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Giving birth is hard work. It is exhausting for the mother, her partner and their baby. It can also be an incredible experience to cherish forever. And more women are choosing an additional member of the "birth team" – the doula.
The word "doula" comes from a Greek word meaning "female helper." For most of history, women had other women to help during labor and delivery. This is the idea behind a modern birth doula.
"Our birth doulas provide continuous support during labor to help families feel safe, calm and actively involved in the birth of their baby," says Amy Walton, owner of Better Birth Now and a birth and postpartum doula.
"She was completely attentive to me at all times, anticipating contractions and helping in whatever way I wanted," Ryder says. "She had the birth experience and woman's intuition that was an asset to us as first time parents.
Doulas use experience and expertise in childbirth to provide continuous care for the laboring mother and augment the support provided by a partner or other friends and family members.
"She will assist in setting a comfortable atmosphere, be a calming and constant presence, use positive affirmations for encouragement, gently remind the parents of their desires for this birth, suggest position changes conducive to the birthing situation, offer comfort techniques, as well as provide breaks for the partner and help with any siblings present," says Michaela Ahmad of Serene Doula Services, president of the DACO and a doula who trained with DONA International, the oldest and largest doula association, according to its website.
Ashley Ryder, mother of two, recounts how, when she was past her due date with her daughter, her doula was available by phone to provide encouragement and coping mechanisms. Ryder's doula also was a source of encouragement during the birth and first hours of her son's life.
"She was completely attentive to me at all times, anticipating contractions and helping in whatever way I wanted," Ryder says. "She had the birth experience and woman's intuition that was an asset to us as first time parents."
Ryder's doula helped her and her husband prepare a birth plan and worked with hospital staff to increase the chances of the unmedicated, natural and memorable birth experience the Ryders wanted.
The use of doula services appears to gradually be on the rise, and doulas can be a valuable member of the "obstetrical team," says Dr. Guy Sneed of St. John Owasso Center for Women's Health and Medical Director of St. John Clinic.
"In addition to expert care from the medical team, and the love and companionship of their partners, doulas can offer continuous reassurance, encouragement and comfort to mothers," he says.


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Indiegogo - Luzi Smart Lamp to Launch Indiegogo Campaign
Sound sleepers and the sleep deprived both will love Luzi for its design and functionality.
Sleepless nights will become obsolete as Luzi, a sophisticated smart lamp designed to improve an individual's quality of sleep, launches its Indiegogo campaign on June 23. Sound sleepers and the sleep deprived both will love Luzi for its design and functionality: Luzi's voice command technology makes it effortless to use, while the integration of the Bluetooth speaker, alarm clock and ability to charge various devices, including the new Apple Watch, eliminates clutter and simplifies life.
Luzi's patented sleep technology, the Luzi Sleep System, uses a combination of LED light to aid natural production of melatonin and low frequency sound to soothe users to sleep. Throughout the night, the sleep system functions by maintaining the user's ideal sleep state. By morning, Luzi uses new sounds and light to gently wake the user.
"Luzi is the most advanced smart lamp ever made," said Joel Burke, cofounder and CEO of Luzi. "Studies have found a direct correlation between the quality of one's sleep with various health problems. Our expectation is that Luzi will help to remedy these issues and promote better sleep habits."
In addition to the sleep program, Luzi will have all of the characteristics needed to simplify and organize a nightstand, including:
• Lamp with adjustable color and soft white light settings with ample light to illuminate a room or for use as a reading light
• Premium Bluetooth speakers to play music, audio books, white noise or the patented low-frequency Luzi Sleep sound track
• 4 integrated USB ports to charge all personal devices
• An optional wireless charging base to charge all the latest devices without plugging in, including an Apple Watch
• Touchscreen display that doubles as an alarm clock
• Intelligent voice commands to control Luzi and any connected devices
• Personalized clock face: choose a favorite look, display temperature, weather report, date and more
• Integration with the Smart Home: Nest, Abode, Luna, Lockitron, Switchmate, and more to come
• Ability to use fitness/sleep bands with Luzi, including Fitbit
The team behind Luzi aims to raise $50,000 via Indiegogo to begin the production process. Preorders will be offered starting at £179 GBP, offering early backers the opportunity to be one of the first to own the world's most advanced smart lamp.
For more information about Luzi, please visit: http://luzilamp.com
About Luzi:
Luzi is an innovative smart lamp designed to improve sleep quality and provide a more organized nightstand. The Luzi Sleep system uses patented sleep technology that combines sound and light to encourage the human brain to shift into the metabolic maintenance modes associated with healthy sleep. The Luzi lamp also features a clock/alarm, charging base, and other features to unclutter the user's life.
For more information about Luzi or to contribute to the Indiegogo campaign, please visit: http://igg.me/at/luzi

subset: commoncrawl


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2KGames has decided that we need a taste of being bad. They revealed the details of a game simply called SNOW. In SNOW, you'll take the role of a young, failing actor in 1975. He needs an alternate form of income after not getting enough bank from the box office. His solution is to get into the drug market, starting by smuggling a little pot from Mexico into his hometown of Los Angeles.
SNOW is not an action game by any stretch of the imagination. Instead, 2K Games has decided to show us only the business side of the black market. You'll start with a single assistant, your roommate, who takes your orders. He'll personally fly to Mexico, then smuggle the pot through customs, and finally drive to LA. Eventually, you'll have a team of agents working for you, all with their own personalities and back stories.
It's not as simple as that, though. On occasion, your agents (who have different skills) may be caught by the feds. If that happens, a battle takes place, but it's in a card game form and not an action sequence. This, along with the full supply-and-demand structure, keeps the strategy and business aspects at the forefront of the game, even as you expand your drug empire through the entire United States and beyond.
2K Games must know it will come under fire from conservative groups, because it has taken several steps to keep the game from being too dark. First, the game is done with a very heavy tongue-in-cheek attitude. In one cut scene -- all of which are done to look like a graphic novel -- your roommate comes back carrying a trash bag of marijuana. One moment, he turns the bag over. The next, the entire floor is covered in the stuff, in a pile too large for even Cheech, Chong, and Jon Stewart to smoke together. Plus, to keep the rating hopefully down somewhat, the game never shows anyone actually doing any drugs.
The build we looked at was only 30% complete, but it's already shaping up to be a decent business sim. SNOW should be coming out in the first quarter of 2006. More details will be posted as we get them.


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language courses (Singapore)
Hi guys! as polyglots and wannabes you might be interested in the Mandarin,
Japanese and French classes for a promotional price of 10SGD/1 hour that Globibo is offering. Grab the chance to learn languages at an affordable price! Great
learning experience with exciting learning tools and experienced teachers. Email Protected content to register now!


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Search form
After living in Japan for four years and graduating from the American School in Japan, Dr. Blough attended the Johns Hopkins University where he received the B.S.E.E. degree and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science in 1984, 1986, and 1988, respectively.
From 1988 to 1999, he was first assistant and then associate professor at the University of California at Irvine, where he developed a research program focusing on the design of dependable computing systems at all levels from VLSI components to system architecture to software.
In summer 1993, Dr. Blough worked on the design of a space-flight computer system under the auspices of a NASA/ASEE Faculty Fellowship and in spring 1996, he visited the Tokyo Institute of Technology on a fellowship from the Japan Society for Promotion of Science.
In fall 1999, Dr. Blough joined Georgia Tech as a professor, where he continues research and education in computer systems design. Effective January 2018, Dr. Blough was appointed as the School's associate chair for Faculty Development.
- Wireless networks
- Dependable computer systems
- Operating systems and middleware
- Computer systems security
- Associate Editor, IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing, 2008-2013
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Faculty Fellow - 1996
- UC Irvine School of Engineering Outstanding Teaching Award - 1993-94
- NASA/ASEE Faculty Fellow - 1993
- Phi Beta Delta - 1992
- Tau Beta Pi - 1983
- Eta Kappa Nu - 1983
D. Blough, P. Santi, and G. Resta, "Interference-Aware Proportional Fairness for Multi-rate Wireless Networks," Proceedings of IEEE Infocom, pp. 2733-2741, 2014.
D. Lertpratchya, D. Blough, and G. Riley, "Interference-Aware Multicast for Wireless Multihop Networks," Proceedings of the IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference, 2014.
D. Lertpratchya, G. Riley, and D. Blough, "Simulating Frame-Level Bursty Links in Wireless Networks," Proceedings of the International Conference on Simulation Tools and Techniques, 2014.
L.M. Cortes-Pena, J. Barry, and D. Blough, "Joint Optimization of Stream Allocation and Beamforming and Combining Weights for the MIMO Interference Channel," Proceedings of Globecom, pp. 4012-4018, 2013.
J. Brown, M. Ahamad, M. Ahmed, D. Blough, T. Kurc, A. Post, and J. Saltz, "Redactable and Auditable Data Access for Bioinformatics Research," Proceedings of the AMIA Summit on Clinical Research Informatics, pp. 21-25, 2013.
L.M. Cortes-Pena, J. Barry, and D. Blough, "The Performance Loss of Unilateral Interference Cancellation," Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Communications, pp. 5718-5723, 2012.
D. Mashima, M. Ahamad, D. Bauer, and D. Blough, "User-centric Identity Management Architecture using Credential-holding Identity Agents," Chapter 5 in Digital Identity and Access Management: Technologies and Frameworks, ed. S. Das-Smith, M. Gupta, and R. Sharman, IGI Global Publishing, pp. 78-96, 2012.
J. Brown and D. Blough, "Verifiable and Redactable Medical Documents," Proceedings of AMIA, pp. 1148-1157, 2012.
A. Mohan, D. Blough, T. Kurc, A. Post, and J. Saltz, "Detection of Conflicts and Inconsistencies in Taxonomy-based Authorization Policies," Proceedings of the 2011 IEEE International Conference on Bioinformatics & Biomedicine, pp. 590-594, 2011.
D. Blough, G. Resta, P. Santi, R. Srinivasan, and L.M. Cortes-Pena, "Optimal One-Shot Scheduling for MIMO Networks," Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Sensor, Mesh and Ad Hoc Communications and Networks, pp. 377-385, 2011.
Last revised February 12, 2018


