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Along the Wilderness Road, through Cumberland Gap,
The black ox hours limped toward Sunday's sun,
Across a buff clay belt with scrawls of stone,
Where bird and beast quailed in the bosom brush
From February's fang and claw; the stars,
Blue white, like sheer icicles, spired aglow
As if the three wise men barged in the East
Or priests in sackcloth balked the Scourge of God.
Foursquare by the rite of arm and heart and law,
The scrubby log cabin dared the compass points
Of Rock Spring farm, man's world, God's universe,
The babel of the circumstance and era.
The frozen socket of its window stared
Beyond the spayed crabapple trees, to where
The skulls of hills, the skeletons of barrens,
Lay quiet as time without the watch's tick.
Not knowing muck and star would vie for him,
The man Tom sank upon ax-split stool,
Hands fisted, feet set wide to brace the spirit,
Big shoulders shoved, dark hazel eyes glazed by
Grotesqueries of flame that yawled and danced
Up, up, the stick-clay chimney. While fire imps combed
The black and bristling hair, the acids of thoughts
Made of the orby face an etching-plate.
Near pyrotechnic logs, the purling kettle,
Aunt Peggy puffed her pipe on God's rich time:
A granny at a childbed on the border,
Where head and backbone answered the tomahawk
Her wise old eyes had seen a hundred Nancys
In travail tread the dark winepress alone;
Her wise old hands had plucked a stubborn breed
Into the outer world of pitch and toss.
The cabin that her myth and mission entered
Became a castle in which Aunt Peggy throned
A dynasty of grunts and nods and glances.
The nest, the barn, the hovel had schooled her in
The ABC of motherhood, and somehow
She'd lost her ego in the commonweal:
She sensed so accurately a coming child
That rakes dubbed her the St. Bernard of Sex!
And now her keyhole look explored Tom Lincoln
Beneath the patched homespun, the hue and cry
Of malice, until she touched his loneliness,
The taproot that his fiber gave no tongue.
Then, lulling the wife, troubled in flesh and mind,
She eased the sack quilts higher and mused the while:
There's but one way of coming into the world,
And seven times seventy ways of leaving it!
The woman Nancy, like a voyager sucked
Into the sea's whale belly by a wreck,
Buoyed to the surface air of consciousness
And clutched the solace of her corn-husk bed.
Her dark face, sharped in forehead, cheekbone, chin,
Cuddled in dark brown hair; her eyes waxed grayer
With wonder of the interlude: her beauty
And courage choked Aunt Peggy's hyperbole!
Out of the fog of pain, the bog of bygones,
The bag of cabin cant and tavern tattle,
She picked the squares to piece tomorrow's quilt:
She puzzled now, as then, about her father
Who let wild Lucy Hanks bundle and carry
Flesh of his flesh beyond the Cumberland Gap;
A strange roof is no roof when imps of fear
Pilfer the fatherless in blossom time.
Year in, year out, the daughter tinkered with
The riddle of her birth; the mother chided
The woman Nancy as she had the child,
"Hush thee, hush thee, thy father's a gentleman."
The butt of bawd, grand jury, Sunday bonnet,
Lucy, driven, taught her daughter the Word,
And Nancy, driven, taught her son the Word,
And Abraham, driven, taught his people the Word!
The man Tom bit his fingernails, then rammed
His pockets with the hector hands that gave
Raw timber the shape of cabinet and coffin,
And in his lame speech said: "Aunt Peggy, listen,
Now that our Nancy's time is come, I'm haunted
By my own nothingness. Why breed nobodies?"
He tapped the dirt floor with the iron-capped boot
That aided fist and skull in border fights.
Aunt Peggy counseled: "Tom, you say the say
Poor Joseph probably said in that low stable
Ere Jesus came into this mishmash world."
She paused, then boxed the ears of cynicism:
"It's true, down in the barnyard, blood speaks loud,
Among the hogs, the chickens, the cows, the horses;
But, when it comes to Man, who knows, who knows
What greatness feeds down in the lowliest mother?"
The man Tom turned and spat: his naked surmise
Ranged out and out. Aunt Peggy's innermost said:
"Your father Abraham, bred like Daniel Boone,
Conquered a land with gun and ax and plow,
Baptized it in his blood! I say, I've said,
What's in a baby is God Almighty's business;
How the elders wring it out is worry enough!
The best, the worst—it's all, all human nature."
The tavern, Tom remembered, the New Year's Eve,
The clubfoot scholar bagged in Old World clothes,
With arrowy eyes and a hoary mushroom beard.
An Oxford don, he hymned the Bastille's fall
In spite of the hair-hung sword; his betters set
Him free to hail new truths in new lands, where
He seined with slave and master, knave and priest,
And out of all fished up the rights of man:
"As Citizen Lincoln asks, 'What's human nature?'
His full mug says a clear mind puts the question
Which ties the fogey scholar in a knot!
My new idea fed to his new baby
Would fetch the New World and the New Year peace!
The sum of anything unriddles the riddle:
The child whose wet nurse is the mother-of-all
Grows like a pine unmarked by rock or wind.
"To make a New World and a New Year, Plato
And Jesus begged the boon of little children!
Now Citizen Lincoln asks, 'What's human nature?'
It's what we elders have: no baby has it.
It's what our good and bad graft on the neutral.
It's what our rulers feed the boy and girl.
It's what society garbs nature in.
It's a misnomer: call it human nurture!"
Aunt Peggy hovered closer, with flawless rites
Grown lyrical from habit: muffled pain sounds
Dragged from the bed of cleated poles; she hawed
Tom Lincoln, as one turns a nag aside,
Then swooped her way, even as a setting hen
Carves a dictatorship from yard to nest.
And Tom again was squeezed into a cell
Whose inmates were the ghosts of unsuccess.
Later his memories climbed a gala peak,
His Nancy's infare that ran riotous:
The bear meat, venison, wild turkey, duck,
The maple sugar hanging for the whiskey,
The red ham, gourds of syrup, bowls of honey,
The wood coal pit with brown and juicy sheep,
The guzzling, fiddling, guttling, monkeyshining:
A continent sprawled between that day and this!
A havenot on the frontier is no havenot;
A Crusoe without Friday has no conscience:
Yet Tom's grub living gnawed him like the teeth
Of slavery, land titles, melancholy.
He, like his forebears, visioned a Promised Land
And tidied ways and means to fly the barrens
That doomed the flesh to peck, to patch, to pinch,
And wrung the soul of joy and beauty dry.
The black ox hours limped by, and day crawled after.
White prongs of ice, like dinosaur fangs, gleamed in
The cavernous mouth of Rock Spring; snowbirds shivered
And chirped rebellion; a cow with jags and gaps
Chewed emptily; hogs squealed in hunger fits;
And scrags of dogs huddled against the chimney,
Which shoveled smoke dust into the throats and noses
Of ragged winds kicking up snow in the desert.
Nancy lay white, serene, like virgin milk
After the udder's fury in the pail.
Beneath the sack quilts and the bearskin robe,
In yellow petticoat and linsey shirt,
The baby snuggled at her breast and gurgled—
An anonymity of soft red wrinkles.
Aunt Peggy, hovering, grinned, "He's Sabbath-born.
Remember …Sunday—it's red-letter day!"
Like ax and helve, like scythe and snath, the bond
Held Tom and Nancy; she smiled at his halt smile,
His titan's muss in picking up the baby.
Tom frowned and spat, then gulped, "He's legs! All legs!"
Aunt Peggy beamed, "Long legs can eat up miles."
Tom gloomed, "The hands—look at the axman's hands!"
And Nancy mused, "The Hankses' dream, the Lincolns',
Needs such a man to hew and blaze the way."
Melvin Tolson, "Abraham Lincoln of Rock Spring Farm" from Harlem Gallery and Other Poems of Melvin B. Tolson (Charlottesville: The University Press of Virginia, 1999)
Source: "Harlem Gallery" and Other Poems of Melvin B. Tolson (University Press of Virginia, 1999)


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As I gear up for the upcoming Fall Trunk Show Season I am left reflecting on the designers and their new collections. This weekend (November 3rd – 5th) EA will be showcasing the gorgeous gowns Reem Acra has created for her Fall 2012 Bridal collection.
Reem Acra grew up surrounded by fashion. As a young girl her grandmother, who created handmade silk flowers, introduced her to the world of art. The Lebanese designer then studied design at the prestigious Esmod Ecole de Mode of Design in Paris and the world-renowned Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. In 1997 she launched her bridal collection and has been a staple in the niche market ever since.
6 years after launching her Bridal collection Reem entered into the world of RTW. She uses rich colors, lush fabrics, and playful patterns to create effortlessly chic gowns. These fashion combinations have made her gowns a staple on the red carpet and in return Reem Acra has dressed some of Hollywood's elite style icons including: Angeline Jolie, Eva Longoria and Beyonce to name a few.
What makes her gowns so unique is that they speak to a variety of women. Ms. Acra's attention to detail is seen in every flawlessly constructed gown. The Fall 2012 Bridal collection has the perfect gown for any bride.

