text: I'll start off by saying I don't really know what's going on. That said, Nichole walks in this evening with a guy. Not boyfriend. No Aubrey. So I ask where Aubrey is? She's with her Dad. Seems boyfriend refused to take Nichole to the movies even though she had free passes given to her by Travis. She tells me they fought. She decides she's going to the movies anyway. Then she introduces me to J. J is the brother to the abusive boyfriend of Nichole's best friend. (I think, I'm starting to get confused) If I'm right he's the guy I posted about before. The one who really likes Nichole. And has told her so. So I ask if boyfriend has a problem with her going to the movie with J. Nichole says he knows and doesn't care. But she's sick of boyfriend acting like an @ss. Well, he does seem to be doing that alot lately. At least from the one sided conversations I hear. I make no comment. So they're at the movies. I have sooooooo many problems with this. Okay, I've put the boy's family on the back burner. And I give him credit, he was polite and didn't act like he seriously wanted to crawl into his skin when Nichole introduced us. (like b/f did and J's brother does) Has no problem making eye contact. However...... I don't agree with Nichole going to the movies with another guy while she is still "with" boyfriend. There is just an absolute wrongness to that. I mean the guy has told her how he likes her, and Nichole has admitted to me that she like him the same way. So I'm doubting seriously this is just Friends going to the movies. easy child is POed and appalled Nichole did this. As she put it, even though we as a family aren't boyfriend's biggest fans, she shouldn't be disrespecting him by going to the movies with this other guy. easy child wants me to talk to her. I'm going to....about the guy and the movies part. But you know how with difficult children you get this tension building when you know something big has happened or is about to happen?? I'm getting some bad vibes from this. What the heck was in her head that she just left the baby with boyfriend to go to the movies with this other guy? She couldn't bring her home first?? Now I probably did something stupid. But I drove them to the movies. J doesn't have a car. They were going to walk the 4 miles. Uh, no. And I'm bringing them home. I don't like it, but I don't like her being alone with him either. Sorry, I think I've started rambling. I'm just so [email protected] shocked at her behavior I don't know what to think.


text:
The ability to express emotion, such as love, hatred, jealousy, confusion, etc. without showing any actual signs of the forementioned emotion, and while still showing a somewhat cheery disposition.
Kate: Man...that kid is hard to read when he's expressing himself.
Harold: Yeah...... it's called Counter Appearance
Harold: Yeah...... it's called Counter Appearance
by Kepler Nolan October 04, 2005
buy the domain for your foodie blog

