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Our values and mission
Our Values
As a Group we adhere to five core values:
- Excellence: we are known for working to a high standard and providing a quality service to all;
- Professionalism: everyone takes personal accountability and responsibility, leads by example and inspires others;
- Integrity: we communicate with transparency and respect, creating a working and learning environment based on trust;
- Inclusivity: we celebrate being a diverse and vibrant community, where there are no barriers to inclusion and where we view the differences between people as a source of strength;
- Creativity: we are innovative, generating ideas and opportunities that are useful in solving problems and enhancing the reputation of the University.
Our Mission
Our mission is to be recognised for:
Transforming lives, communities, businesses and society through applied education and insight.
At the heart of the LSBU Group is high quality applied professional and technical education. We underpin this with first class academic insight – applied research and knowledge exchanges, which provide valued knowledge to employers and currency to the teaching and student experience we offer.
The content and delivery of our education is based on a detailed understanding of what employers expect and built around the personal and career needs and ambitions of our educational partners – whether we call them pupils, learners, students or clients.
Our civic mission means that our work is place-based, whether that place is our home in south London, or around our multi-touch international partnerships. Our courses, research and other activities are informed by our detailed understanding of local needs, and our international links provide global context.
We work collaboratively with our students, employers and a wide range of organisations – educational, civic, governmental, public, private and voluntary – locally, nationally and internationally.
We work professionally, consistently providing high quality customer service and outcomes to our students and to our civic, funding and knowledge exchange partners.
We work ambitiously, providing wide-ranging and high-quality support to our students, employees and partners enabling them to achieve their fullest career and personal potential.
We work innovatively, insightfully and sustainably, anticipating and preparing for a changing world; making sure we secure the resources we need to achieve our current and future objectives.
Our mission will be delivered by achieving four strategic pillars:
- Access to opportunity
- Our learning and support pathways will create societal change.
- We will provide high quality applied education - with a focus on professional and technical programmes - for all who can benefit.
- Student success
- Our educational framework will empower our students for future success.
- We will offer personalised high-quality applied education, professionally delivered, flexibly available, digitally enhanced, employment focused, and enterprise informed.
- Real world impact
- Our teaching, research and enterprise will deliver outstanding impact locally and further afield.
- We will be recognised as a vital resource for our teaching, research, knowledge exchange, enterprise activities and community engagement.
- Fit for the future
- Our organisation will transform to ensure it thrives.
- Our high quality professional and technical education will provide employers with the well-educated and workplace-ready employees they need.
Our high quality professional and technical education will provide employers with the well-educated and workplace-ready employees they need.
We will operate as:
- One Organisation: a Group strategy and operating framework driven from the centre; with Group members focused on excellent academic delivery, and professional functions providing consistently high quality services across the Group;
- Customer Centred: with professional staff delivering clearly articulated services at agreed high standards for our students, employees and stakeholders;
- Accountable: with clearly identified and accepted responsibilities for performance and processes and delegated authority wherever possible;
- Efficient: with streamlined and affordable processes and functions;
- Effective: with an embedded culture of achievement driving continuously improving delivery based on assured and clear data.
The information in this newsletter article is intended for LSBU Group staff only. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information supplied in this article, London South Bank University cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.


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Transportation to Northern Rescue Organizations
Since 2018, many dogs and puppies from the Nelson County Animal Shelter have found new homes through a program which requires that they be transported to rescue organizations in the Northeast United States and in Canada. With the help of this program, the live release rate for canines in this rural county shelter has increased to as much as 85% in some years. A "no kill" shelter is defined as 90% of animals saved.
Although the shelter is now managed by our county government, the Humane Society of Nelson County, as a friend of the shelter, is still committed to paying for the cost of transportation by providing a vehicle, auto insurance, driver wages, and other expenses. The Humane Society must contribute over $10,000 each year to cover this life-saving program.
Please help us help dogs and puppies, many of which would be facing euthanasia without placement through this program. Northern organizations often take dogs that are older, hard-to-place because of breed or behavior, pregnant and nursing mothers, and others with special needs. Over 200 dogs and pups found new homes through this program in 2022.
Our goal is $10,000. We are accepting tax deductible donations at the Humane Society and online through our GoFundMe page: gofundme.com/
Judith Cooke
Bardstown, KY
Humane Society of Nelson County
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.

subset: commoncrawl


text: JCREMC Search | Advanced Search | New Members | Coupons and Discounts | All Categories   Public Utilities & Environment >> Utilities JCREMC 750 International DriveFranklin, IN 46131 | map | directions Mr. John D. Gates (317) 736-6174 | fax: (317) 736-9808 Visit Site Connect With Us Johnson County REMC is a member-owned electric cooperative located in Franklin that supplies electricity to more than 23,000 consumers. As a member-owned, not-for-profit electric utility we are active members of our local community committed to serving residential, commercial and industrial customers with integrity, accountability, innovation, and community involvement. Member Since: 1987 Send a message to: JCREMC Your Name: Your Email: Subject: Message: (Date: 3/2/2024) If your business isn't here, contact us today to get listed!


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AMA Statement
March 7, 2020
The relationship between government and physicians has become strained as government has implemented a new funding framework. Physicians have raised their concerns about many elements of the changes, and how these will impact their patients and practices. Unfortunately the tone and tenor of public discourse about this dispute has become increasingly hostile, negative and personal. Regrettably, this has led to some comments that have become personal, with those towards the Minister of Health as an important example. Similarly, comments regarding physicians have been interpreted as questioning the importance of their role in a well-functioning system, such as the critical role of family physicians in providing complex and comprehensive care within the community.
It is time to turn this around and put our energies into building the best possible health care system for Albertans. The Alberta Medical Association is committed to upholding this standard, as we strive to find common ground with government. We will do so in a positive and constructive manner. We agree that it is in everyone's interest to keep discussions professional and civil and ensure that information circulated is accurate.
The AMA is committed to a sustainable health care system, with quality and value at its foundation. A small working group has been established to allow the AMA to present alternatives to the recently announced funding framework. The Government of Alberta has expressed interest in hearing any proposals brought forward by the AMA, subject only to the government's fiscal imperatives.


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John T. Cacioppo is Tiffany and Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Psychology, Director of the Social Psychology Program, and Co-Director of the Institute for Mind and Biology at the University of Chicago.
Gary G. Berntson is Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics at Ohio State University.
C. Sue Carter is Professor of Psychiatry and Codirector of the Brain Body Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Richard J. Davidson is the William James and Vilas Research Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin. He is coeditor of
65: CSF Testosterone and 5-HIAA Correlate with Different Types of Aggressive Behaviors
In Special Collection: CogNet
J. Dee Higley, Patrick T. Mehlman, Russell E. Poland, David M. Taub, James Vickers, Stephen J. Suomi, Markku Linnoila, 2002. "CSF Testosterone and 5-HIAA Correlate with Different Types of Aggressive Behaviors", Foundations in Social Neuroscience, John T. Cacioppo, Gary G. Berntson, Ralph Adolphs, C. Sue Carter, Richard J. Davidson, Martha McClintock, Bruce S. McEwen, Michael Meaney, Daniel L. Schacter, Esther M. Sternberg, Steve Suomi, Shelley E. Taylor
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Govt summons Cottco over US$6,8 million debt
Agriculture minister Anxious Masuka told legislators during Parliament's question and answer session that Cottco has promised to pay farmers.
By Harriet Chikandiwa
Nov. 13, 2023
Farmers union calls for rethink on free inputs
Zakariya said the fact that farmers did not stand to lose anything whether they planted late or early using the free inputs was proving detrimental to the agricultural sector.
By Melody Chikono
Dec. 19, 2022
GMB, wheat farmers in standoff over payment
This has dented hopes of a successful summer cropping season.
By Tinashe Kairiza
Dec. 9, 2022
Farmers fume over power outages
Farmers told Newsday Farming that Zesa has been switching off debtors, thus affecting irrigation programmes.
By Lorraine Muromo
Nov. 29, 2022
Farmers call for insurance subsidy
Official data indicates that Zimbabwe has been losing on average 7,3% of its agriculture gross domestic product to drought annually.
By Melody Chikono
Nov. 9, 2022
ZFU frets over 2% money transfer tax
In its 2023 budget submissions, the ZFU said the 2% tax significantly reduced the income of farmers since most payments are received via electronic transfers.
By Melody Chikono
Nov. 8, 2022
High inputs prices worry farmers
Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) president Abdul Nyathi said: "We are worried that prices of farming inputs remain on the high side as we face the summer season.
By Obert Siamilandu
Sep. 28, 2022
Govt refreshes 99-year leases
Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement minister Anxious Masuka told NewsDay that the process to get a 99-year lease will now be "automatic" and securitised.
By Tafadzwa Kachiko
Sep. 20, 2022


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We offer a wide selection of top quality gutters, ranging in material from copper, aluminum, or steel.
We work high quality products to ensure the best result for you.
For example, we work with a large variety of downspout sizes, ranging from 2″, 3″, 4″ round in standard 2×3 or 3×4.
We also use premium ODE 500 high-quality hidden hangers. We can also provide optional accessories for all your various gutter needs.