subset: commoncrawl


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Studying abroad is quite a difficult task for students. It becomes more difficult for students who work and are pursuing their courses for higher studies abroad at the same time. Students studying in Ireland get a lot of opportunities.
It is home to many poets and philosophers. The quality of education, excellent standards of education, and its comfortable atmosphere are one of the biggest reasons why Ireland is one of the best destinations to study abroad. Education fees in Ireland are very reasonable and many students pursue their higher studies there. All information is readily available from the best overseas education consultants in Delhi.
Job Opportunities as a Part-Time in Ireland
The freedom to do part-time jobs in Ireland for worldwide college students might be one of the fundamental motives why worldwide college students are continually on their feet to visit and study in this country. A part-time worker in Ireland is a person who works for fewer hours a week than a normal or full-time worker. The Protection of Employees Act 2001 protects workers as part-time workers in Ireland. This act of rules generally applies to people who are working part-time and who:
- Always share their work with others
- Are employed based on a staffing agency
- Have a written settlement in place
- Consider doing an apprenticeship
- Hold a function withinside the provider of the state
What are the eligibility criteria?
International college students are usually on a hunt for part-time jobs in Ireland that they can pursue after their university hours to earn a little pocket cash. Part-time jobs are general to be the ones for worldwide college students who meet the eligibility criteria. You can know about these conditions from a study abroad consultant.
- Those who're enrolled in a full-time job for at least one year. The degree they are pursuing must have a minimal NFQ stage 7 qualification and should be identified through the Minister of Education and Skills for a stamp.
GNIB registration is needed as quickly as you arrive in Ireland. Students who meet the
- Mentioned necessities and desire to get employed in Ireland have to moreover get a Personal Public Services Number (PPS Number).
- Only people with a legitimate PPS Number can be paid at jobs, and the cash can be despatched to an Irish financial institution account.
International college students have to additionally comply with all of the eligibility criteria, consisting of the Universal Social Contribution (USC), Pay Related Social
- Insurance (PRSI), employment, and taxation.
How can you get a part-time job in Ireland?
Let's find a solution to the utmost regularly requested questions which might be a way to get a part-time job in Ireland. The below-stated factors will help you with this question:
- Your first step has to be to check in yourself at e-recruitment structures for jobs, no matter what is your diploma or experience.
- Try to look for jobs associated with the path you are pursuing to decorate your skillset.
- You can use e-recruitment websites to look for part-time jobs.
- Along with the location, you can aid by using process title, skills, firms and industries, no. of hours of work, wages, etc.
- To locate part-time job placements in your chosen region, use the extra 'part-time' option.
Carefully examine the process description and put together a CV and a letter highlighting your qualifications. You can study the exceptional CV Formats right here at the same time while making your CV.
If you want further details on how to find jobs in Ireland, then admissify is your best companion. Admissify is a study abroad consultant in Delhi and assists the student with finding jobs and courses for them.


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Siberian pea tree (Caragana arborescens), or Siberian peashrub, is a perennial shrub or small tree up to 6 m tall, with edible pods and seeds. The seeds are small but produced in abundance with 4-6 seeds per pod.
It was taken to the United States by Eurasian immigrants who used it as a food source while travelling west, but it also has many other beneficial properties.
Why We Like It
This plant has so many things going for it, and some of the beneficial aspects are part of the reason for why it's deemed an invasive plant in some parts of the world. It just thrives where other plants don't, which is good for those who have less than optimal soil on their land.
Here are some of the top things we like about this plant:
- The seeds are edible (and contains 12.4% of a fatty oil and up to 36% protein)
- The flowers are also edible, and can be used in salads.
- It improves the soil by fixing nitrogen
- It tolerates a variety of soils (but prefers good drainage)
- It is drought tolerant
- It has no known serious disease problems
- It has an extensive root system, and can be used in erosion control
- The fragrant flowers attract bees and other beneficial insects
- It can feed livestock
- It makes a good windbreak or hedge
- A fibre from the bark can be used to make cordage
John Kitsteiner of Temperate Climate Permaculture calls the siberian pea shrub a "Permaculture super-plant" and we couldn't agree more.
Where To Get It
United States
Agroforestry Research Trust (seeds / plant)
Learn More
Plants For a Future
Temperate Climate Permaculture


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Benchmarking enables you to compare the quality and performance of your programs against other programs on the market. It looks at media plans
Set Up Benchmarking
In order to look at comparisons, you will need to start by identifying the programs you want to track. Don't forget to include your program in the list!
Go to the Benchmarking Tab to get started.
If you have not set up benchmarking, this screen will be empty.
Press Add Program to find programs you want to monitor and compare.
The Add Program box will provide a list of programs immediately. However, you likely want specific programs, in which case you can use the Search and Channel filter.
The Search will help you find programs by Program Name. The name could include the specific brand such as Wired, call letters such as WABC, or even a city such as Boston.
Channel Filter
The channel filter can be use separate or in combination with the program name search.
As you find the programs you want to benchmark, place a check mark next to the Program name and press the Add button.
Repeat this as needed to include all of the Programs you want to compare.
The programs you selected will appear in your Benchmarking view automatically.
*The data in the screenshot below is for visualization purposes and does not reflect real data in Bionic
Note that the Benchmarking tab is specific to you. Other users in your company can compare against programs of specific interest to them.
Understanding Benchmarking Results
Understanding the data and results is easy!
Each program you selected to compare will display in your view.
Program Name - This is the name of the Program (brand/station, etc). You can click on the name of the Program to see a read-only view of the Program listing, which include the description, contacts, profile, and Product listing.
Vendor Name - This is the company that owns or represents the program.
Quality - The Quality score is based on a 1-100 scale that looks at the presence of specific data in the program listing such as Description, an Image, Products, Contacts, etc. Learn more about quality and how to improve quality scores.
Visibility - The Visibility indicates whether the program is a Premium or Standard listing. Premium listings receive higher visibility to media planners when they are researching programs to include in their media plans. Learn more about Low and High Visibility.
# Placements - This will provide a total count of the number of placements the program has been added to within agency media plans. While helpful alone to see activity, it can also be used in conjunction with the $ Placements to get a sense of average placement spend.
$ Placements - This is a sum of the total spend for this program across all placements. This may not reflect the true total, as some agencies do not include specific amounts in their media plans.
Market Share - This reflects the percent of market share for this program against the other programs in this view.
Limiting View By Time
Data reflected in benchmarking looks across all time. While this can be useful, putting focus to a specific period of time can help look at trends and changes that may have impacted your business.
For example, you may want to look at a comparison of data for last year to see where things stood. Then use that to set goals and track data for this year.
Use the Date Filter to select a time frame to limit data to.
Data will automatically update to reflect for that time period.
Removing Programs
If there are specific programs you no longer want to include in your benchmarking, you are able to remove them. You can always add them back later as needed.
Select the Program(s) you want to remove by placing a check mark next to each.
Press the Remove button to remove from the view.
Downloading Benchmark Data
If you need to present these insights to people, or want to keep a copy of the current data, you are able to download it.
Just press the Download button.
The file will open in Excel so you can then save to your computer.


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There are an estimated 61,000 people living in modern slavery in Saudi Arabia (GSI 2018). It is a source and destination country for men and women trafficked from South and South East Asia and Africa. People voluntarily migrate to the country to work in a variety of sectors including construction and domestic service; many of these workers are vulnerable to forced labour. Traffickers and brokers often illegally recruit migrants to work in Saudi Arabia and subsequently forced them into domestic servitude or debt bondage. Female domestic workers are particularly at risk of trafficking due to their isolation inside private residences. Non-payment or late payment of wages remains a complaint from foreign workers, while employer's withholding of worker's passports remains a significant problem. Trafficking perpetrators include businesses of all sizes, private families, recruitment companies in both Saudi Arabia and labor-sending countries and organized criminal elements.
Fatima N., worked as a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia for almost ten years without pay.
They had my passport … They kept my iqama. My family asked me to return home. I asked my sponsor if I could return home, but they always refused. I was sad, I wanted to see my parents…. That's why I want to go home, because my father passed away while I was here. I asked if I could go to the funeral, but they didn't give me permission
They also put the phone in their room when they went out so I couldn't make a phone call.
I arrived in 1997, and I have never received any salary…. They got angry when I asked about my salary.
Narrative as told to Human Rights Watch for their report "As If I Am Not Human":Abuses against Asian Domestic Workers in Saudi Arabia.
All credit given.


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A second lawmaker filed a formal complaint on Tuesday accusing Sen. Jeff Kruse, R-Roseburg, of unwanted touching, even after she asked legislative lawyers to intervene.
In her complaint, Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, D-Portland, detailed a recent conversation with Kruse in which she explained why his behavior bothered her.
Steiner Hayward's complaint said Sen. Kruse started to touch her more in 2015, including very close hugs, putting his hands on her thigh and sitting close enough that his leg touched hers.
After a more recent meeting in her legislative office, on Oct. 19 of this year, Steiner Hayward said she reached out to the Republican lawmaker to shake his hand.
"This time, however, he took my right hand with his right hand, placed his left hand underneath our hands, and brought my hand up and kissed it," Steiner Hayward wrote.
Steiner Hayward said in her complaint that his response was to explain, "he's a hugger" and note he was not interested in having sex with her.
Steiner Hayward said she reiterated to him why his behavior made her uncomfortable, to which he replied, according to the complaint, "I really don't see why this is such a big deal."
Steiner Hayward said she first tried to explain to Kruse why she felt his behavior was problematic starting in 2015.
"I told him on several occasions that I was uncomfortable with this level of physical contact, that it was unprofessional, and that as a survivor of domestic violence those behaviors were particularly problematic for me," Steiner Hayward wrote.
Earlier this month, state Sen. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, gave a detailed account of Kruse's alleged harassment of her at the Oregon Capitol. She accused him of touching her breasts and placing his hand on her thigh under a dais. In her complaint, she also stated as many as 15 other women have accused Kruse of unwanted touching. Kruse was stripped of his committee assignments because of the allegations of inappropriate touching.
Both Gelser and Steiner Hayward mention there are other "women staff members and lobbyists who have also been subjected to inappropriate behavior by Sen. Kruse."
Kruse has already been relieved of his committee assignments and had the door removed from his Senate office for smoking. Gelser has asked for his expulsion from the Senate.
For formal complaints, there is an independent fact-finding investigation by someone unaffiliated with the legislative branch. An investigation is underway. Investigators make a report to a special committee on conduct, which exists in both chambers. That committee then conducts what essentially amounts to a hearing. Both the accused lawmaker and alleged victim present testimony and witnesses to the committee.
Steiner Hayward said she ultimately decided to file a formal complaint because of Kruse's "repeated denials of inappropriate behavior" and that he refused to acknowledge that she "had the right to determine what (she) considered appropriate physical interactions."


