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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who can be a Feed the Need Community Champion?Anyone can be a Community Champion! A Community Champion can be a business, school, organization or an individual. As a Community Champion, you must commit to raising a minimum of $500.
Sign up by filling out the Feed the Need Community Champion application. Please contact Ashley Fraebel at 407-644-8281 or via email email@example.com with any questions you have regarding becoming a Community Champion.
Community Champions will be recognized though our social media efforts and in a "thank you" ad at the end of the campaign. If you would like to share any pictures, stories or testimonials from your fundraising efforts, send information to Erika Spence at email@example.com.
2. What is a virtual food drive? The
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida virtual food drive is a
representational web-based tool that allows individuals and
organizations to hold an online food drive. While we love donations in
any form, our virtual food drive allows us to serve more clients, more
efficiently. It's fast, easy and fun!
3. Why a virtual food drive?
Holding a Virtual Food Drive lets you or your group get involved with
ending hunger in Central Florida in an easy, immediate and highly
effective way.
Below are some benefits of running a virtual food drive:
- Easy to use and manage.- It's the greenest and easiest of all food drives.- Allows for group participation. Competition-style drives can encourage greater participation.- Transactions can be completed within minutes. - You may use any major credit card for payment on a secure website. - Donors will receive an e-receipt confirming their donations immediately.- Saves Second Harvest Food Bank the time and resources incurred by a physical food drive. - Your donations allow us to purchase our most needed items.
4. How do I get involved?
5. Can I just make a donation to the Feed the Need Campaign?
Yes, click here to donate to the campaign.
6. Can you give me some ideas to make my virtual food drive a success?Please make sure to read the Feed the Need Virtual Food Drive Manual. Our manual provides tips for a successful virtual food drive! Also make sure to check out our online toolkit and hunger facts page. All these resources get you on your way to running a successful virtual food drive.
7. Virtual Food Drive Disclaimer:Please note that the virtual food drive is a representational giving tool, and
is meant to provide you with illustrative examples of the powerful return on
investment that results when a financial gift is made to support our neighbors
in need through Second Harvest Food Bank. Your gift will be used to provide up
to nine times the amount contributed in terms of the value of the wholesome food
that will be distributed as a result of your generosity.
8. I still have questions. Please send any virtual food drive questions to firstname.lastname@example.com or call 407-514-1010. Please send any questions about the Feed the Need Campaign to Ashley Fraebel at email@example.com or call 407-644-7826.
Second Harvest Food Bank Home Page | Privacy Statement | Contact Us
Copyright © 2015 Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
411 Mercy Drive, Orlando, FL 32805
Ph: 407-295-1066 | F: 407-292-5299


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- slide 1 of 4
Why Earn a Graduate Certificate Online?
An online education is a great alternative for students who cannot or do not want to attend a traditional school or follow a degree program. Students often agree that studying at a distance is flexible and convenient. Distance education (DE) gives people who have busy lives the chance to continue their studies at their own pace.
An online database technology graduate certificate can be earned online through distance education. "A Certificate in Database Technology will open the door for you to enter a field which is in great demand, given ever-changing computer technology and its importance to businesses all over the world." [1]
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Schools to Consider
Students who are looking for an online graduate certificate in database technology can find available database courses or certificate programs by searching the Internet. While searching, it is helpful to look for schools that have an Information Systems Department or Computer Science Department to find the right course(s) or program(s).
Here are a few schools that offer this certification:
- University of Maryland University College (UMUC): UMUC is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. This certificate in database system technology will focus on relational databases and distributed databases, database administration and database security, data warehousing, and data mining. Program requirements include taking five (3-S.H.) courses and an additional course: Introduction to Graduate Library Research Skills. The total tuition cost for the certificate will be about $9,885.00 for out-of-state residents (excluding book fees).
- Minnesota State University, Mankato: MSUM is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The Graduate Certificate in Database Technologies focuses on courses involving database systems management and processing. Students must take only three required courses for a total of ten credits. Once a student is accepted into the program, tuition costs and fees can be discussed with the school. The school's registrar office can provide these details.
- New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies (NYU-SCPS): The school is accredited by the Middle States Association. Their Graduate Certificate in Information Technologies focuses on managing database technologies. Program requirements include six courses for a total of eighteen credits. Students need to check with the admissions office for tuition and fees since NYU-SCPS offers a Flat-Rate Tuition and Fees for Full-Time Students as well as Per-Credit Tuition and Fees for Part-Time Students.
Other Options
- Microsoft Certification: Students who may not want to enroll in an online school may be interested in a Microsoft certification: Microsoft Certified Database Administrator. This program focuses on implementing database solutions by using Microsoft SQL Server 2008 or 2005. Interested students can find more details on Microsoft's website.
- Self-Paced Online Courses: Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University Online offers a few courses from their master of business administration program with an information systems management concentration that cover database administration and management, database programming and applications, and database applications for electronic commerce. Students interested in taking a few database courses may want to consider Keller.
- MIT OpenCourseWare: There is a free course in Database, Internet, and Systems Integration Technologies (available online at http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/). Course Features: Lecture notes, Assignments (no solutions), Exams and solutions. Download requirements: 10.93 MB.
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Job Outlook
Database technology is a computer field for people interested in the design, development and management of computer databases. The following job description, pay, and job outlook for database administrators is quoted from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):
Database administrators work with database management software and determine ways to store, organize, analyze, use, and present data. [And,] database administrators also must plan and coordinate security measures with network administrators. [The job outlook] of database administrators is expected to grow by 20 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average. [And, regarding pay,] the median annual wages of database administrators were $69,740 in May 2008. [2]
Graduate certificates are intended for students who may not wish to pursue a master's degree but who want advanced knowledge in the field of database technology. This graduate certificate is designed for professionals who have already some expertise in working with databases or other management systems. Having an online database technology graduate certificate will definitely come handy when seeking employment.
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[1] DiplomaGuide - Database Technology Certificates: Career Info
[2] BLS (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010 -11 Edition) - Computer Network, Systems, and Database Administrators
- UMUC: http://www.umuc.edu/grad/gradcertificates/its_dst.cfm
- MSUM: http://cset.mnsu.edu/it/gradCert/
- NYU-SCPS: http://www.scps.nyu.edu/areas-of-study/information-technology/graduate-programs/gc-infotech/
- Image: Graduate by Adrien Facelina under GNU Lesser General Public License

subset: commoncrawl


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Did your kid spill cranberry juice on your favorite table runner? Don't toss it! Turn it into a cute purse with this tute. You can always cover the stain with an embellishment or a pocket, if it doesn't end up hidden by the transformation. Emma at A Beautiful Mess shares how she transformed an old table runner (or an oversized placemat) into a purse, and it's easy peasy. You don't need leather for the straps, if that's not your thing. Any heavy weight fabric from your stash will do. See what you have handy, and do it to it! [Project Restyle: Placemat to Purse]
Project Materials


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Haruki Murakami Quotes About QuittingQuotes about: Quitting
I was twenty-one at the time, about to turn twenty-two. No prospect of graduating soon, and yet no reason to quit school. Caught in the most curiously depressing circumstances. For months I'd been stuck, unable to take one step in any new direction. The world kept moving on; I alone was at a standstill. In the autumn, everything took on a desolate cast, the colors swiftly fading before my eyes. The sunlight, the smell of the grass, the faintest patter of rain, everything got on my nerves.
Even if there were two of me, I still couldn't do all that has to be done. No matter what, though, I keep up my running. Running every day is a kind of lifeline for me, so I'm not going to lay off or quit just because I'm busy. If I used being busy as an excuse not to run, I'd never run again. I have only a few reasons to keep on running, and a truckload of them to quit. All I can do is keep those few reasons nicely polished.
Listen - God only exists in people's minds. Especially in Japan, God's always been kind of a flexible concept. Look at what happened after the war. Douglas MacArthur ordered the divine emperor to quit being God, and he did, making a speech saying he was just an ordinary person. So after 1946 he wasn't God anymore. That's what Japanese gods are like--they can be tweaked and adjusted. Some American comping on a cheap pipe gives the order and presto change-o--God's no longer God. A very postmodern kind of thing. If you think God's there, He is. If you don't, He isn't.
Haruki Murakami
- Born: January 12, 1949
- Occupation: Writer
- Cite this Page: Citation


