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by Robin Roenker
Katherine Osborne knew UK's Department of English was the right graduate program for her the moment she met then-DGS Ellen Rosenman during a campus tour.
"She talked about her work, but she was more interested in me," said Osborne, a Frankfort, Ky., native and graduate of Hanover College in Indiana. "I could tell she was interested in graduate students. That was evident from the get-go. She just completely turned me on to the program."
Now in her fifth year at UK, Osborne's interest in 19th-century British literature has flourished under Rosenman's mentoring. Osborne credits two of Rosenman's courses—one on George Eliot and the other on material objects in the Victorian age—as the impetus for development of her own dissertation focus. "I emerged from those classes with a strong idea of the topic I wanted to pursue," she said.
Osborne's research focuses on "the interaction between people and things in the Victorian novel" through readings of works by Victorian luminaries George Eliot, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, Margaret Oliphant and others, she said.
"I'm arguing that when these characters interact with material objects in the novel, they're actually experimenting with emotions, but from within the socially accepted space of commodity culture," Osborne explained.
With the recent award of a presidential graduate fellowship through UK's Graduate School for 2008-2009, Osborne will be able to take a break from her teaching duties within the department next year to focus full-time on finishing her dissertation.
"It's going to be pretty phenomenal. I'm a pretty disciplined worker, so I'll be able to set strict 9-to-5 hours for myself," she said.
It's likely during some of that time, Osborne will find herself at one of her favorite spots on campus: in front of the microfilm machine at UK's William T. Young Library, devouring the university's rich collection of 19th-century journals, conduct books, etiquette manuals, and newspapers.
"Our library has really strong 19th-century sources. And we just keep getting more and more," Osborne said. "I love the microfilm machine. I would be there every day if I could. Just comparing our newspapers with their big photographs to theirs with all the illustrations and cartoons, it puts you in a different world."
Osborne's English professors at UK have been "absolutely wonderful," she said. "Several in particular have just been really helpful, not only with my research and my scholarship but also with teaching and discussions of pedagogy, and just coming to functions and being good departmental citizens."
She credits English professor Virginia Blum for helping develop the theoretical framework for her dissertation, and Lisa Zunshine's class on cognitive theory as an introduction to viewing literature with an interdisciplinary, psychological perspective.
To enrich her research, Osborne has drawn on many A&S courses outside of the English Department as well—including several influential Gender and Women's Studies courses and key History Department offerings, like professor Phil Harling's course on the British Empire. "It was fascinating," she said.
While at UK, Osborne has also pursued a College Teaching and Learning Graduate Certificate through the department, allowing her to explore issues of pedagogy and effective teaching strategies.
A major highlight in Osborne's graduate career was helping to organize the 2007 British Women Writers Conference held at UK. As chair of the coordinating committee that worked for two years to bring the conference to campus, Osborne had a chance to directly network with and learn from some of the brightest professors in her field.
As Osborne prepares to enter the competitive job market perhaps as early as next fall, she knows she's been well prepared by her UK studies to tackle the next phase of her career.

subset: commoncrawl


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Latest Blogs
Kim and Todd Saxton: Go for the gold! But maybe not every time.
Q&A: What you need to know about the CDC's new mask guidance
Carmel distiller turns hand sanitizer pivot into a community fundraising platform
Lebanon considering creating $13.7M in trails, green space for business park
Local senior-living complex more than doubles assisted-living units in $5M expansion
The landmark Uptown Café in downtown Noblesville is expected to reopen next month with new operators behind the counter.
Scott and Jennifer Horsfield, owners of Sunrise Café in Fishers, have signed a five-year deal for the space in a 130-year-old building at the corner of Conner and 8th streets on the courthouse square. They're calling the Noblesville location Sunrise Café @ Uptown.
The breakfast-and-lunch spot closed Aug. 31, at the end of previous operator Kristie Whitesell's lease. Whitesell told customers on Facebook that she is "moving on to get married and have a family and start the next chapter of my life."
Whitesell took over the café in 2008, soon after Noblesville businessman Jay Merrell bought the building in hopes of preserving it—and its longstanding restaurant, which had been closed for about nine months at the time.
"You have to be really, really old to remember when that was anything other than the Uptown Café," he said. "With all the other development occurring away from downtown, it's nice to have a good, solid business on the square."
The building, erected in 1883, started out as a shoe store and saw other uses before the Uptown opened its doors in the mid-1930s, Merrell said.
The Horsfields, who live in Noblesville, have high hopes for continuing its long run.
Scott Horsfield, 50, grew up working in his father's restaurants, including Noble Roman's and Arby's. He started Sunrise Café near Keystone at the Crossing after graduating from college 28 years ago, and moved to Fishers in 2003 after a lease dispute. (His brother owns Sunrise Café Carmel.)
Horsfield said the 38-seat Uptown will keep its small-town feel despite some equipment upgrades. The most noticeable difference: It will be open on Mondays.
"This will always be the Uptown," he said.
That's welcome news in the community.
"Any of us who grew up in the area grew up with the Uptown," Chamber of Commerce chief Sharon McMahon said, adding that she has photos of her family eating there over the years. "We are very pleased that the restaurant is going to continue. It's well-recognized as an anchor in downtown Noblesville."


text: Photography Earthern Pot By admin March 2, 2009March 10, 2009 At my Mashi's backyard (barasat) - these type of pots are used by the sweet meat saler. Used for the famous bengali "Rosogala" and "Misti Dooi". Now it is ful of mud. I would love the past version with "misti dooi" in it. Read More


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March 25, 2011
20pt. $SRS Trade
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$APC - 140.00 Price Target
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$APC 10pt Swing
I'm setting buy stops right above the high at $83.25 with a 2pt stop for a swing long in APC. Initially, target price is $92.00 (8-10pts.)
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Nicki Minaj's Halloween Bill Cosby costume post hit with backlash
It perhaps wouldn't be Halloween without an incendiary costume stirring up trouble.
Nicki Minaj fanned the flames of controversy with her Instagram post Saturday that appears to be a screenshot of an image shared by music producer and radio personality DJ Clue. The photo shows someone dressed as Bill Cosby, who appears to be putting drugs into the beverage of an unconscious female whom he is holding.
See the best celeb Halloween costumes:
READ MORE: Blackface Controversy Resurfaces Following Nicki Minaj and Kanye West Costumes This Halloween
"Our generation is so desensitized," Minaj captions the shot. DJ Clue had captioned his post, "This gotta stop #PillCosby," adding numerous laughing emoji.
Our generation is so desensitized
A post shared by Barbie (@nickiminaj) on Oct 31, 2015 at 4:50pm PDT
Minaj's fans were quick to criticize the post, with many people failing to find humor in a costume that references Cosby's real-life alleged victims. One commenter called the pic "so f-;ed up," while another termed it "disgusting." A third commenter wrote, "This isn't what Halloween is about."
A rep for Minaj did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
See racy pictures of Nicki Minaj:
More from The Hollywood Reporter:
Ben Affleck, Lady Gaga Among Celebrities in Hillary Clinton Emails
ABC Responds to Petition to Have Raven-Symone Removed From 'The View'
'Saturday Night Live': 10 Most Memorable Halloween Sketches


