even with the losses of multiple starting offensive linemen from last season — Alex Cappa and Ali Marpet — as well as star receiver Chris Godwin and potentially Gronkowski, the Buccaneers are in a position to compete in the weak NFC. That being said, if Brady wants out of Tampa, it makes sense that Miami would be his preferred destination. It's close to family and if Brady still holds any ill will toward his former head coach Bill Belichick (very doubtful, but hey, wild speculation is my speciality), playing for a team in his former team's division would be a neat, and effective way of getting back at him.
I doubt these Brady to Miami rumors actually hold any weight. There are just too many angles that make no sense. That being said, it would undoubtedly be the biggest sports story in America — the third one involving Brady this month.


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The ISODD Excel function is an Information formula that returns TRUE if the number argument is an odd number, or FALSE if it's even. You can test the result of a formula or value of a cell using this function. In this guide, we're going to show you how to use the ISODD function and also go over some tips and error handling methods.
Supported versions
- All Excel versions
ISODD Excel Function Syntax
|The number you want to test.
The ISODD function, just like the other IS… functions, only requires a single argument as an input. The function returns a TRUE logical value if the number argument is an odd number. If the number has decimals, the ISODD function truncates the number argument. A common use case of this function is testing the value of cell or value that is returned by a formula.
=ISODD(2) returns FALSE
- You can use the ISODD function for the logical test component of an IF function. =IF(ISODD(A1),"Odd number","Even number")
- If the number is not a whole number, the ISODD function truncates the numeric value.
- Excel keeps date and time values as numbers. Excel assumes that Jan 1st, 1900 is 1, and every subsequent date value is based on this. While whole numbers represent days, decimals represent time values. For example; 1/1/2018 is equal to 43101, and 12:00 is equal to 5. Because of this, the ISODD function counts date time values as numbers.
- Below is a list of other IS… functions:
- ISBLANK to test blank cells
- ISERR to test error values except #N/A
- ISERROR to test all error values
- ISNA to test #N/A error value specifically
- ISNUMBER to test numbers
- ISTEXT to test any item that is a text
- ISNONTEXT to test any item that is not a text
- ISEVEN to test even numbers
- ISREF to test if a formula returns a reference
- If the number argument is not a valid numeric value, the ISODD function returns a #VALUE! error.


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I got Louis F. Schillinger's death certificate today from the NYC Municipal Archives, and now I have a bit of a mystery on my hands.
The problem arises when I examine the section about the deceased's parents. It says:
Name of Father of Decedent: Francis X.
Birthplace of Father: Germany
Name of Mother of Decedent: Mary Boch
Birthplace of Mother: Germany
What??? His mother is listed as Mary Boch? I don't know who Mary Boch is. My records all show his mother as Catherine Autretter. In census records, the mother in the household was always listed as Catherine. I've never seen anything where is mother is listed as a Mary Boch. (On the plus side, I finally have a document that lists his father's first name as Francis. Everywhere else, his father went by his middle name Xaver.)
Who is Mary Boch? That is a really good question. The first thing I want to do is verify other information on the certificate to confirm that I have the correct Louis F. Schillinger.
- Occupation: listed as retired architect. That's a match.
- Address: listed as 169 Van Siclen Avenue, Brooklyn. That is also a match to his last known address.
- Wife: Louise. Match.
- Birthdate: 29 November 1863, Highland Falls, NY. Match.
- Death date: 3 November 1943. Match.
Five other facts match facts I know about my Louis F. Schillinger. I'm confident this is the right person. Back to the mysterious Mary Boch.
The next thing I want to look at is who the informant was on the death certificate. In this case, it is Louis Schillinger, his son. The son was born in 1896, nine years before the death of Catherine Autretter, so as he would have known his grandmother early in his life. The family all lived within blocks of each other while he was growing up, so he likely saw his grandparents on a regular basis. It's reasonable to assume that he would have reliable knowledge about his grandparents' identities.
This leaves me with a bit of a conundrum – who is Mary Boch and why is she listed as the mother on Louis F. Schillinger's death certificate? Now I have a new family mystery to solve.


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Check out a guest post by Brent Jacobs regarding MMA coming to New York State:
New York Senate Uses MMA To Cut Deficit And Help State Budget
By Brent Jacobs
The New York state budget has had a hard time fighting off a deficit throughout all of the overall economic problems that have plagued the country. This has caused the state to consider any and all ways to save money and help balance the budget, including closing down state parks and creating food and drink taxes on everyday products like soda. Some of these choices have been met with disdain from people of the state so the Senate continues to look for additional ways to raise money. The hopeful news is that they may have just found the perfect option that gives something back to New Yorkers rather than taking it away.
On June 16th, the New York State Senate passed a bill to legalize mix martial arts in the state of the New York. It still needs to be approved by the State Assembly in order to be a law, but passing the State Senate is a big deal for both the Empire State and Mixed Martial Arts. MMA, while being legal in many other states around the country, has been banned in New York since the mid-nineties which meant that prime venues like Madison Square Garden in New York City and the 50,000 seat Carrier Dome in Syracuse were off limits for holding MMA events. This would no longer be the case if the assembly passes the bill. Dozens of great venues in the state would be open to new events that would help grow the already popular sport of MMA even further while helping the state make money.
It's hard to imagine that New York state education and other programs would be a direct beneficiary of MMA, but that would be the exact case if the bill passes. Mixed Martial Arts is one of the most popular sports in the country and its popularity grows with every passing day. This would mean that the dozens of sold out shows that MMA has every year would finally bring revenue to New York.
To put the financial benefits of legalizing MMA into perspective, just look at the numbers of the sport according to Fannation.com:
• $340. That was the average ticket price of UFC 81 at the MGM Grand. While this may seem like a lot, people are paying it to see their favorite matches. One could imagine the amount of tax money that would go to directly financing state programs and projects. Also a factor to consider is the amount of revenue brought in by people coming from all across the country for the events that would be spending money on food and accommodations.
• 170 countries broadcast UFC and other MMA events, which brings in huge promotion for some not as well known New York state cities that may hold an event.
• MMA industries like UFC have gone from million dollar companies to billion dollar companies in less than a decade showing just how popular this sport really can be.
These numbers don't even account for New York based MMA gyms that will see new revenue to help train local fighters in a sport that was once outlawed in their home state. This will directly correlate with an increase in local sales of MMA gear, like MMA gloves. Hundreds of retailers will benefit from this boost. The increase in local fan-base will have a direct impact on the sale of MMA t-shirts that display their favorite fighter or industry brand. They have become a hot commodity as the sport has increased in popularity. There is no doubt that the reach of the bill, if passed, is not just huge for New York but is greatly important to its many citizens that are struggling because of the bad economy.
The state and Governor David Paterson have estimated that allowing the sport to be legalized would bring in an extra $2 million after two years for the state's $8 billion deficit and studies have shown that holding an event in Madison Square Garden would generate $11.3 million in economic activity. This may not seem like a lot but it's a step in the right direction for the state. This bill is something that New York has been trying to do for over the last two years but has failed in doing so. Even if the bill doesn't pass the assembly, Governor Paterson has stated he will include it in his emergency extender bill giving it another way to be legalized. Yet, right now is the time for the passing of this bill because now MMA is closer than it's ever been to being a popular and helpful force in the Empire State.


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It's been almost a month but, given how it's been a two-years-worth of waiting, the memory of that magical call [ … ]
'Be Mine Klaroline' Saturday the 13th Twitter Trend
Valentine's Day is approaching and, for once, we actually have something to look forward to fandom-wise: the impending reunion of [ … ]
Twitter Trend Alert: Four Years of Klaroline
With the wish of a future of so many more years to look forward to and to enjoy Klaus and [ … ]
Video of the Week: I saw you happy by xBenQCatx
2016 has just started and it's been a very long time without Klaroline scenes now… our fate seems to be [ … ]
Top 10 Tweets from The Vampire Diaries 7×07
So here's where the s*it really hits the fan.
Top 10 Tweets from The Vampire Diaries 7×06
I wasn't feeling well last night and had to miss on watching The Vampire Diaries live. Nonetheless, courtesy of [ … ]
Top 10 Tweets from The Vampire Diaries 7×05
Not much Caroline aka not much attention was paid nor did I care about the episode in any particular way, [ … ]
Top 10 Tweets from The Vampire Diaries 7×04
Even, and maybe especially, on a show that is all about vampires, werewolves and witches, comes the time of [ … ]


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Rich Benjamin is an observer, an investigator, a cultural anthropologist. He is author of Searching for Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America, selected as an Editor's Choice by Booklist and The American Library Association. Now in its second printing, this groundbreaking study is one of few to have illuminated in advance the social-political forces propelling the political rise of Donald Trump. The book's findings are also the subject of a TED Talk, which has garnered more than 2 million views and been translated into 25 languages.
Benjamin's unique perspective on politics and culture appears regularly in The New York Times, The New Yorker.com, The Guardian, The New York Times Sunday Book Review, NPR, MSNBC, CNN, and PBS. His work has been covered internationally in France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Japan, Brazil, and Germany.
Benjamin earned a doctorate from Stanford University in Modern Thought and Literature, with a minor in Science and Technology Studies.
He serves on the Board of the Authors Guild, the largest, oldest union of writers in the US that fights for authors' rights, their commercial interests, and free speech.