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LogiSense Expands Customer Footprint and Headcount
Introduces multiple advancements to v8.3 of EngageIP Rating and Billing Platform. Company Addresses Service Provider Needs in Evolving IP Marketplace and Anticipates Continued Success in 2011
LogiSense, a leading provider of IP billing and OSS solutions, today reported several milestone achievements for 2010, including a 25% increase in headcount and several new customers across Asia, Europe and North America. In addition, the company forecasts strong and continued growth for 2011.
Converged Internet Protocol (IP) service providers such as PCCW, PBX-Change, InfoSat, Esco Technologies and InetLink are some of the companies that have recently migrated to the LogiSense EngageIP billing and OSS platform. Combining these organizations to its roster means that LogiSense is now responsible for processing millions of data records daily.
2010 was a significant year for our evolution as we hit several specific corporate and technological milestones. We are very excited about the results of recent investments in the technology behind our solutions. It has attracted many new growing and profitable businesses that are looking to rapidly enable next generation broadband services. Further, and perhaps most important, is that we have stayed true to our core strategy of providing customers with advanced technology and exceptional service. We always believed that this would deliver quantitative returns on that plan, our team is very proud of our efforts.
Flavio Gomes – CEO, LogiSense
EngageIP possesses features and functionality that address multiple touch points of IP service delivery. The software provides the power and flexibility to accurately manage customers all related invoicing and operational procedures. Advancements to version 8.3 of the flagship platform include many new and timely updates that address the specific needs of operators providing wireless, wire-line, hosted IP and various other forms of IP-based services.
EngageIP v8.3 New Features & Functionality
- Enhanced rating engine
- Streamlined BroadSoft integration: raw BroadSoft records are now ported directly into Core EngageIP for immediate, powerful processing
- Rating can be distributed across multiple servers and processors, thereby facilitating widespread scalability
- The enhanced ability to create feeds for every source of records (usage, voice, wireless, etc.) within an organization
- Significantly improved real-time rating throughput
In terms of the company's growth in 2011, LogiSense is poised to increase its position as a premier billing and OSS solutions provider. Within the growing hosted voice-over-IP marketplace, integrated billing, rating and taxing represent a very unique opportunity for vendors such as LogiSense that possess diverse expertise. We anticipate a robust year for top-line revenue growth as we have recently acquired several new customers in the telephony, entertainment and subscriber management sectors. As the IP landscape continues to evolve and disrupt traditional communications markets, LogiSense will continue to play an increasingly important role in shaping it.
Flavio Gomes – CEO, LogiSense
About LogiSense
LogiSense provides licensed and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) usage rating, mediation and subscription billing solutions for the Internet of Things, Telecommunications, Unified Communications and Enterprise service providers. LogiSense's carrier-grade solutions are built on its proprietary, real-time usage rating and subscription billing platform, EngageIP. LogiSense designed EngageIP from the ground-up to be service, medium and provider agnostic, allowing it to grow with customers as they evolve their business operations and end user offerings. EngageIP provides the flexibility and scalability to address the service, billing and back-office realities facing today's rapidly-evolving communications service providers. Founded in 1998, LogiSense currently services more than 40 customers in six countries. More info: www.logisense.com | Twitter: @LogiSense | Linkedin: LogiSense on Linkedin


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Senate Judiciary Committee Passes Gang of Eight Bill, 13-to-5
"Ironically, the only promise the sponsors of this legislation have kept is their promise to block any attempts to improve the proposal. As a result, we are left with legislation that is fundamentally unchanged and fatally flawed. It will not become law..." ~ Senate Judiciary Committee Member Jeff SessionsThe Senate Judiciary Committee completed its markup of the Gang of Eight's amnesty bill, S.744, this evening, approving the bill 13-to-5. Three Republicans, including Gang of Eight members Senators Jeff Flake and Lindsey Graham along with Sen. Orrin Hatch voted with the Democratic majority. While the Committee did approve several bipartisan amendments, all amendments to increase the enforcement provisions or reduce the future flow of legal immigration were rejected. Read Full Story
Tags: U.S. Senate, Judiciary Committee, passes, Gang of Eight, Amnesty bill, amnesty, illegal aliens To share the post, click on "Post Link." Please mention / link to Blogs for Borders. Thanks!


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No. 12 Wildcats Dispatch Of Cougars
Nov. 29, 2002
Arizona (17-10) took a quick 5-1 lead in the first game, before BYU (14-19) would close thegap to 7-9 on a Lindsey Metcalf kill. The Cougars then reeled off a 6-0 runto take the game's largest lead at 13-9, capped by a Laura Nielsen ace.After a Bre Ladd service error put the Cougars up 14-11, the Wildcats wouldgo on a 6-2 run to retake the lead at 17-16, with the last three pointscoming off BYU attack errors. The teams would then trade sideouts untilKarina Puikkonen and Nielsen ended the game with back-to-back kills.
Game two was led by Arizona from start to finish, and the Wildcats wouldlead by as many as five points in the early going. BYU chipped away at theArizona lead, however, and tied the game at 19-19 on a Lisa Rutledge attackerror. The Wildcats quickly regained control of the game on a kill by Laddand a pair of hitting errors by Nielsen. From there Arizona pulled away forthe win and capped the game with a pair of aces by Shannon Torregrosa.
BYU took early control of the third game and built a four-point lead(14-11) forcing Arizona into a timeout. Out of the break, Pac-10 Freshmanof the Year Kim Glass took over the game as she notched six of her sevenkills in the game after the timeout. Glass led the Wildcats on a 6-2 run,in which she contributed three kills, to give Arizona a 17-16 lead.Kimberly Wilson led the Cougars with four kills in the game, but it wasn'tenough as Arizona out-hit BYU .324 to .098 in the game.
In the final game Glass and Rutledge led the Wildcats with six kills each,but BYU would hold the lead for most of the game on the strength of strongteam serving. After the game was tied at 15-15, BYU would go up 18-15 on apair of kills by Nielsen and a kill by Metcalf. Arizona slowly whittled theCougar lead and tied the game at 26-26. After a Ladd hitting error put theCougars up 27-26, the Wildcats closed out the match with a 4-0 run.
On the night Arizona out-hit BYU .189 to .116 and out-blocked the Cougars14-11. The teams also tied with six service aces each.
BYU was led by Metcalf and Wilson who each had 12 kills. Defensively theCougars were led by Uila Crabbe's 10 digs, and six blocks each from CarrieBowers and Larson.
Arizona was led by a match-high 21 kills from Glass. She also had 11 digsfor a double-double. Other Wildcats with double-digit kills included; Ladd(14), Rutledge (14) and Torregrosa (10).
Pac-12 PlaylistTODAY | 7:00pm PTLive
Pac-12 PlaylistTOMORROW | 7:00pm PTLive
Pac-12 PlaylistThu 8/23 | 7:00pm PTLive


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Let the Domonic Brown Era begin! The Phillies just placed Shane Victorino on the disabled list and called up their top prospect from AAA Lehigh Valley.
Victorino strained his abdominal while making a catch last night and is the fifth Phillies position starter to head to the disabled list this year. (The others: Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco and Carlos Ruiz.) Dom Brown hit .327/.391/.589 for AA Reading and the IronPigs this year. If you prefer stupid stats, he had the game-winning RBI in the Futures Game this year.
It's expected Jayson Werth will move to center field and Brown will immediately be inserted in right. Brown will ear No. 9, according to something I read on Twitter. (It must be right!) If his at-bat music is not Das Racist's "Who's That? Broooooooown," someone is really dropping the ball.


