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GLEN MILLS, Pa.--Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, recently introduced Imron® 3.1 HG-D™ +, a new premium quality, high gloss acrylic polyurethane direct-to-metal (DTM) coating that broadens Axalta's DTM product offering for industrial customers in North America.
The new Imron 3.1 HG-D + is formulated with Axalta's latest technology to deliver a durable high gloss, high build, one-step system in non-corrosive exposures and select harsh environments. It is designed at a 3.1 pounds per gallon (lbs/gal) volatile organic compound (VOC) level to comply with a 3.5 lbs/gal limit in regulated areas and is available in an extensive assortment of custom-mixed solid colors and select standard factory packaged colors.
"Imron 3.1 HG-D + is purposely designed for use as a DTM or a high build topcoat with outstanding DTM color and gloss retention in addition to excellent adhesion, flexibility and hiding," said Ross Morgan, Axalta Coating Systems Product Manager. "For added protection, it may be used with Axalta's Imron polyurethane, Corlar® epoxy, or Tufcote™ alkyd or acrylic primers on properly prepared surfaces."
Axalta's industrial products are ideal for use on newly manufactured and refurbished equipment in construction, amusement, commercial and industrial facilities in addition to portable and modular building industries where premium quality corrosion protection for DTM is required.
To learn more about Imron 3.1 HG-D + or any of our industrial products, visit axalta.us/industrial.
About Axalta Coating Systems
Axalta is a leading global company focused solely on coatings and providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable solutions. From light OEM vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, buildings and pipelines, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enable the materials we coat to last longer. With more than 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the approximately 12,800 people of Axalta continue to find ways to serve our more than 100,000 customers in 130 countries better every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information visit axalta.com and follow us @Axalta on Twitter and on LinkedIn.


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Photo of the Day: September 13, 2013
Lady G's Photo of the Day:
"Sloughhouse Sunset"
This photo was taken a few nights ago during one of those epic sunset evenings. The only annoying part was the road worker guys couldn't understand why a Photographer would want to take a photo of the sunset. Happy Friday everyone!

subset: commoncrawl


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Shared Roof, a new mixed-use apartment building in Seattle's Phinney Ridge neighborhood, may initially appear to be like many other similarly scaled projects being built around town, but its unique backstory are poised to create a new model of family-oriented living. Owned by a collection of ten friends and families intent on living collaboratively, Shared Roof is founded on the principle of shared resources. Beyond the 5,000 square feet of ground floor retail is a public 1,500 square foot courtyard open to both 70th Street and Greenwood Avenue. The orientation of this space allows for easy flow of pedestrian traffic and ties the building not only to the main thoroughfare, but also to the residential neighborhood beyond it. Above, the interior courtyard provides access to all the units on levels two through five, providing an active European-style space while encouraging community within the building. The opportunities to build organic relationships continues onto the fully-occupiable roof that includes a greenhouse available for occupant use.
Because the owners will be living in the space, they are intimately involved with the design process, selecting high-quality materials and advanced sustainability features. The owners also opted to take advantage of Seattle's contract rezone, which raised the allowable height from 40' to 55'. This increased height allows the building to provide more family-sized units, ranging between two and four bedrooms, an increasing rarity among Seattle's new construction. Of these 35 units, ten will be occupied by the owners and their families, while the rest will be open to the market, including apartments dedicated to affordable housing. With its emphasis on community-building through shared resources, Shared Roof sets a new and exciting precedent for urban living.


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mila, great sorcerer
act i
Monks and Villagers climb the holy mountain to plead with their teacher, Mila, to tell them the story of his amazing life. On the way up the mountain Deities join the Villagers and Monks. Together, they re-enact Mila's life. Mila is born into a rich merchant's family. When Mila is seven, his father dies, leaving Mila and his mother in care of Mila's cruel aunt and uncle who enslave them. When Mila turns fifteen, Mother begs Uncle and Aunt to give Mila his inheritance. Uncle and Aunt throw Mila and Mother out of the house. Mother, craving revenge, cajoles Mila into entering Sorcery Training Camp to learn Black Arts. At Sorcery Training Camp, Sorcerer trains Mila in hate and long distance killing. Using his Sorcerer's tools Mila destroys Uncle's house, killing thirty-five wedding guests Mother wants more revenge, so Mila destroys the Village's entire barley crop. Mila barely escapes the Villagers' fury.
act ii
Back at Sorcery Camp, because of the violence he has committed, Mila suffers from post traumatic stress. Sorcerer tells Mila of a great teacher, Marpa, who might help him redeem his soul. As Mila sets out to find Marpa, Marpa and his wife Damema dream that a wonderful student is coming. Mila finds a farmer plowing a field. He ask the farmer where Marpa lives. The farmer, who is Marpa, but does not reveal his identity, tells Mila to finish plowing the field, and then come to the farm house. When Mila enters the farm house, he discovers who Marpa is, and asks for teachings. Marpa tells Mila that in payment for teachings Mila must build him a round house made of stones. Before Mila can finish the round house, Marpa demands a triangular house, then he changes his mind again and again, making Mila's work harder and harder, building and unbuilding houses. Damema, taking pity on Mila, gives him a big turquoise stone to pay for Marpa's teachings. But Marpa recognizes Damema's turquoise and refuses to teach Mila. Mila, desperate, is about to kill himself. Marpa stops him, calls him his heart son, and agrees to teach Mila meditation. Mila dreams he visits his old home, finds it in ruins and in it his mother's bones. He awakens, and leaves Marpa and Damema. He rushes home only to find his dream was true. Mila climbs a mountain, vowing to meditate until he reaches enlightenment. He is visited by a seductive female Nightmare dressed in red. Mila resists her. Three robbers visit Mila but find nothing to steal. Demons visit Mila. They jeer at him in the voices of Mother, Uncle, and Aunt. Mila can't chase his Demons away, so he offers them tea, so that he can continue to meditate as they live there too. Ultimately Mila's Demons turn out to be Mila's family played by the Deities at the opening of the opera. Marpa and Damema appear on a cloud and bless Mila. Villagers, Monks, Deities ask Mila for his blessing.
Mila blesses everyone.


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This recipe is one that I've adapted from www.allrecipes.com to lend it towards those living with cancer.
There is cheese in this recipe but I have used Jarlsberg cheese because it is known to affect the process of angiogenesis (creation of tumour blood vessels) – see the work of the angiogenesis foundation; Dr. William Lee.
3 small zucchini
1 onion, chopped coarsely
5 eggs
1 ½ cups of grated Jarlsberg cheese
½ teaspoon of fresh or dried parsley
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 cup of almond meal (or chosen flour) (*See note)
1 teaspoon baking powder
Paprika for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a quiche/flan dish & set aside.
2. Put all the zucchini, onion, eggs, 1 cup of the chees, parsley, sea salt & black pepper into a food processor & process for about 1 minute until all ingredients are finally chopped. Scrape the sides of the bowls if necessary.
3. Add the flour, the remaining cheese & the baking powder & process for a further minute, scraping the bowl if necessary.
4. Scrape the mixture into the quiche/flan dish. Sprinkle mixture with paprika & bake for 1 hour (or until set). The quiche is cooked when a sharp knife, inserted into the centre of the quiche comes out clean).
* If you are following the acid/alkaline approach to eating use almond meal instead of an all-purpose flour. Almond meal is far more alkaline.
* This recipe falls just short of the 80:20 acid/alkaline ratio.
* This recipe has a 5:1 (fat + protein:carbohydrate) ratio and is therefor a good ketogenic meal.


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The Wake
Our very own, Jared Thompson, and brother Joshua Thompson at The Wake.
Our very own, Jared Thompson, and brother Joshua Thompson at The Wake.
This August at the Madame Walker Theater, artists, actors, dancers, musicians, and activists alike will take the stage to discuss a system that has been built on a foundation of anti-blackness. While this event will include the deconstruction of this system, all of the proceeds from ticket sales are going straight back into communities that need reconstruction.
Premium Blend's own Jared Thompson, alongside his brother Joshua, will be taking the stage, joining a long list of talented performers. With speakers, artists, and musicians from every walk of life, The Wake sets out to bring the community together and raise awareness on topics like education inequity, food insecurity, and police brutality. A part of the program will be dedicated to eulogies for those who have been lost, and to loosely quote the description written on eventbrite, the focus will be to talk about their life and light, humanizing these people once again.
To learn more about The Wake, you can follow DONT SLEEP on facebook and purchase tickets through eventbrite below. Proceeds will benefit Green For All, GRoE, Inc., Bloom Project, Inc., and Sisters United.
Inspired by
Christina Sharpe


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Join us at the Mountain View Studio in Woodstock, NY.
An open rehearsal is a great chance to see the "behind the scenes" life of a dance where connections happen and ideas first become realized - the soft (sometimes messy) underbelly, so to speak. This event is a benefit for our 2016/2017 season including Bone Chorus and Other Soft Words. Everyone had such a great time at our last UNDERBELLY, getting the audience involved and getting feedback are essential to making this work. Come be part of it!
Suggested donation $20; pay-what-you-can encouraged! Come on out and see what we've been up to in the studio and support our new production: Bone Chorus and clyde's new solo, Other Soft Words.
Light refreshments will be served.