subset: commoncrawl


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In a Democracy, Freedom of Assembly Trumps "Free Enterprise"
It's illegal in America now to buy or sell a human being, but a recorded telephone conversation between a Republican governor and a guy he thought was a billionaire benefactor shows that it's still possible to own a politician. Wisconsin's Republican Gov. Scott Walker didn't have time to talk to Democratic leaders or union officials about his anti-union legislation – a proposal that has incited protests by tens of thousands for more than a week in Madison. But he jumped on the phone for 20 minutes this week when told the caller was billionaire David Koch, who was Walker's second largest campaign contributor, who provided $1 million to a GOP fund to attack Walker's opponent and who bankrolls radical libertarian organizations and the Tea Party. Republicans like Walker, owned by billionaires like Koch, are fulfilling demands from corporate interests that government "free" enterprise by slashing corporate taxes and regulation. Over the past three years, America has suffered the consequences of a government under-funded after tax breaks to the rich and under-performing after years of lax regulation. The result: a growing federal deficit, the Wall Street collapse, the BP oil spill and the deaths of 29 Upper Big Branch miners. Still, Republicans want more government atrophy. That would leave only one restraint on corporate control of the economy, environment and government. That one restraint is labor unions. A union is workers using their constitutionally-guaranteed freedom to assemble, the right to get together as a group, in this case a labor organization, to negotiate collectively with employers for better wages, benefits and working conditions. Workers who gathered together in unions over two centuries in this country have succeeded in raising their wages, as well as the wages of non-union workers in competing industries. Union workers secured improved working conditions so fewer were killed on the job. And they achieved creation of the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration, which protects the safety of all workers. Over the decades, unions played a major role is obtaining legislation barring child labor, standardizing the 40-hour work week, and creating both Social Security and Medicare. Similarly, studies show union successes enhance the lives of all workers in a state. In anti-union states, the average worker earns $5,333 less a year, the proportion of people without health insurance is 21 percent higher and the rate of workplace death is 51 percent higher. In addition, there's evidence that union workers improve quality. Currently, after receiving an education from union teachers, Wisconsin youngsters collectively score second highest in the nation on the ACT/SAT college admission tests. By contrast, the five states barring teacher unions rank at the bottom of the pack: South Carolina dead last at 50th; North Carolina, second last at 49th; Georgia third from last at 47th; Texas fourth from last at 47th, and Virginia ever so slightly better at 44th. Still, Wisconsin Gov. Walker wants to destroy his state's teachers unions. Two studies determined that public workers, that is those employed by governments such as teachers, firefighters and police officers, earn less than their counterparts in the private sector when both benefits and education are factored into the calculation. It wasn't union workers, in the public or the private sector, who caused states' financial crises. That was gambling on Wall Street, which ravaged the economy. Still, Republican governors across the country are demanding that government workers pay. The government workers in Wisconsin already agreed to accept Walker's financial demands – that they pay more for their pensions and health care. This negates Walker's contention that this dispute is about the budget. The governor is demanding more than those financial concessions. He wants the legislature to cripple the unions' ability to bargain for improvements in the future. In his "budget repair bill," he would strip government workers of their right to negotiate over working conditions and benefits. They'd be able to discuss wages but could never get an increase above inflation. This is union busting. At the demand of corporate interests. And Walker is joined by Republicans in Ohio, Indiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee and others in attempting to do it, both to private and public sector workers. This is not about money. It's about controlling America. Corporations have bought Republicans, who now chant the corporate mantra that government coddles its citizens with the likes of mine and food safety rules. Walker's eagerness to talk to David Koch illustrates this. Koch and his brother Charles own the second largest privately-held company in America. Only the fortunes of Warren Buffett and Bill Gates exceed the Kochs' $35 billion. They've used that money to finance the supposedly-grassroots Tea Party and conservative groups like the Americans for Prosperity Foundation (APF) that have funneled money into anti-reform policies – including attempts to reverse environmental and health care legislation. It's a giant circle. Koch got Walker elected. The Koch-backed Tea Party now rallies in Madison against the public employees. The Koch-financed APF bought $320,000 in TV ads against the public workers. Other Koch-financed GOP governors are sending letters of support to Walker. In his few weeks as governor, Walker passed legislation to lower tax ratesfor and limit damage awards against businesses like the Kochs'. In addition, tucked into the anti-union bill is a provision that would enable Walker to sell the state's power plants to the Kochs without bids or state agency review. Corporations are accomplishing their goal of shriveling government to the point of ineffectiveness so "enterprise" is "free" to run rogue. Now with their purchased politicians, corporations are trying to do the same to unions – the only organization other than government that has traditionally effectively defended working Americans. In the recorded conversation between Walker and a liberal blogger posing as Koch, Walker accepted an offer of a vacation trip from the "billionaire" if he "crushed" the public employee unions and said his effort was to get "our freedoms back." That's exactly right. This is a contest between the excesses of "free" enterprise and the constitutionally-protected freedom of assembly. And getting "our freedoms back" means wresting them back from corporations.


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Yesterday Google announced they had recorded 25 billion downloads from the Google Play store and they placed the top Android apps on sale for $0.25 to celebrate. Today they have a fresh selection of books, magazines, movies, and music to choose from. If you have never purchased other types of content from Google Play, this is a great chance to check out the experience. Check out all the sale items after the break.
Which items did you buy?


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11 Things People Would Tell Their Pets If They Could Speak the Same Language
Sometimes, it feels like pets speak the same language you do. But what if you could actually, truly understand your pets, and they could understand you? What would you say? Here are 11 pet owners on what the subject of their conversation would be if they had one hour to tell their pets everything they felt.
1. Sore paw
User DMmeChihpooPics says that she would tell her pet "that he's perfect and I love him to death and if I step on his paw I'm really really sorry."
But really, isn't this what every pet owner wants to tell their little furry beloved? That when we step on your paws accidentally, we all feel that pain deep in our hearts.
2. Potty training
User Neatness_Counts would tell their pet to "piss and shit in the toilet then flush it. [Also] you can name what you want to eat[,] within reason."
An eminently sensible idea, actually. No more litter boxes, no more extra long walks just for one poop. And yes, let your baby eat what they want for once – as long as they're not asking for two thousand ice cream cones.
3. Bark
User mournthemonster says they would "just bark at my dog for an hour and SEE HOW HE LIKES IT DAMMIT."
We see where you're going, and we understand why, but again, you have one hour and you want to be petty? Okay, if that's how you feel…
4. Eff you
User funkyb says "I'd just be thrilled my cats could finally understand me when I say "fuck you"."
Again, not very productive, but if that's how you feel, that's how you feel. Sometimes, the little monsters need to know…
5. Drop the attitude
Jackrack1721 says,
I'd tell her if she knew it was family or a friend at the door, she did not have to bark. The worst is when I pull up, and she's staring right at me through the garden window, wagging her tail; defensive barking. Like. You see it's me, drop the attitude lady.
No – "I love you, bud, you're the best dog ever?" We guess we understand how you feel, all those years of resentment at the barking piling up. We can roll with it.
6. Very much loved
Cucumber678 says,
I'd ask them about their lives before we adopted them from a shelter, what were their old homes like, and how did they end up at the shelter? And then I'd want to make sure that they are happy here and that they know they are loved very much!
Aww, our cold little hearts are melting. This person cares for their pets very much and we understand why they'd want to make sure they're happy.
7. You were a good boy
User Escaloni says,
My dog just die[d] recently, so I'd tell him how sorry I was for putting him down but that I saw he was in pain and had a good life. Then I'd tell him how much of a good boy he was and that I still get hit with how much I miss him all the time.
Tears! We're sure his dog knew he was a good boy. A very, very good boy. And we're sure he loved him as well.
This is the sweetest comment ever.
8. The UPS man
Kwhittek wants to explain to her dog,
All very practical things born of long experience and familiarity with the canine at hand. And yes, barking at the UPS man does make you look like a dick – even if you're a dog.
9. The dreaded carrier
Mite-O-Dan says,
I have cats who hate being moved in a carrier or leaving the house for any reason whether it's to see the vet or to stay with a friend. So I'd tell my cats that being in the carrier is only temporary and that I will be back soon and that Id never leave them permanently.
And also, it's ok to say hi to strangers. They aren't bad people. No need to hide. They just want to pet you and I know you like that so be a good kitty.
Really, this is a comment every cat owner who's ever faced the carrier of doom has. The carrier is not a bad thing. We repeat, the carrier is NOT a bad thing.
10. Health reasons
This user says,
I'd explain my cat that the reason he doesn't get as much food as he would like and that he only gets low calorie cat food, is because of his health. We are not being mean, but do it out of love.
You don't have to eat literally everything. And yes, we know Fancy Feast tastes good.
11. Happy
User Fournote says she'd make sure that "they were happy and that they knew I loved them." And honestly, isn't this all every pet owner ever wants?
Love this article? Share it will all your fellow pet lovers!
Read more: http://twentytwowords.com/11-things-people-would-tell-their-pets-if-they-could-speak-the-same-language-ia/