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Meizu joins the high-end Chinese phonesMeizu Pro 6 | Comments are off
The Chinese manufacturer presented its Meizu Pro 6.
The much talked about, Meizu Pro 6, was officially presented today in Beijing, joining the group of Chinese manufacturers of smartphones that presented earlier this year their high-end units as Xiaomi and Huawei.
Regarding the Meizu Pro 6 users can rely on a 5.2 inches Super AMOLED display, metal construction with 48% less integrated plastic and also iown version of 3D Touch from Apple, this time with the name 3D Press.
As The Verge says there is no doubt that with the level of internal components, Meizu has ambitions to join the ranks of the tops manufacturers, stating that it has the first deca-core processor with MediaTek Helio x25 with 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of internal storage space.
The camera also promises to delight of photos fans with a Sony IMX230 sensor with 21MP with a focusing speed of just 0.07 seconds. So far so impressive except the battery that is only 2,560 mAh, less than, such competing Xiaomi and Huawei and their Mi5 and P9, the two with 3000mAh.
The Meizu Pro 6 will hit the market later this month with the price of 344 euros (32GB) and 380 euros (64GB) giving choice to consumers between gray, black gold and pink gold.


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Complete your uniform with an authentic PROPPER ABU Utility Cap. Sewn to military specification FQ/PD-06-09, this cap is NIR compliant and approved for use in the operational theater. The 50% nylon/50% cotton twill fabric is quarpel treated for water repellency. Features four vent holes on the sides of the cap to direct air away from your head.
- Sewn to military specification FQ/PD-06-09
- Quarpel treated for water repellency
- Vent holes direct air away from head
- 50% nylon/50% cotton twill fabric


