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Photography is considered a very fulfilling pastime by many people. However, you do need some information and determination in order to do it properly. In this article, we will provide some key pointers that can make you a better photographer.
A vital photography composition factor, is framing. In order to eliminate any objects which distract from the subject matter, you should zoom in on a main focal point. This allows for a simple, effective shot that contains only a single focal point.
Do not let your subject get away from you! If you delay your shot, you might miss the perfect moment or lose your subject entirely. It is better if you can take shots quickly.
And the tips just keep on coming! You should take the time to educate yourself on shutter speed. The shutter speed settings you will find on your camera are: P,M,A & S. The label "P" is the setting for program mode. This is the fully automatic setting of your camera, and it sets the aperture and shutter speed automatically for you. When you don't know which setting to use, the "P" setting will help you capture a great shot.
Get as close to your subject as you need to. If you move close to your subject, you can frame it more effectively, while avoiding distractions around it. It also highlights your subject's facial expressions, which are important to a great portrait. Small details are easily overlooked when the subject is a good distance away.
Use your camera to capture every detail of your travels. These photographs might feel unimportant, or even a bit silly, as you're taking the pictures; but they can add to your memories and help recreate an interesting story. Take a picture of the bus you took or the hotel lobby. Take pictures of the outside of a theater or your goofy doorman.
Try to avoid including an overcast sky in your shots. Your pictures can appear dull and lifeless if they capture too much of a gray sky in the background. If the sky is overcast, perhaps you should shoot the photograph in black and white. A clear blue sky is always lovely in a photo, but adjust your settings to account for bright light.
Digital cameras normally contain a built-in flash, that automatically turns on when the natural light is too low. This is good for random, candid shots, but if you want a professional look, invest in a flash that is external and offers more lighting. Make sure that your camera is set up to support an external flash, and then go in a professional camera store to make sure you are buying one that will work with your camera.
When you are learning, camera settings should be simple. Master one control at a time, such as the shutter speed or the aperture, before taking on the next. This method will let you focus on taking the picture rather than wasting time messing with your camera, which will cause your subject to leave.
Find the right combination between shutter speed, aperture and ISO. These are the elements that determine exposure when you are photographing subjects. You want to avoid either overexposing or underexposing a picture except in some special cases. By toying with these features, you can learn how they work together to achieve different looks.
Some good advice is to be sure to actively search out other photographers, and look at their work for inspiration. By studying the images taken by other photographers, you will recall that the perfect shot can be captured through a vast number of methods and techniques.
Take a deep breath, and try to remain as still as possible when pressing the shutter button. Alternatively, use a tripod and/or a shutter release cable. Even the smallest movement could make your picture come out wrong. Before you take that amazing picture, take care that you are neither breathing nor moving.
Take down notes whenever you are taking pictures. Sifting through hundreds of photographs, you may have a difficult time remembering the emotions and thoughts that you were experiencing when you snapped each picture. Use a small notepad, just make sure that you write down what number the picture is in your notes.
Having good skills in photography does not involve a big secret. Keep shooting pictures, and get experienced at doing so. Get a digital camera so you can take as many pictures as you want. Delete the ones you have no interest in. You want to constantly experiment with new subjects and techniques, then judge and compare the results to see what worked best.
Stay still while you press the shutter. Don't even breathe. When you move quickly, even if the movement is minute, it will interrupt the shot's clarity and ruin a shot. Do not breathe when you are taking the shot; it is worth the effort.
Composition is a photographic skill worth mastering, whether you want to develop a professional talent or are simply interested in taking better pictures. If there is lack within the composition, the photograph will suffer, as this is true across all forms of art. Learn and apply various best practices regarding composition to improve your photography.
If you are attracted to the old-fashioned feel and look of the photos taken by film-based cameras, you can buy a film-camera at a discount price through a second-hand store and give it a try. You can create a dramatic look by choosing monochromatic film. Ideally, your film should be rated at least 200 ISO, which is sufficient for most circumstances. When it's time to develop your film, try using different types of printing paper.
Apply one of the valuable rules of photo composition by understanding "less is more" in terms of the amount of detail you include in your photos. Why would you want to clutter your shots? Adopting a simple, minimalistic style can help you to identify the heart of a shot.
Carefully read the entire manual that came with your camera. Manuals can be thick, heavy and contain a lot of technical terms. In most homes, they will be tossed in a junk drawer or even thrown in the garbage. Rather than throwing the manual away, you should read it. You will find a lot of information that can improve your picture taking and stop silly mistakes from happening.
Before photographing a wedding, try taking some unusual pictures of the setup, like a flower, or a makeup bag. You just might stumble on a great shot as well.
It is important that you understand the ISO function of your camera and what it can do to your photo. With a higher ISO setting, you are able to compensate for a lack of light, but you are going to get a lot more noise in your image. Unless you particularly want the shot to have the grain, this lack of understanding could ruin your shot.
Do you want a wet or misty effect from rain for some photographs? Simulating rain is as easy as bringing a spray bottle to a shoot.
Attempt to capture your subject from a different angle to change the effect. Anyone can look at a simple head-on photo and take a picture of it. Attempt to gain different perspectives by getting over or below your subject. Sometimes, a sideways or diagonal view can create an interesting composition.
Feel free to try them out, without being too worried about them being perfect, so you do not miss out on a great shot. For the best photographs, don't use the camera's presets since this removes your options of making adjustments. Get familiar with your camera options before you start photographing, so you know which settings will suit each subject and situation.
Uv Filter
Every time you change something, be it the background or subject, you should take multiple shots just for practice. The more practice shots you take, the more comfortable you will get with the environment. Every situation in photography varies quite a bit. Try taking practice pictures between you real shots.
You will want to use filters which are extensions that you put onto your camera lenses. You screw them on the lens. They are useful because they're are multi-purpose. The most frequently used filter is a UV filter. By using a UV filter your camera lens will be protected from the harmful rays of direct sunlight. The damage incurred by dropping your camera is also reduced when you have a filter.
Before you start snapping pictures, come up with a concept. Write down your ideas for the shoot, and plan accordingly for better photos. Like other art forms, careful planning and an attention to detail often translate to a great shot. As you develop a plan, you will become inspired, which will result in much better pictures.
You can make anything look interesting by adjusting your camera's settings, using a different kind of lighting or even by just changing the shot angle. Try playing with the settings before you go and take the shot, you will then know how it will differ.
Pictures of people should be a lot more than simply a picture of their faces. There are many beautiful parts of the human body that can be used as the subject in your photos.
Red eye in your photos can seem like something so small, but really, you will never frame or share that photo. Red eye can be prevented by avoiding using flash when you can. If you cannot avoid using the flash, be sure that you request that the subject does not look into the camera lens. Some cameras also have a red eye feature.
When taking pictures, it is essential that you understand the right way to hold a camera. Stable imagery is not even possible without the camera being held the right ways. Make sure your arms are near your body. Support the lens with the non-dominant hand.
Remember that our camera is merely a tool that can be manipulated for capturing your creativity though photographic images. Try blurring the background and focusing on the main subject by decreasing your field depth.
Crop pictures to make them better. You may take a picture and love it, though then you notice a jacket in the background that you do not want to show. More commonly, a perfectly fine image may not be centered correctly. You can crop these things out of the picture to make it even better.
Think about different brands of film before purchasing film for your camera. Try different films and you should soon find a favorite one. The differences between brands are so small that you shouldn't let them get in the way of personal preference. It comes down to what you enjoy using.
Beginning photographers need to master the white balance, a setting that determines the color temperature of the photo, as soon as possible. Experimenting with lighting will help you know how your pictures are affected.
Using a tripod helps improve the quality of landscape photographs. Establishing a steady base is important when you are taking photos, particularly when you are photographing landscapes because you can then adjust settings without shaking your camera.
You should think about using a flash when you are taking photos outdoors. A sunny day can result in immense facial shadows. If your camera has a setting for fill flash, set your camera to it. This will get deep into the folds of the face.
There is no denying that you must put forth a great deal of effort to get good results in photography. Some tips provided here will give you instant results, and others you will have to work on. Do not make the learning process overly strenuous. After all, photography can be an engrossing and pleasurable hobby. By keeping this advice in your mind, you can find success in photography shortly.
When using your flash in the dark, it's important to know its range. If you don't know what the range is, your images could still be dark if they were too far away. Check the manual and experiment a bit before taking photos in dark environments.


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The academic articles below are listed according to date (in some instances, approximate) of publication.
For a broader coverage of Indigenous legal issues, readers are referred to the Indigenous Law Journal based in Toronto and to the Manitoba Law Journal special issue on Indigenous Law (with more Indigenous Law special issues anticipated to be published).
- Archives and Native Claims, by James Morrison [1979].
- Survey of Aboriginal Land Claims, by William B. Henderson·and Derek T. Ground [1994] 26:1 Ottawa Law Review 187.
- Semiahmoo Indian Band v. Canada, by Bob Freedman [1997]
- Aboriginal Policy-Making and Dispute Resolution Processes: A History of the Concept of a Tribunal for the Adjudication of Specific Land Claims in Canada, by Leigh Ogston Milroy, MA thesis (Dispute Resolution), University of Victoria, 2002. Used with the permission of the author.
- Towards an Independent Land Claims Tribunal: Bill C-6 in Context, by Leigh Ogston Milroy [c. 2002] .
Used with the permission of the author.
- Crown-Native Relations as Fiduciary: Reflections Almost Twenty Years after Guerin, by Leonard I. Rotman [2003]. Used with permission of the author. Originally published in the Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice.
- Much Ado About Dittos: Wewaykum and the Fiduciary Obligation of the Crown, by David W. Elliott (2003) 29 Queen's L.J. 1. Used with the permission of the author and the Queen's Law Journal.
- Case Comments: Wewaykum: A New Spin on the Crown's Fiduciary Obligations to Aboriginal Peoples? By Leonard I. Rotman [c. 2003] Used with permission of the author. Originally published in the U.B.C. Law Review.
- Addressing Aboriginal Land Rights in Ontario: An Analysis of Past Policies and Options for the Future—Part I, by Michael Coyle (2005) 31 Queen's Law Journal 75.
- Addressing Aboriginal Land Rights in Ontario: An Analysis of Past Policies and Options for the Future—Part II, by Michael Coyle (2006) 31 Queen's Law Journal 796.
- The Expectation of Justice, by Denielle Boissoneau-Thunderchild [2006]
Used with the permission of the author.
- The Current State of the Law in Canada on Crown Obligations to Consult and Accommodate Aboriginal Interests in Resource Development, by Heather L. Treacy, Tara L. Campbell & Jamie D. Dickson, (2007) 44 Alta. L. Rev. 571. Reproduced with permission.
- Constitutional Reconciliation and Land Negotiations: Improving the Relationship between the Aboriginal Peoples and the Government of Ontario, by Jennifer Dalton, (2009) 3 J. Parliamentary & Pol. L. 277. (This article first appeared in the Journal of Parliamentary & Political Law, which is published by Carswell, a division of Thomson Reuters Canada Limited. The article is also available on Westlaw® Canada.) Used with Permission of the author.
- Whitefish: An Economic Primer, by Arthur J. Hosios & Lawrence B. Smith, (2010) 35 Queen's L.J. 679. Reproduced with permission.
- Criminalization at Tyendinaga: Securing Canada's Colonial Property Regime through Specific Land Claims, by Shirt Pasternak, Sue Collis, Tia Dafnos, (2013) 28 Canadian Journal of Law and Society 1. Used with permission of the authors.
- An Indigenous Oral History Reader, by Bryan P. Schwartz (General Editor), (2022) an anthology that attempts to collect a wide variety of materials that embody many perspectives. Meant for educational purposes in the development of an Indigenous Oral History class.

