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The Resource for Healthcare IT Leaders
The Resource for HIT Leaders
Value-Based Care
Reinvent Radiology
HIT Think
RCM & Payments
Pop Health
Accountable Care
Big Data
Value-Based Care
Reinvent Radiology
HIT Think
RCM & Payments
Pop Health
Accountable Care
Big Data
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Angela Govila
Angela is currently the Head of Product Delivery for Capital One's Digital Product Development team responsible for driving strategic product planning, prioritization, scaled agile program management and execution of the strategic roadmap for the ecommerce and digital banking product suite targeted for small businesses. In her role, she is applying her passion of bringing structure to chaos and converting program vision and strategy into action to drive meaningful business results. Angela has delivered on great results for the company including launch of flagship checking products under the Spark Business umbrella, now recognized as the leading deposit product by Money Magazine.Prior to joining Capital One, Angela was with Ernst & Young's Strategic Transformation Advisory team, where she led program management engagements for large technology projects in the financial services industry. She has also held roles with General Electric in the program management space driving strategic initiatives for Treasury, Finance and Emerging technology teams.Angela is passionate about adding structure to chaos and converting strategy into action to drive business results. She is fueled by the belief that the right combination of insight, technology and customer experience can drive change. Angela is a bold thought leader in the space of product delivery and program management, and has been sought as a panelist and speaker on the topic through Lean In Forums and non-profit organizations such as Redmond WorkSource. Angela's passion extends into empowering women in the workforce and has volunteered heavily for the cause. She's also been held the position of President for several chapters for Toastmasters International and has been recognized for her community leadership. �She is a graduate of the College of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State University and lives in Seattle. In her spare time, she enjoys backpacking trips in remote wilderness along with spending time with her family.
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Undergraduate students transferring to Coleman may meet some degree requirements by presenting credit earned from accredited institutions of higher education.
The University does not award credit for prior experiential learning. Official evaluation of undergraduate transfer credit is under the authority of the Director of Student Services in consultation with the Registrar.
Transfer evaluation will be based on higher education work completed in which grades of C or better were earned.
Note: Once a student has matriculated at Coleman, any further transfer credits must have prior approval of the Director of Student Services, or designee.
Transfer Credit Time Limits
English and math courses taken more than ten years prior to the start of term for which the applicant is applying are not eligible for transfer.
Technology courses taken more than five years prior to the start of term for which the applicant is applying are not eligible for transfer.
Transfer Credit Maximums
Associate's degree programs: A maximum of 36 units of credit earned may be accepted for transfer from accredited institutions of higher education. The remaining 72 units must be completed at Coleman to comply with residency requirements.
Bachelor's degree programs: A maximum of 88 units of credit earned may be accepted for transfer from accredited institutions of higher education. The remaining 92 units must be com pleted at Coleman to comply with residency requirements.
Basis for Institutional Transfer Credit
Transfer credits (if earned within the United States) may be accepted from accredited institutions of higher education.
Transfer Credit for International Applicants
International students from government recognized institutions must submit official, translated transcripts and results from a foreign educational credential evaluation service agency. The evaluations must contain degree equivalency, U.S. semester/quarter credit and grade equivalent for each course, and U.S. grade point average. A syllabus or course description, also translated into English, covering each course being considered for transfer credit should be submitted with the transcript to the Registrar. Transcripts and syllabi documentation are evaluated for the minimum C grade equivalency requirement (see below) and subject matter content to determine the number of transfer credits allowed.
During the transfer credit evaluation process, academic work from other colleges and universities is compared to Coleman courses within the appropriate degree program, and transfer credits are awarded on the basis of similar content.
Grades Required for Transfer Credit
Undergraduate transfer credit can be accepted from accredited institutions only if the grade received is a C or better.
Applicants to Coleman must submit official transcripts of credit from all previously attended institutions for transfer credit evaluation. Course descriptions may also be required for evaluation of transfer credit.
Transfer Credit for Military Courses
Military students must satisfy the same admission requirements as all other applicants. Additionally, for awarding of transfer credit, military transcripts are required of all current or former service members attending Coleman University.
Variant Courses
Vocational or technical courses, remedial high school courses, and other courses below collegiate level are not accepted at Coleman as transfer credits, even if the courses were completed at an accredited institution of higher education.

subset: commoncrawl


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Pet Bean Bag
Spoil your Pet with a Throne of their Own! Perfect for Both Indoor and Outdoor Use, the Pet Bean Bag is Waterproof, Clawproof, Weatherproof, a Breeze to Clean and Delivered Free to your Door. Only $29 for a Small Size (Valued at $69) or $39 for a Large Size (Valued at $89)
- Highlights
- Fine Print
Reclaim your couch and get a brilliant Pet Bean Bag for your furry friend
Option One: Only $29 for a Small Circular Pet Bean Bag. Valued at $69
Option Two: Only $39 for a Large Rectangular Pet Bean Bag. Valued at $89
The small bed measures 100x 70 x 20cm and is ideal for smaller size dogs, while the large bed measures 70 x 10cm is perfect for all sized pets
Available in three great colours to match every decor - black, brown or red
The pet-proof safety zipper ensures you won't return home to a house full of beans and a guilty looking pet
Great for indoor and outdoor use with PVC coating which is weatherproof, waterproof and clawproof
Easy to clean - simply wipe it down
Nationwide delivery is included for your convenience
What We Like
Completely pet-proof, the Pet Bean Bag is suitable for indoor and outdoor pets!
Comes in a range of versatile colours to match your existing décor
The perfect gift for friends, family and every pet lover
Please enter delivery details at checkout. Once purchased your goods will be automatically sent to your address in approximately four weeks from the end of the promotion, no further action will be required
Delivery to PO Box addresses is not possible
Members can purchase up to twenty vouchers (gift vouchers aren't available for this offer, but you can purchase multiple vouchers and give the product as a gift)
Your product will be delivered to you by the supplier of the product. The estimated delivery time for this product has been provided by the supplier
Please note this offer is for the bean bag bed only, does not include polystyrene beads which can be purchased from most department stores including K-mart, Big-W and Target
Please allow more time for delivery to regional areas
Not valid in conjunction with any other offer and not redeemable for cash
Please ensure you address is correct. Incorrect addresses will incur a re-delivery fee


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Guild Section Rules
Please read these rules before posting on the Guild Recruitment Subforum:
- Thread titles must contain the name of the guild.
- Respect other guilds and their members, and avoid flaming or fighting them on this section. Using the recruitment thread of a guild to attack them or go after them to argue won't be tolerated.
Also, please remember:
- Threads with zero activity during 3 months or more will be closed. Threads older than 1 year will be archived. If you have a thread ongoing for a long time, please make sure you post once each 3 months on it, or we will consider it abandoned.
- If your guild thread has been closed by inactivity, you can contact us and we may reopen your thread if your guild is still active.


text: It's happening again. Markets around the world, from stocks to metals and bonds, have slowed to a crawl, revisiting lows in volatility that have stood for two years. Muted moves just sent a cross-asset gauge of price swings in equities, rates, currency and commodities to the lowest since 2014. That everything should go quiet at once just before the U.S. election... Read More


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SOURCE: Align Technology
February 16, 2017 08:00 ET
SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwired - February 16, 2017) - Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALGN) today announced that it has prevailed in proceedings initiated by ClearCorrect Operating LLC before the United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") that challenged the validity of three of Align's U.S. patents.
Last week, the USPTO issued reexamination certificates confirming the patentability of all challenged claims of Align's U.S. Patent Nos. 6,217,325, 6,722,880, and 8,070,487. Align was not required to amend or alter any of the challenged patent claims -- they were all confirmed based on the existing claim language. The confirmed patents include two of the patents (the '325 and '880 patents) that Align is asserting in its patent infringement lawsuit against ClearCorrect pending in the Southern District of Texas. These same two patents previously emerged from a prior reexamination proceeding a decade ago and were also found valid in the recent ITC proceedings against ClearCorrect. Thus, the current reexamination decision marks the third time Align successfully defended these patents. ClearCorrect responded to its latest defeat this week by filing two more reexamination requests regarding the same '325 patent that was just confirmed by the USPTO last week.
"These reexaminations have now ended with Align prevailing on every claim of every challenged patent. ClearCorrect's previous attempts to challenge the validity of Align patents -- at trial before the International Trade Commission -- also resulted in the rejection of all of ClearCorrect's invalidity contentions and a finding of validity of all of the asserted patents. Align's confidence in the validity of its patent portfolio continues to be borne out by the positive rulings of neutral decision makers like the USPTO and the ITC," said Roger E. George, Align Technology vice president and general counsel.
About Align Technology, Inc.Align Technology is the leader in modern Clear Aligner orthodontics that designs, manufactures and markets the Invisalign® system, which provides dental professionals with a range of treatment options for adults and teenagers. Align also offers the iTero 3D digital scanning system and services for orthodontic and restorative dentistry. Align was founded in March 1997 and received FDA clearance to market the Invisalign system in 1998. Visit www.aligntech.com for more information.
For additional information about the Invisalign system or to find an Invisalign provider in your area, please visit www.invisalign.com. For additional information about the iTero 3D digital scanning system, please visit www.itero.com.
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Hello divas! I hope that you had a great weekend. Mine has been pretty busy with volunteering at the Chattanooga marathon which my hubby ran. It was a little odd to not be on the start line for the half marathon, but I am still recovering from my ankle injury last fall so yesterday's race was out of the question.
And my recovery is going slowly to say the least. I am running again, though still short distances. And I am able to teach my Country Heat Live classes which is great. So to help me get some of my strength and flexibility back, I am also adding some yoga into my fitness routine.
I have been practicing yoga for about 5 years now – sometimes at home, sometimes in a class in various studios, sometimes as a combo with pilates (PiYo is a great program for this!). It is by far my favorite fitness activity not related to running and my number 1 cross-training activity. There are so many benefits to yoga that it is an activity that I think everyone should work into their fitness routine and today I am sharing some fitness tips and why yoga should be added to your fitness routine.
Yoga improves your physical health. Obviously, yoga is a fitness activity. It helps your body be as strong as it can by improving your flexibility, building muscle strength, boosts immunity, lowers your blood pressure and lowers your blood sugar to name a few.
Yoga helps maintain a healthy lifestyle. The physical aspect of yoga will help you move more and get your heart rate up. But the mental and emotional aspect can encourage you to deal with any underlying issues with weight, food, and body image that could hold you back. I have been a much more conscious eater since starting yoga.
Yoga helps you focus. I lead a busy life and sometimes I am going from one thing to another so quickly that I don't do a good job of focusing. Yoga encourages you to relax, focus on your breath and be present. You learn to be in the moment instead of constantly worrying about everything else around you.
Yoga relieves stress. Because it helps you focus more and be present, it also relieves the stress in your life. It's a great way to just let go and not think about everything going on around you for just a little bit. You leave with no tension in your limbs and feel more relaxed.
Yoga makes you happy. Studies have shown that yoga is a great way to increase serotonin, thus making you feel lighter and happier. I love the feeling I get after a yoga practice. I am usually smiling, lighter on my feet and have a more positive outlook on life.Check out these benefits of #yoga and why it should be a part of your #fitness routineClick To Tweet


