text:
December 28, 2006
Born of Fire
Our correspondent travels to Somalia and Afghanistan in search of jinn.
THERE is a cleft in a stone hill outside Qardho, in northern Somalia, which even the hardest gunmen and frankincense merchants avoid. In the cool dark, out of the bleached sunshine, there is a pit, a kind of Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole, which is said to swirl down into the world of jinn. Locals say jinn—genies, that is—fade in and out above the pit. Sometimes they shift into forms of ostriches and run out over the desert scrub.
The Bible holds that God created angels and then made man in his own image. The Koran states that Allah fashioned angels from light and then made jinn from smokeless fire. Man was formed later, out of clay. Jinn disappointed Allah, not least by climbing to the highest vaults of the sky and eavesdropping on the angels. Yet Allah did not annihilate them. No flood closed over their heads. Jinn were willed into existence, like man, to worship Allah and were preserved on earth for that purpose, living in a parallel world, set at such an angle that jinn can see men, but men cannot see jinn.
Less educated Muslims remain fearful of jinn. Hardly a week passes in the Muslim world without a strange story concerning them. Often the tales are foolish and melancholy. In August, for instance, Muslims in the Kikandwa district of central Uganda grew feverish over reports of jinn haunting and raping women in the district. So when a young woman stumbled out of the forest one day, unkempt and deranged, she was denounced as a jinn. Villagers beat her almost to death. Police finished the job with six bullets at close range. The young woman called out for her children in her last moments. An investigation revealed her to be from a neighbouring district. She had spent days without food or water, searching for her missing husband. Editorials in Ugandan newspapers called on the government formally to deny the existence of jinn.
That would be divisive. Although a few Islamic scholars have over the ages denied the existence of jinn, the consensus is that good Muslims should believe in them. Some Islamic jurists consider marriage between jinn and humans to be lawful. There is a similar provision for the inheritance of jinn property. Sex during menstruation is an invitation to jinn and can result in a woman bearing a jinn child. According to the Koran, the Prophet Muhammad preached to bands of jinn. Some converted to Islam. This is how jinn describe their condition in the Koran:
"And among us [jinn] there are righteous folk and among us there are those far from that. We are sects, having different rules. And we know that we cannot escape from Allah in the earth, nor can we escape by flight. And when we heard the guidance [of the Koran], we believed therein, and who so believeth in his Lord, he feareth neither loss nor oppression. And there are among us some who have surrendered to Allah and there are among us some who are unjust." (72:11-14)
In Somalia and Afghanistan clerics matter-of-factly described to your correspondent the range of jinn they had encountered, from the saintly to the demonic; those that can fly, those that crawl, plodding jinn, invisible jinn, gul with vampiric tendencies (from which the English word ghoul is taken), and shape-shifters recognisable in human form because their feet are turned backwards. Occasionally the clerics fell into a trance. Afterwards they claimed their apparently bare rooms had filled with jinn seeking favours or release from amulet charms.
A parallel universe
Although Somalia and Afghanistan have different religious traditions (Somalia being more relaxed), jinn belief is strong in both countries. War-ravaged, with similarly rudimentary education systems, both have a tradition of shrines venerating local saints where women can pray. Women are supposed to be more open to jinn, particularly illiterate rural women: by some accounts education is a noise, a roaring of thought, which jinn cannot bear. Sometimes women turn supposed jinn possession to their own advantage and become fortune-tellers. Among the most popular questions asked of such women is: "Will my husband take a second wife?" The shrines are often little more than a carved niche in a rock, with colourful prayer flags tied to nearby trees. Jinn are said to be attracted to the ancient geography of shrines, many of which predate Islam; as some have it, the shrines were attracted to the jinn.
Islam teaches that jinn resemble men in many ways: they have free will, are mortal, face judgment and fill hell together. Jinn and men marry, have children, eat, play, sleep and husband their own animals. Islamic scholars are in disagreement over whether jinn are physical or insubstantial in their bodies. Some clerics have described jinn as bestial, giant, hideous, hairy, ursine. Supposed yeti sightings in Pakistan's Chitral are believed by locals to be of jinn. These kinds of jinn can be killed with date or plum stones fired from a sling.
But to more scholarly clerics jinn are little more than an energy, a pulse form of quantum physics perhaps, alive at the margins of sleep or madness, and more often in the whispering of a single unwelcome thought. An extension of this electric description of jinn is that they are not beings at all but thoughts that were in the world before the existence of man. Jinn reflect the sensibilities of those imagining them, just as in Assyrian times they were taken to be the spirits responsible for manias, who melted into the light at dawn.
When a donkey brays
The English word genie, from an unrelated French root, is now too soft and gooey with Disney's Aladdin to catch the acid qualities attributed to jinn. Sepideh Azarbaijani-Moghaddam, a specialist on Afghanistan who has undertaken anthropological research on jinn belief, reckons she may once have been in the presence of jinn. She was riding with others in the Afghan province of Badakhshan. It was towards dusk. They came down into a valley forested at the bottom. The horses tensed. "Suddenly from out of the trees I felt myself being watched by non-human entities." A cold fear overcame her, "the fear of losing the faculty of reason". A Kabul cleric describes this sort of feeling as a shock at the existence of otherness. Animals sense it also: when a donkey brays, it is said to be seeing a jinn.
Unbelieving jinn, those who resisted the Koran, are shaytan, demons, "firewood for hell". Many Muslims see the devil as a jinn. Some reckon the snake in the Garden of Eden was a shape-shifting jinn. All this may yet play a part in the war on terrorism. Factions in Somalia and Afghanistan have accused their enemies of being backed not only by the CIA but by malevolent jinn. One theory in Afghanistan holds that the mujahideen, "two-legged wolves", scared the jinn out into the world, causing disharmony. It is jinn, they say, who whisper into the ears of suicide-bombers.
Sheikh Mubarak Ali Gilani, a Pakistani cleric connected with a jihadist group, Jamaat al-Fuqra, has given warning to America that its missiles will be misdirected by jinn. It was all very different in the days of King Solomon, who was said to have had control over jinn and used them as masons in building the temple in Jerusalem. The Jewish influence over jinn is strong. It is probably no coincidence that the inscription on Aladdin's lamp, which bound the jinn, was engraved with Hebraic characters. Believers in abduction by aliens like to think jinn are aliens; some of the more confrontational Muslim clerics dismiss claimed apparations of the Virgin Mary as the work of jinn.
The story of Ahmed Shah Masoud, the commander of Afghanistan's Northern Alliance, clearly shows up the link between jinn and myth-making. Masoud resisted the Soviet Union and the Taliban from his base in the Panjshir valley until he was assassinated by al-Qaeda operatives on September 9th 2001. According to local legend, Muslim jinn were on his side. One of his fighters was said to have slain a dragon in a mountain lake during the Soviet occupation and to have brought the dragon's jewel to Masoud, with the help of Muslim jinn. In murdering Masoud, some Panjshiris say, Osama bin Laden declared war on Muslim jinn also. This is obvious, they say, from Mr bin Laden's insistence on division and violence.
Your correspondent spent a night with Masoud's former bodyguards in the Panjshir. The men were employed to look after Masoud's tomb. His office was locked. The bodyguards sat cross-legged on the floor of a room opposite. A kerosene lantern flickered. Machineguns were propped against the bed-rolls. A few men went outside. The first winter snow was falling on the jagged peaks that towered up on all sides. It was fiercely cold. A dog limped below, ears flat, tail between its legs. It whimpered. The men looked at the dog. "The jinn is still here," one said. "Bismillah," responded the others. They pointed out jinn settlements just below the snow-line on the mountain slopes. Inside, over plates of mutton and grey rice, tea, snuff and Korean cigarettes, they told the story of how the cook had been possessed by a jinn the week before. He was a devout man, they said, a non-smoker and illiterate. "He fell ill. When he recovered, he found he could speak and write in many languages. The jinn that was in him was well-travelled but also pushy. It demanded a cigarette, then another, and then it became impatient and swallowed lighted cigarettes whole."
In Somalia, the port of Bossaso is famous for its sorcerers. Some of its ruling class claim to have intermarried with jinn long ago. On a recent visit your correspondent was taken to a metal shed at the edge of a slum where jinn were supposed to be banished from taking human form. The air inside the shed was thick with frankincense. There was a man cloaked in red cloth kneeling on the ground. A jinn was in him, a sorceress running the ceremony said, and indeed the man wore an eerie expression, as though a part of him was obscured. Young men jumped up and down around him, chanting and beating drums. The gunmen accompanying your correspondent were too scared to step into the shed. Later, walking away from the shed in hot sunshine, one of the gunmen insisted that he could see a jinn scavenging for bones in the dirt. There did not appear to be anything there.
4 comments:
- Ann said...
Assalaamu alaikum,
Hmmmm... there's a lot mixed up in this article - some actual Islamic beliefs and some not. As someone who grew up non-Muslim in the U.S., the idea of jinn was strange to me when I first learned about them. But one time, I was telling my husband about "alien" encounters, Whitley Streiber-type stories. He had never heard of them, but he just said nonchalantly, "Yeah, those are jinn". And it is interesting to note that centuries ago, Islamic scholars wrote about the different forms jinn took, and it's the same forms that people describe "aliens" as having. - 1/17/2007 04:33:00 AM
- JDsg said...
Wa 'alaikum salaam.
I think we Western Muslims don't necessarily focus on the topic of Jinn, even though they are mentioned numerous times in the Qur'an, because it's not part of our Western heritage. Skepticism probably doesn't help here, either. We Muslims believe in the seen and the unseen, but sometimes the unseen is not as easy to take as seriously as we should.
The interesting thing is that I've heard several stories about Jinn possession by my ustaz, where he had to do various exorcisms. I've no doubt these are true stories, not just made-up "ghost stories," but they did sound sensational to me. Perhaps I should have him tell me the stories once more, so I can't relate them in another blog post. I'm sure it'd make for interesting reading. ;)
BTW, the jinn=aliens idea is interesting. Something to think about. - 1/17/2007 12:14:00 PM
- Ann said...
Assalaamu alaikum,
Well, jinn stories are always interesting... - 1/18/2007 06:32:00 AM
I've enjoyed reading your blog.
We're actually addressing Sheik Gilani this week-- and would love to talk to you about it. Any way you can post an email that's not aol aim? I don't have aol.
Have a great weekend! : ) - 2/18/2007 08:21:00 AM