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VIDEO: Manny Pacquiao Defeats Keith Thurman By Split Decision to Win WBA Welterweight Title
By Mark Powell
Manny Pacquiao, at the age of 40, is the welterweight champion of the world. As improbable as that might sound, the veteran boxer and Philippines senator punches far younger than his age may suggest, and moves around the ring like a man half his age. While he faced an undefeated opponent in Keith Thurman, the 30-year-old had never faced competition quite like this.
It took only one round for Manny to make his presence felt, delivered some critical punches during the so-called feeling out process. Come the second round, Pacquiao displayed his defensive prowess, dodging punches near the end of the allotted time and showing off some moves just after the bell tolled.
Come the middle rounds, Pacquiao delivered some body shots to Thurman which very clearly impacted him. Yet, Thurman's ability to overcome adversity displayed heart and toughness the casual boxing fan likely didn't know he had.
Despite suffering his first career defeat, Thurman still has a bright career ahead of him. Losing to a legend is nothing to be ashamed of, and there's plenty to learn from in this decision.
Pacquiao landed the majority of power punches, and even though the fight was far more competitive towards the later rounds, we're thankful the majority of the judges got this one right.
One question remains, however: will Floyd keep running?


text: Juun. J has always been the designer to bring innovative designs every season. For Autumn/Winter 2015 Juun. J introduces a range of graphic imagery placed on the popular neoprene silhouette, and we at PAUSE had to pick a favourite. The long sleeve oversized Black Neoprene Clown Pullover is a perfectly striking option to wear for the Fall. It's print does the talking whilst the silhouette will enhance your outfit. Featuring a ribbed crewneck collar, sleeve cuffs and hem as well as a Clown print at front.


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Hi everyone! I hope you haven't missed us too much 🙂
We made it to Santiago without a hitch thanks to the wonderful Mary! You heard me right! At the last minute Mary was able to come with us and has been wonderfully helpful! Nathan was a doll during the trip and has been brimming with excitement.
We got here Sunday morning and rested and then in the afternoon we got to meet Mama Terapeuta and Rocio! We went to her birthday party and also got to meet many of her friends! They are as lovely as they appear on their blog! Nathan was super excited to be out at a party on his first day in South America.
And now for the bad news. I forgot my camera 🙁 Otherwise I could share some videos of Nathan's first 2 days of Medek with Ramon. He is doing AMAZING! He hasn't forgotten anything he learned and is starting at a better place. He is responding well to the exercises and is actually making an effort instead of complaining for the sake of complaining! I have felt so proud watching him make an effort and trying to keep a happy mind while working hard. I have so much hope and excitement for what we will see after Nathan works with Ramon for several weeks.
We have a ton of things planned for the next few days and are really excited. Tomorrow we are moving to a new apt as the one we're in is a bit too far from Ramon's office. We also found a preschool that is willing to take Nathan in the afternoons after his Medek, so he can have some interaction and involvement with other children. We also found a pool where we can take him every day. We also have a few outings planned with other families here in Chile! We are so excited!
The only drawbacks are: We miss Owen, and I have CONSTANT morning sickness. It starts in the middle of the night and stays with me till about 5pm. It's hard to function! Fortunately Mary has been helping and we are trying to find someone to help me when Mary leaves on Friday.
Here are some pictures from Rocio's birthday party that I grabbed from Sonia's FaceBook!


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project | Co-Authors: Kata Oltai curator, art historian; Gábor Szenteleki, painter | Photos: Miklós Sulyok
"Lőrinc Borsos is a fictitious contemporary artist called to life by János Borsos and Lilla Lőrinc in 2008. He is active mainly in the genres of painting and installation, but being faithful to conceptual traditions, he never stops seeking the most appropriate medium, technique and language for addressing the explored context. Besides projects of a personal tone, he reflects on current and universal social and political phenomena." This was how the artist duo defined themselves in 2013. They invited Gábor Szenteleki and Kata Oltai to temporally extend their personality.
It became clear at the start of the project that the tools used for self-scrutiny and self-definition would not only be the ones traditionally used by art history, but also those employed in affiliated disciplines, such as sociology, cultural anthropology or psychology, as well as mechanisms of entirely disassociated fields. Besides the quest for real answers, these inquiries have made it possible to scrutinize ingrained responses, role clichés and methods of resolution.
How far does the supposedly omnipotent role of the artist extend; the hallmark and style, as qualities of identification and recognizability (expected even by art trade); the necessary or superfluous, symbiotic or parasitic role of the curator as facilitator or hindrance? Is undertaking a critical condition in a public art scene that prescribes progressiveness equivalent to suicide? Can private life and artist identity be merged? As an artist duo, are they dominated by their female or male identity? Do they have to make a choice as to what kind of dynamic moves this relationship? Is all of this sustainable in a private partnership (marriage)?
The participants have considered themselves equal creative partners from the start, their roles put down in a contract, their negotiations logged. With the help of the project as well as psychotherapy, Borsos and Lőrinc have re-examined their relation to the hybrid artist brought to life by the two of them. Szenteleki's role has been to attempt to visualize the emerging anomalies in painting while reinventing his own pictorial language. The cyclically reconceptualized process has been consolidated through the coordinating and analytical role of the curator.
The paintings created throughout the Self-Critical Portrait project (2013-2016) are the work of painter Gábor Szenteleki (author 1), co-authored by curator and art historian Kata Oltai (author 2), and signed by visual artist Lőrinc Borsos (author 3).
More information: https://www.facebook.com/onkritikusportre


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Birth Name: Francois Rude
Occupation: Sculptor
Place Of Birth: France
Date Of Birth: January 4, 1784
Date Of Death: November 3, 1855
Cause Of Death: N/A
Ethnicity: Unknown
Nationality: French
Francois Rude was born on the 4th of January, 1784. He was popular for being a Sculptor. French sculptor who was the stepfather of sculptor Paul Cabet. He sculpted Mercury fastening his sandals and Jeanne d' Arc.
Francois Rude was born in France. He worked for his father as a stovemaker until he was 16. He received the cross of the Legion of Honour for his statue of a Neapolitan Fisher Boy playing with a Tortoise.
Francois Rude was a Capricorn and was born in the G.I. Generation.
JUMP TO: Francois Rude's biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs.
Francois Rude was born in 1780s.
Francois Rude is part of G.I. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. The initials "G.I." is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue".
Francois's education details are not available at this time. Please check back soon for updates.
Francois Rude's mother's name is unknown at this time and his father's name is under review. We will continue to update information on Francois Rude's parents.
Associated with
Personal Life
Like many famous people and celebrities, Francois Rude kept his personal life private. Once more details are available, we will update this section.
Francois Rude was born in the Year of the Dragon.
Fast Facts
REAL NAME: | Francois Rude |
NICKNAME: | Francois |
RELIGION: | Unknown |
AGE GENERATION: | G.I. Generation |
BIRTH SIGN: | Capricorn |
BIRTH DAY: | Sunday |
DEATH DAY: | Saturday |
Zodiac Sign: Francois Rude was a Capricorn. People of this zodiac sign like family, tradition, and dislike almost everything at some point. The strengths of this sign are being responsible, disciplined, good managers, while weaknesses can be to be the know-it-all, unforgiving, condescending and expecting the worst. The greatest overall compatibility with Capricorn is Taurus and Cancer.
Chinese Zodiac: Francois Rude was born in the Year of the Dragon. People born under this sign are energetic and excitable. They hate hypocrisy and gossip and can sometimes be a bit arrogant and impatient.
Ruling Planet: Francois Rude had a ruling planet of Saturn and has a ruling planet of Saturn and by astrological associations Saturday is ruled by Saturn. Saturn is a planet of commitment and responsibility, but also restriction and delay. People who are born with Saturn as the ruling planet are disciplined and are hard workers.
Francois Rude's birth sign is Capricorn and he had a ruling planet of Saturn.
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Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us. This page is updated often with latest details about Francois Rude. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates.


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The Settings menu allows users to view their account information, reveal the OTP secret, and to toggle Secure Account.
The information on the Account Info screen depends on how the account was configured. Accounts that require a PIN will not allow toggling Secure Account. Similarly, accounts that were not set up with an OTP secret will not display Show Secret and accounts in which an issuer was not configured will not display an Issuer. This is also where you will determine which account is set as the primary account for the device.
RapidIdentity Server accounts can be synchronized with the RapidIdentity Mobile app by clicking Resync.


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The Mets were connected to free-agent center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. earlier in the offseason, but the two sides did not come close to an agreement, Andy Martino of SNY.tv writes. The club has agreed to sign fellow center fielders Kevin Pillar and Albert Almora Jr. in recent days, and now the chances of it adding Bradley are "practically nonexistent," according to Martino. If true, that eliminates one logical suitor for Bradley, a longtime member of the Red Sox and one of the top free agents remaining on the market.
- Angels right-hander/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani threw a 27-pitch bullpen session Thursday, and his velocity topped out at 90 mph, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets. Ohtani, who's coming off a season limited by a right flexor strain, averaged a little over 93 mph on his heater from 2018-20, but he's not concerned about his early camp velocity drop. "It was my first bullpen, so I'm not too worried about the velo," Ohtani said (via Fletcher). Ohtani's arm problems (including September 2019 Tommy John surgery) limited him to just 1 2/3 innings of pitching over the previous two seasons, but the hope is that he'll re-emerge this year as an important member of the Angels' rotation.
- Yankees righty Luis Severino is throwing from 120 feet and could return to the mound in the next few weeks, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Severino was one of the elite pitchers in the game from 2017-18, but injuries have cut him down since then. He threw only 12 innings in 2019 because of shoulder issues and then didn't pitch at all last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. But if he bounces back this year, Severino and Yankees ace Gerrit Cole could comprise one of the best one-two punches of any rotation in baseball.
- More on the Yankees, who do have interest in re-signing free-agent outfielder Brett Gardner, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. It's "likely" the Yankees would keep him in the vicinity of $3MM, Heyman relays. As of last week, though, the career-long Yankee, 37, and the club reportedly hadn't engaged in any contract negotiations.