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Jamaica Massage and Spa
Jamaica Mobile Massage are the premier resort area mobile massage provider for in-home massages, hotel, villas, work, spa parties and many other events. With professional Massage Therapists and our focus on quality, customer service and education makes us the best in Jamaica. We will travel within an half hour of Negril, and Montego Bay which may require a small travel fee depends on the distance from resorts.
A relaxing massage for you or your significant other, or corporate massage service for your team, Our massage Therapy brings everything to you including the table (or chair), sheets, lotion and even the music. This makes massage more beneficial and convenient to you by elimination the discomfort of traveling back to your hotel after receiving your massage. The only thing require from you the client All is a place to set up.
Our mobile massage services are available throughout the entire Negril and Montego Bay resort area and are normally available 7 days a week from 10am to 6pm and we do our best to accommodate alternative times.
For additional information or to schedule an appointment, please contact us
Portmore tax office – Parish of Saint Catherine
|Lot 8 Cookson Pen, Braeton Parkway
|Tel: 949-5696/949-


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The DELTA Handheld XRF Analyzer is a portable, convenient and reliable handheld device that offers fast, non-destructive alloy and metal identification.
If you need XRF technology for quick, reliable and accurate Positive Material Identification (PMI) testing and analysis of materials and elements, we have the right tools. Whether you need simple sorting or challenging grade separations, scrap metal identified, consumer goods screened for lead, turnings, shavings, rods or wires, small components evaluated or larger material or structures analysed, our lightweight yet rugged XRF analyser tools will provide immediate and accurate data, even in moist or dusty environments.
Thermo Scientific Niton handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysers will transform your materials analysis, delivering highly accurate results in seconds.


text: Long before she'd ever considered moving to sunny Ventura, Nici was happily screenprinting away in her hometown of Zürich. And while a whirlwind of a romance resulted in a geographical change, her passion for printing stayed constant. The hobby quickly turned into a full-time job for Nici — and we mean full. time. She even works away on ideas in her sleep, with her best ideas hitting just before she drifts off. Photographs, doodles and drawings? They're all fair game for future designs, each of which looks more awesome than the last. Frankly, we don't know how she does it.


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ASP World Tour News
Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, has been crowned the 2009 ASP World Champion, following a stunning performance at the Banzai Pipeline today.
Heading into the final stop of the 2009 ASP World Tour season, Fanning held the ASP ratings lead over fellow Gold Coast surfer Joel Parkinson (AUS), 28, and with Parkinson's Round 3 exit in today's Billabong Pipe Masters at the hands of wildcard Gavin Gillette (HAW), 23, Fanning secured his second ASP World Title.
"I'm just a bit overwhelmed right now and I don't quite know what to say", Fanning said. "It was hard out there. I was trying to get ready for my heat and then Gavin (Gillette) got that one score as I was paddling out and, I don't know, I just sort of slowed down".
For the first time since 2003, the ASP World Title came down to the final event of the season at the Billabong Pipe Masters.
"This title is way more fun," Fanning said. "I was much more relaxed for this one, besides the last few days, I was really nervous."
The 2009 ASP World Tour season will go down in history as one of the most dramatic, with Parkinson winning three of the first five events before Fanning rallied in the latter half of the season to overtake his good friend.
"I knew I was surfing well," Fanning said. "It was just a matter of getting that result. I knew it was going to turn around sooner or later. I don't know, it's weird the way the world works."
Fanning's 2009 ASP World Tour results are as follows:
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast: Equal 3rd
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: Equal 5th
Billabong Pro Teahupoo: Equal 9th
Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro: Equal 5th
Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay: Equal 17th
Hurley Pro Trestles: WINNER
Quiksilver Pro France: WINNER
Billabong Pro Mundaka: Equal 9th
Rip Curl Pro Search: WINNER
Billabong Pipeline Masters: Equal 9th
In the end, and reminiscent of Fanning's 2007 ASP World Title (clinched in Brazil), the lightning-fast natural-footer was in the water with Parkinson (in between heats) as the scene unfolded. The two lifelong friends embraced, exchanged words and paddled in separate directions.
"We just sort of sat there and hugged and chatted about what's happened over the last few days and how nervous we both were," Fanning said. "It was hard to watch what happened to him this year. He had such a stranglehold on the tour and then he had that ankle injury, so as a friend it was hard to watch that. If I wasn't in the race I would have been gunning for Joel for sure."
For securing the 2009 ASP World Title, Fanning has also been awarded and extra $50,000 from the Vans Triple Threat bonus package.
While the 2009 ASP World Title has been decided, the 2009 ASP World Tour season is far from over with one more day of competition remaining at the Billabong Pipe Masters.
Following his clinching of the 2009 ASP World Title, Fanning fell to Dean Morrison (AUS), 28, in the opening heat of Round 4.
Article courtesy of the ASP World Tour. For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com.


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A financial report announced that Central London has seen a significant decrease in investments since the current government announced plans for the general election.
Cushman & Wakefield, a leading commercial property firm, reported that during the first quarter of 2010 investment in commercial property has fell by 50%.
As the announcement of the general election happened within the first quarter, it is thought to have had an impact on the investment within the capital.
The figures show that the commercial property sector has received £1.63 billion in the first quarter of 2010, with major investments in the West End, City of London and Docklands areas.
However this is still significantly lower that the £3.0 billion that was invested into Central London office space during the fourth quarter of 2009.
In fact the 50% decrease in investment is the first drop in nearly a year and this has led some to speculate that the approaching election may have had an impact on office investments.
Some have suggested that the link is an obvious one, as the election has created uncertainty about the value and demand of commercial office space.
Whereas others have suggested that the slump in the market may just be due to the weak value of the sterling in recent months.
However, within the second quarter the decrease seems to be levelling off and in fact office investments in some areas have seen a very clear growth.
Nevertheless the market has still not recovered in entirety, as a a lot of investors are staying on the sidelines until the election is over.


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Friday Link Party #31
I'm so glad you're here to party with us!
I'm noticing a theme here!
Dip It In Chocolate made cute teacher gift.
What teacher wouldn't like to receive this cute gumball machine?
Violet's Buds made an upcycled hair bow frame.
Great way to keep girls' barrettes organized and looks pretty, too!
Oh my! That looks good!
Day 2 Day Super Mom shared a recipe for making and canning homemade salsa. Great way for using up all those tomatoes from the garden.
Judy from Pursuit of A Functional Home made baked empanadas.
- - - - - - - -
Here's what you need to know:
3. Follow The Pin Junkie on Pinterest, GFC, or Facebook.


