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Everybody's doing it. You neighbor, your best friend, the grocer, the butcher, the candlestick maker. But for the life of you, you cannot understand how a little bit of type gets turned into what is for all intents and purposes a home movie screen. It used to be enough to just run the video camera. Now you have to be able to produce the movies without a stage. Shakespeare would be smashed out of shape. The Globe Theater has become your desktop. But in order to become a player, you need to know the script.
You've even gone to the bookstores, tried valiantly to figure out which megatome for the electronically challenged has the magic bullet buried in its pages, but five double latte´s later, your are surrounded by empty paper cups, your heart rate is definitely not feeling healthy, and you still haven't found what you're desperately looking for. The illuminating insight, that one piece of information, that "aha" experience in which the mystery of creating visuals out of mere words falls out of the sky and lights your way to becoming a webmaster.
Well, look no more.
There is help for the great sea of nongeeks who don't want to watch the global experience pass them by. Peter Kent's book Poor Richard's Web Site takes you by the hand and explains all the stuff geeks consider common knowledge. The kind of things they don't even know you don't know. If the truth be known, the kinds of things they could care less about.
All this in a format that doesn't assume you're a dummy to begin with, or worse, encourage you to out-and-out call yourself one. You don't have to take on the role of the court jester to get a little basic information about how to make the transition from the world of words to the world of the stage.
Peter Kent doesn't talk down to you. He will tell you up front that you may not even need a web site. But if you want one, he'll tell you how to think through the design for your pages. Make no mistake, the planning that comes before you start looking for nifty graphics to liven up your site is the most important part of web site design.
But even with the best of planning, there comes a time when you have to deal with reality. How do you get your plans on the magic screen. Peter Kent walks you through the tangle of electronic paths you will need to traverse to become the master of your domain. More importantly, he tells you how and why -- in non-technical terms -- you have to tread these virtual boards. He doesn't just wave his hands in the general direction of technology writ large and toss you upon the world of the web stage to virtually kill your audience.
Peter Kent believes that web pages need to do something more than just sit there. They are not, as he says, billboards. So he takes you beyond the simple creation of a page and tells you the kinds of things you will need to do to get people to come to your site and stay there long enough to get your message. So this book isn't just about how to create your web page, but how to publicize it and market what you're offering. This is the stage view often lacking in the geek books, books which tend to be much more interested in telling you how to do everything you can possibly do technically with a web page, but overlook the point of why you're doing it in the first place. Like Benjamin Franklin in the original Poor Richard's Almanac, Peter Kent is fond of sprinkling aphorisms amonst his explanations. One of his favorites?
There's no need for me to go into the details here of the book's table of contents and all the nitty gritty lists that lowly book reviewers usually pad their assessment with because Peter Kent has put up this information at his web site. In fact, his web site nicely illustrates the kinds of things you should do to make your page more than a mere billboard. He practices what he preaches. Well, almost. His Poor Richard's web site is not really quite the simplicity in design he preaches, but it doesn't crash my old browser and it loads before I can make it to the kitchen and back with my coffee mug.The Internet is a giant jobs program for computer geeks.
Many authors are putting up web sites to promote and publicize their books, provide a place for their readers to give them feedback, and most important of all, keep readers posted on any information that might have changed since publication. Peter Kent has over 800 useful web addresses for those who are building their own web sites scattered throughout his book. He has collected them all together in one place at his web site, and he adds to this list constantly. Even though you've bought the book, Peter Kent gives you many reasons to return to his pages on Poor Richard's Web Site time and time again.
Indeed, this is the book for the rest of us. We now have the script we need to appear upon the world's web stage with a persona even Shakespeare could applaud.
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Your work with religious communities has been a part of your research in Nigeria. Tell us about yourself and that work.
I'm currently a Ph.D. candidate in the ecology, evolution and conservation biology program at the University of Nevada with my research focus on the ecology and evolution of Great Basin Desert native plants. I'm originally from Nigeria, and have worked since May 2008 as a scientist for the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), a Nigerian federal government research institution. My research in Nigeria for NACGRAB focused on the conservation and utilization of native plant biodiversity. That job gave me the opportunity to travel across the country, and work with traditional and religious institutions that hold traditional ecological knowledge of plants, including sacred plants, and their uses. I also worked with wild plant harvesters to evaluate the sustainability of their commercial harvesting, utilization and sales, in hopes of recommending ways to ensure that these plants are not being threatened by over-harvesting and overexploitation.
"[I worked] with traditional and religious institutions that hold traditional ecological knowledge of plants, including sacred plants, and their uses. I also worked with wild plant harvesters…in hopes of recommending ways to ensure that these plants are not being threatened by over-harvesting and overexploitation."
What drew you to specifically investigate plant use by these traditional and religious institutions?
Because my main research focus is conservation of plant diversity in Nigeria, where there is relatively great dependence on natural resources for livelihood and primary health care, it is inevitable to investigate ethnomedicinal and traditional uses of plants. In recent times, many Nigerian scientists are documenting this kind of information.
I decided to go beyond just documenting plant usage and look at the frequency of their harvest and how this affects the conservation of those species for posterity. Also, which of the species are considered sacred, and how strong are the traditional laws in protecting the species? Many of the threatened plants in Nigeria are confined within protected areas, but some of them are also found in sacred forests.
What factors do you think are important for doing this kind of work successfully?
Most of us who studied biology had no formal training in social science and understanding the human dimensions of conservation. Personally, my success in engaging with traditional and religious communities came with time and learning on the fly.
First, language is key; that is, being able to speak the language of the target local people and communities. Many of these people are elderly people and culturally, their societal status demands respect. Therefore, speaking to them in the local language when conducting interviews really helped. Sometimes it is customary to present them with gifts such as local wine and kola nuts. As long as I show them respect, communicate with them in the local language and present gifts, they become welcoming and share their wealth of botanical knowledge, saying "Well, you're one of our children, so we have to help you with what you're doing." So over time, I noticed language is really important. And of course having respect for the people is really, really important, and in the case of my work, giving gifts is one of the ways to show respect. When working with herb sellers, one way to respect them and also earn their assistance is to buy some of their items.
Here is another example to show that language is very important. Even though Nigeria is slightly larger than Texas, there are over 300 languages there. I can only speak my own language, that is, Yoruba language, in addition to English, but cannot speak nor understand other local languages. Once, I had to go to a different State within Nigeria to do plant surveys, and also interview some of the people in the traditional communities. I also wanted to collect samples of an extremely rare sacred tree, but because I don't speak their language, and despite bringing along a colleague who is native to the area, they were unwilling to help, saying they don't know nor trust me.
So, another important factor for success is trust. If the traditional institutions and religious communities do not trust someone, they will not work with such a person, nor share their knowledge with them. However, trust building takes time. I have had to visit some of the people in the traditional communities regularly over time, just to chat and relax with them, without even discussing my research. Another way I have built trust is to thankfully accept and eat the food being offered to me. If I were picky with food or reject their food, that would be interpreted as not trusting them, and they won't trust me either.
"Trust building takes time. I have had to visit some of the people in the traditional communities regularly over time, just to chat and relax with them, without even discussing my research."
Were there results from your trust-building that you hadn't expected, or that enriched your work?
I remember a renowned herb seller in southwestern Nigeria who helped us with plant collection beyond what we expected. I got to know her through a professor who has had a long working relationship with her. We needed some particular plant samples, but we were unable to find this tree species within its range, but when we mentioned the local name of the tree to the woman, she told us she knew the tree and offered to help us with the collection, even before we asked. We gave her some money and she went out into the dense forest and collected some samples from the tree for us, which we used for our studies and also established it in our gene bank. Without her help, we probably wouldn't have found the rare tree, and I was blown away by that kind gesture from her.
Any tips for someone interested in doing something similar?
I've seen cases where other colleagues attended festivals of the local traditional communities as an effective way of gaining their trust and cooperation.
One bad experience I had was a failed attempt to interview herb sellers when they were selling their products. They weren't happy with unscheduled visits, especially at the peak of their sales.
Recently, there are concerns about access and benefit-sharing, and copyrights of knowledge acquired from traditional communities. I think researchers who intend to publish ethnomedicinal information they received from traditional and religious communities should get written permission from them, if possible, from individual respondents and interviewees.
How can you share the benefits of what you learn with the communities that shared their knowledge with you?
Having documented the sacred forests and natural sites in Nigeria, I thought to myself, "How can these places be protected?" The current Nigerian land policy does not make provision for traditional land ownership, as land ownership power is vested with the State government. This has caused frequent clashes between the State governments and the traditional communities.
I've been considering the possibility of creating a website to document and showcase the conservation and ecotourism values of these sacred sites, and the traditional laws that protect them. This would be a way of giving back to these communities, while also creating awareness about these sacred sites and the biodiversity they hold.