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Sofia Vergara: Cute in Coral
Sofia Vergara steps out in a billowy coral top on Monday (June 11) in New York City.
The 39-year-old actress's hit show, Modern Family, returns for its fourth season with two all-new episodes September 21 on ABC!
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Sofia Vergara
Over the weekend, Sofia was spotted out on the town for a date night with boyfriend Nick Loeb. The couple broke up for a short while last month but now is back and better than ever!
10+ pictures inside of Sofia Vergara leaving her hotel…


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In a quiet corner of Robarts Research Institute, hidden behind a maze of cubicles and black curtains, researchers are pushing the boundaries of reality. It's in this curious and creative space that PhD candidate Adam Rankin, BSc'07, MSc'09, is taking medical imaging beyond the computer screen.
Under the co-supervision of Medical Biophysics professor Terry Peters and Queen's University researcher Gabor Fichtinger, the Robarts trainee is currently working with mixed reality, merging real and virtual worlds. His latest project involves Microsoft's HoloLens, a head-mounted, untethered device that overlays 3D-digital content on top of the real world.
The device looks like a futuristic pair of lab goggles, complete with built-in cameras, wireless headphones and self-tracking abilities. Users control the HoloLens using hand gestures and head movements, and can physically move around holograms to view different angles.
"For many people, this is like something out of Star Trek," Rankin said.
With this technology, he is hoping to enhance minimally invasive surgical procedures and address the disconnect that occurs between surgeons and technology in the operating room.
"This research is about reducing the cognitive load, making life easier for the surgeon," Rankin said. "We don't want the surgeon to be thinking about the technology; we want them focused on the patient and the critical factors related to the surgery. With the HoloLens, there is no more computer monitor to look at. The surgeon will be able to observe the augmented surgical scene without any extra effort."
Because of the unique constraints associated with the device, Rankin has been working for several months to integrate the product with other image-guided platforms, devices and software, such as 3D ultrasound.
Born and raised in London, Rankin completed his undergraduate and master's degrees in Computer Science at Western. He started his career in the video game industry in Montreal, working for two years as a game developer. From there, Rankin moved to Kingston and eventually landed a position with Fichtinger, who studies image-guided surgical interventions.
The switch from gaming to biomedical engineering was significant for the 32-year-old. "This type of work is very satisfying," he explained. "I like that it actually has an impact on people's health."
When his wife got into medical school at the Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, the couple moved back to London. At Fichtinger's encouragement, the budding researcher continued his work at Robarts with Peters and decided to pursue a doctoral degree.
"Robarts really is world class," Rankin said. "We have the latest technology and equipment, as well as the access to clinicians who are interested in participating in this research."