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Up next on Disclosuregum, it's the Lawrence boys' flipping the script: For all the discussion about their studied mastery of garage's halcyon era, they've chosen to take the week where their every move is news to cover a thoroughly contemporary track: March's European #1 hit "Need U (100%)" by Duke Dumont, featuring A*M*E. The house pounds a little harder in Disclosure's world, but otherwise this is just proof that you can trust Disclosure with nice things because they'll keep them nice. Vocals by Sam Smith, whose terrific head voice we heard in fine form on this morning's performance of "Latch" for Jools. Here's the new "Need U," performed for Sarah Cox's BBC1 show:
The original's video:


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Scot Young claims he destitute but has been living a lifestyle "consistent with considerable wealth", lawyers for his estranged wife Michelle claimed.
Her QC told London's High Court that he had been giving judges the "run around" by hiding "enormous assets" and making "incredible" unfounded claims that he has been given over £300,000 to live on.
But Mr Young, who made a fortune as a fixer for British businessmen and Russian Oligarchs, hit back claiming his ex is spying on him and making him ill.
Today's hearing was the latest stage in a bitter divorce battle which has been raging since 2006.
The 51-year-old property developer was worth £400 million when they split and has given his wife "absolutely no explanation" about where that money has gone, it is alleged.
Mr Young, who once owned a portfolio of expensive properties, claims he is now penniless after a large Moscow real estate deal collapsed.
They couple, who both live in London and have two daughters, met face to face in court again today as it was argued that he had ignored court orders.
Two years ago he was ordered to pay £27,500 per month in maintenance for rent and school fees and she claims he has flouted the judge's rulings.
Mr Young was compared to a character in the film Brewster's Millions when he said he could not pay his estranged wife a share of his fortune because he had lost it all.
In the 1985 film, Richard Pryor plays Montgomery Brewster, who has to spend $30 million dollars in 30 days to inherit $300 million.
The couple once shared an extravagant champagne lifestyle and enjoyed lavish holidays, choosing to travel on their private jet.
They had owned a fleet of luxury motors and yacht that was berthed in the millionaires' playground of Monaco.
Now Mrs Young, 48, believes he has "secreted enormous assets".
Edward Fitzgerald QC, representing her, argued that Mr Young had not complied with orders forcing him to reveal details of his finances and should therefore be jailed for contempt of court.
But the tycoon, who is representing himself, hit back claiming that his wife had hired private detectives to track his every move - and said the constant surveillance was making him ill.
He claimed up to eight investigators trailed him 24 hours a day.
Mr Young said: "There's been a long history (of covert surveillance) since 2009 until today. I believe covert surveillance continues on me and it is highly illegal. This is perpetuating my health problems."
At a previous High Court hearing in November, Mr Young was ordered to make a full financial disclosure or serve the six-month sentence he was originally handed back in 2009, which was suspended.
Mr Young argued that the reason he failed to produce documents disclosing his assets was because he feared that people calling him may have been private detectives hired by his estranged wife.
He said: "When you have up to eight individuals on three shifts it is very difficult to know who is a process server and who is a detective hired by my wife."
He denied trying to "be difficult" but admitted that on at least one occasion he did not believe someone was a process server as he was paranoid about private detectives.
But Mr Fitzgerald said he owed a debt of £1million in unpaid maintenance, adding: "He has never paid a penny. He's been in breach of that order for three-and-a-half years. He has persistently failed the orders of the court."
He told Mr Justice Moor that Mrs Young was making an "application to commit" him to prison for contempt.
Mr Young had been claiming to live off gifts from friends and associates - totalling £155,000 in rent and £151,000 in "other items", Mr Fitzgerald said.
"There is no documentation in relation to any of that. This is an incredible claim, that all this was made in cash in relation to which there was no documentation at all."
Mr Fitzgerald added: "He was worth £400 million in 2006. He has given absolutely no explanation about where that £400 million went at all. He claims this was all lost on 'Project Moscow'."
He continued: "He has repeatedly given the court the run-around... Whilst he pleads poverty, and says he has got nothing, there is evidence of him living a lifestyle consistent with considerable wealth."
The pair's claims are due to be fully argued at a trial late this year.


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FDF has seen and discussed the Committee's request
for written evidence in respect of the above enquiry. Whilst FDF
does not consider it appropriate to respond to the specific issues
highlighted in the Committee's press notice of 24 January, I am
pleased to enclose a copy of the FDF UK Food and Drink Sector
Interim Report for the UN Summit taking place in August. I hope
that it both informs and encourages you about the progress this
sector has made to date.
Sustainable development is one of the key challenges
facing society in the 21st century. As the food and drink industry
lies at the heart of sustainability, in supplying the world's
population with food, we are committed to making an active contribution.
In particular, we are committed to minimising our environmental
impact and working towards the objective of long term sustainability.
We want to increase our understanding of what
sustainable development will mean for us in practice and to raise
awareness of the issues amongst our membership. We have therefore
created a specialist group of industry experts on sustainable
development who are now working to develop guidelines on practical
measures that can be taken by manufacturing companies.
As a first step the Group has produced this
Interim Report. It reviews progress by the industry in tackling
sustainable development issues since Rio 1992, set against the
UK Government's four defining objectives. The final chapter addresses
some future challenges. The Report is intended to provide a basis
for discussion with other stakeholders in the run up to the September
We are circulating our Report widely to seek
the views of a full range of stakeholders and would greatly appreciate
any comments you might have.
David Bellamy
Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Division
February 2002


text:
Combining elements from the departments of political science, environmental health, planning, public administration and criminal justice, the interdisciplinary program provides undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to examine the policies, issues and institutions that make up this burgeoning field of study.
Carmine Scavo, security studies program director and professor of political science at ECU, said he hopes the program will attract students from different academic disciplines, including biology, chemistry and computer science. Security Studies, he said, could serve as a complement to a degree in the hard sciences as well as in communication.
"You can take someone with an undergraduate degree in biology and bring him or her up to speed in security studies in a short amount of time," he said. "Our courses don't have prerequisites."
Richard Kilroy, ECU's assistant director of military programs and political science professor, said that with the increased threat of terrorism, especially after Sept. 11, there is a demand for employees to know and understand emerging threats and how military and defense systems work. While enlisting in the military might not be for everyone, Kilroy said, knowledge of homeland security and the issues the nation faces in its defense strategies can make for an attractive candidate, no matter what field he or she pursues.
"When they go out marketing themselves to employers, whether they are biologists or chemists, they can talk the talk and really understand the issues," Kilroy said. "This is a natural link. A number of military personnel have told us there is a critical need for people who are knowledgeable about the way things work in the military."
ECU is a member of the National Academic Consortium for Homeland Security, a network of universities that offer security studies programs.
"It's an opportunity for schools to connect with what they're doing and share ideas with one another," Kilroy said.
Scavo said that more than 250,000 members of the military and their families live east of Interstate 95, and man of those would find ECU's security studies program to be of interest.
Courses are offered both on campus and online, and in-state tuition is available for enlisted personnel.
A 15-hour graduate certificate in security studies is now offered, and a 30-hour minor will be available to undergraduates in fall 2005. A master's degree is planned for fall 2006.
ECU News Bureau
| 252-328-6481


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I strive for:
- meaningful topics and questions to which the students can relate;
- student engagement with the class (e.g., per-class reflections on excellent readings);
- active classroom (e.g., pair-and-share and collaboration);
- and meta cognition (e.g., self-assessment, mnemonics, best practices).
I maintain a list of Learning and Teaching best practices -- and I list of reminders for myself.
You can also follow my thoughts on teaching at my blog.
Web sites
- Linda B. Nilson (2010). Teaching at its Best.
- Susan A. Ambrose, Michael W. Bridges, Michele DiPietro, Marsha C. Lovett, Marie K. Norman, Richard E. Mayer (2010). How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching.
- Elizabeth F. Barkley (2009). Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty.
- Dannelle Stevens (2005). Introduction to rubrics : an assessment tool to save grading time, convey effective feedback, and promote student learning.
- Ken Bains (2004). What the Best College Teachers Do.
- Barbara Davis (1993). Tools for Teaching.


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Whether we like it or not, the human race tends to put people in a box so we can easily identify them. It starts with simple physical characteristics – like skin color, height, size, or whether they wear glasses or not. We then dig a little deeper to define them by occupation, relationship status, and a few shallow personality traits.
So when someone asks you if you remember meeting Amber McKinnon from the Halloween party, you can ask, "Oh, is that the artsy barista that's dating Bryan from accounting? She's kind of tall, right?"
However, the human soul is complex. It's ever-changing, it's magical, and it should never be confined to a box. Unfortunately, the human mind doesn't have enough room to understand the complexity of each and every soul they come across. This especially includes individuals in the public eye, such as musicians.
For some peculiar reason, the world has a very hard time with artists that live between several genres. Whether it be Bob Dylan existing between folk and rock, Kate Nash jammin' her way somewhere between pop and punk, or Beyonce experimenting with everything from R&B, country, to rock – listeners have a very difficult time getting their minds around it.
Valerie June, however, prefers to create her music for those who listen with open minds and open hearts instead of the preconceived notion the media creates for them.
"It is very common with music marketing for people to use genre terms to describe an artist," says June. "It's always more fun to me when people come with open minds and listen to music with their hearts instead of only hearing the surface that can be painted by media. The best times I've had have been the times when a person comes up after a show and says they read about my music, but then they go on to share their personal description for my sound. Everyone who likes my tunes has a totally different description than the person next to them at the show."
June's newest release, The Order of Time, takes you on a soulful journey through time. The entire record is nothing short of eclectic and nowhere near calculated. You get a little bit of R&B, a whole lot of blues, a sprinkle of folk and soul, and just a dash of country. In a much more real sense, it's indefinable.
Throughout The Order Of Time, the iridescent 35-year-old's bright voice captivates every part of you. You'll dance on the astral plane, heal parts of you you didn't know needed to be healed, and find love in all of its beautiful forms.
The 12-track album starts off with "Long Lonely Road," which will make you feel like you're contemplatively cruising through June's hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. The sonic treasure then ends with "Got Soul," an optimistic tune that'll transport you straight to the '70s with your closest comrades.
Some of June's lyrics come to her in dreams while others come to her in where'd you least expect them to the bath! "Most of my fans don't know that I consider my bathtub to be my office," says June. "It really is the best work place!"
In "Astral Plane," June speaks on something we all struggle with spiritually: shining our unique light in a world that uses all of its power to diminish it.
The dreamy ballad will make you feel like you're having an out-of-body experience. "Is there a way? / For you to shine / Without fear / From other worlds / But you can't say / What keeps you here."
When June feels like the physical world distracts her from her inner light, she dances like nobody's watching.
"When the outer world has my head spinning and distracts me from my light, I have several activities that can help shift my focus back to the inside. Dancing is one of them! I just turn the music up and dance for ten to thirty minutes," she says. "I find that after thirty minutes have passed, then I'm more in alignment with my own true path again. The worries just don't seem so large. I have to do this every day because it's constant. One minute all is well. The next minute I'm in a panic about something or another. If you think about it, the outer world is constantly programming us to think it's way. It's constant. So why shouldn't our practice shift back to our inner light be just as constant?"
While most musicians tend to be put into a box without their consent, we couldn't tie down Valerie June if we tried. Her inner light shines way too bright for this world.