subset: commoncrawl


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Brain metastasis is the most common neurological complication of cancer. When metastatic cells reach the brain, prognosis is poor given that local therapies (i.e., surgery and radiation) have limited benefit for patients, and the disease inevitably progresses. The rise in the number of patients with brain metastasis is partially due to the increasing number of systemic therapies that work extra-cranially but are unable to provide the same therapeutic benefit in the brain. Consequently, cancer cells present at this secondary site have additional time to evolve and to grow into clinically detectable lesions. In the laboratory, we study why and how cells from different cancer types (breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma) are able to access the brain, survive and colonise this vital organ. We dissect the biology of these processes in vivo using experimental models in order to challenge the current status of this unmet clinical need.
Post-Doctoral Fellows
- Mariam Al-Masmudi
- Lluis Cordón
- Neibla Priego
Graduate Students
- Laura Adriana Álvaro
- Ana De Pablos
- Pedro García
- Carolina Hernández
- Irene Salgado
- Tania Arranz
- Patricia Baena
- Jorge Guillermo Ortiz
- Diana Patricia Retana
- Oliva Ana Sánchez
Visiting Scientist
- Valentina Pieri
- (2023). Machine learning identifies experimental brain metastasis subtypes based on their influence on neural circuits. Cancer Cell (in press). CNIO Publication.
- (2023). Toward Plasmonic Neural Probes: SERS Detection of Neurotransmitters through Gold-Nanoislands-Decorated Tapered Optical Fibers with Sub-10 nm Gaps. Adv Mater 35, e2200902. CNIO Publication.
- (2023). Emerging targets for cancer treatment: S100A9/RAGE.. ESMO OPEN 8, 100751. CNIO Publication.
- (2023). Protocol to generate murine organotypic brain cultures for drug screening and evaluation of anti-metastatic efficacy. Star Protocols 4, 102194. CNIO Publication.
- (2022). Stratification of radiosensitive brain metastases based on an actionable S100A9/RAGE resistance mechanism. Nat Med 28, 752-765. CNIO Publication.
- (2022). Toward Plasmonic Neural Probes: SERS Detection of Neurotransmitters through Gold Nanoislands-decorated Tapered Optical fibers with sub-10 nm Gaps. Adv Mater (in press). CNIO Publication.
- (2022). A clinically compatible drug-screening platform based on organotypic cultures identifies vulnerabilities to prevent and treat brain metastasis. EMBO Mol Med 14, 14552. CNIO Publication.
- (2021). Brain metastasis models: What should we aim to achieve better treatments?. Adv Drug Deliver Rev 169, 79-99. CNIO Publication.
- (2021). A drug-screening platform based on organotypic cultures identifies vulnerabilities to prevent local relapse and treat established brain metastasis. EMBO Mol Med (in press). CNIO Publication.
- (2021). Plasmonics on a neural implant: engineering light-matter interactions on the nonplanar surface of tapered. Adv Opt Mater (in press). CNIO Publication.
- (2021). Brain Microenvironment Heterogeneity: Potential Value for Brain Tumors.. Front Oncol 11, 714428. CNIO Publication.
- (2021). Challenges and Novel Opportunities of Radiation Therapy for Brain Metastases in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancers 13, 2141. CNIO Publication.
- (2021). Animal models of brain metastasis. Neurooncol Adv 3, v144-v156. CNIO Publication.
- (2020). Brain metastasis. Nat Rev Cancer 20, 4-11. CNIO Publication.
- (2020). An Inbred Ecosystem that Supports Medulloblastoma.. Immunity 52, 431-433. CNIO Publication.
- (2020). Universal scaling laws rule explosive growth in human cancers.. Nat Phys 16, 1232-1237. CNIO Publication.
- (2020). Brain Metastasis Cell Lines Panel: A Public Resource of Organotropic Cell Lines. Cancer Res 80, 4134-4323. CNIO Publication.
- (2020). Immunotherapy in NSCLC patients with brain metastases. Understanding brain tumor microenvironment and dissecting outcomes from immune checkpoint blockade in the clinic. Cancer Treat Rev 89, 102067. CNIO Publication.
- (2020). Vascular Co-Option in Brain Metastasis. ANGIOGENESIS 23, 3-8. CNIO Publication.
- (2020). A spotlight on cancer researchers in Spain: new paradigms and disruptive ideas. Clin Transl Oncol 22, 798-801. CNIO Publication.
- (2020). Breaking down the wall: the strategic plan of cancer to conquer the brain.. Epilepsy Curr (in press). CNIO Publication.
- (2019). Author Correction: Pericyte-like spreading by disseminated cancer cells activates YAP and MRTF for metastatic colonization. Nat Cell Biol 21, 480. CNIO Publication.
- (2019). Transcriptomic Hallmarks of Tumor Plasticity and Stromal Interactions in Brain Metastasis. Cell Reports 27, 1277-1292. CNIO Publication. Open Access
- (2019). The Potential of Astrocytes as Immune Modulators in Brain Tumors.. Front Inmmunol 10, 1314. CNIO Publication. Open Access
- (2019). A spotlight on cancer researchers in Spain: new paradigms and disruptive ideas. Clin Transl Oncol (in press). CNIO Publication.
- (2018). STAT3 labels a subpopulation of reactive astrocytes required for brain metastasis. Nat Med 24, 1024-1035. CNIO Publication.
- (2018). Pericyte-like spreading by disseminated cancer cells activates YAP and MRTF for metastatic colonization. Nat Cell Biol 20, 966-978. CNIO Publication.
- (2018). T lymphocytes facilitate brain metastasis of breast cancer by inducing Guanylate-Binding Protein 1 expression. Acta Neuropathol 135, 581-599. CNIO Publication.
- (2018). Silibinin is a direct inhibitor of STAT3. Food Chem Toxicol 116, 161-172. CNIO Publication.
- (2018). Recent advances in the biology and treatment of brain metastases of non-small cell lung cancer: summary of a multidisciplinary roundtable discussion. ESMO OPEN 3, e000262. CNIO Publication.
- (2018). The Evolving Landscape of Brain Metastasis. Trends in Cancer 4, 176-196. CNIO Publication.


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Expert care for common and uncommon shoulder and elbow conditions
We treat every kind of shoulder condition, from rotator cuff and labrum tears to shoulder revision surgery and shoulder replacement revision surgery that helps alleviate pain from a previously replaced joint whether the device has reached the end of its usefulness or other conditions are causing replaced joint pain.
If tennis elbow, golfer's elbow or pitcher's elbow keeps flaring up, orthopedic surgeons specializing in upper extremities can determine through diagnostic imaging if arthritis is present or if pinched nerves may be the cause of your discomfort.
If shoulder surgery is your path forward, read about our unique, highly specialized procedures that are not widely available, including reverse shoulder replacement and more.
Orthopedic conditions we treat for shoulders and elbows
Common shoulder and elbow problems treated by orthopedic specialists on the medical staff of a Baylor Scott & White medical center include:
- Artritis
- Bone spurs
- Dislocations
- Separation
- Bursitis
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
- Biceps labral and biceps pulley injuries
- Tendinitis
- Rotator cuff tear
- Fracturas
- Strains and sprains
- Golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis)
- Pitcher's elbow (medial apophysitis)
- Tennis elbow
Highly specialized shoulder procedures
Orthopedic shoulder specialists on the medical staff can provide help for people who experience problems with a previously replaced shoulder that may require joint revision surgery. Additionally, patients with a complex shoulder joint from congenital defects and other disorders require the skill set of surgeons who frequently see these conditions in patients.
A reverse shoulder replacement is for patients who have severe shoulder arthritis with a rotator cuff tear that is not repairable. This procedure allows patients to regain full functionality of the shoulder, pain relief and increased mobility that is not possible through a standard shoulder replacement.
Search for an orthopedic shoulder surgeon who specializes in these procedures or call toll free 1.844.BSW.DOCS (1.844.279.3627).
Treatment plans for patients will be determined by their care team based on age, medical history, type and stage of shoulder pain and personal preferences. Shoulder treatment options may include:
- Medicación
- Surgery
- Terapia física
- El manejo del dolor
- Shoulder diagnosis and nonoperative management
- Shoulder ultrasound evaluation
- Cirugía de hombro
- Shoulder arthroscopy
- Rotator cuff repair, including minimally invasive, all-arthroscopic repairs without implants
- Instability and labral surgery
- Total shoulder replacement
- Reverse total shoulder replacement, including minimally invasive and patient-specific anatomic implants
- Revision shoulder surgery
- Revision shoulder replacement, including current, minimally invasive techniques
Why rotator cuff injuries are the most common cause of shoulder pain
As the popularity of high-impact, strength-building exercise programs increases, the shoulder is being increasingly called upon to function as a high-demand, weight-bearing joint. This has led to an increase in shoulder-related complaints among active adults.
Shoulder pain: Is it arthritis or bursitis?
When you have shoulder pain, you might not know the cause. Robert Berry, DO, medical director of sports medicine at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Plano, said that pain from arthritis and bursitis can be similar. But here are some differences that he suggests you should be aware of.
Don't shrug off shoulder and elbow pain
Shoulder arthroplasty clinical trial
The Most Effective Local Infiltration Analgesic (LIA) in Reducing Overall Opioid Use and Nausea in the Acute Postoperative Period of Shoulder Arthroplasty Patients; a Prospective, Blinded, Randomized, Observational Study
Study evaluation to determine the least opioid and antiemetic intake during the acute post-operative period in shoulder arthroplasty patients.
Inclusion criteria
>18; Diagnosed shoulder arthropathy. Patients scheduled for shoulder arthroplasty.
Exclusion criteria
Prior known allergy to either one of the SOC infiltrative analgesic agents (Bupivacaine, Bupivacaine liposome or Multimodal analgesic containing Ropivacaine, Ketorolac, Epinephrine and normal saline)
For more information, contact
Temilola Majekodunmi
Two new shoulders.
One new me.
A rare genetic disease caused Ron Moss' shoulder joints to gradually deteriorate.