subset: commoncrawl


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Building Personal Decision Making Confidence
May 12th, 2014 -
Professional Development
Originally appeared in Dr. Brian's Smart Marketing Blog
There are many things you can do to build your confidence in making decisions. There ar also many things that can work to prevent or limit good decision making. Let us start with them.
Factors Complicating Decision Making
There are a variety of reasons why we may struggle with decisions. These might include the following:
Information Factors
Lacking information
including the knowledge of where to find it and how to evaluate it when it is acquired
Inadequate or inaccurate information
Too much information available, causing the individual to become paralyzed in decision making
Lack of Decision Making Experience and Knowledge Factors
Lacking knowledge of decision-making procedures and skills, with limited experience in decision making
Lacking confidence in decision-making abilities
, due to a lack of experience or a belief that the individual is a poor decision maker, or worrying too much about the decision and believing that the outcome of the decision has too many consequences to make the decision
Personal Factors
Competing motives
, leading to indecisiveness or putting off decisions(
Being multi-potentialed
, Being gifted and having many interests and strong abilities in a number of areas. People with many interests and abilities find decision making harder, believing they will have to sacrifice important interests or abilities.
Limited interests or abilities
, providing limited options from which to choose, especially when none of them appear attractive to the individual.
Conflicts with significant others
can interfere with decision making
Limited self-confidence
You have thought this out but you are still concerned
Paralysing anxiety
when making decisions about very important matters, because of the fear of making bad choices.
The struggle for control
when predicting and controlling the future is not completely possible. Thus an individual is left wondering whether pursuing a certain course will get them what they want in life.
Decision making put off or hampered because even if the individual does decide, he or she does not know how to formulate a plan to carry out that decision.
Better Decision-Making Methods
Gather relevant, thorough, and accurate information.
There is no shortcut to gathering good information. Good information is the essential building blocks of any decision. There are many ways to gather information. If your information is inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading, you will be handicapped in making a good decision.
Gather information from multiple sources
as a reliability check. Gather enough information that you are well informed, but do not wait for the "magical" piece of information that will suddenly illuminate your understanding. Each piece of information will help you get a better understanding of the puzzle, but you don't need every piece of the puzzle in order to get a pretty good sense for what the picture looks like.
Seek options and variables.
Understand and be able to differentiate your options. Make sure you have an adequate amount of options. Ponder them thoughtfully. Evaluate and rank your options until you have some that seem more adequate than others. Talk with others about your options.
Seek the variables
Develop an understanding of good decision making skills and processes.
Make sure that you know, implement, and stick with good decision making procedures. Know the outcomes you want from your decisions.
Learn to live with an element of uncertainty and risk.
Almost all decision-making has some element of risk involved. Of course the more important the decision, the more we have to lose. But, realise that most decisions are not irreversible There will likely be no sense of guarantee that your decision will work out, until after you have started down the path. It has been said that "life gives the tests first and the lesson afterwards." Develop the ability to compromise on some things, while holding fast to fundamental values. Realise that you will end up with both good and bad in your choice, hopefully more good than bad. If you have more bad than good, it may be time to make a different choice.
Understand the need for the support of others
Recognise the important influence of others in your life. Seek them out for counsel. But, remember the decision is yours, and you have to live with the consequences, on one else can.
Accept responsibility
An important part of growing up is learning to make choices and becoming responsible for those choices. You will find that sometimes your decisions will make you temporarily lonely, disliked, or unappreciated, but over the long haul you will feel better about yourself and perhaps even admired by others because of your integrity that you are true to yourself. You cannot not have an identity or position.
Give yourself adequate time.
When possible, with important decisions, avoid being pressured to make decisions. You need "incubation" time once you have gathered information. You may need to ponder and "sit on it" for a time. Do not allow waiting to become a form of procrastination.
Practice, practice, practise.
There is no substitute for practiceand Practise in making choices. Even "bad" choices provide great learning experiences. Those choices that are bad can be changed.
Embrace your "brand
" There is no need to be ashamed of who you are. You do not need to let others by default on your part make decisions for you, just because you want to be accepted, loved, or admired by them. Stand up for the things you value and you will ultimately have less to worry about over time.
Remain open and flexible.
Even though we must make decisions daily, we will continue to learn. If we later find that we need to change a previous decision, because we know more now, don't be afraid to make a change. The modern world-of-work requires that we be flexible and adaptable.
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Synergicity is a hybrid word that we made up, combining "synergy" and "synchronicity," to mean the acceptance of one's interdependence with others and dependence on God. It suggests that when we work in tandem and in commitment with a spouse, we can be, together, more than the sum of our parts. It suggests the connection and inter-relatedness of all people and all things, and it acknowledges that there is a natural timing to things that we need to learn to recognize and accept rather than always trying to make things happen on our own schedule. In essence, Synergicity is the opposite of Independence, and instead of saying "I can do everything myself and don't need anyone else," it says "I need others; I am interdependent and dependent, and I trust forces bigger than myself."
One key goal of marriage should be a synergy partnership, especially in terms of how we parent our children, and finding the right timing and being able to sync our hopes with who our children really are can spell the difference between family fulfillment and family frustration.
This new word is fully explained in Richard Eyre's new book, The Happiness Paradox, and it is also further elaborated in the article and podcast:


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Cavaliers' Focus Shifts to NIT
By Jeff White (email@example.com)
CHARLOTTESVILLE — For the second straight year, the UVa men's basketball team gathered at John Paul Jones Arena to watch the NCAA tournament selection show on CBS.
In 2012, the Cavaliers were confident Selection Sunday would go well for them, and they did not leave JPJ's Courtside Club disappointed. Virginia was awarded the No. 10 seed in the West Region last year.
The mood among UVa players and coaches was more subdued this time around.
"I told our guys at the outset of it, `I think we're on the outside looking in,' " fourth-year head coach Tony Bennett said on a teleconference Sunday night.
"I think most of us were hoping to be pleasantly surprised," All-ACC swingman Joe Harris said, "but we didn't really expect too much."
The Cavaliers' pessimism proved well-founded. The NCAA selection committee chose such teams as Middle Tennessee State, LaSalle and Boise State instead of UVa and, in all, took only four representatives from the Atlantic Coast Conference. And so the Wahoos are headed to the National Invitation Tournament for the first time since 2006.
Virginia has won two NIT titles, in 1980 and 1992.
"I told our guys [early Sunday evening that] if we have a chance to play in the NCAA tournament, we'll be thankful for that," Bennett said. "If not, I said, then be very thankful to play in the NIT, and let's be the best NIT team we can be."
Virginia is one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NIT, which announced its 32-team field Sunday night. UVa (21-11) hosts Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season champion Norfolk State (21-11) in a first-round game Tuesday at 9 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena.
The Cavaliers have won a school-record 17 straight games at JPJ.
"We've had success here all year, so that's very good for us," senior point guard Jontel Evans said Sunday night.
The winner will face Saint Joseph's, a No. 4 seed, or St. John's, a No. 5 seed, in the second round.
The NIT's first-, second- and third-round games are played at campus sites. The semifinals are April 2 and the championship game April 4 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The other No. 1 seeds are defending NCAA champion Kentucky, Southern Mississippi and Alabama.
"Obviously, to make the NCAA tournament, that was our goal at the beginning of the year," Harris said, "but like Coach said, we're fortunate enough to be able to go to the NIT, and we're going to make the most out of it, be the best NIT team that we can."
By beating then-No. 3 Duke 73-68 in Charlottesville on Feb. 28, Virginia put itself in position to earn another at-large invitation to the NCAAs. Since that victory, however, the `Hoos have dropped three of four games, including a 75-56 loss to NC State in the ACC tournament quarterfinals Friday afternoon at the Greensboro Coliseum.
"We had a chance to probably secure it, but we didn't get it done down the stretch," Bennett said. "We didn't play our best basketball the last four games, and that's what stung."
Also damaging were Virginia's losses to Colonial Athletic Association teams George Mason, Delaware and Old Dominion, as well as defeats to ACC rivals Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Clemson. Those setbacks negated the impact of UVa's victories over such teams as Duke, North Carolina, NC State, Maryland, Florida State, Wisconsin and Tennessee.
Virginia had "as unique a team sheet as I have ever seen," Mike Bobinski, who chaired the NCAA selection committee, said Sunday night.
Harris said: "We had some bad losses throughout the regular season which didn't bolster our résumé. So we kind of put ourselves in an unfortunate position, but for us to have the chance to even get a shot at postseason, I think it's good, especially for a young team like us."
Of the players who are averaging at least seven minutes a game for Virginia, only Evans is a senior.
"For us to just have more basketball games left in us, I think, is great, " Harris said, "and to get more experience under our belt, regardless of what postseason [tournament] that we're in. I think playing in the NIT will be good for us for next season. Hopefully we can build off of it and get some momentum going into next year."
One of the reasons cited for UVa's exclusion from the NCAAs was its poor non-conference schedule. Had the Cavaliers fared better in the NIT Season Tip-Off, that might not have been an issue. The Nov. 13 loss to Delaware, though, meant that instead of traveling to Madison Square Garden for games against Kansas State and then Pittsburgh or Michigan, Virginia stayed home to face Lamar and North Texas, teams that finished the season 3-28 and 12-20, respectively.
"I think it was a sound schedule, it really was, but you had to take care of business, and we didn't," Bennett said.
Harris said: "You can look back on tons of games and just say, `If we would have gotten one of those ones, this one here or that one there,' all the coulda, shoulda, wouldas.' But we did what we could all season."
Before the season, the ACC's head coaches picked UVa to finish seventh in the 12-team conference, and that poll was conducted when 6-5 guard Malcolm Brogdon was expected to play this season. Brogdon, Virginia's sixth man as a freshman in 2011-12, ended up redshirting because of a foot injury.
Without Brogdon, and despite health issues that sidelined Evans, 6-8 sophomore Darion Atkins and 6-11 freshman Mike Tobey at various times, Virginia tied N.C. State for fourth and earned a first-round bye in the ACC tournament. Along the way, in addition to collecting wins over NCAA tournament teams Duke, UNC, NC State and Wisconsin, the `Hoos swept their regular-season series with Maryland and Virginia Tech.
"This has been a great season thus far, and we're not ready to be done yet," Harris said.
The Cavaliers were at two tournament sites with the Spartans in 2011-12 — the U.S. Virgin Islands, for the Paradise Jam, and an NCAA regional in Omaha, Neb. — but the teams have met only once. That was on Dec. 10, 2010, at JPJ, where Virginia won 50-49 on a tip-in by center Assane Sene.
Norfolk State finished the regular season with a 16-0 record in conference play but was upset in the MEAC tournament quarterfinals.