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SROUR FOR SCRAP METALS s.a.r.l
Scrap metals trading
Used scrap equipments trading
Metals analysis
scrap cutting
Free transportation within Beirut,
old cars purchasing
Keep calm and love recycling ;)
The inauguration of Srour for Scrap Metals triggered in 1979 by Maurice G. Srour. Since then we've been proud to serve our community by buying and selling FERROUS and NON FERROUS scrap metal of all grades: consumer, electronic, and industrial scrap at all of its locations on the Lebanese territories. Industrial customers benefit from transportation, and assured destruction services. In addition, we provide prompt payment and timely reporting.Srour for Scrap Metals located in Lebanon, 10 minutes away from the heart of Beirut..More


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Access the Mesa County Home Page
Find information on Background Checks, Blotter Reports, Civil Services, Fingerprints, Fraud Reporting, and Graffiti Removal.
(Click on the Businesses link to view the page)
Find information on Crime Prevention, Emergency Management, Employment, Fraud Reporting, Inmate Information, Public Safety, Victim Assistance, Volunteering, and much more.
(Click on the Residents link to view the page)
Find information on County Elected Officials, Meeting Agendas and Minutes.
Contact Information215 Rice StreetGrand Junction, CO 81501
P.O. Box 20,000-5016Grand Junction, CO 81502
(970) 244-3500
The Civil Unit handles civil processes--to include evictions, serving civil papers, foreclosures and sex offender management. You can find a list of our fees on the link to your left, or check out our FAQ page for more detailed information about what our civil unit does. In addition, the sex offender management webpage has resources for citizens to be educated and documents for sex offenders to register with our agency.
Special Note: As of December 2014, any refunds for transactions done in the Records Division or Civil Division will be processed through Mesa County Accounts Payable, taking a few days to complete. Refunds can only be provided in an immediate form if they are done on the same day as the original transaction.


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Quito, Flatmate required, to create fun flatshare
Sector LA MARISCAL :)
Fully furnished ( bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers and optional computer desk) spacious room in a lovely 3 rooms flat for $260 p/m, plus bills (cleanning lady, building expenses, broadband, electricity, gas & water $40 p/m aproximately ). All mod cons (washing machine, microwave, fridge, blender, etc) spacious kitchen, large living room, dinner roon, bathroom and common garden. The property is in Central Quito near to "La Mariscal" , close to Plaza Foch, Carolina park, Sta Clara market, etc. The flat is well situated indeed, with regards to public transport ( Trole station La Colón and Cuero y Caicedo, metro bus station Seminario Mayor, and many conventional bus lines) and conveniences. All local amenities ( restaurants, bars and nightlife places) are within a 5 to 10 min. walk .
Sharing with a friendly 26 year old guy, english, french, and spanish speaker, I get just back from UK, I travelled around latin America and Europe, I have lived for a while in Paris, Buenos Aires and London,. at the moment I'm working as a newspaper writer and I enjoy the usua,l pubbing, clubbing, arts, reading and general socialising.
If you are interested I hope to hear from u soon.
Protected content
All the best


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
The Buffalo Zoo will celebrate the first birthdays of the polar bear cubs Luna and Kali with a special party. The event will take place Saturday, Nov. 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will be free with regular zoo admission.
There will be a variety of family-friendly activities in the Buffalo Zoo's reptile house, adjacent to the cubs' current location in the tiger exhibit. Visitors will be able to warm up with hot chocolate, play "pin the bear on the iceberg," sign a birthday card for the cubs, and learn about energy conservation while decorating light switch plates. There will also be special programs in front of the cubs' exhibit during the event.
The complete schedule follows:
10 a.m. - Birthday cake for the cubs
11 a.m. - Birthday presents for the cubs
11:30 a.m. - Q-and-A with the cubs' keeper and second mommy, Caitlyn
12 p.m. - Sing "Happy Birthday" to the cubs
1 p.m. - Birthday presents for the cubs
1:30 p.m. - Q-and-A with the cubs' surrogate mommy, Alice
Luna was born at the Buffalo Zoo Nov. 27, 2012. She was hand-raised by the zoo's veterinary technician and keeper staff. Kali was orphaned in the wild and brought to the Buffalo Zoo in May. He is presumed to be about a month younger than Luna.
The Buffalo Zoo has decided to celebrate their birthdays at the same time with this special event for visitors.
The Buffalo Zoo is located at 300 Parkside Ave.


text: Hi Dave, I've enjoyed your posts this month. I have asmall home based Pro Tools Le studio and everyday I toil to get to get better sounds. Nashville is known as hot bed of excellent studio musicians. My all time favorite guitar player is Brent Mason. Have you ever worked with him? Who are some of your favorites studio musicians and what technique,signal path etc. do you use to get those sounds?


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My Depression Was the Worst It Has Ever Been During My Pregnancy
What is a time of joy for many women was my darkest hour.
Remember Cat's obsession with her fancy green juice, right? Well, it got me thinking about my own drinking habits. I spend money on chic health beverages. I even like my booze full of benefits and healthy ingredients, and that stuff doesn't come cheap.
At my last job as a copywriter, I used to show up each day with at least three drinks and display them all on my desk like a smug health snob, but I'm not—I swear! I just like looking at my beverages and, okay, showing them off a little. They're like a healthy little family, right there on my desk. I love my array of choices that I can trust not to make me bloated like, say, Diet Coke. I think that's fair.
So here we go—a breakdown of the healthy dranks I'm feeling, what makes them work and why you should join my drinking club.
Remember the kombucha recall of 2010 after Lindsay Lohan claimed it set off her alcohol monitoring bracelet? Well, I do! Because I set about Brooklyn buying up every last bottle before the stuff disappeared from shelves. It was sort of like how all the guys I know were stocking up on Four Loko before the ban.
But now it's back. The revamped formula won't give you a buzz, but it's still got a boasty list of health words on the bottle that always gets me going: Reawaken! Rethink! Retain! Reactivate! Rebirth! Don't mind if I do!
In many South American countries, yerba mate is preferred to coffee for its euphoric, energizing effect, and since South Americans are notoriously good-looking, I'll have what they're having. Does that make sense?
Maybe not, but this caffeinated concoction claims to pack the strength of coffee, the health benefits of tea, and the euphoria of chocolate all in one beverage AND it's helping to rebuild the South American rainforests where yerba mate grows.
You can't argue with that, and you also can't help but write run-ons when you're drinking this stuff.
Made with raw tumeric, ginger, spearmint, cardamom, lemon, sea salt, honey and cayenne, this wholesome formula claims to completely detoxify you. According to their website:
"Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is effective in combating literally all known inflammatory agents. These active curcumins rejuvenate the skin, improve mental clarity, and enhance circulation while lowering high blood pressure and bad cholesterol. Studies show that curcumin can strengthen weakened cells, empower immune response and increase serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain."
That's a lot of benefits, no? And it's so much cheaper than Lexapro.
4) Penta Water
Like Cat, I used to gag down water and really didn't bother with it, ever, even after a run or a really rough night. Until, that is, I tried Penta! It's just a brand of water, but somehow it's amazing. Apparently the water goes through a patented filtration process in which it spins at high speed and pressure for 11 hours, thus increasing antioxidant activity.
If you've ever had this stuff, I'm telling you, there's sort of no going back to vile Dasani. Penta just feels better in your mouth; it's easier to swallow than other water, too. If I sound crazy, remember, Cat and I really, really have trouble with water. We're not normal.
5) Veev
The world's first acai spirit, this mild fruity liquor makes me feel so much less guilty when glowy supermodels like Naomi Campbell go telling Italian Vogue they don't drink alcohol. I don't have that kind of willpower, okay! But Veev makes it all better since it's packed with trendy little superfruits and never leaves me with a hangover.
Now I want to hear about the drinks you love. They don't have to be healthy, I don't care. Go on tell me--in the comments!


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Originally posted by real_one
Russia > Usa
I know a lot of you will hate to admit it but the days of the USA super power are over, even the "old worn out" Russian Navy isn't scared of you all anymore
Originally posted by Alternative4u
America cut systems back because of costs.
edit on 5-11-2012 by Alternative4u because: Keyboard problems
Originally posted by detachedindividual
reply to post by jibeho
A right-wing blog is not a credible news source.
Are there any other more VALID and UNBIASED sources for this? If not, my opinion is that it's baseless BS.
Originally posted by real_one
Russia > Usa
I know a lot of you will hate to admit it but the days of the USA super power are over, even the "old worn out" Russian Navy isn't scared of you all anymore
Originally posted by JHumm
It doesnt matter if their subs are as advanced as ours, its not like we are having sub races out there...it only has to be good enough to get in and deliver its payload and id say 200 miles is more than close enough for that. just because it was dectected doesnt really matter. If it was here to fire a missle it would have been all over for the inteded target/targets
Originally posted by randomname
lets examine what is actually swimming 200 miles of the coast of america.
can the usa stop a missile from hitting new york at that range going mach 23.
at that speed america would have 40 seconds of response time from that distance.
a typical russian nuclear missile has about 10 warheads and 40 decoys. for america to stop just one of these missiles, a manned aegis anti missile system would have to acquire, target and shoot down 50 warheads, travelling at mach 23 in less that 40 seconds. that's just one icbm.
then it would have to defeat the missiles countermeasures. which includes the 40 decoys, chaff released in space confusing ground radar, radar jammers on the warheads and decoys and last but not least, a deliberate nuclear detonation in space to create a radar blackout zone that would allow future missiles to pass thru undetected.
yup, maybe if you're wondering why there isn't any missile defences around your city, is because its pointless, a waste of money and you won't survive.