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Okay, I haven't blogged in a couple months. I've been a bad boy. Someone should spank me. I'll get my fiancee on that right away, though usually it's the other way around with us. I'll let you ponder that image while I get on with the post.
What was I writing about? Oh, Createspace vs. Ingram Spark. This really shouldn't be a "versus" thing, more like the pluses and minuses of both, because as other bloggers have written before me–and will surely write after–they both can work together in perfect harmony. Amy Collins does a terrific job of breaking down how to use both over at www.newshelves.com, if you are interested in someone else's take on it. I will give you my two cents worth here, particular in relation to the quality of the product. And by the way, I'm talking about the POD (Print on Demand) services they offer.
First, an overview of how the book thing works or at least a simplified version of it. Print on Demand prints off the book when it is ordered and doesn't give a per-book discount for volume, because the whole system is setup for about as cheap as it will go. I'm not a printer, so for the finer details of POD vs. offset printing, you'll just have to resort to Google like everyone else. Offset printing DOES offer a discount for volume. It's made for large runs of at least 500 but usually in the thousands. Ever heard of those out-of-the-gate bestsellers that have an initial printing of 20 or 40 thousand or more? That's offset printing (with a lot of marketing and build-up by the publisher.) POD is relatively new and much easier to setup, though the costs per-unit are higher. POD is basically a computer, a digital file of your cover and interior, and a massive laser printer (see below for the so-cool-I-want-one Espresso Book Machine!)
One of the advantages of POD printing is that you don't have to store large quantities of your books. No warehouse space (or garage space) needed for a bunch of unsold units. I mean, where would I put 1000 or 5000 or (ugh) 20,000 copies of my book? The rats would probably eat them or the humidity degrade the paper before I got them all out the door! Not having to store large quantities of your book is a huge advantage for POD. This no-need-for-storage thing and low costs per-book for a single copy allow indie authors to be competitive.
I looked into offset printing just as a matter of curiosity. With Createspace, my book cost me $5.07. Now before you go bitching about why it cost you 9.95 through Amazon, realize that some other people have their fingers in that pie, and I don't have much control over it. Offset printing would allow runs that can push that price even lower to 3 dollars or less per book. I looked it up, and at least with one printer, the cost would have come down to $4.10 a book (for a 352 page book) for an order of 1000 books. That would have come out to $4100 for those bad at simple math.
That's the economics of POD printing. It's been both good and bad for the publishing industry, just like the Internet has been both good and bad as a dispenser of knowledge (and often ignorance). But that's for another post and another day. Another bitch-fest about the infectiousness of idiocy.
There are a couple other aspects of the business of books to note (this is a business and anyone who doesn't realize it has already lost. Mark Twain was the greatest self-promoter ever, and Dickens and Hemingway weren't far behind. Writing a great book is only the start.) I'll cover the dangers of self-publishing and why you might want to navigate them anyway, but for now you just need to know how the bookstore model traditionally works. They (the bookstores) usually want a 55% discount off the retail price for them to stock it. Actually, that's not quite true. They actually get a 40% discount, and the rest goes to the printer. But unless you select a 55% discount, you aren't going to offer the bookstores even a 40% discount off retail. In other words, their profit margin diminishes quickly. And considering the high overhead of brick-and-mortar stores, that's not going to make them happy.
They also want the right to return the book if it doesn't sell. I'll explain the dangers of selecting "returnable" in a minute, but without that offer of returnability, you will never be on the bookshelves, not as a stocked book, though they can still order your book if a customer asks for it. The bookstores only get paid (and pay you) if the book sells; otherwise, they return it to the distributor. I assume this whole model was invented by the New York publishers ("the five sisters", as they are called) and enforced by an informal, age-old agreement between those publishers and major book sellers across the country. It probably never was a formal contract, and now exists solely by the inertia of tradition. The whole system makes some sense. The publishers only push the books they truly believe in, they market the hell out of them and accept any returns that come back to the distributor as a price of doing business. With offset printing their costs can be fairly low per book so they don't lose much, if a book sells decently. It does make the traditional publishers risk-averse, so they put their marketing muscle behind big names or the best of the best debut authors. This system is a huge reason why royalty checks from major publishers aren't sent out that often as they wait for the returns of unsold copies.
As I understand it, though, this system is a little bit different in today's world. The bookstores no longer stock multiple copies of a book but maybe only one or two, if even that. Their ordering system just keeps refilling the book in quick succession as books go out the door. At least I read that somewhere. But I'm in the business of writing books, not selling them.
This whole process can be horribly slow, frustrating, but it does make some sense. At least it used to. Until Amazon came along and upset the apple cart.
Createspace (CS) was formerly known as CustomFix, a distributor of on-demand DVDs, and was acquired by Amazon in 2005, along with POD company called Booksurge, which had been in business since 2000. In 2008 reps from Booksurge, now a division of Amazon, began calling all publishers and informing them that they had to sign a contract with Amazon to publish their POD books through Booksurge, and not whatever company they had previously been using, or else they would suffer the consequences, i.e. be taking off Amazon. Okay, Booksurge (i.e., Amazon) didn't really put it like that, but the implications were clear. Pretty shitty of them, right? Well, that's Amazon for you. It's why some people hate Amazon, particularly indie authors and small publishers.
I know people who stay up late at night (probably on some kind of intoxicant; I'm not judging) and do a lot of Amazon shopping. I mean, they have everything! Why not, right? I know, put away the credit card before you use your retirement savings to buy a bunch of crap you don't need. The point is Amazon is the 800-pound gorilla in the room and everyone has to deal with them, whether you want to or not. I personally don't have the energy to bitch about Amazon any more. I just play the game. They probably do screw everyone over one way or the other, particularly indie authors. Mostly, though, authors are upset because they aren't selling and Amazon makes money off you, whether you sell or not. That's kind of their business. As long as you price your book right, you're probably getting more royalties than you are if you published through the New York houses, though without their distribution and marketing muscle.
Okay, enough of the Amazon bashing, because I really do like their system (mostly). First, I'll finish the story of Amazon, Createspace and Booksurge. Basically, Createspace absorbed Booksurge and their POD service, which makes sense, given the negative publicity mentioned above. So that's how Createspace became the POD service for Amazon. Amazon, in its attempt to control the Universe (at least the universe of books), did try to put a dent into the business of Ingram Book Company, who runs their own POD service, Ingram Spark, but then gave up and learned to work well with Ingram Spark (hereafter, I'll refer to as IS). They even use IS for what Createspace calls "Extended Distribution Channels".
I'll quickly go through the pros and cons of Createspace first:
- Easier setup than Ingram Spark (and it's free!)
- Better customer service (emails answered within 24 hours)
- Free updates to your cover or interior file at any time and for any reason. Ingram Spark charges for updates.
- Amazon offers expanded distribution through non-Amazon sellers, though the royalties are a lot less than through Amazon
- No returns accepted
- Printing costs for color books is much higher than Ingram Sparks
- International shipping isn't as good as Ingram Sparks, but domestic U.S. shipping costs are better
Createspace is a breeze to setup. Your file is given the okay in 24 hours or they'll ask you for adjustments, if needed. In my case they made some adjustments for me and simply asked me to okay the result, which was kind of cool of them. After I approved the proof, which you can examine both digitally online or in person, if you order a proof copy (some errors just don't really stand out until you have the paper version in your hand), the book is up on Amazon in a couple of days. It's really quite fast. And you can update the files at any time, free of charge. This can be a big deal. You can use the extra money for marketing or for a bottle of Champagne to celebrate! At some point, you will probably have to upload new files as you get professional reviews for your book. You'll want to add them to the cover and/or interior (I left a page at the beginning of my book for that.) Maybe you got Stephen King to say something nice about you. Damn, you lucky dog.
You should note that any time you update the file it will be taken down off Amazon for that period of time. This means that, if your book is also offered through Ingram Spark, it will all of sudden be available at Amazon through third-party sellers for a higher price than when you were offering it directly through CS. Just something to keep in mind. This happened to me, and it freaked me out at first.
There are some downsides to Createspace.
CS Doesn't Play Well With Others (i.e., Non-Amazon Customers)
The default CS distribution channel is Amazon, but they do offer what they call "Expanded Distribution Channels (EDC)", which you will notice as you get setup in their system. Createspace will ask you if you want to use EDC. Just say no. Why? Basically for two reasons. One, if a clerk in a bookstore looks up your book on their computer system, it will say CREATESPACE on it, which screams self-published, amateurish and that brings me to the second reason not to use EDC through CS: poorer discounts to bookstores.
CS offers 40% discounts (off list price) to Amazon to sell and 60% for everyone else (that expanded distribution or EDC thing.) I'll get into the nitty gritty of what this means in practice, using my book as an example, which comes in a 6×9 trim size and is 352 pages, black and white on creme paper. The cover is matte, not glossy, because I liked the look of the matte better for paperback, though I went with glossy for the hardback. Anyway, for a 352 page book, my print cost is 5.07. I offer it through Amazon for 9.95, which is the only way to offer a decent price point and also make a decent, though not huge, royalty.
Let's break this down further. If you sell through Amazon, what does the 40% discount really mean? Well, it means that 40% of 9.95 is about $3.98. Subtract the 3.98 discount and the 5.07 printing cost from the 9.95 retail price through Amazon and you get 0.90, which happens to be my royalty. So who gets the 3.98? A combination of Createspace and Amazon for distribution and the use of their supply chain.
So how about the 60% discount for EDC? First of all, this forces my price point up. I have to offer it at 14.95, just to get about the same royalty rate (60% of 14.95 is 8.97 plus 5.07 printing costs, leaves .91 to me.) It also means more hands in the cook jar, since CS actually uses Ingram Spark for expanded distribution. What? Yes, now you have another mouth to feed. CS doesn't have the distribution of IS, so CS turned to IS to handle all non-Amazon orders. This leaves a much smaller cut to the bookstore and adds a third party to the supply chain, CS to IS to distributor to bookstore. I personally rather the bookstore (even the giants Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million) get their cut than add a third-party distributor to the chain.
So don't use Createspace's EDC. Get set up with Ingram Spark instead. That's my advice, for what it's worth. IS has a much better distribution system, particularly internationally, and they have deeper roots in the industry. But CS is still the best option when selling through Amazon, particularly for your price point to be competitive. So I say use both.
One last thing to note about ISBNs. Createspace will also ask you whether or not you want to use their ISBN. I highly advise you to buy a block of 10 ISBNs from Bowker (www.myidentifiers.com). Yes, it's $250 for 10 (you can easily use 3 or 4 of those for a single book), but if you use Createspace's ISBN, you will show up to anyone as "CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform", which used to show up as "Published by Createspace." This will be listed under publisher when a clerk at your local book store looks you up in their computer system. This screams self-published. It screams poor quality. It also screams non-returnable and poor discounts for the bookstore. Having your own ISBN, listed under your own publishing business, simply says professional. If you're going to do this for the long haul, then you really should invest in your own ISBNs.
Ingram Spark
According to Wikipedia, "the Ingram Content Group was formed in 2009 as Ingram Lightning Group merged with Ingram Digital Group. Ingram Content Group's operating units are Ingram Book Company, Ingram International Inc., Ingram Library Services Inc., Ingram Publisher Services Inc., Ingram Periodicals Inc., Ingram Digital, Lightning Source Inc., Spring Arbor Distributors Inc., and Tennessee Book Company LLC." That's a lot of Ingrams in there, except for that last one. O.H. Ingram founded the company in 1938, using money he inherited from his grandfather's timber business. Mostly, they were into oil and refineries and barges (one of their barges wound up in New Orlean's lower Ninth Ward during Hurricane Katrina, not that you care), but in a flurry of acquisitions back in the 60s, Frederick and Bronson–the sons of O.H. Ingram–bought a text book depository for the Tennessee public schools. The rest, as they say, is history.
They have the industry's largest active book inventory with access to 7.5 million titles and serve booksellers, librarians, educators and specialty retailers. That's how big they are. Traditionally, they supplied traditional New York publishers with offset printing, but over time they entered the POD game as self-publishing became more of a thing and founded a company called Lightning Source (LS) in 1996. LS also licenses books for a printing kiosk called an Espresso Book Machine (invented and sold by On Demand Books) that can be setup in any public space and accepts files downloaded from LS. It prints, binds and cuts books on demand while the customer waits. Pretty cool, huh? You should watch the YouTube video of the process. I really, really want one for Christmas (please, baby!), only they cost about $17,000.
One more historical note, Ingram Content Group, along with Lightning Source, was almost sold to Barnes & Noble in 1999 until independent bookstores and the American Booksellers Association balked and put pressure on Ingram to nix the deal, which they did.
Okay, now to Ingram Spark. Their parent entity, Lightning Source, was really setup for publishers more than authors, so the company came up with Ingram Spark (www.ingramspark.com) as a way to keep up with the changing landscape of publishing today. IS markets directly to authors and competes with Createspace and other POD services like LuLu.
Now to the bullet points:
- Much larger reach than CS, so international shipping costs are much better
- Much cheaper on color printing, if that's your thing
- Industry standard discounts that work well with non-Amazonian retailers, both online and brick-and-mortar
- Does charge a setup fee ($49) and another fee to change any files for your book ($25 for the cover, $25 for the interior, and $50 for both)
- Books can be returnable or non-returnable
- Hardcovers available, which are no longer offered through CS
IS is much larger than CS, which is why CS uses them for their expanded distribution. But because you have to pay CS in addition to IS, it's much better to go with IS directly than to use CS's expanded distribution. I found that for that same book listed for 9.95 on Amazon, I had to offer it for 15.95 through Ingram Spark to get the same royalty rate. This is partly because CS does the 40% discount for their own distribution, whereas I used the 55% discount through IS (which, as you might recall, lets IS take a cut of 15% and give 40% to the book stores, approximately.) IS does now offer a 40% discount option, which allows a book seller (you or another publisher) to sell a book cheaper to online retailers, just as CS sells to Amazon for a 40% discount. I personally chose that 55% discount, because I like to let the old-fashioned independent bookstore make a profit.
As for returns, I made the mistake of selecting returnable with IS when I first started. I also made the mistake of selecting the option for sending unused copies to me, rather than destroy them, which is the other option. Within about a month, I realized my mistake and changed it. You see, someone could order a 1000 books, then return 999 or them (or all of them) up to 180 days later, and you will be charged. That's right. They could charge you for all those books with no risk to themselves. There's really no downside to ordering a bunch of books for a book that could take off like a rocket but probably won't. Well, there's no downside to the distributor. There's a HUGE downside to you. If you see me on the side of the road in a house made of cardboard, living in a puddle of my own piss and looking as if I haven't shaved or showered in months, you'll know why. Have pity on me and buy me lunch.
Head to Head
Okay, now for what matters most: quality. I read the blogs and the discussion groups. They indicated that Ingram Spark was the better quality book, though not by much. I found the exact opposite to be the case. Now, maybe CS stepped up their game, I don't know. The CS book was just better quality paper. It felt better and read better.
The IS book arrived damaged. I wasn't very pleased about that. It had a dent in the cover and something smudged on it. The printing wasn't smudged (that would've been a deal breaker), but a little dirt seemed to have gotten on it. I'm pretty forgivable about most things and want to chalk it up to just random human error that is rare and won't happen again. Whatever happened, it was careless. That being said, even with none of that, I would have preferred the CS copy. You can see why when you look at their template for the cover design. The spine is not as wide for IS. That's because the paper is simply thinner. I think that leads to a less quality book, IMHO, and some of the pages did fall out as I read the copy.
On a side note, you will have to design your cover to the specs of the printer, which as I said, are different for CS than IS. It's not a lot, but you have to be very specific in your design to get the spine to align properly in Photoshop, which you save as a pdf file and then upload to CS or IS or whomever.
You definitely benefit from having a paper version of your book, so I highly recommend. You just look more professional and more appealing to Amazon, since you offer value. I've read somewhere that this will, in turn, help your rankings, over just having an ebook version. I also rather enjoyed the process of designing the cover and seeing it in hard copy form.
I found found IS customer support to be more responsive than CS, though I've read others who said the opposite. IS has an online system that seems pretty responsive. I could get someone on chat within minutes, whereas I had to wait for a 24-hour email response from CS, which wasn't bad but wasn't nearly as helpful. When you need answers, sometimes you need them now, not tomorrow.
I liked both Createspace and Ingram Spark for different reasons. The quality of the book is better at CS, IMHO. And the price point through CS for Amazon customers is better so you can remain competitive, though I prefer to use IS for non-Amazon orders instead of EDC through CS.
Ingram Spark, because of their larger reach, is better for international shipping and offers industry-standard discounts without adding another hand to feed. They offer the option of accepting returns, which you shouldn't take, unless you blow up so big you can afford to take the risk when your book is selling like hotcakes. But at least it's an option, which it isn't through CS. It also looks more professional when ordered through a book store, since your own company (you do have a separate company name other than your author name, don't you?) will show up as publisher. Even if you use your own ISBN through CS, something with Createspace in the publisher field will show up and raise red flags. It just doesn't look professional.
So I say Createspace for Amazon customers, since most of your business will be through Amazon anyway, and Ingram Spark for everyone else, since their wider reach works well with non-Amazonian outlets. And if you need to order copies for yourself to distribute for free to reviewers? Order from CS. They are better quality.
One more thing. I have no experience with LuLu, another POD service, so you can Google that one and see what you think. This is just my two cents about Createspace (www.createspace.com) and Ingram Spark (www.ingramspark.com). Leave a comment and tell me about your own experiences.
Ken L.