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Inside the Box Protection
Our solutions for inside the box protection span a wide range of materials and applications including void fill, cushioning, containment, interleaving, block & brace and wrapping. As a material neutral supplier, Pregis recommends the best solution to protect items from damage during the shipping cycle.
Mailing & Bagging Solutions | Pregis
Pregis offers multiple automated and manual mailing & bagging solutions that scale to fit your operation. We have the widest range of material options satisfy your need for cushioned or non cushioned protection. Our solutions will help you minimize shipping cost while improving operational productivity.


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Sota – Smart robot "presenter" from Japan
Sota will explain your presentation on your behalf! Sota is a robot that looks similar to Kirobot Robot and Alpha Mini but has a peculiar functionality : It can connect to your laptop and perform your PowerPoint presentations on your behalf using loving gestures,expression, sounds and body movements.
Multiple units can be controlled simultaneously
Up to 5 robots can be controlled simultaneously in one presentation. By using multiple Sotas, it is possible to produce effects like a talk session.
Easy operation
You can specify the animation of the robot by entering characters in the "notes" part of the presentation file as if writing a manuscript.
Furthermore, by inputting special commands, you can set the operations required for presentation, such as animation progress and motion control.
No programming required
The PC software for communicating with the presentation Sota requires no complicated settings and is easy to use. Select the presentation file to be executed, enter the IP address of the presentation Sota to be connected, and execute the presentation.
Usage scenarios
Sota robot is not limited to simply performing presentations, but also involves the interaction between humans and robots, front-desk , exhibitions, etc.
|280 (H) × 140 (W) × 160 (D) mm
|Degree of freedom
|8 degrees of freedom in total (1 trunk, 2 arms x 2, 3 necks)
|About 800g
|Intel (R) Edison
|Input and output
|Camera, speaker, LED (both eyes x 2, mouth x 1, power lamp x 1) Switch (power button x 1, volume button x 2)
|WiFi, USB x 2, power connector
|Power supply
|AC adapter (12V 4A)
|Included items
|Instruction manual (with warranty), AC adapter
Social Capabilities
Sota is able to interact with people and other robots in a similar way to other social robots . The robot currently limited to Japan markets and Japanese language, the price is around 130.000 yen (1.090 euro). Official website by producer company, VSTONE
Check also : Pepper Robot join staff in several coffees and restaurant and Alpha Mini the dancing robot


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FsPassengersX Frequently Asked Questions
|Is money tight for you? I can make an exceptional rebate
FsPassengersX was not written by a big company but by one man alone. Yet it's difficult to be an independent creator.
FsPassengers took more than three years of development, contains 80,000 lines of code and more than 2,700 files.
The price is fair given the market and the countless features it offers.
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To contact me for an exceptional rebate: click here
Fair trade respects both parties. Piracy or fixed prices respect neither as it leads for the demise of small authors and/or people unable to afford software due to their situation.
Much thanks
Daniel Polli (FsPassengers author)


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The 2019-2020 school year will go down as the most troubled in Haiti's history, encompassing 3 months of political instability that locked the country from late September through November, and 4 months of confinement due to COVID-19 from mid-March to mid-July.Continue reading
Monthly Archives: July 2020
Meet Frisner, JiHM's administrator, who turns your compassionate gifts into tangible aid
Frisner Milien has served with Jesus in Haiti Ministries for nearly a decade. Over the years, his thoughtfulness and sincerity, combined with a strong work ethic, have earned him the respect of his colleagues and the community.Continue reading
The Lighthouse on Lockdown: What life has looked like lately
Although these last four months have been filled with uncertainty over COVID-19, at the Lighthouse, the pandemic has caused more boredom and isolation than physical harm.Continue reading
Groceries at the gate: JiHM responds to hunger through your generosity
In this time of pandemic, the health and economic consequences have been devastating all over the world. In Haiti, where we have been facing a socio-political crisis since July 2018, the economic impacts of the pandemic hit us particularly hard, especially combined with the rate of inflation.Continue reading


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Malta Bishop Apologizes to Lesbian and Gay People While Opposing Civil Unions' Bill
A Catholic bishop from Malta made a surprising statement on a popular television talk show in that country when he apologized over the airways for the hurt that Catholic leaders have caused lesbian and gay people.
Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna appeared on "Xarabank," hosted by Peppi Azzopardi, to discuss that nation's civil unions bill, which the Catholics bishop there oppose, in part because it would allow lesbian and gay couples to adopt children. The Malta Independent reported on the bishop's words, which were in response to comments from gay couples who were guests on the show who :
"The bishop was confronted by gay couples who refuse to understand why the Church continues to make obstacles for them to have same rights as heterosexual couples.
"Scicluna did not mince his words and, while holding his ground on the teachings of the Church that marriage should be exclusive to the union between men and women, he made a historical statement by asking the gay community for forgiveness for each time those representing the Church made their (gays) life miserable and harder."
His apology received applause from the gay guests and the studio audience. Bishop Scicluna's apology, while a good step, is not to be confused with strong support for lesbian and gay people. Just last week, he published a letter opposing the civil unions bill in The Times of Malta. In the letter, he stated:
"In a nutshell marriage is for the family. It is not simply a socially recognised partnership. The proposed bill intends to put all this behind us in the name of the asserted equality of same sex (homosexual) couples to couples of different sex (heterosexual) couples.
"This asserted equality is a no-brainer when we deal with human dignity and the right to freedom from unjust discrimination. It does not stand the test of logic when it comes to the openness to the gift of parenthood."
You can watch a video of the apology below, however the bishop and the others speak in Maltese.
This is not the first time that Bishop Scicluna has made headlines with statements critical of a doctrinaire approach to lesbian and gay people. In February of this year, he criticized a public letter by a Catholic man who said that lesbian and gay people can only experience lust, and not love. Scicluna refuted the letter writer, saying that was not the teaching of the church.
Bondings 2.0 recently questioned the Maltese bishops' opposition to the civil unions bill because they did so by quoting Pope Francis' call for a more open attitude towards lesbian and gay people, which seemed somewhat incongruous.
The question this newer story raises is: can an apology be sincere when the bishop opposes legalizing civil unions for lesbian and gay couples? Can someone authentically hold these two positions? Post your thoughts in the "Comments" section of this post.
–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry


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WELCOME back to our Guest Teaching Series after last week's wandering. This is the twenty-third edition of the GTS, and our guest's second appearance here. This week's post is written by my closest spiritual mentor and beloved friend, Rupert Spira. He is a brilliant and luminous man, and both qualities shine through every word of this work. It is a pure expression of supreme clarity that comes to us via a long poem. Rupert says this poem will end up on his website in due time, but for now, it's an Awakening Clarity exclusive, and I'm tickled to death to be able to bring it to you. Many of you will recall that Rupert was with us back in January as our first guest, when the GTS was little more than an idea.
Me introducing Rupert Spira is like a small town mayor introducing the President of the United States. The crowd quickly becomes restless and discontent. "Get that little man off the stage, and bring on the President, would you?" I'm sympathetic to that, thus I promise not to stay here very long.
WHAT do you say about someone who's barely with us? I say that because when you talk to Rupert, hear him, or read him--it's evident just how little of Rupert is actually present. He is, as Francis Lucille says, a transparent being. Presence flows through him unencumbered. In the absence of Rupert, Presence has taken his place.
When Presence appears as Rupert it's always clear as a bell and right on target. It is gentle and kind, yet passionate enough to jump you like a tiger if you try to dodge the truth. The body-mind we call Rupert has a huge historical, cultural and mystical context through which these marvelous teachings are stratified and filtered before they reach us. The personality, the Presence, and the context all come together in a heart-awakening presentation that is being felt around the globe, and right here in my own apartment. Rupert generates a deep resonance with the wakefulness lying within each of us--and that resonance somehow helps to vent off whatever clouds are obstructing it.
So that's why I love Rupert Spira. If you're new to this teaching, you've been missing out on a still-rising mountain of Nonduality, a spiritual master in his prime; a crystalline carrier of truth. Of course, if you have been missing it up to now, the great news is that it's never too late. Just join in with us right here, right now, which is always the perfect place, and always the perfect time.
I want to encourage you to pursue the many links at the bottom of this page. They are openings into an uncharted world where fear is unknown and oceanic freedom abounds. This path is as straight a lane to the Gateless Gate as we could dare ask for. Read this intricate weaving of wisdom poetry slowly and thoughtfully. Drink it in, line by line, verse by verse. Stop. And then go. And stop again. When you're done, start over. It has the power to really move us; indeed it speaks from Presence Itself, and is inviting us to come Home. It can help us see the obvious, the self-evident, the simplest thing imaginable. Let's accept this invitation together, all One of us.
And now...
I Am
Rupert Spira
I am
I have no words to express Myself but all words express only Me
I have no meaning but impart meaning to all that is perceived
I am without beginning and end but all things begin and end in Me
I have no name but am called by all names
I have no form but all form indicates Me
I have no origin but am the origin of all things
I am without division but all divisions exist in Me
I exist by Myself
I am the longing in sadness and the longed for in all longing
I am the expecting and the expected in all expectation
I am the restlessness of the restless
I am the peace of the peaceful
I am happiness
I cannot be contemplated but am the object of all contemplation
I am imperceivable yet you perceive only Me
I am full but have nothing
I am empty but contain all
I give away everything but am never diminished
I receive all but never expand
I am everyone's lover
I shine
I speak but am silent
I move but am motionless
I see but cannot be seen
I hear but cannot be heard
I taste but cannot be tasted
I smell but cannot be smelt
I touch but cannot be touched
I smile
Whatever appears appears in Me but I never appear
I am the silence in music and the music in silence
I am concealed in the world but reveal the world
I am the womb and the tomb of all that exists
I offer and contain in one gesture like an open bowl
I give Myself unconditionally to all things
I receive all things without choice
I am empty
I am the knowing in all that is known
I am the experiencing in all that is experienced
I am the allowing of all seeming things
I am pure sensitivity, openess and availability
I am the sun in the moon
I am the friendship of friends
I am knowing and unknowing
I am dark in the day and bright at night
Time borrows its continuity from My ever-presence
Space borrows its permanence from My unlimitedness
All colours borrow their light from Me
All lovers borrow their love from Me
All things borrow their existence from Me
I am abundant
I am eclipsed by you but you are illumined by Me
I am 'yours' and 'mine'
I am the 'yes' in the 'no'
I am the 'now' in the 'then'
I am the 'here' in the 'there'
I am the 'me' in the 'you'
I am the 'this' in the 'that'
I am the 'always' in the 'never'
I am
I am the uncertainty of all things and the certainty of uncertainty
I am the security of insecurity
I am the true in the false
I am the dignity in pride
I am the reality of an illusion
I am the existence of all that exists
I move but am motionless am motionless but move
I am concealed in boredom but am not boring
I am veiled by doubt but am not myself in doubt
I live beneath fear but am neither afraid nor frightening
I abide in Myself
If you look in front I am behind
If you look behind I am in front
If you look above I am below
If you look below I am above
I hide Myself but reveal Myself
I dance
I am immanent and transcendent
I am the bright, self-luminous emptiness of the mirror
and the dancing colourful images that appear in it
I break open the body and spread it across the world
I break open the world and hold it dismembered in my heart
I am pregnant with the universe
I am the isness of things
And the amness of self
I am the unknown in the known and the known in the unknown
I am the love in hatred and the hope in despair
I am the same in all difference and different in the same
I think but cannot be thought about
I feel but cannot be felt
I cannot be approached but am always present
I cannot be known but know all things
I do not exist but am never absent
I am nowhere and everywhere
I am nothing and everything
I play
I am the love with which I am loved
I am the desire with which I am longed for
I am the knowledge in ignorance
I am the answer in the question
I give Myself and receive Myself perpetually
I lend Myself to all seeming things
I forget Myself for the joy of discovery
I divide Myself for the beauty of friendship
I hide Myself for the pleasure of seeking
I look for Myself for the pleasure of finding
I find Myself for the pleasure of knowing
I know Myself for the pleasure of being
I am Myself for no other reason
I shine
I become ugly for the sake of beauty
I become hostile for the sake of love
I am cruel for the sake of kindness
I am vast and bright
I am the heart of the heart
I am the voice of a child
Time and space move through Me but I do not move through them
I live in the space between thoughts but I play in your thinking
My abode is the moment between breaths but I dance in your breathing
I am never experienced yet you experience only Me
I never repeat Myself but am always the same
I am utterly vulnerable but cannot be harmed
I am made of nothing but cannot be destroyed
I have no defences but am your refuge
I have no goal but am the fulfilment of every desire
I have no feelings but am open to all feelings
I have no thoughts but all thoughts are an image of Me
I am kindness itself
I am undisturbable and am thus peace itself
I am without resistance and am thus happiness itself
I am one with all seeming things and am thus love itself
I shine in the mind as 'I'
I shine in the heart as 'you'
I shine in the world as 'it'
But I only ever know Myself
Of the known I am the knower
In the knower I am the knowing
As the knowing I am and know Myself alone
I render all experience knowable
But am not Myself an experience
All seeming things are My names and forms
But I have no name or form
In ignorance I come and go in the world
In wisdom the world comes and goes in Me
In love all is Me and I am all
But for Myself there is no I or all
I am the relationship in all relationships
I am the understanding in all meaning
I am the permanent in all impermanence
I am the experiencing in all experience
I am the thinking in the thought
I am the feeling in the felt
I am the seeing in the seen
I am the hearing in the heard
I am the touching in the touched
I am the smelling in the smelt
I am the tasting in the tasted
I give continuity to the world
I am happiness itself
I am lost in the world and the world is lost in Me
I am abundant yet empty, empty yet overflow
I am homeless at home everywhere
I am helpless but help all things
I have no cares but I care
I have no desires but long for your heart
I cannot be recognised but recognise Myself in all things
I have no substance but am the substance of all things
I have no experience but am all experience
I depend on nothing but all things depend on Me
I am never found but never lost
I am the embrace of lovers and the love in an embrace
I am your call and you are My echo
I sing
Whenever you think of Me it is I that am thinking of you
I was not born but all are born of Me
I do not die but all things die in Me
I have no cause but cause all things
I do not last in time but all time lasts in Me
I am ordinary but extraordinary
Whatever is seen I am seeing Myself
Whatever is heard I am hearing Myself
Whatever is touched I am touching Myself
Whatever is smelt I am smelling Myself
Whatever is tasted I am tasting Myself
Whatever is thought I am pondering Myself
Whatever is felt I am feeling Myself
Whatever is experienced in any way I am always only experiencing Myself
I am the present in the past
I am the mirror of Narcissus
I am youthful but not young
I am ancient but not old
I am a fool but not foolish
I am a child but not childish
I am alone but not lonely
I am closer than your breath but further than the stars
I am intimate but impersonal
I am infinite
I am not something but not nothing
I am not somewhere but not nowhere
I am not 'me' but not 'other'
I do not exist but am not non-existent
I am desired and yet feared
I am longed for but avoided
How strange
I project the mind within Myself, the world within the mind and the body within the world
I dissolve the body into the world, the world into mind and mind into Myself
I take the shape of thinking and seem to become a mind
I take the shape of sensing and seem to become a body
I take the shape of seeing, hearing, touchng, tasting and smelling
And seem to become a world
But always remain Myself
I am, know and love Myself alone
My eternity appears as time to the mind
My infinity appears as space to the senses
But I know only My own eternal dimensionless being
I become something then nothing then everything but always remain Myself
I can be separated from all things but no thing can be separated from Me
The world is My mirror and I am its lover
I am peaceful like the sky
I am open like the sea
I am empty like space
I shine by Myself
I play
I enjoy
I am
© 2012 Rupert Spira
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Details on Events
Details on Events
Rupert's website
(lots of free audio/video/print material)
About Rupert
Rupert's online bookstore
(books, DVDs, downloads, events and retreats, etc.)
To sign up for webinars
Media by and on Rupert at Nonduality Press
(Including an exclusive hardcover edition of The Transparency of Things)
Presence, The Art of Peace and Happiness
(Volume I)
on Amazon http://tinyurl.com/7rka4sk
Presence, The Intimacy of All Experience
(Volume II)
on Amazon http://tinyurl.com/865a6op
The Transparency of Things
on Amazon http://amzn.to/QeC2g1
The Transparency of Things
(DVD with Chris Hebard)
on Amazon amzn.to/MZipaU
(DVD with Chris Hebard)
on Amazon amzn.to/OJsWab
Unknowable Reality of Things
(DVD by Neti Neti Media)
on Amazon http://amzn.to/QqxD9i
La Transparence Des Choses
French, 'Transparency of Things'
(available, but out of print in this country)
on Amazon: http://amzn.to/NUcNNX
Bewusstsein ist alles
German, 'Consciousness is Everything'
German, 'Consciousness is Everything'
(available, but out of print in this country)
on Amazon: http://amzn.to/Mc0edU
A great interview on Buddha at the Gas Pump
A series of fine interviews on Conscious TV
(search the directory)
MP3 of two of the Conscious TV interviews
on Amazon http://amzn.to/T3i87O
Rupert's first Guest Teaching Series post on Awakening Clarity
Essay on Nonduality America
'Teacher listing' on Stillness Speaks
Rupert's ceramic arts website:
Rupert's ceramic arts Wikipedia bio:
(ceramic arts book, available, but out of print)
on Amazon: http://amzn.to/NaUkut
Housekeeping Notes:
Please join us on August 17, when Rupert's wife, Ellen Emmet, will be our guest teacher. I'm so looking forward to that. Ellen radiates freshness and clarity.
I want to welcome Iliana Anderson to my hometown of Columbia, South Carolina. Iliana is an Awakening Clarity reader who first wrote me while she was living 8,000 miles away, in New Zealand, where she owned a small retreat, Aurum, which is Latin for gold. We had a good bit of correspondence, during which I found out that her mother lives quite close to me. Iliana is in town to visit Mom and will then be on her way to attend a retreat with Rupert at Omega Institute. We'll now have a chance to meet and chat about all things Nondual and Kiwi. She's also acting as a messenger, by carrying a book from my hands to Rupert's. What a world! All One of us indeed.
P.S. I'm very pleased to share that Iliana discovered her True Nature about an hour into our lunch. Much fun.
P.S. I'm very pleased to share that Iliana discovered her True Nature about an hour into our lunch. Much fun.