text:
Title of Regulation: 1VAC45-20. Regulations Regarding the Virginia Human Rights Act (adding 1VAC45-20-10 through 1VAC45-20-130).
Statutory Authority: § 2.2-520 of the Code of Virginia.
Public Hearing Information: No public hearings are scheduled.
Public Comment Deadline: April 19, 2017.
Effective Date: May 5, 2017.
Agency Contact: Paul Kugelman, Assistant Attorney General and Regulatory Coordinator, Department of Law, 202 North 9th Street, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 786-6576, or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Basis: Subdivision B 2 of § 2.2-520 of the Code of Virginia states that it is the Department of Law's Division of Human Rights duty to, among other things, adopt and amend regulations concerning the Virginia Human Rights Act pursuant to the Virginia Administrative Process Act (APA) (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia). While these amendments, in substantial part, consist of technical amendments reflecting the Department of Law's adopting these regulations to reflect a statutory change in Virginia law, which are exempted from the APA under § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, the Division of Human Rights is now permitted 30 working days from the receipt of a complaint to request information and the respondent is now permitted 21 working days. As these changes are expected to be noncontroversial, they are submitted under the fast-track rulemaking process provided for in § 2.2-4012.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Purpose: To further the policy of the Commonwealth to ensure that all Virginians are provided access to employment, places of public employment, including educational institutions, and in real estate transactions free from illegal discrimination, the Division of Human Rights adopts and promulgates these regulations to serve as the division's regulations with regard to continuing the operations of the former Virginia Human Rights Council. After this fast-track rulemaking action is effective, the division intends to begin a general regulatory review process to consider and make necessary substantive changes to the division's regulations.
Rationale for Using Fast-Track Rulemaking Process: The promulgation of this regulation should be noncontroversial because the division is, in substantial part, adopting the regulations of its predecessor, the Virginia Human Rights Council, with technical changes reflecting the division assuming administrative and enforcement authority of the Virginia Human Rights Act and the substantive changes only expand deadlines.
Substance: As previously noted, the vast majority of the amendments are technical in nature either reflecting the Department of Law's Division of Human Rights adoption of the former Human Rights Council's regulations or providing clarifying language. Changes in substance are in 1VAC45-20-80 A, which now allows the division 30 working days from the date of the filing of the complaint to request information from the respondent and allows the respondent 21 working days to respond to the division's request.
Issues: The primary advantage of the division's regulations is that the Virginia Administrative Code will be updated to accurately reflect that the operations of the former Virginia Human Rights Council have been transferred to the division. There are no disadvantages of this action to the public or to the agency.
The Department of Planning and Budget's Economic Impact Analysis:
Summary of the Proposed Amendments to Regulation. The Department of Law proposes to update and adopt the regulation that governed human rights complaints under the now defunct Virginia Human Rights Council.1
Result of Analysis. Benefits outweigh costs for all proposed changes.
Estimated Economic Impact. In 2012, as part of the Governor's initiative to streamline executive branch agencies and regulation, the General Assembly abolished the Virginia Human Rights Council and moved its investigative functions to the Office of the Attorney General. In order to implement this statutory change, the Department of Law now proposes to adopt this Virginia Human Rights Council's regulation, update statutory references and correct obsolete language as well as add several definitions. None of the proposed changes to this regulation are substantive changes to the process of reporting suspected human rights violations and having those reports investigated. Consequently, no affected entity is likely to incur any cost or harm on account of these changes. These entities will benefit from clarifying changes that, for instance, correct the address at which complaints can be filed in person or by mail and insert an email address so that complaints can be filed electronically.
Businesses and Entities Affected. These proposed regulatory changes will affect all individuals who file human rights complaints as well as the employers, places of public accommodation and education institutions that might be the subject of those complaints. Department of Law staff report that businesses with six or more employees are subject to this regulation and that they receive approximately 120 to 150 complaints per year alleging discrimination.
Localities Particularly Affected. These proposed regulatory changes will not particularly affect any locality.
Projected Impact on Employment. These proposed regulatory changes are unlikely to affect employment in the Commonwealth.
Effects on the Use and Value of Private Property. These proposed regulatory changes are unlikely to affect the use or value of private property in the Commonwealth.
Real Estate Development Costs. These proposed regulatory changes are unlikely to affect real estate development costs in the Commonwealth.
Small Businesses:
Definition. Pursuant to § 2.2-4007.04 of the Code of Virginia, small business is defined as "a business entity, including its affiliates, that (i) is independently owned and operated and (ii) employs fewer than 500 full-time employees or has gross annual sales of less than $6 million."
Costs and Other Effects. No small businesses will be adversely affected by these proposed regulatory changes.
Alternative Method that Minimizes Adverse Impact. No small businesses will be adversely affected by these proposed regulatory changes.
Adverse Impacts:
Businesses. No businesses will be adversely affected by these proposed regulatory changes.
Localities. Localities in the Commonwealth are unlikely to see any adverse impacts on account of these proposed regulatory changes.
Other Entities. No other entities are likely to be adversely affected by these proposed changes.
1 The Virginia Human Rights Council was eliminated, and its investigative functions were transferred to the Attorney General's office, by Chapter 803 of the 2012 Acts of the Assembly. Chapter 803 can be accessed electronically here: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=121&typ=bil&val= ch803
Agency's Response to Economic Impact Analysis: The Department of Law concurs with the economic impact analysis of the Department of Planning and Budget.
Chapters 803 and 835 of 2012 Acts of Assembly abolished the Human Rights Council and transferred the council's regulations to the Division of Human Rights of the Department of Law. This regulatory action (i) renumbers the regulations and places them under the Department of Law in the Virginia Administrative Code and makes minor or technical changes to reflect Chapters 803 and 835; (ii) specifies the elements that a complaint must contain, when a response to the division's request for information must be submitted, and the method for submitting correspondence after filing the initial complaint; and (iii) modifies certain timeframes.
22VAC25-10-10. 1VAC45-20-10. Policy.
The purpose of this chapter is to supplement the Virginia Human Rights Act (§ 2.1-714 2.2-3900 et seq.) of the Code of Virginia, which safeguards all individuals within the Commonwealth from unlawful discrimination.
22VAC25-10-20. 1VAC45-20-20. Definitions.
The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meaning, meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Act" means the Virginia Human Rights Act, Chapter 43 39 (§ 2.1- 714 2.2-3900 et seq.) of Title 2.1 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.
"Complaint" means a written statement by a person or by the council division alleging an act of discrimination prohibited by § 2.1-716 2.2-3901 of the Code of Virginia.
"Complainant" or "charging party" means a person who claims to have been injured by a discriminatory practice.
"Designee" means an individual named designated by the director to act in his stead stay pursuant to this chapter.
"Director" means an individual appointed by the Governor designated by the Attorney General to oversee the division and perform the duties and responsibilities outlined in the Act.
"Discharge" means an actual or constructive termination or separation of an employee from employment.
"Division" means the Division of Human Rights of the Department of Law.
"Hearing officer" means a person qualified from the list of hearing officers maintained by the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
"Respondent" means a person against whom a complaint of violation of the Act is filed. Each reference to a "complainant" and "respondent" shall be deemed to refer, as appropriate, to the singular and plural. In addition those terms and any other referring to people will be considered masculine or feminine.
22VAC25-10-30. 1VAC45-20-30. Complaints by or on behalf of persons claiming to be aggrieved.
A. A complaint on behalf of a person claiming to be aggrieved may be made by any person, agency, or organization; however, the complaint must shall be made in writing. The written complaint need not identify by name the person on whose behalf it is made. The person making the complaint, however, shall provide the council division orally with the name, address, and telephone number of the person on whose behalf the complaint is made. During the council's division's investigation, the director shall verify the complaint with the person on whose behalf the complaint is made. The council division may reveal the identity of complainants to federal, state, or local agencies that have agreed to keep such information confidential.
B. The complainant has the responsibility of providing shall provide the council division with notice of any change in address and with notice of any prolonged absence from his current address.
C. A complaint shall be filed with the council division not later than 180 days from the day upon which the alleged discriminatory practice occurred.
22VAC25-10-40. 1VAC45-20-40. Where to make a complaint.
A complaint may be made filed in person at 1100 E. Bank Street, Washington Building, 12th Floor, Richmond, Virginia 23219 or by mail to 202 North 9th Street, Richmond, VA 23219 between the hours of 9:30 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; or by mail at P.O. Box 717, Richmond, Virginia 23206; or by FAX to (804) 225-3294; or by email to firstname.lastname@example.com. Telephone calls may be made at 1-800-633-5510 or to (804) 224-2292 225-2292 in order to receive information on how and where to file complaints. No complaint will be taken over the phone. Complaints shall not be accepted over the telephone.
22VAC25-10-50. 1VAC45-20-50. Contents of complaint.
A. Each complaint should shall contain the following:
1. The full name, address, and telephone number of the person making the complaint;
2. The full name and address of the person against whom the complaint is made;
3. A clear concise statement of the facts, including pertinent dates, constituting the alleged unlawful discriminatory practices;
4. The date of filing and the name of the agency in cases where alleged complaints alleging unlawful discriminatory practices have been filed before a local, state, or federal agency charged with the enforcement of discrimination laws; and
5. Any documentation the complainant feels believes will support the claim.
B. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of this section, a complaint shall be considered filed when the council division receives a written statement which that identifies the parties and describes generally the action or practices complained of.
C. A complaint may be reasonably and fairly amended by the complainant or the director at any time prior to a hearing. Except for the purposes of notifying the respondent as specified in subsection D of this section, amended complaints will be considered as having been made as of the original filing date.
D. When an amendment is filed, the Office of Human Rights division shall forward a copy of the amendment to the respondent within five working days of the amendment. The respondent shall, within 10 working days after receiving the amendment, file an answer to the amendment.
22VAC25-10-60. 1VAC45-20-60. Filing referrals to state and federal agencies.
A. Complaints which that are under the jurisdiction of another state agency are considered filed with that agency when received by the council if the filing falls within the time limits for filing as required by that agency pursuant to § 2.1-722 of the Code of Virginia division provided the time limit for filing with the other agency has not expired.
B. The council division has established interagency agreements with the following state agencies:
1. Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation-Real Estate Board;
2. Department of Labor and Industry;
3. Department of Personnel and Training Human Resources Management;
4. Department for Rights of Virginians with Disabilities Virginia Office of Protection and Advocacy; and
5. Department of Employee Relations Counselors Human Resources Management, Office of Employee Dispute Resolutions.
If it is deemed appropriate, agreements will be established with other state agencies and these regulations will be amended to include the agencies.
If the director or his designee determines that the complaint is not within the council's division's jurisdiction, but possibly in the jurisdiction of one of the interagency agreement agencies, the complaint shall be sent to the appropriate agency within 15 working days of the determination. The complainant shall be notified of this action and a reason provided. Once the complaint has been forwarded and the complainant notified, the council division shall close the case. In the event the complaint is not under the jurisdiction of the agency to which it was referred or if additional evidence is submitted the case will be reopened.
C. Persons filing under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, or the Fair Labor Standards Act shall be notified within 15 days that they should also file with the appropriate federal agency within the appropriate time period if the statute of limitations has not already expired.
D. All charges complaints shall be dated and time time-stamped upon receipt.
E. Complaints shall be filed with the council not later than 180 days from the day upon which the alleged discriminatory practice occurred.
22VAC25-10-70. 1VAC45-20-70. Notice of complaint.
Within 15 working days after the filing perfecting of a complaint, the director shall notify the respondent of the complaint by mail.
22VAC25-10-80. 1VAC45-20-80. Investigations by the director or his designee.
A. During the investigation of a complaint, the director may utilize the information gathered by government agencies. The director shall accept a statement of position or evidence submitted by the complainant, the person making the complaint on behalf of complainant, or the respondent. The director may submit a request for information to the respondent which that, in addition to specific questions, may request a response to the allegations contained in the complaint. The director's or his designee's request for information shall be mailed within 20 30 working days of receipt of the complaint. A response to the request for information should shall be submitted within 20 21 working days from the date the request is postmarked.
B. The director may require the complainant to provide such additional information as he deems necessary to conduct an investigation. The complainant and respondent shall provide such additional information deemed necessary by the director or his designee to conduct an investigation.
C. The director may require a fact-finding conference held in accordance with § 2.2-4019 of the Code of Virginia with the parties prior to a determination of a complaint of discrimination. The conference is an investigative forum intended to define the issues, to determine the elements in dispute, and to ascertain whether there is a basis for a negotiated settlement of the complaint.
D. The director's or his designee's authority to investigate a complaint is not limited to the procedures outlined in subsections A, B, and C of this section.
22VAC25-10-90. 1VAC45-20-90. Dismissal; procedure and authority.
A. When the director determines that the complaint (i) is not timely filed, or (ii) fails to state a claim under the Act, the director shall dismiss the complaint.
B. When the director determines after investigation that there is not reasonable cause to believe that the Act has been violated, the director shall dismiss the complaint. If the complainant disagrees with the director's decision, the council division can be petitioned within 10 working days for a review of the decision.
C. Upon petition for review, the council shall establish a panel of three members to hear such petitions. If it is determined within 30 working days after the petition for review of a dismissal of a complaint that there is not reasonable cause to believe the respondent has engaged in a discriminatory practice, the council shall issue an order dismissing the complaint and furnish a copy of the order to all parties. Upon receiving a petition for review, the division shall determine whether to:
1. Issue a final determination to the parties in accordance with § 2.2-4023 of the Code of Virginia;
2. Refer the matter to the appropriate federal agency when applicable; or
3. Hold a formal hearing in accordance with 1VAC45-20-110.
22VAC25-10-100. 1VAC45-20-100. Settlement.
A. When the director determines that there is reasonable cause to believe that an unlawful discriminatory practice has occurred or is occurring, the director shall endeavor to eliminate such practice by informal methods of conference, conciliation, and negotiation.
B. When conciliation or negotiated settlement is successful, the terms of the agreement shall be reduced to writing and signed by the complainant, respondent, and the director within 10 working days of the agreement settlement.
22VAC25-10-110. Public 1VAC45-20-110. Formal hearing.
A. When conciliation efforts fail, or when the director determines that the conciliation process will not be in the best interest of the complainant or the Commonwealth, the director shall set the matter for public formal hearing conducted in accordance with § 2.2-4020 of the Code of Virginia or refer the complaint to the appropriate federal agency.
B. Notice of the time and place of the hearing shall be mailed to the parties at least 20 working days before the date of the hearing.
C. All hearings shall be open to the public.
D. A case will shall be heard by a hearing officer appointed by the council division from a list obtained from the Supreme Court of Virginia.
E. The hearing officer shall not be bound by statutory rules of evidence or technical rules of procedure.
F. Both the complainant and the respondent shall appear and be heard in person, but may be assisted by counsel, or by an authorized representative.
G. All testimony shall be given under oath or affirmation.
H. The order of presentation shall be established by the hearing officer with the burden of going forward proof being placed on the complainant.
I. Any Where any party who fails to appear at a fact-finding conference or hearing or to respond to a request for information by a specified date, in the absence of good cause shown, shall be deemed to have waived all further rights to appear, present evidence, or petition for rehearing or reconsideration conducted pursuant to this chapter, the division shall proceed in accordance with the provisions of § 2.2-4020.2 of the Code of Virginia.
J. Irrelevant, immaterial, and unduly repetitious evidence shall, at the discretion of the hearing officer, be excluded. The rules of privilege shall be given effect.
K. The hearing officer may accept relevant documents or other evidence into the record as exhibits. Documents to be submitted at the hearing by a party must shall be distributed to the council division and the other party no later than five working days prior to the hearing. Documents not submitted in accordance with this rule will shall only be admitted when the presiding body or hearing officer determines that just cause exists for failure to follow this rule.
L. Before the hearing is closed concludes, the parties shall be given an opportunity to present an oral closing argument of their case cases and proposed findings and conclusions in accordance with the provisions of § 2.2-4020 of the Code of Virginia.
M. The hearing shall be recorded by an official reporter and one transcript will shall be purchased by the council division. The council's After the division has received the transcript, the division's copy will shall be made available for review within a reasonable time after five working days upon request at to the Office of Human Rights division during regular business hours.
22VAC25-10-120. 1VAC45-20-120. Findings and recommendations.
A. The hearing officer of the council shall state submit a recommended decision with findings of fact and conclusions of law in writing to the division. The findings recommended decision of the hearing officer shall be filed with the council division within 30 working 90 days of the date of completion of the hearing.
B. If the council votes to director accepts the hearing officer's findings that the respondent has not engaged in a discriminatory practice, it the division shall issue an order dismissing the complaint. A copy of the order shall be furnished to the complainant and the respondent.
C. If the council votes to division accepts the hearing officer's findings that the respondent has committed an unlawful discriminatory practice, it the division shall state its findings and may issue recommendations to the respondent to eliminate the discriminatory practice, including, but not limited to:
1. Hiring, reinstating, promoting, or upgrading the position of the complainant, with or without back pay, and providing such fringe benefits as the complainant has been denied;
2. Restoring or admitting the complainant to membership in a labor organization, a training program, a guidance program, or other occupational training program, using the objective criteria for admission of persons to such programs;
3. Leasing, renting, or selling property at issue to the complainant;
4. Extending to the complainant the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, or accommodations of the respondent;
5. Admitting the complainant to a public accommodation or an educational institution;
6. Reporting as to the manner of compliance;
7. Posting notices in a conspicuous place setting forth requirements for compliance with this chapter or other information that the council division deems necessary to explain the Act;
8. Revising personnel policies and procedures, including the undertaking of affirmative efforts; and
9. Reimbursing attorney's fees to complainant.
D. If the council votes not to accept the hearing officer's findings, it will return the findings to the hearing officer for further consideration, or appoint a new hearing officer and set a new hearing on the complaint If the division rejects the hearing officer's recommended decision, the division shall state its own finding of facts and/or conclusions of law based on the record.
E. Copies of council's the division's final decision, including where applicable, any recommendations, shall be furnished to the complainant and respondent within 15 working days.
22VAC25-10-130. 1VAC45-20-130. General.
A. If the council division fails to act by dates specified herein in this chapter, neither the rights of the complainant nor the respondent will shall be prejudiced.
B. If the complainant or the respondent fails to comply with the provisions stated herein in this chapter, except where good cause is shown, the failure may be deemed a waiver of any rights provided herein in this chapter.
C. After the initial filing, all correspondence relative to the case should shall be by certified mail, hand delivered, or by a carrier who that will furnish a receipt.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hi folks,
I'm wondering if there are any whizzes out there that can help me with my zap setup.
I have FB Lead Form ads that ask for UK postcode and I'm using Zapier to integrate lead information into Activecampaign.
However, I'd like to use a filter to add the user to a different Activecampaign list depending on the postcode
Something like
Step 1 - if postcode starts with BD go to X list
Step 2 - if postcode starts with RM go to Y list etc
Step 3 - if postcode starts with EX go to another list etc
But I can't work out to do it!! I can do the step 1 okay but can't do the step 2, step 3 etc.
Any advice would be very much appreciated
Thank you
Best answer by jayeshkumarbhatia
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Vintage Swiss cross style milking pail, one gallon size (8" x 5") for a goat, or a brown swiss cow! (We love our Brown Swiss, but have to admit that a one gallon bucket isn't very far off the mark for most of them, most of the time!)
This is marked from the Stainless Ware Company of America, with a old ribbon mark. This style is still pretty popular, these hand milking pails haven't changed much over the years - it would be difficult to improve on this design. We have a very similar stainless pail we used for goat milking, we're still using it around the barn and garden today.
This pail has a few dents along the bottom, it's seen a fair bit of use over the years. It came out of a farm in the Monroe, Wisconsin area, where it's been dairy country for a long time - both cows, and dairy goats.