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Gwyneth Llewelyn has recently written a great and thoughtful blog entry, where she worries that 'mainland' SL will effectively become a landscape dotted with huge colored cubes. She says that all the 'content' of SL will soon be inside those cubes, and that the exteriors will be opaque because the owners of the content will want to be isolated. She points out that P2P teleporting will speed this transition. I think there is an unavoidable truth in this - people will naturally strive to strictly control their surroundings, up to and including the 'Truman Show' of Gwyn's vision, where one even paints the distant horizon line to suit (presumably the inner surfaces of her imagined cubes). Sadly, as has been shown by things like suburban housing developments, humans will do this to their individual loss - for example living too far from one another or building high fences, and then bemoaning the lack of any neighbors to talk to. I don't think that this is a future that we can avoid by imposing telehubs, because this urge is too powerful and SL is too open. For example, devices like ROAM already allow people to easily circumvent any kind of forced local travel by rocketing into the clouds and moving at supersonic speeds to their destinations. Moreover, as SL's code and protocols are increasingly made open, local operators of simulators will likely abolish telehubs in favor of direct transport (as is already done with 'sit teleporting' within land parcels). The 'tragedy of the commons' will prevail: attempts by Linden Lab to impose global rules designed to reinforce community/country will be overridden by personal or local economic interests. So does this mean that the idea of 'country' is lost, and that SL will be like a collection of personal websites, each in it's own cube?
I'm not so sure. I think the future of SL can be summarized as a set of questions about Gwyn's boxes:
How big are they going to be?
How many different people 'live' inside them?
Do they ever overlap each other?
Are there boxes inside of boxes?
I think the answer is found by considering each box to contain not 'content' but instead a community: One or more people drawn together by shared experiences. SL is a place full of community, and this isn't something that is going away. This is because SL allows people to create and have shared experiences in a very very rich way - in some ways richer that real life, and those shared experiences create community. For example, the welcome area has a community (those who are frequently found there) which is based on the shared experience of welcoming new users to Second Life. Although the different things that can happen in the Welcome Area are numerous and extremely varied, they share a comprehensible thread, and a person familiar with the goings-on there is joined to other members of the Welcome Area community by his/her ability to predict roughly what is going to happen next and be a part of it. The most powerful forms of shared experience in Second Life bring together people, content, and experience into a single physical place. Big nightclubs, Luskwood, Abbott's Aerodrome come to mind - these are other examples of places that combined with people create shared experience.
How Big can the communities be? Consider a 'public' forest in SL (they exist today, right?), designed to be enjoyed by a community of users that set aside and own the land, contribute to it's creation, and walk around inside it. The right 'size' for this forest is set by the largest number of simulators beyond which the addition of a new simulator would add no pleasure to the experience of being in the forest. I think that even today this number is (for Forests and many other experiences) quite a bit bigger than a single sim. Clearly what needs to be added are features to better enable groups (especially mainland groups) to share ownership of areas, but I think that as we add those features and also improve things like rendering distance, the upper limit to the box size will become quite large. We crave complexity and scale, meaning that there will always be a motivation for a like minded group of people to establish the largest contiguous space they can equitably inhabit together, rather than shutting off the borders at the edges of their parcels and living in isolation.
The number of inhabitants can also, I think, we quite large. Considering a community like Luskwood - clearly with better tools and the ability to add land area, this will be a pretty big community, with easily hundreds or thousands of members wanting to live collectively and share resources - with their houses being near meeting spaces and stores, for example. So again, while I can imagine island communities of large numbers of people being very common, I doubt that individual 'boxes' which are like small walled parcels will be very popular.
Overlapping is also something that we see happening already. Anshe's island communities, where there are common services/zoning rules and connected lands but distinct internal subcommunities are already examples of overlapping/inside boxes. Again, I think most of the problem with people overlapping and intersecting their communities comes from LL not yet having provided the right features in the code to allow an adequate balance of power, rather than an inherent desire or tendency toward total isolation.
I think that in a few years when we look at the global map of SL, we will see clumps of land corresponding to communities of experience. The 'country' part of SL will have become plural - each large community will be it's own country in a universe that at the highest level is an open technology platform. Taken together there will be thousands of such communities, meaning that, like the real world, global position doesn't mean that much. In a similar way, we don't really need to consult the world map to know what is 'different' about Alaska and Tahiti - we just think of them as being separated by a long plane flight, and we don't really need the details of direction or separation. We just 'teleport' there using United Airlines and step off the tarmac right into the place without having and experience of the intervening distance. But what remains true about the real world globe, and I think will remain true about the SL map, is that as you zoom in to a region of interest, the areas around it will be of interest to you. Specific communities will be embedded in other more general ones. For example, if you are thinking about visiting Tahiti and are browsing a world map, you might discover somewhere like Raratonga (a more obscure but also interesting vacation destination). I suspect that when there are multi-hundred sim communities on the SL map (think of them as continents), you will find that the adjacent communities to those continents have chosen to be there because they may be in some way relevant (or perhaps counterpoint!) to those communities. We need to add the features to allow land use to be balanced between individuals and groups and communities, but I think that we will not need telehubs to see large and complex communities emerge.


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At its best, short film can move you and elicit emotion as well as any feature film you'll encounter. Unfortunately, these powerful moments in film (short or feature length) can all too often be few and far between. After a recent viewing of Eoin Duffy's striking animated short On Departure, a film about returning home after the loss of his younger brother Emmet, I found myself gripped by one such experience. Battling to hold back the tears as Duffy's gentle masterpiece dragged me into a world of personal reflection at the end of its five minute duration I was torn between two impulses – one urging me to press play again, the other willing me not to. Even though I was aware of Duffy's work before I'd viewed On Departure, after watching it I just had to know more about the work of this accomplished animator. So I dropped Eoin a line and took a journey into his creative process – from inspiration to education, Roger Rabbit to George Takei:
"I grew up on a hefty diet of drawing".
My father was an artist so our house was full of art books, paints, pencils, pens, art pads, etc… As a result it became second nature to spend hours upon hours sketching anything I got my hands on, from Roger Rabbit to the impressionists. Over the years I fell in and out of art in one form or other until animation got a hold of me a few years ago.
I initially studied Visual Communications, which was basically print-based graphic-design. Towards the end of the course I started tinkering around with animation via Flash. From here I was asked to pitch an idea for a music video for Dublin band Kopek. They loved it, I spent the next 6 months learning animation while creating the video and realized I actually quite enjoyed it.
As a kid I was obsessed with Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick, his unique art-nouveau/comic-book style was great to mimic and helped initiate my love of clean graphic work. Through him I got into the original art-nouveau artists such as Alphonse Mucha. Then as I progressed through college I gravitated towards futurism & cubism along with the early pioneers of moveable type, artists such as Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, László Moholy-Nagy, Theo van Doesburg, Piet Zwart and Jan Tschichold. I also had a obsession with the work of Josef Muller-Brockmann along with all mid century swiss graphic designers (me and every other design student).
When it was socially acceptable to do so I tinkered around with Flash and have yet to wean myself off (but secretly don't want to). This was the gateway drug to After Effects and later again the open source product Blender 3D. I'm not the best spokesperson for Blender 3D as my style only utilizes 1% of the programme's capabilities. But it is a programme I'm pretty proud to be associated with given that it was spawned by the spare-time of random citizens of the internet. That's pretty inspiring.
For better or worse that film is determined to be my ambassador. Pretty weird for a film that was conceived and animated in six hours. Given the story so many people question its origins. When I give my honest answer of "It just popped into my head", I get some pretty weird looks, and suddenly my long moonlight walks through the forest are questioned!
Encounter started life as an digital sketch, one that I keep on the back burner for nearly six months or so. I eventually dusted it off and decided to add some movement, with no clear goal or direction in mind. The design and animation was so minimal it allowed most of the concept to be explored at the animation stage, the reverse of most animation projects. – Read more about Encounter.
For the longest time I was scared of colour, it's a very complex and often overlooked subject matter. I was more than happy to spend eternity paddling around in the shallows of monotone. Then one day I just dove into the deep end. Let's just hope somebody stops me before I get too far from shore!.
As with a lot of people going through grief I had an urge to create a monument or testament of sorts. Initially I envisioned the most complex piece of animation ever created whose intricate labor-intensive qualities would demand an audience. But not only was this a ridiculous quest, it was a concept doomed to failure as it was all filler and no soul. So I opted for a subtle personal message ahead of the Egyptian Pyramid.
The moment the film came on screen for its premiere at the Galway Film Festival I was overcome with two vicious thoughts. One, the film was incredibly self-obsessed and two, I was using my family's loss for personal gain. So strong were these thoughts that I pulled the film off the festival circuit and didn't show it to anyone thereafter, including close friends and family.
But one year later I finally caved to the urges of my family and friends and put the film online. The hesitations are still present but strangely enough are partially quenched by the flood of feedback I've been getting.
"Giving the film an audience has been greatly rewarding".
Due for release shortly is short film The Missing Scarf, which is set to hit the festival circuit later this year. The film has felt a bit of a mystery until recently, but with a synopsis and promotional material now out, we're beginning to get an idea of what Duffy's next film is all about:
SYNOPSIS: Albert the Squirrel makes a startling discovery … an empty space where once his favourite scarf lay. He heads off into the forest only to find everyone else is preoccupied with worries of their own. He helps who he can before moving on but never seems to get any closer to his goal. Ultimately, Albert's problem is put in perspective by the friends he helped and the problems they faced and overcame together.
It's about a squirrel searching for his missing scarf, kind of, but not really … you'll have to wait and see. Let's just say it contains some forest animals, a scarf and hints of nihilism.
CONCEPT: The lighthearted lesson from the synopsis mirrors the initial misleading tone of the film. The audience is lulled into a false sense of security only to be covertly dealt four heavy subject matters. Presented in order they are – fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of rejection and finally the fear of death. For each fear both sides of an argument are presented, but visually no resolution is derived upon, allowing the audience to form their own conclusion.
We were beyond excited to have George Takei onboard. The guy is one of the most positive humans in existence. He was a gentleman to work with and gave us an earth shattering voice-track, the guy still has it! So much so it inspired everyone else on the team to push the quality of their work to match, myself included.
On Departure was my first short film, but as said it was denied a life on the festival scene. But hopefully it will have a second life through distribution as Future Shorts have added it to their catalog; along with its new found life on the web of course.
In contrast, The Missing Scarf has a pretty complex festival strategy mapped out and we're hoping for good things over the six months to a year period. After which we'll seek a distributor and simultaneously release the film online.
FESTIVAL RELEASE vs ONLINE RELEASE: This is a weekly debate for me. I'm torn between the two in regards to The Missing Scarf as a lot of festivals don't accept films if they're online. But I think in the end festival recognition holds more weight than online recognition. So as we progress through the festival scene we'll contemplate when is a good time to pull the shoot and throw the film online.
Having said all this SOTW's article on Festivals and Online Eligibility has thrown a spanner in the works.
Vimeo is such a great platform. I genuinely enjoy exploring its dark corners for hidden gems and as a launching platform, nothing compares. Also, all my client work originated through Vimeo so the site is invaluable to me.
"I feel I'm at a crossroad right now".
I'm getting a ton of requests to create client work, but I've also got an endless list of personal projects I'd love to peruse or perhaps get funding for. So who knows? But I'm sure I'll let twitter know.
"Animate! Seriously spend every waking hour drawing, creating, animating, jotting down ideas, analyzing, building up your 10,000 hours, etc… I only wish I followed my own advice".