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Employment at Mount Hermon Adventures
Not just a job—Making Memories for a Lifetime
At Mount Hermon Adventures we get to share the outdoors with people through powerful adventure experiences. It's not just a job—its creating memories for people that last a lifetime. If your passionate about the outdoors, connecting with people, like working hard and working with a great team—we'd love to hear from you!View open positions
Why you should work here
Our culture is founded on the quality and authenticity of our people. Our team is filled with employees that are excited about living a life of significance, working and playing in creation, and sharing their passion with guests. Our employees deliver experiences for guests each day that have the power to transform lives. We're all here for the same reasons; we love the outdoors, we love people, we believe in making the world a better place.
Quality, Authenticity, Inspiration. At Mount Hermon Adventures our mission is to provide places and experiences where people can have an encounter and have their life transformed, and this is for staff and guests alike. We hire only the highest quality staff to ensure each guest has the best possible experience. Our staff are authentic—their attitudes and actions are in alignment. While we're all different we're united in our unique passions. Having quality and authentic staff leads to an inspiring team, one that's fun to be a part of, and leads to guests making memories that last a lifetime.
Opportunities: Your Perfect Job Awaits
Adventure Recreation Guide
We are always hiring part-time, on-call Adventure Recreation Guides to join our team. Adventure Guides are trained to Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) standards to facilitate on our aerial adventure courses. Adventure Guides also work with Team Building programs, guest groups and may be trained to lead a host of other activities like paint-ball, laser-tag, rock climbing, kayaking, surfing or more. Our busiest seasons are late spring through early fall and some people work 5 days a week while others work 5 days a month. Our busiest days are weekends, so we'll need you to be available to work weekends and Holidays.Become an Adventure Recreation Guide
Team Building Facilitators
We believe that great team building facilitators are great with people, so we look for previous demonstrated experience teaching, coaching or leading groups of people. Our Team Building Facilitators are often developed from our in-house staff, but we also hire people with previous relevant experience. We use an apprentice model for training our Team Building Facilitators; shadowing, co-leading and then leading under supervision before facilitating alone. Most of our Team Building programs are mid-week and many of our staff continue to work in other areas at Mount Hermon Adventures or have other jobs.Become a Team Building Facilitator
Redwood Canopy Tour Guides
We are always hiring part-time, on-call Canopy Tour Guides to join our team. Canopy Tour guides lead groups of 8 guests on a two-hour eco-tour through the redwood forest. They are personable, engaging, and have an eye for safety. Canopy Tour guides must complete a 40 hour canopy tour guide training and pass technical proficiency tests. Our busiest days are weekends, so we'll need you to be available to work weekends and Holidays.Become a Redwood Canopy Tour Guide
Lifeguards provide instruction, supervision, and ensure the safety and well-being of all campers and staff involved in all water-based activities at Mount Hermon in a manner consistent with MHA's mission, vision and values.Apply for a Lifeguard position
Tips for applying
All applicants need the following to be considered for a position:
- United States citizenship or valid work permit
- Social security number
- Criminal background check
- Completed application and references
Mount Hermon Adventures is a year-round operation and we hire throughout the year. Positions that need to be filled are found on our employment page. We only consider complete applications submitted through our recruiting site.


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Fuel Prices and The Summer Driving Season
With misinformation floating around about gasoline costs, it may be helpful to explain a few of the factors that influence prices at th... Read More
December 14, 2016
Manufacturers are prioritizing sustainability by increasing energy efficiency, saving and recycling water and implementing successful initiatives to reduce pollution and waste. Through these traditional and innovative sustainability measures, manufacturers have helped to usher in a new era of a cleaner and more sustainable environment. However, in spite of best-in-class efforts, the United States and the world continue to face serious environmental and sustainability challenges. There are forces far beyond the capability of manufacturers in the United States that are driving changes to the global environment.
The world's population is expected to grow from 7.3 billion people today to 9.7 billion by 2050; 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life; 1.3 billion people lack access to electricity; and droughts and other natural disasters threaten many already environmentally and economically stressed parts of the world.
Mitigating the impacts of climate change, protecting the air, feeding the world's growing population and ensuring adequate supplies of drinking water are just a few of the significant issues facing current and future generations. The growing population creates increasing demand for nearly all goods, yet our planet's resources are finite. To ensure future generations have the same or greater opportunities as current generations, manufacturers have embraced sustainability.
This means continuing to lead by minimizing environmental footprints, reducing emissions, conserving critical resources, protecting biodiversity, limiting waste and providing safe products and solutions so others in the economy can do the same. Sustainability drives the efficient use of resources so that economic value to society can continue to grow while businesses remain profitable enterprises. The results benefit not only customers but also broader communities beyond the manufacturing shop floor.
The choice between environmental protection and a strong economy is not an either/or proposition...
Read entire 8-page white paper at National Asssociation of Manufacturers.
<- Go Back
Just the Facts Read More
Most expensive regulations ever
Technical Docs for Energy Industry Read More
Expert Opinions about Energy Read More


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The American Civil Liberties Union of California issued a report Wednesday outlining several recommendations for the state to adopt in order to make its public safety realignment plan work.
The law, which went into effect Oct. 1, shifted responsibility for some lower-level offenders from the state to the counties — meaning that people convicted of nonserious and nonviolent crimes would serve their sentences in local jail instead of prison.
Under the plan, the counties are also responsible for monitoring thousands of offenders in the community after they've completed their prison terms.
Gov. Jerry Brown proposed the plan last year to help close a massive budget gap. It was also interpreted as a way to help the state meet a U.S. Supreme Court mandate to reduce its prison population by more than 33,000 inmates over two years.
Each county was responsible for creating a local method for implementing realignment.
According to the 112-page report, the ACLU conducted a review of available plans for 53 of California's 58 counties, including San Diego. The report laments what it characterizes as a dramatic increase in spending on county jails, and a "shockingly" high number of people being held in custody while awaiting trial.
But the news isn't all negative. The report points out that many counties have committed to adopting custody alternatives, such as GPS monitoring, and other programs to reduce recidivism rates, a trend the ACLU calls "promising."
The organization's recommendations include:
• Mandating a standard for data collection across the 58 counties so policy makers can determine which policies and programs are working to reduce recidivism.
• Revising the formula for allocating state funding for realignment to the counties.
• Enacting sentencing reforms, making some low-level, nonviolent crimes — such as drug possession — misdemeanors instead of felonies.
• Amending pretrial detention laws to keep only those offenders who pose a risk to public safety behind bars before they've been sentenced.
• Requiring counties to submit new realignment plans each year.
• Discouraging further jail construction and expansion.Copyright © 2018, The San Diego Union-Tribune


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If you're like many people around the world, kicking your feet up with a glass of wine or a 'small' beer at the end of the day is how you shrug off the day's stresses. In moderation, alcohol has been shown to have some positive health effects, including slightly increasing -- not decreasing -- your metabolism. However, alcohol is still high in calories and offers few nutrients. Drinking too much could counteract any of its positive health effects and make it harder for you to lose weight. Discuss your drinking habits with your doctor to be sure you're not overdoing it
When the fact that alcohol causes harm is acknowledged, language conveniently distances us from asking whether our own drinking is worth thinking about. Terms such as "alcohol abuse" or "alcohol misuse" reinforce the idea that risky drinking and related harm are something that happens to others – to a small minority of different people.
And if drinking is the social norm, those who have problems must surely be unusual. This dissuades many from perceiving and taking action to reduce alcohol-related risk. It also allows us to demand that government responses target a small group of "alcohol abusers" and leave the rest of us to enjoy drinking.
Alcohol contains empty calories and has no nutritional value. Your body can't store alcohol, so it must metabolise it right away. Metabolising alcohol, however, can have a detrimental effect on other metabolic processes. Here's what you should know about how alcohol effects your metabolism.
Alcohol and Nutrition
Alcohol contains only empty calories and has no nutritional value. It can often contribute to malnutrition because the high levels of calories in most alcoholic drinks can account for a large percentage of your daily energy requirements. Even one alcoholic drink a day can contribute to malnutrition.
Your body can't store alcohol, so it must metabolise it right away. When you drink alcohol, your body makes metabolising it a priority over all other metabolic processes. Your body sends alcohol to the liver, which produces the enzymes necessary for the oxidation and metabolism of alcohol.
Not only does alcohol not contain any nutrients of its own, but it can impair your body's ability to absorb nutrients and vitamins from the food you eat. Alcohol irritates your gastrointestinal tract, and can damage your body's ability to absorb nutrients, vitamins and minerals from the food you eat.
Alcohol and Your Liver
Alcohol is toxic to your liver, and if you drink heavily for a long time you can experience cirrhosis of the liver and death. Heavy drinking over the long term can also impair your liver's ability to activate vitamins, which contributes to the malnutrition often suffered by long term alcoholics.
Alcohol and Blood Sugar
Maintaining adequate blood sugar levels is one of the key functions of your metabolism, but when you drink alcohol, maintaining healthy blood sugar levels is one of the first elements of metabolism to be shoved aside in your body's rush to excrete the toxins as efficiently as possible. Alcohol inhibits your body's ability to make glucose and to maintain healthy levels of glucose (or blood sugar) in the blood. Over time, heavy drinkers develop glucose intolerance and can even become diabetic.
Even occasional alcohol consumption can cause dangerous drops in blood sugar levels, especially when consumed on an empty stomach. That's why drinking alcohol can be very dangerous for diabetics and hypoglycemics.
Alcohol Can Cause Weight GainBecause your body can't store alcohol and must metabolise it right away, other metabolic processes suffer. Your body won't metabolise sugars and fats as efficiently during the metabolism of alcohol, and drinking heavily can cause your metabolism to slow. This can contribute to weight gain, as can the empty calories found in alcohol.
Alcohol Also Causes Weight Loss
Alcohol can also cause weight loss in those who drink heavily over the long term. Alcohol continues to slow the metabolism of long term drinkers, but it also causes inflammation in the organs of the digestive tract. If you drink heavily in the long term, alcohol can impair your body's ability to absorb nutrients. If you become chronically malnourished due to alcohol consumption, you'll lose weight in spite of your slower metabolism.
Emma xx
Leave a Reply.
Emma Olliff
Your guide to living whole and well. Emma Olliff is a Registered Nutritional Therapist, wellness expert, food lover, and advocate for healthy living!
May 2018