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China and U.S Meeting on Trade War
The U.S President tweeted that the progress was being made in resolving the 17- month trade war.
The stock market is on rise after the news on trade deal between China and United States.
There are indications of an end to the trade war between the two powerful economies after the U.S President Mr Trump tweeted: "Getting VERY close to a BIG DEAL with China. They want it, and so do we!"
Getting VERY close to a BIG DEAL with China. They want it, and so do we!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2019
Sources are suggesting that details of the terms, including the tariff cuts, would be released on Friday.
There has been a progression of tit for tat trade taxes which have been generally accused for harming the more extensive world economy through debilitated interest for exports. Also 25% tariffs on US-made vehicles would be reintroduced.


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Food may feed to the body, but making feeds the soul. And that feeds us. It's why we make everything from cutlery, to coffee makers, to cooktops. A world of products with a single purpose: to make sure you get the most out of making. So whether you cook, bake, brew, or blend, anything you want to do in the kitchen, you can do with KitchenAid. Get the KitchenAid KE057OHAQA Classic Measuring Spoons, Set of 5, Aqua Sky/Black for only $3.97 for a limited time!
- Set of 5 Measuring Spoons: This Measuring Set Includes 5 Different Spoon Sizes, 1 Tablespoon (15mL), 1/2 Tablespoon (7. 4mL), 1 Teaspoon (5mL), 1/2 Teaspoon (2. 5mL), and 1/4 Teaspoon (1. 25mL).
- Durable Measuring Spoons: These measuring spoons work with both wet and dry ingredients. Crafted from durable, BPA-Free plastic, each spoon has its size printed in easy to read letters on its handle in both standard and metric units. Each spoon contains a matte exterior with a gloss interior, as well as a black soft grip containing the Stand Mixer icon.
- Organized Storage: The Measuring Spoons Nest Within Each Other and Are Held Together with a Thick Plastic Ring to Secure Easy Organization and Storage.
- DISHWASHER SAFE: These measuring spoons are dishwasher safe, making clean up quick and easy. Placing in the top rack of dishwasher is recommended
- Lifetime Limited Included: These Measuring Spoons Comes with a 1-Year Hassle-Free Replacement and Lifetime Limited
Remember, Amazon prices can change at any time.
This post contains affiliate links.


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Yves Suter
- Text by Alex King
- Photography by Yves Suter
Twenty years ago, photographer Yves Suter's mother won a snowboard in a supermarket competition. Into the Great White is a documentation of everything snowboarding has meant to him since that lucky day, at nine years old, when he got his first board. The book is a beautiful and honest portrayal of everything that captivates him: the exploration, the environments, the people and the unforgettable moments. Certain of the story he wanted to tell, Yves chose to publish the book himself. He spent ten years collecting images and the effort involved in the project makes itself felt. To find out more about the book, Huck sat down with Yves to talk words, pictures and chance.
Printed pages
"Photography still looks best in print, whether in a book or in an exhibition. On the internet it's often like sand slipping through your fingers; you get tons of information but you forget it very easily. By contrast, a book is something you can touch, feel and keep. You can gain a very clear overview of a body of work and really understand it."
Self publishing
"I like to have control over the outcome of my work and the way it is presented to the viewer. I enjoy every stage; I like scanning the film, doing the lithography, the editing and so on. The entire process of book making brings me a lot of joy. I do whatever I want to do. Everything is possible. Self-publishing gives you the freedom to fully fulfil an artistic vision very directly. Nobody can prevent you from doing anything. But on the other hand, it can be very nice to have experienced publishers on your side who can help and guide you."
Words and pictures
"I don't like to talk a lot about my work because everything you need to know is in the pictures. I often get the impression that people write very intelligent stuff in books for the sake of proving they can write complicated essays. I never wanted that. My book is about how I see this world, about how I live this world. I tried to transport a feeling with my pictures."
Snow life
"You never get to see it in magazines or movies but it is everyday life for everybody who snowboards. These moments are why I go snowboarding, so I wanted to show that. It's what snowboarding is to me."
"In the end, snowboarding is like life; there's a lot of luck and chance. Everything is an interplay between knowledge, experience, chance, luck, time, coincidence and nature. You try to prepare and be ready, but every time you go somewhere it looks different to last time. The sun, wind and snow play a game of constant change. No day is ever the same, but that makes it interesting. With my photography, chance dictates the conditions, situations and people I come across, but my style stays the same; I just try to adapt it to different situations."
Pick up a copy of Into the Great White at Hakuin Verlag, or check out more from Yves at yvessuter.com.


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Cashflow is vital for startups so it is important to select the right payment gateway from the beginning. We get it — getting paid is awesome, selecting a payment gateway…not so much.
Don't worry, we're putting our experience to work for you. In today's blog we'll cover what you need to know in order to select the best payment gateway for your startup: everything from application time frames to fees and fraud protection tools.
Just a quick reminder: a payment gateway is different from a merchant account. A merchant account is a type of bank account that allows you to accept debit and credit card payments from your customers. A payment gateway facilitates the secure transfer of information from your website or application to your merchant account.
You need to have both a merchant account and a payment gateway to process transactions from your customers. Today, many payment gateway providers offer a combination — both a merchant account and a payment gateway from the same company.
In today's post we're focusing on how to select the right payment gateway for your startup…
Things to consider when choosing a payment gateway for your startup
Application process & time frames
We've already mentioned that cashflow is vital for startups, so it is important to find out how long the application process with a new payment gateway will take. And once approved, how long will it be before you're able to process payments from your paying users?
Other time frames you need to ask about when comparing payment gateways:
- Contract terms
- Payments
Some payment gateways impose specific time frames for contracts, such as a one year contract. If there are time frames specified by a contract, you'll also want to find out if there are early termination or cancellation fees you'll have to pay if you become unhappy with the payment gateway.
Cash is king. What is the timeline for your startup to receive the cash following successful payment transactions? The last thing you need is a gap in cash flow when you have to pay your own suppliers and overhead costs!
Supported currencies & merchant locations
These two are non-negotiable; if these aren't a fit they're automatic deal breakers. The payment gateway you choose for your startup must support:
- The currencies you'll be billing customers in
- The country your startup is located in
While this sounds like a no-brainer, it can be a bit confusing. For instance, a payment gateway may support both USD and CAD currencies but only support merchants located in the United States. In that instance, even though the payment gateway supports CAD, they wouldn't be a fit if your startup was located in Canada.
Be aware that multi-currency cards may have a different transaction fee (we'll talk more about fees in the section below).
For the most part, the major payment gateways support the same card types. But, it is still worth checking to ensure the card types the majority of your customers will likely be using are supported by the payment gateway you're considering.
Ideally, the payment gateway you select will have transparent pricing and no hidden fees. To avoid hidden fees, ask the payment gateway for all potential costs you could encounter while using them as your gateway.


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Large parts of the black forest were damaged by Hurricane
Lothar on December 26th, 1999. This image was photographed a couple of
weeks later. The panorama is stitched from three full frame fisheye
images (15mm Sigma lens/ Olympus OM1) in landscape orientation. The camera
was handheld, no tripod was used.
This version of the panorama uses a small source file
in equirectangular projection, which is displayed by PTViewer.
Copyright ©2000,2001 Helmut Dersch firstname.lastname@example.com