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Jan 1, 2011
First run of the year!
Wow, what an incredible first run of the year! It was 52 degrees when I stepped outside for my run this morning. Only about 25 degrees warmer than it has been here in Detroit. It was nice to go out there with only one layer on. I know many of you would wear shorts in this weather but I opted for a long sleeve tech shirt from my Turkey Trot run and a pair of summer tights. You can actually wear these things in 80 degrees but then who would want to? It was also nice to wear normal socks instead of wool socks and a normal hat instead of a beanie. Too bad this weather is not going to last - it's supposed to be 25 degrees with a wind chill of 11 tomorrow for my run! Jeez!
Today I ran 6 miles for the Miami New Year's Fun Run 2011 Virtual Race. Amanda at Run to the Finish had a virtual race and since I had a six miler planned for today anyway, I figured what the heck. I finished in 48:58. I'm not officially in the point system they are doing but figured why not join in on the fun.
Have a great Day and......Keep Running!
19 comments:
Awesome!!! I've never done a virtual race but am thinking I should! Great job!ReplyDelete
I wish the weather had held on this side of the lake..it was 25 with crazy high winds this morning..my favorite...blah
Well I opted for shorts and it was fantastic. Not many January days can be run in shorts!ReplyDelete
Great run, Jeff! We enjoyed similar weather here... I actually wore shorts and got some of the craziest looks ever! It was great!!ReplyDelete
Great job on the New Years Day run! I also did my NY Day run at the Rescue Run 5k. We, however, did not have warm weather. The temp was actually 4 degrees and there was some wind. The road was icy and snowy. I could have run much better at this race but I just love starting out the new year with a race!ReplyDelete
Cheers and here's to 2011!
Happy New Year Jeff! Great way to start a new year!ReplyDelete
Oh, it felt so good outside today! These are the days that keep you sane if you're a winter-grinch like me! :) Happy New Year!ReplyDelete
I ran on the treadmill this morning before I bothered checking the weather! I wish I'd checked, it's fantasticly warmer outside here too! Jealous you went out, then again, you always do.ReplyDelete
wahoo, way to go!! So glad the weather cleaned up it's act for you todayReplyDelete
Don't worry Christi - We'll be back to that weather soon enough!ReplyDelete
Jogging - you should have checked - it was incredible.
Ken & Mallory - I'm sure you both got some looks. I think I get looks all the time no matter what it's like out. People around here are like, what's this guy doing running?
Awesome job! I'm sure you already have this written somewhere so please forgive me for asking if you do but what will your first marathon be? Have you decided?ReplyDelete
I haven't got my first run of the year in...yet! Great job on the virtual race, great idea.ReplyDelete
Happy New Year and congrats on a nice first run of the year!ReplyDelete
So it was warmer today in Detroit than San Diego. Go figure.ReplyDelete
Perfect way to start the new year off - yay for you!! And tights in 52 degree weather? I draw the line at 24 between shorts and pants. Hum. :)ReplyDelete
Happy 2011!!!
I didn't quite wear shorts, but it was nice to run outside and not freeze!ReplyDelete
Happy new year to you too.ReplyDelete
A nice way to start another running year.
- AnonymousJanuary 2, 2011 at 9:08 PM
Marathon Rule #54378: if it goes on the bib, then you can't back down.ReplyDelete
Heck, even this CA boy ran in shorts in 38 degree weather. Oh well, you gotta go with what makes you comfortable. Good job for bringing in the New Year with a run.ReplyDelete
Great job on your run. The weather sounds like it really cooperated for you! Happy new year!ReplyDelete


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Looking for something fun to do, but don't want to spend a lot of money?
The local adventurer.com has a great list of 25 fun things to do that won't cost you any cash, but are sure to give you priceless memories.
The following are ten highlights from the list that are sure to be open this winter, weather permitting of course.
Oregon Historical Society
1200 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97205
If you're a history buff, you can check out the history of our city and state, which will just so happen to celebrate its 158 birthday on or near Valentines Day this year. Free for all residents of Multnomah County.
Craft Brewery Tour
It's no secret that Portland is a beer town. Though not every brewery in Portland has free brewery tours, there are a few that do: Ecliptic Brewery, Ground Breaker Brewing and Hopworks Urban Brewery.
Visit the Witches Castle
Lower Macleay Trail, Portland, OR 97210
Who knew that Forest Park was so spooky? If you head up Northwest Portland's Lower Macleay Trail you can take a short hike to what is known as the Witches Castle and find out for yourself (also it doubles as a great place to recreate your favorite scenes from "Grimm"). It's just one of the many surprises, spooky or otherwise, you will find within the largest metropolitan park in the United States.
Visit the Simpsons Streets
NW Portland – NW 2nd to NW 24th St
Did you know that "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening is from Portland? And did you know that he named some of the Simpsons characters after Portland streets including Flanders, Lovejoy, Quimby, & Kearney? Well, know you do.
Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade
511 NW Couch St, Portland, OR 97209
Classic arcades are hard to find nowadays, but Portland is home to one that has all your favorites. It's free entry unless it's a special event, and you must be 21 or over after 4:30 PM.
Paul Bunyan Statue
8433 N Interstate Ave, Portland, OR 97217
The "lumberjack" is everywhere in Portland. Take a photo with the biggest of them all located in North Portland's Kenton neighborhood at the intersection of North Interstate Avenue and Denver Street. This particular Paul Bunyan statue was commissioned by the Kenton Businessmen's Club for the Oregon Centennial Exposition and International Trade Fair in 1959, and it needs a paint job! See the above link tto learn how you can help brighten up the big guy.
If you were a fan of author Beverly Cleary, then you probably are familiar with Ramona Quimby. Although the characters are fictional, the streets and landmarks are real.
Historic Belmont Firehouse
900 SE 35th Ave, Portland, OR 97214
Recently celebrating its 100th anniversary, the Belmont Firehouse is a beloved landmark to locals. You can get your photo sliding down a fire pole, and kids can spray water out of a fire hose. I wonder if they'll let me do that!
Hoyt Arboretum
4000 SW Fairview Blvd, Portland, OR 97221
There are over 2000 species of trees and plants at the Hoyt Arboretum and tons of trails to walk. The Maple Trail is especially beautiful.


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Some of our projects are born out of exchange and collaboration between members of our team, which is comprised of the Board of Directors, the San Ramón Committee, and our staff. These projects are designed by members of our team in conjunction with community members.
The following are some ongoing SCSRN initiatives:
Rural School Partnership (RSP) program: By partnering rural elementary schools in San Ramón with schools and organizations in the U.S., we promote cross-cultural exchange between children of rural San Ramón and the people of our sister communities. The RSP program also supports education in these rural areas, giving children an opportunity for a brighter future.
Tourism: When SCSRN suggested the creation of a tourism project in 1998, the people of San Ramón doubted that anyone would want to come to their remote, rural county. Nowadays, tourism is an important part of the local economy and has helped many families lift themselves out of poverty.
Nuestro San Ramón: SCSRN is proud to launch the Virtual Museum "Nuestro San Ramón" (Our San Ramón) as a way for people to learn more about San Ramón's history and culture. Visit to learn more.


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The different cuts, silhouettes, and embroidery, transforms each piece into something different, and this alone provides a lot of variety for a girls of all ages, who look for an ethnic suit during the festive season. You can even get this in different materials, depending upon your needs. You find all the types mentioned above ,on LimeRoad, to suit your different styles for the perfect outfit.


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The best policy idea to come out of LibDem conference was Danny Alexander's call for tax thresholds to be raised to £12,500, effectively taking minimum wage earners out of income tax. Reversing Gordon Brown's complicated tax – the – poor – and – pay – them – benefits strategy. Brown effectively and deliberately made those in work on low earnings recipients of welfare benefits. Brown wanted everyone to be on state benefits (welfare "universalism") for purely political reasons so as to maximise buy-in from all classes into the welfare state. Hence the cynical Brown/Balls attachment to child benefit for millionaire mums and winter fuel allowances for Michael Winner.
Raising the tax threshold is simple, has popular appeal and will benefit those on low earnings proportionately more than those on higher earnings. It will take some pressure off the "squeezed middle" and won't increase the welfare trap. It isn't a perfect policy, prominent Orange-booker Mark Littlewood, a wonk the Institute for Economic Affairs, is wary that it will result in millions of voters being unaffected by the basic rate of income tax who therefore won't be incentivised to vote for parties and policies that favour lower taxes. He fears that low-earners will have no reason to buy-in to tax cuts if they are taken out of the income tax bracket entirely.
The organised opposition to this policy however is coming from the left-wing, EU-funded think-tank IPPR. The IPPR was founded and funded by the unions back in the Kinnock era to drag the Labour Party to the centre, in the post New Labour era and under new management it is dragging the Labour Party away from the centre towards the left. IPPR is arguing against raising tax thresholds because it won't help the poorest who are on benefits and not working. This criticism cuts no ice because tax cuts, by definition, are designed to help taxpayers. IPPR argues that targeting benefits, sprecifically towards childcare, would be more effective and cheaper. It is as if they are speaking a different language, the problem of welfare dependency won't be solved by paying out more benefits.
Nevertheless Guido wishes IPPR well, their wonkish sophistry may well appeal to Ed Miliband. If in 2015 the coalition parties are standing on a platform of reducing taxes on the working poor with the Labour Party standing on a platform of taxing the poor, Miliband will be on the wrong side of the dividing line. "Vote Labour and tax the poor" is a winning campaign slogan – for the coalition parties.