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The Wuhan coronavirus is shuttering factories and stymieing economic activity in Asia as millions of people stay home either by choice or government order. Clearly the shutdown is most pervasive in China's Hubei province, where the outbreak originated, and where tens of millions of people will remain at home while many of their fellow citizens return to work on Monday.
Yet in today's highly interconnected economy, the fallout won't restrict itself to Hubei, or even China. This is particularly true of energy markets; China is, of course, the largest energy consumer in the world in absolute terms, accounting for some 54% of Asia's consumption (seven times that of Japan in 2018).
Put another way, when China coughs, global energy suppliers get sick – and early indications suggest that this could be a nasty bug indeed.


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Paolo Ventura
Ex Voto
FLATLAND Gallery
dal 19 Settembre al 24 Ottobre 2020
FLATLAND Gallery
dal 19 Settembre al 24 Ottobre 2020
Amsterdam's FLATLAND Gallery presents the new work of Paolo Ventura. The work was created just before Covid-19 ruled over the north of Italy and sadly took so many lives. Ex Voto is something you see in the many chapels in Italy, traditional paintings that show gratitude to specific Saints for protection against tragic events. Especially in the Latin world, there is a tradition of votive paintings, typically depicting a dangerous incident which the offerer survived.
The new series of Paolo Ventura, G.R. Grazia Ricevuta are inspired by these Ex-Voto -paintings presented in Italian chapels, but represent miracles much more surreal and strange with the same powerful narration than an original Ex Voto. In light of what is happening today, the timing of the creation of Ex Voto, G.R. Grazia Ricevuta is most extraordinary.
Paolo Ventura is one of the most celebrated Italian photographers today. Known for his post-photography art works, hand made sets, furnished with his own creations, tiny constructions that are translated by Ventura into the two dimensions of a photograph, often painted over to enhance it unique characteristics.
This book represents the first extensive monograph dedicated to the work of Paolo Ventura (Milan, 1968). Having established himself in the field of artistic photography, Ventura offered a singular and absolutely original interpretation of staged photography, an art form in which photography is the final product of a creative process which, in his case, involves the preparation of scenarios and mannequins: the latter, together with real characters among which the artist himself often appears, are the protagonists of his stories.
In these three-dimensional settings Ventura recreates, and then fixes through photography, a mental space that refers to the atmosphere of "magical realism" and to the fairytale flavor of childhood, generating a deliberately surreal contrast with the depth of some topics involved (such as war, abandonment, memory, identity).
The volume offers an overall look at the artist's fifteen years of activity, showcasing twenty-one series from 2005 to the present time, highlighting the evolution of his language which, in addition to photography, is also expressed through drawings.
The Spaces of Imagination
Walter Guadagnini
Paolo Ventura
Francine Prose
Interview with Paolo Ventura
Monica Poggi
War Souvenir
Winter Stories
The Automaton
Civil War
Behind the Walls
L'archivio ritrovato di V.P.
Lo zuavo scomparso
Short Stories
Via Emilia
Morte e resurrezione #1
La città bianca
Morte e resurrezione #2
Collage Eclipse
Il suonatore di trombone
La storia del pittore
Ex voto
Grazia ricevuta
Quarantine Diary
List of Works
Exhibition and Public Collections
Selected Bibliography


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September 2007 |
Pet Appreciation Day! – Saturday October 6th, 2007Please join us for another fun-filled and educational day in celebration of you and your pets! The events will include: Ask The Professionals Booths – All DayGrooming – Groomers Shannan and Kathy will be on-hand to demonstrate how pets are groomed and to answer questions about which grooming tools you should use with your pet. Nail trims will only be $4 and all proceeds will be donated to the Bangor Humane Society Shed & Emily Fund. Training & Behavior Counselors – Members of our training staff will be available to answer questions about training and your dog's behavior. Nutrition – Our retail staff and representatives from food companies will be on hand to answer questions about pet nutrition and help you find the best foods for your pet. Training Clinics & Informational Sessions9AM & 3PM—Recall Clinic—Learn how to teach your dog to come reliably with help from the Green Acres' training staff. Practice in the training field with professional assistance. 10AM-11AM—Maine's Animal Welfare Program—Norma Worley, Director of Maine's Animal Welfare Program, will discuss what Maine is doing to protect animals and how your purchasing of a license for your dog is essential to the success of what they do. 10AM & 4PM—Walking Politely Clinic—Let our training staff teach you how to keep your dog from pulling on leash and to walk nicely by your side, without using a choke or prong collar. Handouts and opportunities to practice will be available. To guarantee your place in any of the above sessions, please register ahead of time by sending in a $5 registration fee to reserve your spot. All registration fees will be donated to the Bangor Humane Society Shed and Emily Fund. Walk-ins will be allowed as space permits. Just For Fun12PM-The Precious Pet Show– This event is for children and their dogs and cats. Each child will tell the judges and audience about how they take care of their pet and their pet's personality. Ribbons will be awarded to each entrant based on the presentation and the pet's unique characteristics. Rules are: 1) children must be between five and twelve and accompanied by an adult, 2) pets must be current on vaccinations and must not be fearful or aggressive, 3) dogs must be on a 6 foot leash attached to a regular flat collar, head halter or harness. Choke and prong collars are NOT allowed, and 4) cats must be in a plastic or metal carrier or on a secure harness and leash. Entry forms can be obtained at Green Acres or at our website (www.greenacreskennel.com). The $5 entry fee will be donated to the Bangor Humane Society Shed & Emily Fund. Sales (effective SAT October 6th through SAT October 13th)Wysong—Buy any size of Wysong dog or cat dry food and get a coupon for a second one free. Coupons are for the same formula and size and must be redeemed before the end of the year. Limited to one per family. Eagle— Buy any size of Eagle dog or cat dry food and get a coupon for a second one free. Coupons are for the same formula and size and must be redeemed before the end of the year. Limited to one per family. Merchandise—All non-food merchandise is 10% off. Discount does not apply for items purchased with coupons or other discount offers. Don't Let Your Walk Be A Drag!Learn How to Make Walking Your Dog Easy and Fun!If walking the dog means the dog is choking and gasping for breath and the joints in your arm are being stretched to the point of discomfort – You need help! Green Acres' Certified Pet Dog Trainers will be at the Bangor Humane Society Paws on Parade on Saturday September 29th to provide you with the help you need. There will be demonstrations on teaching your dog to walk with slack in the leash. We will also be offering a $3 discount on the SENSE-ible Dog Harness™, Easy Walk Harness and Gentle Leader® Head Halter and will give you an additional $3discount if you trade in your choke collar or prong collar. If you cannot make it to Paws on Parade, join us for one of our two Walking Politely clinics at Green Acres' Pet Appreciation Day on Saturday, October 6th where you will receive the same discount. Taking a walk with your canine companion should be a fun and enjoyable experience for both of you. Dogs can learn to walk politely on a leash, but it takes lots of rewards, patience, consistency and time on your part. Until you have taught your dog this important lesson, tools such as the SENSE-ible Dog Harness™, Easy Walk Harness and Gentle Leader® Head Halter can help you both enjoy your walk in good health and safety. Unlike choke collars and prong collars they give you control without causing the dog pain and discomfort – just what you want for your furry friend! BHS Paws on ParadeHi! My name is Dulcie and 8 years ago I was running wild and scared on the streets of Bangor before finding a temporary home at the Bangor Humane Society. The kind, compassionate staff and volunteers at BHS cleaned me up, fed me and helped me find a new home with my guardians, Don and Paula Hanson, at the Green Acres Kennel Shop. If not for BHS, I might not be here to help my dad write this letter. Even though I found a new home, there are still thousands of homeless dogs and cats in our area that will need the services of the Bangor Humane Society this year. BHS depends on donations from people like you. One way you can help is by participating in the 14th annual Paws on Parade on Saturday September 29th. This event raises funds that go If you cannot participate in this year's event yourself, consider sponsoring one of the many Green Acres staff members who will again be walking in Paws on Parade. If you would like to sponsor one of them, you can sign their pledge form at the store or mail your contribution to us at the store. Thank you! Dulcie Pictures with SantaSanta Claus will be at Green Acres the evenings of October 11th and 12th to pose with your pets for pictures. Limited spaces are available, so if you want that holiday portrait, call us soon at 945-6841 to reserve your spot. Appointments will be available from 4PM until 8PM each day. The cost is $15/pet. The photographer will take several pictures which will be available for you to pickup on a CD at Green Acres within 10 days of the event. New ProductsYöghund Organic Yogurt for DogsWe all like to give our dogs the occasional treat and what could be better than giving them a treat that is also healthy! Yöghund Organic Frozen Yogurt has all of the health benefits of live cultures, organic bananas, organic peanuts and spring water. Most important to your dog – it tastes great! Get a coupon here. New ToysThe Huck, Zisc and Hurley are all made from Zogoflex™ a tough new material that floats high in the water and stands up to tough chewing. They come in a variety of sizes and colors and are 100% guaranteed by the manufacturer, West Paws Design. These toys are also easy on the environment as they are recyclable. In fact, they will take their products back for recycling if your dog ever gets bored with it. Get a coupon here. The Busy Buddy tug-a-jug™ from Premier is designed to keep your buddy busy! It looks like a plastic bottle with a rope and chew ball at one end. You can open the bottle and fill it with treats or part of your dogs daily kibble ration which will be dispensed intermittently as they play with the toy. Like the Buster® Cube and Kong® the tug-a-jug™ is a great way to keep your precocious pup occupied. All dogs, especially puppies, like toys that squeak. Premier's new line of squeeze meeze™ latex toys not only squeak, but many stick out their tongue or tail. Available in various sizes and colors, there is sure to be one that will bring joy to every dog. Cuddly toys are also favorites with many dogs especially the retrievers. Coleman has a wide range of soft toys for your best friend to carry around, thrash and sleep with. Available as a Bison, Moose, Octopus, Duck, Raccoon and many other varieties. Bach Rescue Remedy PastillesRescue Remedy is now available in solid form as a chewy pastille with natural orange and elderflower flavors. A tin fits conveniently in a purse, briefcase or backpack, allowing you to keep natural stress relief close at hand for yourself or your dog. Get a coupon here. Kennel & Staff NewsVoted "Bangor's Best Kennel" 6th Year RunningFor the sixth year in a row, Green Acres Kennel Shop has been voted the Bangor Region's Best Kennel in a survey conducted by Market Surveys of America. For the first time, Green Acres was also voted the Bangor Region's Best Pet Store. This is the first time this designation has been offered. The staff of Green Acres wants to thank our wonderful clients for honoring us with these awards. Don and Paula are grateful to have such a fantastic, caring staff that shares their commitment to the Green Acres' Pet Friendly philosophy. Market Surveys of America is a survey company independent of any newspaper or magazine publication. Their "Best of the Best" winners are determined by tallied public ballots taken throughout each specific region, and by their website (http://www.bestofsurveys.com). Aggression SeminarIn July, Don Hanson and Kate Dutra traveled to New Hampshire to attend a two day seminar on companion animal aggression. The seminar introduced a new technique developed at the University of North Texas to work with several types of animals with various types of aggression issues. Don and Kate will be looking at ways of incorporating the technique into the treatment protocols they currently use with their clients who have aggressive pets. Joel Walton SeminarOn August 4th, Joel Walton, author of Positive Puppy Training Works and Labrador Retrievers for Dummies, lectured to a full house comprised of trainers, shelter workers and pet guardians from around the state. Green Acres' Trainers Kate Dutra, Don Hanson, Jessica Hofmeyer, Christie Mahaffey, Joel Mahaffey, Brenda Merrill, Becky Ruggiero and Angela Sedgwick were in attendance. Topics covered were the MRE (Management, Relate & Educate), SOAR (Simply Observe and Reward) and STAR (Simply Train and Reward) systems. Joel discussed the importance of bringing training into the daily routine and addressed several questions from the audience. Problem areas such as housetraining, leash pulling, aggression, and jumping were tackled (however, if you were to ask Joel the dogs really do not have problems, rather they have what we perceive as problems). Many thanks to Joel, for not only an educational and entertaining morning, but also his willingness to do the lecture pro bono so that all proceeds were able to be donated to the Bangor Humane Society. Animal Welfare Advisory CouncilGreen Acres co-owner Don Hanson, has been appointed to the Maine Animal Welfare Advisory Council (AWAC) by Governor Baldacci. AWAC advises the Commissioner of Agriculture on animal welfare laws and rules. Don represents boarding and breeding kennels on the council. Staff AnniversariesShannan Bodwell—August—20 years Welcome New StaffAaron Clark—Asst. Instructor |