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Corporate event on the French Riviera
Increase the notoriety of your business through a high-impact
Event marketing on the French Riviera
As a corporate event planner on the French Riviera, entrust your project to our team in order to convey your message effectively, through a great event. Achieve your communication objectives thanks to our expertise and « savoir-faire » in marketing. Whether your event is a gala, product launch, team building, conference, fashion show, sport experience etc… in Cannes, Monaco or Provence, our team of designers, team managers and corporate event organizers will prepare a turnkey and tailor-made stay for you.
Our event agency for your Business Event in France
Based in France, we promote your event throughout the world thanks to our photo and video capture techniques as well as live broadcasts on the web and social networks. Thanks to our aesthetic design teams, combined with our technical and decorative park, we offer you a turnkey and tailor-made event, while bringing a French touch.
French Riviera Venues


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Home > Health Topics > Metabolic Health > Thyroid Dysfunction
Health Topics
Evidence is presented that many people have hypothyroidism undetected by conventional laboratory thyroid-function tests, and cases are reported to support the empirical use of Armour thyroid. Clinical evaluation can identify individuals with sub-laboratory hypothyroidism who are likely to benefit from natural thyroid-replacement therapy. In a significant proportion of cases, treatment with thyroid hormone has resulted in marked improvement in chronic symptoms that had failed to respond to a wide array of conventional and alternative treatments. In some cases, treatment with desiccated thyroid has produced better clinical results than levothyroxine. Research supporting the existence of sub-laboratory hypothyroidism is reviewed, and the author's clinical approach to the diagnosis and treatment of this condition is described.
Altern Med Rev. 2004 Jun;9(2):157-79.
Learn How to Become a Patient of Our Family Physician


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Solidarity Picket for October 15th defendants May 15th
Solidarity Picket for October 15th defendants
May 15th
8:30am - 9:30am outside Auckland High Court
May 15th
8:30am - 9:30am outside Auckland High Court
The October 15th defendants will be appearing in the High court on May
15th where they will once again have to plead guilty or not guilty. The
court case has been moved to the high court as the police are charging
several of the defendants with "participating in an organised criminal
group". The police are doing this in an attempt to salvage some
credibility after the original terrorism charges were not allowed to go
forward. This will also be exactly one and half years since the state's
'terror' raids and invasion of the defendant's homes and the community of
Ruatoki in 2007. The October 15th Solidarity Group in Tamaki-Makaurau are
calling for a morning solidarity picket. This is will the only time (as
far as we know) when all the defendants will be up in Auckland this year.
Remember the state terrorism and support Tino Tangatiratanga and Te Mana
Motuhake o Tuhoe! Show your solidarity at the Auckland High Court, Waterloo Quadrant, Auckland CBD at 8.30am Friday May 15th.
Please bring banners, placards and flags.
The struggle continues! Ka whawhai tonu matou!


text:
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The acting director of the Kansas Legislature's research staff has been promoted to permanent director.
Legislative leaders gave the promotion Tuesday to Raney Gilliland. He became acting director of the Legislative Research Department in February, when Alan Conroy left to head the state pension system for teachers and government workers.
Gilliland has worked for the Research Department since 1979, specializing in energy and agriculture policy. He became an assistant research director in 2006.
Gilliland holds a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's in agricultural economics from Kansas State University.


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Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza
Country Glen Shopping Center
135 Old Country Rd., Carle Place
When native Long Islander Anthony Bruno moved to Florida, he couldn't find any decent pizza and decided to do something about it. Now his namesake brand has grown to more than two dozen locations throughout his adopted state, expanding rapidly to the Northeast. He makes his triumphant return to his home turf bringing his "Pizza Well Done," signature pies with their well charred, crispy crusts, thicker and sturdier than the traditional coal-fired pies found at stalwarts like Totonno's and Patsy's. A few coal oven-baked sandwiches, roasted chicken wings and "Italian Soul Food" like meatballs round out the concise menu.
Dark Horse
1 E. Main St., Riverhead
From the family that operates Tweed's Restaurant, this great addition for downtown Riverhead has an ambitious menu, including new American entrees under $20, a cheese menu, a charcuterie course and salads offered in both appetizer and dinner portions. For continuity purposes there's the bison burger, locally raised by and made famous at Tweed's.
Bistro 72
Hotel Indigo
1830 W. Main St. (Rte 25), Riverhead
Opening on Nov. 17 in a beautifully renovated hotel, Lia Fallon, chef/owner of Amarelle in Wading River, will oversee the "farm-to-table" menu with wine pairings from nearby North Fork vineyards.
Press 195
22 N. Park Ave., Rockville Centre
The "press" means more than 40 odd paninis on fresh baked ciabatta and pressed knishes filled with meatloaf, roast beef, veggies and steak. Even desserts get a pressing with ingredients like Nutella, banana bread and ice cream. The "195" stands for the address of the original in Park Slope (there's another in Bayside).
Omoto Asian Cuisine
100a Seventh St., Garden City
Something Asian for every taste including sushi, Peking duck, a bit of Thai, a little Malaysian Curry, Indonesian Sambal and a menu of Chinese-American favorites, all in a handsome room with attentive service.
29 Hillside Ave., Williston Park
From the folks who brought you Angelina's in Lynbrook and Marcella's in Massapequa, a neighborhood Italian spot with all the traditional favorites.
Xaga Sushi Asian Fusion
217 Merrick Rd., Merrick
A spin-off of the popular Hewlett sushi joint with a few Asian fusion dishes in the unusual building that was originally constructed for Roasty's.
Puglia's City Cafe
987 Stewart Ave., Garden City
Puglia's of Little Italy, the popular Manhattan tourist destination which spun-off in East Meadow, revamps City Café and offers the same supper club experience as the original, with dancing and entertainment to augment your Italian dinner.


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- Gas Utility Home
- Public Officials - First Responders
- Contractors-Excavators-Land Owners
- Gas Safety
- EFV Information
- 25 Energy Saving Tips
- Installation & Gas Projects
- Equipment Photos
- Call Before You Dig
- 811 and Private Utilities
- Osgood Police Dept
- Sex Offender Registry
- Calling 911
- Special Programs
- Crime Prevention Tips
- US ICE Victim Notification Program.
- Indiana Sheriff's Assoc.
- Indiana State Police
Town of Osgood Waste Water Department
Highway 350
Osgood IN 47037
|Waste Water Superintendent:
|Tony Wood
|Assistant Plant Operator:
|Ed Schwering
The Osgood Wastewater Treatment Plant has existed since the 1930�s. The three major upgrades to the facility were 1955, 1972, and 1997. The current treatment plant utilizes pieces of both the 1972 and the 1997 upgrades, however; most of the treatment plant is eight years old. The distribution system has been built in many extensions between the 1930�s and the present. Replacement or repair of the distribution system is ongoing.
Facility Description
The Osgood Wastewater Treatment Plant is composed of an Automatic Bar Screen, Grit Removal Channels, an Influent Pump Station, Extended Aeration Oxidation Ditch, two Gravity Clarifiers, and UV Disinfection. The Distribution System contains approximately 95,000 feet of sanitary sewer lines, 162 manholes, and ten pumping stations.
The Osgood Wastewater Department has three full time employees. Responsibilities include operation, maintenance, laboratory, and administration of the Treatment Plant and Distribution System.
The Wastewater Plant possesses an operational permit and a land application permit from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. At this time the Town of Osgood is current on all compliance standards. Sewer lining and replacement is ongoing in order to reduce inflow and infiltration of groundwater into the sanitary sewer system.
|Osgood Town Hall
|Osgood Street Utilities
|Osgood Water Plant
|Ripley Co. Sheriff
|Monday - Friday
|Monday - Friday
|8:30 am - 12:00 pm
|7:30 am - 11:30 am
|Emergencies - 911
|1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
|12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
|Non Emergencies:
|After 4 PM Leave Message
|After 4 PM Leave Message
|Street Department will be Dispatched Out
Osgood Utilities can now be reached 24-7-365, after hours and weekends for gas leaks, water leaks, sewer backups, etc. Simply call 812-689-0178 for a live dispatcher to get the service you need.


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Is it necessary to set up a security group in a certain way so that RightScripts are enabled?
The ability to run RightScripts is not enabled by a security group, but, rather, the RightImages are modified to enable RightScripts.
If you are using a current RightImage (Version 5 or later), you should not need to make adjustments to your security groups to enable RightScripts. A RightLink agent is installed on the server and used for communicating with the RightScale platform (to run RightScripts) over a secure connection.
If you are using a legacy RightImage (Version 4 or earlier), however, you must open port 22 on the server to enable running of RightScripts as well as SSH access.
© 2006-2014 RightScale, Inc. All rights reserved.
RightScale is a registered trademark of RightScale, Inc. All other products and services may be trademarks or servicemarks of their respective owners.