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Join us for an ugly sweater party and help us collect food for the hungry! If you wear an ugly sweater, get a dollar off one pint. Bring three cans of food and receive another $1 off the second pint.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: December 13Fourth Annual Winter Warmer Invitational @ Diamond Knot Brewing MLT
Later Event: January 13Food Truck: Stick It or Stuff It


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ReCycled Rides
ReCycled Rides bicycle library
Based at The ReMakery – exploring the world!
ReCycled Rides is a community bike library offering rescued, fixed-up bikes to Epuni and the wider Hutt Valley community.
ReCycled Rides takes bikes destined for landfill and refurbishes them for loan to anyone in the community who wants to ride a bike! In exchange, borrowers are encouraged to koha an hour of their time to any of our projects at The ReMakery. Or perhaps you have some other skills to share? We recognise that everyone has something to offer in return for the loan of a bike.
We've built a bike track with our friends at Epuni Primary School for the free use of our community, and in school holidays we explore our neighbourhood on whānau bike rides.
Please join us! Together, we ride.
Check out the ReCycled Rides Facebook page for the latest news and updates
We welcome donations of bikes of all sizes, so long as they are in good working condition.
If you are unsure, please contact us to discuss our currents needs and the suitability of any bikes you'd like to donate. Good quality helmets and accessories are also welcome.


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Hallmark Movies
McKell McIntyre - Managing Editor
Brooke Whiting - Staff Writer
- Christmas Prince
This movie is the perfect romantic comedy for Christmas time. Starring Rose McIver and Ben Lamb, this movie has a perfect dash of romance and heartbreak mixed with some good holiday cheer. This movie comes highly recommended for a cozy Christmas movie night. This is an adorable love story! When a young journalist goes undercover to find out the inside scoop on handsome, play-boy Prince Richard, instead of finding gossip she finds her one true love. This movie is easily found on Netflix so cozy up with a fluffy blanket and warm holiday socks for a night of romance and Christmas spirit.
- With Love, Christmas
With Love, Christmas is a captivating holiday love story which is sure to enrapture audiences from beginning to end. This movie has a timeless love story, that revolves around the classic Christmas activity—a Secret Santa Gift exchange. When the office Scrooge is paired up with an overzealous Christmas-lover, he couldn't be less thrilled. As the two begin to spend more time together, they soon find that they have more in common than they first realized. When the two discover they are up for the same promotion, they have to put aside the competition to realize the true meaning of Christmas. Starring Emilie Ullerup and Aaron O'Connell, this film will leave audience members filled to the brim with holiday cheer and longing for a Christmas sweetheart.
- Christmas Belle
This movie is a beautiful Christmas retelling of Beauty and the Beast, where a young Isabelle goes to help a spoiled man sell his oversized estate. Starring Haylie Duff and Nicholas Gonzalez this an adorable Christmas love story that will have you swooning from beginning to end. This is definitely a Christmas movie for all ages and is something that you need to see, especially if you are a fan of Beauty and the Beast. This movie has loveable characters, beautiful scenery, and a very memorable holiday feel. Christmas Belle is a highly recommended Hallmark Christmas special and I highly encourage you cuddle up with a warm blanket and a cup of hot cocoa when you get ready to watch it. Hallmark always shows wonderful holiday movies, but they really outdid themselves with this one. Highly recommended, Christmas Belle is definitely a movie for the season.
- A December Bride
A December Bride is a film you will want to share with family and friends, as well as rewatch for years to come. The storyline follows a young woman who attempts to balance the pressures of a career, finding love, and family drama. Starring Jessica Lowndes and Daniel Lissing, this movie offers a captivating plot that is sure to please everyone. With a perfect mix of romance and comedy, you'll easily be able to connect with the characters. If you love Christmas and are looking for a new film to binge, December Bride is sure to become a favorite!


text: Josip Broz Tito, original name Josip Broz ( 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980) was the leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1945 until his death in 1980. During World War II, Tito organized the anti-fascist resistance movement known as the People's Liberation Movement led by Yugoslav Partisans. Later he was a founding member of Cominform, but resisted Soviet influence and became one of the main founders and promoters of the Non-Aligned Movement. He supported the creation of a Yugoslav nationality and identity as a Pan-Slavic replacement of the existing nationalities in Yugoslavia, and thus through his actions, was considered a Yugoslav.


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Barbara Orbison, widow of Roy Orbison, dies aged 61
Barbara Orbison, the widow and manager of rock n' roll pioneer Roy Orbison, has died of pancreatic cancer aged 61.
A family spokeswoman said she died at a Los Angeles medical centre on Tuesday - the 23rd anniversary of her husband's death.
Since the 1980s, Orbison devoted her time to managing her husband's estate and keeping his legacy alive.
In January 2010 she also accepted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on his behalf.
With her son, Roy Kelton Orbison Jr, she co-produced a four-CD box set of her husband's 107 recordings which was released in 2008.
The package marked the first all-inclusive body of Roy Orbison's work from his earliest recordings to his last live performance.
Roy Orbison died of a heart attack in 1988 at the age of 52, in the midst of a comeback with supergroup The Traveling Wilburys.
Barbara Orbison was also the head of the Nashville, Tennessee-based music publishing company Still Working Music.
In 2010 it was awarded BMI's Song of the Year for Taylor Swift's You Belong With Me.
Lisa Swayze, family friend and widow of late actor Patrick Swayze, said her heart went out to the Orbison family.
"Patrick and I always had a warm connection with them both. Now we have lost this wonderful lady," she said.
Barbara met her husband in 1968 when she was 17 years old and Orbison was 32. They married nine months later.
The spokeswoman said Orbison will be buried next to her husband at Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles.
Orbison is survived by her sons Wesley Orbison, Roy Kelton Orbison Jr and Alexander Orbison.


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About this course
This one day training course that will provide construction professionals with the knowledge and skills to make effective use of COBie on BIM-enabled projects.
COBie is a key component of Level 2 BIM; a non-proprietary format for the publication and exchange of BIM data, particularly for asset information. Our trainers will explain the fundamentals of what COBie is and how it works, sharing lessons and best practice from a range of BIM projects that they have been engaged with.
Course Content:
- Introduction
- Level 2 BIM – outline
- What is COBie and what is it used for
- How COBie fits within the Level 2 process
- COBie in detail - what do all those spreadsheet tabs mean
- How COBie can be created. Software exports and merging COBie files
- COBie and the Digital Plan of Work
- Ensuring your data requirements are met
- Verification (checking your data requirements are delivered)
- Practical examples and case studies
Learn from the best
The vision of the BIM Academy is to be an international centre of excellence for Building Information Modelling. As an Autodesk Authorised Training Centre (ATC), all courses have expert trainers who are ATC instructors.
Learning Environment
The courses at the Northern Design Centre provide plenty of opportunities for hands-on use of up-to-date software and technology.
Your Future
The BIM Academy offers training courses for all levels from novice through to expert. Please contact us about other courses that could be relevant to your professional development.


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Waiting for a Butterfly – A Series of Photo Shoots
One of the first photo projects I thought of submitting to Dreamstime was the life cycle of the Black Swallowtail Butterfly. When I saw the caterpillars devouring my parsley in the backyard, I knew I had to take the photo opp.
I snipped off a half-eaten parsley branch that had one of the caterpillars and took it to my desktop studio for a shoot. Afterwards, I put the worm back in the parsley bush to let it go on with its business.
The worm was alien to me, so I had to do some online research. As soon as I was able to identify it, the Black Swallowtail Butterfly, I typed up the keywords and submitted my best shot to Dreamstime. The photo was accepted! I was so excited!
Several days later, I revisited the parsley and there was a cocoon! Again, I snipped the cocooned twig off and propped it for a shoot. After taking a few frames, I put the twig inside a glass jar and covered it with netting material, just in case the butterfly comes out when I'm not watching. I captured a few more frames. Dreamstime accepted these photos too. All I had to do was wait for the butterfly to emerge, so that I could complete my life cycle.
My online research told me that this butterfly usually emerges in about two weeks. This particular one emerged after almost two months – I was getting anxious that I might have killed it. Because I checked on the cocoon at least twice a day, I immediately noticed the butterfly just a few minutes after it emerged, so I was able to do a photo shoot before it was ready to fly away (too bad I missed the actual breakout from the cocoon).
I took photos of the butterfly while it was still inside the jar because I wasn't sure how soon it would be able to fly. Then I slowly removed the netting and pulled out the twig with the butterfly clinging to it. For several minutes, the Swallowtail just held on to the twig, waiting for its wings to fully unfurl.
I gently turned the twig so that I could get a better angle (I used a stand with an alligator clip to hold the twig). The butterfly was sensitive to movement so whenever it felt threatened, it spread its wings. It was tricky, trying to capture the open wings, because the butterfly would display for just a few seconds. I had to coax it to open up and I had to use continuous shooting to grab the exact moment of the full spread.
When I finally had several frames to choose from, I put the twig and the butterfly out in the garden so that it can flutter away and do whatever it is butterflies do. It flew away after an hour. As to my butterfly photos, yes, Dreamstime accepted them!
A month later, I saw a different caterpillar – the Giant Swallowtail. On our citrus tree this time. But that will be another story, and a different photo shoot.
Photo credits: Ruby B. Llamas.
6 Comments
Your article must be written in EnglishPublish
great story and great photos! I love the challenge of shooting butterflies but I have yet to find a good chrysallis, I have thought of even ordering one from a supplier but would rather find one. Thanks for sharing this story.
Great story, great photos !
Great story!
It is very good!!!
Great job!
A beautiful story of patience! I hope you get rewarded with nice sales, in any case it seemed like you had lots of fun with this project :-) I really like the shot with the butterfly and the cocoon