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Traveling these days is all about immersing more in the local culture – we want to truly experience cities like a local, not just stare at famous buildings from afar. Whether it's going off the beaten path to find a new restaurant, attempting to learn a new language, or using public transportation, travelers today are exploring cities in a whole new way. In this new era of traveling, and with the rise of tools like AirBnB or HomeAway, we've seen travelers opting to stay in local apartments and houses instead of hotels.
Staying in apartments or houses allows you to live more like a local and less like a visitor. You visit the grocery store for food, you get to explore areas less frequently traveled by tourists and you have the opportunity to meet local neighbors.
This all sounds so great, right? So where can you go to find a place to rent? There are dozens of websites out there – from Airbnb and HomeAway to Luxury Retreats. These sites serve as an online market place to connect people with available rooms, apartments or houses and those who need a place to stay. You can search by location, bedrooms, price, and even property type – the options are endless.
There are a few things to look out for, though:
1. Poor Reviews – read the reviews of the location before you go – look for comments about how well the reviewer slept, anything to watch out for, or noise levels.
2. Know The Full Cost – some cities require additional taxes, even on local rentals, or the host might add on additional cleaning or other fees. Make sure you know the full cost before you go to avoid surprises.
3. Scour The Photos – AirBnB has professional photographers that hosts can request to take photos – these will be watermarked on the site and can offer assurance of the legitimacy of the photos. While you can't get everything from a photograph, look for hints at cleanliness or abnormal wear and tear on furniture. This can give an idea as to how the host has kept it up themselves.
The next time you start planning your vacation, think about renting an apartment – you are sure to feel like a local, and you can still use TripCase to organize the details for you!


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Greece on collision course with reality
What happens when voters reject reality? Let's all watch Greece and find out… because we might be next.
John Robson, with a B.A. and M.A. in history from the University of Toronto and a Ph.D in American history from the University of Texas at Austin, has worked in academia, think tanks and politics as well as doing print, radio, TV and online journalism in Canada. He is married to Brigitte Pellerin.
What happens when voters reject reality? Let's all watch Greece and find out… because we might be next.
What if it had been consensual?
Anyone feel like gallivanting off to Paris for a day? Eh? Too much jet lag to be useful the first day? And too expensive? Well, you'd make a lousy politician.
With Vladimir Putin drooling over the rest of Ukraine the plan seems to be to stick our tongues out at him. Laden with sententious rhetoric, to be sure. But we can't shake our fist at him because we haven't got one.
There are many things I could say about the upcoming Quebec election, some of which my editors would even let me print. But can we start with this "fixed election date" business?
Prime Minister Harper's Mideast trip was going pretty well until I opened the paper and saw him handing Jordan about $100 million. Man. That's one expensive photo-op.
O Canada, land of our ancestors, what hath become of thy anthem?
The people reaching for the reins now slipping from Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty's hands trot out the usual gooblahoy about renewal and new visions and hard-working families and the middle class. But at the hard core of governing is money - raising it in taxes, spending it on programs. And Ontario has a real problem to which those who would be premier seem strangely oblivious.
Political conventions are strange tribal gatherings whose frequent emotional outbursts, frenzied responses to obscure issues and peculiar sense of embattled joy might prove upsetting to normal people.
Equalization makes us poorer, encourages bad policy and fosters bitterness. Unfortunately we can't just take it out behind the barn and kill it with an axe. It's wedged into the Constitution and besides, its original purpose of protecting Canadians against the possibility of a provincial government collapsing financially is not unworthy. But we cou
Satirist P.J. O'Rourke says, "Beyond a certain point complexity is fraud ... when someone creates a system in which you can't tell whether or not you're being fooled, you're being fooled."
Equalization doesn't just reward failure. It encourages it.
In Canada's fiscal Olympics, large equalization payments constitute the brass, tin and lead medals. They recognize and reward persistent policy failure lasting decades.
Canadians have given Quebec a quarter of a trillion dollars in equalization payments since 1957, half of all the money the program has handed out. Over that span of more than 50 years, Quebec has always been the biggest beneficiary, and has never been a net contributor to equalization.
We are all environmentalists now. So why aren't activists happy the RCMP is watching for terrorists infiltrating their organizations?
Even for a desperate politician, B.C. Premier Christy Clark's attack on the Northern Gateway pipeline was exceptionally mean and stupid. It's no accident Canadian provinces are not allowed to behave like highwaymen. But it is astounding that Clark doesn't know it.