text:
20 years of expertise in cost
management and loan monitoring
Discover our work spanning Commercial, Mixed Use, Condominium, Townhouse, Single Family Dwellings, Subdivisions, Institutional, and Industrial.
ConEcon's Construction Cost Management service breaks down into initial Cost Planning followed by Cost Control during the design and construction phases of a project.
We are a part of the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC)


text:
Тhe administrative burden for legal entities and individual entrepreneurs in the form of compulsory sale of foreign currency has been abolished
Previously residents of the Republic of Belarus – both legal entities and individual entrepreneurs – were obliged to sell part of currency (recently 10% of earnings, previously 30% and more) on the domestic foreign exchange market within seven days after receipt of exchange earnings. On 3 August 2018, Presidential Decree of 31.07.2018 No. 301 entered into force and cancelled this obligation. Time will show whether it is only a single-case decision or the Decree lays the foundation for further removal of strict restrictions established by the Belarusian currency legislation.
Source: National legal internet portal pf the Republic of Belarus (NLIP) 02.08.2018 1/17849


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Joonas Plaan Abstract
My research investigates the current and potential future impacts of global climate change on people living in rural fishery-dependent communities on the Northeast Coast of Newfoundland. I will focus particular attention on the historic fishing port of Bay de Verde and surrounding communities, including Grates Cove, Old Perlican and Red Head Cove. The area is one of the most critical places in Canada for understanding the impacts of climate change, since it is strongly impacted by the Labrador Current which carries water southward from the Arctic. I will document how different actors involved in the study area, including fishers, other area residents, marine scientists, and government officials perceive, understand, and respond to the local effects of global climate change. While my focus is on climate change, I am committed to the view that changes in marine ecosystems and coastal environments cannot be adequately understood without positioning these changes in the context of other societal and economic transformations in Newfoundland, such as economic policy reforms, trade agreements, demographic change, and resource development, wildlife management and conservation policies.
Joonas Plaan | PhD Candidate


text:
Major averages rose Friday, finishing midbar on lower volume on a weak jobs report. The lower volume came as little surprise ahead of the 3-day weekend. Meanwhile, a number of leading stocks including some key stocks we have emailed to members continue to show much strength, such as PI, MELI, and BABA.
Indeed, it seems the vote has been cast, at least during Friday's trade, that delaying a rate hike is good for the market since it means more quantitative easing overall. Of course, this perception is subject to change without notice. Friday's midbar close suggests there are some who dissent from this view, arguing that after years of money printing at home and abroad via various forms of QE, the global economy remains deeply troubled.
As one substantial example, China's troubles were placed on display for the world to see in August of last year then again in January of this year. But then the markets found a floor and rallied each time back toward new highs.
Indeed, quantitative easing has been a most formidable opponent to anyone who's been a long term bear since 2009.


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Hampton Bay Hawthorne II 52 in. Indoor Oil-Rubbed Bronze Ceiling Fan AL770-ORB
New In Box Condition.
The Hampton Bay Hawthorne II Oil Rubbed Bronze Ceiling Fan has a strong contemporary design that will work with most modern decors. This contemporary fan comes with five reversible maple/walnut blades and a has bowl style light kit with frosted glass for a finishing touch. Uses three candelabra light bulbs (included).
- Reversible maple/walnut blades
- Rubbed bronze finish
- Bowl style light kit with frosted glass provides ample lighting
- Has a height of 18.03 in.
- Powerful 172 mm x 14 mm motor for superior air movement; 4755 CFM
- 9 in. downrod with 3/4 in. Dia
- Dual mount system
- Indoor use, for large rooms up to 20 ft. x 20 ft.
- Dual mount installation, standard and sloped ceiling
- Bulbs included
- Energy efficient


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Town Centre Regeneration Project of the Year
28 February 2014
Opera House in Kilmarnock by KLIN Group was named Town Centre Regeneration Project of the Year at the Scottish Property Awards ceremony last night. The building had been devastated by fire and had lain derelict for 22 years. We were responsible for Conservation Architect input for retention of the 1875 historic facade.
The awards attracted 61 entries and Marie Macklin, Chairwoman of KLIN Group said,
We are thrilled to have been recognised by the Scottish Property Awards for our work and commitment to the Kilmarnock Opera House development. This is a project very close to my heart, which succeeded due to tenacity, innovation and partnership working. I'm incredibly proud of this restoration project and the benefits it has delivered.


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Q&A: The Impact of COVID-19 and Guidance for Employers
COVID-19 has resulted in an inevitable global shutdown frustrating businesses, investors, supply chains and Human Resource (HR) functions.
What started out as limited business disruption due to the low number of cases has now affected most if not all businesses. While Vietnam has controlled the pandemic relatively well, the government on March 31 issued Directive No. 16/CT/TTg – its strongest measures yet on social distancing nationwide until April 15. The directives also states that factories and businesses providing essential goods can remain open.
Two major concerns of our clients in Vietnam are labor shortages, and disruptions to supply chains.
If factories stop production for an extended period it impacts supply chains and the flow of materials. For example, Ford and Honda have already suspended production in Vietnam due to the difficulties faced by COVID-19, while Samsung also facing challenges acquiring raw inputs for production.
Global businesses need to stay on top of the viability of receiving and sending shipments, this may mean identifying new suppliers or revising sales forecasts.
We recommend that now is an ideal time to conduct a health check on your business to assess potential risks and impacts.
We advise our clients to carefully assess their exposure and communicate closely with suppliers or customers and be well prepared to assess their stock levels, cash flow and human resources in the event the situation worsens.
Businesses should also have clear disaster recovery and business continuity plans in place.
In this Q&A with Trent Davies, International Business Advisory Manager, Dezan Shira & Associates, Ho Chi Minh City, we focus on the HR challenges businesses may face during this time.
From a labor law perspective, how do you recommend companies manage employee absence?
The immediate impact is that many staff are unable to return to work or choose to work from home. In Vietnam, given the school closures we have had to be much more flexible with staff working from home. Some companies are helping to prevent the spread of the disease by promoting the washing of hands, supplying masks, and disabling fingerprint scanners.
It is important for businesses to be prepared if the outbreak worsens. This includes having a thorough understanding of employee and employer rights and being prepared to be understaffed.
We also encourage companies to consider remote working solutions if this does happen. Internally we use many cloud-based software programs to enable people to be flexible.
Have there been any official directions from the government regarding labor due to the virus?
The Ministry of Labor introduced Official Letter 1064/LĐTBXH-QHLĐTL on March 25 guiding salary and other payments in accordance with current laws while the Prime Minister released Directive No. 11/CT-TTg giving instruction to the relevant labor agencies to alleviate challenges faced due to the epidemic.
The government has requested companies to remain vigilant by increasing controls and limiting virus transmission in the workplace. It is advisable that employers make an official announcement to their employees about the status of the epidemic and implement appropriate measures to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 at the workplace.
If an employee is infected, does the company have the right to terminate the employee?
Absolutely not. According to Section 1, Clause 39, Vietnam Labor Code 2012, an employer is prohibited from unilaterally terminating labor contracts if the employee is sick or has a work accident or occupational disease and is being treated or nursed under the decision of a competent health establishment.
However, the 2012 Labour Code allows an employer to unilaterally terminate the labor contract with an employee with three working days advance notice when an employee being sick for:
- 12 consecutive months (in case of indefinite term labor contract)
- 6 consecutive months (in case of definite term labor contract)
- More than half of the contract term (in case of labor contract of less than 12 months)
And remains unable to work after having received medical treatment.
If an employee appears sick, is it possible to ask the employee to isolate himself or herself at home before resuming work? How is this possible in compliance with the law?
You can request the employee to work from home on these days and still pay them a salary. The company can recommend self-isolation at home for at least 14 days if they have been to a place suspected to be infectious before resuming work. Those who have symptoms should visit the hospital for a diagnosis.
How does a business pay salaries to employees if it suspends its business operations due to COVID-19?
According to Section 3, Article 98 of the Labor Law, Wage in case of work suspension:
If due to objective reasons such as dangerous epidemic/pandemic, the wage during work suspension must be agreed by the two parties but must not be lower than the regional minimum wage stipulated by the government.
As a result, the employee still receives a salary, but this salary can be negotiated during the work stoppage. However, this case can only be applied when the government requests employees to stay at home. If the employer actively allows the employee to be off, it will depend on negotiations between the employer and employee. They can discuss to consider it as annual leave, unpaid leave or another arrangement such as delay in labor contract implementation.
For investors planning to invest in Vietnam, should they go ahead with their plan or wait? And why?
We are positive and recommend continuing operations as normal but that companies keep up to date and are prepared in case things get worse.
Vietnam is not out of the woods yet. However, businesses that plan for the worst-case scenario and simulate response strategies for all possible cases will emerge out of this situation relatively better than those with a sense of complacency.
During this period many necessary steps for investment can be handled from firms such as ours, who remain on the ground and are ready to assist clients.
About Us
Vietnam Briefing is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The firm assists foreign investors throughout Asia from offices across the world, including in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Readers may write to email@example.com for more support on doing business in Vietnam.
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Rep. Ryan is becoming "uncorked" and exposed as the politician more concerned with numbers, and not the consequences of his bad math. Oh, and he promises he'll balance the budget when most of us are dead.
MSNBC's Cenk Uygur explains how Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is balancing the books with a combination of tax increases on the wealthy and spending cuts, and a brief comment about Paul Ryan, that hits the mark.
Leaked Communications from the depths of the Ice Planet Foxconnsin...John Peterson (victim/hostage).
Friday, February 18, 2011
Cenk Uygur on Rep. Paul Ryan-"Way to paint your own guy as a dictator, genius!!" How Minn. Balanced its Budget without Destroying Unions.
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Just 5,526 bottles of Smoky Shores have been released ahead of next week's Burns Night celebrations.
The new expression has been created as a sister whisky to Peat Chimney from the Wemyss Malts core range, Smoky Shores has the same smoky characteristics with an extra blast of punchy peated malt.
"Our existing smoky favourite from the core range, Peat Chimney, is already a big hit among our peat fans, and Smoky Shores has an even more intense, delicious smoky flavour, a real treat for peated whisky enthusiasts," said Isabella Wemyss, owner and director of production at Wemyss Malts.
"Adding to the all-round flavour experience, you'll find hand-crafted illustrations on the packaging inspired by the malting process. These really bring to life the tasting notes and flavour within the bottle, transporting you to coastal seashores.
"On 25 January, we'll be raising a glass to our smoky whisky fans around the world - Smoky Shores is the perfect accompaniment to a Burns Night supper."
Smoky Shores is bottled at 46% abv and priced at £50. It is available globally here at wemyssmalts.com