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Southpace Properties
Jump to navigation
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Southpace Properties is a real-estate broker and developer founded in 1984 by John Lauriello and Bill McDavid. The company has been known for their commitment to rehabilitating historic structures in downtown Birmingham. Bryan Holt and Tyler Bradford joined the firm in 2011.
The company's first major development was the Berry Project, an adaptive re-use of several historic commercial buildings on the 2000 block of 2nd Avenue North.
- Cooper, Lauren B. (January 7, 2011) "Change on the way for Southpace Properties." Birmingham Business Journal
External links
- Southpace Properties website


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Victoria's ombudsman is investigating the health department's handling of border exemptions after more than 80 stranded Victorians have complained to the watchdog.
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The investigation will examine the department's use of discretion when it comes to decisions about interstate travel permits, exceptions, exemptions and relevant human rights considerations.
Among Victorians who have complained are children wanting to be with their parents after their school in NSW closed, and a woman who became stuck in NSW after a funeral.
It comes after Victoria closed the border to NSW on July 9 after declaring it as an "extreme risk zone".
Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass said cases of Victorians trying to get home had been raised with the state's health department and several have been resolved.
However, some complaints are continuing "raising potentially systemic issues about departmental decision-making".
She said it would be important to probe whether balance had been "fairly" assessed in decisions to grant border permits.
"The situation is increasingly urgent with the extended lockdown. Some people are telling my office they face effective homelessness, stuck interstate with nowhere else to go," she said.
"Cases that have come into my office have raised concerns about the exercise of discretion under the relevant public health directions.
"This will be a swift investigation to help the department identify if urgent improvements are needed in processes and decision making."
Nationals MP Peter Walsh, whose electorate runs along the border with NSW, welcomed the ombudsman's investigation and said his office had received "thousands of calls from Victorians at their wit's end" who want to come home.
"People are going to great lengths to get home, with many choosing to self-isolate in COVID-free border communities for two weeks even before they apply for an exemption," he said.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the "bureaucrats and public servants" who make decisions on border exemptions do try to strike the right balance.
"To try to strike that balance is incredibly emotional and challenging," he said.
"The ombudsman's free to look at whole range of different things and I wish her well in that work. The teams of public servants who make those decisions, they take their responsibilities very seriously."
The investigation will be completed by the end of this year and tabled in parliament.
Last week the state government said 200 stranded Victorians will be brought home though a home quarantine trial, with those eligible invited to apply for a new border permit.
On Wednesday, Mr Andrews said there were up to 6000 people trying to get home and the government was working to get those people home "as fast as we possibly can".
"We will use technology to do that. We will get everybody home, it's just going to take some time," he said.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has called for the government to bring all of those stranded home.
"There is a way to bring those Victorian home, we should be doing it, they should be home quarantining, that is a sensible and reasonable way to do it," he said.
Australian Associated Press


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If my kids grow up and decide that a vegan lifestyle is for them, I'll be happy to have the company.
By PopSugar — Written on Apr 10, 2018
Photo: reshot
You know those people you invite over for dinner only to immediately regret it because they have a million dietary restrictions and you can't think of one flipping thing to make for them? Hi, that's me.
I've been a vegetarian/vegan for close to 20 years now, which means no meat and very little dairy has passed my lips since my mom made a meatloaf cordon bleu around the fourth grade. Sorry, mom, but bacon, cheese, and hamburger meat? It was as scarring as it sounds. My parents tried to get me to eat chicken for a while after that fateful meal, but it was a struggle. They eventually accepted I wasn't going to eat meat — not then, not now, not ever.
RELATED: I've Been Vegan, Vegetarian, And Pescatarian: Here Are All The Pros & Cons Of Each
Today, I'm a mom to three kids, with another one on the way, and while they know mommy doesn't eat meat, they do, and I want it that way.If my children grow up and decide that a vegetarian or vegan diet is for them, I'll be happy to have the company. But for now, while they're growing, I firmly believe they need the protein and iron meat and dairy provide.
They should also try all kinds of foods before deciding to reject them, as I did. This is what I explain to them when they ask why mommy isn't having meatballs on her spaghetti, or why I don't want a bite of their chicken nuggets. I say that I've tried those things, and because I'm an adult, I can decide that I don't care to eat them. I also tell them that I've learned over the years how to eat properly to ensure I'm getting all the vitamins and minerals I need to stay healthy. Because, no, my darlings, fruit snacks don't count as a good source of protein.
To the parents out there who insist on a vegan lifestyle for their entire families, I can't say I get it. What's the point? I'd have to be a trained nutritionist to confidently shop for and prepare meals for kids of all ages that would check all the boxes of their changing dietary needs. It would be like a full-time job!
RELATED: What Happened When I Only Ate Fruits And Veggies For An Entire Week
Instead, I choose to let them eat like kids and explore their own tastes and philosophies toward eating. If my children want to try the tofu tenders I prepared for myself for dinner, great! If they'd prefer to stick with the pizza I let them make, I'm OK with that, too.
Feeling restricted by diets or eating ideologies shouldn't happen in childhood. Not that I view my food preferences as restrictive per say, but drive across country and try to find vegan options that aren't a pile of lettuce, and then you'll understand what I mean. I can only imagine how restricted my children would feel if they couldn't eat the cupcake at a friend's birthday party because it wasn't made with vegan icing, or they weren't allowed to enjoy pizza at the soccer team meeting because it didn't have almond cheese on it.
Related Stories From YourTango:
I just don't think it's necessary to impose my dietary lifestyle on others. And when it comes to my children, giving them the freedom to think about kid things and focus on a well-rounded, healthy approach to their meals and snacks will benefit them physically and mentally far more than an early introduction to veganism.
RELATED: How To Go Vegan In One Week: A 7-Day Detox Plan
This article was originally published at PopSugar. Reprinted with permission from the author.


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Document Type
Publication Date
Prentice Avery Meador, Jr. and Bob Chisholm's sermon, Cultivating Joy in a World of Manufactured Desire. This sermon is part 3 of the 10 part series, The Fruits of the Spirit, and was preached Sunday morning, July 11, 2004, at Prestoncrest Church of Christ in Dallas, Texas.
Recommended Citation
Sermon Cultivating Joy in a World of Manufactured Desire preached by Prentice Avery Meador, Jr. and Bob Chisholm on 11 July 2004, Prentice Avery Meador, Jr. Papers, 1953-2008. Center for Restoration Studies MS #325. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.


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Free Knitting Patterns: Women's Cardigans
Intermediate. Inspired by the traditional shearling style, this coat features dense double-loop stitch trim and a thin decorative stripe around the body.
The free knitting patterns linked to in directory are the property of the original pattern designer and are listed at KnittingHelp.com as a courtesy. Unless otherwise noted, KnittingHelp.com is not the designer or owner of these patterns. If you have a question regarding a pattern please try contacting the pattern designer. If you need assistance with a particular technique you may wish to ask other knitters in the KnittingHelp.com Forum.


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Multiple reports came in on May fourth to the local police that there was disorder and yelling in Judge Sander's courtroom. Police quickly came to the location of the situation, and found Philip Schroeder sitting on the steps outside of the courtroom. According to the call-in, a man had threatened to kill multiple people in the court.
Schroeder told the police that he was simply upset and didn't want to hurt anyone. Later on, police found out that Schroeder had lost the custody battle for his grandchildren. After talking to several witnesses, they said that Schroeder started screaming and said, "I'm so mad gonna get my gun and go down there."
Witnesses believe that Schroeder was talking about the local Department of Child Safety. Other witnesses said that Schroder told them, "I'm about to get a gun and go to their office and shoot them all." Later that day, an officer called the Department of Child Safety and spoke Supervisor Vikki Tores about the incident.