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It is now clear that what is going on in Crimea and eastern Ukraine is all an elaborate show, planned and directed by Moscow. Given the wording in a resolution unanimously passed by the Russian Federation Council giving Vladimir Putin authority to use Russian troops in not just Crimea, but on "Ukrainian territory," the beginnings of 'popular' pro-Russian unrest in eastern Ukraine, and Moscow's continued inflammatory rhetoric, we can reasonably say that Putin will attempt to incorporate eastern Ukraine and Crimea into Russia or split Ukraine in two and establish a Moscow puppet state in the east.
But the question remains, why would the risk-averse Putin, all too well knowing the heavy fallout from such a provocative action, which obnoxiously flouts international law and norms, take such decisive and aggressive action. Moreover, Russia has preached sovereignty as its number one foreign policy principle, even in the face of mounting evidence of the Assad regime's brutality in Syria for instance. Then there's the fact that Moscow has spent $50 billion in the last 7 years on bettering its image in the West and successfully lobbied to host the recent Olympics and the 2018 World Cup. Sure Russia has an important naval base on Crimea, however, Russia's lease isn't up until 2042 and the Ukrainian state surely needs the money going forward.
Had Putin just waited, the painful reforms that the West would've demanded in exchange for loans to plug Ukraine's immediate budget holes likely would've rendered the interim Ukrainian government extremely unpopular, leaving Moscow sitting pretty. Instead, Russia will inherit this mess, along with severe economic problems, should they gain de facto or de jure control of Ukraine or parts of it. And few believe that a Russian military victory can be achieved without much bloodshed and destruction.
Firstly, we must remember that Ukraine was a zero-sum game for Putin from the start. When it became clear the Kremlin had lost, it instinctively attributed it to Western, specifically US, interference. It is inconceivable to Moscow that the Ukrainian people, or anyone for that matter, can revolt against their rulers without outside instigation. We must also keep in mind that the Russian elite is currently buoyed by their success in hosting the Olympics, despite much skepticism and criticism – the fact that no top Western leaders attended is fresh in their minds as well. Stanislav Belkovsky, a Russian political commentator, labeled it "hypertoxic schizophrenia [http://www.snob.ru/profile/25718/blog/72802]."
Secondly, Putin was correct in his observation that the West didn't want Ukraine that bad, for any number of reasons, including but not limited to its aforementioned deep economic problems and disastrous finances, as well as internal strife, and fear of agitating Russia. Putin also correctly realized that ultimately the US and West could do little but shun his regime internationally, slap sanctions on Russian officials, and freeze Russian assets in Western banks, at least in the immediate to short term. The latter is an oddly desirable outcome considering that mid-level Russian officials have been sabotaging Putin's anti-corruption efforts, as well as the fact that their higher-ups, including Putin, have their illegally-gotten money safely hidden. And there is the question of whether the West even has the appetite to do seize the assets since the Western financial sector will vigorously resist any attempt to impinge on the Russian assets they hold, potentially rendering any Western effort to seize these assets futile. Moreover, some greedy Westerner will always be there to take stolen Russian money. And besides, Western governments can't really stop their companies from doing business in Russia. Even if they could, properly-applied Russian pressure could break their unity.
Thirdly, with the first signs of an impending economic crisis in Russia appearing, the Kremlin needs all the sources of public support it can get. Certainly, reestablishing Russian control over territories historically Russia's would do just that. The Kremlin's aggressive response to and rhetoric toward the protests is meant to marginalize Putin's domestic opposition, associating them with the conniving West and fascism, while simultaneously making it clear that Putin will stand firmly against challenges to established power, whether they be in Syria, Ukraine, or Russia itself. Just a few days ago, leading Russian oppositionist, Aleksei Navalny, was placed under house arrest for two months with no internet access. This is just the latest in a string of Kremlin moves aimed at further consolidating its power and raising the stakes for opposition. The veneer of democracy and rule of law is no more.
Finally, and most crucially in my opinion, aside from the deep historical and cultural ties Russia and Ukraine share, the latter is central to Putin's Eurasian Customs Union, an attempt at reintegrating the post-Soviet space economically under the control of Moscow. Putin has created a politico-economic system whose most salient features are cronyism and corruption and that by all indications is becoming more and more difficult to control. Therefore, the Customs Union project was not just an attempt to make Russia a stronger world power, but an admittance of failure on the part of the Kremlin; the current system is simply unfixable. The result is stagnation, inflation and has required a mix of increased authoritarianism and government social spending to ward off political challenges. Putin calculated that without Ukrainian participation, his Customs Union project, and by extension his legacy as Russian president, would be irreparably damaged.
No one knows where this will end. For one, Russia has not come this far to back down, and certainly not to Western pressure. Secondly, if Putin has indeed gone rogue, reconciling himself with the idea of a closed, autarkic (along with other Customs Union countries), authoritarian or fascist Russia, where does Moscow's aggression end?
The post-Soviet era is over. The post-WWII international order is dead. Globalization and its byproduct, i.e. the weakening of state, and more broadly collective, organized, power is the cause. The combination of the total embrace of unfettered neoliberalism in the West and the incoherence of America's foreign policy since 1991 has only accelerated the West's decline. Putin is just reaping the benefits of these processes.
Keary Iarussi is a Junior Fellow at the Miami University Havighurst Center for Russian and Post-Soviet Studies.
This op-ed appeared in the Miami Student: http://www.miamistudent.net/opinion/opinion-putin-s-gone-rogue-1.3146866 and The Moscow Times: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/moscows-mendacious-move/495607.html


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Our color for the month of February is RED. We've gathered some images that cover a broad range of reds on our pinterest board titled COLOR | red. Here is a clip and some of the shades that can be drawn from it. How would you use them? What do you love that is red? Fire hydrant, cinnamon disk. What do you think?
Red is a color that evokes many emotions. It signifies energy and action. Red is often believed to stimulate appetites and is therefore frequently used in decor in restaurants. It is considered a color of passion, so it is no wonder it is used to indicate love and even revenge. In many Eastern cultures, red is used to represent luck. For centuries, it has been used as a traditional color in wedding dresses around the globe.
Used properly, red can conjure just the right emotion from anger to happiness. If not used judiciously, it may be seen as garish or aggressive. While some rooms in deeper reds may appear rich and sophisticated, others with the wrong shade come off as gaudy or kitschy. If you want to use red, but are nervous about the outcome, start small. Introduce the color with accessories like artwork, pillows, or throws. Move your way up to occasional chairs or rugs. When you are ready to take the bold step, consider painting an accent wall.
savour... passionate color


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I've been tasked to correct some issues on the backend of a large website project that has been outsourced for some time. The original developers and us are not on good terms so it's not feasible to get them involved.
The technology stack is as follows:
- MySQL 5.x
- PHP 5.3 (and a variety of supporting libraries)
- Apache with mod_rewrite
The problems I am facing are:
- No documentation, not even comments
- 4 index files in root, plus 2 main files in a combo of php and html and 1 default.php, the referenced index file in .htaccess references their local test server.
- Duplicate file names / files
- Atrocious file system layout ( ultiple js folders, multiple script folders etc )
- Reliance on original mysql functions ( not mysqli or PDO )
- multiple frameworks, JQuery, various marketplace API's etc.
It has been a highly frustrating several hours trying to sort out where to begin with this mess, let alone how to fix the items I need.
So my question is: What would be the best place to start or If this was dropped on your lap, how would you approach it?
I know this is subjective, and opinions are what I am looking for, so any advice is appreciated.


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Introverts: Taking Over the World One Keystroke at a Time June 5, 2016
I'm fairly certain that if you left me alone long enough I could take over the world.
Maybe that's why no one ever leaves me alone. They fear the conquering of a superior force.
Seriously, though, when I am left alone, I am a powerhouse. I can accomplish any task. If you leave me alone long enough, something is going to get cleaned, something is going to get baked, and a to-do list will be completely scratched off.
Alas, the number of times in any given week I am left alone for more than ten minutes at a stretch wouldn't require you to use any toes to count. Probably not even your left hand or any fingers with rings on them. And for reasons I've never completely understood, when I am in the presence of others I simply can't get it done at the same rate.
There's a theory in particle physics which I only vaguely understand that says that the very act of observing something affects the outcome. I think that's my problem. When I'm being observed, the outcome is different.
I think this a problem for introverts everywhere. For us, other humans are like energy rods, sucking the energy in the room into their own orbits, to be used for their own purposes. Completely messing up the scientific metaphor here (bite me, literalists, even though I am one, usually) it is only when we are alone that our weak magnetic pull can draw the energy into ourselves enough for us to become productive.
This is why, conversationally, our wit sparkles when composed at a keyboard. We think of clever things to say, prepare beautiful turns of phrase, and make witty retorts and intelligent counterarguments. We can do this because we are the only real, live people in the room. Virtual people don't suck our functional brain energy away from us in the way that real people do. In person, we will think of the clever line about ten minutes too late when the timing is off. In front of a keyboard, I can dash off a Facebook response almost before the original 'speaker' has finished typing what they had to say in the first place.
People sometimes confuse our silence in crowds with shyness. And maybe some of us are shy, but not all of us. I'm not shy at all. I will talk to anyone about anything so long as I get the sense that the thing I'm talking about is remotely interesting to the person who is forced to listen to me. I don't mind talking in front of large audiences. If I know what I'm talking about, I'm not scared of saying it to a crowd. To sum up, I can talk to one person, or I can talk to a thousand people. It's the in between that throws me off.
I can never quite get the rhythm of group conversations. I'm not sure if this is because of my innate lack of social skills, or the fact that I was brought up in a loud, New York, Jewish family in which everyone talked at the same time for efficiency's sake. I'm aware that what I consider 'normal' most people consider interrupting, and so I try not to. Instead, I turn over what I want to say in my head while the other person is talking until I have it just right and….by then someone else has jumped in the conversation and it has moved on and what I want to say isn't relevant any more.
Well, it's a good thing I have a blog, and a good thing I'm at a stage in my life where I can call myself a writer without feeling like too much of a liar. Writing gives me my voice.
Now, please leave me alone for a moment. I have some writing to do. When I'm finished, then I will take over the world.
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Lori B. Duff is an award-winning author who practices law on the side. Her latest book, "If You Did What I Asked in the First Place" was awarded the Gold Medal for humor in the Foreword INDIES awards in 2019. You can follow her on Twitter at @LoriBDuff and on Facebook. For more blogs written by Lori, click here. For more information about Lori in general, click here. If you want Lori to do your writing for you, click here. If you want Lori to help you market your book, click here.


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The Golden Globes, an always surprising and periodically infuriating affair, took place last night. Puzzling candidates like Green Book and The Kominsky Method snagged multiple awards, and this year's two biggest musical films gained recognition, most notably Bohemian Rhapsody. The Queen biopic came away with two major awards: Best Actor in the drama film category for Rami Malek and, more shockingly, Best Drama. It beat out Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, If Beale Street Could Talk, and A Star is Born in the Drama film category. Less surprisingly, A Star is Born triumphed in the Best Original Song category for Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's duet "Shallow." The Best Original Score award went to Justin Hurwitz for Damien Chazelle's First Man.
Other notable wins included Roma's wins for Best Foreign Film and Best Actress, Drama, The Americans' deserved win for Best Television Series, Drama, and Sandra Oh's also-deserved award for Best Actress in a Television Series, Drama for Killing Eve. Dick Cheney biopic Vice only won one of its surprising six nominations, with a Best Actor award for Christian Bale. See the full list of Golden Globe winners and nominees here.