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Wednesday, August 24, 2015
District seniors outperform state averages
on newly required ACT exam administration
BEAUFORT – Beaufort County School District seniors – members of the district's first graduating class with 100 percent of its students tested on the ACT college entrance exam – scored above South Carolina averages in 2016.
The composite 2016 ACT average for all Beaufort County School District seniors was 18.7, compared to the state public and private school combined average of 18.5. Public school-only seniors averaged 18.2.
District averages were also higher for combined public and private school averages in all four ACT exams used to determine composite scores. Beaufort County School District seniors' average scores on individual ACT exams were 17.5 (state average 17.3) in English; 18.7 (state average 18.5) in Math; 19.1 (state average 19.0) in Reading; and 18.9 (state average 18.6) in Science.
The ACT is a group of curriculum-based achievement exams designed to measure the academic skills taught in schools and deemed important for success in first-year college courses. Scores range from a low of one to a high of 36.
The General Assembly approved mandatory ACT testing for all 11th-graders in 2014. Like the six other states that instated similar requirements, South Carolina saw declines in average 2016 ACT scores reported for seniors because all of them had taken the ACT as juniors in 2015.
In the Beaufort County School District, scores were reported for 1,259 seniors in 2016 compared to 591 the previous year.
Previously, the decision to take the ACT was optional for South Carolina high school students. Students will take the test whether or not they plan to attend college. Students do not have to pass to receive a high school diploma.
"These 2016 scores amount to a baseline year for Beaufort County because it's our first senior class where everyone took the ACT," said Superintendent Jeff Moss. "While our seniors scored above the state average, our goal is to exceed the national average and ultimately be among the nation's leaders."
State and national testing experts attributed the drop in seniors' scores from 2015 to 2016 to the state's newly instituted 100 percent-tested requirement. South Carolina public and private high school seniors' average composite ACT score decreased from 20.4 in 2015 to 18.5 in 2016 (a 2 percent decline), while Beaufort County School District seniors' average composite score decreased from 20.7 to 18.7 (a 1.9-percent decline). The national average also dropped from 2015 to 2016, from 21 to 20.8 (a 2 percent decline.)
Among individual district high schools, Battery Creek High 11th-graders' 2016 composite average score was 16.4, Beaufort High's was 19, Bluffton High's was 19.3, Hilton Head Island High's was 19.5 and Whale Branch Early College High's was 16.5
Moss stressed the importance of high school students taking courses recommended by both the ACT and SAT. Those courses include four years of English; three or more years of mathematics, including algebra I and II and geometry; three or more years of social studies, including American history and government and world history; and three or more years of natural sciences, such as general, physical and earth science, biology, chemistry and physics.
Address: 2900 Mink Point Boulevard, Beaufort, SC 29902Phone: 843-322-2300District Office Hours: M-F 8:00 am-5:00 pmLogin


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Benjamin Britten came to the USA in 1939, but sailed home to England in 1942. What had made his homesickness too powerful to ignore was reading the poetry of George Crabbe, which was set in Britten's home county of Suffolk. Crabbe also touched Britten's moral and artistic imagination, and Britten wrote his first great opera on one of Crabbe's characters, Peter Grimes, a fisherman who causes the death of an apprentice. Britten made Grimes more psychologically and morally complex than he had been in the original, and later said that the opera dealt with "a subject very close to my heart - the struggle of the individual against the masses." The opera-going masses, in any case, received Peter Grimes enthusiastically when it premiered in London in 1945. So did the critics, and while Grimes has gone in and out of favor with them in the intervening decades, today some regard it as the most significant opera of the 20th century.
2013 was the 100th anniversary of Britten's birth, and in its honor, the Des Moines Metro Opera performed Grimes. Critic Mark Thomas Ketterson called Roger Honeywell's singing of the title role "extraordinary" and "career defining" and said the production "would be a front-runner on any stage, anywhere." You can hear it, produced for broadcast and hosted by Jacqueline Halbloom, as part of IPR's "Arias in April" series, Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 2 PM.


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You can save big money by reusing things in creative and thrifty ways.
See what people are doing with vodka, olive oil, aluminum foil, vinegar, ketchup, dryer sheets, pantyhose, packing peanuts, soda bottles and much more. Tell us your creative reuse stories in the comments to the following articles, or on our Facebook wall.
Together, we can keep useful stuff out of landfills, and cut down on trips to the store.
More of the freshest green links:
Enter your city or zip code to get your local temperature and air quality and find local green food and recycling resources near you.


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Silent-Yachts: A new breed of cruising yacht
Bang! Any sailor will tell you that an explosion at sea due to onboard propane gas is often one of their worst fears. Yet in this day and age there's no need for it. Indeed Victron Energy's owners have been using induction cooking battery power as the safe alternative for many years on their family […]Dowiedz się więcej


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June 20, 2006
Byetta marketers call on docs to limit prescriptions
Eli Lilly and Amylin have asked top prescribers of their jointly-marketed diabetes treatment Byetta to limit their prescription-writing for the drug until production can be increased later this year. The fear is that UK-company Wockhardt, maker of Byetta's container cartridge, won't be able to manufacture the device quickly enough to keep pace with demand for Byetta. To meet the demand, the drug's makers have enlisted the help of Bloomington, IN-based Baxter Pharmaceutical Solutions, which is expected to start producing additional Byetta cartridges during the second half of 2006. In April, Byetta sales reps stopped supplying doctors with free samples and ceased distribution of promotional materials for the drug, which saw a 40% uptick in sales this quarter. Byetta generated $68 million in first-quarter sales, up $19 million from the previous quarter. Byetta was launched in June 2005, with about 1 million prescriptions filled by 200,000 patients since. The main compound in Byetta is a synthetic derivation of a protein found in the spit of the poisonous Gila monster lizard. The formulation mimics an insulin-controlling hormone produced naturally by the human body.


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Lara Exploration signed a Letter of Intent with Antofagasta Minerals for an option and joint-venture agreement on Lara's Sami gold-copper project in Ayacucho and Huancavelica departments in southern Peru. Under the terms of the letter of intent, Antofagasta can invest $6 million in exploration over four years to earn an initial 55% interest in the project, of which the first-year expenditures of $500,000 would be a firm commitment.
Thereafter, Antofagasta can elect to earn an additional 5% interest over two years by completing a preliminary economic assessment and a further 15%, for a total of 75%, by completing a feasibility study within nine years. Antofagasta will be the project operator, and Lara will provide continuity and support in community relations and permitting.
The Sami project has approximately 50,000 ha of mineral rights. Lara has completed exploration work that has outlined 20 gold-copper targets associated with high- and low-sulphidation epithermal and porphyry style alteration assemblages, with quartz veining, siliceous bodies, hydrothermal breccias, and oxidized vein stockworks.


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This month's cover by Josh Norem features Max, a 5-year-old Dachshund, captured in Pacifica. Norem is an award-winning Bay Area pet photographer. You can see more of his work at TheFurrtographer.com.
Bay Woof is a free monthly newspaper for San Francisco Bay Area dog lovers.
Our mission is to be the voice of the local dog community and an essential resource for people who love their pets – the wonderfully dense and diverse population of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is available at vet clinics, pet stores, and other dog friendly locations near you. We'll be sharing our love of dogs as we bring you the best of the Bay's canine news and views, each and every month. Readers will find engaging articles by local dog people, including the best and brightest of Bay Area pet professionals. Great graphic design makes the paper a visual feast, and you'll find wonderful photos, drawings, and cartoons in every issue. Articles cover a wide range of topics, including dog training and health, dog-friendly travel, dog sports, and all things canine. Thanks and best wishes from the staff of Bay Woof!
Bay Woof
1305 Franklin St., Ste. 501
Oakland, California, 94612
Main article photo by: Josh Norem, The Furrtographer