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1798 - Edmund Fannings
Tinian, Mariana Islands
On the fourteenth [July], had a strong trade wind from E. by S. Had had during the night, squalls of rain; at sunrise, however, it cleared up, and gave us our former fair weather. At 10 A. M. the seaman at the mast-head on the lookout, gave the welcome cry of "Land ho!" bearing W. by N. distant about seven leagues. This proved to be the Island of Tinian. At meridian, the south point of Tinian bore W. by N. half N. three leagues distant; made preparation then, by bending the cables, to bring the ship to an anchor. At 2 P. M. we were abreast of the south point, and be-gan to open the bay at the southwest part of the island, where, laying at the inner side of the reef, near to the shore, a wreck was brought to our view; upon which discovery, we set the American colors. An hour after, brought the ship to anchor in seventeen fathoms of water, over a bottom of coral rock and sand; the south point of the island then bearing S. by E. and the north-west point N. W. half N. After having the ship's sails furled, a boat was hoisted out, manned and armed, and proceeded for the shore, where several men could be seen near the wreck, which, as we drew towards it, proved to be that of a ship of between three and four hundred tons, bilged, and laying over on her side. While passing through the passage in the reef by the wreck, it had been noticed that many of the persons on the beach were Malays, and it was therefore thought to be at least the most prudent step for us to be on our guard, and make use of all proper caution in approaching them. As our boat came within a few yards of the shore, the men ceased rowing and lay on their oars, until it was ascertained who they were. On hailing the person who appeared to have command, motioned to his men to fall back, at the same time himself coming forward, and answering in English, that he was the commanding officer of the crew belonging to the wrecked vessel: he, advanced to meet us, as we landed from the boat, and after shaking hands, gave me to understand his name to be Swain, that he was an American, and was born in Nantucket, held the station of first officer on board the lost vessel, and, since the death of the captain, was of course in the chief command, soliciting my assistance in behalf of himself and shipwrecked companions; to this I could but reply, that as it was the bounden duty of every man to render all the assistance in his power, to his fellow-creatures in distress, he with his friends might rely upon receiving mine.
He then proceeded, in answer to my inquiries, how many persons there were in all of his company, to state, there were three females, and twenty-one males, viz., the captain's widow, her servant woman, and a female infant, two years of age; three officers, six British seamen, nine Lascars, and eleven Malays; while as he thus finished his statement, giving us an invitation to visit their habitations. These we found pleasantly situated on a beautiful lawn, surrounded by, and having at suitable distances about the same, stately trees, the whole appearing to be a cool and most delightful residence. The first house we arrived at was that belonging to the captain's widow, to whom I was now introduced by Mr. Swain: she was a very lady-like woman, of an easy and graceful demeanor, about thirty years of age, at the moment somewhat unwell, in consequence of the shock she had experienced from our vessel's coming so suddenly to view, and although getting gradually more composed, yet considerable anxiety still remained depicted upon her countenance. From Mr. Swain it appeared, that this lady was engaged upon some household matters in doors, while the servant woman, at the time busy in front of the house, was the first to notice the approach of our ship by the south head of the bay; it was this woman's exclaiming, "A ship! A ship!" that brought the mistress to the door, who, on beholding a vessel so near, and under full sail towards them, swooned away, and fell to the floor, nor was she brought to herself again until we were on the point of anchoring; not neglecting, while thus recovering, to offer up a thankful prayer to Heaven, for so bright a prospect of deliverance from her present situation, and a restoration once more to her country and friends. The lady herself observed, that the moment our flag was seen flying at the mizzen, it at once told them the stranger belonged to a Christian country; this of itself being a sufficient guaranty that her commander would not refuse herself and child a passage to her friends. I assured her, that together with the infant and servant maid, she was very welcome to, and should have as comfortable accommodations as our little ship could possibly afford, while on the passage. With many expressions of thankfulness on her part, for thus answering her expectations, we were invited to take a cup of tea previous to returning to the vessel, which of course we did not decline, but accepted with pleasure; and then proceeded to the next house, which was the officer's lodge: nearly in a line with these, were three others, for the seamen, Lascars, and Malays, the whole forming an oblong square, and erected by means of piles driven into the ground, other pieces connecting these at the tops, having a sharp roof thatched with palm leaves, and the turf flooring kept neat and clean by means of mats, of which they had great plenty, made them very comfortable; the men appeared to be under entire subjection to their officers, and quite content.
Within a few feet of the most inland lodge, was a well of the aborigines, or ancient inhabitants of the island; this, walled up in a very neat manner, with hewn stone, tapering from the top to the bottom, was fifteen feet diameter at the top, and five at the bottom, with a flight of thirty-six stone steps on its south side, descending to the water, which was very good. Near by this, piled up in an oblong heap, under cover of the ship's sails, was her valuable cargo of silks, teas, &c., and buried in an appropriate grove, on the side of the lawn near to their habitations, were the remains of their captain.
The habitation of Mrs. McClannon (the captain's widow), where we now repaired to fulfill our engagement, was found in very neat order: it was about twenty-four feet by twelve, the inner walls being hung round with blue nankeen, a screen of the white, separating the farther end of the room into a lodging apartment. We found the tea table already set, and most bountifully furnished with what was a very agreeable picnic for persons from a long voyage, viz., baked bread, fruit, broiled chickens, beef steaks, and China sweetmeats, to which was added an excellent cup of tea; events during their residence on the island, and other agreeable conversation, soon bringing the hour for returning to the ship at hand.
From the following particulars, as given me, at my request, by Mr. Swain, it appeared, that their ship was an English vessel, the annual supply ship from the Honourable British East India Company at Canton, for the British settlement at Sidney in New South Wales, with a full cargo on board, consisting of teas, silks, nankeens, China ware, sugar, rice, sam shu (a Chinese liquor), ginger, candy, and spices. They had, on leaving Macao, crossed the China Sea, and passed Formosa, when on gaining the longitude of Japan, were met by severe storms, so straining to the ship as caused her to leak badly. When built, this ship had been iron fastened, then sheathed with inch boards, put on with iron nails, her bottom coppered over this sheathing; this, at the time they encountered the gales and storms spoken of, was worn thin, and was continually breaking and pealing off, while the iron nails by which the board sheathing was fastened, were eaten off by the copper, so that the sheathing would start and come from the ship's bottom, thus leaving the main plank exposed; the oakum had also, from long standing, become defected, and from the ship's motion, washed out of the seams, so that the leaks rapidly increased; to remedy this unfortunate state of things, their captain had judged it most prudent to bear away for this island, supposing that by laying her on the beach within the reef, she might be repaired.
Arrived at this island, they became fully satisfied, after a survey and inspection, that it was utterly impossible for them to prosecute their voyage any farther, until the seams were recalked, as then she was only kept from sinking by continual pumping. To accomplish their determination of warping the ship through, and within the reef, then to take out her cargo previous to hauling her on the beach, to proceed with the needed repairs, they had just commenced, as a gale arose, by which the ship was cast on the reef where she now lay, and bilged; not, however, until they had succeeded in getting out the major part of the cargo.
It was now upward of thirteen months since this ship had been cast away; the crew, however, were so happy as to be thrown on one of the most fertile spots in the world; they had tamed a milk cow, a few young cattle, a number of swine, and domestic fowls; these all run wild. They had, moreover, a large supply of bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, and many other excellent tropical fruits, besides which, their cargo, from its assorted character, furnished them with suitable clothing, as well as some of the most to be wished for articles for the table; so that they were only to be considered as suffering from the want of society. This had been the case with the lady more particularly, since the misfortune and its consequent fatigue had so pressed upon his mind, as to throw the captain into a violent fever, which in a very few days had caused his death.
A hunting party of Malays and Lascars was sent out by Mr. Swain, who had the goodness to offer us some fresh beef, to procure from among the wild herd a young heifer for this purpose. Noticing that they took only a couple of sharp hangers and knives, I inquired what they were going to do with these: in reply, Mr. Swain related their manner of taking these animals. The prairies where the numerous herds of wild cattle are in the habit of grazing, are covered with rich feed; around these are thick woods, impenetrable by reason of the underbrush, reed, vines, &c., excepting by such paths as the cattle had worn in passing to and from one prairie to another; these paths are so narrow as to oblige the cattle to go along in single file. Two men were usually posted in ambush in these narrow ways, some few feet apart, so that should the first one miss giving a deadly stroke, the second would complete the business: these being stationed, the others of the party make a circuit at a suitable distance, until they were arrived on the opposite side of the prairie in sight of the herd, when driving them off, the cattle always following the leader (a large bull), in Indian file, went by the two first mentioned men; they were allowed to pass until an animal to their liking was approaching, when the first man would strike at and endeavor to cut the ham strings; if he is so fortunate as to cut both, the creature instantly falls, and is butchered on the spot, the meat being cut into pieces sufficient for a load for each person; if not, the second seldom fails in accomplishing this end.
The party sent out this time, returned in less than two hours, with the several portions of a fine fat young animal, to be sent on board for the ship's company.
After returning to the ship, it became necessary to hold a consultation, to arrange sundry matters, and make some suitable preparations for the reception of our new and unfortunate friends, and their accommodation during the passage to Macao; this we were enabled to do by dividing our after cabin, for the greater comfort of the females, into two parts, the other being reserved for the officers; afterwards receiving six boxes and trunks of silk goods, which, together with their luggage, considering the size of our vessel and her full cargo, was all that could be taken on board, and these only for the benefit and by the desire of the widow and officers.
July 17th. The same pleasant weather which has favored us so long still continues, as well as the moderate trade wind. Having obtained wood, water, some refreshments, and an addition to our stock of provisions, of some rice, tea, sugar, &c, a young bullock, several hogs, and poultry, we were now well furnished for the passage to Macao.
It was upon Mr. Swain's proposition decided to take the Lascars along, and leave the Malays on the island, in consequence of a quarrel that had taken place while the boats were employed in transporting our passengers on board ship with the seamen and their luggage, between them, in which the Malays, intoxicated with the sam shu, had fallen upon the Lascars, and beat and wounded one of the latter seriously, by stabbing him with a cruse or dagger, so that he became faint and feeble from loss of blood, before we were able to get him on board and dress his wounds; he, however, by good nursing and attendance gradually recovered, and by the time of our arrival at Macao was nearly healed. This we the more readily acceded to, because that it was Mr. Swain's intention to charter a vessel, and return from Macao to this island for the cargo; the Malays, moreover, would have plenty of provisions, and even the comforts of life, so that there could be no likelihood of want overtaking them previous to his return, to which a farther consideration was the smallness of our ship, the quantity of water she could with other things carry, being only a moderate allowance for the company with a fair passage, exclusive of the Malays.
Being all ready for sea, we weighed anchor and made sail, leaving the eleven Malays in possession of the island, as well as in charge of the wreck and cargo, until Mr. Swain's return, which was in the space of about five months, as I subsequently learned.
Fannings, Edmund
Voyages and Discoveries in the South Seas 1792-1832
New York 1833; Reprint New York 1989