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APPLETON, WI, July 2020 – Weidert Group, a nationally recognized B2B inbound marketing agency for complex industries and Diamond Level HubSpot Partner, has been selected to execute an integrated inbound marketing program for Pumptec, a U.S. manufacturer of high-pressure plunger pumps for OEMs in multiple industries.
A sought-after partner for pump engineering expertise and specialization in custom assemblies, Pumptec recognized they could accelerate their organic growth with a focused and disciplined approach to inbound. As a result, aggressive growth and supporting marketing goals are being pursued with help from Weidert Group.
"Given our goals, finding the right marketing approach was key," said Steve Babcock, Pumptec's VP Engineering and Marketing. "Inbound resonated with the team. Once we chose a direction, we knew we needed to find the right agency partner to help us develop and execute an appropriate strategy. Weidert Group was the obvious best choice, from their depth and breadth of experience to the focus they have on businesses like ours. Our team couldn't be more confident about the future."
The future also looks bright to Weidert Group President Greg Linnemanstons. "We're thrilled to be partnering with Pumptec. Their success to date speaks to their engineering and operational excellence. A focused inbound marketing and sales approach will accelerate their growth across their target industries. It's a real privilege to be collaborating with the Pumptec team on what's sure to be an exciting journey."
Founded in 1988, Pumptec is headquartered in Minnesota serving customers across North America and overseas. A proud U.S. manufacturer, Pumptec works with OEMs to create high-pressure pumps and custom assemblies for a range of commercial applications, all backed by a team of expert engineers and numerous specialized patents. Pumptec values quality, collaboration, and honesty — a simple mission that defines how they approach their products, business, and partnerships.
Weidert Group, founded in 1980, is a full-service business-to-business inbound marketing agency that has been a certified HubSpot Agency Partner since 2011, and achieved Diamond status as a top partner in 2020. HubSpot is the global leader in marketing automation software, with over 78,700 customers in more than 100 countries. Weidert Group provides all components of effective inbound marketing, sales, and customer service efforts, including web design, search engine optimization, content strategy, social media strategy and promotion, lead nurturing, voice of the customer programs, marketing and sales training and process design, and overall marketing management. Clients represent primarily business-to-business organizations in complex industries such as industrial manufacturing, distribution, insurance, and financial services.
Topics: Weidert Group News


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Why I think fear of my equipment makes me a good photographer
I am afraid of lots of things, mice, snakes, frogs, lizards but nothing scares me worse than my own camera equipment. There you have it, a photographer who is legit scared of her gear. I wasn't always like this, it changed in the last year for me where my confidence took a beating and I interpreted that as not knowing how to shoot. I realize that this blog doesn't instill huge amounts of confidence, but hopefully, as you read along, you'll come to understand why a fear of my camera gear makes me a better photographer in the long run. There is nothing worse than having your picture taken by someone who is ego driven and who is overly confident. Sometimes, they are unwilling to bend or be flexible in a shoot because they know all. Working with someone who has a respect and a healthy fear of their equipment means that they will have respect for you. Think of professional photography as a team effort. We work for you and we work with you to bring your authenticity to a new level.


text: Here is the attachment From: ECE [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2010 11:47 AM To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask] Cc: [log in to unmask] Subject: Seminar announcement -Nov 18th Dear ECE Students, Harris Corporation will be offering a echo meeting entitled "Software fuzzing: a helpful Tool in Vulnerability Discovery" on Thursday, Nov 18th (4:30pm-6:00pm) in Sub II VIP Room 2. All interested faculty and students are welcome to attend - Pizza &Drinks will be served. Speaker Shane Shellenbarger is a Security Researcher for Crucial Security, a subsidiary of Harris Corporation. Shane has attended numerous Security conferences, including ToorCon, Blackhat, and Defcon and was on the winning Defcon 2010 Capture The Flag team, AcmePharm. Please find attached a seminar announcement with the title, abstract, and information about the speaker. Best, Sisi Sisi Jou Academic Programs Manager Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering The Volgenau School of IT & Engineering George Mason University MS 1G5 4400 University Drive Fairfax, VA 22030 Office: (703)-993-1569 Fax: (703)-993-1601


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Invest or develop ? A vast area of 15 donums (5 English acres) of land with 35% buildings permission and minutes from the exciting and new Karpaz Gate Marina, this land offers a highly suitable area for the construction of fine holiday homes, or acts well as a sound investment for the future. Priced realistically, we expect to see early interest in this new lot of land offering the best sea views imaginable.
Ref HP0873 Price £375,000 GBP
Land near the new first class Karpaz Gate Marina in high demand and may well be the best investment in the Med right now. Rarely do plots of land of this standard become available for sale. Located on the amazing Karpaz Peninsula, directly opposite the sea and within less than a minutes walk from the sandy beach, this first class plot of real estate comes with 35% residential build permission. Suitable for many purposes, including investment or development, early interest is highly recommended to avoid disappointment. 10,704 m2 of prime Mediterranean land.
Ref HP0924 Price £300,000 GBP
This desirable building plot of 1.5 donums is only a short 5 minute drive away from the new Karpaz Gate Marina and local sandy beaches. This super plot not only offers an excellent option for a new villa to be constructed upon, but also represents enormous value for money. Priced for a quick sale, this really does need to be at the top of your viewing list.
Ref HP0846 Price £35,000
Being located at the top of the elevated village of Siphai is key to the wow factor when describing the incredible sea views on offer from this exciting new listing of land. Sea views like this are simply not readily available in abundance. This large plot of land has clear and simply stunning views of the sparkling Mediterranean sea. 4 Donums which is over 5000 square metres offers the potential for a number of possibilities.
Ref HP0886 Price £100,000 GBP
ONE FOR A DEVELOPER OF INVESTOR. This is a larger plot of land of 10 Donums which will probably interest a developer or investor who may want to hold it until the expected land value increases really build up. With 35 % build permit and in such a sensational location this really is a tasty morsel for the hungry business person. Ref HP0897 Price £275,000
This plot of 2678 square metres is just right to build your dream home in the sun and being close to the new marina complex the value of the land is expected to increase at an above average rate. Individual plots are getting quite hard to find so we suggest early action to secure this plot. Ref HP0898 Price £50,000
1338 m2 SUPERB VIEWS AND NEAR THE MARINA. This plot of land has 50% build permission and is ideal for someone wishing to build their home in this beautiful location. Values are expected to rise which will make this an excellent investment.
Ref HP0905 Price £30,000
7,693m2 WITH 35% BUILDING PERMISSION. New Listing! Glorious plot of land offering topnotch views of the sea. Located just a 5 minute walk away from the super sandy beach at the Malibu Hotel and a few minutes by car to the premium and luxurious Karpaz Gate Marina. Ideal for a medium sized development of villa or bungalows or a supervilla. Ref HP0907 Price £115,000 GBP
A PLOT OF LAND IN AN ELEVATED POSITION JUST RIGHT FOR A BUY AND BUILD PROJECT OR A SMALL DEVELOPMENT. This terrific land measures two thirds on an English acre and comes with the all important residential build permission. Road access and electric are both equally available.
Ref HP0909 Price £45,000 GBP
11373m2. A superb tract of land with planning permission offering unparalleled views of the new Karpaz Gate Marina . Located just a 5 minute drive away from the super sandy beach at the Malibu Hotel and a few minutes by car to the premium and luxurious Karpaz Gate Marina. This is ideal for a residential development or maybe one really fantastic villa with spacious grounds.
Ref HP 1022 Price guide £220,000
Boasting stunning sea views to the front, this building plot is located in a traditional Cypriot style village. The desirable building land is only a short 5 minute drive away from the new Karpaz Gate Marina and local sandy beaches which is a factor likely to add to the investment potential. This super plot not only offers an excellent option for a new villa to be constructed, it also represents enormous value for money. Priced for a quick sale, this really does need to be at the top of your viewing list. 2.75 donums (896m2)
Ref HP0856 Price £60,000 GBP
Some images of the Karpaz Gate Marina and Karpaz Peninsula beaches which are quite stunning and considered some of the finest in the world.
This large plot of 13 donums (17,394 square metres) is directly opposite the Karpaz Gate Marina in Northern Cyprus and would be very well placed for the construction of a hotel project. there are currently none in the immediate area.The Karpaz Gate Marina berths over 320 yachts from 5.5 metres to 55 metre super yachts and is attracting wealth to the area. Title deeds are ready to be issued.
Ref HP1419 Price £2,500,000
This land offers views to die for including the marina and the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea. All boxes are surely ticked for this level of investment, whether the plot is to build a dreamy new home in the sun, or simply a top up for your pension in years to come.
Ref HP1452 Price £300,000


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Kelowna, B.C., June 28, 2010 – Assured Software has appointed Brian Cannon to the position of President. The company's previous president, Dave Coombs, will now sit on the Board of Directors and take an active role as Executive Vice-President.
"We are all excited to have Brian come aboard. His experience enables the company to continue its growth path into the future," says Dave Coombs. "The changes are intended to add talent to the company's management team, solidify the company's industry leading position, and take our restoration industry software to the next level of growth."
Brian Cannon has extensive experience in the software industry. As Vice-President of Sales Operations and Vice-President of Finance and Administration for Crystal Decisions (now Business Objects, an SAP company) Cannon took an active role in the growth of the company. During his eight years at Crystal Decisions, it grew from $10M to $305M in annual revenue.
"Thanks to Dave, Assured Software has a great team of people that really care about its products and their customers. It's fun to work there. I've been lucky to work with a company like this before and the growth possibilities are unlimited when you have the right attitude," says Brian Cannon.
Assured Software is a privately held company supplying restoration contractors with software to assist them track and manage their customers' items during the clean up and restoration process that typically follows events such as a fire or flood at a home or business.
Assured Software names Brian Cannon president