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We see more businesses take the online route to success. Even traditional brick-and-mortar firms are going online to enhance their outreach and improve their revenues. Companies are increasing their digital spending as they are continuously striving to stay ahead of their competition. Customers also find it easy to transact online or at least research the products they wish to purchase.
The threat of a data breach is immense, with even the best brands having faced a breach. Companies must protect their customer data and take the necessary steps to thwart any cyberattack. Studies show that global cybersecurity spending is expected to reach US$ 270 billion by 2026.
Find how to formulate a robust cybersecurity strategy to ensure the protection of incumbent data.
Getting started with the foundation
As a starting point, you must understand the digital assets of the business that must be protected. Next, you must know all IT assets you have and protect them from a data breach. It could be your servers, devices, or applications too. Also, try to understand the processes that will be affected in the event of a data breach.
The cybersecurity strategy will also depend on the risk appetite of the company. While creating the strategy, you must consider the types of attacks the business may face. The strategy must ensure that the business is optimally protected against external attacks. The framework must be such that it can prioritize legal requirements and consider the compliance frameworks in mind.
Understanding the Security Landscape
You must assess the threat landscape, too, and it would also cover the environment where your business operates. The threat perception must include the quantum and the type of data stored by your company. Do some research and find the types of cyberattacks that your business may face. You can also track your competitors and determine what steps they are taking and whether they had encountered any data breaches.
Try to assess the threats that have the maximum chance of affecting your business. Understanding these threats is critical as it can help you provide the steps you can take to prevent these attacks. Your team must be aware of the perceivable threats and gather as much knowledge as they can to stop them.
Check the Maturity Level of your Processes
When you are up against an unknown enemy, you must have a clear understanding of your capability and your strengths too. So, create a list of categories and subcategories and assess the strengths of the business in them. It will help you to know the areas where you must allocate additional resources.
Based on your assessment of the current state of the incumbent processes, set a goal about where you wish the cybersecurity program to be within the next five years. Next, you must build your strategies based on where you want to see the company in your chosen categories. Also, consider the biggest threats that you perceive and create the strategy accordingly.
Building the Ideal Strategy for your Organization
The cybersecurity strategy that you formulate must be created on a robust framework that considers the business's future environment and threat factors. Ensure that you are protecting the assets adequately and considering the enhancement of threats in the future. Create targets that can be met to improve the organization's cybersecurity procedures that can help mitigate the threats.
You must assess the technologies and the software you are using and the need to upgrade them. Based on the metrics selected, you may need to move to other advanced technologies in the future. It will depend on the security maturity in the organization and how your IT security team can respond to the ever-increasing threats to the business.
Installing an SSL certificate
One of the critical aspects of your cybersecurity strategy is to secure your website. First, you need to buy cheap SSL certificate from trusted SSL providers like CheapSSLShop.com. This certificate encrypts the communication between your web server and the visitor's browser. It will ensure that the desired recipient can read the messages and cannot be tampered with by any hacker.
Moving to the HTTPS platform will also help to enthuse trust in the visitors' minds to authenticate the website being visited. The padlock on the address bar eases the fears from the minds of the visitors, and you can have more visitors to your website. It can also help to improve your SEO and remove the security warnings from the browser. Many different brands certificates like Comodo SSL certificate, RapidSSL certificate, GeoTrust, GlobalSign, DigiCert and more available in market. You can choose any cert as per your site requirement.
Documenting the Strategies to be Implemented
Once you finalize the strategy, you must ensure that it is adequately documented. It will act as the standard operating procedure for the business in tackling cyber threats. The document must cover all the control plans and policies that you wish to implement across the organization. Also include the responsibilities that are associated with various stakeholders in the organization.
You may try to receive feedback from the team while you are creating the document. Also, evaluate whether your organization will be able to address the plans in the current scenario. Else, it would be best if you created a milestone-based plan. You must also include the additional effort you need to propagate your cybersecurity strategy to all departments across all your locations.
Request Expert Help
You can also take additional expert help from outside. A team of ethical hackers can help you assess the vulnerabilities in your systems and networks and suggest various ways to plug them. Penetration testing can help you prepare a robust security framework that will always keep your business ahead of hackers.
The external consultants can help your internal by handholding them through the initial stages and train with the latest cybersecurity practices. External help is ideal for small companies, but you must undertake proper due diligence before enlisting their services. You can request their assistance in updating the cybersecurity strategy too.
Train Your Employees
You must train your employees in the cybersecurity policies that your company undertakes. You must ensure that the employees are aware of the cybersecurity strategy and adhere to them. It will also help them be mindful of how hackers can lure them into activities to access your networks.
Inform your employees about the global best practices for creating passwords. Also, inform them not to access your networks through public wi-fi systems that are insecure. It would help if you also had strict access restriction mechanisms for critical data. Only employees with requisite authority should have access to such data.
The threat to your data has been increasing over time:
- You must have robust processes to help your IT security team prevent any data breaches. These processes must be formulated keeping the overall threat in mind.
- Your team must identify threats and respond to them proactively.
- You must develop a robust security policy, and we have discussed how you can achieve this in this article.


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History resonated into the present day for pupils from Wales when they visited the First World War battlefields of France and Belgium and laid wreaths in remembrance of relatives who lost their lives a century ago.
Some of the group of 50 13 and 14-year-olds from Bryntirion Comprehensive School in Bridgend were the first in their families to lay wreaths for relatives as part of the trip organised by history teacher Jane Walker.
The group said they will never forget lessons learned seeing the battlefields where millions died.
They have been studying the conflict in the classroom, but said nothing could replicate the impact of seeing the locations first-hand and walking in the footsteps of those who fought a century ago.
Under the guidance of battlefield experts, the year nine pupils said they gained an impression of the realities of trench warfare as they explored underground dugouts, traversed immense mine craters and saw authentic uniforms, gas masks and weapons that had once been used to horrifying effect.
As these experiences took place in the shadow of seemingly endless rows of white headstones, many pupils were moved to tears hearing personal stories such as that of the Destrube brothers, who were killed together in a protective embrace and now share a single grave.
Pupil Molly Cook said: "This experience was eye-opening. I knew that millions were lost but I did not truly understand how many until I saw endless names carved on the memorials.
"These soldiers encapsulate the importance of educating each other about the realities of war. Everyone should hear their stories."
Poignantly, those who had relatives killed in the First World War were also able to lay poppies at their gravesides.
Rhys Walters said it was important not to forget family connections to this conflict. The 13-year-old was the first member of his family to lay a wreath in memory of his relative Thomas Sidney Williams from Llanelli of Welsh Regiment 15th Batallion who was killed on May 10, 1918 aged just 19.
"I never thought I'd see a memorial to one of my ancestors," he said.
"Being the first of my family to come and commemorate him created a powerful bond to the past that I will always remember."
Other pupils laying wreaths in memory of relatives who lost their lives in battle were Connor Hornett, 13, remembering Private Arthur Edward Harrison, killed aged 19, Siona-Lee Hemming, 14, remembering Lance Corporal Ernest Charles Russell Ham, Maya Day-Thomas, 13, remembering Private HC Webb of Welsh Regiment 13th Battalion and Cameron Millar, 14, remembering Private John Kapke.
The visit was part of a series of commemorative activities carried out by pupils at Bryntirion.
Having recently researched and constructed a memorial in the school to honour fallen members of the community, the group made the journey of remembrance to the sites where they and other Welsh soldiers gave their lives.
Delivering services in both English and Welsh, the pupils laid wreaths – donated by the Royal British Legion in Port Talbot – at Mametz Wood, the Welsh Memorial Park, the Menin Gate and the grave of Welsh war poet and soldier, Hedd Wyn.
Mr Shell said it was important to bring history to life and learn how it resonates today.
"With no living witnesses to the Great War remaining, the pupils of Bryntirion are determined to preserve their legacy and encourage others to express gratitude for their ultimate sacrifice in the hope it will help counter war and hatred."


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HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - Hard Rock International is celebrating its 50th anniversary with help from a soccer legend.
On Thursday it was announced, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, that Lionel Messi will serve as the global company's brand ambassador for the next five years.
"This is an honor for me to be part of Hard Rock," he said in Spanish.
While Messi was not at the event, the announcement was made by Jim Allen, the chairman of Hard Rock International.
"His space in culture is just amazing," Allen said. "His persona allows us to really do other things. Certainly yes, there is a marketing and business relationship here, but when you think about his influence on children and the world, I think it's so special. To me, it's another way we can expand our philanthropic efforts."
With the new slogan #LIVEGREATNESS borrowed by the soccer star, Hard Rock is looking to remember their past while forging into the future.
"It's a brand that represents music, and music is in all of our DNA," said Allen. "As long as we are a great custodian to the world's largest collection of music memorabilia, not just rock but any walk of music, I think Hard Rock has a great future in front of it."
Messi has helped design merchandise for the special event.
In August, a Messi burger will be added to the menu at the café, but the burger's ingredients have not yet been announced.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Castro Street with Castro Theater
Each piece is a 36" x 9"signed, limited edtion
of 150
$300 unframed (rolled, or shrinkwrapped flat)
or $395 (framed and matted 12" x 39" in brushed metal with U.V.
To purchase please email email@example.com
or call 415 336-1036
Shipping is also available for $10 per US address.
Pieces are shipped rolled and insured.
All Images © Michael Koller
Seamless Cityª is a registered trademark


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Time to Teach
Publication series:
Innocenti Research Report
No. of pages: 8
Download the report
Related Project(s):
In sub-Saharan Africa, the loss of teaching hours due to teacher absenteeism corresponds to a waste of approximately 46 cents for every US dollar invested in education, an annual wastage of 1–3% of GDP. This brief summarizes the results of research in 11 countries in West and Central Africa under the Time to Teach study, a project in UNICEF that aims to provide critical insights into the factors that underpin different forms of primary school teacher absenteeism. It explains the frequency of teacher absenteeism in four forms—absence from school, lateness or early departure, absence from the classroom, and reduced time on task – and the reasons teachers give for their absence. But teachers are also motivated by factors such as training, availability of teaching and learning resources, and other non-system factors. More details are available in the country reports.