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Richard Nelson Roberts, born June 23, 1936, in Woodstock, VT, died January 21, 2021, at Valley Regional Hospital, Claremont, NH, from complications of COVID-19.
Richard was predeceased by his wife Patricia Ann Derosier; sons Michael Arthur and Steven Allan Roberts. Also parents Nelson and Marjorie Roberts of South Reading, VT; his twin sister Ruth L. Silvester of Windsor, VT; brothers Frank E. Roberts of Cornish, NH; Edwin J. Roberts of Windsor, VT; and Kenneth O. Roberts of Windsor, VT.
His remaining survivors are a brother, George A. Roberts of Bensons Landing, VT;. and Debary, FL; brother, Leslie V. Roberts of Windsor, VT; and sister Katherine A. Harris of Sanford, FL;, a granddaughter, Crystal Lynn; grandson, Michael, Jr.; 3 great grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, one brother-in-law and several sisters-in-law.
He served 8 years in the New Hampshire National Guard, was employed by Bomar as a machine operator, an employee for Cocoa Cola, and other jobs during his residence in Claremont. He was a member of the Claremont Lodge of Elks #1665. Richard had a love of family and friends, followed closely by his love of country music which you could here on a daily basis in the halls of the Earl Bourdon Centre. He loved socializing and helping friends and neighbors whenever a need arose.
Roy Funeral home will handle the arrangements at this time. A celebration of Life will be held at the Hope Hill Cemetery located at North Charlestown, NH. later in the spring. Donations may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 311 Hanover Street, Manchester, N. H. 03103 or Spina Bifida Birth Defects C/O March of Dimes, 264 North Main Street, Concord, N.H. 03101, or the American Heart Association, 309 Pine Street, Manchester, N.H. 03103 or the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 595, Manchester N.H. 03105.
With love and gratitude to all for the kind words and prayers for this gentle and wonderful man. You are invited to share a memory of Richard with the family or leave a message of condolence in the family guest book at www.royfuneralhome.com.
★ 2016 Copyright E-Ticker News of Claremont ★ Website by Bee Balm Productions ★