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The Pentagon's top enlisted man threatened Tuesday that if Islamic State fighters refuse to surrender, they'll be beaten to death with shovels.
Army Sgt. Maj. John Wayne Troxell, senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday that the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition is ready to "annihilate" the terror group, so there are only two options left to its members: "surrender or die!"
For Troxell, those who refuse to turn themselves in and surrender will suffer the consequences, and one of the consequences includes being beaten to death with shovels, more specifically known as entrenching tools or e-tools. The military normally uses e-tools for ditch-digging, but in a pinch, the collapsible spades can also be used to bludgeon people to death.
"HOWEVER, if they choose not to surrender, then we will kill them with extreme prejudice, whether that be through security force assistance, by dropping bombs on them, shooting them in the face, or beating them to death with our entrenching tools," Troxell continued.
"Regardless, they cannot win, so they need to choose how its [sic] going to be."
In a statement released Jan. 1, Operation Inherent Resolve noted that ISIS has lost 98 percent of its territory in Iraq and Syria. The Coalition-backed Syrian Democratic Forces militia is still engaged in battle with ISIS in the middle Euphrates River valley.
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Oil prices have been rising this week. But here's the more interesting thing: they're not going bananas these days, not at all, despite a good dose of geopolitical turbulence and market intervention, including U.S. sanctions.
The big picture: Prices are up in recent days (Brent is pushing $62 per barrel and WTI is above $54), but they're still more than $20 below the elevated early-October levels, which were four-year highs.
Why it matters: It's a sign of an oil market that has been transformed by the rise of U.S. shale production and other forces. Center for Strategic and International Studies analyst Sarah Ladislaw summed things up in a tweet yesterday...
"Just wanted to point out that we are living in a scenario where the U.S. is sanctioning Venezuelan crude oil exports (effectively) and Iranian oil exports, OPEC is cutting, Alberta is curtailing, and oil price today is still around $60/54 (brent/WTI)."
The intrigue: I chatted with Ladislaw about why this is happening, when it really should be a cocktail for very high prices right now.
- "We are in a time where there is a lot of market intervention for geopolitical reasons and there is little to no geopolitical risk in the price right now," she tells me.
- "It's hard to move prices when the prevailing sentiment is that markets are very well supplied in a number of different directions, and there is an economic malaise around expectations for oil demand growth," Ladislaw adds.
- Yes, the sanctions are sending Gulf Coast refiners who use heavy Venezuelan oil searching for replacement barrels and that will affect pricing for specific grades. Venezuela is an important supplier, as the chart above shows.
- But, overall, the market is absorbing the news for now.
Where it stands: U.S. production, already at record levels, continues to rise and is now approaching 12 million barrels per day. Ladislaw notes that it has consistently been beating expectations.
- Venezuelan production has been cratering for a while, so that's somewhat baked into the cake.
- But she points out that the landscape has changed in other ways that also temper the friction, such as: "We have already done Iran sanctions once before. There is a little bit of muscle memory in the market for dealing with an environment in which you have to find alternatives for Iranian barrels."
The latest: Via Reuters, "Oil prices steadied after two days of gains on Thursday, as lower-than-expected U.S. fuel stock rises and U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan output boosted investor confidence but U.S.-China trade tensions weighed on sentiment."
Go deeper: Unpacking Trump's Venezuelan oil move


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- Taking good care of your gums and teeth is key when you have diabetes, helping you protect your teeth and gums for life.
- Uncontrolled blood sugar can affect your gums and teeth. It can cause an increase in plaque bacteria.
- People with diabetes are 3 to 4 times as likely to get a gum infection.
- Diabetes makes it harder to fight off infections, including gum disease.
- Gum disease can make it harder to control diabetes.
Remember to take good care of your teeth at home
- Brush at least twice a day. Be sure to use antibacterial toothpaste that contains fluoride.
- Make sure to floss at least once a day.
- Try using an antibacterial mouthwash (without alcohol) at least once a day. This can help kill bacteria and control plaque.
And be sure to
- Tell your dental professional that you have diabetes.
- Go for regular dental cleanings every 6 months (more often if directed by your dental professional).
- Tell your dental professional if you notice any symptoms of gum disease, such as bleeding and swelling.
Ask your dentist to talk to your doctor if you need to have dental surgery. You may need to change your medicine or take a new one to help prevent infection.


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With many products, viscosity is an important quality feature or is decisive for their workability in the production process. Viscosity measurements are therefore useful in many areas, in goods receiving as well as in quality control, during the optimisation of recipes or even between individual production steps. To ensure that these analyses take as little time as possible and can be completed with only small sample quantities, Brabender developed a new rotational viscometer, the ViscoQuick. Depending on the sample material, the device is able to complete a measurement in approximately 10 minutes. And can do so with just 5 to 15 grammes of sample material (plus approximately 100 to 110 g of solvent).
The viscosity characteristics of a wide range of materials are measured as a function of temperature as well as gelatinisation properties – such as of starch. The integrated heating/cooling function controls the temperatures for various applications. The reusable stainless-steel measuring pot is suitable for both acids and bases.
The measurement system is controlled via the MetaBridge software; the measurements can be directly evaluated and graphically depicted. The software is web-based and networks not only the Brabender devices and their measurement results but also their users. Multiple users can log in simultaneously and conveniently exchange their data – on PC/Mac, tablet or smartphone.
"Located underneath the measuring pot containing the sample is a motor which drives the paddle", says Oleg Krawez, system architect at Brabender, as he describes the principle function of the new rotational viscometer. "If the viscosity of the sample changes, the torque of the drive also changes while maintaining the same speed. If, for example, starch gelatinises and, thus, the paddle encounters more resistance, the torque increases as well."
Linear speed/torque ratio
To determine the changes, the torque is measured at the second shaft end of the motor. As a result, the motor becomes a virtual sensor, since viscosity can be determined from the torque. The speed-torque curve of the motor must therefore be as linear as possiblfor use in the ViscoQuick, particularly at low speeds. Depending on the analysis task, the speeds are between 0 and 500 revolutions per minute. It was therefore necessary to find the right drive.
"After extensive tests, we decided on the brushless DC-servomotor from the FAULHABER line", Krawez continues. "The motor of the 4490 … BS series satisfies our requirements in every regard; furthermore, we have already had good experiences with the drive specialists from Schönaich."
The 2-pole servomotor is a three-phase external rotor motor with wide speed and torque range. The integrated linear Hall sensors enable the required low speeds. Thanks to its ironless design, the motor operates cogging- free, with an absolutely linear relationship between load and speed, current and torque as well as voltage and speed and offers a highly sensitive current/torque behaviour. These motor characteristics are reflected in the measurement results. Viscosities can be determined with an accuracy of up to 0.5 cmg in a measurement range from 0 to 2,500 cmg.
Long-lasting and compact
Other important requirements on the drive were longevity and compact dimensions. After all, the motor needs to function reliably over the entire lifetime of the device as well as be easy to integrate. The brushless servomotor convinced in both regards. Due to the electronic commutation, its service life depends mainly on that of the motor bearings. Here, highly precise pre-loaded ball bearings are used which have proven their reliability in a wide range of application areas.
At the same time, the very compact dimensions of the 282 watt motor – measuring just 44 mm in diameter and 90 mm in length – were a perfect fit in the ViscoQuick's limited installation space, as the measuring device itself is designed to be very space-saving. "We were, therefore, very happy that FAULHABER also has a suitable, space-saving controller in their product line with the MCBL 3006", says a pleased Krawez. With its dimensions of 58 mm by 65 mm, the footprint of the controller, which is perfectly matched to the motor, is the size of a credit card; in terms of height, it measures only 27 mm. It communicates with the higher-level control system of the viscometer via an RS232 interface; actuation is also possible via CANopen.
The combination of brushless DC-servomotor and matched controller has proven effective in the Visco- Quick. Brabender also uses the same solution in other measuring instruments, such as in the Amylograph-E, which supplies a reliable and reproducible picture of enzyme activity (alpha-amylase) in flours and grains. Here, too, changes in torque are measured and are automatically recorded in an amylogram.


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Dr. Rhonda Ray
I would like to take this opportunity to say that I am excited and honored to be the principal of Denmark-Olar Elementary School. I am looking forward to getting to know the students, teachers, staff, parents, and community members. I believe that all children can learn. I am committed to providing a safe environment for teaching and learning to take place. Although there are several areas that will be addressed during the 2021-2022 school year, my main goals are as follows:
- Developing Positive Relationships With All Stakeholders
- Utilizing Data For Teaching and Learning
- Building Home And School Relationships
The DOES Student Handbook and Code of Conduct will provide you and your child detailed information for expectations. Below are three overall expectations that I have for all students, teachers, and staff.
- Come To School Everyday
- Arrive On Time
- Do Your Best
Students have a better chance of a successful school year when parents and the school staff work together. I invite you to join us as we work together to prepare students to be productive citizens in a global society. I look forward to a great school year!