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SISTERS FIGHT to End Harassment in Schools
They're called Sisters in Strength (SIS) and the seven teenagers—ages 17 to 19—sitting around the conference table are eager to talk.
Natasha, a senior at Midwood High School, gets the ball rolling: "It's upsetting when you have a 35-year-old saggy guy staring at you or asking for your number. It makes you feel like less than a real person, like they see you as their entertainment."
Andrenkia, 19, chimes in: "If you wear leggings and a shirt guys think that you're showing off your butt or legs and they harass you. But if it makes you feel beautiful, and you feel good about what you're wearing, that's all you're thinking about. You're not thinking about harassment when you get dressed in the morning. You're thinking, 'This looks cute on me.'"
One after another the girls share their experiences. Alicia recalls a man grabbing her backside when she was 16. Others report comments they've heard when walking down the street, from the ubiquitous "Yo, mami" to "12 and over, bend her over" and "after 12, she's lunch."
The fury in the room is palpable as incidents are called out, but this is neither a bitch session nor a consciousness-raising group. Although SIS—a highly competitive paid internship program for up to 10 girls a year—serves both functions, the organization is a program of Girls for Gender Equity (GGE), a nearly 10-year-old Brooklyn-based intergenerational group that empowers girls and young women to fight for social and gender justice.
According to the group's website, "GGE acts as a catalyst for change to improve gender and race relations and socioeconomic conditions for our most vulnerable youth and communities of color." Although this is an admittedly tall order, GGE has already made strides on both the micro and macro levels. They've not only created resources to help teens and youth advocates fight sexual harassment—the most recent, a book called Hey, Shorty! A Guide to Combating Sexual Harassment and Violence in Schools and on the Streets, was published by the Feminist Press in April—they've also pushed the Department of Education to take sexual harassment seriously.
Among other efforts, the GGE runs the Urban Leaders Academy (ULA) at Middle School 61 in Crown Heights. The program, free after-school mentoring and programming funded by the Office of Children and Family Services, offers social and emotional learning to 60 boys and girls a year. SIS interns assist adult teachers at ULA, educating participants not only in standard academic and athletic subjects, but also in the rudiments of conflict resolution, organizing against harassment, and community service. Next year, the ULA model will be replicated in three Canarsie middle schools.
Each SIS participant works at MS 61 once or twice a week, and while the girls boast about their involvement with the kids, it is their work on sexual harassment that gets their dander up. To a one, they can recite chapter-and-verse of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972: "No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefit of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." According to the regulation, each of NYC's 1,400 schools is mandated to have a Title IX coordinator; a person to take complaints, investigate allegations, and punish offenders. But that's not what happens.
As the lead organization in the 20-member Coalition for Gender Equity in Schools, back in January SIS interns made cold calls to identify the responsible person in more than 200 elementary, junior, and senior high school programs. "We simply asked the person who answered the phone, "Do you have a Title IX coordinator?" SIS member Danielle begins. "Some didn't know what that was. Some cussed us out, and some hung up on us," she says.
Enraged by the reaction their calls elicited, GGE organizer Meghan Huppuch contacted colleagues at the Department of Education (DOE) and scheduled a meeting to discuss the problem. They met on February 23.
SIS came to DOE armed with facts on the magnitude of the problem. In their arsenal were responses from 1,189 students—male, female, and transgender—to queries about whether, when, where, and how they'd experienced harassment. The responses came from 90 schools in four boroughs, all of them collected, analyzed, and compiled by a SIS cohort several years earlier. Among the key findings: "Sexual harassment was rampant and therefore completely normalized." Comments from SLAM books—journals that allow students to write about their experiences anonymously—captured individual stories about everything from suggestive gesturing to rape. These were also presented to the DOE.
The SIS interns say that the DOE's response was disappointing and heads nod as Natasha describes the confab: "We met with two people from the Office of School and Youth Development, the staff responsible for developing the school discipline code and for making sure training on Title IX happens," she begins. "They didn't seem familiar with the Title IX coordinator's responsibilities. They talked around the problem and seemed more concerned with what they were doing right than with what still needed to be done."
A second meeting with DOE took place in late April. This time SIS activists were accompanied by teachers and parents from the Coalition for Gender Equity in Schools. Their demands were once again straightforward: First, coalition members want each school's website to include the name of the Title IX coordinator. Secondly, they want students to have input in selecting the coordinator so that they're comfortable confiding in him or her. They also want the DOE to train school personnel in how to identify and intervene when sexual harassment happens.
As they describe their tussles with the DOE, the girls become audibly impassioned. Voices get louder as one participant after another begins to question why laws and regulations are passed only to languish unenforced. They wonder aloud: Could it be that the law is simply one tool among many? What role should community mobilization play in enforcing rules about sexual propriety and in stopping harassment? Lastly, should they allow themselves to get excited about the passage of the Dignity for All Students Act, or DASA, in New York State? Although DASA is not scheduled to take effect until 2012, it will purportedly offer "protections from bullying and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression." Still, SIS members acknowledge that the law will be the third regulation to require schools to appoint a staff member to receive complaints and follow through.
Passions continue to flare as the girls decry the bureaucratic battering they've encountered. At the same time, they need no prompting to crow about SIS and what they've learned since arriving at GGE last August.
"This is a safe space," Danielle begins.
"You can say what you feel without being attacked," Terrin adds.
"I learned that I didn't have to pretend that I didn't hear the comments of men and boys," says Fahmida. "I learned to say, 'Listen, I don't like what you're doing to me.'"
Each SIS member is paired with a student pursuing a Master of Social Work degree and receives one-on-one support and counseling throughout the academic year. "We use a holistic model," says Erin Baer, an MSW candidate from Fordham University. "Self-care is a first priority and we help with everything from personal issues to writing a resume to filling out college applications and financial aid forms."
"SIS validates the fact that young women and women of color should be able to take up space to talk about sexual harassment and what it leads to," says GGE founder Joanne N. Smith. "The more disempowered you feel, the more likely you are to keep quiet about abuse. If you later drop out of school, you're more likely to get pregnant if you're a girl or go to prison if you're a boy. If you can talk about things that have happened, it impacts the layers of gender-based violence. Learning to speak up—to say STOP—lends itself to getting out of bad relationships and teaches you to follow your gut. It gives you the confidence not to go to that party or get into that car."
As for the DOE, Smith urges the chancellor as well as classroom teachers to take counsel from GGE's findings. "Feeling powerless contributes to young people making unhealthy choices about their bodies, dropping out of school, or attempting suicide," she says.
Let's hope Chancellor Walcott is paying attention.
Girls for Gender Equity is located at 30 Third Avenue, #104, Brooklyn, NY 11217. PH: 917.647.3157, www.ggenyc.org.