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Kashmir Life reproduces the article published in The Week, a Malyalam Manorama publication (February 19-25, 1984), a week after Maqbool Butt was hanged in Tihar Jail on February 11, 1984
By Vinod Sharma
When the holy Quran was placed before Mohammed Maqbool Butt on the morning of February 11, 1984, he knew that death awaited him in the phansi kothi a few yards away. A high voltage bulb burning outside the grated doors of his solitary cell in the death row was indicative of the outside darkness. If he had had any hopes of living awhile yet, they were dashed by the presence of the" prison doctors. Jail superintendent, A B Shukla had paid Butt a visit in the middle of the previous night. Shukla chatted with him for a long time but cautiously avoided any talk about the execution.
"I will see you on Monday", Butt's counsel on record, the sallow-complexioned R.C. Pathak, had told him during a brief interview they were allowed on the evening of February 10. In answer, the condemned Kashmir Liberation Front leader, who was awarded the death sentence of the murder of a CID officer in 1966, had meaningfully remarked: "Do you think they will permit us a second meeting?" He was right! Butt was not allowed to meet anybody else before his execution, not even his brother Ghulam Nabi whom the police had arrested the same day at Srinagar airport while boarding a flight to Delhi for a last meeting with Butt.
Butt must have been aware that he was going to be hanged when he was shifted from ward number one, where he was lodged till the Supreme Court rejected the petition filed by his lawyers to save him from the gallows, to the death row adjacent to the open courtyard known as phansi kati, where the hangings take place. He already knew that his mercy petition, pending since 1977, had been rejected and that nemesis was round the corner.
What Butt was probably not aware of was that the jail in which he was to be hanged would also become his burial ground. As there was no close relative or friend of his to take possession of the body after the execution, it was buried in the premises of the Tihar Jail complex about an hour after B N Kundu, the , medical officer" declared him dead at 8 a.m.-when the body was lowered into the 15 feet deep pit after the stipulated 3O-minute hanging.
As Fakira, Tihar Jail's stock executioner who was summoned from Patiala, pulled the lever to make the wooden floor covering the pit collapse, Butt became the 12th prisoner to be hanged in Tihar over the past decade. He was, however, the first to have been buried also in the jail. The body was wrapped in a 22-yard cloth before being lowered into the grave following the last rites, performed by an imam, identified as one Mohammed Khan, and 10 Muslim inmates of the prison. "Rose water was sprinkled and the mortal remains were placed on a wooden plank before being put in the grave," said a jail official.
Butt's attorney, Muzaffar Beg and his two lawyers, R M Tufail and R C Pathak, kept waiting outside the jai1complex quite oblivious of the government decision, taken at the highest level, to bury the body in Tihar itself. It was only after the executed prisoner had been laid to rest that they realised what had happened. While talking to reporters at the time of the hanging, Beg claimed he was authorised to receive Butt's body. He was, however, not hopeful of any such "magnanimity" on the part of the jail staff.
The jail officials, who had willingly parted with information after the' previous hangings of Billa and Ranga on January 30, 1982 and of the two Vidya Jain murder case accused on October nine last year, adopted an unusually tight-lipped posture this time. The only comment District Magistrate R S Sethi made to newsmen while coming out of the prison gate shortly after 8 a.m. was: "The execution went off all right. Butt was hanged at 7.30 a.m. as per the execution warrants sent to us from Jammu." To all other questions by a battery of newsmen representing the national and the international press, Sethi's answer was a trite "no comment". When some-body wanted to know the contents of Butt's will recorded by Sub-Divisional Magistrate S K Gatwal, he said: "It's a secret … "
Tight security prevailed in and around the Tihar premises with hundreds of gun-totting Delhi police and BSF jawans on duty at the main entrance and around the periphery of the prison. Traffic was disallowed on the main road for some time. Though newsmen were allowed to enter the jail premises, for all, others including Butt's lawyers, the area was out of bounds. The security agencies had become extra cautious after an unsuccessful bid by two Kashmiri youths to kidnap the son and wife of Ghulam Nabi Azad, deputy minister for information and broadcasting on the afternoon of February 10 from his Rajaji Road house. A top police officer said that all government buildings and important installations, especially in Delhi, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, had been placed under strict vigil.
Top-gear security measures were also in force at and around the houses of various ministers, especially those who had anything to do with Kashmir. This even included the house of Arun Nehru, a trusted aide of Rajiv Gandhi, who has been actively involved in Kashmir politics. '
The Intelligence Bureau, keeping m mind the dual threat posed by the Punjab extremists and the Kashmir Liberation Front, had issued a special circular warning against "letter bombs".' Teams of anti-sabotage experts were also pressed into action to train the staff handling the daily mail, at various ministries and government offices.
In view of the strict instructions from the top, jail officials fought shy of the press. However, information gleaned by The Week from different sources indicates that Butt was woken up by the head warder at around 5.30 a.m., after which he was made to bathe and given time to read the Quran Sharif. Shukla read out the death warrant to Butt when he finished with his morning tea shortly, before the hanging. "Butt was very good at hiding emotions. But I think at that moment he appeared a little crest-fallen," remarked a jail employee. Butt however, managed to regain his composure soon after and began dictating the will to Gathwal.
Five officers were present in the phansi kothi when Butt, wearing, a black kurta and pyjama, was escorted in by D'Souza, the deputy superintendent, a head warder and six warders, one of whom held his pinioned arms. Fakira wrapped his legs and covered his face with a hood before putting the noose around his neck.
Death came instantly to Butt, unlike in several other cases when executioners have had to get into the pit and pull the legs of the condemned prisoner to ensure that they were dead. This happened in the case of Ranga, as his legs curved upwards the moment the hangman pulled the lever to remove the support from under his feet.
Pathak, the only outsider who could meet Butt before the hanging, told this correspondent that Butt appeared confident and unruffled. "It seems that he had not shaved for one or two days. He was wearing a kurta payjama and a jacket …" The lawyer claimed that during the ten-minute long interview Butt said that his body be handed over to his younger brother and his belongings, which have been arranged in a coffee container, be delivered to his family.
It was not immediately known whether Butt has repeated these desires in the will or not. The lawyer had met him in cell number two in the death row in the presence of jail officials, including Shukla. Beg, the prisoner's attorney who also wanted to meet Butt but was refused the interview, said: "If it is a political will it will never be given to us … We also don't hope to get the papers he had left behind if they are of sensitive nature."
Beg claimed that foreign currency worth nearly Rs 20,000 was sent to him sometime back by some Harvard graduates to help him meet the court expenses. "A part of this money has been spent on Pathak's travel in connection with the case, but the rest is with the jail authorities," he added. Himself a graduate from Harward, Beg said that he had two meetings with Butt in Tihar jail Where he was shifted on July 23, 1976. During one of these meetings Butt reportedly said: "I want a fair trial for my people and myself. But I don't expect to get it in this subcontinent. .. "
A knowledgeable government official reacted sharply when confronted with Butt's statements as quoted by Beg. "It is a brazen attempt at eulogising a man who joined hands with enemies to indulge in subversive activities. Go and talk to the family of the bank manager he killed and then only will you get his true, picture …" the official reacted.
In the jail, Butt spent most of his time reading books. A Tihar employee who carme across the extremist leader on many occasions said that each time anybody inquired about Butt's welfare, he would say: "Allah ka shukra hai. Time pass kar rahen hain. Mukkadar main jo likha hai woh to jhelna he padta hai"(I am thankful to God. I am just passing my time. One has to face all that is written in fate). Many other junior employees to whom THE WEEK talked said that Butt always exuded confidence. "He and Ranga were the least troublesome of the five condemned prisoners we had (in the jail) at one time," one of them said.
One employee said that his long stay in the jail had made Butt look old "unlike his pictures one saw in the newspapers. He had plenty of grey hair and it seems he suffered either from constipation or piles … Many a time he asked the visiting doctors to treat him for piles.''' Beg said that though officially Butt was said to be 45 years 'old, his real age was 48.
An Intelligence Bureau officer who had interrogated Butt after his arrest in 1966 for the murder of the police head constable, said almost the entire interrogation team was impressed by "his clarity of thought, manner of speech and knowledge of various political ideologies, including Maoism." This officer said among those who questioned Butt then was the' then deputy inspector general(CID), of J&K police, who is now holding a top post in a central security organisation.
The 1966 arrest of Butt was a sequel to a fierce encounter with the BSF and the police, in which an accomplice of his was killed, two were arrested and one, Amanullah Khan, who is now the president of the London-based Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, escaped to Pakistan. The other two arrested besides Butt were ex-subedars of Pakistan army. Butt was in possession of a revolver, a pair of binoculars, a thermos flask and ' some books at the time of his arrest.
During his interrogation, Butt reportedly told the police that "our principle is to surrender, when overpowered. And once we are caught we have nothing to hide." This statement, however, runs contrary to the general image of this maverick, who had once boasted before a judge that "nobody has the rope which can hang me." One wonders whether he remembered these words while walking to his execution.