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You'll find the Entry Date on the student profile's Extended Tab, under Core Information.
If you need to change it, click on the calendar and select the new date, then save at the base of the Extended Tab.
If the student attended the school previously, then left and returned, you will find the original entry date on the Ancillary Tab, under School History.


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As an undergrad, Kofi Asante developed a knack for figuring out how to connect dots without a roadmap to guide him. Being rooted in problem-solving is what landed him at Uber Freight post-grad. The platform, launched in 2017, was created as a hassle-free way to connect shippers with carriers.
During his time at Uber Freight as a strategy and partnerships lead, Asante went on to launch its sister company Power Loop — a technology that allows you to load trailers ahead of time and aims to reduce driver detention time.
With the company also bridging autonomous trucks together with Uber Freight, its operational model is similar to one of the next steps in his journey of working with Elroy Air. As its vice president of strategy & business development, Asante is a Black executive in aerospace.
"[Elroy Air] has been around for five years and around that time they'd been around for maybe a year and a half or two. And they didn't have any business people yet. It was all engineers. [Charles Hudson] connected me over with [David Merrill] and he and I realized I had essentially built what's on the ground of what he wanted to build in the sky," Asante told AfroTech. "So then he asked me to come over and launch the business side and kind of be our first business executive. I've been with the company for the last three years since then. At that point, there were maybe 10 people. Now, we have over 50 or 60. [In 2019] we were seed stage. Now, we've raised over $50 million. We've got investments from Lockheed Martin, it's a bunch of deals with NASA, Air Force, and a couple of other groups. It's been a fun ride."
Elroy Air
In January, the company unveiled the Chaparral, a first-of-kind autonomous air cargo system, a press release revealed. According to Asante, one of the primary objectives behind creating the aircraft is that it decouples from infrastructure altogether — resulting in reducing barriers to the connection of delivering goods.
Elroy Air's new system is a huge stepping stone for helping humanitarian communities, especially under their deal with AYR Logistics.
"I think about it with the things we probably think about all the time that come to your door with e-commerce and any of the companies you can imagine that do express parcel, the UPS and FedEx of the world," he said. "They're all moving toward this idea of being able to get you to go from one week to two days and the same day to the same hour delivery. And our system could be a part of that solution. Humanitarian defense, commercial, healthcare, express parcel, e-commerce, all of those are kind of what our system is going to be built to help out with."
FedEx Partnership
Coming in just a few months after the Chaparral reveal, the startup has teamed up with FedEx. During the partnership, which was three years in the making, the shipping giant "will develop plans to test Elroy Air's Chaparral autonomous air cargo system within the company's middle-mile logistics operations, moving shipments between sortation locations," FedEx Newsroom reports.
Elroy Air is built on its commitment to be a disruptor in the logistics industry, and the collaboration will help build upon its groundwork.
The test flights are set to begin in 2023.
Getting More Black Execs In The Room
Leading at the frontline of Elroy Air's success has been a more than a gratifying experience for Asante, but he would be remiss to not acknowledge the void of the Black community working in aerospace. Although Asante is grateful to be in the space, he aims for it to become normalized for Black execs to be in the room.
"I think my goal as a Black executive and frankly, one of the only ones in the world at an aerospace company is to just continue to open the door and show people that this is possible and that it's for them. Same as the way my dad and my mom have kind of set that for me with entrepreneurship like it's for me. I just hope that we can humanize it and they can see someone with braids [like me] and walk into the room without necessarily needing to look like the traditional homogenous older white man from aerospace."
He continued: "I hope that helps other people know that they can do it too. That's honestly one of the reasons that I get pretty excited each time that we hit any of our milestones — not necessarily because of just the company we're building, but because I think as you enter into more places and more boardrooms or in more investor rooms, become an investor or an executive or executive rooms, that you start to humanize a person that looks slightly different than them in a way that maybe makes it easier for the next person to walk in."


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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) released a joint statement on 3 April on their expectations of dual-regulated firms during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the statement, which can be read in full on the FCA website, the regulators state their intention to 'provide flexibility to FCA and PRA dual-regulated firms'. We summarise the current position here.
Notifications about changes to Senior Manager responsibilities
The statement reminds firms that 'The obligation on firms to update and resubmit Statements of Responsibilities (SoRs) if there are 'significant changes' to Senior Management Functions (SMFs) responsibilities is set in statute'.
PRA Supervisory Statement 28/15 and SUP 10C.11.6G in the FCA Handbook include non-exhaustive examples of potential 'significant changes'.
There is no fixed statutory deadline for firms to resubmit revised SoRs in the event of such a significant change.
At the current time, the regulators are aware that 'significant changes' to SMF responsibilities may be needed due to sickness or other temporary situations resulting from the pandemic. They confirmed that they:
- expect firms to resubmit relevant SoRs as soon as reasonably practicable taking into account the current circumstances; and
- understand that firms may take longer than usual to submit revised SoRs in the present environment
Temporary arrangements for Senior Management Functions (SMFs)
The FCA's and PRA's rules allow individuals to perform SMFs without approval for up to 12 weeks in a consecutive one-year period if their firm experiences an SMF vacancy that is (a) temporary; and/or (b) reasonably unforeseen (sometimes referred to as the '12-week rule').
12 weeks is seen as long enough, in normal circumstances, for firms to deal with any temporary or unexpected SMF absences.
The FCA and PRA are currently gathering evidence on whether the 12-week rule will offer enough flexibility to deal with potential absences as a result of coronavirus.
If they decide that the 12-week rule is insufficient to allow firms to respond to temporary SMF absences linked to coronavirus, they will consider additional measures.
Notifications about temporary arrangements
In normal circumstances, if an SMF becomes temporarily vacant, firms should reallocate those SMFs' Prescribed Responsibilities (PRs) among their remaining SMFs until a permanent replacement for the vacant SMF is identified and approved.
This, where possible, remains the FCA's and PRA's preference for firms dealing with temporary SMF absences linked to coronavirus.
They recognise, though, that this may not always be achievable. Therefore, if firms cannot reallocate an absent SMF's prescribed responsibilities among their remaining SMFs for reasons relating to coronavirus, they can temporarily allocate them to the individual who is acting up as interim SMF under the 12-week rule, even if they are, at the time, unapproved as an SMF.
An unapproved individual acting up as an SMF under the 12-week rule will not have a SoR (unless the firm applies for them to be permanently approved as that SMF).
It is therefore essential that firms ensure that their records (Responsibilities Maps, role profiles etc.) keep a clear 'running commentary' of any temporary allocation of PRs to unapproved individuals during this period.
The statement also reminds firms that they should also update their PRA and/or FCA supervisors of any temporary allocation of Prescribed Responsibilities to unapproved individuals acting up as SMFs under the 12-week rule.
Allocating responsibility for coordinating firms' responses to coronavirus among SMFs
The FCA and PRA do not require or expect firms to designate a single SMF to be responsible for all aspects of their response to coronavirus.
An exception is the identification of 'key workers' which, as per the FCA and PRA statements on key workers on 20 March, firms should allocate to the CEO (SMF1).
Where firms have an SMF24 (chief operations function), aspects of the firm's response to coronavirus may naturally sit with this SMF. For instance, compliance with PRA and FCA requirements and expectations on:
- business continuity
- information security
- outsourcing
The statement points out, though, that other aspects of firms' responses to coronavirus may sit naturally with other SMFs, giving the example of managing liquidity in the current market, which would naturally fall to the CFO.
As there is a likelihood that SMFs may become suddenly, temporarily absent, the PRA encourages firms to consider how they may respond to unexpected changes to current contingency plans (contingencies upon contingencies).
Furloughing Senior Management Functions
The rules on furloughing fall into two sections:
- general approach to furloughing
- rules relating to furloughing of SMFs
General approach
Dual-regulated firms must have individuals performing one of the following combinations of SMFs at all times:
- CEO (SMF1) CFO (SMF2) and Chair of the governing body (CRR firms and Solvency II insurers)
- Head of Overseas Branch (SMF19) (UK branches of third-country banks and insurers)
- Small Insurer Senior Management Function (SMF25) (small, non-Solvency II insurers)
- Head of Small Run-Off Firms (SMF26) (small, run-off insurance firms)
The statement confirms that individuals performing these SMF and other SMFs required by the FCA (eg Compliance Oversight (SMF16), Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) (SMF17) and the Limited Scope Function (SMF29)) should only be furloughed as a measure of last resort.
If an individual performing one of these mandatory or required SMFs becomes absent, the firm must appoint individuals to continue performing these SMFs so they can continue fulfilling their legal and regulatory obligations. If the replacement is temporary, firms can use the 12-week rule to arrange cover.
Other SMFs are not 'mandatory' under PRA and FCA rules, giving firms greater flexibility to furlough the individuals performing them. So if current disruption causes a firm to temporarily suspend a business service or function due to the disruption, it could in principle furlough the SMF responsible for it.
The statement sounds a note of caution, though, saying that firms 'should think carefully about the risks and unintended consequences of furloughing non-mandatory SMFs. In particular, those who are key to their business continuity during this period'.
It might, for instance, be detrimental for a firm to furlough the individual(s) performing the Chief Operations (SMF24) role, given their responsibility for areas such as business continuity, cybersecurity or outsourcing.
Notifying and recording furloughing of SMFs
The statement confirms that unless a furloughed SMF is permanently leaving their post, they will retain their approval during their absence and will not need to be re-approved when they return.
Firms do not have to submit a Form C, unless a furloughed SMF steps down permanently or leaves the firm. They also will not need to submit a Form J, which is normally required when an SMF goes on long-term leave, in respect of furloughed SMFs.
Firms must, though:
- ensure that furloughed SMFs remain fit and proper on their return
- reallocate the responsibilities of furloughed SMFs, including any Prescribed Responsibilities
- among their remaining SMFs, or
- if relying on the 12-week rule, to the individual acting up as interim SMF (see above)
- clearly state the reallocation of responsibilities of any furloughed SMFs in SoRs, Management Responsibility Maps (MRMs) and internal documents
Firms should also update their PRA and FCA supervisors of any furloughing of one or more SMFs.
Certification requirements for dual regulated firms
The FCA and PRA remind firms that they 'should continue to take reasonable steps to complete any annual certifications of employees that are due to expire while coronavirus restrictions are in place'.
Although standard certification processes and policies may need to be adjusted, and what constitute 'reasonable steps' may be altered by the current circumstances, the statement stresses that 'even in these circumstances, Certified staff who are not fit and proper should not be re-certified', because 'Certification is an important mechanism for firms to ensure their critical people are fit and proper' and it 'is even more important now for the public to be able to trust in the individuals delivering critical financial services'.
You can read the FCA and PRA's full statement on SMCR for dual-regulated firms on the FCA website.
You can read one of our previous blogs outlining the requirements of the SMCR here.
How can we help?
At LS Consultancy, we offer a complete solution with a range of cost effective, regulatory compliance and marketing products and solutions that are uniquely suited to supporting firms.