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Modified: May 12, 2016 8:46am
Paints, Pesticides, Waste Oil Among Materials Collected; Next Event June 18 at ECC South Campus
ERIE COUNTY, NY— The Erie County Department of Environment and Planning has announced that over 800 households participated in the hazardous waste collection event held Saturday, May 7 at Erie Community College's North Campus. These highly-popular collection events allow for the safe disposal of hazardous items that should not be thrown out with the regular garbage. In addition, the program helps to improve home safety, reduce pollution and protect the environment. An estimated 13,644 gallons of paint, 2,800 lbs. of aerosol products, 960 gallons of waste oil, and 1,650 lbs. of pesticides were collected from 827 total vehicles during the five-hour event.
"These events continue to demonstrate the importance of safe disposal for these products, which homeowners find can accumulate in basements and garages but cannot be thrown out in the regular garbage," said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. "Thanks to the department of environment and planning and their partners, residents have a reliable and effective way to get rid of these items and have a role in creating a cleaner Erie County."
Other materials collected at the event included an estimated 660 gallons of flammable liquids, 825 gallons of corrosive materials, 220 gallons of oxidizers, 175 gallons of antifreeze, and quantities of mercury, batteries, and gasoline.
Commissioner of the Department of Environment and Planning Thomas Hersey added, "Participants in these collection events are glad to have a place to bring these products and realize the importance of protecting the environment with responsible disposal. Working with our partners, we are helping homeowners to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their property by removing potentially hazardous household waste."
Support for the household hazardous waste collection was provided by Erie Community College, Elwood Fire Protection, Inc., NOCO Energy Corp., The Battery Post, Inc., the Northwest Solid Waste management Board, and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
The next Household Hazardous Waste Collection event is scheduled for Saturday, June 18 2016 from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM at Erie Community College's South Campus.
For more information, for a full list of items that will be accepted, or for details on how to properly dispose of latex paint, call the Erie County Household Hazardous Waste 24-Hour Hotline at (716) 858-6800 or visit www.erie.gov/environment to see the full flyer.


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Located on Main Street between 2nd and 3rd streets in Downtown Napa, Zuzu offers a cozy dining experience in the heart of the historic Old Town District.
The restaurant offers a modern, California version of tapas along with some traditional offerings based on the cuisines of Spain, Portugal and the Mediterranean. The Chefs of ZuZu are inspired by fresh, seasonal ingredients and place an emphasis on using organic and sustainable produce, seafood and meats.
Zuzu also features cocktails and more.


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January 15th is officially the most depressing day of the year. However, for a lot of people the second week of January doesn't feel too great either! For most people it's their first full week back at work after their Christmas break, and getting back into the normal routine can often make them feel stressed out, tired and anxious.
And when you're stressed, the blood flow in your body is restricted, causing your muscles to tense up, primarily in the neck, shoulders and lower back. This can leave you feeling uncomfortable and out of sorts.
But a few simple back and shoulder stretches can do wonders when it comes to reducing stress without having to resort to raiding the fridge for white wine and chocolate! Here are a few easy stretches that decrease the production of stress hormones and will get you feeling like the old you again.
Shell stretch
This is a great stretch to focus the mind and body.
Sit on your heels (wide apart), tuck your legs underneath you. Relax your arms either in front or beside you on the mat. Press the head down towards the floor and don't forget to breathe. Feel your ribs opening up against your thighs as you breathe into the back and the sides of your lungs and contracting as you breathe out. Allow your mind to slow down and your body to relax.
This exercise helps to lengthen the hamstrings and takes the strain off your lower back.
Lay on your back with your bum close to the wall, extend your legs up the wall with your heels touching it. Let your arms rest beside you or place them on your stomach. Relax your thighbones down into the pelvis. In this position you may notice your pelvis, hips and sacrum realigning and adjusting, too. Move your bum away from the wall if you experience discomfort.
This is a great stretch to combat upper and lower back pain as it articulates the spine.
Start in a four point kneeling position, with your hands below your shoulders and knees below your hips. Your spine is in neutral – stabilise your shoulder blades by drawing them down your back. Inhale to prepare. As you breathe out start to round your spine upward, tucking your head and your tailbone under, rounding your chin to your chest without forcing it. Now you're in a cat stretch. Inhale to hold. As you exhale, simultaneously lift your head and sit bones upwards, press your chest forwards whilst keeping your abdominal muscles engaged. This is one of my favourite stretches and fab to do first thing in the morning or last thing at night.
Do you have any stress-busting stretches, exercises or tips to deal with the January blues? My Pilates classes can also help reduce stress levels, improve your core strength, your flexibility and posture as well as reducing joint pain. Go to www.bn1pilates.com for more information.


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A new construction that sits just blocks from the Broad Street Line in Fairmount offers a clean, airy style with several unique contemporary elements, for $849,900.
The first floor of the four-bed, 3.5-bath place has a living room with tall windows, a sleek, white kitchen with marble countertops, and a very contemporary bathroom, with a floating sink.
The four bedrooms sit on the second and third floors, all with the tall windows and hardwood flooring that's featured in the living room. A third floor bathroom is particularly eye-catching—it has a large tub and cool grey walls.
The whole place tops off (literally) with a roof patio that has killer city views. The 1,000-square-foot home was first listed in April, but has dropped almost $100,000 since then.
- 1712 Melon Street [David Snyder, Keller Williams]


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Children and Youth Centre Neuglobsow
Which occasions can it be used for?
• school trips
• leisure and holiday activities
• projects of extracurricular education
• training of full-time and voluntary staff in youth work
• training camp for children and youngsters from sports clubs
• activities of clubs and youth work initiatives
In case of vacancies the children and youth centre can also be used for family activities.
Where is the children and youth centre located?
The children and youth centre is located in the midst of the nature reserve "Stechlin" and receives guests from April until October. Lake Stechlin, one of Germany's clearest inland waters, is only 300 metres away. The idyllically situated climatic spa Neuglobsow is about 10 kilometres away from the town of Fürstenberg and approximately 20 kilometres away from the climatic spa Rheinsberg. Both towns are easily accessible by public transport.
Please contact us to find out about our vacancies. Your request will be taken care of at once.


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The Wool Hats is a Connecticut based bluegrass/jamgrass band. Built upon a driving rhythm section, the trio of lead instruments weaves intricate melodic spaces while the vocal harmonies add to the warmth and richness of their sound. Their repertoire includes bluegrass classics and unique interpretations of classic rock material, as well as well-crafted originals. A fresh voice for our times, The Wool Hats are thrilling and charming audiences throughout Connecticut.
"The Wool Hats' approach to Bluegrass draws on a post-modern sensibility integrating many influences into a unique expression. Classic rock, jamgrass, funk, folk and a healthy dose of musical humor come together to create what might best be termed "Dudegrass" music. You just have to check them out to see what I am talking about."
The band came together when Matt Chimini and Ryan Mooney, who were performing as an acoustic duo, met long time musical partners, Nick Krashefski and Johnny Lee, at an open mic in Seymour. It became clear that their sounds complimented one another and soon they were performing as a four piece. Not long after coming together, Johnny invited his long-time friend, Erick Feucht, to round out their sound. Together, their style fuses bluegrass, newgrass, classic country, rock, blues and other acoustic influences. They have performed at many venues and festivals, including the Pickin' at the Ives Bluegrass Festival (CT), Infinity Hall in Norfolk CT, Daryl's House Club in Pawling NY, Strand Ole Opry (CT), The Acoustic (CT), Georgetown Day (CT), the Johnny Cakes Festival (RI) and Spinstock (CT).
Currently calling Newtown, CT home, The Wool Hats consists of Matt Chimini (vocals/rhythm guitar), Nick Krashefski (vocals/bass), Ryan Mooney (lead guitar), Erick Feucht (vocals/fiddle/mandolin/tenor banjo) and Johnny Lee (vocals/mandolin/harmonica).