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A new leak of a claimed iPhone 8 screen protector suggests that Apple's anniversary-celebrating iPhone will be called the Decade Edition. The photo, which shows a screen protector, may have given our first real idea of what the new flagship will be called.
Apple's iPhone 8 is undoubtedly the talk of the town right now, and that is even though we are a good three months or so away from when we expect Apple to finally take the wraps off its next flagship smartphone.
Leaks are everywhere right now, and while some of them will undoubtedly turn out to be complete trash, others will end up having been right on the money. We don't know yet which side of the coin this latest leak will be, but we found it pretty interesting nonetheless.
With the iPhone 8 being Apple's way of celebrating the tenth anniversary of the original iPhone, it has been thought for some time that the company will do something special to commemorate the occasion. A newly leaked photo of a claimed iPhone 8 screen protector may have given us a hint as to what that celebration could entail, with the name Decade Edition now a possibility. That is the designation emblazoned on the screen protector in the photo leaked by Slashleaks recently, and while this is far from confirmation, it does give us food for thought.
It is, of course, true that this is the first time such a name has been bandied about, so we would certainly not want to suggest that this leak has any particular credence to it, but given some of the strange naming conventions Apple has used in the past, absolutely anything could happen.
Let's not forget HomePod and Apple Watch Edition. It seems Apple keeps naming products when its branding people are out of town!
(Source: Slashleaks [Twitter])
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For those of us with a little faith, weird and wonderful things can happen (called miracles). This is a lovely story I came across when visiting the Chapel of Loretto in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In late 1878 the Sisters of the Chapel made a novena (a prayer) to the Patron Saint of Carpenters, Saint Joseph, to have a staircase built so the students could access the choir loft. A carpenter appeared and started working on a spiral staircase as there was no room for a conventional one.
When the work was completed he vanished, without payment. The design has had engineers and architects perplexed for years as the staircase with two 360-degree turns has no centre support or nails.
Click here to view a map of Santa Fe and the Chapel of Loretto


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A few of you may have been wondering what has happened to me over the last couple of weeks. Well, I have been busy. I know, I am supposed to be on holiday, but last year, I volunteered to help out on a biology field trip to the west coast of Vancouver Island. It sounded like a good idea at the time............
The following is a post that I have written for my university about the trip. I was going to write a separate, not quite so sensible post for my personal blog, but then I thought, why? That would just be a lot more effort. So, here is the post. I should warn you that it is quite long. It was supposed to be written as a daily thing, but I was always much too busy to write it while I was there, so you are now getting it all in one big chunk.
This year, the Biology Department at my University has ventured out into the wilds of British Columbia. We have left the fertile green fields of the Fraser Valley behind us. We have travelled beyond the concrete jungle and urban sprawl that is Metro Vancouver. The green and restless waters of the Georgia Strait were no barrier to us and the wooded valleys and mountain passes could not prevent us from reaching our ultimate destination. Even the well stocked shelves of a Nanaimo supermarket only managed to briefly distract us from our ultimate destination. We have traded concrete and steel, tarmac and fumes for crashing waves and screeching gulls, towering trees and fresh, salt-tanged air. We have arrived at the wild, wet........I mean west.......coast of Vancouver Island. We are now doing what biologist love to do most – immersing ourselves in sand, sea, mud and moss and marvelling at the beauty that surrounds us, bowled over by the rich and diverse life and questioning the forces that shape the landscapes and the assemblages of life that we find here.
Our first morning saw us heading to the mudflats. Oh yes, biologists really know how to live it up! As we came through the trees dripping with moss, lichens and water, we caught our first glimpse of the mud. It stretched out before us, apparently lifeless, inviting us onto its sticky, sucking, sinking surface. The more intrepid students ran onto the mud with glee, only to be stopped in their tracts as boots were left behind and feet were gripped by the oozing, stinking mud. Hmmmmm, getting around on this stuff might be a bit trickier than we thought. Still, there was work to be done, life to be found. Just one spadeful of mud soon revealed that the mud was not as lifeless as it first appeared. Many invertebrate animals, such as clams, worms, shrimps and crabs, make a living processing mud and sand particles for the food, such as detritus, diatoms and bacteria contained within or by preying on such mud-processing organisms.
One such animal is the goddess worm, Nephtys.
This segmented worm has the uncanny ability to invert its mouth and throat. It uses this proboscis to capture small prey, such as small worms, crustacea and molluscs. Other worms, such as the blood worm, can also do this and they also have venom glands at the base of their jaws that can inject a neurotoxin. All mud-lovers and worm handlers, you have been warned!
As the morning passed and the mists lifted, we all got muddier, we all ended up with mud on our faces, in our hair and over our clothes. And we all loved it! Some of our more entrepreneurial students are now planning a new field trip / spa experience for the more wealthy students of UFV!
" Mud, mud, glorious mud, nothing quite like it for cooling the blood............"
The next day, we were heading for the beach. Sand, sun and surf! Did we have our beach towels and volleyball? Our sunscreen and surf boards? Oh no, we had our buckets and tape measures, our guidebooks and cameras - we were there to work. This time, we were investigating the life on the rocky shore. Now, you would think that this would be a very hard place to live. Crashing waves, the rhythmic influx and retreat of the tides, one minute wet, the next dry. Let's face it, you are always living on the edge, between a rock and a hard a place. Once again, our students soon discovered an abundance of life in this seemingly hostile environment. In fact, the closer to the turbulent edge they got, the more life they found. In amongst the rock weed, kelp and surfgrass, they uncovered a diverse assemblage of invertebrate life, including sponges, ribbon worms, chitons, limpets, periwinkles, mussels, sea squirts, barnacles and crabs. We also found colourful green surf anemones and the gloriously coloured purple and orange ochre starfish. One of these starfish was busy having breakfast when we arrived. Here is another organism that can turn its stomach inside out in order to ingest its food. In this case, the starfish is trying to open a mussel with its very strong tubefeet. These feet are hydraulically powered and can exert quite a force. Once the mussel has been opened, the starfish will slip its stomach into the shell, release digestive enzymes and absorb the resulting molluscan soup. Yum.
One of the more bizarre animals found was the rockweed isopod, Idotea wosnesenskii, a large crustacean that clings onto seaweed with its hook-like claws. A harmless creature that spends its life grazing on the algae, depending on its colouration to blend in with the seaweed to avoid predators.
Another fascinating creature, a sea lemon, was found in one of the many rockpools that provide a sanctuary to those creatures that are not able to survive long out in the open as the tide recedes. The sea lemon is a nudibranch, a type of marine mollusc that has lost its shell, in much the same way as land slugs have. This had led to their common name of sea slugs. Now, don't let the name fool you. Sea slugs are amongst the most beautiful animals of the sea. Many are brightly coloured, reds, oranges and yellows, more like butterflies of the sea than slugs. As with most things in nature, there are reasons behind these bright colours. Rather than being an advert for a tasty snack, they warn predators of hidden dangers lurking within. You see, these little slugs have a few tricks up their sleeves. Some of them dine on sea anemones, which are themselves protected by stinging cells that shoot poison-tipped barbs into the bodies of potential predators. Some sea slugs have a mechanism for preventing the firing of these barbs and so can dine with impunity on the now tasty anemones. Even more sneaky is the sea slugs ability to then make use of the anemone's stinging cells by collecting them in fleshy processes that it then uses to protect itself. Cunning, uh? Other sea slugs, like the sea lemon, dine on sponges. In this case, their yellow colour acts as camouflage against the yellow sponge that they consume.
The third day was another early morning start, since the tide waits for no man, woman or biologist. This day also saw us reacquainting ourselves with the mud. Now, after the first mud encrusting day, we decided that there must be an easier way to cross the mudflats without sinking up to our waists. We brainstormed ideas and finally settled on a type of "mud shoe", something similar to a snow shoe, but with a quick release mechanism in case it did get sucked down into the mud. We wouldn't want anyone to be trapped in the mud with the tide coming in, now would we? Disappointingly, no one had any mud shoes handy, so we had to go back to the run-as-fast-as-you-can-before-sinking method. One of the students, with particularly large feet, did develop a mud skating method, which worked very well for him. The rest of us, however, soon became mired in the mud, again. Still, if you are looking for a good work out, I can highly recommend mud running.
The salt marsh is another environment that sits between land and sea and any organism living here has adapted to survive in this ever changing environment. At the lowest points of the marsh, few plants are tough enough to survive, but as you move away from the water's edge and up towards solid land, more plants can colonise the marsh and diversity increases. We saw a progression from arrow grass and glasswort to more complex communities with a higher diversity of plants, including sweet gale, sitka spruce, angelica and purple asters. The glasswort may be of interest to the more culinary inclined. Apparently, it is highly edible. Steam it in the microwave and then coat with butter; I am told that it should taste like young spinach stems or asparagus.
The animal life on the salt marsh is much harder to find compared to the rocky shore, but while beating our way through the undergrowth, we did find ourselves a lovely specimen of Ariolimax sp. One of our braver students was encouraged to give it a lick to see if the rumours about it harbouring chemicals with anaesthetic qualities were true. Apparently they are – her tongue went numb and almost stopped her talking for a while. Note the almost! We have tried to find out what the chemical is, but to no avail, so if anyone could enlighten us, we would be most grateful. Oh yes, and for those of you wondering, our student just licked a banana slug!
During the time on the marsh, many of us were struck by its peace and serenity. The only sound that we could hear was the plaintive whistles of a pair of osprey as they circled overhead. OK, so there was the sound of the bear crashing through the undergrowth, just the other side of the mudflat. He did venture out for a very short period of time, but on seeing (or smelling) the mass of humans on the marsh, he bid a hasty retreat back into the bushes.
Day four was a wet one, a very wet one. Still, we were going out to explore the rainforest, so it seemed appropriate. On this day, we were paying special attention to the fungi, lichens and mosses of the forests, since they so often get overlooked. While we were out, we marvelled at the old trees with their knobbed and gnarled stems, their old dead branches pointing up into the canopy. These old trees provide so many habitats for other organisms. They are often festooned with mosses, dripping with lichens. Ferns grow along branches and many small shrubs get a good start up off the forest floor. As the old trunks begin to rot, holes will provide homes to many small mammals and birds. This is not just a dead tree, but a condominium of life and a very important part of a mature forest ecosystem.
Now, please don't ever think that biologists are all work and no play. Oh no, us biologists know how to have a good time. And our play day was a trip to Hot Springs Cove, approximately one hour north of Tofino. To get there, you have to bundle up inside a very flattering, bright orange survival suit and a lovely vivid yellow rain slicker. You then don a woolly black toque and after admiring yourself in the mirror – you are, after all, now the height of West Coast fashion - and wishing you had used the toilet before you donned the suit, you all pile into a very fast-looking boat with two extremely large engines. You can guess what comes next – lots of crashing through waves, being bumped around like a bingo ball in its tumbler and a lot of screaming from the front of the boat. On the way up to the hot springs we did stop to admire the eagles and oooh and ahh over a waterfall. Once we reached Hot Springs Cove, we had a 2km walk through a majestic old growth forest, with trees so large that our whole group could not encircle the trunk with our arms. The moss was green and luxuriant, lichens festooned the trees and the sun backlit the ferns as they nestled beneath the trees. A magical place. The Springs themselves were hot and smelly, and soon all the students were soaking up their warmth. Wallace, UFVs very own pacific giant salamander, basked in the sun on the rocks surrounding the cove, admiring the view, listening to the waves crashing onto the rocks and soaking up the calm and tranquility of this wonderful place.
The boat trip back was even more exciting, as we headed out into the open ocean, looking for whales, sea otters, sea lions and puffins. Some of us were lucky enough to see all of these creatures. There was much shouting and screaming, clapping and laughing every time a whale appeared. The woo-hoos sounded out as a humpback whale left the water for a few seconds in the air, before its huge, barnacle- encrusted body came crashing back down into the water, throwing up sheets of spray. To many people, whale watching seems an odd thing to do. Hours of sitting around in a boat for a few seconds of excitement as the whale appears and then disappears. But trust me, the feeling you get just seeing those majestic creatures makes up for all the time bumping around in the boat, clinging on to the railing for dear life and hoping your lunch does not make a second appearance. It is excitement, it is awe-inspiring, it is a bubbling happiness from deep within and it is a feeling that I wouldn't want to miss. Why a big hulk of blubbery flesh should invoke such feelings, I cannot say. But the whales just make you happy, that is all there is to it. I am sure the puffins would have had the same effect on me, but since I didn't see them, I shall have to go back another time to test that hypothesis.
On our final day, we went in search of shorebirds and then we took two hours to walk an 800m trail – is this a world record in slowness, one has to wonder? On the beach, we saw semi-palmated plovers and western sand pipers. Both of these birds have long slender bills that they use to probe the sand for small invertebrates. On the rocky shore, we saw a group of very vociferous oystercatchers, high pitched "wheeps", sounding almost like a small child squealing. The stout red beaks of these birds are used to open mussels and clams to get at the tasty mollusc inside. The shoreline and mudflats of Clayoquot Sound provides vital feeding grounds for many migrating shorebirds as they pass along the British Columbian coastline on their annual migrations from north to south and back again. Individual birds may only be here for a few days, but in that time, they need to eat as much as possible to fuel the days of flying that lie ahead.
As for our record-breaking walk through along the 800m long Shoreline Bog Trail, affectionately known as the broccoli forest, due to the stunted, mishapen trees, well, it was very interesting, OK? The tortured, twisted shapes of the trees and the diverse assemblage of plants present caught our imaginations. The bog develops due to the sphagnum moss. This is an extraordinary plant. It has specialised cells that are able to store water and this gives the moss the ability to hold 16-18 times its own mass of water. Such absorbency draws the water table up, so creating the bog. Another effect that the sphagnum has on the bog is to acidify the waters. This prevents many bacteria from flourishing here and so nutrient cycling is very slow. The bog becomes a hard place to live, due to water logging and lack of nutrients. This means that some special adaptations are required to survive here. One of the most interesting is the sundew. This plant has a surprise up its leaves for any passing insect. An insect that is attracted to the brightly coloured leaves will end up being ensnared in their deadly, sticky embrace. By trapping and eating these insects, the plant overcomes the lack of nutrients in the soil and so flourishes in the bog.
So, here ends our biological foray out to the west coast of Vancouver Island. We are all very tired, a little damp, and most of us are probably ready to snuggle down in our own beds for a good night's sleep. It has been hard work, no doubt about that, but we have had many new experiences, we have laughed, but not cried. We have made new friends and built upon old friendships. These are experiences that none of us will forget in a hurry, experiences that we will treasure. And hopefully, some of us may even have learned something. I will finish with a very large wave........