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which I brought them around to some "insidery gems" in the city and
talked about what made the places cool and what I saw as trends in
Boston style for men. This is hilarious on several levels, the first
being that I actually am considered some sort of expert on anything,
but the shoot was fun, and I probably used the words "authentic" and
vintage-esque at least eleven times per scene on camera. Also, for
your own future benefit–should you find yourself unexpectedly on a
news show– do NOT eat a Sour Apple Blow Pop right before you're
supposed to go on camera. Multi-colored tongues are not "in" right now.
Anyway, I am on a severe and utterly close deadline for Boston
Magazine right now. The story is there waiting for me to nail it, but
I keep being occupied by small tangential pieces of said story, and
only seem to be able to work between the hours of 2-4 AM, which used
to be fine, but now makes it impossible for me to do my day job
without falling asleep in Espresso Royale and leaving myself
vulnerable to pickpocketing by some of the less chill, more nefarious
looking hippies.
It also is taking me awhile to get back into writing in the long form
after spending the last three or four months exclusively writing and
editing pieces that fall in the 200 word realm. Freedom of (word)
expression is a mixed bag, friends. You always complain about wanting
to "write the way you want" and "in your voice" and truly make
something "completely original" but then, when you're finally given
that chance, most likely you just sit there reading old issues of
Esquire and praying that some sort of writerly osmosis will transfer
their skills into your work while you watch Weeds.
With most of that said, I have a request. I want to know about dream
jobs. The one writing job that you wish you could have. The more
specific the better (don't just say you want to write for Tiger Beat,
say you want to be the senior editor, etc, etc, etc) and how you
imagine that someone would get that job. I'll reveal mine in the
Commenting portion of the show and tell.
Timbaland and Magoo


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This interview first appeared in the July/August 2003 issue of Research News & Opportunities in Science and Theology.
What role did religion play in your life growing up?
In my early life, it played a profound part. In some ways, I had a traditional "old South" upbringing, meaning that I spent some time in a military school, and acquired an inoculum of the military ethic that is still with me today: honor, duty, loyalty. Also, I was raised as a Southern Baptist and experienced the evangelical teaching and indoctrination of the Southern Baptist religion, the most common Southern Baptist version of evangelical Christianity. I was born again. I made the choice when I was 14. I went literally under the water with a full-scale baptism. I had deep religious feelings of the most traditional kind. Of course the Judeo-Christian worldview just does not include nature. All three of the Abrahamic religions were born and nurtured in arid, disturbed environments. Their founders were nomadic people who were trying to build, particularly in the case of Judaism and early Islam, kingdoms and even empires out of a desert tribal existence. It has to be appreciated that with certain exceptions of imagery of the beauty of streams and fern groves and fruit orchards there is not an awful lot of ecology in the sacred texts of Abrahamic religions. Jehovah had nothing to say to Moses and the others about the care of the planet. He had plenty to say about tribal loyalty and conquest. You can draw out of parts of sacred Scripture the implication, if you wish, that humanity is the steward of nature. You can also draw out the other interpretation that has often been applied: that humanity is commissioned and commanded to control and make full use of the living world. So there is an ambiguity in doctrine that cannot be settled by sacred Scripture. The founding literature and beliefs of the Abrahamic religions lack the essential insight. The ambiguity does not exist in science. The scientific perception explains how the world works and that humanity is related to the natural world due to evolutionary history, the millions of years through which we have passed. It continually assesses, tests and corrects. In your book The Future of Life, you mention that if humans need a creation myth none is more solid and unifying than evolutionary history. Can you elaborate on that idea? At the age of 17 and 18, when I began to move away from my traditional Baptist and broader Christian beliefs, I began searching for a replacement for the satisfying mythic explanations for human existence, something that can be added to the bare bones knowledge that science produces concerning evolutionary origins of humanity and the human mind. Indeed I have been searching for this all my life.
I don't see any such need. In fact, I think it's a waste of time, in the sense that we could be doing so many more interesting and valuable things with our minds. What traditional religion gives you is a fixed set of statements about the world and the origin and the meaning of humanity. These statements are easily learned, and in the context of personal relations or in tribal ceremonies, they evoke a deep sense of satisfaction. Those responses of the brain have been programmed by millennia of evolution because of their survival value. There should be more to the human experience. So long as we are bound by loyalties to a particular religion's dogmatic beliefs, we are not free in many sectors of human thought and experience to explore afield and more deeply. I find it far more interesting and satisfying to explore beyond, within the constraints of what we find out ourselves about how the real world works, the fuller explanation of what humanity is, where it comes from and its meaning. This freedom is not open to believers in traditional religions. That search, which may never be fully satisfied or found with success, is one of the best intellectual and spiritual endeavors of which the human mind is capable. That is essentially, if you would like to call it that, my religion. What about ultimate origins? Is the natural world able to give us answers about that?