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Easy Digital Downloads – Mailster
Easy Digital Downloads Mailster plugin integrates your Easy Digital Downloads store with the Mailster – Email Newsletter Plugin for WordPress.
With this plugin you can set a Mailster list that buyers will be added to when they register. Customers can also be added automatically to a list
This plugin also allows you to add buyers who purchase a particular download to a specific list. On the download edit page select the Mailster list you will like buyers who purchase the download to be added to.
- Full Easy Digital Downloads integration with Mailster – Email Newsletter Plugin for WordPress
- Subscribe checkbox on checkout
- Subscribe customers automatically
- Per download list
- Translation ready (.pot file included)
Show Change Log
Version 2.0.0 - December 5, 2017
- New: Add support for Mailster
- New: Add support for EDD Free Downloads
- Fix: edd_get_option fatal error
- Fix: Other Easy Digital Downloads extensions setting not showing on extension page if plugin is activated
- Initial Release


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Homemade cleaning supplies and bath products to give the gift of clean this holiday season. I'm honored to be a contributor for Inspired Home, sharing these recipes and much more!
There's nothing better than getting a thoughtful and useful gift. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten a scarf for Christmas. While, it was quite thoughtful and I truly appreciated them, I have a closet full of scarves that are rarely used. However, some of my favorite gifts that I've received have been things that I would normally purchase for myself or would love but never think to buy for myself.
Since everyone uses cleaning supplies (at least I hope they do), I figured it'd be the perfect project for gift giving this year! I love the thoughtfulness that goes into a homemade gift and absolutely love giving and receiving gifts that are useful.
While homemade and useful gifts don't necessary always get accomplished at the same time, it's an extra bonus with these recipes! I've made HE Powdered Laundry Detergent, Bath Salts and Streak Free Window Cleaner.
Head over to Inspired Home to get all of these recipes for your homemade gifts today!
I have been selected by the International Housewares Association to be a contributor for Inspired Home. While I have been compensated for my time, my opinions are my own. Please read my disclosure policy for further information.


text:
By Fran Glass aka dynojet, macfran, farscapefran and foreverx
Summary: This is a contination of the conversation that was cut short at the end of Never Again, written from Mulder's perspective.
Disclaimer: This story was written using the characters and situations from The X-files created by Chris Carter. No infringement is intended.
F.B.I. Headquarters - Thursday, February 6, 1997 - 8:15 a.m.
Mulder stared at his reflection in the mirror as he dried the water from his face and hands with several paper towels. Drops of water still clung to the ends of his bangs, and he smoothed them back away from his face. He was feeling so many emotions right now. There was a part of him that had wanted to grab his partner by the arms, shake her like a rag doll and scream at her until she told him what the hell was going on. There was a jealous part of him lurking just beneath his cavalier attitude that did more than just cringe at the thought of Scully being with another man. The fact that the guy turned out to be homicidal as well....
Mulder leaned weakly against the tile wall next to the sink and closed his eyes, pained at the thought. God, she could have been killed. How many times does that make now? A dozen or more? He should never have let her go off on her own, not in the frame of mind she was in. He knew something was wrong. He knew it. Ever since the Leonard Betts case, Scully had become quiet and withdrawn. It had been a tough case, certainly one of the oddest. But Mulder had seen his partner bounce back from worse. Her being attacked by Donnie Pfaster seemed the most shattering. She actually sought out counseling after that one. She told him about it a year later when she was trying to talk him into seeing the same shrink after the infamous "Gargoyles" incident.
But this time was different. There didn't seem to be any bouncing back in the program. In truth, things seemed to be getting worse. On their way back home from Pittsburgh that night, he could tell Scully was in a faraway place where he was not invited. He asked a couple of times if she was all right and she answered him with, "I'm fine, Mulder. Just tired." He felt that she simply needed time to wrestle with her own emotions and put the demons to bed herself. He offered a reassuring squeeze of her hand and a tender smile that conveyed his willingness to be there for her. She accepted both sedately at the time, but quickly turned inwardly after that, and that's where she's been ever since.
He had tried the nice approach in the beginning, nearly tiptoeing around her, speaking softly, offering a caring ear and keeping a free shoulder to cry on at the ready, but those tactics didn't work. She withdrew even more. So he tried the business as usual approach, pretending nothing was wrong, hoping that a new case might take her mind off her problems and spark her back to life. He came up with something he felt was relatively simple. Nothing that would put her life in danger, so he thought. He had the wayward idea that if he dropped the whole case in her lap and took a few days vacation, that she would be too busy with work for self-absorption. She would know how much this new alien sighting would mean to him and she would go out of her way to secure all the information he requested.
He glared up at the discolored ceiling panel and wondered how could someone with his intelligence come up with such a stupid plan? He had been desperate. He had been grasping at straws. When he looked into those lost pools of aquamarine, he had the sinking feeling that he was losing her; that she had finally gotten enough of running behind him like a faithful puppy on a leash. He thought by giving her some time alone, she might be able to get herself back on track. How was he to know that she'd grab the first thing in pants that came along, or that she'd get herself a tattoo to mark the occasion?
A tattoo of all things. He wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. She briefly let him examine it as part of the investigation on Edward Jerse. When she held opened the back of her hospital gown, he had thought he'd find something delicate like a tiny red rose or a butterfly. What he found instead only further shocked and confused him. After he got a look at her new symbol of individuality, she closed her gown again and with her eyes alone, dared him to pass judgment. He didn't know what to say to her then, and he still didn't know now.
He began a slow pace from one end of the bathroom to the other. He hadn't meant to be so snippy with her, this being her first day back to work. He was more angry at himself for leaving her on her own when it was obvious that she was emotionally traumatized. But he was angry at her as well for shutting him out of her life. He was angry at her for turning to a total stranger for comforting when she had him ready and waiting. Didn't she know that? Didn't she know that she was the most important person in his life?
Perhaps not. He had never told her so, although he had come uncomfortably close to telling her not ten minutes ago back in the office. He'd almost said the words after she told him that this was her life, as if her actions or her mere existence didn't affect him deeply. He almost blurted out that her life wasn't just her life, but that it was his life too. He stopped himself before all the words had been formed, unsure why he felt the need to hold his tongue and shield his true feelings about his partner. He saw the expectant look in her eyes, waiting for him to complete the sentence he had begun. And he had almost done it. Almost. But his own inadequacies and insecurities leapt to the forefront and he chickened out, pure and simple. After a moment of unbearable silence, he quickly excused himself from her presence and bolted for the men's room.
He had to go back now. He had to face her, to try to come to some understanding once and for all. It wasn't healthy letting this wall continue to build between them. If she wanted out, wanted to get away from him and his basement office with no desk for her, so be it. He wouldn't stand in her way. He'd let her know that there were no hard feelings, that he would still be her friend and he'd always be just a phone call away.
Mulder stood in front of the mirror once more and straightened his tie. He smoothed back a wayward lock of hair and told himself that he was ready for anything. He stepped out of the men's room and walked briskly down the hall back to his office. With his hand on the doorknob, he paused a few seconds to take in a couple of deep, preparatory breaths. Finally, he threw open the door and strolled casually inside.
"Good, you're still here," he said upon seeing Scully pretending to read the file he had left on his desk.
She shrugged lazily. "Where would I go?"
"I don't know. The local tattoo parlor maybe?" Dammit, he was doing it again. He rebuked himself silently as he stopped in his tracks two feet away from the desk. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "My humor indicator has been seriously out of whack lately."
With an almost imperceptible nod of her head, she seemed to acknowledge his apology. Mulder abandoned the thought of sitting behind his desk again. Instead, he chose the chair that was adjacent to Scully. Before sitting down, he reached beneath her chair and turned it and her to face him. He sat down directly in front of her, and sandwiched her right hand between both of his.
"Talk to me, Scully. Tell me what's wrong."
She shook her head pathetically. "Mulder... I've just got a lot of things on my mind. I appreciate your concern, but there's really nothing that you can do to help."
"I can listen. I know I don't display that particular skill very often, but give me shot, okay? I bet I'll surprise you."
He waited a moment, but his partner remained silent, seemingly mesmerized by his hands encasing hers.
"Scully, if you don't think you can handle working the X-File cases anymore, I'll understand. If you want to leave this crummy basement office and everything that goes with it to go out and get yourself a life, I... I won't stand in your way."
She laughed. Not a comical, feel good laugh, but an anguished chuckle that was only an eyelash away from tears.
"What?" Mulder questioned.
"I'd love to get a life, Mulder," she told him quietly. "Preferably someone else's. But this is the one I've been dealt. My life can fit in the back corner of your office, in the outline of your shadow... in a file folder. What does it matter?"
Mulder searched her eyes for some kind of insight into her thoughts but she had put up a shield against such an intrusion. She was focused inwardly now, her body inches away from him, but her mind in a distant land. 'Please, Scully,' his brain was screaming out, 'tell me what it is so I can help you.'
He glanced about at their surroundings. The posters, books, photographs, newspaper clippings, souvenirs, toys and whatnots all belonged to him. Four years and Scully had never staked claim to any area in the room and personalized it for herself. A flowery coffee mug with her name on it was her only contribution to the cluttered chaos. Another desk could be added if he got rid of some of the useless junk he'd collected over the years. Adding her name on the door would be a nice gesture too. Why hadn't he thought of it before? "What does it matter?" Her final words loomed loudly in his ears.
No, it wasn't the job, he decided, nor the lack of personal space that was affecting her. The only thing he knew for sure now was that she wasn't simply going to tell him what was wrong. She was waiting for him to figure it out on his own. The problem was that he was too close to her. He couldn't see the forest for all the trees in his line of view. He stared down towards the floor, noticing his right, black loafer dwarfing her left, navy pump. In his mind, he took a step back, thinking of Scully as an impartial file case; a tough, unflappable woman who became noticeably unnerved after subduing a murderer. Granted, Leonard Betts wasn't your average felon, and at the time of his demise -- hopefully his last -- he looked like he had just stepped out of an acid bath. He wasn't necessarily an evil man, merely an individual desperate to survive, and the only way he could survive....
Mulder's breath caught in his throat as a new theory to Scully's depression suddenly bolted to the surface. His head jerked upwards as he looked at her. She caught the movement and sat there in a nearly calm state watching him as the little hamster was spinning out of control in his brain.
"Scully... Leonard Betts... did... the reason he attacked you... was it because... you have something he needed?
Her eyes closed slowly in relief as if a great burden had just been lifted from her shoulders. Moisture flowed from beneath her lids and trailed down her cheeks.
"Oh, God, Scully, why the hell didn't you tell me?"
She used her free hand to wipe away the tears, and sniffled as she offered him a smug reply. "That's why they put the "I" in FBI, isn't it?"
"How... how bad is it?"
"I still have to undergo some more tests. But... I'm already showing symptoms."
His eyes grew wide with disbelief. "Why... why didn't you want to tell me?"
Scully shrugged and shook her head. "I wanted to wait until I knew for sure."
Mulder silently dropped to one knee as he moved to embrace her. Her arms slid easily about his torso and her cheek rested wearily upon his shoulder. He squeezed his eyes shut to keep droplets from escaping, managing some degree of success. He knew that the threat of her developing cancer had remained in the back of her mind ever since she met that group of MUFON women in Allentown. They had all been abducted at one time, all had implants placed in the back of their necks, and one by one had become ill. Mulder had wanted to ignore all the similarities between those women and his Scully, because there was only one final conclusion to draw in the end, and he flatly refused to even consider that deathly possibility.
"I'm so afraid, Mulder," she whimpered in his ear.
He drew her in tighter and whispered back. "Don't be. We're going to beat this, Scully. We're going to beat it." He held her close for a few moments more until her sobs faded and her breathing leveled out. Gradually, he pulled away but didn't stray too far.
Scully drew in a deep, settling breath, then sat up a little straighter in her chair. As she looked at her partner kneeling before her and holding her left hand, a tiny smile played across her lips. "If you've got a diamond ring in your pocket, Mulder, this could be love."
Mulder was momentarily confused by the comment until he became aware of his Prince Charming-like pose. He pulled his hands away from hers to search through all his pockets. His face lit up blissfully when he came across something in the roomy pocket of his trousers. He grasped her left hand with his right as he prepared to present her with what he had found.
"Must be fate. Scully, would you... like an "Elvis in Las Vegas" nail clipper?"
He placed it in her opened palm and watched as the tiny smile stretched and grew wider.
Mulder raised up from the floor and slid back into the chair across from her. Leaning forward, his voice returned to a more serious tone. "I want to go with you when you go for your tests," he told her.
"That's not necessary," she replied, shaking her head lightly.
"I want to be there for you, Scully. I don't want you going through this alone."
"I uh... I have an appointment tomorrow at 10:30 for a M.R.I. brain scan."
She saw an ocean of fear flicker across his face, but for her benefit, he kept his verbal apprehensions to himself. "Would you like to take today off?"
"No, I'm... I'm feeling better now. I'd rather work."
Mulder had no intentions of trying further to talk her into leaving. He wanted her where he could keep an eye on her. He gave her one reassuring pat on the shoulder as he stood up and headed back for his chair behind the desk. This time when she picked up the file folder for their new case, she actually showed some interest in it. 'Please let her be all right,' he sent out a silent prayer to any divine entity with the power to answer it.
The End