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HoloPlay Unity SDK 1.0.0
Release & Update Notes
For the Japanese version, go here.
Hi everyone — my name is Kyle Appelgate, and I'm the primary developer at Looking Glass on our HoloPlay Unity SDK. We have been extremely excited to see what creators have been making with it, and want to take this opportunity to talk a bit about what we've been making on our end.
The SDK started as a hacky experiment drafted by Alvin Lee, our Lead Optical R&D Engineer, and was built to accommodate Alvin's research as he iterated over an incredible number of prototypes. Then, it was important to move quickly, create experimental features on the fly, and generally make a mess in our pursuit of what became the Looking Glass. But now that the Looking Glass is being used by hologram creators across the world, we want to shift the goals of the SDK's development to reflect that.
Starting with the 1.0.0 release, we're striving to make the code base more stable, make it easier to maintain and improve, introduce documentation and guides, and make it easier for users to file bug reports and feature requests. To this end, we've rewritten the SDK from the ground up, and I've had some help this time around: our Unity SDK team now includes Albert Hwang, who is handling higher-level direction of the product as well as making documentation and guides, and Shiyun Liu, who co-wrote the new version and will be handling some feature requests and maintenance.
We have a new documentation site! We will be keeping this reference up to date, as well as keeping archives for previous versions as we make new releases. We've also put together 8 example scenes showcasing each of our tools included in the SDK and how to use them. Albert also made a guide video to go along with them here:
Features and Additions
HoloPlay Capture
The HoloPlay Capture has been completely redesigned to closely map the properties of a normal Unity camera, so new users who are already familiar with Unity won't have too much to learn getting started making holograms. It is no longer split into multiple components and game objects, and a user can treat it as they would any other camera — changing all the same settings, adding post-processing, etc.
Internally, it uses a camera component for view rendering which is hidden in the inspector, and a child object, also hidden, with its own camera handling the post-processing of the view quilt into a lightfield image.
We've also added handles to the gizmo to allow resizing directly in the scene view.
There is also the option to customize the color of any of these gizmos!
Live Preview
Shiyun and I have spent a lot of time completely reworking how the preview window is handled. It now functions by automatically finding the virtual desktop position of the Looking Glass, so there is no need for the user to manually set any of those values. It also works with components that utilize multiple display outputs, like the Extended UI and Multiplex.
In addition, multiplexing — tiling Looking Glasses together in a mosaic — is now built into the SDK. It doesn't work with current Looking Glass units right away, however. You'll need to update the calibration firmware on each Looking Glass individually using our Calibration Update Tool.
We've included a prefab that handles arrangement of the HoloPlay Captures, along with a guide scene, to make multiplexing as easy as possible.
3D Cursor
The 3D cursor from our Model Importer app (original author Alex Duncan) is now included in the SDK as a generalized feature. It gives the user a mouse position in 3D space as well as a normal, derived from a depth-normals map rendered from the middle view of the scene— no need for raycasting or colliders.
Depth of Field
Unity's post-processing stack is great, and some well-tuned settings in there will make content in the Looking Glass look incredible, but one effect that proved essential was Depth of Field. As objects get further from the zero-parallax plane in the Looking Glass, we start to see some artifacts caused by the discrepancy between views. Blurring the objects when they start to reach those extremes mitigates that effect greatly and allows for more freedom in composition. So we've included our own effect that is specially designed to work with the HoloPlay Capture, along with a guide scene on how (and why) the effect works.
Extended UI
This isn't a new feature, but we've rewritten the Extended UI component and fixed some issues with it. This component will automatically show 2D UI elements on a regular display if it detects one is available, but if not, it will show the 2D UI in the Looking Glass.
Quilt Settings
It's been incredibly exciting to see how many hologram creators share their work with each other in our multiview quilt format. I wanted to make it even easier to work with quilts within the SDK, so I've allowed you to set every variable for the quilts in code and from within the inspector.
Maintenance and Roadmap
Going forward, we're going to be providing more regular maintenance for the SDK. We have a GitHub issues page that Shiyun and I will be tending to, and welcome feedback and input from the community.
I'm also working on an experimental LWRP branch, which you can check out here. Currently, it only has the basic functionality of the SDK with the LWRP enabled, but I've been hard at work trying to devise ways to optimize rendering by using either geometry shaders or instanced rendering. Some folks in our community and at Unity have been on the same track, which I've been extremely excited to see, so we will have some more advanced rendering techniques soon.
We'll also continue adding more general features and updated to the main HoloPlay Unity SDK, so look forward to more from us in 2019 and beyond!