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Brevbasens indhold Baggrund og udvikling Veje ind til brevene Kilder og samlinger Vejledning Web service
Dato: 21. maj 1861
Fra: Elizabeth Moulton Barrett Browning Til: W.M. Thackeray
Sprog: engelsk.
Fra: Elizabeth Moulton Barrett Browning Til: W.M. Thackeray
Sprog: engelsk.
Rome, 126 Via Felice [May 21, 1861].
Dear Mr. Thackeray,
I hope you received my note and last poem. I hope still more earnestly that you won't think I am putting my spite against your chastening hand into a presumptuous and troublesome fluency.
But Hans Christian Andersen is here, charming us all, and not least the children. So I wrote these verses - not for 'Cornhill' this month, of course - though I send them now that they may lie over at your service (if you are so pleased) for some other month of the summer.
We go to Florence on the first of June, and lo! here is the twenty first of May.
With love to dear Annie and Minny,
I remain, most truly yours,
Elisabeth Barrett Browning


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TODAY'S FRIDAY FEATURE: Gateway Terrace
WHERE IT'S LOCATED: Gateway Terraces is split up into three luxury buildings, creating a triangle effect: The Vose (corner of East Berkeley and Harrison Avenue), The Emerson (corner of Harrison Avenue and Fay Street), and the Hallet (located on Fay St).
NEIGHBORHOOD: South End's SOWA District
WHY WE LOVE IT: While the space is absolutely beautiful, we're suckers for the neighborhood. Located right in the heart of the SOWA District, there's never a lack for something to do both weekdays and weekends alike. For one, there's the popular SOWA Open Market, which takes place every Sunday from May through October. It's perfect for stocking up on hand-crafted artwork, homemade artisan goods, jewelry and even fresh produce.
NEARBY RESTAURANTS: Fortunately for South End residents, there's hundreds of nearby dining options at your fingertips. Local restaurants include Oishii, Gaslight and Myers & Chang.
PERKS OF LIVING HERE: Gateway Terrace Residents are free to enjoy the many amenities, including the beautiful private courtyard (created by the triangular shape of the three buildings), fully equipped with gas grills and an entertainment areas. Can you say summertime BBQs?
FEATURED AMENITIES: Modeled after the terrace homes in London, each unit has a European feel, including high ceilings, large windows and European-style kitchens and baths. The lofts feature an open concept layout, some including high-end stainless steel appliances, concrete flooring terraces boasting breathtaking city views.
MORE INFO: Visit our website at Boston Condo Domain or call 877-852-6636 for more information about Gateway Terrace, to set up a tour or to speak with one of our Boston Real Estate Experts. We hope to hear from you soon!