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08 Nov Chippewa County manufacturers to receive tax credits
Two Chippewa County technology firms will receive $250,000 and $150,000, respectively, in tax credits from Wisconsin's Technology Zone program.
Under the program, tax credits are awarded to businesses in eight zones statewide that are commercializing technology or using advanced manufacturing techniques to retain or create jobs in Wisconsin.
Rex Systems Inc., of Chippewa Falls, a manufacturer of military electronic parts including assemblies to repair and maintain radar, submarine sonar and other high-reliability systems, will receive $250,000 in tax credits.
The project will create 32 new high-technology positions over the first three years of the project and will retain 31 positions. Using its military electronics experience, the company will work on getting to market a first responder communicator for emergency and medical staff, according to Jon Myre, company president.
Advanced Laser Machining of Chippewa Falls, which laser-cuts custom metal parts for machinery and manufacturing, was chosen to receive $150,000 in tax credits. The company has doubled the size of its plant to allow stamp metal work as well as laser cutting, according to company spokesperson Cheryl Numke.
The company hopes to expand its market niche by providing a CNC punchpress for custom metal work, she said. The company's clients include airports, truck manufacturers and other markets. The project will create 13 new positions and retain approximately 35 positions.
Wisconsin's Technology Zone program, announced by Governor Jim Doyle in 2002, has awarded 34 projects a total of $6.6 million in tax credits through this July.


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As the clock is winding down and gets closer to 2017, we wanted to take a moment and say thank you.
Thank you to all the users of NextGEN Gallery who continue to utilize it in the management and display of your photographs.
Thank you to all NextGEN Plus and Pro customers who take advantage of everything they have to offer. And those who provide feedback and suggestions throughout the year.
Thank you to all Imagely Theme and Hosting customers who enjoy their fast and beautiful websites.
From the Imagely family to yours, we hope you have a fantastic, successful and amazing New Year.
See you in 2017.
- The Imagely Team
Note: Support will have limited hours for the holidays from 12/24 will reopen on 11/14.


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Another find example of Visual Productions ioCore 2 being used in a Exhibition to trigger Robots and automations
Some informations on the IoCore 2
GPIO interface module
The IoCore2 is a network-based solid-state interface for GPIO signals. It features eight GPI ports that can be configured as digital contact-closures or analog 0-10V level inputs. The IoCore2 also has eight GPO ports that are fitted with potential free relay switches. Furthermore, it has a RS-232 port, a bi-directional DMX-512 port and it supports many Ethernet based protocols.
• Ethernet port • Programming via web-interface • 8 x Analogue or Digital inputs • 8 x Relay (250VAC/30VDC max. 2A) • DMX512-A (ANSI E1.11) port (opto-isolated, input or output) • RS-232 port (in & out) • Art-Net (in & out) • sACN (in & out) • TCP (in) • USP & OSC (in & out) • 12-24 DC 500mA (PSU included) • Power over Ethernet (class I) • Kensington lock • Desktop, DIN Rail or 19″ rack mount (optional adapter) • Operating temperature -20°C to +50°C (-4°F to +122°F) • Compliance EN55103-1 EN55103-2 • Bundled with CueluxPro, vManager and Kiosc software
These products runs without harddisk and boot up in a instant. If looking for reliable and stable control devices , Visual Productions will be a perfect solution to consider .
Drop us an email at email@example.com or whatsapp +6587500712
We will be able to able to study to assist and provide the perfect solutions


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Hi, I'm Carmella
I am an entrepreneur and certified business advisor with years of experience helping Women & Minority owned businesses start, launch and grow their businesses.
I have helped Women & Minority owned companies secure over $2 million in loans to purchase commercial property, equipment and acquire other businesses. I am also the owner of Carmella Marie Hair & Beauty as well as Black Bold and Natural Media Co.
From this 3 week course you will learn:
The Life of an Entrepreneur
Mindset: Major keys to winning
How to develop loyal customers & their profiles
How to diversify & Increase Income
Bonus Topics
Question and Answer is allowed after each class.
Course Curriculum
Available in
after you enroll


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Fantasy Football Fix
31 Jul 2018 14:33
Promote your tournament. Tell the public about your tournament by posting indicators or advertisements about your tournament. Ask neighborhood clubs Read More Here and schools if you can incorporate your tournament in their newsletter or if you can post the details in a place where soccer players or coaches will see it. Be positive to supply details on how to register the teams, such as your email get in touch with and phone number.If you have any questions with regards to in which and how to use Read More Here [https://www.liveinternet.ru/users/marialarissaviei/post438384061/], you can call us at our own site. You may well nevertheless be basking in the glory of winning bragging rights over your pals, household members and colleagues after enjoying a barnstorming Premier League fantasy football campaign. The six week old baby is named right after the 11 players and 3 substitutes who appeared against Nottingham Forest in the club's first game of the season.You may need to have to have your tournament more than a weekend, depending on how a lot of fields you have and how many teams you strategy to accommodate. Make positive that you price range sufficient time for games. Get ready to win. Prepare nicely to play, and never ever feel negatively about yourself or your group. Don't just think you are good enough to beat the opposition, know you're very good enough to destroy the opposition.Mr. Elman described himself as a gambler BetCRIS does not covet — he bets modest amounts on-line, and only on boxing, not on team sports like baseball, basketball or, specifically, football. If you bet on a sport that is just one-on-one, like boxing, there is less things that can go wrong," he mentioned.Advertise your tournament. Inform the public about your tournament by posting indicators or ads about your tournament. Ask regional clubs and schools if you can incorporate your tournament in their newsletter or if you can post the data in a place where soccer players or coaches will see it. Be certain to offer specifics on how to register the teams, such as your e-mail contact and telephone quantity.I am positive there are other factors going on at the moment that aren't football or Brexit. But nobody is talking about something other than these two topics. Dramatic energy-play dominates both and the stakes are high, thus all-natural comparisons in between the UK's two most critical leaders are unavoidable.To read odds, start by locating two numbers separated by a dash. These two numbers are the odds, and you can turn them into a fraction to figure out the quantity of profit you will make per dollar spent. For example, you may well see 3-5 odds. Odds of 3-five indicate that your profit will be 3-fifths of a dollar. In other words, for every single $5 you bet you can win $3 in profit. To figure out profit, multiply the quantity you bet by the odds fraction.The Celtic players just did not appear as if they had that added pep they had at the commence of the season, when they were quickly flowing, generating so several intelligent runs in behind. Brady is a more of a conventional player, named a "pocket passer". He will tend to stand in 1 spot and throw the ball.An Indiana higher school football group have turn out to be an net sensation right after spoofing a Beyoncé scene from Glee and putting it on the internet. Find out what dates Penn State plays, game time, their opponent and their future schedules. The schedule will be updated as game times grow to be offered.For fans of betting on English football's top division, the Premier League kind guide is a beneficial tool. This will give you the most recent results for every single side to make it less difficult to assess that distinct side's future probabilities of winning, in short whether or not they are worth betting on.Consider what the players count on football to appear like. What is the initial question they ask: ' When are we playing a match? ' Wet and cold sessions are excellent for match time as it keeps them all involved and active. Play mini 3v3s on a couple of pitches to keep all involved and then carefully handle how you intervene to coach.After you've decided on these specifics, your first port of contact when you come to placing the word out need to be your private get in touch with list — pals, family members, colleagues, and these you've played football with in the previous. Ask about to see if they are interested in joining your group, and ask them to spread the word around their contacts as well.Football Parlays: A lot more than one particular team on the very same bet. For Idowu, international renown has come quick. Utilized to writing in Cyrillic, he hasn't decided how he prefers his name in the Latin alphabet: Bryan or Brian. The Nigeria Football Federation's website has employed both versions. Some teams use forward defending, aggressively challenging the ball when on the defensive in any part of the field. Other people rely on a "collapsing" style, that falls back deep into its own half when the opponent is in possession of the ball. The "forward" policy can place immense physical and psychological stress on opponents, and is aimed at slowing down or breaking up attacks early. It has a lot more physical demands nevertheless, and could spread a defensive formation far more thinly. The "collapsing" approach is more economical in physical demand, and supplies a packed back zone to thwart attacks. Even so it sometimes creates huge gaps in midfield, and invites the opposing team to dribble forward and to take shots from long range if the opposing team is great at the two aforementioned skills then ambitions will be conceded freely.
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AN INTIMATE gathering between the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the tourism stakeholders stirred the conversation on current issues and challenges of the tourism industry.
"This dialogue was organized to give us a venue to further stimulate the industry to be competitive, sustainable, and inclusive," DOT Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.
Decision makers and senior executives from the accommodation and transportation sectors, service providers, and tourism associations joined the conversation with the DOT's executive committee, regional directors, and attached agencies.
Convergence workshop and synergy sessions were also held between the travel industry representatives and the marketing officers of the DOT and Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) for key, strategic and opportunity markets. Exchanges were likewise made on niche markets for the Meeting, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE), dive, English as Second Language (ESL), cruise, medical and wellness products.
"This is the perfect venue for both sides, the DOT and private sector, to touch bases with each other," Tourism Congress of the Philippines President Jose Clemente III shared.
Concerns were raised on the DOT accreditation system, National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) international tourist and domestic tourist arrival targets, sustainable tourism, carrying capacity, charter flight moratorium, and collaboration with local government units.
"This (tourism industry consultation meeting) is just the beginning of more engagement and cooperation," TPB Chief Operating Officer Marie Venus Tan said.
Presentations were made on the 2020 Consolidated DOT and TPB Calendar of Activities, TPB Membership Program, and 2019 Branding Campaign.
DOT Undersecretary Benito C Bengzon, Jr. said that this consultative exercise, alongside other institutional mechanisms, will hope to sustain partnerships and facilitate achievement of NTDP goals.