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Italia Ricci Reacts To Teen Choice Award Nomination - Read Her Exclusive Statement Here!
JJJ was so stoked this afternoon to see Italia Ricci's name on the second wave of 2014 Teen Choice Award nominations!
So we had to get the 26-year-old Chasing Life star on the phone to get her reaction.
"It is so cool! It never crossed my mind that I would even be in the same league as the TCA's," Italia told JJJ exclusively.
She adds, "I thought someone was pranking me. I keep refreshing the page to see if I'm still up there."
Italia also sent her congrats to co-star Richard Brancatisano, who was also nominated, on Twitter.
ARE YOU EXCITED that Italia was nominated?
Posted to: 2014 Teen Choice Awards, Exclusive, Italia Ricci


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The Haband Credit Card provides benefits ranging from birthday gift offers to fraud liability protection according to the Haband website. The card, issued by issued by Comenity Capital Bank, is accepted for all Haband purchases and carries no annual fee.Continue Reading
Additional benefits include added customer service through a hassle-free return process, direct phone line for personal shopping help, and access to card management features through the Haband online Account Centre, according to the company site. Cardholders also receive special anniversary and holiday savings, exclusive savings throughout the year, and an initial welcome kit containing promotional offers. The card also provides a variable APR for deferred payments, adjusted according to the Prime Rate of interest.Learn more about Credit & Lending


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Sunday, 7 December 2008
The prize for ugliest Routemaster design goes to...
16 comments:
Wot's this about, then?
- 7 December 2008 at 13:52
- The Troll said...
No you haven't missed anything. Some contestants have already been told that they have not won the competition, but the winner is still yet to be announced.
- 7 December 2008 at 14:02
- Tom said...
My goodness. It's got something like a 10m wheelbase! It's interesting to see how the muppets who enter this thing are trying hard to press all Boris's buttons for him. It's got more seats than a bendy bus, you know!
- 7 December 2008 at 14:56
- The Troll said...
I'm more fascinated by the strip-club style pole-dancing area. I would have thought Boris would have loved that.
- 7 December 2008 at 15:02
Pole dancing, blacked-out windows, what more could any car-bound central London Tory need to persuade them out of their private vehicles?
- 7 December 2008 at 19:19
- The Troll said...
Oh yes the blacked out windows. What is that all about? Perhaps one does not want to be seen in one's public transport.
- 7 December 2008 at 19:27
- Tom said...
"what more could any car-bound central London Tory need to persuade them out of their private vehicles?"
Bouncers to keep out anyone without a private income?
The darkened window will be to avoid solar gain which, isn't a particular issue in winter, when the open platform will sort out any overheating nicely.
- 7 December 2008 at 22:09
- James said...
I fucking love it.
- 8 December 2008 at 02:35
- The Troll said...
James is happy!
- 8 December 2008 at 09:44
- Jujupiter said...
I thought of a stripping pole too! I think every bus should definitely have that.
- 8 December 2008 at 15:44
- Charlie Danger said...
It has ceiling-suspended seating. I hated it at first but am beginning to get quite excited around now.
- 10 December 2008 at 17:00
- The Troll said...
What's the advantage to having ceiling-suspended seating then?
- 10 December 2008 at 17:14
what about this one
at www.conceptcadstudio.co.uk
- 15 December 2008 at 16:46
- The Troll said...
Oh yes that's definitely a contender.
- 15 December 2008 at 16:51
Crossland design
is another entry that has used the maximum dimensions allowed for the bus 13.5m!!! The bus should be no more than 11m as they have to get round corners.
- 16 December 2008 at 10:46
- Tom said...
Informed bus cranks tell me that 13.5m buses won't fit in the garages, so it won't be that big. Indeed, I've no idea why that was even specified as a maximum dimension.
- 16 December 2008 at 11:05


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To prepare for a boiler license exam, take any available seminars and courses. Study for the exam using preparation guide books and online resources, such as flash card websites. Boiler license exams and available training options vary depending on the organization or state administering the exam. Check with that organization or state for exam information and study materials.Continue Reading
Seminars cover the information necessary to pass the boiler license exam and typically occur over one or more days. For example, Sprung Training Systems, which prepares applicants to take the Minnesota boiler license exam as of 2015, offers a two-day seminar and allows applicants who fail the exam to retake the class at no additional charge.
States may require applicants to have prior training or experience in the field before taking the exam. The Arkansas Department of Labor requires all applicants to have at least six months of training or experience under a licensed boiler operator before they can take an exam.
The "Boiler Operator's Exam Preparation Guide" is one option to prepare for the exam. Cram.com offers online flash cards on a variety of subjects, including boiler license exams.
Organizations or states that administer exams may provide information on the number of questions and the type of questions on the exam. Other useful information includes the exam length and any necessary steps to take before the exam, such as registering early to secure a seat.Learn more about Careers


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Visy CEO Exits In Wake Of Scandal
VISY Chief Executive Harry Debney announced on Thursday that he is vacating the top position at the Australian packaging giant, according to the Courier-Mail.
The move came only a week after the company and owner Richard Pratt settled charges of engaging in illegal cartel activities with rival Amcor Ltd., choosing to accept a $36 million fine rather than battle it out...
To view the full article, register now.
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Spending time in nature is a vital part of wellness and well-being. Not only does going outdoors promote good health, but it also reminds us that we're connected to something greater than ourselves: an awe-inspiring system of living things that has been designed to work together. I've long loved to visit our national parks here in the United States. This year, the national park service centennial inspired me to visit even more and write a series of blogs on the lessons that different natural environments can teach us about wellness. Here are some insights from the desert: Joshua Tree National Park in California.
At first glance, the desert seems like a hostile environment. Joshua Tree (which comprises some of both the Mojave and Colorado/Sonoran deserts) looks like a wasteland littered with rocks, shrubs, scattered palm trees, and not much else. How can such harsh conditions — little water, blazing sun, high winds, and relentless heat — actually promote wellness?
The desert shows us how resourceful we can be.
Spending time in a desert challenges us to adapt to our circumstances by finding ways to survive (and hopefully thrive) despite the difficulties we encounter. Animals and plants work on adaptation in a desert habitat. For example, kangaroo rats have adapted to life in Joshua Tree's desert by absorbing water from the seeds they eat and escaping heat by going underground rather than sweating so they don't lose water. They can survive even if they never drink any water at all! Among plants, for instance, palo verde trees have adapted to the desert by dropping their leaves during droughts to retain as much water as possible in their systems.
Just like them, we also have to adjust when we're in a desert. I carried plenty of water with me, for instance — both to drink and also to pour on a sports scarf I wrapped around my neck for relief from the heat. I also wore sunglasses to protect my eyes from the sun's strong rays and the swirling dust kicked up by high winds.
Many different kinds of tough circumstances can pull us into a "desert" in our lives. Injuries and illnesses lead to desert times for our bodies. The stress of going through crises may lead us to a desert state of mind. Our spirits can dry up like a desert when we neglect staying in contact with God through prayer and meditation.
The key to thriving in the desert is being resourceful — learning how to tap into the resources we need, despite the tough situations we're facing. What inspires me to be resourceful is to remind myself that the ultimate source of everything I need is God. He's the one who created the desert and all other parts of nature; he's the one who has the power to provide what I need in any situation. He can do the same for you, whenever you rely on him.
Tapping into a relationship with the Creator gives us the gift of "living water" the Bible says (John 4:10), which will empower us to meet any need we have in body, mind, or spirit. Just as a natural supply of water lies hidden underground at Joshua Tree National Park, the living water of help from the Holy Spirit isn't something we can usually see. But it's always there, available to us.
So the next time you find yourself facing desert circumstances, be resourceful! Look for ways to get the help you need by tapping into the gifts God has given you — from caring relationships with friends and family to refreshing practices like sleeping and exercising well. Adapt to your tough situation with the confidence that you can make it through successfully.
What have you learned from a recent desert experience in your life?