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Margaret Dikel
French Horn
Orchestra Librarian and Personnel Manager
Margaret Finkler Dikel, French horn, graduated from the Boston Conservatory with a Bachelor of Music (Performance) and also holds a Master of Science, Library and Information Science degree from Simmons College. Margaret's teachers include Dr. Glenn E. Morgan, David J. Borsheim, and Thomas Newell Jr. Before moving to the DC region, Margaret spent several years in Boston as a freelance musician, performing with the Civic Symphony Orchestra of Boston, Plymouth Philharmonic, John Oliver Chorale, Boston Ballet, Cape Cod Symphony, the New England Philharmonic, the Longwood Symphony, and many other ensembles. She was a member of several chamber music groups, including the Bayside Brass Quintet and the woodwind and brass quintets of the Plymouth Philharmonic. She currently performs regularly with the Apollo Orchestra, Symphony of the Potomac, the Landon Symphonette, and the Ionian Wind Quintet. Margaret also serves as Orchestra Librarian for the Apollo Orchestra, the Symphony of the Potomac, and the Landon School, a position she also filled for the Boston Conservatory, Civic Symphony of Boston, and Plymouth Philharmonic. In 2015, Margaret retired from her day job – Internet career and job search industry expert – where she was referred to as "The Grandmother of Internet Job Search". For over 20 years, she operated one of the first and most respected guides to online job search, The Riley Guide, which began in December 1993 as a 3-page handout in the Worcester Polytechnic Institute library and went online in January 1994. Richard Nelson Bolles, author of What Color is Your Parachute? said of her work "The Riley Guide is the best of these by far. If you can only go to one gateway job-site on the Web, or book offsite, this should be it. Margaret Dikel is the mother of all that is intelligent about job-hunting on the Internet." Because of her early work on this topic, she was recruited by the Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Dept. of Labor, to work on some of the earliest online employment service of the Federal government, including America's Job Bank, America's Talent Bank, America's Career InfoNet, and the newer CareerOneStop.org. Other clients over the years included the Career Transition Center at the Foreign Service Institute, U.S. Dept. of State, National Institutes of Health Office of Intramural Training and Education, the outplacement firm Drake Beam Morin (now part of Lee Hecht Harrison), CanWorkNet (Human Resources Development Canada), and the National Career Development Association, with whom she worked to create online resources and training materials for the organizations, their employees, and those they served. She co-authored two books--The Internet: A Tool for Career Planning (1996, 2002, 2011) and The Guide to Internet Job Searching (1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008). Margaret also served as Internet Columnist for two publications: the National Business Employment Weekly from 1996 until 1999, as well as CareerJournal.com 2000 to 2003 (both were published by The Wall Street Journal). Articles by her have also appeared in Library Journal and The Reference Librarian as well as many other books and journals. Now she just enjoys making music.


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Open Thread: Talk About What Matters Most to You
Discuss and debate the issues that mean the most to you.
That's Ohio Gov. John Kasich and his cronies signing the absolute worst anti-woman, anti-abortion legislation ever to exist into state law just 2 weeks ago. These new abortion regulations in Ohio include the standard un-scientific "fetal pain" clause that is currently sweeping the country like Beatlemania, which restricts women from obtaining an abortion after 20 weeks -- as well as language that bans hospitals from granting abortion providers patient transfer privileges.
The only problem? Said privileges are required to operate an abortion facility in Ohio in the first place. The net result? Abortion providers in the state are guaranteed to be forced out of business as result of rigged legislation.
But that's not even the worst part.
The new law in Ohio also now dates the age of a fetus to when the woman had her last menstrual cycle, which is actually weeks before ovulation. This specification, when coupled with the current Ohio code, which classifies abortion as "The purposeful termination of a human pregnancy by any person, including the pregnant woman herself, with an intention other than to produce a live birth or to remove a dead fetus or embryo" means that women could be subject to a forced ultrasound as well as a 24 hour waiting period just to get access to regular old birth control.
YOU GUYS, honestly -- these men are only trying to save us dumb girls from ourselves. We should be grateful to them!
Not to be outdone by Ohio, Texas finally passed some of the strictest abortion regulations in the country on Friday -- legislation that everyone (even supporters of the bill) agrees will close the majority of the state's current abortion facilities.
Yes, that's the Lt. Gov. of Texas, David Dewhurst, using Planned Parenthood's own graphics to gleefully crow about his real intent with HB2 -- to close clinics and deprive Texas women of safe access to lawful abortion services and reproductive care.
Texas didn't include Ohio's "pre-dating a fetus" chestnut in their bill, (something I'm sure they are kicking themselves for) but they did do Ohio one better by adding language that forces every clinic that performs abortions in Texas to upgrade to an "ambulatory surgical center" (ASC) at an extremely high cost.
Which sounds awesome, right? Especially when you read the fine print and see that these ASCs have all sorts of really helpful additional features that will totally help patients getting an abortion receive better care -- things like wider hallways, special air flow systems and gym lockers for staff! You know, all the things that help keep women safe. These expensive, pointless upgrades will force many clinics right out of business.
A fun fact: Texas Gov. Rick Perry's sister, Milla Perry Jones, is actually the VP of United Surgical Partners International, a Texas company that runs hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. She stands to make a healthy profit from this ultra-convenient piece of legislation, which forces clinics to upgrade to the very type of facility she is a lobbyist for.
Imagine that.
The message in all this is quite clear. You are a woman, not an actual person. Your civil rights not only don't matter, they just plain do not exist. I witnessed man after man stand up in the Texas Legislature Friday night and drone on about how my personal wishes as a woman did not matter. That I must not be all that smart. That what I choose to do with my own body is actually none of my damn business.
These men stood and told the world that I clearly lack the ability to make decisions that greatly impact my life, and that I must, AT ALL COSTS, be protected from myself by these very smart men, one of whom (the author of the bill, Sen. Glenn Hegar) STOOD ON THE SENATE FLOOR during his closing remarks on the bill and teared up as he told everyone that he is a "sensitive guy who cries at DISNEY MOVIES."
Yes, ladies, this really is how we determine public policy that affects women's lives in the great state of Texas.
Sadly, that ridiculous display of crocodile tears from Sen. Hegar is by FAR not the most disgusting thing he did to the female population of Texas on Friday night. Sen. Carlos Uresti, a San Antonio Democrat, proposed an exception to the 20-week ban on abortion for child victims of rape or incest who are under 15 years old.
Do you know what the number one cause of death worldwide for girls ages 15-19 is? You guessed it, CHILDBIRTH. Of course, Sen. Hegar declined to add this compassionate exception to the bill -- so now, terrified tweens who have been assaulted in Texas and wait past the 20 week mark to tell their parents what has happened are just going to be outta luck.
I resent and reject the implication that being a woman who could possibly find herself in need of abortion services is somehow shameful, immoral, dirty and indecent. And I refuse to go quietly in the night. If lawmakers in Texas wanted a war, I think they've got themselves one now. An entirely new segment of women who were previously ambivalent about abortion rights are now energized, organized, and radicalized. I'm one of them.
I urge you to ignore this anti-woman madness at your own peril, because it's not going to be confined to places like Texas and Ohio for long. Wisconsin, North Carolina, North Dakota and a dozen other states have recently passed some sort of legislation aimed at stripping women seeking abortion services of the rights afforded them by Roe v. Wade.
Conservative lawmakers in every state are paying close attention to what flies in other parts of the country, and looking at how introducing this same anti-woman legislation in their own areas could boost their political platform. If you're not afraid right now, you may need to check your pulse.
Luckily we have allies in the fight -- like Texas House Member Senfronia Thompson, who took a moment recently to remind male lawmakers that WOMEN are in fact who taught these men how to put their pants on and "use the potty" (HER WORDS!), so why in the holy hell do they grow up to think these same women are somehow morons who need protecting from themselves?
There's also the small fact that women don't actually even really NEED all these legal abortion providers anymore. We are the DIY generation!
I did 5 whole minutes of half-hearted online research and was able to find instructions on how to self-abort an early pregnancy at home using a common stomach ulcer medicine, as well as a spot to easily order said medication online for delivery right to my home for about $40.00.
A woman in Idaho who chillingly self-aborted her 5-month old child alone at home with pills obtained on the web already proved this sort of guerilla healthcare works -- and ladies in Texas can alternatively just hop over the border for a gruesome, cheap, flea-market medical abortion in Mexico, so really, I guess we aren't going to miss those fancy clinics anyway, right? DIY abortion tutorials are sure to be all the rage on Pinterest any day now.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry seems to think his brand-spankin' new Texas anti-abortion laws will stand up to Supreme Court scrutiny. But he also thought he'd be President of the United States until he sort of forgot why he should be, so I guess we shall see about that, Mr. Gov'nuh.
I'm on Twitter: @IveyAlison.