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You look for someone in your follower's list, and that user doesn't appear anymore. So, you try again, and still, the same thing happens. Then, the reality hits you that they may have blocked your account on Instagram. Don't worry, as this happens with almost every social media user. However, sometimes, it can be challenging to figure out who did this and why. If you talk about reasons, there can be many things for them to block you. For example, they may not enjoy your content anymore, or they want to protect something from you. But how to know who blocked you because you don't get any notifications for this?
Like for everything else, there is a method for this also. To be precise, you buy 25 real Instagram followers as a strategy to maintain the strength of your account. At the same time, you ensure those followers are genuine by buying them from credible vendors, such as Insta4likes. Similarly, you can apply a few tricks to identify accounts that blocked you on Instagram. These are applicable for all devices, including Android, Apple, etc.
Finding out who blocked you on Instagram
When someone blocks your account, you no longer can see their posts, followers, etc. They may not even appear on the IG searches when you try with their username. Still, how to get clarity if this has happened? Here are a few signs that would require no further proof.
- Able to see their Insta story anymore.
- Not getting a view of their followers, following, or posts.
- finding the direct messages as those disappear.
- Not able to find the username in the search tool.
However, before you come to any decision, it is necessary to learn that the same things can happen when a user deletes their profile. So, you have to put a bit more effort into understanding. If you doubt someone may have blocked your profile, you should search their username in the search bar. Can you see their profile picture, follower count, and post number, etc.? Besides, does it also say that "user not found?" Well, they have blocked you. While the way a user's profile appears, you can differentiate if they stopped you. Still, it is better to have no confusion at all. For more clarity, you can use another Instagram account that did not have that person.
Other methods to ascertain if an Instagram user blocked you
Sometimes, it can be tough to come to terms with who blocked you on IG. Despite everything hinting at the same thing, you may still want to check that you are not making any mistakes. If it is the case, here are some more ways to confirm your doubts.
- Look for photos where your mutual friend tagged you both.
- Tap on that specific profile in the photo. If you don't see any picture in that profile, it means the person has blocked you.
Another step you can try is following their profile. If you see "user not found" instead of the "follow" button on their profile, you know the reason for this already. Some people take the help of their best friends also for this. If that same profile shows up from their account, you again get your answer.
Is there anything to worry about if someone blocked you?
Instagram, other social channels, or even personal life – nothing is different, as you cannot expect everyone to like you. However, if you have a business account on Instagram or want to become an influencer or desire to create a viral impact, these things suddenly become essential statistics. When several profiles ditch you, it needs some serious reflection. You have to analyze what may have gone wrong – the content quality or anything else. Indeed, it is not easy to grow your account. It takes your time, sweat, and money to put out well-formulated content. But not everyone has this luxury.
Does it mean you cannot fulfill your dreams? You don't have to worry when Insta4likes.com is around. You can still increase your followers and engagement rates. So don't fret if you cannot post that often! Buy followers, likes, and comments.
While regular content posts and quality matter, it is undeniable that followers will still increase and decrease on your account. Adding new followers and retaining old ones is a blissful state. But when the number goes down, you cannot allow it to linger. So, you have to supplement it to avoid sending any wrong signal to other existing followers. They may start devaluing your profile just because others are leaving. That's where Insta4likes services come in handy. You can instantly boost your account for a small sum. At the same time, you can decide how many followers you want in one go as per your needs.


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Damage to your home's roof can be a situation that requires you to act quickly to protect the integrity of the house. While storms can cause more dramatic roof damage, there is other damage that you will need to be mindful of to keep your house in good condition.
Poor Ventilation
A roof that does not have good ventilation can be at a much greater risk of developing dry rot. When a roof starts to dry rot, it will weaken substantially. Eventually, this rot can become severe enough to cause the roof to collapse under its own weight. While poor ventilation can be a source of expensive repairs, it is a problem that can be mitigated for a relatively low cost in many cases. Your roof's design will heavily influence the exact steps for improving ventilation, but this is a process that may only require the installation of vents on the roof's exterior that can dramatically improve the circulation of the air through the roofing components.
Cracked Tiles
Tile is often chosen as a roofing material due to its extreme durability. However, if the tile is starting to reach the end of its lifespan, it will be vulnerable to crack development or even having portions of the tiles break off. When this problem develops, it is important to act quickly to replace the damaged tiles. Otherwise, there will be a much greater risk of moisture seeping into the roof. In most cases, only the damaged tile will need to be replaced, and the roofing contractor that you hire will go to great lengths to match the color of the replacement tile to the original tile as closely as possible.
Sagging Roof Sections
Over time, portions of the roof may start to sag. Unfortunately, sagging is a problem that can rapidly worsen. This is due to the ability of the lower portion of the roof to capture moisture. When rain puddles get trapped in these dents, they can lead to rot forming, which can make the sagging worse. In most cases, a sagging roof will need to be repaired by at least replacing the section of the roof that is developing this problem. However, it is generally advisable to have the entire roof replaced rather than doing a spot repair. This is due to the threat of other areas of the roof developing this problem or the uneven weight distribution causing secondary damage to the roof. To learn more, contact a local roofing company.


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Hotel Tourism
Unique Hospitality ExperienceThe Challenge
In the digital age, researching a hotel thoroughly before your visit is a must, and so our client sought expert digital advertising services to turn their social media situation around.
With Facebook being the largest, most engaged social media platform on the internet, The Sapphire wanted to take advantage of its audience to promote their brand. The immediate goals were to:
• Build their presence on Facebook from the ground up
• Grow an audience of future customers to engage with
• And ultimately, drive room bookings and waterpark ticket sales
The Solution
Our team built a custom Facebook Page for the client, a hotel with attached waterpark, and began regular social posting with industry best practices. We also set up and ran Facebook Advertising campaigns to supplement traffic and exposure. Here's the summary:
1. Build a new, well-designed and accurate Facebook Page.
2. Grow an audience on that page by following social media best practices with content supplied by the client
3. Facebook ad campaigns were used to drive traffic, boost promotions for exposure, and ultimately generate hotel bookings and sales.
Results at a Glance:
Day Timeframe
0 to 3,284
Page Likes
Ad Clicks
Calls & Messages
Viral Campaigns Lead to Boost in Brand Value
More than 245,000 impressions were achieved. Engagement was super high for this page's posts and the viral nature helped with exposure to their ads.
Those impressions led to clicks: 5900+ according to our client. Of those clicks, 86 turned into leads, either in the form of messages on their page or direct calls to the hotel, to discuss accomodations and water park packages.
Brand Advocacy... Oh my!
Our client's Facebook Page is a powerful business intelligence tool that allows them to gain insights about their audience. They now have a way to better serve their customers, who in turn have rewarded them with a 5 star average rating.


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The Fairfield University Bellarmine Museum of Art is pleased to present "Tania Brassesco & Lazlo Passi Norberto: The Essence of Decadence ," an exhibition of photographs on view in the Quick Center for the Arts from September 19 - October 25, 2015. The exhibition is free and open to the public.
Italian artists Tania Brassesco (b.1986) and Lazlo Passi Norberto (b. 1984) met as students in Venice in 2008. They have collaborated on several series of photographs that fuse their experience in performance, painting, set design, installation, photography and video. The seven photographs, in which Tania appears as the model and artistic muse, reprise with uncanny fidelity the moody, poetic compositions of Gustav Klimt and other fin-de-siècle painters. Using the elastic, expressive and contemporary medium of photography, the artists painstakingly translate and reproduce with an almost surreal, magical verisimilitude the language of painting from another epoch. The result is a series of images that are hyper-real artistic fiction.
Director and Chief Curator Linda Wolk-Simon, who organized the exhibition, says, "It is a distinct pleasure to introduce these talented young artists, whose works have been featured in several international exhibitions but only once before in this country, to an American audience. Their marvelous photographs have received great critical acclaim in the European press; visitors to the exhibition in Fairfield will surely share this admiration of their extraordinary and seductive body of work."
The exhibition is organized in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Quick Center and has been made possible with the assistance of Lisa Marie Baker.
Photo credit: © Tania Brassesco and Lazlo Passi Norberto, Daydream, 2012, Digital photograph, C-print on Dibond, Edition of 7 plus 2 artists' proofs, 43 1/3 x 30 1/3 inches, Remake of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, The Day Dream, 1880 (Private Collection, Courtesy Lisa M.Baker)
Media Contact: Teddy DeRosa, firstname.lastname@example.com, 203-254-4000 ext. 2118
Posted On: 09-11-2015 03:09 PM
Volume: 48 Number: 8