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You Wouldn't Share Your Toothbrush.... Don't Share Your Password!
A reminder, as this crops up periodically, you will never receive an out-of-the-blue email from SendGrid staff requesting your username or password.
Do not respond to emails, which do not identify a specific person or persons (but just says 'SendGrid Support Team' or 'SendGrid' or some other general label), particularly if they are requesting secure information like your password or credit card.
SendGrid will never ask you for your password in an email. No other organization you do business with should ever ask you for your password via email either.
When you receive messages like this, you can trash them. If you have the time, please report to SendGrid: firstname.lastname@example.com so we are aware of possible phishing attempts.
Also, remember…
- Use strong passwords for your accounts (when possible, pass-phrases that include alphanumeric characters and symbols).
- Don't share your passwords.
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- To change your password, click here.


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Click more below to see the recap of yesterday's #RTWChat on Twitter
Most travelers love taking pictures when they're out on the road, but we all have our own preferences.
Yesterday on #RTWChat, we discussed travel photography and shared some of our favorite photos from around the world, making for an awesome hour of fun!
Check out the recap below and join us each and every Wednesday afternoon on Twitter for #RTWChat, beginning at 3:30 EST.


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Christ Church is an Anglican church in the heart of Austin with a contagious passion for Jesus & a culture of life-changing discipleship & world-changing mission
We are called to be a people of changed lives in the heart of our city, mending our world for the praise of God's glory.
The Latest at Christ Church
Worship With Us
By God's grace we are becoming a people with surrendered hearts, each living in daily and prayerful dependence and devotion to God. We express this together through weekly worship that is historic and contemporary, passionate and reverent.
Sundays at 9:00 am and 11:00 a.m.
Texas Federation of Women's Club
2312 San Gabriel St.
Austin, TX
Find directions for parking here.


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Last night I had the privilege of hanging out with my friend and fellow blogger the hilarious
Trent Jackson at The Abbey in West Hollywood. The Abbey has
become the unofficial hangout for SGL black men on Sunday nights. I swear it was like the beach party indoors!
I can't take it when it's so many gorgeous brothas in one place, my hormones go into overdrive !
The highlight of the night was seeing Ms. Trent show all the skinny boys in the bar how big boys can drop it like it's hot too!
I looked up and he was battling this tiny mexican boy in the middle of the bar ! Reading about it here does no justice to what it was like seeing it up close and personal. I ain't mad at cha Trent, let the boys have it!


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National Cycle revolutionizes windscreen performance with the VStream® Windscreen! The patented "V" shape and advanced dimensional contours push the wind vortex away from the rider's head, resulting in a peaceful, quiet riding environment. The passenger's comfort is improved as well.
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I bought my VStream in May of 2016. I've ridden over 15,000 miles in the last 12 months with it on. I've reached 165 mph (according to the speedometer, probably closer to 150 mph because of inaccurate odometer), and constantly playing in the "Hill Country" twisties at speeds between 60-90. The bike remains super solid (as does the windshield) at all speeds in the straightaways as well as through the corners.
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- VStream+® Review by Satisfied Customer, Spokane, WA
Just put the new VStream® on yesterday! Wow, what a difference! No (that's right, NO) back pressure at all. From 30MPH through 80MPH the turbulence is exactly where you said it would be - about one foot to each side, and probably a foot above my head. It's amazing!
The best thing is that the passenger is also in quiet air. My wife is so pleased her head isn't bobbing around at interstate speeds and causing neck strain. The optics are good and, when running twisties, I don't feel I need the screen all the way down to see the road in front of me. (Posted on 1/20/2015)
- VStream+® Review by Gary D.
The bike rides steadier and truer. The VStream® windscreen provides a quiet pocket of air and the clarity is great. I put my windscreen on my friends' bikes and let them take it for a ride. As soon as they came back, they simply said, 'order me one!'
The clarity of the windscreen has absolutely no distortion. This is the single most effective thing you can do for the bike for less wind turbulence and noise. The VStream actually makes the bike ride easier, and it goes down the road with less effort. At 65-75 mph you don't have to work as hard to ride the bike because the bike doesn't move around as much.
Overall, the VStream provides a calmer, quieter, and more pleasant riding experience.
We rode in the rain at 75mph for over 50 miles and the VStream shape of the windscreen actually reduced the amount of water coming over the screen and falling into my lap. This makes riding in the rain much easier. (Posted on 1/20/2015)
- VStream+® Review by Jeff C.
- I can now go on long rides without getting beaten up by the wind. It is the best and I love it. Thanks! (Posted on 1/20/2015)
Height: 20.00" (50.8cm);
Width: 17.50" (44.5cm)
Measured vertically from the bottom center edge to the top of the screen, and horizontally across the back at the widest point.


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In this conclusion to a six part series, we look at how to modify, replace, and delete subprograms in Oracle PL/SQL. This article is excerpted from chapter 36 of the book Beginning PHP and Oracle: From Novice to Professional, written by W. Jason Gilmore and Bob Bryla (Apress; ISBN: 1590597702).
Read the full article here: Modifying Oracle PL/SQL Subprograms
For more discussion go here: Blog Article Discussion


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Thursday, April 25, 2013
Who Needs a Constitution?
Here's the transcript of the cabinet meeting of December 13, 1949 (not 1948) where the issue was discussed at length, and the decision was made. (And note that it's part of our Declaration of Independence project.) Listening in on the discussion contains some surprises: yes, the Minister of Justice, Pinchas Rosenne, was in favor of enacting a constitution. And yes, the Attorney General, Yaacov Shimshon Shapira, agreed with him. And yes, one of their main considerations was the need to protect the rights of individuals. And yes, the religious representatives were skeptical, though not because they felt the Bible could serve as a rule book for the particularities of life in modern Israel, a claim they didn't make. And yes, many of the discussants felt that enacting a constitution in the fractured Israeli political climate would be divisive and challenging.
But that wasn't the dynamic that foiled the intention to have a constitution.
The reason the cabinet decided not to work towards creating a constitution was David Ben Gurion. Ben Gurion had no interest in there being a constitution, and so he hijacked the discussion in its fourth minute (at the latest), and by the time he stopped talking the issue was dead, even though the conversation went on for another hour or more; then, when at the last moment Rosenne tried to salvage his position by suggesting the government tell the Knesset it would set up a committee, Ben Gurion shot that down, too.
The reason for Ben Gurion's strident position? "There's no time." Actually, he offered three reasons, though he said it was two, but only one was really important. The first of the three and the one he didn't count was that he didn't see any reason for having a constitution. Why should some laws be stronger than others? And why think that today's legislators are any wiser than those 300 years hence? (He probably had a low opinion of any number of the ones of his day, but that's just speculation.) There need to be good laws, yes; and the United States needed a Constitution to stitch together all the colonies, but Israel has other challenges. The second reason, and the first he admitted to, was that a session of the Knesset dedicated to formulating a constitution would be given over to posturing and grandstanding - he didn't single out any particular party or group as the main potential culprit.
The real reason he gave, at great length, was that there were vastly more important things to do. So he gave a long speech about bringing in 3-400,000 additional immigrants and making a place for them; about settling the Negev and using its resources; about building ports and railways, towns and highways; and also all the regular, mundane laws needed to run a country. "The coming few years are the most important in our history. If anyone thinks that declaring independence or winning the war (of 1947-1949) were what was needed to found the state, they're wrong. The work is all ahead of us."
On the edge of the discussion, there was a humourous little exchange between Ben Gurion and Golda Meir, who basically accepted his argumentation, but nevertheless said that in principle she was in favor of having a constitution. "That's because you're American," Ben Gurion shot at her. "Yes, that may be," she responded.
2 comments:
To deny the religous element's demands of a "religious" constitution rather than a secular constitution under which all the inhabitants of the State of Israel could live is to make the silence of the religious parties, etc., into something that it wasn't. There was no religious participation in the meeting that the State Archives reports, and it was incumbent upon Ben Gurion to find a way that would not hurt the necessary national unity to establish and pursue the work of the new state.ReplyDelete
Certainly, the personal "life passages," which are still under the rabbis control, would have had to be a part of any constitution to insure national unity. Ben Gurion did not want to given the rabbis a constitutional foothold in the operating of the state. While he was a secular Zionist, what Ben Gurion failed was to see the future of the state as it would demographically develop.
He never claimed to be a prophet, but among all the politicians around today, none of them have achieved his level of statescraft, and Israel could use a few statesmen.Replies
IMO Ben Gurion was an autocrat that wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Perhaps you would define statesmen?Delete