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The world of business is one of the most divergent areas as every time a new technology rises it brings more convenience. New technology aims at how entrepreneurs will run their business easily.
Business Incorporation is a process of forming a corporate entity or business which structure a business that determines how you are supposed to run your business, how to pay your taxes and the ease of access with which you can merge with others in order to cut out the competition. Common business structures are LLC, C Corporation, and S Corporation.
Many entrepreneurs incorporated their business, but later on, regretted as they did it without knowing if the structure they chose was the right one to select or not. Moreover, there are many who have incorporated their businesses in a wrong manner which eventually led to a nonrecoverable failure. Therefore, it is very important to do focus on the right way to open a business.
If you are incorporating a business, then it is a good way to protect yourself. It creates a distinct legal entity that is separate from its owners. As opposed to a partnership or sole proprietorship, incorporation restricts each owners' personal liability for any business debts. No personal assets will be able to protect valuables like your car or home.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
It is complicated to incorporate a business as the process is not easy. You can easily make a mistake that can cost you thousands. Also, it will be very time consuming to solve these issues later on.
To avoid these mistakes, we have researched and found some common mistakes that one should avoid while incorporating their business and how you can avoid it:
Not Naming Businesses
Naming a business is a very important part as it provides added protection in terms of legal rights. It will also help you to build your business name and your brand. You will require to provide the same name when you want to start new branches nationwide. Doing this will give you immediate dominance in the market.
You may feel that this is something not important, but in actual, it is a very crucial thing. Many people wanted to incorporate without even thinking about the name of the incorporation. If you ever find yourself in this situation, then you need not panic. You can still run the cooperation after being provided with a number that will serve as its legal identifier. It can be used as a trading name when you want to run the corporation, but when you want to conduct official business affairs, you will be required to use the legal identifier number.
Writing the Wrong Description of Your Business
You need to know about the structure of the corporation in terms of the types of shares before you think about how the corporation will benefit you as a shareholder. Also, you will need to know about the voting rights of the shareholders and also how they will be paid. The articles of incorporation need to clarify the shares and all other features that can bring up conflict in the future.
If you neglect the items outlined above, then you will need to do modifications every now and then. This will definitely cost you more and more. If you want to avoid any additional fees, then you should take your time and know what you actually want. You can leave room for flexibility like an unlimited number of shareholders and a range of directors who can encourage growth.
Never Skip Payroll Taxes
This is one of the main things that one corporation falls into, especially when they jump-start their business. In the beginning, we know that it is not easy to make ends meet, but it does not mean that you don't pay the due taxes. Many people have done it before, but when they are caught, many times the government won't respect the limited liability that they wanted to enjoy when they formed the corporation.
In this case, they will look after the shareholder's personal assets to pay off the past due to tax debt. Thus, it is recommended to avoid this temptation and enjoy the fruits of incorporation.
There are several myths related to payroll taxes. Let's discuss them in detail:
Myth 1: To Save on Payroll Taxes, You Can Easily Transform Employees to Independent Contractors.
Reality: If you want to expand your business, then you probably want to hire employees that can help you. Becoming an employer and expanding your staff will entail you with many responsibilities, including payroll taxes. There are many myths related to these taxes.
It takes less time to employ an independent contractor than to have an employee on a team. This is because the cost of payroll taxes is applied only for employees, and it also includes benefits and insurance. You cannot reclassify a worker as an independent contractor who has been working as your employee. Various government agencies and IRS are looking for just such actions.
The work is free from the direction and the control of the hirer in connection with performing the work. The worker is mostly engaged in an independently established trade, business or occupation of the same nature as the work performed for hiring the entity. The worker performs work outside of the usual course of hiring organization's business.
Myth 2: All Tax- Free Benefits Are Exempt from Payroll Taxes.
Reality: Receiving tax- free margin advantages means that the workers do not have to give income tax on what they earn. However, it does not imply that organizations are free for payroll taxes.
For example, 401(k) contributions which are made by employees through salary reductions are subjected to the Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax. The adoption assistance is exempt from income tax withholding as the benefit is free from tax to employees but is still subjected to the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) and the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax.
Myth 3: Your Quarterly Employer Tax Return Can Help You Pay Employment Taxes.
Reality: Generally, you should always deposit federal income taxes withheld and both the employer and employee share of FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) with the U.S. Treasury. Not only this, deposits are required for FUTA tax for the quarter within which the amount of tax due is more than $500.
Myth 4: If You Outsource to a Payroll Service Provider, Then it Can Help You Get Relief from Liability.
Reality: Many businesses use an outside payroll service provider to manage the chore of computing payroll taxes, filing employment tax returns, withholding them from employees' paychecks, and remitting payroll taxes to the government. Now the big question is, what will happen if a payroll provider misses to pay your money to the government? Also, what will happen if it fails to timely file employment tax returns?
Unfortunately, you are still waiting for these obligations. You may have a lawsuit for breach of contract, theft, or other bad actions.
You can even file a complaint if you ever find that your payroll service provider is using some fraudulent activities concerning the deposit of your taxes or the filing of your returns. But it will not relieve you of your responsibilities to the government.
Myth 5: Incorporating Relieves You of Responsibility for Unpaid Employment Taxes.
Reality: You may think that if you have formed a limited liability company (LLC), then you may have complete personal liability protection. But in actual, you don't. If you are responsible for accounting for, withholding, or depositing withheld employee taxes (their share of FICA and their income tax withholding) and you fail to do so, then you can be held personally liable for all these taxes including interest. This is known as a trust fund recovery penalty and it can be applied to business owners if they have corporations or LLCs.
Additionally, you may also have state-level employment taxes to consider. You can find out more about federal employment taxes from the IRS. You can check with your state tax or revenue department to learn about your responsibilities on the state and local levels.
Not Having the Shareholder's Agreement
When most entrepreneurs want to incorporate their business, the only thing that comes in their mind is growth. They forget about minor issues like shareholder's agreement. You may think that it is a petty issue, but it can bring conflicts in the future.
No one can predict the future of the shareholders, and thus, it is essential for the articles of incorporation to mention what will happen when any shareholder dies, wants to withdraw and many others. The law is silent on these matters; therefore, it is important for you to outline the by-laws in the articles of incorporation for future purpose.
Not Checking the Records of Corporation
According to the law, if the corporation fails to file the financial records two years consecutively, then the incorporation is free to dissolve the corporation in question. It means that in case if it is dissolved, then the shareholders will have to incur extra costs so that it can be incorporated once again. If at any case you fail to file your corporation's annual declaration may cause the removal of the corporation's name in government's record.
Not Hiring the Right Employees
Startups should always focus on finding the right employees. Hiring the right ones is an integral part of your success in small business. Also, proper documentation is very important when you hire employees. This includes USCIS Form I-9, IRS Form W-4, noncompetes, benefit forms, offer letters, and employee handbook. You need to put lots of efforts and take time to prepare these documents when you start your company. It can help you save a lot of headaches later on and will provide your important business protections.
Not Having a Standard Contract
You will not have lots of customers when you start a business. But as you want your business to grow, you should develop a standard contract to use with your customers. This will help you streamline things and will ensure that you protect yourself. You need to look at contracts that your competitors are using. Prepare a contract that is short and easy to understand. You can also have a word with a lawyer who will ensure that you create a contract in favor of your business and fair to your customers.
Not Having a Business Lawyer
There will be various situations where you need to answer legal questions, will need to have documents reviewed, have an idea about your rights, and lack knowledge regarding protecting your own rights. After starting your business, you need to have a lawyer who will be there to help you when you make important decisions and commit to various legal agreements.
Why to Incorporate Your Business?
There are various advantages of incorporating your business:
- Companies can raise capital through the sale of securities more easily
- Companies have a trustworthy body of legal criteria to guide managers and owners
- Companies can have an unlimited life
- Companies can transfer ownership through the transfer of securities.
- Companies also get tax benefits under certain circumstances. One thing here to notice is that the corporations may be subjected to "double taxation" on profits. In order to avoid it, many business owners elect to operate their companies under subchapter S of the internal code. This is also known as an S corporation and it allows income to pass through to the individual shareholders.
How may IncParadise Help You?
Above are the 8 common mistakes that many entrepreneurs commit whenever they incorporate their business. Doing a small mistake can be avoided in the beginning, but later, it can cost you a big amount and is also time consuming. Some of these mistakes are very obvious to be forgotten, but many business people commit these mistakes. Now, as you are aware of these mistakes, you will not go down the same road.
The errors mentioned above are too easy to forget since many of us only focus on making more profits that a company will bring in. We never focus on smaller things that can make business run smoothly in future. These points are very important as avoiding them in the beginning will break your business.
Before you incorporate your business, make sure that the above errors do not appear anywhere in your performance. But still if you want any help regarding incorporating and registering your business in the US, then head over IncParadise. We will help you to guide through every process of setting up a business.