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Presales Commercial Lines SME - Remote, US
Presales Commercial Lines SME
Guidewire exists to deliver the industry platform that P&C insurers rely upon to adapt and succeed in a time of accelerating change—and to ensure that every customer succeeds in the journey. We provide the software, services, and partner ecosystem to enable our customers to run, differentiate, and grow their business.
Guidewire InsurancePlatform is the P&C industry platform that unifies software, services, and partner ecosystem to power our customers' business. InsurancePlatform provides the standard upon which insurers can engage their customers, optimize their operations, drive smart decisions, and innovate quickly. We are privileged to serve more than 350 P&C insurers in 32 countries. We invest heavily in R&D to build a technology platform that combines three elements—core processing, data and analytics, and digital engagement—to enhance insurers' ability to engage and empower their customers and employees.
Guidewire is seeking a qualified pre-sales candidate to support our market leadership in Commercial Lines. Candidates should have an insatiable curiosity to solve customers' business problems through the use of award winning, proven modern technology and have a deep understanding of the complexities involved in Property and Casualty Commercial Lines.
The Guidewire sales team consists of a select team of sales executives and sales consultants. Sales executives are responsible for prospecting, managing the sales cycle, building customer relationships, and closing sales. Functional Sales Consultants are responsible for understanding detailed customer needs, defining how Guidewire solutions can meet those needs, and persuading through tailored proposals and demonstrations the superiority of our proven solution. Our compensation structure provides significant bonus for achieving and exceeding team objectives.
Sales Consultants work side by side with prospects, striving to understand client business goals and objectives and then map our solution to meet stated needs. Sales Consulting requires a unique blend of business process expertise, listening skill, technical design creativity, and exceptional communication/presentation skills.
Key activities for the Commercial Lines Sales Consultant include:
- Expertise in operating all applications within the Guidewire solution suite with an intense focus on Commercial Lines.
- Serving as a subject matter expert in the core operations of a Property and Casualty Insurance Carrier for the Commercial Lines space.
- Ability to engage in business consulting activities, capable of conducting detailed prospect interviews.
- Responding to requests for information or proposal, both written and oral.
- Presenting customized demonstrations tailored to customer requirements.
- Maintaining demonstration environments and after training, capable of executing standard product configurations.
- Providing input and feedback to Headquarters.
Required skills/experience:
- 5+ years of pre-sales experience with an enterprise software
- Experience in the Property and Casualty Insurance industry, specifically Commercial Lines both regional US and International business
- Ability to understand business process needs and to conceptualize which needs can be satisfied through our software
- Experience presenting across a range of audiences: front line personnel to senior executives
- Strong oral and written communication skills; excellent presentation skills
- Strong technical aptitude
Desired skills:
- Experience with property and casualty commercial lines insurance; subject matter expertise in the area of Claims, Policy and/or Billing operations
- Experience of working with a carrier or vendor catering for the Global Commercial insurance sector
- Awareness of the how the London Market / subscription market operates and specific needs of this market
- Experience managing demonstration systems built using modern software technology (application servers, relational databases, XML, etc.)
Intermediate to Senior
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Do you care about how good your iPod sounds?
If you replaced every instance of "iPod" with "Cassette tape," this article could have been written in the '70s. Look: in the music market, convenience always trumps fidelity. After you realize you can carry months and months of continuous music on something smaller than a pack of gum, most people won't use anything else. I know I don't.
Am I doing it wrong?
Comments? I don't do open comments. Life is too short.


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GARETH COOPER looks set to give Welsh rugby a timely boost by committing his long-term future to the Celtic Warriors.
The Wales scrum-half still has one year left to run on the two-year deal he signed with the Warriors last summer on joining them from Bath.
Now he is set to hold talks with them this week about extending that contract, probably for two more years.
That would mean him committing himself to the region until the end of the 2006-07 season.
This would be a real boost for the Warriors, at a time when Toulouse are attempting to prise away their skipper Gareth Thomas.
And it's good news generally for Welsh rugby, with Cooper having been one of the stars of the Six Nations championship.
"I want to secure my future at the Warriors," said the scrum-half, who will be 25 next month. "It's something I would like to do. I'm really happy here and things are going well for me.
"It's a great set up at the Warriors and I think if we manage to keep a hold of a lot of the boys then it will really bode well for the future.
"We have got such a strong squad that I can definitely see us challenging for honours next year.
"It's been a case of bedding in this season, with the team coming together from scratch.
"But we've already shown our potential and I can only see us going from strength to strength.
"I think the same goes for Welsh rugby generally. It's been the first season for the regions and things have gone pretty well, but next year I think you are really going to see them taking off.
"There will be a higher standard in the Celtic League and more to play for.
"I think there are exciting times ahead. It will be nice to have my future sorted out soon, so that I can get on and concentrate totally on the rugby."
Cooper's commitment to Welsh rugby is further welcome news following Shane Williams' decision to turn down a big-money offer from Castres and sign a new three-year deal with the Ospreys.
Meanwhile, Thomas' proposed move to Toulouse has stalled over the issue of compensation to the Warriors for the Wales full-back, who has two years left to run on his contract.
Warriors chief executive Leighton Samuel has now appealed for Thomas to contact him for clear-the-air talks, with a view to him staying with the region.
Llanelli Scarlets are waiting on a decision from their out-of-contract fly-half Stephen Jones, who has been targeted by Leicester, Saracens and Montferrand.


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Today, you'll enjoy your tailgate or LSU watch party more for the beer and barbeque than for the anticipation of a game.
I understand that. Western Kentucky is a Sun Belt Conference team, one of those games a powerhouse program like LSU schedules because, well, you simply can't play Alabama every week. That would just beat you down.
It's your classic Homecoming game, sure. And it's scheduling genius for LSU the week after playing Alabama.
But there is one compelling storyline to the day: You'll be watching two coaches who have done among the best jobs in the country this year. Both LSU's Les Miles and WKU's Willie Taggart deserve to be candidates, at least at the 3/4 mark of the season, for national coach of the year honors.
Think about it.
You may not have looked at it that way before. Coach of the year talk doesn't usually apply to coaches of teams as dominant as LSU. And coach of the year talk usually doesn't include conferences as insignificant as the Sun Belt.
This year, it might.
Let's start with Taggart. The Hilltoppers enter this game at 5-4, 5-1 in the SBC and riding a five-game winning streak. Big deal, you say?
Well, one must look at where WKU was before the winning streak started.
When the Hilltoppers beat Middle Tennessee, 36-33 on Oct. 6, it snapped not only a four-game losing streak to start the season, but a six-game skid dating back to last season.
The 0-4 start also extended the most inept stretch of college football in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision in recent memory. After a 26-22 loss to Arkansas State to wrap up September for WKU, the Hilltoppers were 2-34 over their last 36 games. Prior to their 54-21 win over Louisiana-Lafayette on Oct. 23, 2010 - Taggart's first win in his first season as Hilltopper head coach - WKU had lost 26 straight games and had not defeated a member of the FBS since 2007.
They weren't just bad. They were the worst of the worst.
But the Middle Tennessee win seemed to get the ball rolling. Since then, there's been a shutout of Florida Atlantic, a sweep of the SBC's Louisiana schools, including a win at Lafayette against the league's other big surprise, ULL. And there was another overtime win, against ULM.
WKU has turned it around with a healthy dose of Bobby Rainey, who already has 1,169 rushing yards and is one of the better running backs LSU will see this year. And it's done it with an ability to win the close game with the two overtime wins, plus last week's 10-9 win over Florida International. The team that couldn't win all of a sudden has learned how to win, to the point where it's gone from 2-34 stretch to having the 12th longest winning streak in the country.
So unless today's events makes WKU's season unravel, that kind of turnaround deserves post-season praise.
Of course, not every great coaching story involves turning around a loser. LSU was expected to be good this year, even a preseason No. 1 in some circles. So it's no huge surprise that the Tigers are on top of the college football world now.
It's how they've gotten here and what they've had to overcome that makes a case for Miles so compelling.
You've had Steve Kragthorpe's Parkinson's disease that made him have to step down as offensive coordinator (but remain as quarterbacks coach) shortly before the season. You've had suspensions, arrests, grand jury hearings, synthetic pot, off-season housing issues and a fight at a bar. Because of suspensions, you've gone into the season without your starting quarterback and you've played the defending national champion with arguably your biggest star, and darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidate, suspended.
But none of it has mattered.
It hasn't mattered because Miles has built depth. In most programs, Jarrett Lee would not still be around to pick up the pieces when Jordan Jefferson was suspended.
And it hasn't mattered because LSU has shown attention to detail - with rare exception, the Tigers don't turn the ball over, don't have a lot of penalties and they always, always are outstanding on special teams.
So forget the underdog bias that usually comes with picking a coach of the year. LSU is a juggernaut right now because Miles has been that good at what he does. It's not just a matter of endless talent, it's a matter of abundant talent being coached and managed to an optimal level.
And Miles deserves credit - tons of credit - for pulling it off.