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Positions available for Municipal Golf Association
Posted by
City officials seek to fill positions on the Municipal Golf Association's board of directors.
The board provides municipal golf services for city residents and visitors, and promotes senior and junior golf play.
Apply here. For help, call Brandon Smith, city boards and commissions coordinator, at 207-7253
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3/15/2016 3 Comments
Work in progress update.
2/10/2016 0 Comments
Further update...
12/30/2015 0 Comments
New drawing update
11/30/2015 0 Comments
Oblivion Part 2: Help me!
Part 2: Help me! is based on a photograph of a rather ordinary stairway in an English Georgian Era house, but the addition of a girl situated above the stairs gives a whole new, rather unnerving aspect to the scene. Furthermore, I have also attempted to create a dream-like feel to the picture, playing on the limits of our awareness by emphasising the unseen. The girl has been deliberately placed partially in shot and the door has been left open into a pitch black room. It is hinted that something very sinister is going on by the tense pose of the girl and her position above the stairs. Consequently, this all leads to unanswerable questions about what is going on here. Well, I leave that up to the imagination of the viewer. As the artist that created this picture, even I am not sure what is going here either!
10/20/2015 0 Comments
In a departure from my usual subject matter, I have instead decided to explore the realm of surrealism with this concept piece. I have long been fascinated with the suspension of disbelief, where something is out place within the seemingly normal world. It is inherently unsettling when you realize that all is not as it seems, or that something is defying natural physical laws.
This picture has been directly influenced by imagery from the video clip "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails as well elements from the "American Horror Story" television show. Other inspirations have come from David Lynch, the artwork of M.C. Escher and, more recently, the hyper-realist art of Jeremy Geddes.
This scene shows a man levitating above the floor in an empty room. He appears to be in a trance-like state although it is not known if this is a deliberate act or against his will. It is also not known where he is or how he came to be there. In many ways it is like a dream; you can interpret it any way you want.
8/24/2015 0 Comments
August 24th, 2015
The underlying theme I have attempted to capture here is the harmony of dancers performing gracefully in well-timed unison. Indeed, the study and discipline required to perfect choreography of this kind is also something I admire greatly and pay tribute to through these pictures.
I originally decided to draw the Cambodian Apsara Dancer to complement my other drawing of a Spanish Flamenco Dancer (which is also appears on my blog). I was particularly interested in contrasting imagery as well as the style of movement exhibited by each dance, from the passionate whirling, stamping and clapping of the Flamenco to the graceful, elegantly timed movements of the classical Apsara dancer.
The difference in the style of dance and indeed the culture, from which they are derived, could not be more apparent yet each performance is a beautiful display of human movement and expression. For me, such refined cultural creativity represents the very best in human nature.
7/18/2015 0 Comments
The fall of Lucifer
A popular theme, certainly in western art is the story of the wars in heaven, which we now identify with the origins of the devil. Originally a biblical tale and popularized by John Milton's epic poem "Paradise Lost", the expulsion of Lucifer and his followers from heaven has been a major influence on western art and literature for centuries. Indeed, the contemporary imaginings of the devil as being a suited gentleman of immaculate taste and infinite intelligence have been widely conveyed through film, music and literature in recent decades.
This piece is actually an adaptation of a painting by Joel Rea called "Transcend Blue III", depicting a suited man in freefall. It is a very dramatic picture and reminded me of Paradise Lost when I first saw it. I followed this line of thought by adding wings to the man to convey the fallen angel theme while keeping the suit would give the subject a contemporary look.
7/18/2015 0 Comments
July 18th, 2015
This Place
A growing collection of drawings that I do in my spare time with standard graphite pencil on paper.
September 2019


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If sports and exercises no longer cut it, then it's time to give recreational boot camps and military training centres a quick look. Modelled after army physical training programs, boot camps and military training offers the man on the street with a quick way to shed unwanted pounds or take fitness to a whole new level through high-intensity interval training. Unlike conventional workouts and training sessions, boot camps and military training sessions are conducted almost exclusively outdoors.
These sessions usually involve small groups of people who are on the same fitness level and have share almost similar physical goals. They are designed to supplement the heavy schedule with a competitive environment to further push participants. Owing to the nature of the concept, the peak period for boot camps and military training are during springs and summers.
Be prepared to be disappointed if you are expecting drill sergeants to lead workout sessions. Instead, qualified personal trainers design customised programs and lead the daily workouts. They take notes, chart the progress of participants, and mix things up when things gets a little too comfortable. Fitness apps are sometimes used to help in keeping track of performance and achievement levels.
The activities during the sessions differ wildly depending on the trainers and programs. However, workouts are usually designed around the participants own bodies and surrounding – with the exception of adventure or cross-country races.
Due to the intensity of the programs, boot camp participants will usually quickly develop bonds with one another. Not only does adversity make makes strange bedfellows, it also creates a supportive communal environment where participants cheer, push and motivate each other to reach a common goal.
For more delicate souls, military training and boot camps may sound just a mite too intimidating. But fear not, because there are companies which offer luxury boot camps at exotic locations like Ibiza. We're not sure how to reconcile the idea of boot camps with luxury, but it apparently works.
© pacehealth.org.uk 2017. All Rights Reserved


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Even if the cold never bothered you anyway — it may have a big impact on your bills and on the pipes in your home. Here are some key points to keep in mind:
- Pipes exposed directly to severe cold, like outdoor pipes (house bibs, irrigation lines) are most likely to freeze.
- Protect exposed pipes by draining out door hoses when not in use.
- Insulate pipes and faucets in places prone to cold temperature, especially any that may be in attics, water lines to swamp coolers, garages and crawlspaces.
- If leaving your home overnight, shut off the main water valve.
- Prestige Tip: Make sure to schedule with Prestige Properties to get your swamp cooler winterized. Failure to have your swamp cooler winterized may lead to costly damage to the property and to your water bill!
- Prestige Tip: Report any leaks or suspicions of leaks immediately. If after-hours, call the emergency line at 760-218-3824. Neglecting to report a leak or pipe burst may result in tenant-costs. See your maintenance addendum for more info, or call the office to receive a copy if you have lost yours.
Read the original article posted by local radio station Z107.7fm here. For any questions, concerns, or to get your swamp cooler winterized, contact Prestige Properties at 760-365-9600.
Have a happy, healthy winter!


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Quick Reference
Term used to describe groups of thinkers of atheist tendencies, from the late 16th to the 17th century in France. Influences included Cardano, Bruno, Campanella, and in France itself Montaigne. The term could cover the dissipated and hedonistic way of life supposedly indulged in by those who throw off the shackles of religion, or the scholarly and dispassionate interest in the new science shown by philosophers such as Gassendi and Mersenne (so-called libertinage érudite).
Subjects: Literature


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Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
October 2010 TD Voting Poll
Discussion in 'SMF Throwdowns' started by sumosmoke, Nov 1, 2010.
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D. Winters Insurance Services
13312 Inverness road
Minnetonka, MN 55305
(612) 325-3516
(612) 466-3029 (fax)
Normal hours are 8 am - 6 pm but call anytime. We can talk.
Your Risk Management Advisor. We are an Independent Agency located in Chanhassen providing guidance in managing your risks. We provide personal and business insurance.
No need to drive to me. I will come to you, or we can talk on the phone or email.


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May 3, 2013
Introducing: Our Summer Specials
What a beautiful day to take your lunch break. The sun is shining, it's a Friday and it's the beginning of a well-deserved long weekend. We think it's the perfect time to introduce you to our Specials for Summer 2013.
To start you off, we have Asparagi al Melone e Prosciutto: fresh melon, in-season asparagus combined with Italian cured prosciutto ham that's light and refreshing.
For your main, there is Pollo al Limone; chicken breast with spinach and toasted pine nuts in a buttery lemon sauce, served with Tuscan potatoes. To fill you up but not slow you down.
And the cherry to top it all off…Sorbetto al Limoncello; lip-smacking lemon sorbet made with fresh lemon juice and zest. It comes with a shot of our own blend of Italian Limoncello liqueur…for the more adventurous diners.
Start your weekend off right by toasting to the sunshine with us! The Prosecco is always flowing at ours.
Book your table at www.zizzi.co.uk/bookings


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The success of Dr. Madhukar Pai's project to use simulated patient actors to assess the quality of tuberculosis care in clinics and regional health care facilities demonstrates the value of making early investments in transformative ideas.
Posts Tagged: Tuberculosis
Improving quality of tuberculosis care in India: can mystery clients help?
March 24th is World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, and a good time to take stock of global TB control. Sadly, despite the progress made, an estimated 8.6 million people developed TB in 2012, and 1.3 million died because of the disease. India alone accounted for 25% of this global TB burden.
Canadian-supported innovations fight tuberculosis in low- and middle-income countries
TB remains a major global health problem. In 2012, an estimated 8.6 million people developed TB and 1.3 million died from the disease. It is second only to HIV/AIDS as the greatest killer worldwide that results from a single infectious agent. TB is a leading killer of people living with HIV, causing one fifth of all deaths. Over 95% of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.


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Seize photographs and Full HD video with Cyber-shot compact digital cameras by Sony. Sony's authentic RX100 was a landmark camera that fused a 1-inch sensor in a compact, metal body with the controls and image quality demanded by fans. Ruggeds usually lack some of the features of unusual compact digicam, however they've video capability and the bulk can file sound. The lens assembly (backside right) is partially removed, but the sensor (prime right) still captures an image, as seen on the LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY display screen (backside left).
From vacation snapper to skilled picture high quality; there's a digital digital camera to swimsuit any scenario. The Lumix TZ100 is Panasonic's prime-of-the-vary travel compact and is built round a 1-inch 20.1MP sensor and a Venus Engine image processor. The most common originally was to use a single picture sensor with three filters passed in front of the sensor in sequence to acquire the additive color information.
Our superzoom cameras are additionally good; now you could be nearer to the action with 30x optical zoom, that are perfect for sporting events, and shows where you are sat distant from the motion. The RX100 III takes the already impressive RX100 II picture high quality and gives a formidable new 24-70mm lens, that's brighter at the telephoto end, and for those that want an digital viewfinder, the EVF in the RX100 III is excellent, larger than most, and really neatly tucks away conserving the digicam compact and pocketable.
One other multiple shot technique known as Microscanning This method makes use of a single sensor chip with a Bayer filter and bodily moved the sensor on the main focus aircraft of the lens to assemble a higher resolution picture than the native decision of the chip. That can assist you together with your buying determination, we've compiled this up-to-date list of the top 10 compact cameras for photographers.
Single-shot seize methods use both one sensor chip with a Bayer filter mosaic, or three separate picture sensors (one every for the first additive colors crimson, green, and blue) which are uncovered to the identical picture via a beam splitter (see Three-CCD digital camera ). At Currys LAPTOP World we have an extensive vary of compact digital cameras. For the reason that first digital backs have been introduced, there have been three predominant methods of capturing the picture, every based mostly on the hardware configuration of the sensor and colour filters.