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Strain Information | |
Image | |
BRC No. | RBRC00657 |
Type | Wild-derived Inbred |
Species | Mus musculus castaneus |
Strain name | HMI/Ms |
Former Common name | |
H-2 Haplotype | |
ES Cell line | |
Background strain | HMI [Mus musculus castaneus] |
Appearance | agouti [A/A B/B C/C] |
Strain development | The HMI/Ms strain was derived from Mus musculus castaneus mice trapped in Hemei, Taiwan in June 1986 and maintained by Dr. Kazuo Moriwaki, National Institute of Genetics. |
Strain description | The HMI inbred strain was derived from Mus musculus castaneus mice trapped in Hemei, Taiwan in June 1986 and maintained by National Institute of Genetics. Mice were deposited to the RIKEN Tsukuba Institute in 1997 from Dr. Toshihiko Shiroishi. This strain is useful for genetic research, especially evolution and systematics. |
Colony maintenance | Sibling Mating |
References |
Health Report | |
Examination Date / Room / Rack | 2023/11/27Room:4-CRack:G 2023/08/28Room:4-CRack:G 2023/05/29Room:4-CRack:G 2023/02/27Room:4-CRack:G 2022/11/29Room:4-CRack:G 2022/08/29Room:4-CRack:G 2022/05/31Room:4-CRack:G 2022/03/15Room:4-CRack:G |
Gene | |
Gene info |
Ordering Information | |
Donor DNA | |
Research application | Cancer Research |
Specific Term and Conditions | In publishing the research results obtained by use of the BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE, a citation of the following literature(s) designated by the DEPOSITOR is requested. In publishing the research results to be obtained by use of the BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE, an acknowledgment to the DEPOSITOR is requested. The RECIPIENT must contact the DEPOSITOR in the case of application for any patents or commercial use based on the results from the use of the BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE. Prior to requesting the BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE, the RECIPIENT must obtain approval from the DEPOSITOR using the Approval Form. (Contact info: Tsuyoshi Koide, Ph.D. <firstname.lastname@example.com>, Mouse Genomics Resource Laboratory) |
Depositor | Toshihiko Shiroishi (National Institute of Genetics) |
Strain Status | Live mice Frozen embryos Frozen sperm |
Strain Availability | Cryopreserved sperm (within 1 month) Cryopreserved embryos (within 1 month) Live mouse (3 to 6 months) |
Additional Info. | Click Here for Mouse genomic DNA (RIKEN DNA Bank) Necessary documents for ordering: |
BRC mice in Publications |
Nürnberger C, Zimmermann V, Gerhardt M, Staeheli P. Influenza Virus Susceptibility of Wild-Derived CAST/EiJ Mice Results from Two Amino Acid Changes in the MX1 Restriction Factor. J Virol 90(23) 10682-10692(2016) 27654285 Bamunusinghe D, Liu Q, Lu X, Oler A, Kozak CA. Endogenous gammaretrovirus acquisition in Mus musculus subspecies carrying functional variants of the XPR1 virus receptor. J Virol 87(17) 9845-55(2013) 23824809 Shinmen A, Honda A, Ohkawa M, Hirose M, Ogonuki N, Yuzuriha M, Miki H, Mochida K, Inoue K, Abe K, Ito M, Ogura A. Efficient production of intersubspecific hybrid mice and embryonic stem cells by intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Mol Reprod Dev 74(9) 1081-8(2007) 17290420 Mochida K, Hasegawa A, Otaka N, Hama D, Furuya T, Yamaguchi M, Ichikawa E, Ijuin M, Taguma K, Hashimoto M, Takashima R, Kadota M, Hiraiwa N, Mekada K, Yoshiki A, Ogura A. Devising assisted reproductive technologies for wild-derived strains of mice: 37 strains from five subspecies of Mus musculus. PLoS One 9(12) e114305(2014) 25470728 Wakisaka N, Inoue K, Ogonuki N, Miki H, Sekita Y, Hanaki K, Akatsuka A, Kaneko-Ishino T, Ishino F, Ogura A. Ultrastructure of placental hyperplasia in mice: comparison of placental phenotypes with three different etiologies. Placenta 29(8) 753-9(2008) 18602690 |


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Mother's Day
"A Mother is she who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one can take…"
It's Mother's Day on the 10th May and, as with everything else at the moment, it looks like being a different one to what we are used to. The current situation has changed all our lives and once again, we have a particular important day that we may be forced to celebrate in a different way.
Now more than ever, it is important to show how much we love and appreciate our mum. Maybe we cannot go out for a special dinner and spend physical time with her, but we can still show her how much we love her with a little thought that we send out to them.
We have an idea that will help you show your appreciation to your mother while supporting mothers and families of children with a disability, who are supported all year round by our Foundation.
For a small donation, we can send a Certificate of Appreciation (names will be changed accordingly) and a small souvenir straight to your mother's postal address.
Place your order by 5th of May.


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North Korea fired another two ballistic missiles on Thursday – the sixth such banned launch in less than two weeks.
Pyongyang on Wednesday described its recent blitz as "just counteraction measures" to joint US and South Korean military drills, reports the BBC.
On Tuesday Pyongyang fired a missile over Japan, prompting the US to call an emergency UN Security Council meeting.
At the meeting the US accused Russia and China of protecting the North from stronger sanctions.
By opposing further sanctions Moscow and Beijing had given Pyongyang "blanket protection", the US ambassador to the UN said. The Chinese and Russian representatives said increased dialogue was better than punishment.
For the past two months the US, South Korea and Japan have been holding a series of combined exercises as they practice how to defeat and deter a North Korean attack. These drills have antagonised North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who sees them as proof his enemies are preparing for war.
In its statement the North accused the US of "escalating the military tensions on the Korean peninsula".
On Wednesday the US, Japan and South Korea carried out further drills, which they said were a response to Tuesday's launch. The US said there was "no equivalency" between a banned missile test-fire and security drills.
The US also redeployed its aircraft carrier the USS Ronald Reagan near the Korean peninsula.
South Korea and Japan said the first of Thursday's missiles, launched at about 06:00 local time (21:00 GMT) flew about 350km (217 miles) with a maximum altitude of around 100km, while the second missile had a flight range of about 800km at an altitude of around 50km.
The recent flurry of launches is strongly reminiscent of the period leading up to its last nuclear weapon test in 2017.
Back then, as is happening now, the North tested missiles, there was no dialogue with the US, and Pyongyang fired two missiles over Japan.
Satellite imagery shows that the North has been restoring tunnels at their nuclear testing site, which they had claimed to have destroyed in 2018 during a short-lived diplomatic rapprochement with the US under President Trump.
Last month, North Korea also revised its nuclear laws, with leader Kim Jong Un declaring his country an "irreversible" nuclear power.
With everything in place, Kim appears to be waiting for a politically opportune moment to carry out its seventh nuclear test.
Analysts believe a test is most likely to happen during the window of three weeks between the Communist Party Congress in China later this month and the US mid-term elections in early November.
North Korea's recent launches
• Sunday, September 25: A short-range missile fired the day after a US naval carrier arrived in waters around the Korean peninsula. 600km distance/60km altitude
• Wednesday, September 28: Two short-range missiles fired on the eve of US Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to Seoul and the DMZ. 360km distance/30km altitude
• Thursday, September 29: Two short-range missiles after Harris departed South Korea. 300km distance/50km altitude
• Saturday, October 1: Two short-range missiles fired amid continuing US-South Korea-Japan drills. 400km distance/50km altitude
• Tuesday, October 4: An intermediate-range ballistic missile fired over Japan. 4,500km distance/2,800km altitude
• Thursday, October 6: Two more short-range missiles fired. 800km distance/50km altitude


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30 Jan 2019 Bigelow's Hill signs with CBC
Central Baptist College Head Softball Coach Jordon Jones recently announced Alexis Hill, a utility player from Bigelow, has joined her 2020 recruiting class.
Alexis was recognized many times for achievements on the field at Bigelow. She was the offensive player of the year and an all-district selection in 2016. The following year, she was defensive player of the year and all-district. In 2018, Alexis was named the offensive player of the year, all-conference and MVP. In addition, she has also earned English and math awards.