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What does it mean to "consider the impact on global warming" before the federal government approves development projects?
President Barack Obama is preparing to tell all federal agencies for the first time that they should consider the impact on global warming before approving major projects, from pipelines to highways.
The result could be significant delays for natural gas- export facilities, ports for coal sales to Asia, and even new forest roads, industry lobbyists warn.
"It's got us very freaked out," said Ross Eisenberg, vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers, a Washington-based group that represents 11,000 companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) and Southern Co. (SO) The standards, which constitute guidance for agencies and not new regulations, are set to be issued in the coming weeks, according to lawyers briefed by administration officials.
Stanley Kurtz says that Obama has found a way to shift blame for environmental restrictions from the government to environmental groups.
But let's concentrate on Keystone. The Bloomberg report makes it clear that Obama's order opens the way for further litigation and substantial delays on Keystone, whether the federal government officially blocks construction or not. That's because NEPA allows citizens and environmental groups to file claims against projects even after they win government approval.
So the Obama administration could green-light the pipeline, file a report that stops short of calling Keystone a major global-warming hazard, and still find the project delayed for years by environmental groups bringing court challenges under the new NEPA guidelines.
In this scenario, headlines loudly proclaiming Obama's approval of Keystone would shield him from Republican attacks. Simultaneously, the president could mollify the left by claiming credit for guidelines that effectively allowed his allies to stop the pipeline. And that would be right. Obama can publicly "approve" Keystone, while simultaneously handing the left the tool they need to put the project on semi-permanent hold. Environmentalists would take the political heat, while Obama would get off scot-free. Pretty clever.
By creating an opportunity for outside groups to challenge projects in court on global warming grounds Obama may have opened a can of worms. Will the most extreme environmental groups allow anything to be built without their blessing? What rents will they extract with their new standing to sue?


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'Off duty I keep things simple… I save the fake tan for shoots!'
With his stellar model sister Rosie, it was only a matter of time before genetically blessed Toby Huntington-Whiteley embarked on a career in front of the camera! Signed to Models 1, his career started with a campaign debut as the face (and body) of menswear brand Jacamo, and now our favourite blonde has gone on to work for GQ Style and Burberry.
Famed for his fresh face and 6ft 3 ½ frame Toby has it covered when it comes to looking good and feeling great courtesy of his career as an established personal trainer. Thanks Mr H-W for dropping by to talk fine fragrance, perfect products, and grooming disasters!
Do you have a daily grooming routine? If not which products work well for your skin and hair?
I try to stick to a similar grooming routine daily which includes a cleanser, toner and moisturiser. My go-to products are by Kiehl's and Murad. The Kiehl's Overnight Biological Peel is a stand out for me – my skin looks 100 times better by the morning.
What's currently in your washbag?
Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion moisturiser, Kiehl's Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Clarity-Activating Toner, Vo5 Matte Clay, Christian Dior – Eau Sauvage, MALIN + GOETZ Deodorant, The Body Shop Warming Mask and Marvis toothpaste.
Which other men (real or fictional) inspire you in terms of their style and grooming?
I like to keep my look quite simple and classic with a contemporary feel. I like actors in the 50's like Marlon Brando and Paul Newman as well as Jude Law in The Talented Mr Ripley.
Have you ever had a facial?
Yes, I have a Murad facial once a month to clear my skin – it always feels refreshed and rejuvenated afterwards.
Would you ever use fake tan?
Off duty I prefer to keep things natural, but sometimes I have to use fake tan for shoots.
Looking good sometimes comes at a price, have you ever had any grooming disasters?
Yes – before my Uncle's wedding, I put a nose pore strip on but left it for far too long and when I peeled it off, it removed the top layer of skin off the tip of my nose. For the rest of the day I had a red nose and all the photos had to be photoshopped for their wedding album!
What is your earliest fragrance memory?
I remember first smelling Christian Dior Eau de Sauvage on my grandad and it's now my signature scent.
What does London mean to you?
I love this city; it has to be one of the most innovative and simulating places. It would be the best city in the world if the weather wasn't so b****y bad.
Bath or shower and with which products?
I have to have a shower every morning to wake me up. I am currently using The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea Shower Gel and whatever shampoo and conditioner my girlfriend has.
Do you think that fitness and exercise are a crucial part of looking good and feeling great…if so what does this mean to you?
Exercise is so important to me, it makes me feel amazing. If I haven't worked out in a couple of days, I feel groggy and unsettled.
Do you like to eat healthy and take supplements, if so where and what?
What I eat is very important to me. I grew up on eating home cooked meals and still eat them now I'm living in London. I very rarely eat processed foods, and like to keep to whole foods. I eat healthy well 80% of the time and let myself eat what I want the other 20%. On the weekends I will have a full English breakfast with extra bacon.
What's your favourite recipe?
It has to be my Mum's slow roast lamb cooked in an Aga, with roasted vegetables and fresh green beans.
Do you have a signature scent, if not what are your current favourites?
Christian Dior Eau Sauvage but I'm also wearing a new fragrance by Burberry now for summer.
Do blondes have more fun….,how do you relax?
The best way for me to relax is being outside in the fresh air. Whether it's playing tennis with friends, walking my parent's dogs in Devon or eating out on holiday. I can't think of a better way to unwind.
When and where are you happiest?
I'm happiest when I am outside in the sun with family and friends, enjoying a glass of white wine or a cider.
Interview by Nick Cox, with contributions by Amanda Blake
1. Christian Dior Eau Sauvage £49.50 for 50ml at www.dior.com
2. Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion moisturiser £25.00 for 50ml www.murad.co.uk
3. Malin and Goetz deodorant £18 for 73g at www.malinandgoetz.com
4. Marlon Brando
5. Vo5 Extreme Style Matte Clay £4.19 for 75ml at www.Boots.com
6. Roast Lamb
7. Cider
8. Jude Law
9. Paul Newman


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Explosive new claims in a book about Donald Trump's White House have catapulted Steve Bannon back into the headlines.
Mr Bannon led Donald Trump's election campaign but was sacked from his position as chief strategist less than one year into the job.
So, who is Mr Bannon, what does he stand for, and why have he and Mr Trump fallen out?
Who is he?
The 63-year-old is a former Navy officer, Goldman Sachs investment banker and Hollywood movie producer.
Before being appointed CEO of Mr Trump's presidential campaign in August 2016, Mr Bannon was the executive chairman of Breitbart News, an American conservative news site which under his leadership became a forum for the "alt-right".
The "alt-right" is an umbrella term for a group of Americans who seek to eschew political correctness and break the current political system, but are viewed by critics as embracing neo-Nazis, white supremacists and anti-Semites.
Since leaving the White House Mr Bannon has returned to his executive post at Breitbart, which he has called his "killing machine".
Fun fact: Mr Bannon has made a fortune from reruns of the hit TV show Seinfeld.
As reported by the Daily Beast, he was made a stakeholder in the series after helping negotiate the sale of Castle Rock Entertainment, the production company behind the show.
What does he stand for?
Mr Bannon touts his anti-establishment credentials, styling himself as a champion of grassroots, working class Americans.
Here are some examples of Steve Bannon, in his own words:
"I'm a nationalist. I'm an economic nationalist. The globalists gutted the American working class and created a middle class in Asia. The issue now is about Americans looking to not get f***ed over."
"The media bubble is the ultimate symbol of what's wrong with this country. It's just a circle of people talking to themselves who have no f***ing idea what's going on … It's a closed circle of information from which Hillary Clinton got all her information — and her confidence. That was our opening."
"Darkness is good. Dick Cheney. Darth Vader. Satan. That's power."
Under his leadership Breitbart mounted a campaign against Republican figures, including the speaker of the US House of Representatives, Paul Ryan.
But his campaign against the establishment backfired when he backed Alabama senate candidate Roy Moore as someone who would stand up against Washington elites.
Mr Moore's campaign was overshadowed by allegations of sexual misconduct with under-age girls, and he ended up losing to Democrat Doug Jones — the first time a Democrat had won in Alabama for 25 years.
In the 1990s, Mr Bannon's personal life was thrown into the spotlight when he was accused by his former wife Mary Louise Piccard of domestic abuse.
Charges brought against him were later dropped.
In a court filing during their divorce, Ms Piccard famously alleged that he "doesn't like Jews and that he doesn't like the way they raise their kids to be 'whiney brats'".
So what did he do for Trump?Loading
As chief strategist and counsellor, Mr Bannon was a high-ranking assistant to Mr Trump, responsible for helping him execute his political game plan and manage his communications both inside government and with the public.
Mr Bannon pushed Mr Trump to follow through on some of his most contentious campaign promises, including his travel ban for people from some Muslim-majority nations, and his decision to pull out of the Paris climate change agreement.
But he also sparred with some of Mr Trump's closest advisers, including son-in-law Jared Kushner, and his relationship with the President soured as Mr Trump became increasingly annoyed at his adviser being credited for policy decisions being made inside the West Wing.
However, when Mr Bannon left the White House in August to purportedly continue the Trump agenda from the outside, the President was full of praise.
Mr Trump called him a "friend", said "I like Steve a lot", and thanked him for his service.
Today, things are very different.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders described Wolff's book as "trashy tabloid fiction" and says the President was "furious" when he learned about it.
She says it was Mr Bannon who gave the author access to the White House, and that any staffers who spoke to him did so at Mr Bannon's request.Loading...