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About Global Warming!
A visibly angry Barack Obama threw down the gauntlet at China and other developing nations Friday, declaring that the time has come to "not to talk but to act" on climate change.
Was that before of after he finished begging Hu Jintao to buy more Treasury bonds?
But Wait! There's More!!
Obama Snubbed by Chinese Premier at Climate Meeting
OY, the Putz BOWED AGAIN!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Obama Gets Tough!
Posted by NoVa Tea Party Patriots at 12/18/2009
Labels: china, climategate, hillary clinton, obama, US debt
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Dawn and Melissa were absolutely wonderful! Melissa sent pictures and texts twice daily while we were away. While we were gone, part of our tree fell in our front yard and Melissa notified us immediately with a text and a picture. CCCS has quick responses and are extremely professional and friendly. We could tell the first day that we were gone that the love and care for our animals was what we would give them on a daily basis. I can't say enough good things and will be not only using their services again in the future, but recommending them to anyone in need. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
Category Archives: Pet Sitting in Burleson
Pet Sitting Comment Provided by: Eve Salimbene
Dawn visited our three cats daily and gave them the tender care they needed during our absence. We arrived home to a clean house, happy, comfortable, secure cats and no issues. Dawn sent us text updates daily which gave me great peace of mind as we have one older cat with some health issues. It is relaxing to me to leave our home and pets knowing they are receiving such thorough care and love. Thanks Dawn.
Pet Sitting comment provided by Mary Chiariello
Thanks to Country Club Pet Sitters my husband and I were able to leave our four dogs all seniors and our cat for a much needed vacation without worries. All were well and happy when we arrived back home all were obviously well cared for. Thanks again. I will recommend to all my friends.
Pest Sitting Post provided by Liz Neill
We have been using Country Club Critter Sitters for several years and have always found Dawn and her team to be attentive and responsive. We are sent updates after each visit and Dawn is quick to respond to any texts/emails. Most recently, we had to go out of town and we needed someone to look after our kitties on very short notice. Dawn responded quickly and was able to accommodate us. The fact that Dawn is in Florida and we are Texas has never been an issue. Dawn stays in contact with her team and they are very responsible. We highly recommend using Country Club Sitters for your pet sitting needs.
Pet Sitting Post Provided by Sandie
I first met Dawn when I was volunteering for the SPCA. I could tell she loves animals. I am new to the area and was looking for someone I could leave my girls with. I had a terrible experience with a pet sitter in the past so I was vey concerned that I
find someone who I could trust. Dawn and I talked for quite awhile and I knew I had found that trustworthy person. She is reliable and flexible. Communication is very important to me and Dawn makes sure she updates me when I am not there. I look forward to having her take care of my girls again.
Pet Sitting Comment provided by Melissa Sims
I have worked with Dawn for many years and she has always showed great passion in her work. She cares for her animal clients as if they are her own. I recommend Country Club Critter Sitters.
Pet Sitting comment provided by Melissa at Sims Solutions
My name is Melissa and I work for Sims Solutions. Our web design company has had the fortunate pleasure to work with Dawn and her staff in the development of their website. Dawn has been courteous and an overall nice lady to work with.


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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The District Attorney wisely declined to charge Charlotte-Mecklenburg Officer Brentley Vinson with a crime after he was forced to fire upon a black suspect, 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott, who was armed with a handgun according to the investigation.
Vinson, who is also black, was cleared in the Sept. 20 shooting death of Scott because the shooting was deemed justified, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg District Attorney Andrew Murray.
"It is my opinion that Officer Vinson acted lawfully when he shot Mr. Scott," Murray said, speaking at a lengthy news conference Wednesday. "He acted lawfully."
Murray confirmed Scott had a .380 semi-auto handgun with one round chambered at the time of the shooting reported the NY Post.
This case was stacked against Vinson from the beginning, including implicit media bias, so it is refreshing to see a prosecutor resist misguided public pressure. CNN aired an edited version of a video that omitted officers ordering the suspect to drop the gun. Police are heard ordering Scott to drop the weapon no fewer than nine or ten times in the unedited version.
LET reported the deceptive edit in a feature that included both versions of the video.
Once the anti-police momentum picks up steam, facts become irrelevant and the public decree presumes guilt as demonstrated by some in this case.
Since Officer Vinson and his chief, Kerr Putney are black, and no one from BLM or any "civil rights" group came to their defense, the hypocrisy has oozed through the speeches and become meaningless.
Now we have more protesters taking to the streets of Charlotte. Thank goodness the people violating the law are being arrested. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police identified four people taken into custody during Wednesday night's protests in uptown Charlotte.
The demonstrations came on the heels of the DA's decision not to file charges against Vinson. Landon Rice, 22, Eleanor Everrette, 16, and Ngogloan Tran, 21, were each arrested for obstructing traffic. James Marsicano, 23, was arrested for obstructing traffic and resisting a public officer.
All four are scheduled to appear in court Thursday afternoon reported WCNC.
Sadly, as local media interview marching protesters, they remain ignorant, or blind to the facts of the case. Their arguments have an emotional appeal that are not based in rational thought. It is one thing to protest perceived inequities in the system, but using the circumstances of this case is misguided.


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Version française
Chronology of the Kodak brand
Manufactured in Etats-Unis from 1929 until 1933.
Index of rarity in France : Rare (among non-specialized garage sales)
Sold listing on Ebay.com
Inventory number: 15022
See the complete technical specifications
The Petite series (which differs only in colours) is technically based on the Vest Pocket mod B. Metal parts have been painted, bellows and leatherette have been coloured. From the austere black we go to a colours palette : blue, gray, green, and pink, this one is lavender.
It is possible that the model presented has undergone a replacement of its bellows by another taken from a Vest Pocket.
Originally, this model was sold together with a case of the same colour.
External Links:
To add a photo of the box of this model
To add advertising for this model
Video for the model (contact me for future addition)


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by Doug Smith, President, The Woodhaven Group
It has been widely reported that businesses of all sizes have accumulated cash over the last year to reduce debt and have a cash flow cushion going forward.
Someone else is doing the same thing.
The consumer has decided that saving money is a good and needed strategy for themselves and their families.
The US government reported that consumers saved 6.4% of after tax income for the month of July. This trend in increased savings has been happening now for a few months. Compare this savings rate to 1%+ prior to the economic chaos that started in 2008.
Why is the consumer deciding to save more at this point in time? Here are a few reasons as I see them:
- It is no secret that consumers are trying to reduce any and all debt they have.
- Uncertainty plays a major role in consumer psychology. The consumer is telling themselves that caution is the best strategy and that means saving dollars until they can get a better "feel" on the future of the economy.
- The consumer is becoming wiser. Part of what got the consumer and the country into economic trouble was spending on unnecessary products and services as well as houses bigger than were needed. You can add to that a few vacation homes. Now the consumer is still spending, but it is on more necessities and less on "feel good" items with no lasting value. Some of the remaining dollars is going into savings.
In spite of this new pragmatic approach by the consumer, businesses still have to generate sales. The consumer has not stopped buying. They are just buying less and being more cautious. A company needs to capitalize on that mindset. Here is how to do it:
- Know who your target customer is and channel your available marketing dollars at that customer. As a business, you do not have the luxury of using a shotgun approach. That only wastes cash flow.
- Know which of your services or products is most desired at this time by your target customer. Don't make the mistake of emphasizing secondary products, styles, colors, sizes, or categories in your offering. Lead with your strength. Do research to find out what that is if necessary.
- The consumer right now appears to only be buying bargains. So give them a bargain. Find a way to promote your most wanted items to the target customer at a price point they cannot refuse. Then cross market and up sell to increase the average sale and bump up margin.
- Offer the best guarantee or warranty that you possibly can. The consumer is not very trusting right now. Let them know that once they finally decide to buy that they can have peace of mind that their purchase will not be a mistake. Trust and credibility in the seller is currently an important part of the buyers decision-making strategy.
The consumer has money to spend. And they will spend it given a good reason to do so.
It is up to the owner or CEO to give the consumer a valid reason to dip into the increase in savings and spend it with your company.