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College completes environmentally conscious renovations on Fort Bradshaw
February 24, 2021
After two years of construction, Fort Bradshaw, a dorm for art history graduate students, has completed renovations to be one of the College's most environmentally sustainable buildings. This is the first time since the College acquired it in the 1960s from the then-fading Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity that the building has undergone major changes. According to project manager Julie Sniezek, the total cost of the project was $11.5 million.
With 14 suite-style living quarters, eight bathrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a dining room, and study spaces, the three-story house was updated with an advanced air-ventilation system and housekeeping products that meet the Environmental Protection Agency's Safer Choice Label. New code-compliant stairs and an elevator also make Ford Bradshaw more accessible.
Other additions include solar panels on the roof, geothermal wells, and the replacement of all major mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems. As such, Fort Bradshaw uses less than half the energy used by a typical dorm at the College.
"Sustainability is very apparent in the design of the house," remarked art graduate student Jordan Horton, citing the motion sensored lights and externally controlled thermostats.
However, they do mention that some parts of the new design seem to encroach on their privacy. "The open window style calls for many random people to walk up to our windows and look in, which I know is fueled by curiosity and feels awfully invasive," they said.
As to their overall thoughts on their stay at Fort Bradshaw, Horton said, "Without a doubt, the Fort is a lovely place that I'm sure will be even better once the weather breaks and we can sit on the patio."
The renovations allowed for the preservation of more than half the building's original structure. In addition, 90 percent of waste from the construction project was successfully diverted from landfills, and most of the new materials used were "Red-List chemical free," designating the materials less harmful for individuals and the environment.
According to Sniezek, Fort Bradshaw's renovations were specially designed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification. To earn a LEED certification, the College was required to earn points across categories such as "energy efficiency, water savings, resource preservation, and indoor air quality." Fort Bradshaw is the 12th project on campus to acquire a LEED rating.
The building also meets the International Living Futures Institute's (ILFI) Living Building Challenge Petal Certification. Sniezek wrote that the Fort Bradshaw renovations met the "highest standards" of ILFI's certification, which assesses the sustainable quality of a building based on seven criteria.
"It is the College's hope that the building performs as intended and that this serves as an example of what can be accomplished, even in an older structure," Sniezek wrote. "We further hope that by completing a successful renovation using the sustainability goals, as set forth by LEED and ILFI, the building occupants will appreciate living in a green building."
To account for its carbon footprint, the College plans on purchasing a one-time carbon offset from an approved provider. The money used to buy this offset would balance carbon emissions by supporting programs that work to reduce emissions somewhere else in the world.
Director of the Zilkha Center Tanja Srebotnjak, who had toured the renovated building herself, wrote that wrote that in general, "offsets have some well-known risks and limitations (e.g., accurate carbon accounting, additionality, permanence/durability, and avoidance of carbon leakage)."
Still, she mentioned that the offsets "purchased for Fort Bradshaw will be for compensating the project's embodied carbon, which is a category of emissions that, in general, isn't always accounted for," as required under the Living Building Challenge. The total amount of emissions needed to be offset for this project to be determined.


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Many of these habits and rituals have gone unnoticed by the opposite gender … until now.
Although sex is often spontaneous and passionately unplanned, that's hardly the full story. There's an onslaught of feverish planning, grooming and psychological pep-talking both sexes do in order to prepare for a good coitus, but many of those habits and rituals have gone mercifully unnoticed by the opposite gender … until now.
Deal with the hair situation
Everyone knows that girls shave themselves into slippery, aerodynamic skin shapes before a date, but the scope and extent of this depilation is largely unknown. You see, inside the butt cheeks of every woman is a nebulous and expansive forest of hair that needs to be reckoned with prior to sex. And you can't just "get at it" with a razor, for razor companies have not caught on to the fact that women need their butt cracks shaved, and therefore razors can only reach certain crevices and valleys in their quest to destroy the fuzz. The rest is painstakingly auto-waxed or plucked out with tweezers, one confusingly long hair at a time. And that's just the pre-nipple proceedure.
The donning of the matching bra and panties
Because nothing says "I'm ripe and ready for bodily pleasures" than two shapes of stretchy fabric of the same color placed over the private regions of a woman's figure. Of course, the amount of thought and planning that goes into the bra/panty coordination scheme is instantly undone by her partner, who often rips one off in the dark, leaving no time to appreciate the stunning symmetry or coordination she's achieved. Really pro girls avoid this by wearing no bra or panties at all — because what's even the point anymore — but this is a decision only decided after hours of outfit design that culminates in a rewarding half-bottle of wine.
Practice the O-Face
It's many women's unfortunate quest in life to constantly look hot (more on this in a second), and never does this statement apply more than to her O-Face, the likes of which her partner will hopefully be staring very intently down at in a few short hours. The ultimate challenge? Turning that screwed-up, "I'm not in pain but it looks like I am" orgasm mug into a delicate expression of pleasure, surprise and perfectly parted lips so that the man thinks he did good with his penis or the lady thinks some combination of her tongue, fingers or 10-inch strap-on really sealed the deal.
The glaring problem with this is that it's stupid. Having an orgasm is hard enough, so why spend that precious moment worrying about what you look like? The more fucked up your face is, and the more animalistic sounds that are coming out of it, the more it probably feels good. No one looks like this when they come:
Kegel. Kegel. Auuugh. Kegel.
Somewhere, at some time, girls have been terrified into thinking their pussies are too loose and they need to "tighten then up" in order to "blow their man's (or woman's … or non-binary individual's) mind." So, when faced with the potential of sex, many girls will kegel the day away, spending every moment prior to coitus squishing, squeezing and pulsing in order to turn that birth canal into a vice grip. In reality, it doesn't really tighten anything appreciably unless you do it for days on end, but it does bring a shit load of blood to her vagina, making her pretty damn horny and more likely to orgasm, so … great job!
Thoughtfully rearrange the medicine cabinet
No girl wants the person staying over to know that she's been prescribed Percocet for excessive menstrual cramping, needs super-sized tampons, has 13 varieties of zit cream and 14 of birth control, has a mostly empty travel sized bottle of Summer's Eve and 15 other mysterious pills, creams, ointments and tinctures she relies on for life force. So, before sex, many a woman has been known to, you know, casually dump the contents of her medicine cabinet into a trash bag, stash it under her bed, and in its place, put a single toothbrush to give the illusion of low maintenance. Perfect.
Smell check
How does it smell down there? Like life, or like death? Girls can never be too sure, so 104 percent of the time, they'll do a smell check prior to sex to avoid asphyxiating their partner. Usually, a slight panty whiff is enough to indicate whether the mission is a go or if she needs to fake her own kidnapping to get out of Amazon Prime and mildly chilling.
Spill seed
Some guys have mistakenly convinced themselves that, if they jack off before a date or a booty call, then their pungent male pheromones released at the point of orgasm will overtake the object of their desire with a miasma of lusty smells. Just the sweet stench of testosterone alone will be enough to lure a bedroom partner into their shared living area.
Moving on.
Put on their "sexy" underwear
Ninety-nine percent guys have a pair of "good" underwear they put on when they're anticipating sex. This prized pair is just the pair that smells the least like smegma, has the least amount of holes, and doesn't have their initials Sharpie-d onto the tag. Usually, they're "form fitting" like boxer briefs or some shit, mainly because guys think you seeing their bulge will just intoxicate you to the point of pregnancy.
Put condoms "conveniently" in reach of the bed
… but not so close that it seems like they assumed they were having sex. And then when they go to get them, they'll fumble around for a little like they didn't know exactly where they were … like they just "casually" stash condoms in their fish tank.
Work out
In twisted world that is male logic, working out = release of energy = calm = increased sex drive = avoidance of premature ejaculation = a sudden transformation into an animal who can fuck for forever and a day. This is actually kinda of true; working out is believed to decrease testosterone, which calms down guys enough that they're not cumming themselves as soon as the girl shows up, but it also increases heart rate and circulation enough that when they do get aroused, they're really aroused. Like go all night aroused.
Also, smell check
Sometimes, the odor wafting off a man's dick and balls would be enough to kill a ghost. So, like the ladies, men will conduct a smell check before sex as to ascertain whether or not they need to douche with a fire hose. This is usually accomplished simply by breathing, then choking, then vomiting, then a very insecure shower.
There's no telling what kind of primal pounding is about to occur, or which counter top or roommate's bed will be chosen as that night's sex zone, so to save everyone the embarrassing awkwardness of a shared living situation, guys will simply tell their roommates to fuck off if they know they're about to bone. Good roommates obey, but better roommates stick around to learn a thing or two. Man code at its finest.


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Karen Steven's New Book Published.
posted 10th July 2020
I am delighted to announce my new book, launched 14th July 2020. This book comprises; my music and dance background, with an emphasis on highland dancing. This has strongly influenced my love of playing for and composing for highland dance choreography.
My new book has four themes; Highland Council Commission Year 2000, Tunes for Scotland's National Nature Reserves, tunes for Tanya Horne School of Highland Dancing and finally, tunes for family & friends. Tune types include; jigs, reels, marches, waltzes, strathspey and slow air, in a range of keys.
23 of the 51 tunes in the book were composed during lockdown, in the month of May. It was at the end of May, while furloughed, that I decided to publish a book, which includes the tunes recently composed, along with a further 28, written over the last 20 years. It has been a fantastic learning experience for me, long, long hours, but an enormous amount of fun too.
My introductions (one on the back cover and one inside the book) provide a bit of background to my musical inspirations over the years, teaching and learning experiences, performance, competitions and commissions. In addition, I have included tunes written for people who have are very dear to me or who I recognise have given a lot to the community in which they live.
Conductor of the ASRS, Ronnie Gibson, as well as Iain Fraser, director of Merlin Academy of Traditional Music, have both very kindly provided me with the most lovely endorsements for my book. They have both made comments at my final stages of compilation and I have taken their feedback on board.
For every tune in the book, I have written a line or two about the inspiration. As I feel strongly that the music provide players with the melody, free of my own personal interpretation, I have however, also added 7 style tips towards the back of the book, giving players an insight into some of the bowing and ornamentation techniques that I use in my own playing.
In addition to around 4,000 words of text and the 51 tunes in the book, I have recorded each tune and each style tip. These are presented in MP3 format on a soundcloud page specifically for the book. The link to the page where all 51 tunes can be listened/played along to, is listed in the book. I also have recorded practical examples of my style tips, the 7 of which can be located using the same soundcloud address.