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Why Juventus defender Rugani could add strength to Leicester's defence
According to Italian publication Calcio Mercato (h/t Leicestershire Live), Leicester City are likely to have an offer accepted for Juventus defender Daniele Rugani.
The 25-year old Italian has been out of favour most of the season, with the club announcing that they would be willing to accept a reasonable offer for him ahead of the January transfer window, the report adds.
Rugani has made just three appearances so far for the Turin giants this season, out of which two came during the Champions League and one in the Serie A.
Juventus's decision to sign young centre-back Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax last summer has left the 6ft 2in Italian completely out in the cold.
With his game time getting increasingly limited under new boss Mauricio Sarri, Juventus are now ready to offload the defender, who is surplus to their requirements.
Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers' Leicester are looking to strengthen their defence with veteran Wes Morgan in the final year of his contract and young Filip Benkovic attracting interest from Championship side Derby.
The Foxes have been in terrific form this season, sitting comfortably at second place behind leaders Liverpool, thanks to a strong defence that has conceded just 14 goals in 18 league games.
Rodgers owes it all to his centre-back pairing of Jonny Evans and the young Caglar Soyuncu, who have formed a formidable partnership at the heart of Foxes' defence.
With the side clearly lacking defenders, it is imperative for the Foxes to land a new centre-back to keep their hopes of a title race intact.
Also, Rodgers' failure to rope in a new face as a replacement for former centre-back Harry Maguire, who departed to Manchester United last summer, has made it even more salient.
Having said that, Leicester could make a move for the experienced Rugani.
After learning his trade with Italian side Empoli's youth system, Rugani made a switch to Italian giants Juventus in 2013. However, he was soon sent back on loan to his former club in order to get more game time.
Rugani then turned out to be Empoli's star defender, helping his side achieve promotion to the Serie A after finishing second in the Serie B that season. His impressive displays at the back for Empoli won him the 2013-14 Serie B Footballer of the Year award.
On his return, he went on to make 90 appearances for the Bianconeri, winning 4 Italian league titles to date. However, despite his talent, Rugani has had to play back-up to established defenders Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, who were at their best during his early days.
Read more:
- Why Basacikoglu would be an unnecessary signing for Leicester
- Why Branthwaite would be a good future investment for Leicester
- Why signing Demiral would be a brilliant move by Leicester
Now, with de Ligt's arrival and the emergence of another youngster Merih Demiral, Rugani has found himself way down the pecking order at Juventus.
Having fought for a starting place alongside top-class defenders, Rugani is nothing short of talent and knows exactly what it is to perform at the highest level.
One of the major reasons for Leicester's improved show this season has been their defence and it is clear that they lack depth. If they wish to continue performing at the highest level, they should soon secure the signature of the experienced Rugani.


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Decorative Concrete Maple RidgeDecorative concrete is using concrete in a way where you enhance the visual aesthetics of the concrete. This doesn't effect the integrity of the concrete itself as a building material. It has become a very popular choice for our clients as it still has the durability of regular concrete, it is relatively affordable compared to other building materials, and can be manipulated in different ways to mimic more expensive building materials. With modern techniques, you can stain and finish concrete in a way to look like wood. This can be used for a large concrete patio in your backyard. You truly get the best of both worlds as you get the strength of concrete with the beautiful look of wood. Design options are greatly expanded when you have access to using decorative concrete.
Decorative Concrete Contractor Maple Ridge
Stamped Concrete
Stamped concrete, which is otherwise known as imprinted or textures concrete, is quite simple yet elegant design which can open up many different options for your project. When you stamp concrete, there are different types of colour ad imprint options available to make sure you get the exact look you are going for. Brick, cobblestone, slate, tiles, and limestone are some of the material types that you are able to mimic through stamping concrete. You also have the ability to choose what colour your stamped concrete will be which allows for more options when working on your project. Getting some stamped concrete around the house might the welcomed addition that you were looking for. Another look that is getting increasingly popular is using two types of decorative concrete together for a project. An example of this is where you can have a driveway with an exposed aggregate center and a stamped concrete border. Exposed Aggregate Concrete Exposed aggregate concrete is a fairly common type of decorative concrete that you have probably seen before but might not be sure what it is actually called. It is used quite often for concrete driveway projects. The process to produce exposed aggregate concrete is by removing the top layer of the concrete once it has been poured to "expose" the sediment and rocks in the concrete mix. Once the sediments have been exposed, a beautiful sea of pebbles is born. By using different types of stones and sediments you achieve the exact look you are going for. One of the bonus benefits of exposed aggregate concrete is that the sediments that make up the surface have a built in grippy texture. Exposed aggregate concrete requires a little bit more maintenance compared to other finishes but that shouldn't be a deterrent from choosing this option. Stained Concrete Getting your concrete stained really allows your creative juices to flow as it is a great way to match your landscape or other structures. It gives a different type of look then to just splashing some paint on as that really just gives it an opaque layer and look. When you stain your concrete, it actually penetrates the surface and infuses with the concrete which gives it a translucent look on the surface. The stains that are available to us today can give you looks to replicate natural stone, stained, marble, and even wood. Staining concrete can be an excellent option for both interior and exterior projects. A crowd favorite is to stain concrete floors to look like marble which gives you the beautiful marble aesthetic while have the durability of concrete. |


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Corvette C7.R
The stunning good looks and performance of the Pratt & Miller Corvette C7.R were only surpassed by the performance of this incredible racing machine. A true race car, this triple threat vehicle only shares it outer skin with the Corvette as nearly everything else is custom made to handle the rigors of long endurance racing propelled by a 491 HP engine.
This review covers the skill level 4 (ages 12 years and older) new tooling release of the 2015 Corvette C7.R 1:25 Scale Revell Model Kit #85-4304. There are White, clear, clear red, metal axles, soft black tires with waterslide decals. You get a superbly detailed race car body with a racing chassis, safety roll cage and separate, but simplified, motor. This is a specific vehicle special subject kit and a historically accurate rendering of the 2015 C7.R. Final dimensions are approximately; Length: 7", Width: 3½", Height: 2".
Construction and Detailing
This build begins with the faux engine. I assume that because it is mostly hidden from view after assembly this eight piece motor is very simplified. It goes together in seconds but check the orientation of the oil pan against the instructions to make sure you orient the part properly. I painted the engine Aluminum with black valve covers.
The chassis is next and it resembles one of the supercar frames appearing l a large skid late. Curiously there are copyright scripts in three places. I use a little lacquer thinner to remove them and some fine sandpaper to smooth it out. After gluing the two suspension units into place you add the brakes and engine sub-assembly to the chassis plate. The wheels are painted gloss black and assembled to the soft vinyl tires and pressed on to the metal axles. You're already at the point of having a rolling chassis to build on.
I painted the floorpan semi-gloss black and after it dried I added the firewall and pedal assembly then glued that to the chassis. Oddly, it's here that you install the exhaust headers which are steel or gunmetal in color. Also, the front portion of the roll cage is installed and the intake manifold is added to the motor. The engine covers are placed now but I found that the right side needed to have the mounting holes cleaned out prior to installation.
The roll cage and rear panels are built in a circle around the interior beginning with the right side and it's important to make sure that the roll cage panel stays in place otherwise the rear part of the right roll cage will not properly connect with the interior assembly. Paint the dashboard flat black and add the decal to the steering wheel and install those. Add the safety net and finish off the roll cage assembly noting that if the roll cage panel is not in the proper position, the rear part of the left roll cage will not properly attach to the interior assembly.
The body is crisp and there is just a little parting line to sand smooth. Paint the body, hood and door panels then add the reflectors and headlights. Make sure they seat fully. The window glass is one piece and all the surrounds are pre-painted. After installing that with some white glue, add the taillights in back too. There's a fan plate that is semi-gloss black and is installed at the rear of the car. The rear airfoil is assembled with a carbon fiber decal and added to the rear deck. The outer fins are painted bright red, as are the side view mirrors, which really add some flair to the appearance. After installing the air inlet scoop to the underside of the hood and adding the grill plate and side mirrors; you're done with the body construction.
The rockers panels are given a gloss-black treatment and then the decals are applied to the exterior. The decals are excellent with minimal carrier and great registry. They go on well, but I recommend some setting solution be used on the larger ones. They are very colorful and complimentary to the car's color scheme giving it a terrific overall look.
This kit is well designed with excellent fit and the crisp moldings you would expect from a new tool. I would call it an upper-level transition kit for the moderately skilled builder just as Revell has rated it. The simplicity of the kit makes it appear that it was derived from a die cast or snap kit however. That also means that it was very easy to build and went together easily. The most difficult parts of the construction were the roll cage and decal application. But when you're finished with this easy builder you'll have and outstanding C7.R to display proudly. Thanks goes out to Revell for issuing this new kit and to IPMS USA for letting me share this review with everyone.