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There are a few things to keep in mind when planting beets. You need to make sure to put them in a spot that gets plenty of sun. And since they are a root vegetable, you also need to work the soil deeply enough so that the roots are able to easily penetrate the soil. In addition, beets are a cool season crop that doesn't do well in hot weather, so pay attention to planting times.
Beet seeds germinate when soil temps are 55-75 degrees F. Their ideal weather is daytime high temps of 60-65 degrees F. They are usually planted a few weeks before the last expected frost in the spring. Since they grow fairly fast, the idea is to get them planted and harvested before the hot weather of summer sets.
Beets are also a great choice for a fall crop. The first frost seems to make them even sweeter. To havest them in the fall, you'll need to start planting beets in the summer. In most cases, plant them 10-12 weeks before the first expected frost in your area. This will give them time to germinate and get established before the colder weather hits.
If you are growing beets to produce good-sized roots, the soil needs to be worked to a depth of at least 8", and generally speaking, the deeper the better. We find that hilling up the soil is an easy way to get it deeply worked. First, we go over the area a few times with a tiller, breaking up the soil at least a few inches deep. The we just use a shovel and make raised rows about 6-8 inches tall and 6 inches across for the length of the row. Just scoop up dirt on the outside edge of the row and pile it in the middle. If you are planting multiple rows, leave enough space to walk between them - 12 inches is usually the minimum, but 16-18" is much better if you have the space. Those extra few inches make weeding and harvesting a lot easier.
After the raised row is made, use a hoe or shovel to create a small furrow in the middle of the row. It should be about 1/2 inch deep. Scatter the beet seeds into the row, trying to space them as evenly as possible. We try and stretch the seed and space them about every 2 inches or so. You can certainly sow the seed a bit thicker, but it will mean more thinning later on. After the seeds are in the furrow, cover them up with a 1/2" layer of fine soil. If your soil is dense, you can cover them with potting soil or top soil, which will make it easier for them to push through after germination.
After the seeds have germinated, thin the plants so they are spaced 2-4 inches apart, depending on the variety of beet you are growing and how big you want the root to be. Really large sugar beets can be 8 inches across or more, so allow more space between plants for those. Smaller varieties that are grown mainly for their tops can be spaced a little closer.
Now that you're done planting beets, it's time to think about watering them.
Click here to learn about fertilizing and watering beets
Click here to move from our Planting Beets page to our Growing Beets main page
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TIRANA, May 31
Albania is joining the European Union ban on widely used insecticides due to the serious risk they pose to wild and honey bee populations. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Niko Peleshi informed farmers in Lezha area on the ban of common pesticides that along with the industrial change, parasites, climate change, and loss of biodiversity are causing the decline of the bee population. Colony collapse disorder is a global issue.
Albania is among the first EU nonmembers that adopted and signed the EU ban on some pesticides.
"We join the European Commission decision on the ban of three pesticides that are considered responsible for the death, extinction, and reduction of bee colonies in Europe," Peleshi said.
He added that Albania will ban the use of fenazaquin, bifenthrin, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and imidacloprid.
The Minister congratulated the Albanian beekeepers that are organized in an association, but he added that there are small beekeepers that need support and information.
News Source: ATA
Photo Credit: Mjalt Morava


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Net worth of US households in blue. GDP in red.
What people thought about balancing the budget in 1936.
The relationship between chocolate consumption and Nobel laureates per million of the population.
Private debt relative to GDP.
Views on diversity.
Stock of houses in the UK since WWII.
Inherited wealth.
Youngsters not in work, education or training.
Crude oil: what each country produces.
Participation rate for US men and women.
Commentaries (some of them cheeky or provocative) on economic topics by Ralph Musgrave. This site is dedicated to Abba Lerner. I disagree with several claims made by Lerner, and made by his intellectual descendants, that is advocates of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT). But I regard MMT on balance as being a breath of fresh air for economics.
Thursday, 13 October 2016
Random charts II.
1 comment:
Great graphs as always.I particularly like the chocolate vs Nobel winners.Though that looks like it would also work with nations with white crosses in their flags too?ReplyDelete
Also chocolate in the UK was not even classed as chocolate in Europe a its too high in vegetable fats.
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Low Voltage Systems Design and Integration Services
The Integration Factory is a premier low voltage systems design and integration company. We are firmly dedicated to our clients and industry. We provide complete low voltage design services to architects, interior designers, engineering firms, general contractors and end users.
The Integration Factory is constantly focused on future emerging technologies. We are committed to providing our customers with cutting edge technology utilizing "green" efficiencies and delivering the best in performance for the best value.
We form a communicative partnership with our clients so that we thoroughly understand their needs. We educate the client on different solutions available to them, as well as providing them with value engineering.


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The aim of the exercise: to uncover the causes of the global food crisis Download the GLU
Sustainable fishing
The aim of the game: players will have to choose between strategies of co-operation and competition players will experience the consequences of the use and overuse of shared resources players will be able to identify those factors that affect the…
The Development Compass Rose
The aim of the game: to sensitize to the topics of limited water supply and conscious water consumption to get acquainted with the notion of virtual water (water footprint) Download the GLU
Agrofuels – should we produce fuel?
The aim of the exercise: to sensitize students to the topic of responsible agriculture to become acquinted with the economic and social aspects of sustainability to understand the following concepts: agrofuel, biodiesel Download the GLU
The Real Price of Banana
The aim of the exercise: to explore the economic and social aspects of sustainability through a produce (banana) to become acquainted with the concept of fair trade Download the GLU
Global Food Market
Students will: learn that self-sufficiency in food production varies over time and space (comparing different nationalities), learn about today's food transport, think about which factors facilitated the transportation of food in the 20th century and whether the latter affects the…
GM technology – curse or blessing?
Learning objectives: The students reflect their knowledge about GM technology. They will learn about the positive and negative effects of GM technology on the basis of case studies. The students can take self-sufficient, reasonable decisions based on their knowledge You…
Food and Multinationals
Objectives: Discovering the impact of MNCs on the production of food; Learning about the exploitation of resources and farm workers by large multinational companies; Understanding the concept and benefits of Fair Trade in food production; Understanding the role of MNCs…
Food and Technology
Objectives: Learning about the main technological innovations in the agricultural sector, throughout history; Understanding the impact (both positive and negative) of these innovations for sustainable development; Learning about GMOs and their impact on the food production system; Learning about the…


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Feb 11, 2019
Architect Victor Sidy was Dean of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture at Taliesin with campuses in Scottsdale, Arizona and Spring Green, Wisconsin. He was a vocal advocate for saving Frank Lloyd Wright houses and buildings and for walkable community development. In 2015 he returned to private practice but is still involved with one special Frank Lloyd Wright house in Phoenix, the David and Gladys Wright House, which father Frank designed for his son. The house has been on a rollercoaster in recent years, doomed one moment, saved the next, in limbo the next.
Historian Alison King is founder of Modern Phoenix and is Associate Professor of Design at The Art Institute of Phoenix. Since 2003 she has published Arizona's largest website for midcentury architecture, ModernPhoenix.net, and she hosts an annual home tour and the always interesting Modern Phoenix Week. Alison gave USModernist a wonderful tour last November of both residential and commercial modernist buildings, culminating in a trip to the David and Gladys Wright House.
Host George Smart interviewed Victor and Alison in the lobby of the Embassy Suites Hotel right off Central Avenue, just a few blocks up from Will Bruder's Burton Barr Phoenix Central Library. By then it was happy hour, and of course we didn't want to break protocol, so when in Phoenix, do as the Phoenicians do. Cheers!