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Originally posted by RSF77
Wow, impressive results, did you account in any way for possible dishonesty? Or just raw data? Just asking.
In any case, you guys might have something here with this forum. Something extraordinary.
Originally posted by EL1A5
Interesting results, the only flaw that I find about it is, how can we determine if lies have somehow tweaked the results?
Just a thought, I guess we could never really tell.
Originally posted by comawhite12
I cant believe the mobile app didnt get a higher %.
Originally posted by simone50m
I am relieved at most of the results. Intelligent people who are concerned, and not interested in junk. I'm very disappointed that most of you all are 18-to-34. I could tell though. Judging by many posts I have seen. The level of immaturity displayed at times. So I am in an extreme minority here. As a female, and not, ummm 18-to-34.
We've received just over 18,000 responses to the survey in a relatively short amount of time... about 60% of which have been determined to be non-members of ATS.


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Contract / Temp to Direct / Direct Hire: Contract
City: North Carolina area
State: North Carolina
Country: United States
Basic Job Description
Perform testing and commissioning of large, high voltage substation expansion projects.
• Perform testing and commissioning of large, high voltage substation expansion projects.
• Perform testing/routine maintenance of Transmission and Distribution substation power equipment, relaying (electro-mechanical, solid state and micro-processor), controls and voltage regulating equipment
• Electrical equipment testing of current transformers, potential transformers, battery systems, power line carrier for large electric utility for 13kv and above power systems
• Writing procedures and/or test plans in support of large electric utility for 13kv and above power systems
• Testing, including (without limitation): calibrating all relays; applying settings to relays; programming LTC/regulator controllers.
• Perform routine troubleshooting and repair of substation relaying and control equipment in Distribution substations
• Plan, schedule, and complete test activities efficiently, on time, without service interruptions
• Required: Associate of Electrical Technology (AET) or the equivalent specialized training in system protection
• Preferred: Bachelor of Electrical Technology (BET), Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Master of Science in Electrical Engineering
Work Experience
• Required: Minimum of 5 years of field experience in commissioning, panel and equipment checkout, relay calibration, testing and repairing substation relaying and control schemes for large electric utilities for 13kv and above power systems
• Preferred: Experience is desirable in any of the following related areas: substation commissioning; SCADA/Fault Data/SER/Integration-Automation equipment installation and testing
Required Qualifications
• 3 phase power systems; power system protection & control schemes; test equipment; test equipment software
• Test equipment and tool/wiring usage; interpretation of wiring and elementary diagrams; basic test skills to perform duties listed above, basic PC skills
• Ability and willingness to work out of town
• Understand and follow applicable equipment and clearance procedures and safety practices
• Reference and complete assignments as described in applicable specifications
• Valid driver's license and a good driving record
• Perform regular field work both indoors and outdoors
• Quick learn and apply test procedure for various types of substation equipment
• Self-motivated, with a positive "can-do" attitude
• Enjoys working in a hands-on environment
• Good analytical and problem solving skills
• Exercises good communication, negotiation, organizational and time management skills
• Results-oriented; capable of scheduling and completing testing with minimum supervision
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Tales of the Ex @ RomanceClass -
the mistake
one day at school my best friends play brother came to school and went there
we dated for 3 months
when may came up i texted him. he sent me a text saying he was cheating on me then i said to myself jokes on him i cheated on him too
3.20 out of 5 slimes
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On the EdgeThe often ephemeral and exotic quality of the art of Louisiana may best be grasped by an appreciation of the unique and also tenuous nature of the state's very being, both in geologic and human time. Louisiana literally rests on land inherited from the rest of the American continent and deposited in sediment layers where open water once lay by the riparian cycles of the Mississippi River. And yet, Louisiana's hold on this land is tenuous, with a mass equivalent to thirty square miles being washed away with every passing year. The land loss is accelerated by the inexorable collaboration of man and nature: the containment of the Mississippi River and its tributaries by man-made levees, dams, and other erosion-control measures upstream, channeling what sediment remains over the continental shelf. These are coupled with and exacerbated by the gradual settling and subsidence of the coastal soil; pollution and channel-cutting through the marshlands; and then, too, the rising sea levels and increasingly larger and more devastating hurricanes. It is a landscape that clings to and circles back on itself both in reality and in the imagination.
It is a unique terrain and an equally unique culture that has evolved and adapted to it. Artists both native-born and immigrant to the state have been captivated by the compelling, fragile, and elusive quality of the state and its culture. This is especially true in Southeast Louisiana and the environs of New Orleans where the inherent plainness of a deltaic terrain yields a landscape that lacks vast vistas and perspectives, but rather emphasizes the shortened sightlines cut off by bends of a meandering river or bayou and the interiority enforced by the dark canopies of live oaks and their encircling limbs. Thus, it is easy to imagine the fascination by artists across several centuries with the bayous and the aqueous quality of the light suffused through the humid air. The landscape and its indigenous wildlife were literally captured and evocatively preserved for posterity by numerous artists, but few immortalized it more beautifully than the early and monumental work of John James Audubon.
From its founding as a French territory in 1699, and the formal establishment of New Orleans in 1718, through its long Spanish ownership and administration and the eventual acquisition by the Americans, Louisiana has experienced a very different political origin and range of cultural influences than the rest of the United States. Louisiana further defined itself in contradistinction to the rest of the country with the rise of les gens de couleur libres, or free people of color, amidst the surrounding economy supported by slavery, and the continuing cultural linkages to Haiti and France, and later by succeeding layers of immigration of Acadians, Canary Island Isleños, Germans, Croatians, Irish, and eventually Americans.
The earliest works of art, in the colonial period, tended to document as their subjects the ethnographic encounter with the Native Americans and the gradual exploration and establishment of the Louisiana colony. Once the colony was firmly established, the art in the antebellum period evolved toward the documentation of families and their possessions, and also the accumulation of wealth and development of the civic sphere, not to mention major historic events such as the Battle of New Orleans and its heroes, namely General Andrew Jackson. President Jackson was rendered in the powerful and idiosyncratic portrait by Jacques Guillaume Lucien Amans, painted during sittings on the occasion of the former president's visit to New Orleans in 1840.
In contrast to the largely English and classical architectural styles of colonial New England and the Atlantic coast states, the exoticism of New Orleans and many of South Louisiana's towns was derived from French and Spanish influences, and the insistent retentions of African styles vividly expressed in worked iron and pyramid roof lines. In this human-built environment, the architecture reiterates and reinforces this interiority and sense of closure, by the enclosed courtyards and narrow streets of New Orleans'Vieux Carré and the similarly constricted roads of the many towns that cling to the banks along the winding waterways of rivers and bayous.
Carpe diem and laissez les bon temps roulez
Mortality is a human reality, but never more insistent and imbedded in a culture than in Louisiana where in the early years of the eighteenth-century colony the annual death rate approached eighty percent, beggaring even the terrible New England winters that halved the Pilgrim settlements. Prisoners incarcerated in the awful and notorious Bastille rioted in protest at the prospect of being released in exchange for servitude in the struggling Louisiana colony, the poorest in the French empire. Even today, the annual harvest of mostly young black men murdered in New Orleans—at a rate more than ten times the national average for homicide—casts a tangible pall over the spirit and consciousness of the city. Small wonder then that such a landscape and culture would nurture voudou and be home to Anne Rice's myths of vampires. Acarpe diem or seize-the-day mentality underlies and informs the laissez roulezdevotion to the present moment and all the sensual, libidinous, alcoholic, and frantic gaiety that is naturally inherent in such a place. The tenuousness of life itself can help explain the tender and lavish attention artists paid to the beauty of young women and to their own and others' families, as is evident in Jose Francisco Xavier de Salazar y Mendoza's late eighteenth-century The Family of Dr. Joseph Montegut and Francois Jacques Fleischbein's Portrait of Betsy, or Jacques Guillaume Lucien Amans' Creole in Red Headdress, or the endearing portraits by George David Coulon.
Among the pivotal issues addressed in our contextualization of the art of Louisiana is the advent of the daguerreotype and photography prior to the Civil War, a medium that reached its maturation in the decades following. This new genre played a significant role in not only providing a technology capable of inexpensively documenting subjects and scenes previously the private province of painters, but in turn photography compelled painters to pursue new styles and eventually an entirely new aesthetic.
Following the Civil War and the defeat of the South, the "natural order" of things and the economic system founded on slavery was overturned and all the attendant economic, political, social, and even psychological disturbances that ensue from such a transformational event were in evidence nowhere more clearly than in the art of the period. Thus was generated a remarkable body of work, especially in the rendering of the Louisiana landscape, that evaded the trauma of the historical moment in glorious idealizations of Louisiana's unique and exotic landscape. Richard Clague, Jr., and his disciples in the Bayou School, such as William Henry Buck, and Joseph Rusling Meeker, among others, left a legacy of exceptional and distinctive beauty.
Modernity Approaches
As the twentieth-century beckoned, the art of Louisiana was already beginning to evolve toward modernity under the dual influence of international styles of art and an increasing involvement of the United States in the affairs of the world, in eventually what was dubbed the American Century. The signal and transformational role of the Woodward brothers, William and Ellsworth, at the turn of the century and well into it, would have been remarkable for any artistic community in the world. Similarly, the increasing cultural magnet of the bohemian French Quarter would inform the quality and aesthetic not only of the art its denizens produced, but of the character of the city of New Orleans as the world would conceive of it for the next century. Perhaps the most unlikely source of artistic transformation was occasioned by the relentless chauvinism and artistic patronage of Governor Huey Pierce Long, whose new State Capitol building became the embodiment of the aesthetic power of the moment, demonstrating in literally monumental ways the power of art to embody a culture, a people, and a place. In an enduring counterpoint to the power and glory assembled in Baton Rouge, itself in the shadow of the burgeoning petro-chemical corridor, such artists as Clementine Hunter created her own body of monumental work in such locales as the gentler and more rural environs of Cane River.
For all the accomplishment of the previous periods, the last half-century has seen a burgeoning of the number of artists in unprecedented numbers. The catalogue of artists for this period dramatically overshadows in sheer numbers the others combined. No doubt the future will sort out their ultimate influence and importance, as we ourselves have those of preceding centuries, but for now their work is vital and expressive of the times. Our idiosyncratic Louisiana culture is powerfully expressed in the work of native-born sons as diverse as Francis Pavy, who imbeds his works with iconic images and symbols from the French parishes, and John Scott, known for his churning woodcuts of street scenes and whose work also thrums to the rhythmic plucked tones of the African diddly-bow, a visual referent in so many of his kinetic sculptures. The graceful and soaring sculptures of Lin Emery have transcended Louisiana itself and now populate and influence the art of the world. There is so much more to Louisiana culture and geography and the forms of its expression, but one cannot close without mentioning that in the open grassy plains and cheniers of Southwest Louisiana, a different dimension of Louisiana is to be found; no artist captures this landscape more eloquently than Elemore Morgan, Jr., with his wide plein air paintings that compel the eye off into the peripheries. In truth, the times have indeed changed. In contrast to the late nineteenth century, contemporary artists look to the tragedies of the moment to inform their work, much as Australian transplant Simon Gunning has accomplished with his rendering of the iconic blue bridge reaching into the Lower Ninth Ward following the ravages of Hurricane Katrina.
Louisiana is barely part of the continent to which it adheres, but its art—spanning the two centuries of its admission into the Union, and the preceding century of colonization—both captures and transcends its moment. The full panoply of this work is an unprecedented wonder to behold, and seen in a truly unique slant of light.
A Unique Slant of Light
Arguably the most tangible, durable, and important artifact produced as part of the celebration of the bicentennial of Louisiana statehood in 2012 is this history of the art of the state, from its founding as a colony in 1699 to the present day. As in so many respects in the evolution of history, the art of a period endures when the transient events, passionate issues, and mutable values and verities of the past have not. The title of this history, A Unique Slant of Light: The Bicentennial History of Art in Louisiana, is chosen to express the idiosyncratic identity of this state and its forms of artistic expression. It is commissioned by the Louisiana Bicentennial Commission chaired by General Russel Honoré.
This handsome commemorative hardcover book, featuring nearly three hundred artists, is the leading edge of a three-part project that innovatively weds a traditional print artifact to the newly emerging digital technologies in order to extend its depth and impact. The book itself, with its beautiful reproductions and catalog of the art and artists, has been converted into a digital version to both enhance its accessibility and searchability, and is also in turn linked to fully articulated entries on each artist and genre here in KnowLouisiana: the Digital Encyclopedia of Louisiana History and Culture, the most recent project of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH). The KnowLouisiana entries include a full biography of each selected artist and a much more elaborated image gallery of their work, bibliography, and additional resources than this book can accommodate. As a digital artifact, the book will be searchable on the Web and the KnowLouisiana entries will further be linked to scores of feature articles on the artists published in Louisiana Cultural Vistas magazine, the quarterly arts and culture publication of the LEH, which itself also is digitized and accessible on the Web. A truly collective and collaborative effort, these entries are authored by dozens of notable scholars, and the images have been contributed by private collections along with major museums and archives, including, among others, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, The Historic New Orleans Collection, the Louisiana State Museum, the LSU Museum of Art, the Meadows Museum at Centenary College of Louisiana, The Norton Gallery of Art, and the New Orleans Museum of Art.
The ambition and underlying concept of A Unique Slant of Light: The Bicentennial History of Art in Louisiana is first and foremost to document, feature, and validate the broadest conceivable range of art and artists whose work merited notice—both renowned and obscure—across the span of Louisiana history. But in order to fully appreciate the art, the scholars and editors have made every effort to contextualize it in the framework of historical events, the artists' own lives, and the evolving styles and principles of art itself. These are cataloged across four major historical periods and six genres we felt deserved special elaboration.