text:
Throughout The Car Industry
Festivals Of Speed Returns To Central Florida
Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Porsche, Fisker, Aston-Martin, BMW, Mercedes, McLaren, fine wines, delicous foods, robust cigars, smooth jazz. Now that I've got your attention, find all these things and more May 5th and 6th in Howey-in-the-Hills, FL (30 minutes northwest of Orlando). Come enjoy the finer things at the Motorsports Gathering & Luxury Lifestyle Display (part of the Festivals of Speed event series) located at the Mission Inn Resort and Club.
We've had the pleasure of attending other FoS events in the past. If you're interested in attending the event, continue reading to find the official press release.
Festivals of Speed Car Show Returning to Central Florida with Luxury Lifestyle Event Weekend
"The Festivals of Speed event series is returning to Central Florida in May 2012 to feature exotic and vintage vehicles, fine wines, and Louis XIII de Remy Martin for a luxury lifestyle weekend at the Mission Inn Resort and Club. On display will be automotive designs by Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Porsche, Fisker, Aston-Martin, BMW, Mercedes, McLaren, and more as well as fine wines, exciting culinary offerings, robust cigars, smooth jazz, and high-end lifestyle displays."
HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, FL (April 2012) – The weekend of May 5th and 6th 2012, Festivals of Speed will once again hold a Motorsports Gathering & Luxury Lifestyle Display at the Mission Inn Resort and Club to benefit the Alliance Healthcare Foundation. Throughout this unique event weekend, located just 30 minutes northwest of Orlando in Howey-in-the-Hills, attendees will have a rare opportunity to appreciate automotive masterpieces of design and engineering in a setting that if both festive and elegant.
Adorned with Spanish architecture, spring fed lakes and historic oaks, the 1000 acre Mission Inn Resort & Golf Club welcomes guests from around the globe with the grace and hospitality of a plush private estate. While the car enthusiast in the family relishes in the "Rolling Sculptures" on display, others can enjoy the spa, tennis, golf, skeet shooting, boating, fine dining and other amenities on location. Featured events of the weekend include the Saturday morning "Dealer Ride and Drive", Saturday evening Wine Connoisseur's Dinner and Louis XIII tasting, and a 300 vehicle Motorsports Gathering on Sunday.
Prior to the main event, on Saturday, May 5th, the spectacular rolling countryside surrounding this Northwest Orlando resort will play host to the Festivals of Speed Dealer Ride and Drive. Here, qualified guests and enthusiasts will have the opportunity to get behind the wheel, and test drive new vehicles from names like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, McLaren, and more. Continuing on to Saturday evening at Mission Inn's La Hacienda restaurant, The Festivals of Speed will host a VIP Wine Connoisseur's Dinner. This exclusive event includes handcrafted cocktails and a multi-course meal served with each dish paired to a specially chosen wine. Following the dinner will be fine cigars and a Louis XIII tasting on the terrace.
On Sunday, May 6th the Motorsports Display will feature 300 of the world's finest vintage and contemporary vehicles be set for display on the plush fairway of the Mission Inn Resort & Club's Championship Golf Course. Attendees will experience automotive designs by Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Porsche, Aston-Martin, BMW, Mercedes, McLaren, and more and while encountering fine wines, exciting culinary offerings, robust cigars, smooth jazz, and luxury lifestyle displays featuring fine jewelry and timepieces. Guests who appreciate the VIP lifestyle can purchase tickets to a beautiful pavilion lounge to indulge in an array of fine foods and premium alcohol.
Tickets for the Festivals of Speed Wine Connoisseur's Dinner and Motorsports Display VIP pavilion can be purchased at www.festivalsofspeed.com. Sunday main event general admission tickets are available either online at www.festivalsofspeed.com or onsite at The Mission Inn Resort & Club. Guests traveling in from out of town can take advantage of the Festivals of Speed rooms block at the Mission Inn Resort & Club by calling the Mission Inn at (800) 874-9053.
About Festivals of Speed
Headquartered in Eustis, Florida, Festivals of Speed was founded as the ultimate luxury lifestyle showcase for discerning enthusiasts with a passion for all forms of transportation. With a series of extremely special events scheduled throughout the year, Festivals of Speed joins the very best in automotive, aircraft, marine and motorcycle transportation with the finest culinary, wine, spirits, and fashion for the ultimate luxury experience. For more information, please visit www.festivalsofspeed.com or telephone 352-385-9450.
Photo Gallery (click a thumbnail to enlarge)
Posted In: Auto Shows, Exotics
Tags: Festivals of Speed, Central Florida, Florida, luxury, auto show, event, events, exotics
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The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) requires each Scouting unit - whether Pack, Troop, Team, Crew, Ship, or Post - to renew its Charter annually. This assures that the Chartered Organization still is using Scouting's programs to serve youth and assures that the unit roster is up to date at least once a year. We refer to this annual renewal as "RECHARTERING". This page will assist units personnel with responsibility for the unit's recharter by providing pointers to resources, by providing an overview of how the recharter process works.
The Council Recharter website contains helpful information about recharter including:
Units that are unable to use Internet Rechartering should review the manual recharter workshop presentation. However, we encourage you to use Internet Rechartering if at all possible. Doing so will help minimize errors in your unit roster and will help you to receive your new charter and membership cards as soon as possible.
The Internet Rechartering application requires the use of Microsoft Internet Explorer for proper operation.
Your current charter expires on the last day of the December. It must be renewed before it expires. The district will provide a turn-in opportunity early in each month in which it has charters expiring. Often, this will be at a Roundtable. In the event you cannot turn-in your unit's recharter at your district's event, it is due at the Council office on or before the 31st of December in which the current charter expires. Registration hours are 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Please arrive by 4:30 P.M.; the office closes at 5:00 sharp.
This web-based system provided by the BSA National Council lets you update your unit's roster to correct errors for existing members, add new members, and remove members who are no longer in your unit. IR is available to you starting two months before your current charter expires. That is, if your charter expires December 31, you may access the system October 1st.
Your Commissioner Team strongly recommends the use of Internet Rechartering for all recharters. It will help you -
It will help the Council Office
You may use IR from any computer with Internet access. You do not have to complete the process in one session. Just log off and then log back on when you are ready to continue. You do not have to use the same computer for each session - just be sure to log off one computer before logging onto another. NO INTERNET ACCESS, NO PROBLEM! Most public libraries have public computers with Internet access.
The access code required to use IR is on a label affixed to the recharter roster included in the recharter packet. The access code changes every year - do not use last year's code because it will attempt (and fail) to access last year's information. YOU ARE A "FIRST TIME USER" WHEN YOU BEGIN YOUR FIRST SESSION EVERY YEAR FOR EACH UNIT THAT YOU WORK ON! If you attempt to use last year's access code and its password, you will receive an error message telling you that the data is no longer available.
Your district's Commissioner Team is your first point of contact if you need help. If they don't already know the answer to your question, they will help find it. Contact your Unit Commissioner or, if you do not know who your Unit Commissioner is, your District Commissioner.