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These notes, stimulated by the diagnosis of a local pre-school child, provide a description of the symptoms involved, (genetic) aetiology, and management strategies
This disorder is a rare genetic/neuro-developmental disorder, initially described by Angelman (1965), characterised by severe learning difficulty, particular facial appearance, and an awkward gait plus "jerky" arm movements.
A full delineation of the disorder was set out by Williams and Frias (1982) who referred to four general areas by which a diagnosis is made:
· Heightened probability of limited post-natal growth.
· Severe learning difficulty, with marked delay in reaching motor milestones. Absence of speech. Frequent inappropriate laughter.
· Unusual head shape (a flattening of the back of the head). Ocular anomalies including decreased pigmentation of the choroid and iris. A large mouth with a protruding tongue and widely spaced teeth.
· Ataxia and awkward arm movements. A proneness to seizures and EFO abnormalities. Reduced muscle tone.
Estimates indicate that the incidence of Angelman Syndrome is around 1 in 20,000 live births.
More Detailed Symptom Description
Information from the Angelman Syndrome Foundation of America indicates that the condition may not be recognisable in the early post natal or infancy period, but the most common age of diagnosis is between 3 and 7 years when the characteristic behaviours and features become evident. Developmental histories typically show a normal pre-natal and birth history, but developmental delay is evident by 6-12 months of age.
In all cases, the developmental delay is severe. Speech is particularly affected with absent or minimal use of words with receptive or non-verbal communication skills higher than expressive and verbal skills. There is a disorder of movement or balance, involving an ataxic gait and/or tremors in the limbs. Behaviour is characterised by any permutation of frequent smiling or laughter, a consistently happy demeanour, an easily excitable personality, often reflected in hand-flapping movements, and hyperactivity along with a short attention span.
In the majority of cases, (more than 80%), there will be delayed or uneven growth in head circumference frequently resulting in microcephaly by age 2 years. Seizures will be observed with a typical age of onset before 3 years; and the abnormal EEG pattern will involve large amplitude slow-spike waves.
In many cases (between 20 and 80%), there will be the flattened head shape, protruding or tbrusting tongue, sucking or swallowing difficulty and feeding problems during infancy, pronounced jaw and wide mouth with frequent drooling or chewing movements, strabismus, light hair and eye colour, raised and flexed arm position during walking, increased sensitivity to heat, and sleep disturbance.
Information from the Angelman Syndrome Support Education and Research Trust highlights some positive aspects, notably the sociable and happy nature of the individuals affected; the possibility that comprehension and understanding may be considerable, that some children may learn sign language and use augmentative communication systems; and that sleeping or proneness to seizures improve with age.
In the majority of cases (70%), this syndrome arises from a fault, a deletion, of chromosone 15. When the deletion occurs in the egg, Angelman Syndrome will result; when the fault is within the sperm, Prader-Willi Syndrome will result.
In most cases, the diagnosis is a sporadic occurrence within a family, and the deletion cannot be attributed to any specific environmental pre-natal event or circumstance. However, there have been some reported cases where a sibling has been affected.
In a minority of cases (around 2 or 3%), the syndrome may result from uniparental disomy that is, the child receives both chromosome 15's from the father instead of one from each parent.
A further sub-group of cases may result from re-alignment of familial chromosome 15 where, for example, a piece of chromosome 15 material may be attached to another chromosome (translocation) or becomes inverted. Both translocations and inversions can pre-dispose to miscopies of DNA and lead to deletions.
Finally, a small number of cases may result from mutations in the gene UBE3A which is regarded as the likely causation gene in Angelman Syndrome and whose inactivation or deficit is linked to the other genetic mechanisms associated with the syndrome. This gene appears to be linked to the functioning of the cerebellum and the hippocampus, brain areas responsible for balance/movement and memory/emotion.
In the remainder of cases, no specific cause has been identified.
Intervention and Management
Advice offered by A.S.S.E.R.T. focuses upon the principle of early diagnosis in order that intervention programmes concerned with behaviour, communication, sleep patterns, and social skills may be established as soon as possible. (It is noted by Ruggieri and McShane 1998 that Angelman Syndrome becomes a more frequent diagnostic consideration between 1 and 4 years of age, and that the average age for diagnosis is lower for boys than for girls.)
These same authors highlight the possible significance of seizures among affected children with the corresponding need for medication (and ongoing monitoring of type and dosage) to compensate for the seizures which are observed most commonly to involve absence seizures, tonic-clonic seizures, drop attacks, and myo-clonic seizures. Parental reports suggested that overall seizure improvement was associated with puberty.
The work of Jolleff and Ryan (1993) highlights the very limited expressive language in Angelman Syndrome, but refers also to evidence (e.g. Robb et all 989) that the marked lack of speech is disproportionate to the degree of learning difficulty.
Their own study investigated the common view (e.g. Clayton-Smith 1992) that the children may all need to communicate by sign language or gesture. They noted that many of their Angelman sample appeared unable to use natural gesture or Makaton signs in a functional way to indicate their needs. This finding raised the questions whether the children have specific problems in planning and implementing motor activities, including speech; whether there is a fundamental problem in using communication for social interaction; and whether the primary difficulty relates to low developmental age.
The implication is for close observation/assessment on the part of the speech and language therapist to determine a given child's "style" and the presence of gross, fine and oral motor control in order to establish the most viable programme by which to facilitate communication.
The need for individual assessment is reinforced by the survey of Alvares and Downing (1998) which demonstrated the wide range of communicative abilities reported in a sample of children with Angelman Syndrome, and which suggested that one should avoid underestimating potential for symbolic and social communication. They, too, stress the critical issue of the choice of communicative modality.
Behaviour difficulties, according to the survey of Clarke and Marston (2000), are largely a matter of overactivity, restlessness, eating disorder and sleep problems. Evidence indicates that the hyperactivity does become less of a problem with increasing age, although there is still some question whether there is a real age effect or whether the observation is a function of the particular sample studied. There is also the suggestion that behavioural management strategies can be effective, but that the initial planning should determine whether parents are giving direct behavioural observations or reporting behaviours believed to be associated with this syndrome. Such a step will not only be valuable in terms of individual strategy planning, but helpful also in respect of gaining more specific data about the prevalence of particular behavioural symptoms as a means of increasing the accuracy of diagnosis.
In respect of hyperactivity and difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep, the work of Zhdanova et al (undated) has shown that low dose melatonin (0.3 mg of melatonin administered between half an hour and one hour before normal bedtime) with children in the age range 2-10 years significantly reduces motor activity and promotes sleep.
Children with Angelman Syndrome are all likely to require a place in a school which provides for severe learning difficulty.
The advice of Summers et al (1995) holds that the curricular emphasis would be upon the development of functional communication and self-help skills, and the improvement of attention and concentration spans. Behavioural techniques, shared with the parents, would target any signs of aggression (which may be seen among older children), mouthing objects, or other maladaptive performance.
Meanwhile, according to individually assessed needs, there may be requirements for physiotherapy, occupational therapy to develop fine motor and oral-motor control, access to specially adapted chairs, and speech therapy focusing largely on non-verbal means of communication.
Alvares and Downing (1998). A survey of expressive communication skills in children with Angelman Syndrome. American Journal o fSpeech-Language Pathology 7.2. 14-24
Angelman H. (1965). "Puppet" Children: a report on 3 cases. Dev. Med. Child. Neurol 7
Angelman Syndrome Foundation 2000. Angelman Syndrome http://www.angelman. org/two_page_a.htm Wesimont Illinois: ASF
Angelman Syndrome Support Education and Research Trust (undated). What is Angelman Syndrome? Sittingbourne A.S.S.E.R.T.
Clarke D and Marston 0 (2000). Problem behaviours associated with ISq Angelman Syndrome. American Journal on Mental Retardation 105 (1) 25-31
Clayton-Smith J(1992). Angelman Syndrome. Archives of Disease in Childhood 67 889-
Jolleff N and Ryan M (1993). Communication development in Angelman Syndrome. Archives of Disease in Childhood 69 148-150.
Robb S, Pohi K, Baraitser M, Wilson 3, and Brett E. (1989). The 'happy puppet' syndrome of Angelman: review of the clinical features. Archives of Disease in Childhood 64 83-86.
Ruggieri M and McShane M (1998). Parental view of epilepsy in Angelman Syndrome. Archives of Disease in Childhood 79 423-426.
Summers 3, Allison D, Lynch P, and Sandler L (1995). Behaviour problems in Angelman Syndrome. Journal of intellectual Disability Research 39(2) 97-106.
Williams C and Frias 3(1982). The Angelman ("Happy Puppet") Syndrome. American Journal of Medical Genetics 11 453-460.
Zhdanova M, Wurtman R and Wagstaffj (undated). Melatonin and Sleep in Angelman Syndrome. Cambridge MA: Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, M.I.T.
© Mike Connor 2001.
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New York is currently one of just 15 states to mandate that insurers cover infertility costs. Which might seem progressive until you look more closely at how infertility has been defined. To qualify for coverage, prospective parents between the ages of 21 and 44 must have been trying to conceive through regular intercourse for 12 months, or six if the parent is over 35. But what about wannabe parents for whom "regular intercourse" is not the path to conception?
New York took a stand for nonhetero, non-coupled, nontraditional families this week when Governor Andrew Cuomo sent a circular letter to the state's insurers informing them that it will no longer be legal for them to exclude same-sex or single prospective parents from infertility coverage.
Cuomo's letter, which was sent on Wednesday, orders the Superintendent of Financial Services to enforce regulations that determine infertility in accordance with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: as "a disease, defined by the failure to achieve a successful pregnancy after 12 months or more of appropriate, timed unprotected intercourse or therapeutic donor insemination." This means that, "if an individual meets the definition of infertility and otherwise qualifies for coverage then an issuer must provide coverage regardless of sexual orientation or marital status."
The intercourse-only definition of infertility has left many homosexual and single New Yorkers who want to have a child more economically vulnerable than their traditionally hetero-partnered peers. One lesbian couple, who encountered the roadblock in 2014, set up an Indiegogo account and launched a Change.org petition highlighting the fact that their insurer, UnitedHealthcare, had denied them coverage after nine months (and over $13,000) of unsuccessful inseminations.
"This is in direct response to a problem that we know exists," said Governor Cuomo's chief counsel, Alphonso David, describing the way in which insurance companies were writing policies designed "to discriminate against single women and same-sex couples." The circular letter "takes away any ambiguity, it takes away any excuse," said David, noting that insurers will be fined or lose their licenses if found in violation of the mandate. (On Monday, the state announced that it was fining the insurance company Excellus $1 million for failing to cover contraceptive costs completely or in a timely manner.)
"Just like we have a definition of marriage that can't by its language discriminate against people based on who they are," says David, "you can't have a definition of infertility that by its language discriminates against people based on who they are or whether or not they're in a relationship."
Of course, these protections do not fully mitigate the high costs of reproducing outside of a traditional hetero relationship. Twelve — or even six — months (since same-sex couples and single people will now be eligible for the over-35 shortened window before diagnosis) of intrauterine inseminations will still mean an extra financial burden for those attempting procreation via a doctor's office. Susan Sommer, director of constitutional litigation at Lambda Legal, called news of the regulation "great for what it is," but added that "of course we'd hope to see coverage for donor insemination from the get-go. If you really want to level the playing field for all potential parents, that is critical." The costs of insemination in advance of an infertility diagnosis remain a larger burden for single people, points out Bella DePaulo, author of Singled Out and advocate for unmarried rights and protections. "Relative to a couple with two incomes," DePaulo said, "it's a bigger expense for a person relying on one income."
Even for the many prospective parents who are in hetero relationships, the price of infertility treatment remains high, since New York, like most other states, currently excludes pricey IVF treatments from its coverage guarantees. Barbara Collura, the president and CEO of Resolve, the National Infertility Association, is pushing for Albany to pass the Fair Access to Fertility Treatment Act, a bill that consists of three protections: a mandate that insurers cover IVF, a requirement that insurance cover fertility preservation for patients undergoing treatment for diseases that impact fertility, and a push for nondiscriminatory language protecting single and same-sex couples. "It sounds to me like the nondiscrimination part has been taken care of," said Collura with a laugh.
Cuomo's office is calling his initiatives around reproductive health part of "New York's Promise to Women: Ever Upward." This includes other recently enacted insurance protections such as guaranteed coverage of medically necessary abortions and contraception (even if the contraception mandate of the ACA is overturned under Tom Price's tenure at the Department of Health and Human Services), as well as efforts to fight sexual assault on college campuses, protect against sexual harassment in the workplace, end pregnancy discrimination, establish paid family leave, and raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. The governor issued a statement calling his letter "another victory in the fight for women's equality … New York will always stand up and defend women's rights to access safe and affordable health care."
Cuomo is clearly looking to shore up his progressive bona fides, perhaps in preparation for a 2020 presidential run. (His free state- and city-college tuition plan, which he announced alongside Bernie Sanders and signed at a ceremony with Hillary Clinton, has been met so far with a tepid response from progressives and in the press.) But Cuomo is also trying to safeguard New Yorkers against the possibility of Trump-era cutbacks and incursions. And this infertility protection is a real step toward acknowledging the changing realities of how Americans live and make families today, as opposed to how they lived and made families even a few decades ago. And it's part of a far larger social shift than this seemingly small technical requirement — or even the lived benefits of those whose infertility treatments will now be covered — might suggest. As Bella DePaulo puts it, "this is part of the long unraveling of the components that all used to be tied up in the one package of marriage: sex, having children, living together." Legalization of birth control helped to uncouple sex from childbearing; now, the decision to have a child is becoming more distinct from the decision to marry. "The whole bundle," says DePaulo, "is coming undone."