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+86-773-2810881 About Us Contact Us
-Kaiping Diaolou and Village: also called "Kaiping Watchtowers" mainly locates at Kaiping, Jiangmen of Guangdong Province; it was inscribed on the World Culture Heritage List in 2007. The Diaolou is kind of folk building that combines defense and living since 400 year ago; now there are lots of Diaolous with Chinese and Western architecture style elements, they were built during 1925 - 1935 by overseas Chinese. The architectures of the tower have many styles, such as ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and Islam.
Today we will maily visit Zili Village and Li Garden, which are two of the main spot of Diaolou groups.
-Chikan: an ancient port, is in central area of Zhanjiang of Guangdong Province. In ancient Dynasties from Song to Qing, Chikan was a prosperous port as an exchange center between western countries and China. Waterway was the main tranportation.* The quotation exclude the Chinese National Day Vacation (Oct. 1 to 7), Chinese Lunar New Year Vacation (Jan. 14 to 21, 2020).
* If you have more than 3 person in a private group, please feel free to contact us for quotation.


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Tips on finding the perfect app
Undoubtedly there are thousands of apps that are available, and if you do a random online check, you may not be able to find the best match for you. You will have to go the extra mile and filter through the many results you get. Apps can change your day to day life, so you should endeavour to find the right one.
Guide to Finding a Suitable App
- Ask for recommendations: Ask the people around you about the type of app they are using. They are likely to give you better suggestions, especially if they have used those apps before. If you belong to the same social circle, then you probably have similar interests, so their recommendations will work for you. You can also sign up to sites that review and recommend apps. There are many of these types, including AppBrain for Android, Appolicious for Apple, Fresh Apps, and many others.
- Identify your needs: What exactly are you looking for? Do you want an app to find the best discounts? Are you looking for one to identify restaurants near you? Are you on a weight loss journey and you need a boost? Once you have been able to narrow down your needs, it becomes easy for you to be objective when searching for the app you want.
- Read reviews: If you want to know how well the app works, you should read the reviews before downloading it. From the reviews, you will know if it performs to expectations and how efficient it is. The more the reviews, the better, since you will have a general feel of what other users have experienced when using the app. Your reviews should expand to social media sites and other places where people are giving their opinions on it.
- Check ratings: Be wary of apps that have a low rating. It means that they underwhelmed the users, or that they are not genuine. Anything below three stars should make you look for an alternative app that offers the same service if possible. It is better to download a site that has been rated several times, as it always has a more genuine representation of what the app is about.
- Go through the terms and conditions: Before you download any app, check out the terms and conditions. What are the fine details in the app? What kind of information will they be taking from you? There have been many cases where apps illegally collected the user's personal data and used the information to lure advertisers. If an app company is shifty about the data they will be collecting from you, then you should think twice about using them.
- Check for duplication: there is no point for you to have several different apps that serve the same purpose. For instance, do you need three apps reminding you to drink water? If you download apps just for the sake of it, you will end up with an overwhelmed and slow system. Read the description and so that you are sure you are not downloading an app that does the same thing that other apps do.
- Use filters: When looking for apps, especially on Apple Store or Google Play, you are likely to come across games and other irrelevant items that have been cheekily placed by marketers. Use filtering features to make sure that your search results yield only apps and nothing more. This makes it easier for you to identify the right one.
Most businesses are now opting to create apps since they are more efficient and preferred by users. You should be patient when looking for one that fits your needs. Be ready to comb through different parts of the internet and even going offline to find the best deal. If you end up downloading an app, and you feel like it is not serving you well, feel free to uninstall it and find something different.


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Paul Hammant's Blog: Environment Hell
This is out of date by many years, and companies that have this environment setup don't do it this way anymore. Or they are losing market stare. Or they have lost all market share, so to speak. It was typical of a company that scaled its production capacity before the horizontal-scaling and cloud era kicked in. This would be after 1995, and should have ended before 2015, really. The rigid rules and broken promises around environments suffocated their delivery efforts. Many companies were like this, with big program management office teams and plenty of coordination and cajoling around planned release dates. Release Cadences couldn't get above quarterly most likely.
Shapes are arbitrary representation of services. More that one of the same shape indicates more than one of the same thing in the same tier. F5 (load balancer) had knowledge/config about how many of each underneath in order work as needed. Where's there one of a thing in an env, it is functional correctness that can be verified (ideally) in that env, and non-functional correctness has testing deferred towards envs that are more like production.
The Firewall and F5 is shared for all envs, and all tiers. Rules/config were very carefully reviewed. Often there may be no side firewalls - Something from (say) C3 may accidentally be configured to use services from (say) C2.
- Developers & Testers where beholden to these envs - they had no ability to deploy/test on their dev workstations.
- Developers could deploy into C3 themselves - for whatever reason they needed to.
- C3 was pretty much unusable because of that and old hands (and special teams) may conspire to skip deployment to C3 and aim at C2 fir their first deployments/tests instead.
- Shared DB and shared down-stack services are an obvious disaster.
- Related: nothing from the world of modern DB migrations has any meaning here.
- If there's a Build Server it is not doing anything beyond compile and pure unit tests. It may be batched, or per commit (as modern CI dictates), but so many testing stages are still manual or wholly decoupled from this setup, it is near to useless.
After interview, you'd lean that it would take three months to build another pre-prod sized environment and that it would cost $500K or more. And that immediately after that to make yet one more would yield no significant saving in time.
- Outside of a planned or unplanned release "Pilot" may have 0% of the trafic. It's duty was for the planned production pushes, even if it were provisioned 365 days a year.
- "Staging 1" may be frozen ahead of a use in a planned go-live progression (with "pilot" being next), while simultaneously "Staging 2" is in use for a bug-fix that couldn't wait to go with the currently planned release (or may have to get re-applied/merged into the planned release too).
- Again this ends up reinforcing non CD release cadences and non CI ways of working.
So many clients over the years have see these pictures, that I figured I'd just make a blog entry.


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Four-year-old girl raped in Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 25 A four-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her Delhi neighbour who lured her with a toffee, the police said Tuesday, adding the accused has been arrested. The incident, which shocked the national capital, took place Monday evening in Uttam Nagar area of west Delhi. The accused … Continue reading


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Having a Sound Business Strategy is Essential to Success
Little value may be realized if there isn't disciplined execution and assessment of the risks involved. Our project management team will help you succeed where companies often fail; implementation and execution of projects. We advise on and execute your most complex initiatives so that you realize your desired results.


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The transport of your parcel
Parcel are generally sent in 48 hours after reception of your payment. The standard method of dispatch is Colissimo without signature. If you wish a delivery with signature, an additional cost will be charge, please contact us.
The shipment charges include the packaging, the handling and the mail expenses. They can contain a fixed part and a variable part according to the price or to the weight of your order. We advise you to group your purchases in a unique order. We cannot group two different orders and you will have to settle postal charges for each of them. Your parcel is sent at your own risks, a particular care is brought to the parcel containing fragile products.
Parcel are oversized and protected.
You Live in Paris, it's FREE !
You pick up your parcel when you want in the 10th district.
From reception of your command we contact you by e-mail to communicate you the exact address and phone number and agree on an appointment.
TARIFS COLISSIMO FRANCE - Weight Postage Service for all your sendings of parcel up to 30 kg
Delivery in 2 working days towards metropolitan France and Monaco.
TARIFS COLISSIMO OVERSEAS - Weight Postage Service for all your sendings of parcel up to 30 kg
Zone OM 1 : Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guiana, The Reunion, Mayotte, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthelemy
• Zone OM 2 : New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, French Southern and Antarctic Lands ( T.A.A.F).
TARIFS COLISSIMO EUROPEAN UNION and SWITZERLAND - Weight Postage Service for all your sendings of parcel up to 30 kg
For the sendings towards the zone A: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, including Liechtenstein, San Marino, Vatican.
TARIFS COLISSIMO INTERNATIONAL - Weight Postage Service for all your sendings of parcel up to 20 kg (Except countries of the European Union and Switzerland) and the postal areas.
For the sendings towards:
- Zone B: the Eastern Europe (except EU and Russia), Norway, the Maghreb.
- Zone C: other destinations.
- The postal areas (armies)


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George Hickey | Bond Auto Sales | Tampa, FL
Listing Details
Attention! Don't forget about the COVID-19 pandemic. Call the Bond Auto Sales in advance to clarify the opening hours, and also stay away from other people. Be sure to wear a mask and maintain social distance. Take care of yourself and your loved ones.
If you notice an error or inaccuracy in the description, address or contact information of Bond Auto Sales or their representative George Hickey , please write to us about it by clicking the REPORT button below. We are trying to improve our website thanks to you.
Representative George Hickey from Bond Auto Sales is this your profile? Claiming your profile is free and easy and only takes 2 minutes. Highlight your practice areas, experience, and contact information. Receive leads and respond to reviews, add more detailed information about this company.
The information, descriptions and photos on this site are for reference only and cannot be the subject of any administrative proceedings.
Questions & Answers
1) What is the phone number for Bond Auto Sales or their representative?
- The phone number for Bond Auto Sales is (813) 238-7478 and fax is (813) 238-5778 .2) Where is Bond Auto Sales located?
- Bond Auto Sales is located at 7901 N Florida Ave Tampa FL 33604 United States.3) Is there a primary contact for Bond Auto Sales ?
- You can contact our representative George Hickey by phone using number (813) 238-7478 .4) What is the main activity of the company?
- This company categorized under Used Car Dealership in Tampa , FL , United States.The information, descriptions and photos on this site are for reference only and cannot be the subject of any administrative proceedings.