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This week in Meet Mondo, I talk to Jonas Huckestein, Mondo's Chief Technology Officer and one of the co-founders. You can follow him at @jonas on Twitter.
Hey Jonas! How did you come to co-found Mondo?
It's all Tom – our CEO's – fault! I first met him in 2013 when we worked together in New York. I was very impressed with him and tried to convince him to work on my own software as a service business afterwards. I'd like to think that I almost got him to move to Chile with me to join a startup incubator, but then he asked me to come to London instead to start a bank. I agreed to come help out for a few months but somehow, more than a year later, I'm still here…
So what does your average day look like as CTO?
Up until a few months ago I used to write and review source code every day. Now we have hired people that are much better at programming than me, I'm spending more time growing the team and making sure we have all the bits in place to launch a bank later this year. Every morning starts with the engineering stand-up meeting, but other than that my days are rather flexible.
What gets you most excited about Mondo's technical architecture?
There will be no single point of failure. This means you could take out any of our datacenters and service to our customers would remain uninterrupted. Building everything in this distributed, resilient manner comes with a high up-front investment in platform development but it is worth it.
What makes the job challenging?
The hardest bit is to be at peace with the feeling of being constantly behind on everything.
Working in a startup is quite stressful. While it looks like things are going well from the outside, people on the inside are constantly playing catch up. It never feels like you're truly on top of everything.
How do you spend your time outside of Mondo?
I recently moved to London Fields in Hackney and spend a lot of my weekends strolling through Broadway Market and eating delicious food. I also enjoy popular geeky pastimes like watching movies and playing board games.
What are you most looking forward to in the next six months?
I'm looking forward to visiting San Francisco in June!
We recently updated our name to Monzo! Read more about it here.


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Justin Sandercoe has invented 1 Minute Changes method to teach us - guitar enthusiasts - how to reach fast and accurate changes between chords, by only spending few minutes a day. This web-app is made to serve this purpose, to keep you motivated for being accessible from any device and anytime. Also, you can save your progress of changes and see where you need to work harder.
Once you know how to play your chords, the big challenge is to get the change from one chord to another clear and fast enough so you can play a song without stopping between chords.
The site is absolutely free to use.. In order to have access to all features, it is recommended to create a free account. Already a member? log-in or just proceed to changes page.
If you like the site and would like to support it, feel free to donate or share :)


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YOU BLOODY STUPID PAIR OF BUGGERS wrote:The Great Defector wrote:What gets me is the people that argue that it has to be good look at the money it generated. Well unless you're a first class hacker, of course you have to pay to see it to get your own opinion. It's a false marker of how good the makers think it is.
Basically if a film, ANY film, makes a shitload of money, does that automatically make it good in terms of story etc? I'm sure Disney are more interested in the money side than the story of the film. Therefore they will think it's a success because of the profits. However it's shit film no matter how much money they made.


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Professional Villages of West Clay Interior Designer
At Decorating Den Interiors, we specialize in one thing - beautiful decorating! It's our mission to create spaces that reflect your taste and your lifestyle. Whether your design project involves a living room, family room, dining room, bedroom or office, we have the products and ideas to suit your every need.
Every project presents its own unique set of circumstances, so we pride ourselves on working together with our clients to find the perfect products that express their style and fit their budget. Our initial design consultation is always complimentary. We'll discuss the specifics of your project, help determine the budget and make some preliminary design suggestions. No project is too big or too small. Depending on the size of your project, we may be able to get started after the initial meeting. Once we have a plan in place, we coordinate everything - from measuring, product ordering and finally to installation. And the best part, we handle it all, helping to make your life easier and save you valuable time and money.
At Decorating Den Interiors, it's our goal to help you make your home in Villages of West Clay all that it can be.
Contact us today at 317-660-6421 and let's work together to make your home more beautiful one room at a time.
The Villages of West Clay are a home development in Carmel, Indiana.
Villages of West Clay Resources:
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Carmel Dads' Club - Carmel Dads' Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing high-quality sports programs to the youth of Carmel and Clay Townships.
Union Brewing Co. - At Union Brewing Company, beers are crafted on site and in two barrel batches. The majority of the beer is moved into casks and conditioned in our cellar before being tapped and poured through beer engines.
� 2016 Decorating Den Systems, Inc. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. Sitemap | Privacy | Legal
Website Produced by Inverse Paradox and Powered By FranConnect


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Discussion in 'Black Hat SEO' started by Neeoo, Jul 8, 2011.
Am I crazy or did sicksubmitter let their domain expire?
Expiration Date: 07-jul-2013 and their site is up. Maybe it was on auto renew on the last moment..
Wow crazy, but it is back.
Separate names with a comma.