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BeagleBone Black project spotlight:
By Natalie Nelms
You don't have to be a child to play with remote-controlled cars. The BeagleROV is an exciting toy that would bring any adult Maker back to the good ole' days – except this robot packs a bit more punch than the classic Nascar minis. Powered by the TI Sitara AM335x processor-based BeagleBone Black, the BeagleROV has a multitude of capabilities that are all controlled remotely via the robot's web application.
In addition to the vehicle's remotely controlled technology,
the BeagleROV includes the following features:
• Wi-Fi access to the web app with an adhoc Wi-Fi network
• Real-time video processing with OpenCV
• GPIO management to drive MOSFET actuators
• Ultrasonic distance sensor reading
This car definitely isn't your granddad's model.
When asked why he developed this machine, creator Fabio Balzano explained that he wanted to create a dynamic robot. "My company is working in this kind of research and development, and we are especially interested in autonomous UAVs and ROVs," explained Balzano.
The development of this vehicle did not come without complications, however. "The HUB USB power wires were cut to prevent USB host port power down," detailed Balzano on the challenges of building his robot. "I was able to solve this problem, though, by soldering a custom cape to connect all of the I/O."
The BeagleROV's technology also transcends the confines of the Earth's surface and has been utilized in underwater exploration. The marine version of the robot is able to collect imaging and sample data from depths of up to 1,000 meters below the surface, which has sufficiently helped organizations like Marine Applied Research and Exploration gather the information that they need to learn more about the oceanic habitat. The ability of BeagleBone Black to support OpenCV real-time video processing really comes into play here as explorers look to stream live footage of the ever-intriguing mystery that is the sea.
Looking towards the future, Fabio and his team plan to develop a more advanced and improved version of this robot. The BeagleROV has proven to not only serve as a hobbyist project, but has also shown to be beneficial in the exploration of our wondrous planet. It is an exciting time for the BeagleROV team and we are eager to see what future models will be capable of.
For more information on the BeagleROV and for a detailed look at the code that Fabio implemented in the vehicle, you can visit the project's site at: https://bitbucket.org/fabiodive/bsdcan2014. Want to collaborate or need help with your project? Feel free to contact Fabio at: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Want to chat with us about this project? Tweet us at @BeagleBoardOrg!


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FAU Traditions
Traditions play an important role in college life, defining the unique character of each institution and providing bonding experiences for students, faculty, staff and alumni. Here are some of FAU's most enduring and well-loved traditions:
Freshman Convocation
At the outset of each fall semester, the university hosts Freshman Convocation for incoming first-time-in-college students. This event is designed to underscore the transition that is taking place in the students' lives and extend the support of the university community to its newest members. The guest speaker is always the current Distinguished Teacher of the Year.
Weeks of Welcome
During the fall and spring semesters, newly arrived students are introduced to life at FAU via WOW – Weeks of Welcome. Activities include social gatherings, seminars and an overview of the wide range of services that are available to FAU students. The beginning of the fall semester also features Move-in Day on the Boca Raton and Jupiter campuses, when members of the university community turn out in large numbers to meet newcomers and help them move into student residence facilities.
Homecoming – Owl Prowl
Every fall the FAU community joins in celebrating Homecoming Week. Owl Prowl events take place on all campuses and include kick-off festivities at FAU Stadium, a parade, a concert and comedy show headlined by nationally known performers, the ExtravaCANza canned food sculpture contest, a 5K fun run and, of course, the Homecoming football game, with the crowning of the King and Queen during halftime. The big Homecoming event on the Jupiter campus is CarnivOWL, while the Davie and Fort Lauderdale campuses celebrate with FAU Spirit Days.
Fall Family Fest
Always scheduled to coincide with Homecoming, Fall Family Fest is an eagerly anticipated afternoon of fun for people of all ages. Activities include carnival games, bounce houses, face painting, balloon art, photo booths, sand art, caricature artists, circus performers and a lot more.
The Bonfire
The annual fall bonfire, sponsored by Student Government Program Board with the assistance of the Student Alumni Association and other University partners, is quite literally the hottest tradition at FAU. Flames, smoke, music and excitement fill the air as thousands of FAU fans cheer the start of a new football season and witness the fiery demise of a giant effigy of the opposing team's mascot. Go Owls!
The Taylor Victory Bell
The Taylor Victory Bell rings out the good news after every home win by an FAU team. Donated in 2010 by longtime FAU supporters Robert "Crash" Taylor '75, and his wife, Nina, the Taylor Victory Bell is 60-plus pounds of solid brass spirit!
Meet Me at Rat's Mouth
Say what? Newcomers to FAU are often amused to find out it's generally believed that Boca Raton means "mouth of the rat" in Spanish. (The words actually mean "mouth of the mouse," but local legend has had it as "rat" for so long that the erroneous translation has stuck.) There are several explanations for this rather odd name, the most favored of which seems to be that the words Boca de Ratones were written on early maps to refer to a shallow inlet containing sharp rocks. In any event, the term "rat's mouth" has been embraced by FAU students, who have given that name to their favorite tailgating spot under the scoreboard at the stadium. Come one, come all to Rat's Mouth to enjoy pre-game refreshments and get ready to cheer the Owls to victory!
Owl Walk
Another great football tradition is the Owl Walk – a human tunnel formed by students, the Marching Owls and the Cheer and Dance Teams that provides a very special way for the team to enter the stadium.
Owl Fingers
This is the hand sign that's flashed throughout the stadium when the Owls score a touchdown. Notable people who have made "Owl Fingers" include President Barack Obama during his 2012 visit to the Boca Raton campus and Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris, who often flashes the sign during nationally televised games to show how proud he is to be an FAU alumnus.
Owlsley and the Owlsley Statue
Owlsley, FAU's high-spirited mascot, appears at all football games and many other campus events. A statue erected in his honor – a gift of the Classes of 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 – stands just outside the Recreation and Fitness Center. Students often rub his beak for luck before exams and competitive events. Among the returning FAU alumni who have posed for a photo with Owlsley is Scott "Carrot Top" Thompson, a 1989 graduate of the College of Business who went on to become a well-known comedian.
Night Breakfasts
Free late-night breakfasts, which include music and entertainment, are presented on the Boca Raton and Jupiter campuses as finals approach, with faculty and staff serving as waiters. The purpose is to help students relax and have some fun before burning the midnight oil to pass their exams.
Bury the Burrow in Red
When FAU's biggest athletics rival, Florida International University, comes to FAU Arena – otherwise known as the Burrow – for some basketball action, fans decked out in "FAU red" turn out en masse. The motto of the day is Wear Red and Be Loud to help make the game a slam dunk for the Owls!
Sweethearts Dinner
For more than a decade the FAU National Alumni Association has been hosting the annual Sweethearts Dinner to celebrate couples who met as FAU students. Love is in the air at this romantic dinner-dance, which is held in February on or near Valentine's Day.
The Pumpkin Drop and Physics Carnival
Ker-splash! What sounds more juicy than a ripe pumpkin hitting the pavement from more than four stories up? This exercise in splatology takes place at FAU every fall as professors toss pumpkins from the roof of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science building to provide memorable demonstrations of certain fundamental principles of physics. Faculty members and students in the roles of Aristotle, Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein are on hand to explain the operative laws. Onlookers always include elementary school children, who get the idea that science can be fun. The Pumpkin Drop is followed by a Physics Carnival, with games that include rocket ring and pumpkin ping pong tosses, sticky darts and an Einstein bean bag throw.
FAU Students Photograph the World
Every year many FAU students take advantage of the university's Study Abroad Programs, traveling to locations all over the world. They're encouraged to record their experiences photographically, and when they return to FAU selected images are put on display in a special annual exhibition.