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OMICS International organises 3000+ Global Conferenceseries Events every year across USA, Europe & Asia with support from 1000 more scientific Societies and Publishes 700+ Open Access Journals which contains over 50000 eminent personalities, reputed scientists as editorial board members.
Open Access Journals gaining more Readers and Citations
700 Journals and 15,000,000 Readers Each Journal is getting 25,000+ Readers
Dr. Manfred Eggersdorfer is Senior Vice President for Nutrition Science & Advocacy at DSM. DSM Nutritional Products is the world leader in vitamins, carotenoids and nutritional ingredients for Human Nutrition, Animal Nutrition and Personal Care.
Prior to DSM, Manfred Eggersdorfer was working for BASF, Ludwigshafen in different positions including Head of Research and Development Fine Chemicals.
Manfred Eggersdorfer studied chemistry at the Technical University Munich and did his PhD in organic chemistry in the field of synthesis and characterization of unusual amino acid. He was post-doc at the Stanford-University, California working with Carl Djerassi on the isolation and characterization of sterols from marine origin.
Further Manfred Eggersdorfer is active as honorary professor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of Groningen. He is member of the Advisory Board of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Curatorial for Innovation, and affiliate of various other organizations. He is author of numerous publications in the fields of vitamins, innovation in nutritional ingredients, and renewable resources, reviewer for a variety of journals and associate editor of the "International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research".
vitamins, innovation in nutritional ingredients, and renewable resources
New Momentum in Healthy Nutrition: A Proposal for a Nutrient-Energy Density Score Concept
|Manfred Eggersdorfer, Szabolcs Peter and Peter Weber
|Editorial: Vitam Miner 2016, 5:e145
|DOI: 10.4172/2376-1318.1000e145
Make the best use of Scientific Research and information from our 700 + peer reviewed, Open Access Journals


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Hey Friends! It's Lisa here. Will you go on a little journey with me? Grace's Table is having a Dedication Open House tonight for Room to Grow, but I would love to give you a little bit of the back-story.
It was July 2016, when I gathered with women from all over the Metro-Detroit Area to share the vision I had for Grace's Table. I shared how some of this would impact my personal journey, and some steps of faith that I knew I needed to take.
On this incredible night, I took a leap of faith and shared two life changing things:
I was going to leave 20 years of incredible opportunities in finance to work full time in the non-profit world. Whew! That was faith talking, but I had peace about this being the next step I needed to take. In January 2017, I left an amazing career with Bank of America and haven't looked back since. I am grateful for the way the Bank infused life into my passion for teen mamas and our community, and for the many friendships I maintain from all those years!
Next up was regarding Grace's Table. I shared about a need for space to meet the current demands of serving teen mamas and their littles, but also that the space would provide room for growth. I asked this group of women to pray with me as I boldly walked into this journey of taking a 1923 basement and making it into a space that would be inviting to serve young families. Check out the space in it's raw state below. Trust me, this story gets WAY better if you keep reading.
Bruce Heys Builders and Lorenz & Co. heard about what we wanted to do and the plans were drawn up and we needed to raise $50,000 to convert this space. This is where we invited you all to pray with us, and pray we did!
Next up, was was participating in a documentary with Our Daily Bread. Phillip Palacios asked if he could film me sharing intimate details of my journey of learning more about who I am in Christ. The film debuted at the Celebration Cinema North and the theatre was filled as people watched Sons & Daughters a thirst for belonging. After the viewing, those of us in the documentary came on stage and fielded questions from the audience. Again, I shared of my plans to launch this building project.
Fast forward to March 2017...Dare to Be was in town for an incredible night of worship and learning. In every town they go to they honor regular people like you and me, but someone fills out a nomination form about why they think you should be nominated. Unbeknownst to me, two friends did just that! I'll let you in on a little secret...Natalie and Charlotte, the Dare to Be masterminds, make women ugly cry in the best possible way! I am comfortable to say this with confidence because it happened to me! Proof below...
That night, Dare to Be honored a woman by the name of Kristina Fairchild who runs a group called Kind Like Katie. Kind Like Katie operates in the spirit of Kristina's daughter Katie who passed away in 2015. They are doing amazing things in our community and paying forward kindness the way Katie always did. Well, to be Kind Like Katie, the Dare to Be Team decided they were going to pay it forward and they made a significant investment in our expansion project, Room to Grow. I was blown away!!!
Fast forward one year...trust me a lot has happened during this time. We transformed that 1923 basement into one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen! Now the kiddos of Grace's Table cry when they have to leave, and the mamas wept in disbelief that, "someone did all of this for us?". Yes, Sweet Ones. This is for you and your littles because you need a safe place where you can build community, learn, and grow.
We affectionately call this space ROOM TO GROW, and we hope you will join us tonight, March 22 from 5:00 - 8:00 PM. There are a bunch of very special people who financially invested in this project to ensure it came to life. We want to thank them!
This was the sped up version of highlights. There are so many things that made Room to Grow possible, and I would love to share a story or two with you in person. I sure would love to see you at the Open House tonight! We hope you'll load the family into car and head our way anytime between 5-8 PM. There will be a special dedication at 6:30.
P.S. There are a boat load of amazing give aways, but you have to enter to win at the event. Thank you to these local companies for the truly incredible give aways - Adored Boutique, Posh Petals, Global Infusion, Horrocks Market, Capelli Salon, Allegro Coaching, and more.


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Merry Christmas!/
Merry Christmas!Read More
Travel + Photography + Inspiration + Education
Travel photography, Top Photo Spots, Reviews, Tutorials, and Musings
Merry Christmas!Read More
That statement is so true, and doubly so for photographers, I think. A couple of years ago, I would have walked across this bridge in downtown Austin, paying absolutely no attention to the rusty railing. Now I find myself looking at everything "through the lens", whether I have my camera with me or not. Photography has caused me to slow down, look at everything and see what was never visible to me before. It really has opened up my eyes. Plus it's great fun!
Just a little bokeh fun for a Monday morning! I shot this at Union Station in Kansas City. In this case I was just experimenting with bokeh and having fun. Hope your week is off to a great start!
I almost called this "KC and the bokeh balls" but it sounded way too corny, and brought back distant memories of bad 70's songs and bellbottoms. This is the Kansas City skyline, taken from my hotel room at night. I enjoy these pure bokeh or pure blur shots and really like all the twinkly little bokeh light balls floating all around. Just a fun shot!
One evening in Denver I was walking around not too far from my hotel, and discovered their beautiful Performing Arts Complex. I like shooting around theatres and other arts venues, as I always find that they are interesting. I assume since they are dedicated to the arts that they want to look the part! Anyways, I saw this lone empty wine glass sitting there and thought it was fitting for the occasion.
Just playing around with DoF and bokeh, both of which are interesting to me. This is from one of my favorite places to shoot in Austin, looking at the Austin skyline...look familiar to you Austin photogs?
You know by now that I am a fan of blue hour, and bokeh, so here I combined the two! Why not? Pure blur or complete bokeh is fun to experiment with, and I find that I am always examining a scene through a blurred lens to see if it will work. This was taken on Lake Austin, looking at some boats that were docked and there were some colored lights strung around the area, which I find it a requirement for those beautiful little colored bokeh balls...
Just a fun pure blur or total bokeh shot from Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, CA. It was mid-day when I was there, so it was bright, sunny and crowded, therefore it was tough to get the shots I really wanted. I guess I'll have to go back! By the way, the chocolate was good!
I usually don't post this many pics in a day, but since these are all related to the 4th of July I wanted to bunch them together and get them all posted pretty close together. This is from the 20th floor of a residential tower in downtown Austin, looking south across the river at the Hyatt Regency (for all you Austin folks). I like bokeh and like to experiment with what I call "pure blur" or a completely unfocused image. It works really well I think at blue hour, and when you can toss in some water and twinkly lights, it comes out pretty sweet. This was just a short bit before the fireworks show began...
Here is another one of my "pure blur" or pure bokeh shots, this one from San Francisco. Though San Fran is obviously a great location for typical photography, I found it to be interesting for these bokeh shots as well since there are so many twinkly lights around. This is the Bay Bridge, and unlike some of my other pure bokeh shots, you can pretty much tell, if you know the bridge. I was on a pier one evening, taking shots of just about everything, and turned and saw this. Of course I got a bunch of "normal" shots of this bridge too, but I just had to spin the dial and blur it up a little!
"Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst." - Henri Cartier-Bresson


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'Well' Balanced
Life is a juggling act at the best of times, but when you throw ill-health into the mix it can seem impossible to keep all the balls — errands; school run; petcare; house cleaning etc — in the air. Willing and trusted family and friends can make a huge difference by stepping up to take care of one, or more, tasks thereby taking it off the worry list of a patient or their over-stretched nearest and dearest.
To help turn genuine offers of help into practical assistance, there are several websites (see below) that co-ordinate and match what needs to be done with those willing and able to do it. Individuals or groups of volunteers can use these sites with ease.
Tasks that many would appreciate support with include:
- Lifts to and from hospital or doctors appointments
- Walking the dog/feeding the cat
- Help with school runs or childcare during holiday periods
- Keeping on top of finances
- House cleaning or gardening
- Grocery shopping
Care Calendar
A website that allows you to create a shareable calendar. The individual needing support need only list the help that is needed and family and friends can sign up to fill those needs. Like an online signup sheet, only better. CareCalendar can also be used for long term situations, including homebound and caregiver respite care needs, or prolonged periods of chemotherapy, as well as shorter periods of hospitalisation. Email reminders are sent to those who sign up to ensure no tasks are left undone.
No More Grapes
The founder of this excellent UK-based site was often asked 'how can we help?' by family and friends during her seven-year battle with cancer and has turned that experience into a free-to-use online community providing updates and matching patients' needs with willing and available 'do-ers'. The patient stays in control while the loved ones feel truly useful.
There are even some wonderful charities or volunteer organisations that offer assistance to help patients and the elderly keep on top of day to day life.
Cleaning for a Reason
This extraordinary US-based charity provides two-months of free house cleaning to women undergoing cancer treatment. The service is funded by charitable donations and is offered in the USA and Canada.
The Good Gym
If you know somebody in the UK that feels isolated because of their condition, or age and does not have family and friends nearby, then you might want to look up the fantastic concept of the Good Gym. A centrally co-ordinated group of runners that have chosen to get fit by combining their exercise with a visit to someone who is in need of company or someone to help them with a particular task. Take a look and see if this rapidly-expanding network is available yet in your area.