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Instant Pot Meal Prep, Make Ahead Steel Cut Oatmeal
I am always attempting to eat healthier and eat less out. Yesterday I did some breakfast prep I made these Instant Pot Meal Prep, Make Ahead Steel Cut Oatmeal, Low Carb Instant Pot Spinach, Tomato and Feta Egg Cups and Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs,
With just some fruit and oats I had a wonderful and filling breakfast prepared for a week. And they tasted really good. I hear people having trouble with steel cut oats all the time, these came out perfect. Just make sure to wait till the contents settle before you open the jar after cooking.
I used pint jars for this meal prep, the serving size is about 12 ounces. You can get the pint jars here. I would love to hear about your fruit combinations and see pics of your end results. You can post them here along with photos and links of any other recipes you have tried.


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We produce a wide range of counter current coolers: machines that are used for the cooling of the pellet. The pelleted product goes from a temperature higher than 60°C to approximately +5°C in respect to the room temperature.
Technical characteristics of our coolers:
- Frame made of alloy section bars, with appropriate dimensions.
- Stainless steel aspiration hood with opening that can be positioned on every side of the cooler.
- Stainless steel case complete with inspection door and minimum and maximum level indicators. Min. level indicator height can be adjusted to enable the right product inflow into the case.
- Product extraction unit operated by micro reduction gear with brake.
- Stainless steel star valve with gear motor to adjust product inflow into the case.
- Discharging hopper to collect the product under the cooler.
- In case of anomalous stop of the extractor, a product discharging device with three ways of working, is foreseen.
- If required the machine can be supplied with building specification observing ATEX Ex II 3D regulations.
- Thermostat for fire prevention.
- Intermediate shutter for quick change of the product without stopping the system.
Beside the coolers, following machines are in a pelleting line:


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Computers and Internet technology have become a part of almost all aspects of our lives. The use of social media and social media and file sharing services has grown exponentially in the past decade. As the use of this technology has grown, the criminal justice system has increasingly begun to penalize behavior related to the use of computer technology.
What are Computer and Online Crimes?
People may face a variety of charges under state and federal law related to the use and transmission of information over computer networks. These charges include financial crime, online impersonation and social media-related violations, unauthorized access to computer networks, and possession and transmission of child pornography.
Texas has several statutes that criminalize certain conduct using a computer. Breach of computer security under chapter 33 of the Texas Penal Code criminalizes accessing a computer or network without the effective consent of the owner. Penalties range from a class A misdemeanor to a first degree felony depending upon the type of activity that takes place after the breach occurs.
Online impersonation, also found under chapter 33 of the Texas Penal Code, makes it a class A misdemeanor to a third degree felony to use social media or send e-mail under someone else's name if the user has the intent to harm, defraud, intimidate, or threaten any person.
Solicitation of a minor and possession of child pornography are crimes that do not specifically require the use of a computer, but do in most cases.
Federal law criminalizes many of the same activities that are illegal under Texas law, and also has a broad variety of specific statutes addressing computer crimes.
Our Firm's Qualifications
A person facing a charge for a computer crime or Internet crime needs an attorney that not only understands criminal law, but who also understands technology. David Nachtigall is a graduate of one of the top information technology programs in the country (University of Texas BBA in Management Information Systems, 2001), a former Fortune 500 technology consultant and computer programmer, and someone who still occasionally builds PCs for his use at home.
Whether the government can prove that a person violated the law by using the Internet or a computer network may come down to interpretations of hardware-level technical data. A criminal attorney with a deep background in information technology may be able to offer insight and defensive strategies that an attorney without a technical background simply cannot.
"David is a consummate professional. Through a normal background check I found out I had a very old warrant, I attempted to call the county and they would't even talk to me. It could have cost me my job. I contacted David (one of the challenges is I live 500 miles away); and he secured a dismissal the next day, saving my career. He cut right through the red tape. I'd highly recommend David to anyone!"R.B., charged with Misdemeanor
"I highly recommend criminal defense attorney David Nachtigall. While he represented my son, David consistently displayed a calm and professional demeanor, careful attention to detail, and thoroughly researched every aspect of a very complex and challenging criminal case. His ability to deduct the truth was commendable despite the complainants who kept changing their story. I am thankful we had David on our side. His previous experience working in the DA's office was an advantage in understanding how the courts worked. I especially appreciated his compassion to stay in touch with us and that he was easily reachable when we had questions. If you need an attorney that will truly listen and fight for you, I recommend David Nachtigall."P.T., parent of child charged with Felony
"David Nachtigall is a true professional. He handled my case (a second degree felony) with such expertise that the charges were dropped. His experience as a former prosecutor proved to be a tremendous asset. He kept me well informed and provided much needed personal support. I highly recommend David for any legal need you may have."P.S., client charged with Felony
"I was recently charged with assault on a peace officer which is a felon charge. I have never been in trouble with the law in my life. I was raised in a strict catholic house I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. I hired David after dealing with a bad lawyer. He picked up the slack with no problem. David did everything in his power to get the charges dropped. I left with a misdemeanor charge and 6 months probation. David answered ALL of my phone calls & emails. He showed up to every court setting and didn't send anyone for him. I would highly recommend David to anyone."J.U., client charged with Felony
"David Nachtigall was my attorney for a DWI that I received in December of 2013. He really did a great job on my case. He was always very polite, prompt, and diligent when dealing with any questions that I had and he always took the correct steps to accomplish our desired outcome. Even though my case was stacked against me, he still was able to negotiate a DWI Pre-trial Intervention plea (which was the best and most realistic outcome considering the circumstances). Just to make things clear, the deal I received is not one that is easily ascertained. In fact, it took two tries to receive it. However, thanks to Mr. Nachtigall's hard work and persistence, the deal went through. He never kept me in the dark about anything in reference to my case, he was not difficult to contact, and he always returned my phone calls as soon as possible or as soon as he had an answer to any question I asked (all of which are increasingly rare qualities in a busy lawyer). I can't thank him enough for his help, and I would recommend David Nachtigall to anyone in need of a great, hard-working lawyer who knows how to get things done efficiently and effectively."J.C., client charged with Misdemeanor
"I was recently traveling on business in Houston and was caught with a tiny amount marijuana. All it takes in Texas is half a joint and you are in a world of hurt. Dumb mistake on my part. Let me be the first to advise everyone in a similar situation, you will need strong representation. The Houston court system is beyond challenging and unbelievably confusing. What I thought was no big deal could've meant losing my license, probation, and possibly more jail time. Typically people hate attorneys, David saved me in a huge way. He treated me like a friend and always kept me posted on the status of my case. He was willing to work with me due to my work schedule and he came to his office, before it even opened, to meet me. Because of his experience and persistence my case was dropped. I am so thankful I found him and would highly recommend his service. Trust me, you will not be disappointed."J.W., client charged with Misdemeanor
"Within my industry I consult with many lawyers and whilst on a business trip to Houston I required legal counsel and David was recommended to me. Initially David's age surprised me; as it did not reflect his wealth of experience, local contacts and immediate control that he took of my case and me. David promptly providing sound, logical and concise legal counsel which demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the local system and the law. David has great integrity and a supreme confidence born from experience. A quiet man but with a firm, resolute character that enabled a professional court demeanour that when coupled with his succinct legal strategy provided for a most successful conclusion in court – Thank you David. I vouch for and strongly recommend David services, he is great lawyer."J.G., client charged with Misdemeanor
"David was the first and only person I considered calling for legal advice for a friend in an unusual and complicated situation. His advice was spot-on accurate and the best solution. David is not only one of the smartest lawyers I know but he also has a unique grasp of the nuances involved in working with different personalities and negotiating on behalf of them. He can quickly synthesize various outcomes and options into a well-defined solution. He does it all with integrity, clarity and confidence that I'd want representing myself or a loved one."B.S., client under Felony Investigation
"Mr. Nachtigall is an exemplary attorney. Overall, he was always responsive to the various amount of questions I had, also he kept me informed on how things were looking during my case. I have spoken to plenty of attorneys, but Mr. Nachtigall seemed to stand out for his sincerity, his willing to make your case his responsibility and maintaining a positive attitude that seem to be hard to find nowadays."A.R., client charged with Felony
"David went above and beyond to help me in defense of a DWI charge. With his background as a prosecutor, he already knew the ins and outs of navigating through the process and was able to get me a better deal than I otherwise would have received. His hard work, open communication, dedication and intelligence are all very valuable for anyone in an unfortunate situation like I was. I couldn't be more pleased with his representation and would definitely recommend him to anyone considering hiring an attorney."charged with Misdemeanor
David is one of the most polished, even tempered attorneys I've ever met. I was the defendant on a spurious criminal case and he carefully dissected each unsubstantiated allegation and was able to refute the basis for the charge itself (which was the intent to commit a crime). I have to say that he really made the prosecuting attorney look foolish by carefully researching and laying out the facts combined with his patient, even tempered demeanor. I also appreciated the fact that he knew the behind the scenes political motivations for why the prosecution in the D.A.'s office acted so illogically-he knows these people and their work environment, so he was able to use this to craft a winning strategy to get my case dropped.J.B., charged with Felony
contact form


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Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara, militant social campaigner and President of Burkina Faso
Customer Reviews
Ordered a hoodie as a Christmas present for our teenage son - we were unsure of what size to order and although we had help via email about what size would fit him best, when the hoodie arrived it was a little small & because my son loved the design we wanted it to last , we emailed the company to ask if we could exchange it & they sent us the next size up free of charge. Made one teenager very happy.
What is Black Power Clothing?
Black Power Clothing is the number one Black Power and Black American clothing brand and we have been fighting against the oppression since our creation in 2014!
When will I get my order?
Orders are sent after 3 to 5 business days by UPS from the USA or England depending on where you order from. Shipping is free everywhere and you will get a tracking link by e-mail as soon as the order is shipped so you can follow it live!
What materials are the hoodies and t-shirts made of?
They all are 100% cotton as it is the perfect fabric to print beautiful graphics, and it makes them as soft and comfortable as possible.
What is your Return and Exchange policy?
Please contact us at email@example.com if there is any problem with your order and we'll do everything to make it right for you!
What payment options are available?
We accept payment through Paypal, you can either pay using your credit card with Paypal platform or use your Paypal balance.