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Number of hours
- Lectures 36.0
- Projects -
- Tutorials 16.5
- Internship -
- Laboratory works 3.0
- Written tests 2.0
Digital representations are key elements in product development processes. CAD software and technical data management systems help product designers in handling product description data.
This course teaches students the main concepts of these software tools so they can use them more efficiently in a design office and teaches them how to specify the quality of data throughout a company. At the end of the course students know how to:
• create and modify a partial description of a product being developed by using conventional geometric representations (CAD) and technical data management system tools
• identify the different stages of a product being developed
• understand the limits of current software descriptions and assess their impacts on the product development process
• share product information by using technical data management system tools
(configuring Product Data Management (PDM) is not studied in this course)
• exchange information between different design support software tools
• organise the different stages of the product development process by using existing software tools, taking into account their limitations.
• introduction - concept of a digital representation, principles of description and product shape modelling processes
• descriptive models of curves, surfaces, volumes and non-manifold objects
• modelling process of surfaces and volumes (B-Rep and CSG)
• setting up a model
• parameterised geometry
• modelling assembling
• exchanging models
• exchanging standards of geometric models
• STEP (STandard for the Exchange of Product model data)
• protocols for interoperability between models
• sharing digital representations of products: technical data management systems
• elements of modelling by entities
• sharing elementary models of digital product representations
• representing product reference: versions and configurations
• managing access rights: reservation of rights, notification process
• application process for modifications
Tutorials - practical work using machines
• modelling a complex object using CAD software
• limits of voluminal modelling
• surface modelling
• parameterised models
• sharing information using PDM
• configuration management
• implementation of a change request
• implementation of notifications
• exchanging data between heterogeneous tools
- retro-design
Labwork :
Modelisation of a complex system and link to of skilled expertises
Basic handling of voluminal modelling and modules for specific jobs.
CC = Assessment of practical work
There are no 'resits' for practical work, so the marks can not be changed.
E1 = Final written exam for the 1st exam period
E2 = Final written or oral exam for the 2nd exam period
N1 = Final mark for the 1st exam period
N2 = Final mark for the 2nd exam period
CC = contrôle continu (TP + Exposés eventuels)
E1 = Evaluation individuelle première session (tout test ou examen intermediaire)
E2 = Examen seconde session
Cette pondération est compatible avec une organisation des enseignements et des examens en distanciel
The course exists in the following branches:
- Curriculum - Engineer student Master PD - Semester 7
- Curriculum - M1 Industrial Engineering - Semester 7
Course ID : 4GUP0305
Course language(s):
You can find this course among all other courses.
The NURBS Book, Piegl and Tiller, Hermès 1994
Modélisation des courbes et des surfaces en CFAO, J.C Léon, Hermès 1991
PDM: Product Data Management, Rodger Burden, Springer; 1 edition (November 5, 2003)ISBN-10: 3540403736, ISBN-13: 978-3540403739
Product Lifecycle Management, Antti Saaksvuori, Anselmi Immonen, Resource Publishing (May 19, 2003) ISBN-10: 0970035225, ISBN-13: 978-0970035226
Product Lifecycle Management: Driving the Next Generation of Lean Thinking,McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (October 26, 2005), ISBN-10: 0071452303, ISBN-13: 978-0071452304
Product Lifecycle Management: 21st century Paradigm for Product Realisation, Springer; 1 edition (August 27, 2004), ISBN-10: 1852338105, ISBN-13: 978-1852338107
Registrar's office
Head of Registrar's office: firstname.lastname@example.com
Admissions 1st Year: Valérie Demicheli
Admissions 2nd Year: Sylvie Malandrino
Masters' degree enquiries:
Head of Masters' degree
Jean-François Boujut
Maria Di Mascolo
Secretary's office:
Annabel Jourdan
Maryline Mazzon-Teppoz
Tel: (+ 33) 4 76 57 47 18
International relations department:
Nadia Dehemchi


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An evaluation of the 'Measure Up' community weight management programme
Green, SusannahAdvisors
Fallows, StephenMorris, Mike
Publication Date
Show full item recordAbstract
The study aimed to determine if the 'Measure Up' community weight management programme, which is delivered in Knowsley, is effective in supporting participants to reduce their body weight and waist circumference. This was a repeated measures study of participants (n=42, mean BMI = 30.7kg/m2) attending weekly weight management sessions over a 12 week period. Participants attended sessions at three different sites in Knowsley; Kirkby (n=9, mean BMI 33.3kg/m2), Knowsley Village (n=21, mean BMI 29.4 kg/m2) and Whiston (n=12, mean BMI 31kg/m2). Body weight was recorded at baseline, 6 (n=26), 12 (n=35) and 24 weeks (n=9). Waist circumference was measured at baseline and 12 weeks. There were significant decreases in body weight between baseline and 6 weeks (P=0.000) of 0.95kg and between baseline and 12 weeks (P=0.001) of 3.6kg. During the 12 week course 21% of participants reduced body weight by >5% and 59% reduced body weight by 0.1-4.9%. There was no statistical difference in waist measurement during the 12 week course (P=0.452) or between weight loss at the three sites (P=0.504). Post course there was a significant difference between body weight at baseline and 24 weeks (P=0.017) of 3.6kg but no difference between 12 and 24 weeks (P=0.168). 'Measure Up' is effective at supporting participants to reduce their body weight and maintain this weight reduction at 12 weeks post intervention. Participants across all three sites achieved similar results. Changes can be made to better support participants post intervention.Publisher
University of ChesterType
Thesis or dissertationLanguage
Knowsley Community Health Development TeamCollections
The following license files are associated with this item:


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Thoughts can only be formed in the present moment. And thoughts can only exert effects in the present moment. If you can grasp these two concepts, you'll be able to discard some forms of delusional thinking and craft much more effective intentions.
Here's an example to help clarify: Suppose you like the idea of tithing 10% of your income to worthy causes. But your finances are too tight for you to feel comfortable tithing right now. However, you tell yourself that you intend to start tithing once you experience a greater state of abundance. So you're acknowledging the reality of your present situation while holding a positive intention for the future. This seems reasonable, doesn't it?
In actuality, however, this type of thinking is self-defeating.
Consider the thoughts/intentions that are being put forth:
- The intention to tithe (future).
- The intention to experience limited finances (present).
- The intention not to tithe (present).
- The intention to experience abundance (future).
Now collapse all of these intentions to the present, since other times are merely illusion. This yields the following:
- The intention to tithe (present).
- The intention to experience limited finances (present).
- The intention not to tithe (present).
- The intention to experience abundance (present).
Is this a congruent set of intentions? Obviously it's in conflict because 1 cancels 3, and 2 cancels 4.
Unfortunately, this is how most people go about forming and holding intentions. No wonder their intentions fail to manifest. If you hold intentions like the ones above, you can invest tons of energy and have very little to show for it.
Intending the present
So what's the solution? The solution requires that if you want to hold an intention for your future, you must in fact hold that intention for your present. The focal point of your positive expectations must be now – not later… or tomorrow… or someday.
So how do you hold an intention for a future situation that is supposedly better/different than your present reality? How do you acknowledge the reality of now and intend a future that is better than now? The most accurate answer is that you don't. It isn't possible because the future is only an illusion. However, there's a way around that.
Creative observation
What you do is apply the principle of Creative Observation. Forget about past and future, and focus entirely on the present. But give your present a velocity instead of seeing it as a fixed point. Your present is not a single frame snapshot – it's an animation. Whenever you hold an intention, you're aiming to alter that animation.
Let's return to the tithing example. If you recognize the present as the only reality, then your new intentions will look something like this:
- The intention that your tithes are continually increasing (present).
- The intention that your experience of abundance is continually increasing (present).
So instead of stressing the difference between point A (your present reality) and point B (your intended future), you're merging the two points.
For my fellow math nerds, we can say that our intentions should focus on the slope of the line segment between A and B rather than the distance between A and B. Point B is technically imaginary (not in the sense of the mathematical concept of imaginary numbers but simply because it's a projection into a future that doesn't actually exist), but point A and the slope at point A both exist in the present moment. So we can effectively hold the intention of B without succumbing to delusional thinking by focusing on the slope at A instead.
This may seem like a minor distinction (or even a pointless one), but it's pretty important in practice. If you want your intention to manifest, you must stop reinforcing its absence. But at the same time, you cannot escape the necessity of observing your present moment. So by all means continue to observe, but observe with the intention of continuous change in the direction of your desires. Intend your reality into motion.
For example, if you want to become a more positive thinker, then imagine yourself as thinking more and more positively – right now in this very moment. Don't worry about tomorrow or next week. Stay centered in the moment.
One day at a time
The "one day at a time†concept is consistent with this model, since "one day at a time†is essentially a mantra to bring your attention back to the present. Instead of worrying about a long-term goal that may seem daunting, you focus on present-moment improvement. This is often applied in overcoming addictions because every moment that passes without succumbing to your addiction is a step in the right direction.
Whenever you observe reality, observe it changing in the direction of your desires. See your present reality as a canvas that paints an ever more beautiful picture. Your awareness of that beauty is constantly increasing. Life is getting better and better.
The nice thing about this model is that you can always apply it, even in seemingly negative circumstances. You can always intend improvement. You can always focus on hope.
If your experience of reality is only a 1 on a scale of 1-10, don't intend a 10, an 8, or even a 2. Intend the velocity of that rating. Create the present-moment improvement. No matter how displeased you are with your current reality, you can always pause for a moment to intend improvement here and now.
As you go through your day, pause and intend improvement whenever the thought occurs to you. For example:
- Your financial abundance is increasing.
- People are being nicer to you.
- You're providing more value to others.
- You're feeling more energetic, alert, and happy.
- You're enjoying your life more.
- You're thinking more positively.
- You're feeling more relaxed.
- You're getting stronger.
- The universe is conspiring to bring you more of what you want.
The amazing power of momentum
As I explained in Podcast #1, I began my path of conscious growth many years ago while sitting in a jail cell. I would have rated my life situation no higher than a 2 at the time. But in that cell, I recognized the power of positive momentum. I could still imagine that things were getting better.
Shortly after I had that thought, while still in my cell, a change of clothing was delivered by the guards, swapping one set of orange garb for another. My cellmate, a teenager like me, picked up his new clothes and began unfolding them. He suddenly stopped and held up one of the socks he received. It was only an inch long! It looked like a yarmulke for a toe. Even though we'd barely said two words to each other before then, in that moment we both burst out laughing. I'm sure it was one of those "you had to be there†moments, but it gave us a much needed release of tension. That single moment of silliness against the backdrop of a seemingly dreadful situation helped redirect my thoughts in a more positive and constructive direction.
Even as setbacks occur, do your best to keep refocusing your thoughts toward the expectation that your life is getting better. Not worse. Not the same. Better. If that's still too difficult, then have a good laugh at how truly pathetic your life has become. Now and then we all get dealt a toe yarmulke, and acknowledging and laughing at it can move us one step closer to a full sock.
Discuss this post in the Steve Pavlina forum.
© 2007 by Steve Pavlina. If you find these ideas helpful, please leave a donation for Steve so you can enjoy the spirit of giving too.