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International Trade
After the international deal is done, the next step in these transactions involves the delivery of goods and services across borders, as well as making and receiving payments for those goods and services. As you might expect, the national governments implicated by those international payments and transfers of goods, services and technology have an interest in regulating such activities which occur within or across their borders, or when the deals involve the transfers of sensitive technology.
Trade Compliance
To avoid potentially devastating penalties for violations, Trade Compliance is critical for any company operating outside the United States. Our Trade Compliance attorneys and consultants advise clients on all aspects of import, export, and international trade regulations, including:
Customs and Import Law
Ruling Requests
Import Compliance Programs
Fines, Penalties, Liquidated Damages, Seizures & Forfeitures
Internal Audits & Compliance Assessments
Cargo Security (C-TPAT, FDA, USDA, etc.)
Export Control
Export Licensing
Export Compliance Programs
International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)
Sanctions & Embargoes
Internal Audits & Compliance Assessments
Commodity Jurisdictions (CJ) from State Department DTC
International Trade Agreements & Duty Preference Programs
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)
Bi-Lateral Free Trade Agreements
International Trade Regulation
Countervailing Duties/Subsidies
Safeguards under Section 201, 301, etc.)
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
Foreign Trade Zones
Applications & Modifications
Zone Procedures & Compliance Manuals
Compliance Assessments & Internal Audits
Select Trade Compliance Representative Matters
Created ITAR and export compliance program for US satellite component manufacturer.
Obtained release of tablet computers seized by Customs for alleged IP infringement
Mitigated Customs penalties airline catering company
Filed prior disclosure to avoid Customs penalties related to NAFTA imports of textiles.
Counsel in CIT litigation resulting in the dismissal of Customs marking and §1592 penalty against textile importer.
Developed in-bond and cargo security program compliant with Customs guidelines for major U.S. transportation company.
Developed import compliance and vendor management program for discount mass merchandiser.
Audited & revised FCPA policy for US-based public multinational valve manufacturer.
Advised US candle importer during ITA/ITC antidumping investigation.
Coordinated with South Korean Customs agency to obtain release of cargo.
Established trade compliance program for US subsidiary of large Japanese high-tech company.
Established import/export and FTZ compliance program for multinational petrochemical company.
Validated GSP qualification of numerous products for well-known mass merchandiser.
Obtained favorable Customs ruling used by entire oil/petrochemical industry for imports of synthetic crude.
Advised US wireless Internet company in Mexican joint venture.
Advised US defense contractor in formation of Turkish subsidiary.
Facilitated the establishment of Chilean/U.S. joint venture to import and sell flowers in the U.S.
Directed foreign counsel on formation and start-up of Italian subsidiary of U.S. semiconductor company.
Drafted and negotiated international distribution agreement between U.S. media company and South Korean entity.
Additional Insights Regarding International Trade Law
For more information on international trade legal issues, see our Legal Insights and Industry Solutions pages.
International Business Transactions Services
International Trade Law
International Intellectual Property Protection & Enforcement


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Let them doubt us.
Amar'e Stoudemire said he pays no attention to skeptics who wonder if the Knicks' five-game winning streak — all against teams with losing records — is a tease.
In today's expected sold-out Garden matinee, the 8-8 Knicks finally get a crack at a winner — Joe Johnson's Hawks. Atlanta has been a playoff team the past three seasons and is considered at least the fourth-best team in the East despite a modest 9-7 start.
The four teams the Knicks have slayed during their winning streak — the Kings, Warriors, Clippers and Bobcats (twice) — are 26-53, a combined 27 games below .500.
Stoudemire said he feels the Knicks are showing "great professionalism."
"In order to be successful, you have to beat the teams we're supposed to beat," Stoudemire said. "That's been our motto all year. We're starting now to do that. Now we have to get one against Atlanta, who's playing well and been playing well for several years. We're confident and we're showing it in our play, in our swagger. I think our swagger has gotten better."
Coach Mike D'Antoni was miffed at the tone of questions thrown his way after yesterday's practice — about the tainted winning streak and the defense's poor stats (27th in points allowed, 28th in opponents' field-goal percentage).
"Why don't we list all the negatives we can?" D'Antoni said. "Can't I enjoy Thanksgiving? I could've sworn we won and are on a high. Some people think we're playing pretty good."
Knicks fans have a right not to jump fully on the bandwagon. There have been teases during nine straight losing seasons, when bursts of promising play were followed by unmitigated disaster. The Knicks never have dealt well with prosperity.
But as they vie for a winning record today, the Knicks have a superstar leading them in Stoudemire, who has carried the team on his back on and off the court. They have a point guard in Raymond Felton playing at an All-Star level recently. They have a newly brash sharpshooter in Danilo Gallinari who is hitting big shots in the fourth quarter. And their speedball attack is functioning more smartly even as D'Antoni has asked the offense to speed it up even more.
"It's a matter of us staying humble, understanding we have a lot of room to improve," said Stoudemire. "We're still trying to get better. Winning five straight is great, but we're only .500 in the record."
The concern is the Knicks lost a double-digit fourth-quarter lead in each of the five wins with spotty defense and had to hang on at the end. Against teams that know how to win, the Knicks might not get the same result.
The Knicks have their first five-game winning streak since January 2006, when they won six in a row in Larry Brown's lone season as coach before they collapsed and finished 23-59. If the Knicks can take out the Hawks today and beat the woeful Pistons in Detroit tomorrow, that would give the club its first seven-game winning streak since 2001, when Jeff Van Gundy ruled the roost.
Now that really would be an invitation to parade around in blue and orange.
"[Atlanta's] a good team," D'An toni said. "The team has aspira tions that's really high. They'll come in hungry. Will it mean something if we win? Yeah. Will it mean something if we lose? Yeah. But nothing more than normal."
Stoudemire said, "Any time you win, your confidence gets higher and you start believing in yourself. With a young team the confidence goes down and you stop believing."
Despite the defensive stats, Stoudemire said he thinks the team's defense has been OK. He has been a dynamo protecting the rim, coming off a six-block outing in a 99-95 win over the Bobcats on Thanksgiving Eve.
"I think we're getting better [defensively]," Stoudemire said. "For us to be as young as we are, the way we've been improving over the season is showing great professionalism."