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15'Ritual Massage (water and soap) ONLY IN BATHROOM
This massage is a small sample of what can be the beginning of total relaxation.The masseuse using hot water and black soap (Beldi) will be able to relax and wish that the massage never ends.
30′ Turkish massage (water, soap and horsehair) ONLY IN BATH
This massage is imported from Istanbul. In it, the masseuse will massage your entire body with warm water and soap (Beldí) and then finish with a body scrub with a horsehair glove. This massage is ideal to reactivate blood, drain accumulated lymph by stress and helps fight cellulite.
Swedish Massage 30′- 60′ (classic) IN CAMILLA


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Impossible Colors
Adventure Ragdoll Games 07 Nov , 2016 0
Loading ... Game loaded, click here to start the game!
Take control of this three-dimensional diagram and see how quickly you can hit all of the colored blocks. Can you complete each level with as few swipes as possible in this challenging puzzle game?
Embed this game


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Travel.State.Gov > International Parental Child Abduction > Country Information > Belarus International Parental Child Abduction Information
46 Starovilenskaya St.
Minsk 220002, Belarus
Telephone: +(375) (17) 210-1283
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(375) (29) 676-0134
Fax: +(375) (17) 334-7853
For information concerning travel to Belarus, including information about the location of the U.S. Embassy, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, entry/exit requirements, safety and security, crime, medical facilities and health information, traffic safety, road conditions and aviation safety, please see country-specific information for Belarus.
The U.S. Department of State reports statistics and compliance information for individual countries in the Annual Report on International Child Abduction. The report is located here.
Belarus acceded to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Abduction Convention) on January 12, 1998; however, the United States and Belarus are not yet treaty partners. Until Belarus and the United States establish a treaty relationship per Article 38 of the Convention, parents whose children have been abducted from the United States to Belarus or wrongfully retained in Belarus are unable to invoke the Convention to pursue their children's return or to seek access to them.
Legal systems and laws pertaining to custody, divorce, and parental abduction vary widely from country to country. The government of Belarus maintains information about custody, visitation, and family law on the Internet here. (The Code of the Republic of Belarus on Marriage and Family). Parents are encouraged to consult with an attorney who specializes in family law in Belarus and who can provide accurate legal guidance that is specific to their circumstances.
The Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs, Directorate for Overseas Citizens Services, Office of Children's Issues provides assistance in cases of international parental child abduction. For U.S. citizen parents whose children have been wrongfully removed to or retained in countries that are not U.S. partners under the Hague Abduction Convention, the Office of Children's Issues can provide information and resources about country-specific options for pursuing the return of or access to an abducted child. The Office of Children's Issues may also coordinate with appropriate foreign and U.S. government authorities about the welfare of abducted U.S. citizen children. Parents are strongly encouraged to contact the Department of State for assistance.
Contact information:
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children's
SA-17, 9th Floor
Washington, DC 20522-1709
Telephone: 1-888-407-4747
Outside the United States or Canada: 1-202-501-4444
Website: travel.state.gov/
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Parental child abduction is not a crime in Belarus. This is in accordance with the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, which is available here at (Russian only).
Parents may wish to consult with an attorney in the United States and in the country to which the child has been removed or retained to learn more about how filing criminal charges may impact a custody case in the foreign court. Please see Possible Solutions - Pressing Criminal Charges for more information.
Legal systems and laws pertaining to custody, divorce, and parental abduction vary widely from country to country. Parents are encouraged to consult with an attorney who specializes in family law in Belarus and who can provide accurate legal guidance that is specific to their circumstances.
The Office of Children's Issues may be able to assist parents seeking access to children who have been wrongfully removed from or retained outside the United States. Parents who are seeking access to children who were not wrongfully removed from or retained outside the United States should contact the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Belarus for information and possible assistance.
Neither the Office of Children's Issues nor consular officials at the U.S. Embassy or Consulates in Belarus are authorized to provide legal advice.
The U.S. Embassy in Minsk, Belarus, posts a list of attorneys, including those who specialize in family law.
This list is provided as a courtesy service only and does not constitute an endorsement of any individual attorney. The Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the persons or firms included in this list. Professional credentials and areas of expertise are provided directly by the lawyers.
Mediation is a possible remedy for both abduction and access cases. According to the Law on Mediation of the Republic of Belarus, Russian only), mediation is performed by a licensed mediator provided both parties agree to the process of mediation. Mediation is voluntary. The registry of licensed mediators is maintained by the Ministry of Justice. The Law on Mediation in Belarus will come into legal force on August 26, 2014.
While travelling in a foreign country, you are subject to the laws of that country. It is important for parents to understand that, although a left-behind parent in the United States may have custody or visitation rights pursuant to a U.S. custody order, that order may not be valid and enforceable in the country in which the child is located. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to speak to a local attorney if planning to remove a child from a foreign country without the consent of the other parent. Attempts to remove your child to the United States may:
The U.S. government cannot interfere with another country's court or law enforcement system.
To understand the legal effect of a U.S. order in a foreign country, a parent should consult with a local attorney in the country in which the child is located.
For information about hiring an attorney abroad, see our section on Retaining a Foreign Attorney.
Although we cannot recommend an attorney to you, most U.S. Embassies have lists of attorneys available online. Please visit the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate website for a full listing.
For more information on consular assistance for U.S. citizens arrested abroad, please see our website.
Country officers are available to speak with you Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. For assistance with an abduction in progress or any emergency situation that occurs after normal business hours, on weekends, or federal holidays, please call toll free at 1-888-407-4747. See all contact information.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this flyer is provided for general information only, is not intended to be legal advice, and may change without notice. Questions involving interpretation of law should be addressed to an attorney licensed in the relevant jurisdiction.


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Some Catching Up
Here is some catching up of pictures that have been piling up. The first few are of my birthday that has come and gone again. J.J. had a good time with the balloons which were leftover from Melodee's birthday. Then, some of Ana. Her class had an essay writing contest about D.A.R.E. Ana won the […]Read More


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A variant of the macOS-targeting OceanLotus backdoor is using an innovative technique to disguise the fact that it is an executable in order to avoid alerting users on its execution, Malwarebytes warns.
Dubbed HiddenLotus, the backdoor is distributed via an application named Lê Thu Hà (HAEDC).pdf, which masquerades as an Adobe Acrobat file. The app uses an old method for this behavior, one that inspired the file quarantine feature introduced in Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5), where files downloaded from the Internet are tagged as quarantined.
Should the downloaded file be an executable, such as an application, a pop-up notification warns the user on the fact when they attempt to open the file. The quarantine feature has been around for nearly a decade, but malware continues to masquerade as documents, Malwarebytes says.
HiddenLotus, a new variant of the OceanLotus backdoor that was last seen this summer posing as a Microsoft Word document and targeting users in Vietnam, takes the disguise to a new level. While older malware had a hidden .app extension to indicate that it was an application, HiddenLotus actually has a .pdf extension. There was no .app extension included.
This is possible because the threat uses a hidden extension, where the 'd' in .pdf is actually the Roman numeral 'D' (representing the number 500) in lowercase, as Arnaud Abbati has discovered.
"An application does not need to have a .app extension to be treated like an application. An application on macOS is actually a folder with a special internal structure called a bundle. A folder with the right structure is still only a folder, but if you give it an .app extension, it instantly becomes an application," Malwarebytes explains.
Because of that, the Finder treats the folder as a single file and launches it as an application when double-clicked, instead of opening the folder.
When the user double-clicks a file or a folder, LaunchServices considers the extension first and opens the item accordingly, if it knows the extension. A file with a .txt extension will be opened with TextEdit by default. Thus, a folder with the .app extension will be launched as an application, should it have the right internal structure.
If the extension isn't known, the user is consulted when attempting to open the file, and they can choose an application to open the file or search the Mac App Store.
When double-clicking a folder with an unknown extension, however, LaunchServices falls back on looking at the folder's bundle structure.
This is the behavior that HiddenLotus' author leverages: the dropper is a folder that has the internal bundle structure of an application. Because of the use of a Roman numeral in the .pdf extension and because there is no application registered to open it, the system treats it as an application even though it does not have a telltale .app extension.
"There is nothing particularly special about this .pdf extension (using a Roman numeral 'd') except that it is not already in use. Any other extension that is not in use will work just as well," Malwarebytes says.
The security researchers also point out that there is an enormously large list of possible extensions that malicious actors could abuse, especially when using Unicode characters. Because of that, users could be tricked into opening files that mimic Word documents (.doc), Excel spreadsheets (.xls), Pages documents (.pages), and the like.
"This is a neat trick, but it's still not going to get past file quarantine. The system will alert you that what you're trying to open is an application. Unless, of course, what you are opening was downloaded via an application that does not use the APIs that properly set the quarantine flag on the file, as is the case for some torrent apps," the researchers also note.
Related: Macro Malware Comes to macOS
Related: Russian Cyberspies Use New Mac Malware to Steal Data


text: NET PLUS ULTRA du 18 avril au 12 mai 2019 NET PLUS ULTRA is a cabinet de curiosités, orchestrated by Géraldine Postel & David Magnin. This group exhibition presents the beginnings of an archeology of connected art, including works by leading contemporary artists and pioneers of numeric arts. NET PLUS ULTRA, 2019 Courtesy of the artists & Mannerheim gallery


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This Bangkok Photo gallery showcases the best Bangkok photos and all that the city has to offer.
Taking pictures of Bangkok and the daily scenes is one way to capture that memory forever and with a digital camera, it is just so easy.
When you go to Bangkok for your next vacation make sure you take a small camera to record your journey and give you something to look back on in the future.
Going to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport for the first time. Then check out these photos from around the place.
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport has two sides to it; departures and arrivals. So here is the other side, because most people who arrive at Bangkok Airport also depart from there.
Bangkok beach photographs, some close and some far away. But no matter, Bangkok Airport is the gateway to Thailand and you get to choose which Bangkok Beach you go to.
More timeless and interesting photographs of Bangkok beaches and seashores and coastal areas.
Visiting Bangkok and not taking the time to go and see some of the amazing Buddhist temples would be like going to Venice and not going on the canals.
Take a look at this interesting set of Buddhist Temple photographs.
In the centre of Bangkok where the traffic is extremely congested and around the places that tourists congregate, you will find all kinds of tuk tuks.
Take a ride in a tuk tuk and beat the Bangkok traffic, but beware they are only for short journeys.
Loud, noisy and with a face full of bus fumes, you will come away with a story to tell back home.
Many hotels, that are located down the end of a soi will use a tuk tuk to transport hotel guests to the main road or to the nearby shopping centre.