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White Ribbon Alliance aims for a 30% WASH access improvement at healthcare facilities in Chitipa, Zomba and Dowa, Malawi.
Published on: 11/11/2019
This blog is written by Enock Mnyenyembe, Communications Officer, White Ribbon Alliance Malawi
In 2002, White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) Malawi was set up to focus on reducing the maternal mortality rate of 439 deaths per 100,000 women. They work to increase the numbers of midwives in the country and raise the public profile of midwives through the press. They teach midwives to advocate for themselves by encouraging the government to budget for midwife services and within communities to raise their working conditions.
Now WRA Malawi brings this nearly two decades of advocacy experience to the healthcare arena and this time lobbies with the government at all levels to address the lack of water, sanitation and hygiene services in healthcare facilities (WASH in HCF). WRA Malawi is partnering with IRC and Global Water 2020 to implement a one year WASH in Healthcare Facilities project which aims for a 30% WASH access improvement at HCFs in Chitipa, Zomba and Dowa.
Machinjiri health centre, Zomba, Malawi
Since no information existed about the levels of WASH access in the districts, WRA Malawi surveyed 11 health facilities to establish a baseline of information. The assessment found the medical buildings lacked clean pit latrines, bathrooms, incinerators and placenta pits. They had non-functional taps, blocked plumbing systems, toilets and showers, unrepaired water tanks and water pumps. The survey also found poor grounds management and confounding efforts to stop cross-contamination of infectious diseases between patients.
WRA Malawi presented the WASH in HCF assessment findings to the Health Centre Management Committees of the sampled facilities and provided feedback to the District Health Management Teams (DHMT) in the target districts.
During the Zomba DHMT Assessment findings feedback meeting, former WRA Malawi National Coordinator Nancy Kamwendo presented the findings to the DHMT and asked if they are aware of such gaps and what steps they will take after receiving the WASH assessment reports. Representative of Zomba District Health Officer (DHO) Edward Wongani said the assessment findings are a true reflection of the WASH situation in most health facilities in the district. The team from the DHO conducts supervision and mentorship sessions where they work with health centre management teams to sort out WASH gaps in their respective health facilities. The DHO is committed to addressing the gaps in the assessment findings, however, they lack adequate funding from the city assembly hindering implementation of the DHO's projects, including WASH in HCFs.
Representative of Zomba, District Health Officer (DHO) Edward Wongani stressing a point that his office is underfunded by city assembly which affects their operations
Wongani said that after receiving the WASH assessment report, the DHO office engaged other stakeholders to address the WASH challenges in health facilities throughout the district. WRA Malawi and the Zomba District Health office worked together and today patients visiting the Machinjiri HCF have access to a functional water tap and rubbish bins.
The Machinjiri health facility officer in charge noted that a "few months ago patients here had broken taps, no running water, unattended grounds and blocked toilets. Through months of advocacy to the Ministry of Health and the Water Users Association of Malawi, access has been restored and we now have an improved WASH facility. We will continue to work hard with fellow staff and community to ensure that this is maintained and sustained."
Following the release of WRA Malawi's report of the WASH in HCF assessment, the Organized Network of Services for Everyone (ONSE), Malawi's flagship programme that works to reduce maternal and newborn mortality, has committed to help Zomba's DHO address some of the WASH challenges in health facilities in Makwapala, Machinjiri and Likangala.
At IRC we have strong opinions and we value honest and frank discussion, so you won't be surprised to hear that not all the opinions on this site represent our official policy.


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Knits for Summer by Kristi Simpson is a booklet with 10 ideas for knit accessories you can use in the summertime. The projects include:
- barefoot sandals
- seaside coasters
- lacy cape
- rose headband
- scoop neck top
- anchor pillow
- striped tote bag
- long vest with eyelets (my favorite!)
- allover eyelet tunic
- lace wrap with fringe
You can check out all the patterns on the Leisure Arts website.
This is a fun little booklet for those who live in warmer climates or like to have something fun and seasonally appropriate to knit in the summer. All the patterns are rated easy, which makes it a good choice for newer knitters who want to venture into a little bit of lace, colorwork or simple garments.
About the book: 32 pages, paperback, 10 projects. Published 2017 by Leisure Arts, suggested retail price $9.99.


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Zhiyun Crane's beach day! Free bluetooth remote with every Zhiyun purchase. Limited time offer!
A sweet shot of the Zhiyun Crane camera stabilizer and Sony A7sii camera basking in the sun together! Pictured is the Zhiyun Crane with the camera connection cable! Until October 31st, receive a FREE bluetooth remote with any purchase of the Zhiyun Crane basic kit!
Another special we have right now is with any purchase of a Beholder EC1, a MS1 charger will be included for FREE. Enter "SPOOKTACULAR SALE" at checkout! This deal is so good its scary.


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Pocket Chart Calendar | Groovy Classroom Decor | Shake Your Groove Thing |UPRINT| Schoolgirl Style
The Schoolgirl Style printable calendar sets give you the best of both worlds - a pocket chart calendar OR traditional calendar! In this set we have included all the pieces needed to display a calendar in a pocket chart - A neutral pocket chart is always our go-to! However, if you prefer displaying on the traditional calendar background, you absolutely can! We include a calendar background, you will simply have to adhere four sections together after printing - don't worry - instructions are included!
File Type: PDF and PPT
Page Count: 47
Included in this set:
- 1 calendar background
- 48 monthly headers
- 31 numbered cover-ups
- 62 pocket chart square numbers
- 8 blank cover-ups
- 1 days-of-the-week chart with 3 overlays
- 1 season chart
- 4 season overlays
- 9 weather overlays
- Days of the week chart
- Disco ball cut-outs
- Tassel and pom cut-outs
- ADORABLE rainbow curly-Q arrows
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UPRINT ~ digital PDF & PPT files sent to your email!
Schoolgirl Style™'s line of trendy classroom accessories helps to take the guesswork out of styling and managing classroom design. Each collection, designed by Melanie Ralbusky, offers a signature look that will transform empty spaces into extraordinary spaces for students to enjoy. The variety of décor options in the Schoolgirl Style collection makes it possible for anyone to design and decorate classrooms that inspire learning and joy!
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Going Remote: 4 Business Benefits of Moving to the Cloud
In the era of COVID-19, businesses that were previously resistant to remote work powered by infrastructure in the cloud are being forced to make the switch. The result: businesses are performing better, functioning higher, and boosting their bottom lines.
COVID-19 has reshaped the way we live and work. Prior to the pandemic many companies were resistant to being remote, often due to technological constraints such as their reliance on on-premise systems. Despite some clear benefits, many businesses in industries like financial services couldn't justify the cost – and time – needed to migrate from legacy systems to cloud-based systems that enable remote work.
Now things have changed. The pandemic necessitated an acceptance of remote work, at least temporarily, and forced businesses to find ways to work remotely in spite of resistance and reliance on on-prem systems. For some, this exposure to the business benefits of cloud computing and remote work may be enough to create long-lasting change.
On-Premise vs. Cloud
Many companies with hardwired, legacy systems and servers are resistant to moving to the cloud due to the large overhead involved as well as the perceived security risks. However, the reality is that on-prem hardware also has some serious drawbacks which can result in financial loss over time. Remaining on-prem is more likely to:
- Restrict your workforce
- Hinder technological capabilities
- Increase costs for labor and products
- Limit creativity and innovation
Migration from legacy systems to the cloud can help mitigate these risks and prepare your business for the future.
4 Benefits of Moving to the Cloud
Why move to the cloud now? When COVID hit, it forced many companies to go remote and some to consider either enabling remote VPNs or moving to the cloud. Many found implementing the infrastructure to allow for remote work opened doors and resulted in benefits, including access to a wider, more passionate talent pool and access to modern and transformative technology.
1. Better Technology
Moving to the cloud allows you to work with better, more modern technologies. Modern technologies mean your team can work more quickly. They also mean you can produce more secure, and more importantly innovative, products. Relying on on-prem technologies restricts your company to specific, older technologies that often don't enable innovation much less "play nice" with newer tools and plug-ins. Even if you have a transformative idea, if you're not working in the cloud, it may be hard – or impossible – to implement it in a way that meets customer expectations.
2. Stronger Workforce
Your infrastructure dictates your workforce, and one of the potential benefits of cloud computing is how it can expand your personnel opportunities. Working from the cloud allows you to work with more progressive, modern technologies – and with the skilled people who work on them. Agile, high-skill engineers generally aren't interested in working with old technology, so going to the cloud is a good way to attract better talent. There's also a correlation between engineer passion, enthusiasm, and productivity, and the type of technology used in your day-to-day. If your technology is outdated and stuck in the past, it's likely your team will be, too. This will permeate all aspects of your business and the customer will feel it, which in turn trickles down to your revenue stream.
3. Lower Cost of Labor
The financial benefits of cloud computing show up as reduced ongoing labor costs. If you have legacy, on-premise systems, you must rely on talent that works in-office, meaning you can only pull from a narrow pool of candidates in your zip code. Legacy systems also require you to rely on older technological skill sets, which come with legacy code and a steep learning curve. The time to onboard new hires is long and costly – and good ROI is dependent on engineers staying for the long haul. In contrast, hiring for more modern technologies and remote workers allows you to draw from a massive talent pool not limited by geography, to onboard engineers at a lower cost, and to reduce the costly impact of attrition.
4. Allow for Innovation
Another benefit of moving to the cloud is that it allows you to inject innovation into your business. It provides access to better talent, newer technologies, and in doing so opens your business up to creative solutions. Creative solutions are the key to transforming your industry and wowing customers, and can open new doors.
Enable Your Business by Going Remote
When comparing on-premise vs. cloud technology, it is undeniable that moving to the cloud by extension enables remote work. In doing so, you widen your talent pool and can pull from a distributed workforce. This gives you access to expanded skill sets at a lower cost, and the ability to bring in new, passionate, skilled workers. More importantly, it puts yourself in the position to innovate, which in turn improves your product and increases your customer base, and by extension, revenue.
Even if your business was forced into some version of remote work by COVID-19, leaning into the situation may be the next natural move. Consider that moving to the cloud may not be a bandaid, but a permanent response that comes with significant, long-term benefits. To get started, conduct a SWOT analysis on the benefits of cloud vs. on-premise technology; it's likely you'll see you have more to gain than lose – especially if you're in an industry that is especially reliant on legacy tech such as insurance, banking, wealth management, or lending.
Ready to reap the benefits of cloud computing? Want to understand the pros and cons associated with your specific project, and how the transformation will change your business? Speak with Praxent's experts today.