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Despite having one of the most loyal and vocal fan bases in television history, the NBC action-comedy "Chuck" came to an end in January.
Tomorrow, fans can get one last taste of the series as "Chuck: The Complete Fifth Season" is released on DVD and Blu-ray. The set comes with some of the standard television DVD package fare. Along with all 13 season five episodes are the requisite gag reel, deleted scenes (dubbed "declassified" scenes) and audio commentary on the final two episodes by creators/producers Chris Fedak and Josh Schwartz with co-stars Zachary Levi and Joshua Gomez.
The truly special features are the behind the scenes looks at what went into making this series so special.
"Sandwiches and Superfans" is a tribute by the cast and crew to the fans who worked to keep the show on the air. Supporters were instrumental in bringing the series back from the chopping block on multiple occasions by using Twitter and a famous "Subway Sandwiches" campaign, which has since been co-opted by another NBC series, "Community."
"Scoring the World of Chuck" takes viewers into composer Tim Jones' studio where he explains the intricacies of developing each individual character's unique sound, including that of the spy team's hideout, Castle.
"Chuck Versus the Final Episode" is a look at the emotional filming of the final episode of the series. Fans will be interested to learn which macho cast member appears to cry more than everyone else, including the women.
"Chuck: The Beginnings" and "Chuck: The Future" take viewers back to where it all started for their favorite Nerd Herder and gets the cast's opinion of where the characters end up in the future.
"Goodbye, Buy More" is an interesting time-lapse video of the tear down of the Buy More set, going from fully functioning electronics store to a bare soundstage.
The gem of the special features is "Chuck: Through the Years." Viewers are taken through the evolution of Chuck (Zachary Levi), Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski), Morgan (Joshua Gomez) and John Casey (Big Hollywood's own Adam Baldwin) over the series' five-year run. Fans will see Chuck go from nerd to hero, Morgan go from slacker to spy and Casey get soft. (Imagine Casey grunt here.)
Co-creator/producer Josh Schwartz said that they "just wanted to put a smile on people's faces." That you did, sir. We only wish it would have been for many more years. This collection is a must-have for any fan of the show.


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Product Highlights
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|RESENTMENT? Parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga/Uganda, recently returned from international conference in Canada where she and her government in Uganda were challenged on extreme and deadly pending legislation on anti-LGBT issues. http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/10/31/1117031/ugandan-parliament-speaker-pushes-for-kill-the-gays-bill/
Religious lust for LGBT genocide in Uganda
Ugandans "are demanding it," she said, reiterating a promise she made before a meeting on Friday of anti-gay activists who spoke of "the serious threat" posed by homosexuals to Uganda's children. Some Christian clerics at the meeting in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, asked the speaker to pass the law as "a Christmas gift."
Anglican and MP David Bahati is author/adamant promoter of ¨Kill the Gays¨ genocide bill http://leonardoricardosanto.blogspot.com/2012/09/meet-despot-bigots-homophobes-and.html
"Speaker, we cannot sit back while such (a) destructive phenomenon is taking place in our nation," the activists said in a petition. "We therefore, as responsible citizens, feel duty-bound to bring this matter to your attention as the leader of Parliament ... so that lawmakers can do something to quickly address the deteriorating situation in our nation."
While the above-linked AP report claims that the bill "originally mandated death for some gay acts," in fact the bill does continue to call for the death penalty for "serial offenders." Box Turtle Bulletin notes that according to Clause One of the act, a "serial offender" is defined as a someone who has "previous convictions of the offence of homosexuality or related offences." In other words, a second conviction brings the death penalty. And those "related offenses" include renting a room to a gay person or failing to inform the government that someone they know is gay, meaning that a straight person could also suffer the "gay death penalty..." HERE
The anti-gay activists paraded in front of Kadaga, with parents and schoolchildren holding up signs saying homosexuality is "an abomination." The speaker then promised to consider the bill within two weeks, declaring that "the power is in our hands. Who are we not to do what they have told us? These people should not be begging us," Kadaga said of activists who want the bill to become law.
Thanks to Joe.My.God., sidebar
Thanks to Associated Press
Thanks to Box Turtle Bulletin, sidebar
Thanks to Warren Throckmorton, sidebar
Thanks to Think Progress, sidebar


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Robin J. Trupp, PhD, ACNP-BC, CHFN, FAHA
- Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor
Heart failure, sleep disorders, disease management and women and cardiovascular disease. My Ph.D. in Nursing at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio focused on obstructive sleep apnea in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Current Area of Teaching
- Nursing 533: APPLIED PHARMACOTHERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION IN ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSING: ADULT-GERENTOLOGIC PRIMARY AND ADULT-GERENTOLOGIC ACUTE CARE
- Nursing 534: HEALTH MANAGEMENT I
Selected Honors & Awards
- Inducted as Fellow of American Heart Association in 2006
Selected Publications
- Merhaut S, Trupp RJ. "An innovative approach to improving the care of acute decompensated heart failure." Clinical Pathways in Cardiology 2011; 10(2): 107-112. DOI: 10.1097/HPC.0b013e31821b7ac9.
- Trupp RJ, Corwin EJ, Ahijevych KL, Nygren T. "The impact of educational message framing on adherence to continuous positive airway pressure therapy." Behavioral Sleep Medicine 2011; 9(1): 38-52. DOI: 10.1080/15402002.2011.533993.


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"Taxpayers' use of the Free File program -- an alliance of companies that offer free return preparation and electronic filing on their Web sites to eligible taxpayers -- is 5.5 percent below last year at this time," the Government Accountability Office said in a report released Wednesday. The report addressed interim results of the 2007 tax-filing season and the Bush administration's fiscal 2008 budget request for the program.
Free File, now five years old, is available to taxpayers with an adjusted gross income of up to $52,000. About 70 percent of U.S. individuals are eligible this tax season.
This year, the participating companies, which include H&R Block and the TurboTax manufacturer Intuit, cannot advertise tax-refund anticipation loans and other commercial products on the Free File Web site. In previous years, pitches for refund anticipation loans and pop-up advertisements stirred controversy over the "free-ness" of the program.
While participation in the program is decreasing, the Internal Revenue Service reports that complaints are down to one per every 2,193 returns, compared with one in 654 returns last year.
"There have been some extraordinarily negative criticisms of Free File -- which have been partly based on fact" with regard to cross-marketing and pop-ups, said Bernie McKay, the vice president of corporate affairs for Intuit. But the IRS "took the bull by the horns" and eliminated the corporate plugs.
McKay attributed any reported decline "to the undermining of the program by severe critics who didn't come out and say anything when the reforms were instituted."
McKay said the IRS should increase Free File's media exposure via public service announcements to counteract the negative publicity.
With other e-filing options and Free File, all taxpayer data goes through a third-party software company before reaching IRS computers. The IRS' dependency on commercial preparers has prompted privacy advocates to question the ability of tax preparers to use that data for cross-marketing financial products.
Before the April 17 deadline for filing income-tax returns, Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, plans to reintroduce legislation that would require the IRS to offer all individual taxpayers free and direct e-filing through its Web site.
"The declining use of the Free File program cited in the report is just another indication that the program is not working," he said in a statement on Monday.
According to the report, the IRS responded to a draft of the document by stating that the agency "will soon release its strategic plan for taxpayer service delivery, which will serve as the foundation for future decisions for service improvements and efficiencies."