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Pedestrian Accident Cases
A Las Vegas Injury Lawyer You Can Trust
Las Vegas is the city that never sleeps. This makes for a great night life, but it also makes for a lot of pedestrian accidents. Las Vegas, in fact, is one of the most dangerous cities in the country for pedestrians. The combination of 24-hour foot traffic and inadequate sidewalk space is often deadly. If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, you need to speak with the Las Vegas personal injury attorney at the Law Offices of Steven M. Burris.
Don't hesitate to pursue your claim. Call today for a free consultation.
How to Hold Negligent Parties Responsible
Negligent, distracted driving is the leading cause of pedestrian accidents, and there are plenty of things to distract drivers in Las Vegas. Drugs and alcohol can play a significant role as well.
Some of the leading causes of pedestrian accidents include:
- Turning right or left across crosswalks without seeing pedestrians
- Backing out of driveways or parking spaces without checking for pedestrians
- Failing to notice and yield to pedestrians on the street
- Speeding through suburban neighborhoods where children are playing
Not sure if you have a case? Contact us today to schedule your free case evaluation.
The sooner you act, the better your chances can be for recovery and compensation.
Nevada state law gives accident victims two years to file a claim before the statute of limitations goes into effect, but you shouldn't wait that long! The more time that goes by, the harder it is to conduct an investigation, demonstrate liability, and collect damages. Whether your injuries put you in the hospital or resulted in minor pains, you need a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer with pedestrian accident experience.
There is no way to undue the accident, but there are ways to help you receive adequate compensation for the damage done. Contact the Law Offices of Steven M. Burris for a free evaluation.


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I closed my heart because I didn't trust myself
I have known this for a long time and am slowly learning to accept and even welcome that which I see in others is in me and a projection of myself. Whether it is the positive/light or the negative/darkness, it is always about ME. Often, what I have disowned in myself (shadow) or I refuse to see in myself, I can easily see it in my brother or sister. It is because we are mirrors for one another. We are invited to love all parts of ourselves and if we are unaware of something that is hidden from our consciousness, we cannot love it. I have 2 examples of seeing myself in another to share with you this week.
Of course, it is easier to accept that when I see the light and positive in another that it is also in me. I often see kindness and gentleness in Larry and I always affirm him for those qualities, although he doesn't always see that kindness in himself. I recently realized that no matter how much I affirm him, he has to believe it for himself and it is impossible for me to do it for him. That is an inside job.
So I decided that rather than "over-praise" Larry when I see kindness in him because I want him to believe it about himself, I would turn it back on me and affirm and appreciate myself for my kindness and gentleness. If I see it in him, it is in me.
Larry and I are participants in a weekly book study group. There is a woman in the group who I admire and like her energy. She shares from her heart and is honest and open. She shares her struggles as well as her spiritual progress. What I particularly admire is her relationship and love for God. Since I easily see the light and love in her, I choose to embrace it and see it in myself.
It is not so easy and I am not always willing, at first, to see in myself what I don't like in another. In fact, sometimes it takes a while to see the truth and set myself free. When I spot something in another person that I don't like, it is easy to point the finger and blame, judge and even call them names.
It is a normal reaction, if you will, to "close our hearts" and withdraw from another person if we feel hurt, judged or misunderstood. I became aware that I also close my heart when I don't trust someone for a "perceived" wrongdoing to protect myself from further hurt. I am wondering how often over the years I have closed my heart and lost relationships.
When I close my heart, I block the energy (God) from within. Not only is my heart closed, but my mind is also closed and it closes me off from all energy.
I had a situation with a friend that took me quite a while to recognize what was really going on. I wasn't ready to see my part until I was willing to ask for help. I prayed and asked Spirit to show me the truth and set me free because it was really troubling me and I had lost my peace. I just couldn't figure out why I didn't trust this person and felt so uncomfortable when I was in her presence.
I heard Spirit say, "You need to relax and not stress about trying to "figure it out." I often like to figure things out in my head because it feels like I have some control. What an illusion that is. Spirit said, "All you need to do is open your heart."
The truth set me free as I listened and opened my heart and mind. What was gently revealed to me by Spirit in meditation and a dream was that I didn't trust myself in some areas and was projecting it on to her. I got the message and the stress and "uncomfortableness" was completely gone when I was in her presence again. I have made a commitment to myself and God to keep my heart open and not close it when I feel threatened or afraid.
I have been thinking about how incredible creation is. It seems that the longer I live, the more I become aware of how all creation is connected. We are connected to one another and to nature.
Although our perspectives can be different and we may be seeking our consciousness in different ways we are still the same. We are looking for the same things and we have the same doubts and struggles, as well as the same hopes and dreams.
Sometimes we see another person and think, "Boy that person has got it all together and I wish I could be like that." All I've got is this crazy "roommate" in my head that never stops talking, telling me what to do and what not to do. Most times it is judging me and encouraging me to judge others so I can feel better about myself. I bet if I talked with the person I thought had it all together they would laugh and tell me that they have the same type of challenges that I have.
I am grateful for the opportunity that Pat and I are participating in a book study group on Michael Singer's book, "The Untethered Soul". We read a few chapters each week and then get together once a week to share our perspective on what we've read. There are 13 people in our group. We've traveled many different paths and are currently living on Maui. We have wonderful, diversified, intelligent people who share openly from their hearts.
We are all unique in the way we are seeking to grow and become more conscious in our spiritual lives, but I am amazed at how alike we are in our life experiences. We all struggle with the same insecurities, doubts, fears and not good enough thoughts and behaviors. We help each other to expose our egos and not allow our egos to have power in our lives. We are all trying to accept our life situations and not resist. We are attempting to keep our hearts open to Spirit's power and not close our hearts to what life brings us.
I see this experience as a wonderful opportunity for me to grow and become more conscious, so that I can become a more complete vessel of love. Through this experience, I am learning to become more patient, offer kindness, have more compassion for others, accept what is and not resist, let go of control and recognize and expose my ego. I sincerely hope that I am offering the attributes of patience, kindness, compassion and understanding to my fellow group members.
I had an opportunity this week to accept and not resist: I volunteer at a local organization delivering meals to the homebound on Monday afternoons. I agreed to fill in for someone last Friday. Well, I got into my very relaxed mode on Friday afternoon and forgot about filling in. Pat came into the room about 3:55 p.m. and asked me if I was going to deliver today. I jumped up and said, "OMG, I forgot." Fear, resistance, stress, anxiety, judgement were all fighting to get into my psyche at once. I flew out of the house and started hell bent down the mountain. Then I asked myself, "What are you doing?" I needed to calm down and not resist what was happening, but just accept it. I said to myself, "So you'll be a half hour late, its ok." I was able to accept and allow what was happening to happen, I just let go of all the negatives that were clamoring for attention. I allowed my peace to return and everything went along very smoothly.
We discussed in group how we handle challenges in our lives when our energy becomes blocked or negative). One of the ways we all seemed to respond to energy blocked was to get out in nature by walking, running, swimming, going to the ocean or mountains or just sitting outside. We all sought the energy in nature to somehow nurture our wounds, calm our anger and help us reconnect with our healing power within. We remember that we are worthy, we always have been worthy and we always will be worthy because we were created out of love and we are love.
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Pat Hastings
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Spiritual Coach, Retreat Leader & Radio Talk Show Host
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