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The use of fiber cement in construction is growing and SCM is continuing to invest in providing the industry with a wide range of reliable, high-tech solutions.
Proof of this are the innovations that will be presented by SCM in Hamburg, from 15 to 18 November, at the 2022 edition of IIBCC - International Inorganic-Bonded Fiber Composite Conference, the biennial reference event for exploring and comparing new trends in fiber cement processing, in particular for the cladding of building facades.
SCM will be one of the speakers during the opening day, 15 October at 3 p.m. with Andrea Zavatta, Director of Engineering Sales & Key Accounts, and Gian Luca Giovanardi, Business Unit Manager for profiling, squaring and tenoning technology. In a dedicated information area, the SCM team will also discuss with customers and other suppliers the latest innovations developed by the Italian Group for the sector.
The SCM offer in fact includes automation systems and solutions for profiling with a leading product for this process phase such as the celaschi p60 double-end tenoner. Also particularly suitable for machining fiber cement boards are the SCM single-blade and angular panel saws gabbiani g 2 and gabbiani a 3; the accord 25 fxm 5-axis CNC machining centre, with nesting technology, as well as area, other SCM's CNC machining centre for processing walls of considerable size; up to the SCM Surface Technologies, a complete offer of solutions for producing panels with refined finishing effects and high aesthetic value, such as 3D patterns. This is the dmc system sanding and calibrating machines, true abrasive flexible modular centres that can be equipped with the exclusive laser unit, the latest innovation presented at Xylexpo 2022. As well as Superfici new solutions for finishing, with a wide range of curtain coating, roller coating and spraying systems.
A unique international offer for a wide range of processing operations on fiber cement elements, with high standards of aesthetics and resistance.
The appointment with SCM technology is at the Saalhaus in Hamburg, from 15 to 18 November.


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Mother of 8-year-old boy tortured and beaten to death pleads guilty to murder
The mother of an 8-year-old Palmdale boy who died after suffering brutal beatings and starvation, prompting far-reaching reforms in Los Angeles County's child welfare system, pleaded guilty Thursday to first-degree murder.
In a downtown Los Angeles courtroom, Pearl Sinthia Fernandez admitted that the 2013 killing of her son Gabriel was intentional and involved the infliction of torture.
Her guilty plea avoided a trial, where prosecutors were expected to seek the death penalty. Fernandez's defense lawyers had opposed capital punishment, arguing that her low IQ made her ineligible for death row. A judge is scheduled to sentence her June 7 to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Shackled at the waist and wearing a jail-issued smock, Fernandez, 34, spoke in a faint, muted voice on Thursday as she accepted the conditions of the plea agreement.
"You will never be paroled. You will never be released from prison," Deputy Dist. Atty. Jon Hatami told her. "Do you understand and agree to this?"
"Yes," said Fernandez as her lawyer, Deputy Alternate Public Defender Julia Dixon, comforted her.
"It brings relief," Gabriel's cousin, Emily Carranza, said after the brief court proceeding. "I know she's never going to be out, and I know she's never going to hurt another child."
Prosecutors said Fernandez's defense lawyers inquired about a guilty plea on Dec. 14, one day after jurors recommended that her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, be executed for his role in the boy's death. After two months of discussions, prosecutors agreed.
"The paths of justice are always different," Hatami said afterward, noting that most cases do not go to trial.
Without a trial, Carranza said, she and her family could avoid another painful review of the brutal abuse that Gabriel endured, including graphic photos and reports of the child's injuries.
When paramedics arrived at the boy's Palmdale home on May 22, 2013, Gabriel was unconscious and had a cracked skull, broken ribs, burned and bruised skin, missing teeth and BB pellets lodged in his groin. He died two days later after being removed from life support.
The death led to unprecedented criminal charges against L.A. County social workers who allowed Gabriel to remain at the home despite six investigations of the mother and numerous reports of the boy's injuries. Sheriff's deputies also visited the home multiple times in the months before his death, and prosecutors said in court papers that some of the deputies were later disciplined in connection with their response.
The killing galvanized calls for reforms in the way the county oversees abused and neglected children. A blue-ribbon commission set up by the county Board of Supervisors recommended "a fundamental transformation of the current child protection system." The board responded by setting up a new agency, the Office of Child Protection, which is charged with improving how children are treated.
Among those who reported Gabriel's abuse was Jennifer Garcia, a first-grade teacher at Summerwind Elementary School, who said he came to school with bruises and swollen eyes. She first became alarmed when he asked "a simple question," she said.
"He asked, 'Is it normal for your mom to hit you with a belt?'" she said Thursday. Five years later, Garcia said, the sight of Fernandez in the courtroom still made her angry.
"She got what she deserved. She deserves worse, but …. even if she got the death penalty, we don't execute," Garcia said.
During Aguirre's trial, Hatami, the prosecutor, told jurors that in the months leading up to the boy's death, the defendant had reveled in his brutalization, forcing Gabriel to eat cat feces and his own vomit. The boy slept in a small cabinet, the prosecutor said, with his ankles handcuffed, his hands bound and his mouth gagged with a sock.
"No human with a heart and soul could do that to an innocent little boy," Hatami told jurors, arguing that Aguirre hated the boy because he suspected he was gay.
Aguirre's defense portrayed Gabriel's mother as something of a mastermind of the boy's abuse, but prosecutors on Thursday disputed that argument.
"They both pointed fingers at each other," Hatami said. "The evidence showed, and our office believed, that they were both culpable."
Aguirre was convicted of first-degree murder on Nov. 1. A jury recommended the death penalty. He is scheduled to be sentenced March 8.
The fallout from Gabriel's murder has been felt well beyond the county. The decision by prosecutors to charge the four social workers with felony child abuse and falsifying public records sent a chill through the ranks of child protection workers nationwide.
Prosecutors alleged that the caseworkers ignored evidence of repeated abuse and minimized Gabriel's injuries.
At a court hearing for the social workers last year, a judge said that their actions amounted to criminal negligence, adding that in the months before the boy's death "red flags were everywhere." They have pleaded not guilty.
For Carranza, the years since her young cousin's death have been tough, filled with anger, guilt and pain. When reporters asked her how Gabriel, if he were alive, would look at his mother, she did not hesitate.
"He'd still love her," Carranza said. "Every child, no matter what, they're always going to love their parents."
Twitter: @MattHjourno
6:20 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Jennifer Garcia, Gabriel Fernandez's first-grade teacher, and his cousin Emily Carranza.
1:35 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Deputy Dist. Atty. Jon Hatami and Gabriel Fernandez's cousin Emily Carranza.
This article was originally published at 10:30 a.m.
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Welcome to the third week of Dream Big, Think Small. In this series, we are exploring the tremendous value of being faithful and persistent over the long haul. Today we are discussing how to have a healthy heart.
This week, we will read Days 11-15 in the book. Some of the questions will come from days you may not have read yet, but that is ok.
Share Life
Building healthy and life-giving relationships.
Updates. What has been new or challenging in your life since last time the group met? Spend 20-30 minutes checking in with each other.
Reflections. Pastor Jeff Manion gives an assignment at the end of each chapter of Dream Big, Think Small. Quickly review your book and spend some time discussing what reflection activities you attempted to tackle in the past week and how it went.
Share Part of Your Story. In week 1, Jeff challenged us to identify a habit and not "break the chain." Share how you are doing with this challenge. If you need a restart, what "chain" would you like to start?
Pursue God
Taking next steps toward Christ together.
Day of Action.
Read together Mark 1.21-32. Describe what it would be like to be Jesus in this setting. What activities were being packed into Jesus' day? What pressures did he and disciples feel?
Morning of Solitude.
Taking time in the morning to get our heart right with God—before we do anything else—is a great way to begin your day. Have one or two people share with the group how they structure their morning chair time routine.
In this week's message, Jeff shared the value of journaling in his personal life. You will read more about the three practices he mentioned (filling, gratitude and identity) in Days 12-14. Which of the three practices resonates with you the most? Why?
- Filling. A really good question to ask yourself is simply, "How's my heart?" Why is this so important to do on a daily basis? In Galatians 5.22-23, we find the traits of a Spirit filled person. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." How do you think asking God to fill your heart with these traits would influence the outcome of your day?
- Gratitude. A great journal exercise is to thank God each day for different things he's provided us. Why do you think it would be important to try and identify new things in this practice? What does gratitude push out of our life? Go around the group and have each person give three specific things they are thankful for.
- Identity. The health of our heart ties directly to where we get our identity, such as our work, our bank account or our neighborhood. What is one area you often find yourself pulling your identity from? In Day 14, Jeff writes that he ends every journal entry with This is Jeff, your beloved son. How do you think incorporating this simple practice would affect the state of your heart?
Season of Clarity.
The time Jesus spent alone with the Father gave him clarity about what to emphasize in his season of ministry. While on earth, Jesus couldn't do it all. He had to choose what was most important. Read Mark 1.35-39 together. Have you ever felt pressure to be able to do everything? Tell how. Where did the pressure come from?
Day 15's reflection exercise (page 110) asks us to take time with God to discern one crucial opportunity we believe is from God that we need to say yes to with confidence. Also to discern one opportunity we need to say no to that can liberated you in this season. Discuss what you think you'll put in each of these columns.
As you think about the three journaling practices—filling, gratitude and identity—what are some of the challenges you see in attempting this? How do you think you can overcome them?
Invest in Others
Valuing people outside the group and outside the faith.
A healthy heart is vital to investing in others well. Spend some time talking about how you and your group can better engage the people in your life outside your small group.
Service. Luke 6.45, Jesus says, "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart." This rings true in our service. What pre-service rhythms have you established specifically to have a healthy heart when you serve? What rhythms might be helpful to start?
Respond. Starting each day with a healthy heart should become visible to those around us over time. If someone noticed some of the traits from Galatians 5.22-23 in your life, what would be a good way to respond to point them toward Christ?


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