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NASA is trying to build an antigravity machine. While, most scientists say the idea is ridiculous, NASA officials say it?s worth a try, because a machine that reduces gravity even slightly at spacecraft launch sites could save significant amounts of money on fuel.
Superconductive Components of Columbus, Ohio is scheduled to finish a prototype of the device for NASA this coming May. ?To say this is highly speculative is probably putting it mildly,? admits Ron Koczor, assistant director for science and technology at NASA?s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. Despite this, NASA has awarded a $600,000 contract to the company.
Critics say the idea of a ?gravity shield? violates Einstein?s fundamental laws. ?The theory of gravity is fairly well established, and I don?t see it reversing itself,? says Francis Slakey, a professor of physics at Georgetown University. He feels the project is ?wasted money that could have been used to do legitimate space science.?
Koczor says that scientists like Slakey ?don?t seem to be amenable to observing that maybe the laws [of physics] are incomplete. People used to talk about laws of conservation of mass, conservation of energy. Then all of a sudden, Einstein comes along and says those are really parts of the same thing.?
Einstein wrote that gravity is the bending of space-time that inevitably occurs around massive objects such as planets and stars. That means that theoretically, no machine or invention can make it go away.
In 1992, a Finnish scientist, Eugene Podkletnov, claimed to have built a device that produced a gravity-shielding effect. It consisted of a hot, fast-spinning, 12-inch disk of superconducting ceramic, levitating within a magnetic field. Objects above the disk, Podkletnov reported, showed a loss of weight of between about 0.5 percent and 2 percent.In 1996, researchers at Marshall Space Flight Center investigated the machine. ?The fact that it had appeared in a credible scientific journal is what really caught our eye,? Koczor says.
Koczor assembled a team that worked with scientists at the University of Alabama to build a device like the one Podkletnov used. But the researchers were unable to replicate Podkletnov?s results. The university?s Larry Smalley, a physics professor, says NASA simply failed to assemble a competent team of scientists who could give the project a serious chance.
The events ?amused me, stunned me and upset me,? says Smalley. ?It made me feel like they wasted time, a lot of money and a really golden opportunity to do something.? The main university professor involved with the project, Ning Li, has left the school to start a company that also will market a gravity-shield device.
Last year NASA decided to try again. Superconductive Components is in communication with Podkletnov as they attempt to build the antigravity machine.
The project is on or ahead of schedule, says J.R. Gaines, vice president of Superconductive Components. However, he can?t tell whether the device will actually work, since the company?s job is simply to build it to the assigned specifications. ?We don?t necessarily have a technical opinion,? he says, although ?we would certainly love to see this work.?
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Industry Briefs
Gottlieb Calls it Quits
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb will leave the agency within a month, the commissioner said in a surprise announcement last week.
Some sources speculated that Gottlieb's Washington job was putting a strain on his family — he still lives in Connecticut and commutes to D.C. — but Gottlieb himself dismissed rumors of his departure as recently as January. He had just testified before a key House appropriations subcommittee last week, discussing the FDA's plans for 2019 (CenterWatch Weekly, March 4, 2019).
Gottlieb, a veteran pharma executive who returned to the FDA in May 2017, took a light touch with clinical trials, but his agency was still discomfited by the advance of Right-to-Try legislation which — while only nominally offering drug sponsors liability immunity for patients in clinical trials — was seen by some as a first march against the FDA itself.
Under his leadership, the agency also revised guidance that allowed drug sponsors or sites to help defray some of the costs of participation to some trial's patients. It was a seemingly small measure that will have a lasting impact, said Dana Dornsife, founder and president of the Lazarex Cancer Foundation, a patient advocacy group.
"His patient-centric, insightful and visionary leadership and guidance will continue to be beneficial to cancer research and cancer patients as we continue this vital effort," Dornsife said of Gottlieb.
The FDA has not yet announced who will fill Gottlieb's shoes until the new commissioner can be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, a process that could take weeks to months.
FDA, ICH List Clinical Guidances in the Works
Both the FDA and the International Council on Harmonisation (ICH) have big plans for new clinical trial guidances in the coming months.
The FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research plans to release more than two dozen clinical trial-related draft guidances in 2019, according to the center's guidance agenda released last week.
In addition to a new Q&A guidance on risk-based trial monitoring, CDER will address such issues as key information and informed consent, enhancing the diversity of clinical trial populations, multiple endpoints in clinical trials, patient-focused drug development, use of real-world data, endpoints for heart failure drug development and adjusting for covariates in randomized experiments.
CDER does not specify when it will issue the guidances, but the center already has released some, including documents on eosinophilic esophagitis drug development, assessing the effects of food on drugs in INDs and NDAs and bioavailability studies in NDAs for INDs.
ICH has been working on revising its 20-year-old guideline on general considerations for clinical trials for more than a year and plans to make the update final in mid-2020. ICH E8 addresses internationally accepted trial practices and principles.
The revision is part of ICH's initiative to modernize its clinical guidelines, which began with an update to ICH E6-Good Clinical Practices in 2017.
Clinical trial design and conduct have become more complex since ICH E8 was first adopted in 1997, ICH says, and a wide range of trial designs and data sources are not adequately addressed in the current version. The revision will put emphasis on how design or planning considerations can optimize trial and data quality. ICH plans to release the new guideline in mid-2020.
Read CDER's guidance agenda here: https://bit.ly/2IWpkXw.
Advarra to Acquire Quorum and Consulting Division Kinetiq
Advarra has acquired Seattle-based IRB Quorum, along with its research and technology consulting division Kinetiq.
The acquisition will give Advarra access to Kinetiq's team of regulatory attorneys and compliance professionals, who offer expert guidance on international regulatory standards for medical devices, drugs, biologics and good clinical practice.
The Quorum headquarters in Seattle will support the West Coast customers it shares with Advarra as well as boosting existing Advarra locations in Columbia, Md., Cincinnati, Malvern, Pa., Research Triangle Park, N.C. and Ontario.
UK Researchers Claim New Hope for Parkinson's Research
British researchers say they may have found new hope for Parkinson's disease sufferers after a futuristic trial that used robots to implant restorative proteins directly into patients' brains.
Researchers at the North Bristol NHS Trust recruited 41 Parkinson's patients and had tubes placed in their brains. Half were randomly given either a placebo or an infusion of Glial Cell Line Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF) once per month for nine months.
The trial didn't find any significant difference in the outer symptoms of the Parkinson's group compared to the placebo group, but the researchers nonetheless say they're cheered by signs of repaired brain cells in patients in the GDNF group. The patients had their brains scanned before the trial started and again after nine months to check how their dopamine-producing brain cells were working. After nine months, GDNF patients showed improvement in 100 percent of a "key area" of the brain.
Over the next nine months, patients in each group were offered a chance to continue with the GDNF therapy, and both groups showed "moderate to large improvements in symptoms," the research team found.
The team's findings were published last week in Brain and the Journal of Parkinson's Disease.
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The Newsroom
Recipe: Eau Claire Parlour Gin Cocktail
This recipe is courtesy of David Farran at Eau Claire Distillery featured in Calgary Eats: Signature Recipes from the City's Best Restaurants and Bars by Gail Norton and Karen Ralph.
Eau Claire Parlour Gin Cocktail
Serves 2
A bespoke, well-made cocktail always has the capacity to make life seem a little better—and this drink is no exception.
Grande G and T
1 Tbsp fruity loose-leaf tea (preferably TotaliTea Sunshine Orange)
2 fl oz Eau Claire Parlour gin
Eau Claire Soda Company Original Tonic Water
Thin slice of orange peel or citrus peel of your choice
Place tea in a tea ball or reusable tea bag and put it in a snifter. Pour in gin and steep for 2 minutes. Remove the tea ball or bag, add an ice cube and top with tonic water. Gently stir.
Squeeze orange (or other citrus) peel lengthwise to extract the oils and rub over the rim of the glass. Drop in peel and enjoy!