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1994 Championship Memories: Big Deal Neilby Michael Obernauer / NYRangers.com
NYRangers.com is getting ready to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion Rangers, and to welcome back the players and coaches and staff for a one-of-a-kind celebration on Feb. 8 at the Garden. We'll be looking back at a few of the memorable moments and characters that made the joy of this championship season one that will last a lifetime.
One of the most important acquisitions in the Rangers' assembly of the 1994 Stanley Cup Championship team came more than five years before the first Champagne cork was popped, when the team brought in the man who would lay the blueprint of a title winner - a 35-year-old out of the Red Wings organization named Neil Smith.
Smith was hired on July 17, 1989, to become the ninth General Manager of the Rangers, a title he would hold throughout the 1990s. Smith had cut his teeth with the Cup-winning Islanders in the early part of the decade, then built his stature working in Detroit's system in the mid- and late-'80s. Once he took command of the Rangers, his pursuit of a winner earned him the nickname "Big Deal Neil"; his acquisition of Mark Messier changed the course of the franchise forever, and his retooling of a first-place team on the day of the trade deadline in 1994 remains a signature day in Rangers history, for the boldness of the moves and for their discernible impact on the Rangers' playoff run in the spring of '94. Even though there was one trade on that day that Smith says he "hated."
"To win in New York, you better be proactive," Smith said in an interview with NYRangers.com. "And if you're not proactive, they're going to kick you out and get somebody who is. That's just the beat of New York."
In combing over how the 1994 Rangers were built, Smith himself stressed that you have to go back well before his arrival, when the first cornerstones were laid. NYRangers.com takes a look back at how Smith set about constructing the Stanley Cup Champions.
June 15, 1985
Drafted in 2nd Round, 28th overall
June 21, 1986
Drafted in 1st Round, 9th overall
Neil Smith: "I got blessed by having two guys put in my lap that ended up being cornerstones of the team, and that's Leetch and Richter. So when I walked in the door they were already there. Pretty good thing to build around, a great goaltender and one of the best defensemen in the league, if not the best. So I already had those guys when I got there, and they were young, they were just starting out in their careers."
June 17, 1989
Hired as General Manager
NS: "I learned a lot by observation, and I've got to say I learned a lot from Al Arbour and Bill Torrey, that was a tremendous start for me just to watch those guys and see how winners conduct themselves and what their expectations were. And then I went to Detroit - Jimmy Devellano took me to Detroit with him, and we started to do well there after a while of getting it set. I became the GM of the Adirondack Red Wings in 1985, and the coach there was Bill Dineen. (The two won the Calder Cup with Adirondack in 1986 and 1989.) Bill had won two Stanley Cups as a Detroit Red Wings player and two Avco Cups in the World Hockey Association.
"He wanted to win. I mean, he wanted to win, and would do whatever it took to win. And that taught me something too, that mentality of, Nothing's acceptable except winning. That rubbed off on me and I learned a lot from Bill.
"And then Jack Diller hired me for the Rangers, and at the time he got crucified for hiring a 35-year-old kid. Nobody knew me, I hadn't played in the NHL, and all of this. They went from Phil Esposito, the folk hero, to me. Everybody wanted to kill Jack Diller."
June 16, 1990
Drafted in 5th Round, 85th overall
(Draft choice acquired as compensation when Quebec signed Guy Lafleur three days before the Rangers hired Smith)
June 16, 1990
Drafted in 12th Round, 244th overall
NS: "Nemchinov was somebody that I wanted to take for Detroit the year before when I was chief scout, and they didn't want me to take him. So I waited and took him in New York."
March 5, 1991
Acquired from Detroit, with Per Djoos
for Kevin Miller, Jim Cummins and Dennis Vial
NS: "It was good to get Joey Kocur at that deadline. You needed that heavyweight guy. You couldn't let other teams intimidate you, so - in that era - you needed that heavyweight guy. Joey Kocur could be that role for us."
June 9, 1991
Drafted in 1st Round, 15th overall
NS: "I was proud of Kovalev - without him we don't win either. And he was a gutsy pick, because he was the highest a Russian had ever been picked in the draft. No, I didn't have any hesitation to do it, because I'd been doing it in Detroit: we drafted in '89 those guys that ended up winning Cups, and two Hall of Famers in Lidstrom and Fedorov. I didn't hesitate on rolling the dice on things. And Alex, we do not win without him in New York. …
"I think of that story, in that famous game in New Jersey (Game 6 at Brendan Byrne Arena, where visiting executives sat in the press box that was set within the regular stands), they were winning 2-0, and there was this idiot in the stands next to me just yelling, over and over again, 'Hey Neil, back to the drawing board! Back to the drawing board!'
"So then Kovalev scores that goal and the place erupts, and then of course the famous stuff that goes on in the third period. And I swear to you, when Mess scores into the empty net, I turned to look at that guy, and the seat was empty. Gone. Kovalev quieted him right down, and then Mess sent him on his way."
Sept. 3, 1991
Signed as Group I free agent
Troy Mallette to Edmonton as compensation
(Oilers were denied in their request that the arbiter award Steven Rice and Louie DeBrusk as compensation; the two players would be packaged in a separate deal to Edmonton one month later)
NS: "My favorite. I'm very, very proud of Adam Graves. Because Adam Graves, I drafted him for Detroit, I knew him and his dad, I believed in him. When I traded for him that year he was a heavy-duty minus on Edmonton in the '91 season, because he'd been played against all the top guys on the other teams. And he came in and became Mess' bodyguard, and scored those 52 goals. To me, that's such a great story. I go all the way back with him to the '86 Draft, and there we are on the ice with the Stanley Cup together. To me, it's a wonderful, wonderful story.
"When I got Graves for Mallette, I was talking to another GM, and I swear to you he said, 'Do you really think that Adam Graves is better than Troy Mallette?' I said, 'I know his character, and I know his dad, I drafted him for Detroit; Yes, I'm pretty confident in that.'"
Oct. 4, 1991
Acquired from Edmonton
for Bernie Nicholls, Steven Rice and Louie DeBrusk
NS: "Once you get Messier, everything changes."
Was it anything like a no-brainer at the time, as it is in retrospect?
NS: "No … no … Glen (Sather, then the Oilers GM, now the Rangers President) was known as a horse-trader, right? And Mess had been through the wars. I mean, every Canada Cup, he'd been in the Finals all those times, he'd been injured - there was a lot of things going on. So when I made the trade he had to come have a physical, that was part of the deal - he had it while we were playing in Boston that night in the opener of the season. The words from the doctor, Bart Nissenson, his exact words were: 'Oh, he's quite a specimen.'
"It's hard to believe now - one of our beat writers, he was writing for one of the Jersey papers, he ripped me for trading for Messier. He said, 'Here they go again, they're trading away their young guys for has-beens.' There were a lot of people who were very skeptical. And if the Messier thing doesn't work out, I'm fired for sure. There's no doubt in my mind."
When was did it become clear that he was the real deal?
NS: "It was clear from the time I picked him up from the airport. I'm not kidding. And then when I saw him skate in a Ranger uniform that first night in Montreal, I was like, 'Holy moly.' Because this guy, could he ever skate. Mess was like they skate today - he had the speed that the players have today, he had it back then. He was just a powerful man, game-breaking strides, and then there's all the legendary stuff about him with his teammates.
"He changed the culture of the organization, there's no doubt about that."
Nov. 12, 1991
Acquired from Edmonton for David Shaw to complete Messier trade
March 9, 1991
Acquired from Buffalo
for Randy Moller
Dec. 11, 1992
Acquired from Edmonton
for Roman Oksiuta and 1993 3rd-round draft choice
Dec. 28, 1992
Acquired from Winnipeg
for Kris King and Tie Domi
March 17, 1993
Acquired from Edmonton
for Doug Weight
NS: "That was another building block of the team. Although it would be easy to criticize that trade in hindsight, without Tikkanen you don't win the Cup. There's no doubt about that. But I gave up a star again - two of our draft picks (Weight and later Tony Amonte) who turned into stars to win the Cup. That was the price you had to pay."
March 22, 1993
Acquired from Tampa Bay
for Randy Gilhen
April 17, 1993
Hired as Head Coach
NS: "I just knew that we had to get a guy that had handled high-level players, because now we were breaking into high-level players, stars, which is something the Rangers really hadn't had a lot of. They'd had older stars, but not stars in their prime, and we had Leetch, Richter, Graves, Messier, Zubov if you want to say, and others. And I told ownership we need to get any of Scotty Bowman, Al Arbour, or Mike Keenan. We've got to get one of those three. Al wasn't going anywhere, and Scotty was coaching in Pittsburgh, you're not getting him out of there. There was only one guy available who was at that level that I thought we needed, and that was Keenan. So that's what happened.
"No matter what I or anybody says about him, I got the right guy."
June 25, 1993
Acquired from Vancouver
for John Vanbiesbrouck NS: "This is very fortuitous. We're going to lose a goalie in the Expansion Draft. So I traded Vanbiesbrouck to Vancouver for Doug Lidster, because what I said to (Canucks coach/GM) Pat Quinn was, expose Vanbiesbrouck, you won't lose Kirk McLean, or you won't lose the backup, Kay Whitmore, because you could only lose one goalie and I know for sure Roger (Neilson, the ex-Ranger coach and the Panthers' first-ever coach) and Florida are going to take Vanbiesbrouck. And I didn't want to lose him for just nothing from our team. So I ended up getting Lidster from Vancouver."
June 25, 1993
Acquired from Tampa Bay
for 1993 3rd-round draft choice (returned to Tampa Bay)
NS: (Referring to his predecessor with the Rangers, Phil Esposito, then the first GM in Lightning history): "Espo calls me and says, 'I can get Healy (as part of the Expansion Draft), and if I get him just gimme back the third-round pick you got for me signing Rob Zamuner. So I said, 'Okay.'
"So now all of a sudden I've stolen the Islanders' starting goalie from the year before, and put him in behind Richter, which was as good a combination as having Vanbiesbrouck and Richter."
July 29, 1993
Signed as free agent
Sept. 7, 1993
Acquired from Quebec
for Mike Hurlbut
NS: "We go into '93-94, and there were some really fortuitous things that happened. I got a call from the Nordiques that they wanted Mike Hurlbut. They gave me a list of players I could have, and we said 'Okay, we'll take Karpovtsev.' Well, Karpovtsev came right in, played on our team, and was on the Stanley Cup. You know?"
Oct. 3, 1993
Claimed from Edmonton in NHL Waiver Draft
Nov. 2, 1993
STEVE LARMER and NICK KYPREOS
Acquired in three-team trade with Chicago and Hartford
with Barry Richter and 1994 6th-Round draft choice
for Darren Turcotte and James Patrick
NS: "I don't think Chicago wanted to trade (Larmer) directly to us, because of the Mike Keenan-Chicago thing. So they ended up trading him to Hartford, and Hartford before they got him said, 'If I get him, will you get him from me and what will you give me? So we worked that out with Paul Holmgren, and I got Steve Larmer, which was a huge, huge thing for us.
"I think (Chicago GM Bob) Pulford just didn't want to trade him to Mike - I don't know that for sure. But I could make a deal with Holmgren, because I could give him Patrick and Turcotte and he was happy with that, and he gave us Kypreos and Larmer, and we were very, very happy with that."
March 21, 1994
Acquired from Toronto
with 1994 4th-Round draft choice
for Mike Gartner
NS: "I called Cliff Fletcher and said, 'Cliff, Gartner's got another year left on his contract, he's from Toronto. Glenn Anderson doesn't have any time left on his contract, and he's played with all these guys here (on the Rangers), so would you trade Anderson for Gartner?' Long story short, he did it, he said yes and we did it right there on that conversation. I think the only time we talked about it was on the day of the deadline, so we did it that quickly."
March 21, 1994
CRAIG MacTAVISH
Acquired from Edmonton
for Todd Marchant
NS: "We go into the deadline and I had already been talking to Sather about MacTavish, because they weren't going to make the playoffs, we were playing a winger at center ice, I needed a center I thought, and I thought we needed a guy that could take faceoffs and we needed our third line to be a little bit better. So I wanted MacTavish, I had wanted him for some time by then and I end up finally getting him from Edmonton late on the deadline day."
March 21, 1994
STEPHANE MATTEAU and BRIAN NOONAN
Acquired from Chicago
for Tony Amonte and rights to Matt Oates
NS: "Mike had been on my back all year about Amonte for Matteau, Amonte for Matteau, all year. And I was on Sather's back all year about MacTavish.
"Mike all season had wanted Matteau from Chicago because he'd just come from there. I said I'm not trading Amonte for Matteau. I wouldn't do that all year. Finally at the deadline I called Pulford and I worked it out so I could get Noonan and Matteau, and I said Okay I'll do it - because I knew I was trading away a future star. And so I hated the trade. Because my job's the future, right? When you're the GM your job is the future, and I knew that I was sacrificing future for present.
"I was given some different names from Pulford, and of course I was saying to Mike, 'What do you think of this guy, what do you think of that guy?' Because he had been there (in Chicago), I'd be stupid not to ask his advice on players that were on his team. And we got to Noonan, and that convinced me. It put me over the top that, okay, this was palatable for me - Matteau for Amonte directly was not palatable to me, I couldn't do that. And I was right - look at Amonte, he went on to be a star.
"The thing about it was, those guys bonded together extremely quickly. Two guys from Chicago, a guy from Edmonton and a guy from Toronto - or you could say two guys from Edmonton, in Anderson and MacTavish. But all these guys, they come in and it was like they didn't miss a beat. And on we went."