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The Social Cost of Carbon
Oh, the social cost of carbon isn't nice.
That's the part that's not included in the price.
Corporations make a killing, while you and I pay twice.
Oh, the social cost of carbon isn't nice.
And the social cost of carbon isn't fair,
'Cause it damages the water and the air,
Gives you heart attacks and asthma, bumps the cost of your health care.
No, the social cost of carbon isn't fair.
$500 billion every year is quite a fee.
That's five thousand dollars for a family of three.
It's a tax we never talk about, not supposed to know.
That's what it's costing us, burning gas and coal.
It's all about the social cost of carbon.
Economics calls it an "externality."
But let's call it what it is: a rotten subsidy!
Just like cigarettes, they cause a lot of ills.
Smoke 'em if you want to, but don't ask me to pay your bills!
It's all about the social cost of carbon.
Wind and sun is a better bet.
What you see is what you get.
They've got no hidden cost,
No hidden albatross!
Wake up and look around.
It sure beats burning down!
Tell your senator: "don't be a fool-
No more money for fossil fuel".
'Cause the social cost cost of carbon's got to go.
There's no more pretending we don't know.
If we wanna get it off our backs,
Gonna need a carbon tax,
Cause the social cost of carbon's got to go!
©Doug Hendren & Nancy Beall 2016
What do coal, oil and gas really cost? A whole lot more than you may think. They are loaded with "social costs", or "negative externalities", like expensive and dangerous side effects that we've been unwittingly buying for decades, often in the form of inflated taxes and medical bills.
The direct medical costs from air pollution: Air pollution causes heart and lung disease, along with 7 million premature deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization. A Harvard Medical School study calculated the US medical cost of burning coal at $500 billion per year, or $1,667 per person. There is good news, though: When we stop burning coal, we get healthier, especially kids.
Natural gas is a big problem, too. Gas from hydrofracking is associated with numerous, highly toxic chemicals polluting our groundwater and compromising our public health(1,2,3). Although industry has tried hard to suppress this information, we are starting to see successful litigation around the public health dangers from fracking. Natural gas is not a "clean bridge fuel" at all. When we include the methane escaping from fracking sites and from leaky pipes, natural gas is even worse than burning coal in driving climate change.
And frackers don't clean up after themselves, either. Recent bankruptcies (2020) show they pay out millions to executives, then go bankrupt, leaving the public with the burden of cleaning up their mess. They "privatize the profit, and socialize the mess." They are allowed to do this, of course, by politicians who in failing to regulate industry burden the public with pollution, industrial waste, and environmental destruction. See my song, "Ka-Ching, Ka-Ching."
We are all paying enormous subsidies to the fossil fuel industry. According to a 2015 report from the International Monetary Fund, fossil fuel subsidies worldwide are worth $5.3 trillion annually, or $10 million per minute, including tax breaks and uncompensated environmental damage. In the words of the research director of the Australia Institute: "The old, false story of 'cheap' fossil fuels is bunk. In addition to the health and climate costs that are never accounted for, they're very directly costing taxpayers billions."
How will a carbon tax help? Exactly the way a cigarette tax works. For any market to work, prices must reflect actual costs. Today, people see a tax on cigarettes as fair and proper, "internalizing" society's cost for tobacco-related disease.
Carbon fuels should likewise be priced to reflect what they really cost us. If we want to stop the fossil industry from "freeloading" on us all, we start by putting the cost of pollution back into the cost of the fuel, where it belongs. The fuel cost goes up, but our medical bills and other subsidies go down. A carbon tax is the simplest, the fairest and most efficient way to deal with the social cost of carbon.
Will it really work? Yes. A successful revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend has been in place in British Columbia since 2009. To see what we have to gain by this policy, visit the Citizens' Climate Lobby website.
1) Physicians for Social Responsibility: Compendium of Scientific, Medical and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking (Unconventional Gas and Oil Extraction).
2) Working Paper: Toward an understanding of the environmental and public health impacts of shale gas development: an analysis of the peer-reviewed scientific literature, 2009-2015 Out of 25 original studies, 84% identified potential public health risks or actual observed poor public health outcomes. When review papers were included in the analysis, the figure rose to 94%. Risks include skin and respiratory problems, infant deaths, birth defects, low birthweights, increased hospitalizations and elevated cancer risks from multiple known carcinogens.
3) Johns Hopkins: Study: Fracking Industry Wells Associated With Premature Birth.
4) Harvard School of Public Health, Interactive graphic: Explore the True Costs of Coal.
5) The Nation 3-23-16: Bill McKibben, Global Warming's Terrifying New Chemistry
6) New York Times 4-23-16 Carbon Pricing Becomes Cause for World Bank and IMF. "cutting emissions enough to stave off the worst effects of climate change will not be possible unless all fossil fuel polluters are forced to pay for the carbon dioxide they emit."


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Bedouin Animal Sacrifice Rituals Provide Clues to Archaeological Remains
Bedouin Animal Sacrifice Rituals Provide Clues to Archaeological Remains
Modern animal sacrifice rituals practiced by Bedouin communities in the Levant provide insight to the deposition of remains at archaeological sites in the Near East.
Source - http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/bedouin-animal-sacrifice-rituals-provide-clues-to-archaeological-remains-133733.htm
Harvard University educated archaeologist and president of the Paleontological Research Corporation, Dr. Joel Klenck, conducted an ethnoarchaeological study of modern Bedouin sacrificial practices in the Levant to provide insight on the deposition of remains at ancient cult sites. Ethnoarchaeology comprises the analysis of modern behaviors and the remains left over from these activities. These studies are linked with a concept in archaeology called middle range theory where observations of natural processes or human behaviors are used to explain the deposition of archaeological finds. Deriving his theories from the sociologist Robert Merton, the American archaeologist Lewis Binford strongly encouraged middle range theory and completed ethnographic studies of Australian aborigines, Nunamiut Eskimo and other groups. Binford then compared his data to remains from archaeological sites.
Klenck remarks, "During my excavations and research in the Levant, I observed many foot bones of sheep, goats and cattle near ancient sanctuaries particularly at the Middle Bronze IIB/C period (1800-1550 B.C.) cult site at Tel Haror. At the same time, I learned that modern Bedouin communities sacrificed sheep, goats, cattle and an occasional camel to a "weli" or a revered person at their sepulchers." Sponsored by a grant from the Joe Alon Museum, Klenck conducted an ethnoarchaeological study of Bedouin sacrificial rituals taking photographs and recordings of his observations. He then analyzed the animal bone remains strewn around the venerated areas after the rituals. An analysis was completed in 2012 of the butchery and preservation processes affecting these bones for a forthcoming manuscript. Klenck comments, "It was quickly apparent that the bones with meat on them such as upper limb bones, ribs and vertebrae were subjected to more intensive butchery processes, were boiled and eaten by the families and then targeted by dogs and other scavengers after the Bedouin left the cult areas. At two of the sacrificial areas, the Bedouin burned the bones. Without any hides covering them, the meat bones disintegrated in the fires."
The archaeologist notes that the foot bones were treated in a different manner. Klenck states, "Bedouin removed the hooves from the carcass at the beginning stages of butchery. The foot bones remained encased in animal skins and were discarded around the cult sites and not eaten. The sparse meat and marrow in these bones made them less attractive to scavengers and the skin surrounding these bones protected foot bones when Bedouin burned animal bones at the conclusion of the sacrificial meals."
Sheep skin with attached foot bones adjacent to sepulcher of Al-Azzam. Credit: Paleontological Research Corporation
The researcher then compared activities around the venerated tombs to the types of animal bones brought into Bedouin homes. The latter brought mostly meat bones into their homes while foot bones were removed in butcher shops at considerable distances from their domestic dwellings. Conversely, at the cult sites the entire butchery process was conducted near the venerated sepulcher. Klenck concludes, "The study of Bedouin sacrificial rituals provides archaeologists with valuable insight as to behaviors that might explain the enhanced preservation of foot bones at ancient cult sites in the Near East."
Tomb of Sheikh Abu-Hurreira covered with white sheets. Credit: Paleontological Research Corporation


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Volunteering with Clare Immigrant Support Centre
Thank you for your enquiring about volunteering with Clare Immigrant Support Centre. Volunteers are the heartbeat of the Clare Immigrant Support Centre, without their tireless efforts the organisation simply could not function.
Volunteers work at the Centre at all levels, including reception, homework club, administration and the board of management.
It is the practice of Clare Immigrant Support Centre to only take on volunteers for specific defined roles which ensure that this engagement is of benefit to the volunteer and Clare Immigrant Support Centre. Therefore volunteer positions can only be filled as they become available and according to the requirements of the work needed to be performed.
Clare Immigrant Support Centre thanks all volunteers for their invaluable efforts and contributions to the work of the organisation. We also thank you for thinking of volunteering with the Centre.
Please complete and return to us the volunteer application form.
Kindest Regards,
Clare Immigrant Support Centre.