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Chevrolet SS Sport concept leads Chevy's charge at SEMA
A Holden Commodore SS, ahem, Chevrolet SS Sport concept will lead Chevrolet's charge at the SEMA Show in November, with the brand showing five accessories enhanced concepts.
CHEVROLET HAS previewed a handful of models it will display at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas in the first week of November, with the Chevrolet SS Sport concept leading the charge.
A thinly disguised VF Commodore SS V, the SS Sport concept is, sadly, nothing more than a cosmetic showcase and, oddly, will run a Holden badge… The show car gets:
- Enhanced Some Like It Red Hot exterior with body-color door handles and mirrors;
- Chevrolet Accessories grille kit, fog lamp bezels, side fender vents and rear spoiler;
- Chevrolet Accessories stripes for the hood and deck lid;
- Chevrolet Accessories high-gloss black 20-inch wheels – 20 x 8.5-inch in front and 20 x 9-inch in the rear;
- Chevrolet Accessories wheel caps with the Holden logo;
- Chevrolet Accessories sport pedal kit and cargo net; and
- Chevrolet Accessories floor mats and cargo tray with the Holden logo.
The Chevrolet SS Sport concept will be joined by two Sonic concepts, Impala Blackout concept, and Cruze RS concept.
The Sonic Performance concept features engine performance, suspension/brakes and appearance upgrades. It gets:
- A Chevrolet Performance Stage Kit, cold-air induction and a high-flow exhaust system allowing the 1.4L turbo engine to produce more power for a more exciting driving experience;
- A track-tuned suspension system developed by Chevrolet Performance. The suspension kit lowers the ride height for a sportier stance;
- Synergy Green exterior color accented with white, offset stripe package;
- Chevrolet Accessories white headlamp rings, tail lamp rings, grille surround, mirror covers and rear spoiler;
- Concept ground effects package;
- Chevrolet Accessories 17-inch aluminum wheels in white; and
- Chevrolet Accessories carpeted floor mats, door sills and sport pedals.
The Sonic Accessories concept, on the other hand, is a, funnily enough, accessories showcase, getting:
- Summit White exterior color with an offset matte black stripe;
- Chevrolet Accessories white headlamp rings and tail lamp rings;
- Chevrolet Accessories black grille surround, mirror covers and rear spoiler;
- Chevrolet Accessories black 17-inch aluminum wheels;
- Chevrolet Performance suspension kit with lowered ride height; and
- Chevrolet Accessories carpeted floor mats, door sills and sport pedals.
The Impala Blackout concept gets a Chevrolet Accessories black grille surround, rear spoiler, painted mirror caps and 19-inch aluminum wheels. The all-black, leather-trimmed interior features custom trim plates with a wire mesh pattern, along with Chevrolet Accessories stainless steel sills – with the Impala logo – and a sport pedal kit.
The Cruze is Chevrolet's best-selling car globally, with more than 3 million units sold since its launch in mid-2010. The Cruze RS Plus concept accentuates the distinctive, upscale styling cues of the 2015 Cruze RS with a custom Wildfire Metallic exterior, along with unique lower body moldings and a custom rear spoiler. A twin-stripe package in matte black is available from Chevrolet Accessories. Inside, the Jet Black interior shines brighter with a Chevrolet Accessories ambient lighting kit and illuminated door sills. It also features a sport pedal kit and a Kicker subwoofer and amplifier kit.
Under the bonnet, the concept gets a performance upgrade courtesy of a stage kit from Chevrolet Performance, as well as a concept fresh-air intake system for the 1.4L turbo engine. There's no word on final output and because Chevrolet's only supplied a sketch of the Cruze RS Plus concept, it might not actually be finished yet.


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It's been said time and time again that death isn't the end, rather, it's only the beginning. Death is the great unknown, the next journey, the likes of which the living will never come to know.
While we all know that death is inevitable, it doesn't make it any less difficult to deal with. So as a way to pay respect to those who have left us far too soon, here are 15 celebrities who have died in 2022.


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MSI Quartz Countertop Inspiration for Your Home
If you love the look of natural stone, like granite, but need a material that requires less maintenance, quartz is a great option. Quartz is a manufactured stone that boasts the beauty of natural stone but is complemented by added durability. One brand of quartz products, MSI Q Premium Quartz, provides a new alternative to natural stone with its stylish, durable and eco-friendly features. Gain inspiration by checking out these rooms featuring MSI Quartz countertops.
Who is MSI?
MSI is a large global manufacturer of affordable, high-quality exterior and interior design materials including ceramic tile, decorative mosaics, porcelain tile, quartz countertops, and sinks. Since 1975 they've devoted their creativity and engineering focus to create beautiful, affordable, and sustainable products.
MSI's Q Premium Quartz is the perfect fruition of MSI's vision.
What is unique about Q Premium Quartz?
Q Premium Quartz solves all the challenges of traditional natural countertop materials and earlier generations of quartz products.
Natural stone materials like marble and granite are heat resistant but can be scratched, etched and stained by utensils, oils, and acidic liquids. They require that care be taken to protect them including regular sealing to prevent the absorption of liquids. Some older quartz materials have sealed surfaces that resist damage from daily use but are not heat tolerant. A hot pan could still scorch their surfaces.
Q Premium Quartz solves the traditional challenges of natural stone and synthetic counters: Q Premium Quartz is:
- Extremely durable. It's scratch, stain and heat resistant.
- Environmentally friendly. The slabs are created using 94% reclaimed crushed stone. This crushed stone is a by-product of natural stone mining and fabrication. It is also non-toxic and void of any potentially hazardous substances and GREENGUARD, LEED, NDF and KOSHER certified.
- Long-lasting. With proper care, it should last for decades, reducing its carbon footprint as each year passes. MSI backs Q Premium Quartz with a Limited Residential Warranty and a 10-year Commercial Warranty.
- Safe for your family. It's Green Guard Gold, LEED, NSF, and Kosher certified and a member of the US Green Building Council. It's non-toxic and has low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. It has little impact on indoor air quality.
- Versatile and offers a wide variety of colors and patterns. Q Premium slabs come in 60 choices that mirror the finest natural stone materials.
How do I choose the right MSI Quartz Countertops for my home?
The team at Academy Marble & Granite is always happy to help you select the ideal countertops for your kitchen, bath, or outdoor space. Here are some exciting design trends to consider.
Modern Pastels
Pastels have been taking a rest since they were kidnapped and forced to take part in the chintz pillows and Southwest décor of the 80s. Awake and refreshed, today's pastels are somewhat subdued. Their formerly bright tints (color + white) have gray added to them to create more neutral tones. This kitchen features glass subway tiles in a light grayish-green. A painting with muted pastel tones is the room's focal point. Tying the room together are waterfall countertops in sleek, plain Marbella White™ Quartz.
This bathroom features spring green pastel walls, while all other surfaces are neutral or wood. Tying them together are Lagos Azul™ Quartz countertops.
Traditional Mashups
There's a reason that Calacatta marble, gold fixtures, and ornate moldings perpetually cycle in and out of fashion: they're beautiful. And now, with advances in all kinds of manufacturing these materials, or at least materials that look like them, are affordable. When you mix this stone with modern elements and clean lines, these materials look new again.
This kitchen features the look of marble achieved with durable Calacatta Verona™ Quartz. It showcases gold light fixtures that are created from brass fixtures treated to prevent tarnishing. All other elements in the room have clean lines and are relatively neutral.
MSI is known for their commitment to being environmentally-friendly and stones, such as the Fossil Taupe, reflect just that. Inspired by nature, this stone comes in a beautiful beige that will flow in any room. Pair this quartz with natural bamboo flooring for a serene feel or a dark mahogany for a more dramatic effect.
The following room combines modern and traditional without apology. The island and cupboards feature complex frames and molding that would be at home in an Edwardian Manor. The room also has accents of blue-and-white antique porcelain tableware and vases. Modern elements include the orb-shaped light fixture that floats over the island, a chrome and glass refrigerator, and plain-edged, neutral Mystic Gray™ Quartz countertops. The countertops act as a neutral horizontal plane.
Designer's rule: keep the color palette simple when you mix elements from different eras.
That's a handful of versatile options from the Q Premium Quartz line. If you'd like to feature MSI's Q Premium Quartz in your home, contact Academy Marble today to request a free quote.


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Half Dome from the Diving Board, by Paul Roark
The Diving Board is just to the south of Half Dome, about half way up. The view of the face of Half Dome from that vantage point is probably the most impressive view of the Dome there is. It is not an easy hike to get there. This 2005 photo makes for an interesting comparison to Ansel Adam's iconic "Monolith" image from the same spot 78 years earlier.
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text: It's a 2019 Grand Sport 2 LT with a partial black wrap. The unique picture is a tattoo of the car my wife had put on her left forearm. After purchasing the car we added all season tires and tinted windows. Eventually we want to add as much exposed carbon fiber as we can and possibly new exhaust.