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SANTIAGO, Chile — Two months before Tamara Lagos was born in 1984, her father was killed by agents of the Chilean dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet.
Soon after, her mother took her into exile in Argentina. But when Lagos finally returned to Chile five years later, she was unable to secure a birth certificate with her father's surname because he wasn't alive to claim her as his child. The quest for redress eventually led her to the Supreme Court, which finally ordered the Chilean civil registry in April to correct Lagos' identity document.
Even so, she doesn't have a sense of closure.
"My father was killed 35 years ago, the same 35 years that I've been on this Earth," she told The Associated Press. "The ruling is not enough to repair it. It's not enough to do justice. It's not enough to become a source of joy."
Like many others, Lagos is one of Chile's "posthumous children," those who lost one or both of their parents during the 1973-1990 Pinochet regime. Some have fought decades-long legal battles demanding to be recognized as offspring of victims, while others have struggled to obtain accurate identification with the names of their biological parents.
Chile's Human Rights Program declined to give AP the number of cases similar to that of Lagos. But there are nine instances listed in the 1991 records of a Chilean truth commission that quantified the number of people killed and entitled their direct relatives to compensation.
Luciano Aedo, whose father was also killed by dictatorship agents in the same operation that left Lagos' father dead, said he has been attempting to be recognized as Luciano Aedo Arias' son since he was 19.
"I had to sue my (adoptive) father," he said. "In the beginning, it hurt him."
Since the Supreme Court ruling applied only to Lagos, Aedo is currently considered a legally illegitimate son and carries the name of his stepfather — another example of the difficulties faced by family members in the pursuit of justice for Pinochet-era crimes.
During the dictatorship, at least 3,095 people were killed, according to government figures, and tens of thousands more were tortured or jailed for political reasons.
Chilean courts have made progress by appointing special judges exclusively dedicated to cases of human rights violations, with 447 defendants sentenced and an additional 1,328 put on trial between 2000 and 2018. An amnesty law issued by Pinochet in 1978 shielded offenders who committed human rights abuses during the dictatorship's first five years, but has also not been applied since 1990, leading to the prosecution of hundreds of others.
Despite the strides, however, Chile continues to uphold deep barriers against the children of leftist dissidents killed during the brutal regime.
In 1994, Lagos was formally recognized as an illegitimate daughter. That allowed her to pursue a university degree for free and obtain a monthly pension of about $57 while she studied — one of the benefits granted to the relatives of dictatorship victims. But the designation still suggested she had been born out of wedlock.
In 1998, legislation retracted the requirement that children's status at birth be listed on their legal document. The law, however, only applied to children born after that year, leaving many — including those orphaned for reasons unrelated to the dictatorship — at a loss.
For a long time, Lagos focused on a lawsuit against the government aimed at securing justice over her father's execution. A court eventually ruled that two assassins were involved in the killing, but said it could not determine who took the fatal shot. That case is currently being appealed.
Separately, Lagos filed a formal suit in 2018 against the Chilean civil registry over the exclusion of her father's name on her identity document. Rodrigo Bustos, head of the National Human Rights Institute's legal department, said the institute helped with the case because Lagos "was suffering an infringement on her human rights."
"She wasn't being recognized as a daughter," Bustos said.
More than three decades after Lagos was born, such efforts finally paid off when the country's highest court said she had been discriminated against and was the legitimate child of Mario Lagos Rodríguez.
The civil registry declined repeated requests for an interview.
But in a written response to a questionnaire from AP, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said challenges remain.
"There's still a lot to be done until we can fully achieve the objective of knowing the truth, achieving justice, the reparation of victims and establishing the no-repetition guarantees," said Bachelet, who endured torture during the dictatorship and is now the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. "These goals are essential and they're irreplaceable."
Bachelet added that renouncing the search for truth about the whereabouts of those who were forcibly disappeared "is not an option" and that those responsible must be chased and tried for their crimes "regardless of how much time has passed."
But for Lagos and others, prosecution is still lacking — partly because testimony revealing the names of some 28,000 torturers remains a legal secret and can only be released in 2054.
Lorena Pizarro, president of a group of relatives of the detained and disappeared, said Lagos' situation and her long wait "is part of the tragedy."
"It's part of the demand for total truth and full justice," she said.


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Immediate Need: (315) 536-3391
Memorial Visitation at Funeral Home
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Sunday, January 9, 2022
Townsend-Wood & Zinger Funeral Home
201 East Elm Street
Penn Yan, New York, United States
Memorial Service
4:00 pm
Sunday, January 9, 2022
Townsend-Wood & Zinger Funeral Home
201 East Elm Street
Penn Yan, New York, United States
Final Resting Place
Bath National Cemetery
San Juan Ave.
Bath, New York, United States
Obituary of Debra L. Burnham
Please share a memory of Debra to include in a keepsake book for family and friends.
Debra L. Burnham, 58, of Penn Yan, passed away on Monday, January 3, 2022 at home surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Plattsburgh, New York on November 4, 1963 the daughter of Paul S. and Karen J. (Mungall) Nissen. Debra served with the United States Air Force from 1981-1985.
Deb had a life long career in transportation. She served as the transportation director for the Yates Arc, Arc of Steuben, Hornell City School District, and most recently for the Waterloo and Seneca Falls School Districts.
Deb had a great passion for life and love for her family. She loved gardening, being outdoors, hunting, fishing and riding the Gator. She enjoyed watching good movies, crocheting and painting her nails.
She is survived by her husband of 10 years, Chad Burnham; daughter, Deanna (Ricky) Simpson of Penn Yan; son, Anthony (Cassie) Gleason of Farmington; her mother, Karen Nissen of Penn Yan; sister, Deanna Nissen of Canandaigua; brother, Daniel (Bonnie) Nissen of Dundee; four grandchildren; and four nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her father, Paul Nissen.
Relatives and friends are invited to call on Sunday, January 9, 2022 from 2-4 pm at Townsend-Wood & Zinger Funeral Home, 201 E. Elm St., Penn Yan. Her memorial service will follow at 4:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Wilmot Cancer Center-UR Medicine, Be the Match donor program, American Red Cross-Blood Drive, Hope Lodge Hospitality House in Rochester, Yates County Veterans Services, Hope Walk of Yates County, Thrive to Survive in Geneva or The Living Well.


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Happy 2020! I hope you had a fabulous holiday season and did something festive to bring in the New Year. It seems kinda weird to say we're in 2020 when there's been so much conversation about how 2020 defines the future. I mean, the movie Blade Runner was set in 2019!
With the New Year often comes a rush of adrenaline, we're super jazzed about putting the past behind us and focusing on the future. We often have new goals or resolutions. Maybe we've made the commitment to start something new like a class or developing a new habit.
One thing that is important to keep in mind is taking care of ourselves. Today's Time Well Spent from our friends at Kronos reminded me of that. While I'm excited about the new year and all of the new projects I'm working on, I need to take care of me. Wellbeing matters! That includes getting the right amount of sleep. Here are a few articles that might help you balance your personal and professional life.
You Can Work from Anywhere – But That Doesn't Mean You Should
Technology is a wonderful thing that can give us flexibility. We can quickly take care of a work emergency and get on with our fun. But we must be careful not to let those 5-minutes here and 10-minutes there rob us of our time to relax and recharge.
Tips for Practicing Self-Care at Work
Organizations and individuals want the same thing. Finding ways to de-stress can help our personal wellbeing to professionally perform at our best. Don't overlook these important self-care tips.
5 Tips for Managing Stress at Work
According to The American Institute of Stress, our jobs cause the biggest stress in our lives. It can show up as yelling at co-workers, damage to property or machinery, or harm to our personal health. Simply ignoring the signs isn't the answer.
Employee Self-Care: 10 Ways Organizations Can Be Supportive
Companies looking to improve engagement and retention need to examine the ways they support employee wellbeing and self-care. And employees need opportunities to relax and recharge in order to do their best work.
The New Year is exciting. I know I'm ready to take on whatever it gives me. But I also need to remember to practice self-care so that I stay healthy, both physically and mentally.


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1.6 Million San Diegans Are Overweight or Obese
With 1.6 million people in the region tipping the scales, the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) today launched a major obesity-prevention media campaign.
Radio and television commercials are on air promoting easier access to locally-grown fresh food, nutritious meals in schools and safe bike paths and walkways. A new website, www.HealthyWorks.org, also gives people an opportunity make positive change in their community.
"Access to healthy choices, including healthy activities, is essential to prevent obesity," said Supervisor Pam Slater-Price, who is also Chair of the Healthy Works Leadership Team. "The County is committed to make the necessary changes to improve the health and well being of local residents."
The media campaign is a component of Healthy Works, a County health initiative—in collaboration with numerous community, governmental, and educational organizations—focused on environmental and systems changes designed to prevent obesity and promote healthier living.
Healthy Works is the local Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) program, a $16 million grant funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to address the obesity epidemic, a nationwide public health emergency.
"We need to improve our environment to allow greater opportunity for walking, biking and physical exercise," said Supervisor Ron Roberts, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. "We must assure that all levels in our community support these efforts. Government, businesses, neighborhoods, families and individuals all have a role to play."
Obesity has become an epidemic across the United States in the last 25 years. Locally, half of the region's 3.2 million residents are overweight or obese.
"We will provide the opportunities and the environment to help people be healthy," said Nick Macchione, HHSA Director. "A healthier San Diego County is within reach. The County has begun implementation of the Building Better Health component of Live Well, San Diego! a 10-year strategy to improve health in our region, and Healthy Works is a huge building block in this strategy."
Poor diet, lack of physical activity, and smoking are three behaviors that contribute to the four chronic diseases—heart disease, type 2 diabetes, lung disease and cancer— that are responsible for more than 50 percent of deaths in San Diego County.
"By focusing on the environment where people live, work, play, and learn, Healthy Works can reduce the toll of chronic diseases on San Diego County residents' health and well being," said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H, County Public Health Officer. "These diseases can be prevented. Sometimes a few lifestyle changes can make the difference
Max Sturman's "Obesity - The Solution"
Max Sturman has been writing books about this subject for years, and has recently been recognized by first lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign against obesity. Dennis moore has reviewed his book, "Obesity - The Solution," in the East County Magazine, as well as SDWriteway, where it is noted that first lady Michelle Obama has aligned herself with Walmart to combat obesity.


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1. single women (with very few exceptions) are slobs. i can name one who is not, and even she's turning.
2. never underestimate the ability of a straw hat to attract the opposite sex at a drinking establishment.
3. telling yourself you'll do a household chore and actually doing that chore are two very different things.
4. the quickest way to get people's attention is to fuck up the email server.
5. the 40 hour work week is at the same time the greatest development in modern employment and the bane of human existence.
6. packing a lunch and sitting by the river with a book beats the hell out of going to a restaurant 9 times out of 10.
7. the quickest way to get a phone call is to either start a big project or say "i'm going to lunch".
8. daunting projects really aren't that daunting once you cut the bullshit and get to work.
alright. carry on.


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Next steps in transport: Decarbonising mobility and reducing air pollution
The Scottish Government
In our webinar "Next steps in transport: Decarbonising mobility and reducing air pollution" on 5th November, 2020, Jennifer McVey
Head of Transport Strategy, The Scottish Government delivered a discussion on Scotland's National Transport Strategy.
You can watch the full webinar here for free and see what Jennifer had to say about decarbonising Scottish transport, along with our other expert panellists.
What will I learn about?
- Impact on travel demand
- Looking Ahead Trends
- National Transport Strategy
- Strategic Transport Projects
- Climate Change Plan Update
- And more
For a sneak peek of Jennifer's discussion, please download the below slides.