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Altruism Dreamers Of Dreams
Download Songs Altruism Dreamers Of Dreams only for review course, Buy Cassette or CD / VCD original from the album Altruism Dreamers Of Dreams or use Personal Tone / I-RING / Ring Back Tone in recognition that they can still work to create other new songs. DMCA Removal Requests Send to [email protected] Download Full Album songs For Android Altruism Dreamers Of Dreams Click Here
|Altruism - Dreamers Of Dreams
| Nano Records label boss, Origin Festival producer, and celebrating 20 years of DJing, Regan has a lot to be thankful for. So to crown this moment in time he has pulled together a massive collection of tunes that feature almost the entire roster of Nano Records artists!
Named after the amazing South African based Origin Festival, 'Origin 5' features a who's-who of the best-of-the-best in PsyTrance (in one form or another) including: Tristan, Raja Ram, Laughing Buddha, Dickster, Space Tribe, Avalon, Symbolic, Vertical Mode, Talpa, Zyce, Headroom, Skyfall, Broken Toy, The Commercial Hippies, Ital, Chromatone, Mad Maxx, Burn in Noise, Loud, Trippy Trail, Altruism, Killerwatts, K.I.M, Masters Blasters, Pogo, Groove Addict, Rinkadink, Sad Paradise, and two new comers that we are very excited about: James West and Magik!
Artist: Various (Selected by Regan)
Label: Nano Records
Cat no.: nanr1cd043 / nanoocd043
Format: CD / Digital
Release Date: 07 December 2015
** Nano Records Webstore (Nicest Price ;-)
** Psyshop (Limited Edition Double CD)
** Beatport:
Track Listing :
01. Headroom - Fading Away
02. Symbolic & Vertical Mode - Moving Forward (Talpa & Zyce Remix)
03. Skyfall - Landscapes
04. Broken Toy - World on Fire
05. The Commercial Hippies & Ital - Power of Light
06. Chromatone - Monster Faucet (Avalon & Mad Maxx Remix)
07. James West - Lost Horizons
08. Burn in Noise - Orders From a Machine
09. Magik - Rainforest
10. Altruism - Dreamers of Dreams
11. Tristan & RajaRam - Beautiful Garden (Laughing Buddha Remix)
12. Killerwatts - Another Planet (K.i.M Remix)
13. Masters Blasters - You Know Who
14. Tristan & Trippy Trail - Planet Goa
15. Dickster & Space Tribe - Blast Off to Kicksville
16. Pogo - Dimethylated Spirit
17. Loud & Burn in Noise - A Real Good Time
18. Groove Addict - Magical Freakout
19. Rinkadink - Ultima (Sad Paradise Remix)
Regan on Facebook: /regan.nano
Follow Nano Records:
Website: /
Facebook: /nanorecords
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nano-records
Youtube: /user/nanorecadmin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nanorecords
Myspace: https://myspace.com/nanorecords
Beatport: https://pro.beatport.com/label/nano-records/2527
|Download as MP3 | Fast Download


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Luther Campbell Running For Mayor Of Miami
Uncle Luke has made it ifficial and is taking a run to be mayor of Miami-Dade County.
As previously reported, Miami's current mayor Carlos Alvarez is facing a recall election on March 15th and one of his opponents is Uncle Luke.
The former 2 Live Crew frontman is dead serious with this endeavour and is taking this very seriously as he runs against County Commissioner Carloz Gimenez, Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina, former State Legislator Marcelo Llorente and others.
Speaking with reporters, Luke stated,
"I'm mad frustrated. I get in my car, ride around Liberty City, and everything looks the same as when I was in the neighborhood growing up. I see the same crimes in the same areas. Officers and residents are still getting killed in the community I grew up in. I go to a city like Atlanta that has sensible affordable housing, and no one is being murdered.
I go to Miami International Airport and see the same construction that has been going on for, like, a hundred years. All of that frustrates the hell out of me. Why aren't we getting it right in Miami-Dade? Why is our government only serving one set of people? That's what is pushing me to run."
Luke plans to lower taxes and increase more affordable houses. He also plans to take what he is most known for and help stimulate the economy.
He added,
"I think we can stimulate the economy with a tax on strippers. They make all this money and don't pay taxes. I'd take that cash and put it into a fund where it supports youth athletics for girls, like cheerleading or softball."
Peep The Video as Luke discusses his platform to bring change to Miami.


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Joint Degree Programs
JD/MA in Anthropology
JD/MS in Biological Sciences
JD/MA in Clinical Psychology
JD/MS in Computer Science
JD/MA in English
JD/MS in Geosciences
JD/MA in History
JD/MA in Industrial Organization Psychology
A joint degree program is an excellent opportunity for motivated students to simultaneously earn both their law degree and a Master's degree from TU in less time than it would take to pursue each degree separately. Candidates must be accepted to both the College of Law and the Graduate School independently and satisfy each college's admission criteria. Once accepted independently to each college, a student's applications for admission will be reviewed by a joint degree committee consisting of the associate dean for student affairs in the College of Law, the graduate program adviser from the complementary discipline, and the dean of the Graduate School. If the committee determines that a student is qualified to undertake a joint degree, the student will be notified by both colleges of acceptance in to a joint degree program.
The first year of study in a joint degree program is typically in the College of Law. In rare situations where a student takes their first year of study in the complementary discipline, it must be with the approval of the joint degree committee. Subsequent to the first year of study, typically in the College of Law, a student must meet with the associate dean for student affairs in the College of Law and the repective associate dean or chair in the complementary discipline to enroll. Each college will be responsible for ensuring that a student satisfies that college's graduation requirements, and each joint degree administer will meet with the joint degree administrator of the other colleges annually to determine satisfactory academic progress for a joint degree student.
Graduate Bulletin on Joint-Degree Programs
For more information about joint degrees, contact Karen Grundy at email@example.com.


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June 23, 2015 8:00 to 6:00 (includes happy hour)
Beginning in 2005 the Simon Law Firm founded a trial practice seminar designed to do two things: 1) provide ongoing education for attorneys and 2) raise money for Legal Services of Eastern Missouri. Since 2005, the seminar has grown dramatically, regularly attracting over 125 attendees. Lectures are given by attorneys and judges on a diverse range of topics by people recognized as experts in their fields, and attorneys pay to attend. Every dollar is donated to Legal Services. Over the last several years, the project has raised more than $168,500.


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Home / Posts tagged 'Marketing and Advertising'
Marketing and Advertising
Monopolize Social Media
Forget everything you know about marketing and advertising. In fact, forget about social media. As a team of elite managers, we are here to tell ...
Read more → April 5, 2013 // No Comments // Business, GOOGLE ADSENSE, Internet marketing, Marketing, Marketing and Advertising, Social media, Twitter, Website
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