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Scrap Your Gold And Silver And Get Free Money!
There are so many old Gold and Silver bracelets, rings and necklaces laying broken in your house, piling up over the years, until you don't even remember buying them. Well, take them out and get yourself some FREE MONEY! Yep, you heard me. Now listen to what I have got to say!
There are many ways to sell your silver and gold jewellery for scrap. You can take it too a scrap metal dealer or you can sell it to the enormous amount of companies who have jumped on the band wagon in these days of recession, and set up loads of online sites to try to make you part with your earrings, watches bracelets and rings. But which is the best way to do it? And how do you trust the companies involved? It's your money. It's also your investment. So what do you do?
Here we will look at the various options that can give you the most money for your gold and silver, and more importantly, see what is best for you.
We want to make sure the items that were given you as gifts or that you earned with your own hard work, will give you the best return that you can.
In a nutshell, you want to make some money.
Before You Sell Your Gold And Silver For Cash.
Recently on TV. There have been a lot of Adverts stating that if you send this firm or that firm your gold and silver, they will exchange it for cash. What does this mean? And more importantly, what is in the whole deal for them?
Obviously the companies in question are going to want to earn something from the deal. They are not doing it as a favour for you. So therefore there must be money, in fact quite a lot of money, within the circle of buying and selling.
For example. You send them your gold and silver jewellery. The company then will sort it out into the various Carats, weigh it up and then pass it on to someone else. They get paid, then they pay you.
What's wrong with this option? Well, nothing. but do you really want someone else doing the job that you are quite capable of, albeit that you may have to learn a little about the process? No, I didn't think so.
A Little Bit Of Learning Goes A Long Way.
So what do you need to learn about selling gold and silver. Well for a start there is the knowledge about how to tell how pure the gold and silver is. This is measured in what we call Carats. Or as they spell it in the States and Canada, Karats.
Gold Carats.
A Carat is a measure of the purity of gold alloys.
24 Carat gold is 99% pure. 22C is 91%. 21C is 87%. 20C is 83%. 18C is 75%. 15C is 62%. 14C is 58%. 10C is 41%. 9C is 37%. 8C is 33%. And last is the 1C which equals 4%.
So you can see there is quite a lot of difference.
I stated above the fact that gold and silver where measured in Carats. This was to explain that each metal has a particular marking that proved it's worth. Old silver was measured in the same way as gold, i.e. Carats. Now the system has changed over the last hundred years or so, and Silver is now measured in something called the millesimal system. I am sure that you will recognise it.
Fineness Common name Purity Weight.
999 Fine or Pure Silver 99.9
958 Brittania 95.8
925 Sterling Silver 92.5
800 Jewellery Silver 80
You can usually tell Pure Silver by the fact that it is very soft. There is an alloy added to make it durable for jewellery. The alloy is usually Copper, and sometimes Sterling Silver is added which has even more Copper put in it.
So you can see how easy it is for a Scrap Metal Dealer to see instantly how much it is worth, and measure it accordingly.
Your Choice But Be Careful.
In these days of fast buying and even faster selling, the gold and silver online companies, or TV adverts suggesting you send them your jewellery, are relying on the fact that you are so busy in your everyday life, it will be easier for you to send it to them to sort out. And they may be right. So what if they earn a bit of money out of it, they are doing the job for you. That's why I am giving you the option here to decide what is best for you.
If you decide that you want to sell your gold and silver through a company, there are many online that will do the deal for you. Please make sure that they company is a genuine one and has proof of delivery. The trouble is that in this day and age, anybody can jump on the bandwagon, and you can easily be conned by an unscrupulous dealer or firm. There is nothing to stop them advertising, Gold and Silver for Cash! and then getting your jewellery and not sending you the money.
Whilst researching this I came across a forum that was set up for just this sort of thing, and the one thing that they all had in common was the fact that, after handing over lots of gold and silver jewellery, they were receiving up to 600 pounds or dollars LESS than if they had just learned a little bit about it and taken it to a Scrap Dealer themselves! That's a lot of money!
Buying Gold And Silver For Cash!
And so on and so forth. I think you get the idea. These are just a few of the sites mentioned. I have no idea whether they give good value or not, so it is up to you to find the best. But Before you do, I have just one more thing to add.
- Scrap Metal: How To Clean Copper. What Parts To Use ...
Scrap Metal is a very good way to earn yourself some money and give your house and garage a good clean out. But how do you know what's what? Most garages have a collection or jumble of missing parts. Bike...
Handy Tools For Breaking Up Your Old Jewellery.
This is probably the most important part of this article! Making sure that you know your stuff! What's the point in sending off your lovely jewellery to someone else, and trusting them to send you loads of cash if you have no idea what the price is on the Scrap Market value? So I have given you the most up to date list at the moment. It does change, and the value drops but also goes up, but the general term of things, this list is the most relevant at the moment. Obviously take into consideration different countries and different markets.
Prices per Gram.
Gold Per Gram £9.26-$14.26
Silver Per Gram £0.30-$0.46
50 Grams = 1.76 oz
So know you know the prices, why bother sending your gold and silver to a company that will sell it for you?
So what should I do?
Make sure you buy yourself a set of scales. I am not talking about the ones that you stand on! Oh no, I am talking about the small scales that you set on the table. You can buy the old fashioned balancing scales or the modern electronic ones. Obviously the best will be the electronic scales. They will be more accurate.
Do remove any plastic or non gold or silver from the jewellery before you take it to the scrap dealer, for two reasons. The first being that if he has to do the job himself he will give you a lower price. And second, you must always make sure that you put all the right gold and silver together.
For example. 24 Carat gold should only be mixed with 24 Carat gold. Never mix them up it will be regarded as second grade, and your money will be half of what you expected. make sure it is pure 24C or 18C. The same with the silver.
Then just bag it up, and drive to your nearest scrap dealer. Simple.
And then:
Well, maybe not nothing, but let's face it, what else were you going to do with that broken gold necklace? Or the silver bracelet that was laying in the drawer for ten years? Huh? Well?
Answer me!
Yes, you have got it!
So get looking, you never know what you will find!
Do It Yourself!
So, just a final word here. Do you want someone else to have your money? no? Then make sure that you DO IT YOURSELF! Take it to the scrap yard and get your own money. If you are not sure about how much it is worth, or you don't know how to weigh it properly, why not ask your local Jewellers to weigh it for you? I am sure they would be pleased to help you. And in fact some of them may even buy the scrap metal gold and silver off of you!
So, Good Luck!
- Scrap Gold - Sell Your Scrap Gold, Gold Coins and Scrap Jewellery
Scrap Gold - Sell your Scrap Gold to a Birmingham Jewellery Quarter based Scrap Gold Buyer - Use our Scrap Gold Calculator to estimate the value of your Scrap Gold Jewellery
I should do this, I have rings and things from old friends and boyfriends but I feel weird selling them! It would be awfully nice of them to help me pay bills with their valuables though :) Thanks for sharing!
Very nice info but you have to be very careful when choosing what website to go to to sell your gold. Its always best to talk to a professional on the phone first and then decide what is best for you. Choose a place that dont want to sell you gold, only information!
Well done Nell. You have my vote. And for the price of gold now, you can get some good case. Sure wish I knew that was going to happen back in 2002.
I would certainly call these shops and ask what percentage of market price they are paying. Market price is listed online or in the newspaper.
These prices fluctuate day by day, but the metals generally rocket up in price when the economy is bad.
You can also scrap dental gold.
Good hub wit a lot of useful info, voted up
Good job and timely too! Voted useful. Of course you have to have old gold laying around to start this whole process!
Very informative. I've sold jewelry and I only deal with jewelry stores. I've always received good rates and they are willing to negotiate and work with you on prices. I have never trusted the send in companies or the little huts going up on street corners. In my estimation it is best to stick to a jewelry store.
very informative! thanks!
This is a useful hub for ladies and gents who are interested in gold and silver and what to do with their old one.Thank you
If you want your collection of gold may offer thoughtful gifts for special occasions like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, etc. for their loved ones. For example, a bar gold can be a unique birthday gift if you have a happy birthday greeting. Similarly, for example for a wedding anniversary, you can select the gold with the year of the wedding.
The problem is finding the right time to sell. It is very heartbreaking to sell away the gold and silver, and find the price double a couple of years later.
Sorry you were sick. I had a deadly migraine for over a month, probably burning my brain on HMTL, got way behind on reading and responding. Understand. We may be Superwomen, just not everyday... :0)
Thank you for this very informative Hub. I cannot believe people would drop precious metal into an envelope and trust that they will be treated with fairness, I learned a lot today
hi this is very useful to me
Hello Neil Rose, I like your hub. Lots of information, Thank you
Hello Nell,
I prospect a bit in Arizona (USA) and have sold small gold nuggets on Ebay. You get a good price, as shoppers there are informed and the auction runs the price up a bit. Though, most of your readers seem to want to hold on to theirs, and who can blame them? LOL
Just got a metal detector, so ready to go here! Charge!
Great info. Thanks.
Very informative. Why don't we do it ourselves? Its just the same process but with more money. Not exactly free money but absolutely more.
helpful article. i will try this method
How cool. This is another useful hub of yours.
Very nicely done. It is important that you do it yourself, like you said.
It is not easy to sell these things since they are also our memories.
Thanks Nell. It helped me find my current job. I mean, my job until I got a job was applying for positions 8-10 hours a day. Writing cover letters, tweaking resumes for each position.
Now, I voluntarily become unemployed (to move to be closer to my in-laws, HER family..) and it was nerve-racking even when I was in full control of my last day, saving money, etc.
Took be just under two months to move from DC to Houston and become fully employed (I had no prospects or contacts when we left DC for Houston). I hope it's just as easy for everyone else out there! I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemies.
I was looking for a job back in May, after we moved from DC to Houston. I was having a very hard time keeping track of where I had applied. I literally applied to hundreds of jobs. With all my spare time, I put together a simple website with all the landing pages of the open positions at well over 200 companies nationwide.
For those of you out there, looking for a job. Here's the website:
I'm looking for suggestions to expand the list as well, so please let me know!
Good Luck!
I have always wanted to know if this really works! I have a ton of old gold from ex boyfriends that I could sell!
I used to work at a dental office and people would come in for old gold crowns to get money for them ;)
Great article!
Thanks for this informative article. The local jeweler in my area is known to offer good prices, but nice to know about the scrap yard alternative too.
You get more money selling your gold to a local Jewelry shop or a pawn shop rather than the cash 4 gold scams on T.V.
gold is a mainstay for holding its value over a long period of time.
Check around before you sell. Ensure you are getting the best price for your gold from a reputable dealer.
Interesting idea, although I don't think that's really feasable where I live. :(
Hi Nell, I did this at a local shopping centre and they gave me the money there and then. I had quite a bit of gold lying around which needed fixing, it was worth taking it to them. They are called goldbuyers or something like that. If you find a reputable one it is a good idea. Unfortunately I spent most of the cash in the shopping centre anyway!! Oh well, easy come, easy go.
Nice hub. I wouldn't take gold or silver to scrap dealers, though. You can get more selling it at a yard sale than many pawn shops and scrap dealers will give you. If you actually have enough to sell, send it to a real refinery. A good refiner will give more than 90% of the spot gold or silver price. Most dealers will give less than 1/3 of spot.
Thanks for raising people's awareness. The best way to sell is to sell privately, if the jewelry is still usable. You have to search for metal smelters and scrap dealers on the net or phone book. Jewelry stores and those TV buyers will give you about 1/2 what the metal is worth. Don't fall for the advertising!. My new book, "Enhanced, Plated, Irradiated and Lab Created", is available from WWW. PayLoadz.com as a download for $12. Don't buy fine jewelry without reading the "insider info" in it. Sorry, I'm so shamelessly promoting the book, but it's self-published.
I agree right now is the time to cash in on any gold and silver as many finance experts are saying that Gold is rising so high that the bubble could possibly burst within a year or so.
These days though, I would use the money taken out from the scrap, and reinvest it straight into gold and silver bullion. They seem to have only one direction these days!
This is definitely a current trend which has a lot of steam yet. More and more buyers of scrap gold are cropping up all over the place. It's part of the reason I think, as it stands right now, investing in gold is a bit of a high risk (we're getting into bubble-like territory here), but a great opportunity for someone who wants to sell it.
My brother-in-law asked me about the TV thing and I advised him against it, I would not trust them at all!
Hi Nell,
New to your hubs and I like.
Like Quill, I am a horder but no gold or silver, just all the things I think I might need one day, from screws to bits of plank and wire.
Have a great sun shine day,
Cliff ( killrats)
I really got good money for scrap gold - shocked me. Stuff that I'd never use. I sold to a man who owns a business in the community - so I would know where to find him - and he gave me the best prices ever.
I'd like to invest again in gold coins or ingots or such for my future grandchild. I'm watching prices.
Thanks for the hub. May as well turn what you don't need and can't use into cash - which we can use!
nell, this is a great hub, thanks for this one, it is so useful and you saved so many some money or should I say earned so many more then they would have earned. This is truly an across the board hub.. :D ~aloha girl~
I know that gold is type of long term investment. It sound legitimate company who want to receive our gold or silver. I learn much from this hub and I believe this hub useful for us as an alternative to get money. Thank you very much. Vote up as usual.
Guess I have become an old horde... I still have the first gold nugget I found in the Yukon along with some extra I have collected over the years. Maybe someday turn it into something nice for Mrs. Quill.
Hugs and Blessings
I have all my money invested in bicycle parts.
But how to find these repurtable companies? I would like to sell a few things and good very well do with the money. These prices are they the market price of buying price?
I guess the first thing that struck me in these commercials was the assumption that any gold or silver I had 'just lying around' was trash and that I could exchange it for real spendable paper money! LOL. Years ago, Irish girls had skirts with sterling silver spoons sewn into them so the young woman would always have money no matter what befell her. They can keep the cash - I like the spoon idea. Very well researched hub and one that is very timely! Rated UP.
Definitely make sure it is a reputable company because I've heard horror stories. Great piece, Nellie!
I have been watching all these gold shylocks springing up all over the place on t.v.and online ads. Why would anyone in their right mind place all their gold, silver and diamonds in a self addressed envelope and send it off with no knowledge that they will ever see a dime.
I guess they want to play the numbers game and know for a fact that many people will be that trusting and stupid to send it to them and kiss it goodbye or if they are legal, maybe get a pittance back of the real value.
I have gold and silver but if I was going to sell it, I would make sure I find a reputable company that I would bring it to myself and have them in front of me weight it and tell me up front what they will pay me in cash for it, if it's not to my liking I will continue to shop.
I would never send valuables in a self addressed envelope to any money hungry shylock who mainly prays on the desperate, weak and elderly. Great hub Nell, I rate it up.
You have got me thinking...not that I have much, but I have a watch and a necklace...I just might check it out....the boyfriend was a jerk, so I wouldn't mind it being melted down...
Wish I did have lots of gold and silver jewelry lying around waiting to be scrapped Nell! Many years ago the flat I was living in was burgled twice in a short period of time, and none of my jewelry was taken either times. The same policeman attended both burglaries (see how many years ago this was!) and said to me on the second occasion 'You know, for a pretty girl, you've been going out with the wrong kind of men!'
Interesting Hub, especially if people are a bit strapped for cash.
But what is it has all turned green?
I've always wondered about those TV commercials where they tell you to dump your jewelry into a baggie and just send it to them. I can't imagine doing that without some background info. If I had any to send them, haha.