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Porfilio leads Martlets to fourth-place finish at cross-country meet in London
Porfilio leads Martlets to fourth-place finish at cross-country meet in London
Sep. 24, 2011 Cross Country
LONDON, Ont. -- Freshman Jessica Porfilio of Longueuil, Que., placed fifth overalll to lead the McGill Martlets to finish fourth of 17 teams at the 37th annual Western International Cross-country Invitational meet at the Thames Valley golf course, Saturday.
Tamara Jewett of the Toronto Varsity Blues captured the women's individual title, completing the five-kilometre course in 17 minutes, 35 seconds. Porfilio was clocked in 18:16.
On the men's side, McGill came in 13th overall with 345 points, led by Ian Forbes, who place 47th, completing the 10k race in 34:56.
Guelph captured the women's division with 42 points, just two ahead of McMaster. Rounding out the top five was Western (95). McGill (99) and Dalhousie (149).
In the men's race, Matt Walters of the Windsor Lancers won the individual title, completing the course in 32:03, leading his troops to the team title as well, with 38 points. Guelph was second, only one point in arrears, followed by Western (77).
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (tel.)
m.athletics.mcgill.ca (mobile website)


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YANGON-- In the wake of Myanmar's post-2011 democratic overtures and the subsequent abrogation of non-military sanctions by the US and EU, President Barack Obama has pledged to take a 'long and broad view' of Myanmar's progress toward democracy. Forging new diplomatic ties will augment US economic interests in the Asia-Pacific region and, in so doing, facilitate economic growth. Yet, critics warn foreign investment may also serve to bolster an only nominally civilian government with a record of widespread human rights abuse. As President Obama urges caution, pundits weigh the benefits of foreign investment in Myanmar against potential human rights setbacks.
Economic stagnation
Prior to a wave of recent economic optimism – one side effect of the new constitution adopted in March 2011 – the economy of Myanmar had been in decline since the coup d'etat of 1962. Under the notorious Burmese Way to Socialism, a disastrous economic scheme to nationalize industry, the ruling military junta plunged the nation into catastrophic economic bankruptcy. Though Myanmar is rich in natural resources, by 1987 it had come to be recognized as one of the most impoverished nations in the world.
Though the military regime that came to power in 1988 revoked some of the country's totalitarian socialist policies (e.g., permitting a small degree of both expansion in the private sector and foreign investment), the economy continued to suffer from serious macroeconomic imbalance and broad environmental mismanagement from 1988 to 2011. Rampant corruption and the continued state co-ownership of private enterprise suppressed opportunities for growth. A dual exchange rate system allowing state-owned enterprises to divert funds while simultaneously giving the junta power to control rates contributed to skyrocketing inflation and other economic distortions.
Despite an increasing current-account deficit in the late 1990s, the state arbitrarily closed off border trade, thereby putting an end to what had for years been an economic lifeblood. Rice exports, once an essential component of the state's international trade, also declined exponentially between 1994 and 1997. In 2003, a major banking crisis proved yet another serious setback to the economy when the junta forcibly closed twenty private banks. Further restrictive measures against those financial institutions that remained severely curtailed the private sector's access to formal credit.
Meanwhile, continued human rights violations and state-sponsored repression abetted deteriorating foreign relations. While most of the nation's overseas development assistance had been halted in the wake of unrest between 1988 and 1990, the US renewed heavy economic and political sanctions against Myanmar in 2003, followed by further sanctions from the European Union in 2007. Due to widespread instability, corruption, and inefficiencies in Myanmar, foreign investment from neighboring countries like China and Thailand was largely deterred – apart from investment in natural gas and hydropower – between 1990 and recent reforms.
Structural changes and liberalization
But that may be changing. Myanmar is a resource-rich nation with the potential to develop effective means to manage its resources and stake its revenues in projects that will improve internal conditions. Myanmar formally transitioned to a new democratic government in August of 2011, amid much speculation as to whether sincere economic reform was to follow. The new constitution was celebrated alongside a slew of progressive anti-corruption laws, currency exchange rate reform legislation, tax reforms, and the repeal of foreign investment restrictions.
Amid these structural changes, the civilian government announced a draft of its new foreign investment law in a significant move to liberalize the economy; a signal that Myanmar's new leadership is actively seeking investors. Under proposed legislation, foreign firms will be able to fully own their enterprises and qualify for unprecedented land leases, all without the involvement of local or government partners. These measures, once in place, would dramatically reduce barriers to foreign enterprise and increase the appeal of investment in Myanmar for some of the world's leading corporations.
Economic liberalization efforts also inspired newfound confidence from Myanmar's former development partners. Pursuant to sweeping democratic reforms, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced its reengagement with Myanmar in 2012; introducing a $512 million loan to fund a network of infrastructure development projects slated to better facilitate increased productive economic activity in the country. The infusion of this capital into a nation that had not seen a development loan from the ADB for more than thirty years instigated a waterfall of related investments in energy and transportation infrastructure.
By the end of January 2013, a bevy of international lenders followed suit and, together with the Myanmar government, announced a major debt cancellation agreement. Japan and Norway joined the Paris Club – a group of nineteen creditor states including the US – in relieving Myanmar of an enormous debt burden, constituting the forgiveness of a landmark 60% of the national debt.
Though this vote of confidence demonstrated the international community's positive outlook on Myanmar's economic future, the nation's promised social and political reforms have not entirely kept pace.
While the government pours its efforts into democratic reforms in the nation's central Bamar regions – and thousands of political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, have been released – Myanmar's minorities continue to suffer from deteriorating civil liberties and human security, with particular international concern for the nation's Rohingya Muslim minority.
The question of ethnic self-rule left unresolved at independence has perpetuated tense relations between the central government and Myanmar's ethnic states; a conflict that has lingered even despite the nation's 2011 democratic overtures and subsequent reduction in authoritarianism. Historically, ongoing civil wars; endemic humanitarian abuse; illegal extraction operations; and environmental destruction have caused these minority ethnic states to be hardest hit both socially and economically – and violence continues today in Shan, Karen, and Kachin states. The fragmentation of the economy into more self-contained areas, however, has also provided some hope of staving off economic collapse in minority states. Myanmar's border regions and pastoral areas are self-sufficient where rural economy has not been disrupted by conflict and the burgeoning trade in opium.
Though some criticism has surfaced over the reestablishment of diplomatic ties despite instances of ongoing human rights abuse in Myanmar, the climate among the international community is one of constructive engagement. Many of Myanmar's neighbors (Thailand, India, and China) have for years adopted a globalist approach to development and progress, and with the embrace of democracy and mixed economy in Myanmar following recent reforms, the rest of the international community appears poised to proceed in similar course.
The seeds of political change are inevitably linked with Myanmar's economic future. Corporate investments and the expansion of crucial internationally-backed infrastructure projects exemplify the long view of democracy in Myanmar and the idea that democratic transition, for any modern state, is a gradual process.


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Vespa launched 100 km Range Electric Scooter 'Elettrica': All you need to know: -Well, all the scoter lovers are going to be happy after hearing this amazing news. Here, we are going to share the information of Piaggio-owned Vespa which is about to release an electric scooter 'Elettrica' which was launched at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan. Reports are coming that this Elettrica scoter is going to be a game-changing chance for the company because of the given features and style in the scooter.
Also, the reports are calming that the scooter will provide the mileage of nearly 100 kilometers on a single charge, the battery on the Elettrica charges in four hours from either a public charging station or a home wall socket. You all are going to love this scooter and this Elettrica is expected to be available in European markets around 2018, according to reports. Also, the reports are saying that this Elettrica is going to be game changer move of the company by itself. TVS Apache RR 310S
The 'The silent' Vespa Elettrica outputs a steady 2.7bhp of power and peaks at 5.4 bhp, according to Piaggio. The 'X' model includes a generator along with the electric motor, reportedly doubling the range. Powered by a lithium-ion battery with approximately 1000 recharge cycles, the Elettrica should witness anywhere between 50,000 and 70,000km range before requiring a battery change which is surely a great service or feature. Honda Grazia: Booking, Price in India
Also, till now the company is calming that, people are going to get two modes on the electric scooter include 'Eco' and 'Power' where the Eco mode limits the top speed to 30kmph. The instrumentation panel on the electric scooter is a 4.3-inch TFT screen with multimedia options. It allows for pairing with a smartphone and other Bluetooth enabled devices. Notifications for calls, messages, speed, range, battery charge are displayed on the TFT screen.


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Our bodies are full of energy…just as we have our own energy, we exchange energy with one another when we engage in relationships.
Energy in relationships doesn't just dissipate if you are physically separated; this energy binds us together even when distances or circumstances set us apart.
So, what can we do when we've found ourselves in a relationship where energy - specifically negative energy- seems to be "trapped"?
Though the relationship may or may not return to it's prior form, there are steps you can take to heal negative energy in relationships, even without the presence of the other person.
Download this free guide now to learn how.