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For product availability, please select your "Ship to" state above.Got it, I'll ship to California
New Customers Save $30 off $100+* with code AUGNEW30
New Customers Save $30* with code AUGNEW30
*New customers only. One-time use per customer. Order must be placed by 8/31/2018. The $30 discount is given for a single order with a minimum of $100 excluding shipping and tax. Items with pricing ending in .97 are excluded and will not count toward the minimum required. Discount does not apply to corporate orders, gift certificates, StewardShip membership fees, select Champagne brands, Riedel glassware, fine and rare wine, and all bottles 3.0 liters or larger. No other promotion codes, coupon codes or corporate discounts may be applied to order.
S.A. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling 2009
Winemaker Notes
Critical AcclaimAll Vintages
Today, the estate comprises 40 acres of vineyards planted principally with Riesling. Over 15 acres of S.A. Prüm's holdings are located within the famed Wehlener Sonnenuhr ("sundial of Wehlen") domain. Named for the historic and well-recognized sundial painted on an outcrop of slate by a Prüm ancestor back in 1842, the incredibly steep Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard is a globally renowned source of what is arguably Germany's finest Riesling. As the name suggests, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, where vines average 80 years and older, benefits from plentiful sunshine – a critical factor in the world's northernmost wine producing country. The soil is comprised of layers of finely decomposed, mineral-rich blue slate that date back approximately 400 million years. Underneath, deep-lying aquifers provide the vines with adequate water during dry periods.
Home to some of the world's finest and longest-lived sweet and dry white wines, the Mosel is a region of Germany formerly known as Mosel-Saar-Ruwer—named thusly for the three rivers that flow through its dramatic valleys. Geology, climate and topography are paramount here, and the wines produced communicate a distinct sense of place. In addition to being prized for their heat-retaining properties, slate-based soils lend a stony minerality to the wines, contributing to some of the most recognizable terroir in the world. Cool temperatures necessitate the use of the region's rivers to reflect heat onto the vineyards, and the best wines are made from sites with south or southwest facing slopes to receive sufficient direct sunlight for ripening. The breathtakingly steep slopes that straddle the river banks cannot be worked by machine, contributing to a high cost of labor (and treacherous working conditions).
Riesling is by far the most important and prestigious grape of the Mosel, grown on approximately 60% of the region's vineyard land—typically the sites that provide the best combination of sunlight, soil type, and altitude. These wines, dry or sweet, are distinguished by marked acidity, low alcohol, and intense flavors of wet stone, citrus, and stone fruit. With age, a pleasing aroma of petroleum often develops. The lesser plots are mainly planted with lower-maintenance but relatively neutral varieties like Müller-Thurgau and other German crosses, but Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) and Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) can perform quite well here.
A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining easily identifiable typicity. This versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling, and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Riesling is best known in Germany and Alsace, and is also of great importance in Austria. The variety has also been particularly successful in Australia's Clare and Eden Valleys, New Zealand, Oregon, Washington, cooler regions of California, and the Finger Lakes in New York.
In the Glass
Riesling is low in alcohol, with high acidity, steely minerality, and stone fruit, spice, citrus, and floral notes. At its ripest it leans towards juicy peach and nectarine, and pineapple, while in cooler climes it is more redolent of meyer lemon, lime, and green apple. With age, Riesling can become truly revelatory, developing unique, complex aromatics, often with a hint of gasoline.
Perfect Pairings
Riesling is very versatile, enjoying the company of sweet-fleshed fish like sole, most Asian food, especially Thai and Vietnamese (bottlings with some residual sugar and low alcohol are the perfect companions for dishes with substantial spice), and freshly shucked oysters. Sweeter styles work well with fruit-based desserts.
Sommelier Secret
It can be difficult to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling, and German labeling laws do not make things any easier. Look for the world "trocken" to indicate a dry wine, or "halbtrocken" or "feinherb" for off-dry. Some producers will include a helpful sweetness scale on the back label—happily, a growing trend.


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James McAvoy Opens Up About Divorce with Anne-Marie Duff, Says His 'Life Has Changed Massively'
James McAvoy is opening up for the first time about life post-divorce.
The 37-year-old actor stepped out to attend the photo call for his new film Split along with his co-star Anya Taylor-Joy on Thursday (January 12) in Madrid, Spain.
James recently opened up in an interview with Mr. Porter about his divorce from his wife Anne-Marie Duff.
"My life has changed massively," James said.
James and Anne-Marie announced their split back in May 2016 after nine years of marriage.
"At the same time, so much has stayed the same," James said. "Even separated, we're still respectful of each other and committed to doing that publicly and personally."
10+pictures inside of James McAvoy and Anya Taylor-Joy at the Split photo call…


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Welcome to our podcasts! Feel free to browse for an episode, then click on the PLAY button to listen instantly. Alternately, you can SUBSCRIBE to a podcast so that whenever a new episode gets placed online, you will be the first to hear it. If you're unfamiliar with how podcasts work and what it means to "subscribe", then please watch the video on the right.
Here's a handy list of all our podcast feeds that you can subscribe to:
- Georgia Center for the Book's Festival of Writers Author Talks (iTunes) (feed)
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New to Podcasts?
Start by watching this:
James Braziel
James Braziel, author of the acclaimed novels Birmingham and 35 Miles, visits us with a powerful, mesmerizing new book, Snakeskin Road. It's a cautionary tale about a woman's harrowing journey of survival through the southeastern United States after it has been devastated by catastrophic climatic changes. It's a frightening depiction of a familiar landscape which has become lawless, corrupt and extremely dangerous.
(Download mp3)


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Burnt by the Fire Phone, Amazon plays a cautious game with its new smart speaker.
E-commerce giant Amazon is taking a more cautious approach to its latest consumer electronics launch after last year's misfire with the Fire Phone. That has already forced the company to take a $170m write-down in its accounts.The Amazon Echo is the company's new voice-?recognition-based personal assistant and remote music player. For now, the sleek black cylinder is only available in the US and by invitation - the invitations themselves mostly going out to members of Amazon's Prime service which offers express delivery and all-you-can-eat streaming media.
This is very much a beta launch then, something further underlined by the $99 (£65) price for Prime owners. For comparison, other advanced Wi-Fi/Bluetooth speakers are typically sold for $200 and above.
So, if Echo has limitations, they should be both expected and accepted. After misjudging the market's (and its own members') needs and wants so badly with the Fire Phone, Amazon is consciously soliciting feedback before progressively making Echo widely available.
Similarly, Echo's softer launch coincides with a restructuring of Amazon's hardware R&D operation, Lab126. In just five years, it has grown from a 100-staff skunkworks working on Kindle e-readers to a 3,000-strong behemoth working across a range of phone, tablet, TV and other projects.
This growth was largely organic and things got flabby so Jeff Bezos has decided to rein in the beast to make it more responsive. Future iterations of the Echo may well indicate how successful he has been.
If those are the important caveats, what is noteworthy about the Echo? The main focus for innovation is the voice recognition feature, Alexa (although for those creeped out by such anthropomorphism, it will respond to 'Amazon').
Alexa answers questions, plays your music requests, can offer news and weather digests, and even tell a joke.
The general consensus is that it does this at least as well as rival voice recognition software such as Apple's Siri and Microsoft's Cortana, using its circular seven-microphone array mounted in the Echo's top plate alongside the volume control. Several reviewers have gone further and lauded Alexa as the best voice recognition technology available to date.
The one question that has been raised concerns the fact that most Echo reviews so far have been based on a single user's experience. While Alexa seems to train itself well when dealing predominantly with one voice, more time is needed to see how it copes with multiple users in a single household.
From a design point of view, Amazon has adopted a divide-?and-conquer strategy. It has addressed Echo's complexity by splitting functionality across three PCBs: a motherboard, a top-mounted LED/microphone board and a foot-housed power/speaker board.
The boards feature within a layered internal design that reminded iFixit's teardown team of the multiple stages in a Saturn V in how it separates into different functional 'stages'. This modularity also makes the beta Echo relatively easy to repair with regard to speakers and other non-PCB mounted components - iFixit scores it at 7 out of 10.
Once inside it also becomes clear that the Echo's bill of materials is dominated by one company, Texas Instruments. TI supplies eight of the main identifiable components, including the all-important digital media processor and audio-to-digital converters.
There are a couple of ways of reading TI's dominance. First, Echo shows the company continuing to do well in one of its core technologies. Second, with Amazon probably only intending to ship this version of the Echo in limited quantities, it may have achieved better purchasing economies by buying multiple parts from one supplier.
Number one is probably the better explanation, but number two is worth bearing in mind given that this is a beta. It will be interesting to see how many slots TI retains in future Echo echoes.
Meanwhile, Echo's hardware specification is for now generally based on off-the-shelf components from TI and other familiar suppliers such as Qualcomm, SanDisk and Samsung.
Which brings us to the question of what obvious things those next iterations might contain.
At launch, Echo comes in Henry Ford black. As this is a device intended to be moved around the home, a few other colour options will make sense.
There has also been a mixed response on audio quality. Echo has a 2.0in tweeter and a 2.5in woofer with a reflex port to enhance bass. However, some reviewers have noted distortion at higher volumes.
The main surprise though, for what is inherently a portable device, is that Echo is mains-only operated. Adding a battery will be a challenge for what is a very tightly packed product already, but seems essential given that existing speakers of similar size offer that option.
The Amazon Echo is a work in progress and that should ease any British urges to become an early adopter. Unlike the Fire Phone, this also shows the company working to push a technology category further rather than simply match its rivals. So while it is probably best to wait for Echo to evolve, a good kind of buzz is building. *


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What Are Your All-Time Favorite xoVain Articles?
It's gonna get sappy up in here.
I recently had a beauty question sent to me through Tumblr asking: "I know this may sound silly but how do I make matte lipstick look more matte whilst preserving the original colour?"
My answer: Matte lipsticks are definitely a big trend right now, and as someone who doesn't like any shimmer or much gloss, I can get behind this 100 percent. There are a few ways to go about doing this yourself, and the first and easiest is to blot with tissue and then apply a transparent face powder over the top of the tissue with a powder brush, so that you don't end up with flour-y looking lips. I've heard the make-up crew on Mad Men uses this trick, since matte lips were favoured in the first half of the 1960s. Doing this sucks up any glossiness your lipstick may have and also helps the colour stay on your lips throughout the day.
Right, Dior's Rouge Dior lipstick in #999 Ara Red ($30, Dior.com) straight from the tube. Left, the same lipstick, blotted and then matte-ified with Clinique's Blended Face Powder ($20, Clinique.com), which comes in transparent shades that won't look chalky.
There's also the option of buying lipsticks that have a matte formulation in the first place, like Revlon's Matte line or Nars' Velvet Matte Lip Pencils ($24, narscosmetics.com), which I'm wearing below in Roman Holiday.