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Eminent Domain In The Wake Of Natural Disasters
In the wake of natural disasters, state and municipal leaders are faced with the need for immediate repairs and remediation. But once the basic...
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iKen Library Combo pack to cover your syllabus for Math and Science of Grade 10.
iKen Library software is compatible with 32-Bit Windows Operating system only. Determine your operating system bit count here - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827218
The software is good and impressive. But a little annoyance arrived when i read that it is only compatible with 32-bit windows. The pricing is set good and reading the inner contents of the package, anyone could easily buy it. If you want to go for it and have win 32-bit, no other choice could be better!
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Julian Assange
|Julian Assange
Assange in the Ecuadorian Embassy, London (August 2014)
Julian Paul Assange
3 July 1971
Townsville, Queensland, Australia
|Embassy of Ecuador, London, United Kingdom
|Alma mater
Central Queensland University
University of Melbourne
|Editor-in-Chief of WikiLeaks
|Home town
|Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Julian Paul Assange (born 3 July 1971) is an Australian-Ecuadorian computer programmer, publisher and journalist. He spokesman and editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, which is a website that posts news leaks. He started the website in 2006.[1] He was born in Townsville, Queensland. He also made a program called Rubberhose to hide secret information in a specific way that protects against torture.
Assange was the Readers' Choice for Time Person of the Year in 2010[2] after getting the most Internet votes. However, Mark Zuckerberg, who started Facebook, won the actual award.
In 2012, facing extradition to Sweden, he was granted political asylum by Ecuador and took refuge at the Embassy of Ecuador, London.
On 11 January 2018, it was announced that Assange had held Ecuadorian citizenship since 12 December 2017.[3]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ "Mystery Hacker: Who Is WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange? - TIME". time.com. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
- ↑ "Julian Assange: Readers' Choice for TIME's Person of the Year 2010 - TIME NewsFeed". newsfeed.time.com. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
- ↑ "Ecuador grants WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange citizenship". The Independent. 2018-01-11. Retrieved 2018-01-11.


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Marsh named associate head for undergraduate programs
Eric Marsh, professor of mechanical engineering, has been named the associate head for undergraduate programs in the mechanical and nuclear engineering department. This position coordinates the activities of the department's undergraduate office, including international experiences, undergraduate research, curricula, and student advising.
Marsh started in the department in 1994 as an assistant professor. His research focuses on diamond turning, grinding, and spindle metrology and he directs the machine dynamics research lab.
Marsh has received recognition for his research and teaching, including the Lawrence J. Perez Memorial Student Advocate Award, the National Science Foundation Early Career Award, the Penn State Engineering Alumni Society Outstanding Teaching Award, the Penn State Engineering Alumni Society Premier Teaching Award, the Joel and Ruth Spira Teaching Award, the American Society of Precision Engineers Director Award, and the Association for Manufacturing Technology Charles F. Carter, Jr. Advancing Manufacturing Award. Marsh is a member of the American Society for Precision Engineering.
Shea Bracken


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Newely Qualified and Newely Visa'd (London)
Hi Everyone,
I'm a qualified CMA (recognized by CIMA) accountant with my MBA and recently acquired an ancestry visa thanks to my wife's Scottish Grandfather. My wife and I are looking to move to either Edinburgh or London, with the more likely answer being London given my background in the Insurance industry. I would like to put some feelers out there to see if anyone is looking for a Management Accountant or Financial Analyst. While it will likely be easier for me to find work in the Insurance or Financial Services Industries I am not personally tied to those. I am currently revamping my CV but can provide my current version upon request.
Thank you everyone in advance.
Andrew T. R. Smith MBA, CMA