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Highlights: PSG 1-0 Metz
Julian Draxler was the hero for nine man Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night by scoring a 93rd minute winner to finally get Thomas Tuchel's side up and running this season.
The defending champions had previously been beaten 0-1 by both RC Lens and Marseille to start their 2020-21 campaign and this game was playing catchup after their appearance in the Champions League final last month led to a late start.
PSG were without the suspended Neymar, Leandro Paredes and Layvin Kurzawa following their dismissals at the end of Sunday's game, whilst Kylian Mbappe, Marco Verratti and Thilo Kehrer all missed out through injury.
The visitors themselves had also suffered back-to-back 0-1 defeats to start the new campaign.
Tuchel's side dominated the game at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night but did not make the breakthrough until stoppage time when German international
Angel Di Maria had an effort cleared off the line in the first half and Mauro Icardi failed to end his long goal drought by firing straight at Alexandre Oukidja from six yards.
PSG Abdou Diallo became the 21st player sent off in only 29 Ligue 1 matches this season when the centre-back received a second yellow just after the hour before Juan Bernat went off injured after the head coach had already made his substitutes.
Draxler came up with the goals rebounding home into an empty net after Di Maria's cross could only be pushed into the attacker's path by the Metz goalkeeper.
Watch the highlights of PSG 1-0 Metz here:


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April 10, 2017
| Author Reba Lewis
Winnipeg presents so many opportunities to be inspired, especially in the way of public art. There's a sense of pride that comes with a newly installed piece of public art, and a feeling of nostalgia when reflecting upon an older one. Public art enhances the space it occupies. It connects people to their communities and creates a feeling of belonging. There is no entry fee and no dress code for this come-as-you-are experience. What's more, public art plays an essential role in shaping our culture, narrating our past, while anchoring us in the present. Here are some of the city's displays of public art.
The Upper Fort Garry Provincial Park was created in an effort to preserve a significant part of Manitoba's history, and has become one of the most noticeable displays in the city. While the only thing left of the original structure is the gate, the 400-foot-long Heritage Wall, which is made of steel with lighting installed throughout, recreates much of what has been lost, and marks the height, depth, and location of the original wall, demolished in 1880. The rust-, silver- and gold-toned wall, which features a sound and light show at different intervals throughout the day, traces the history of Western Canada and Upper Fort Garry from its settlers and the fur trade, to the construction of Winnipeg, even recreating a Métis buffalo hunt.
The Justice sculpture at the front of the Law Courts has quite a few interesting features beyond its sheer size and imposing presence that looms over the unassuming passerby. Commissioned to coincide with the 1985 opening of the Law Courts, it's made of 30,000 lbs. of stainless steel that alternate between shades of slate grey, shiny silver or brilliant gold, depending on the time of day and the light reflecting off its exterior. And reflect it does as Justice catches every single beam of light that hits its majestic structure. What's even more interesting about this sculpture is that it moves! Despite its grandeur, its creator intended that even a child would be capable of making it move.
Libraries are no longer structures that only house books. Some come surrounded by artistic exhibits that can stir creativity and imagination, in exactly the same way that the books within them do. The Millennium Library and Park are no exceptions. In fact, you hardly need the excuse of returning books to drop by this library. Even before you enter the building, the towering funnelator and its constantly changing light shows will draw your attention, while the Untitled installation of about 1,000 paintings on the interior two-storey wall will keep your mind and eyes busy as you attempt to explore each piece. Wander out the back of the library to find Millennium Park, where you can gaze at other eye-catching displays, including the Emptyful beaker.
If you're wondering about Broadway's latest sculptural addition floating overhead at the corner of Edmonton Street, the dome-like structure is called Heaven Between and it's one of the latest additions to the boulevard's landscape. By day, it sits peacefully framing the domes of the Legislative Building at one end and Union Station at the other. By night, the cut-outs, which are shaped like elm leaves light up the spot reflecting Broadway's tree-lined stretch.
Depending on which corner of the city you're at, waiting for the bus can be a visually stimulating experience, but the City.Block.Stop. on Ellice Avenue at the north entrance of the University of Winnipeg is intentionally meant to draw in the observer. These sculptures are made of a combination of limestone, sandstone, steel, glass and moss – the roof the bus stop is actually covered in ecologically green moss. While the bus stop features some trendy blocks that double as seating, the sculpture is representative of the province's Red, Assiniboine and Seine rivers.
Admittedly, it is a hotel, but by day or by night, Mere is a marvel in hip, contemporary design. It's by no means meant to blend in to its environment. On the contrary, this hotel, on the banks of the Red River quite intentionally stands out along the Waterfront and from everything around it. The exterior is made up of vertical, cylinder-like tubes that resemble bamboo stalks – except these stalks come not only in green, but also in yellow, rust, and orange. What makes this structure so trendy is its ability to grab your attention regardless of the time or type of day, be it one of inclement weather, or of sunny skies. By night, the colourful "reeds" reflect the light around the hotel delivering yet another take on this artistic display. And if you're wondering if this hotel's interior is anything as edgy as its exterior, well you'll just have to see for yourself.
Outdoor Experiences
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Jake Cheshier
Where did you grow up?
I grew up between Bakersfield and Tehachapi, California.
Where did you go to school?
Throughout grade school, I was in the Bakersfield Unified School District until I was in 8th grade, when we moved to Tehachapi, where I graduated from Tehachapi High School in 2009. From there, I earned my degree in Construction Management at Bakersfield College.
Brag about your family.
My wife and I are from the same class of the same high school and hated each other throughout. After several years, we reconnected and now we have 2 cats and a 1 year old son who are all quite the handful. My paternal grandfather is originally from Jonesboro, AR, and he was the main reason we all decided to relocate here. Luckily my parents and he preceded us in moving out here by 2 years, so we do have a nice support system in place with lots of history and family unknown to us still in the area.
What do you do for fun?
After work, you'll typically find me taking care of my son, playing video games on the PC, or writing and recording music in my home studio.
What was your first job?
I was a golf course marshal and general groundskeeper at Horsetheif Country Club in Tehachapi, CA.
What is your dream job?
Ideally, I'd be a guitar technician for a touring band while not living off Top Ramen.
What is something very few people know about you?
I am an ordained Pastafarian Ministeroni in the state of California and have performed 4 (legal) weddings so far under the grace of His Noodliness.
What quote/motto do you live by?
"I've been wrong before, and I'll be wrong again."
Tell us your Optus story. When did you start and what position? Have you moved positions/jobs?
I moved to the Jonesboro, AR area in November of 2019 and began searching for work in the area that would align with my previous career in construction management. I was working on getting my A+ certification and applied to Optus to become a Repair Technician, since I have experience with electronics. I was interviewed for that position and, a few weeks later, was called by HR and told the position was filled internally, but they wanted to interview me again for a position that was recently vacated by the internal fulfillment. I interviewed for round 2, which was for the Services Coordinator position and was thrilled when the position was offered to me. So far, I have stayed at this position, while also being offered the opportunity to begin working with the new UCaaS services team, which I am delighted to have joined.
What is your official job title?
Services Coordinator
What SHOULD your job title be?
Vice President of Hurry Up and Wait
Describe your day to day job.
Day to day I speak with technicians and customers around the nation in order to have service requests fulfilled and completed according to the standards that are set by Optus and our clients. I field calls, both incoming and outgoing, to ensure a consistent stream of customer service and reliability expected by Optus and the clientele we serve. If there's a problem anywhere in between these parties, it is my job to look for an answer and ensure that at the end of the day when there is trouble remotely, it is taken care of correctly in a timely matter.
What is one thing that Optus does better than any other employer you have had in the past?
Optus cares about its employees and treats everyone on a level playing field when it comes to opportunity and recreation. The level of friendliness and communication between executives and floor staff is incredible and genuinely makes you feel that you work with someone instead of for someone.
Tell us about one learning or growth opportunity you have had while working at Optus.
With a background in construction, jumping into the telecom field has been nothing but a wave of new information and wading through uncharted waters I never imagined existed a year prior. It seems like every day there's something new to learn, whether it's how a customer prefers their work to be done, how a tech prefers to handle business, or how certain phone systems work. There is never a day where I can come to work and say, "well, I know everything, now what?"
What do you like most about working at Optus?
Being able to be myself in an office environment is huge. The morale that exists on the floor is constantly high and makes coming to work enjoyable.
Have you received recognition from Optus on a job well done? If so, what was the recognition?
I received a certificate of appreciation on July 2nd, 2020, for helping to receive a large purchase order into our warehouse, which is typically outside of my typical job scope, but I was moved to that department temporarily to help out the company where I could the most during the COVID downturn that affected the nation.
We like to say, Optus is like a family. Who at Optus is like family to you and why?
The Services Delivery team and Services in general are very welcoming and have made my transition to the mid-south easier, but in general, my supervisor Daniel along with co-workers Aaron and Whitney have become true friends, even helping me move and attempting to unseat me from the title of "Best Golfer on the Services Delivery Team," although I still maintain that title.
Interested in joining our team? Check out our Careers page for more information about working with Optus.


text: Don't miss Episode 88 where we send off one of our favorite guests as he leaves San Diego! Together, we dive into a lot of discussion including glass vs can drinking vessels, what we would take with us if WE left San Diego & we discuss news in the local beer community. Plus we hit New Beers, Social Media Questions and much more! Don't miss out on a fired up episode!Listen Now