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Government Hit With Visa Class Action
The suit, lodged on Friday in the U.S. District Court in Chicago, is one of the first in what could be a number of complaints against the State and Homeland Security departments, for what many have called an "unprecedented" move that likely affected tens of...
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McKean County Animal Hospital 1 ReviewsGreat Customer Service
McKean County Animal Hospital has always been there for me. When I pick up the phone to call, I know i'm going to get great customer service.
Haskell Valley Veterinary Clinic 3 ReviewsExcellent Vet
I couldn't be happier with the care my pets receive at Haskell Valley Veterinary Clinic. The staff always do a great job.
Sheridan Animal Hospital PC 20 ReviewsFriendly staff
Excellent, very friendly with animals and kids. Also very helpful!
Brighton Eggert Animal Clinic 8 ReviewsWe wouldn't take our Beagle anywhere else!
My family has been taking our family pets to Brighton Eggert Clinic for years. We wouldn't think of going anywhere else. They are always willing to get you in as soon as possible if it is more than a routine visit. They are very understanding, willing to listen and caring. I can't say enough about them!
Wrights Corner Animal Care Center 1 ReviewsKeeps up with you
Always very friendly and very good with Rufus. Keeps up on all shots when needed thru e-mail, very helpful


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Jul 16, 2014
If there is one well known concept in the video game industry, then it's Tetris. That game knowns dozens of iterations and has proven to be worth to many different publishers and developers out there. After all those years and versions, one might think that Tetris isn't suitable any more to base a new game on – but the very least is true. Enter 99 Bricks: Wizard Academy.
In 99 Bricks: Wizard Academy players take on the role of a sorceress apprentice. The student must get familiar with the art of stacking blocks and raise that knowledge to an art form. De blocks come failing out of the sky and have different shapes – and here is the point we should stop comparing it to Tetris. The biggest difference between that game and 99 Bricks, is that in 99 Bricks, players should keep on building and building on top of there creations, where in Tetris one should destroy their own accomplishment. The game isn't over when the screen is full of blocks, players can build until a couple of blocks have fallen off. When that happens, a crazy roof appears out of thin air, which needs to be placed on top of the awesome tower that has just been build.
WeirdBeard, a game developer from Amsterdam, has also implemented gravity as a gameplay component. Not just because of the falling blocks, of course. But when some blocks a stacked just a bit on the edge of an other block, it might fall. This also means that blocks might be squinted on one's tower, instead of really straight next to the other one. At that point, players must think ahead and keep in mind that, when building upon those skew blocks, one might need some extra space to keep the tower steady. This is where the game really shines for me. Because when I was at this point, it was always my own fault.
When players are building their towers, they collect coins. With those coins, they can unlock different things. For example, one could buy a new robe for the wizard or some extra lives or magic. With magic, players can do different things: zapping away the falling block, which spares a life. Or make it gold, to get some extra cash. The blocks can even be made of solid bricks, so they won't fall down anymore. Sometimes, I encountered that the lighting zapped away the wrong block for me and that is really the only downside to this game – mainly because this is a physics based puzzle game where control means everything. And zapping blocks is, apparently, something I didn't had complete control over.
But the rest of the controls a marvelous. By tapping ones, players turn the blocks around. By swiping left or the right, the blocks will go that corresponding way. And by swiping downwards, they will go down much faster. It can't go wrong, in my experience. And this, combined with the extremely addictive nature of the game and the quirckly looks, makes 99 Bricks: Wizards Academy are very well made and fun game to play.


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Where can buy electronic cigarettes?
Electronic cigarettes are becoming the talk of the town, because they present a new and exciting way to get your nicotine fix without all of the downfalls that come with smoking regular cigarettes. Smokers have to deal with a lot these days. Not only are real cigarettes more expensive today than they have ever been, but there are so many restrictions now on when and where you can smoke them. Smokers have already gotten used to having to go outside while at the office in order to enjoy a cigarette, but there are so many places today where cigarettes are completely prohibited.
You can't smoke at a restaurant or at a coffee shop. You can't even enjoy a cigarette anymore when having a drink after work at your favorite bar. If you are tired of having to step outside to get your nicotine fix, then electronic cigarettes are something that you definitely need to look into as a possible option.
The great thing about electronic cigarettes is that you can smoke them anywhere. This is because they do not release any smoke when you put them to your lips and take a pull. You get a vapor that contains nicotine, but the outside world is not getting any smoke sent its way. So not only are you allowed to smoke them while you are inside, you are also helping yourself. There is no nasty smell with electronic cigarettes so you can smoke them all day long, and still, your clothes and surroundings will not smell like cigarettes. This is great for your home too if you are sick of having that lingering cigarette smoke smell where you live.
You will also save a lot of money. When you buy a start pack of electronic cigarettes and nicotine cartridges, you will probably be spending the same amount of money that you will spend on real cigarettes in one week, but these electronic cigarettes and cartridges will probably last you for almost a month. When you add up these savings over the course of a whole year, you will probably be able to save thousands of dollars by switching to electronic cigarettes.
You can buy electronic cigarettes in many places, but the best thing to do is to order them online. There are tons of sites now that sell them and you will also save a lot of money ordering online because there are always great deals to be found.
The health benefits of smoking electronic cigarettes should also be mentioned. Now, we can't say that these cigarettes are safe in any way, because they still contain nicotine, which is still very harmful for you. However, there are some benefits in smoking electronic cigarettes that definitely make them a safer and healthier solution for all you smokers out there. When you smoke electronic cigarettes you will be free from taking in all of that sticky and nasty tar that gets into your lungs and arteries and clogs them up, causing serious medical problems.


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Chicago cartoonist ANGEL CONTRERAS has been illustrating for children's entertainers since 1995.
Angel has had the pleasure of creating artwork children's entertainers from all over the world, including places such as Japan, Malaysia, England, Australia, Bermuda, and even Wisconsin!
Angel's combination of wit, playfulness and artistic skill has been effective in helping entertainers look professional and fun!
Enjoy our galleries and shop in our store. Let your imagination soar and tap into Angel's talents for whimsical cartoons and products!


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LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Emerging markets-focused asset manager Ashmore posted a 23 percent rise in full-year pretax profit on Thursday, boosted by growth in assets and performance fee income.
Ashmore said pretax profit in the year to end-June was 206.2 million pounds, underpinning a final dividend per share of 12.1 pence.
Assets under management during the period rose 12 percent to $58.7 billion after net inflows of $1.9 billion and market gains of $4.2 billion, it said in a statement.
That led to an 11 percent rise in revenues and 13 percent increase in management fees it charges clients to run its funds. Performance fees, charged for outperformance, were 28.3 million pounds, it said.
Looking ahead, the company said there was "substantial absolute and relative value available across diversified emerging markets", with many investors still underweight on the asset class. (Reporting by Simon Jessop; Editing by Rachel Armstrong)


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This topic explains how to access and use the AppDNA SDK.
For more information about the data available from the SDK, see Data available using the SDK.
For the full SDK reference, see the class-reference documentation at http://support.citrix.com/help/appdnasdk/7.6.
You can download a sample solution that uses the SDK from http://support.citrix.com/help/appdnasdk/7.6/SampleUserProjects.zip . For code samples that you can use as a basis for your own scripts, go to http://www.citrix.com/go/citrix-developer/xenapp-xendesktop-developer-community/appdna.html and click on Exchange Forum.
Once referenced, Visual Studio imports all the files that the SDK dll depends upon into your application's build output folder. If you distribute your application, you must also distribute these files with the application, including the following files which are not automatically imported by Visual Studio:
All the types exposed by the SDK are in the Citrix.SDK.AppDNA namespace. All the code samples alias this namespace with: using AppDNA = Citrix.SDK.AppDNA;
The SDK has the same Windows Administration requirements as the AppDNA client. This means that the SDK runs as a normal user and should not require further rights.
The AppDNA credentials passed to the Server.Connect function determine what actions are permitted from within the SDK, exactly as for the AppDNA client.
Overview of the Steps
This section provides an overview of the main steps you perform when using the AppDNA SDK. These steps are common, regardless of where you are inputting data from, and of what data you are outputting from the reports. The steps are:
The other topics in this section describe each of these steps in more detail.


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3 Makeup Looks Inspired by My Favorite Albums of 2016
Since I'm a visual person I hardly ever remember the album title but I just remember what the album art looks like.
I can count on one hand the number of times I've had my makeup done by someone else. Every so often, I get an itch to be in the makeup chair rather than tending to someone in sitting in one, but almost every time, I have not been very happy with the experience and/or results.
Recently, I collaborated with my makeup-artist friend Brittani on another xoVain piece, and I asked her how she would feel about joining forces with me again. I've been low-key fangirling over her work for a minute, so I was excited to let her use my face as her canvas.
Here are some things that made my experience go so well that I wouldn't hesitate to let her do my makeup again.
She was well-prepared.
Pretty much every time I've gotten my makeup done before (whether it be at a beauty counter, a salon, etc.) I've felt like the artist didn't necessarily have everything together. There was one time that it was kind of a drop-in deal, so I understand in that case, but all the other times I came in person to schedule the appointment and talked to the artist beforehand about what I wanted.
Brittani and I talked about what I was looking for, and she had everything she needed on hand.
We had a dialogue about what I was looking for.
I am fairly experimental with my makeup, so I don't mind giving an artist a little freedom to do what they want on me; my only stipulation is that we keep the foundation light and my face looking fresh. It took me a lot of trial and error to find a combination of products that makes my skin look good, so I don't want to heavily cover it up.
After tossing a few ideas back and forth, we decided to play up my eyes for our session. I liked that she asked questions about what I wanted, and we were able to communicate clearly.
She talked to me about what she was doing.
This is not going to be a make-or-break for everyone, but I'm chatty, and I like to know what's being done to my face. I don't need a full play-by-play, but I appreciate knowing what's going on.
She was open to adjustments.
Brittani was really good about letting me get a look at what she was doing at various points during our session and asking me if there was anything I wanted adjusted. I appreciated that she was open to my opinions and genuinely wanted to make sure that I was pleased with the results.
I really found having my makeup done to be a relaxing experience (FINALLY) and I definitely want to try it again!
Have you ever had your makeup done professionally? What have your experiences (good or bad) been?