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Transform your photos into one-of-a-kind, hand painted masterpieces!
Boundary: Bleed area may not be visible.
Click and drag to re-position the image, if desired.
Image Size
The image is near the edges of the product but doesn't cover the entire product. Some of the background color may appear around the outside edges of the image.
Background Color
Queen duvet cover (88" x 88") featuring the image "Sheep In Profile" by Diane Schuler. Our soft microfiber duvet covers are hand sewn and include a hidden zipper for easy washing and assembly. Your selected image is printed on the top surface with a soft white surface underneath. All duvet covers are machine washable with cold water and a mild detergent.
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Momo Pixel
September 22nd, 2018
Pamela Hoskins
September 18th, 2018
I received a dull black Duvet. I have been trying to get a response from Fine Art America for a replacement. of a midnight black Duvet. The on I received looked as if it had been washed with bleach. Please call (314) 740-6405. firstname.lastname@example.com, I ave been told that the machinary used by some company timberland was not working. This was for my daughters dorm. I sent her address so that they could send out a replacement back on August 21st. She has not received it yet.
Contemplating sheep against a blue sky. Went to a local farmpark, and this sheep was in a pen with one other sheep far off the main area of the park. I think he must have been lonely, and his nose itched, because as soon as I showed up with my camera and scratched his nose, he opened right up. He may be a sheep, but he was hamming it up for my camera.
Photography is an accidental passion. I was required to take a film photography class in college. I didn't want to do it. When you develop a print, the photo emerges on the paper slowly. When I saw that happen for the first time, I was in awe. It was a magical moment for me. I went from not wanting to take that class, to wanting to learn as much as I could about photography in a matter of moments. After college, I found work for a local school photographer. I continued to pursue fine art photography while working as a yearbook photographer. After five years of working as a yearbook photographer, I decided to pursue fine art photography full time.
Our return policy is very simple:
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Fine Art America sells thousands of pieces of artwork each month - all with a 100% money-back guarantee. We take great pride in the fact that hundreds of thousands of artists have chosen Fine Art America to fulfill their orders, and we look forward to helping you select your next piece!
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Established in 1988 at Bangalore , SMC started promotion of parts required for the machine tool industry. Over a period of time the company started to manufacture various components like Machine Lamps, Relay Modules, Tower Lamps, MPG Pendants, etc.
In 1997 the office at Pune became operational to cater to our customers mainly in the western region. Today the company is the Market leader in Machine Lamps in India and also the only ISO 9001:2000 certified company in this segment.
At SMC, we have a strong commitment to offering our customers the very best possible solutions in Machine Lighting and other machine related products.
Due to consistency in quality and continuous product development we can today boast of catering to some of the leading names across the nation in the field of Machine tools, Automation, Packaging Machinery, Pharmaceutical Machinery, Robotics, Defence & Material handling companies in India.
Although we have the most comprehensive range in our product range, we are not limited to this, we have the ability to design and develop new products as per customers specifications.


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The Elegance Netherlands May 2012 editorial takes the 50s fashion fad and livens it up even more through a saturated photoshoot that plays on the model's expressions of giddiness and glamor. Shot indoors and out, Spanish photographer duo Andoni & Arantxa concentrate as much on the setting as they do on the styles showcased.
Starring model Sasha Melnychuk, the Elegance Netherlands May 2012 editorial is filled with blue skies, bluer seas and an array of vibrant, retro-inspired pieces that rival the majestic and colorful backdrops. The photoshoot was styled by Ellen Mirck. Mirck clad the Ukrainian beauty in demure designs from the likes of Jil Sander, Emporio Armani, Jil Sander and Sportmax. The looks were completed with hair by Loris Rocchi and makeup by Claudia Marchetti.
Saturated 50s Photoshoots
More Stats +/-
Instagram-Inspired Editorials
Civil War-Inspired Editorials
Sweaty Sophisticated Photoshoots
Risque 50s-Inspired Fashion
Scorned Mistress Editorials
The Elegance Netherlands May 2012 Editorial Stars Sasha Melnychuk
- By: Meghan YoungApr 25, 2012
References: elegance.nl & fashiongonerogue
References: elegance.nl & fashiongonerogue


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Boysenberry Whip
Classic and Bold colours creates this bespoke design of class and sophistication by Master Florist Ratahi Tomuri.
A glamorous, triple layered bouquet of Deep Red Wine Calla Lilies, nestled in a cloud of double white chrysanthemums with a textural vinka-vine overlay. Beautifully wrapped in fabric with a bold satin ribbon bow.
Please note: Due to the seasonal nature of flowers, should one of the blooms within this design be unavailable, we will substitute with one of equal beauty and value.


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The future of the smartphone market
30 March | Posted by @Roch Courcy Here are some highlights from Portio Research's interesting study, Smartphone Futures 2011-2015.
Vortex Solution at Montreal's Twestival
29 March | Posted by @Roch Courcy Through the attendance of Roch Courcy and Élodie Parthenay, Vortex Solution was proud to be at Montreal's 3rd Twestival edition, an evening that was organized for Dans la Rue, a non-profit organization that helps street youth.
Amazon Android Appstore opens its doors!
25 March | Posted by @Catherine Beaumier Lacroix This American giant has just celebrated the opening of its online Appstore! An ambitious project that could hurt the competition.
About.Me - Your personal page that consolidates your web profiles
25 March | Posted by @Catherine Beaumier Lacroix Websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, Foursquare, StrumbleUpon… Alright, we know that you're web-social. Now, what would you say if you could focus your contacts in one central point?
Vortex Solution is proud to sponsor the Montreal Twestival
24 March | Posted by @Roch Courcy For the second consecutive year, Vortex Solution is proud to sponsor the Montreal Twestival, an event which will take place tonight at the Cabaret du Mile-End.
Le Marquis Concept's Facebook contest; a success!
22 March | Posted by @Roch Courcy For the 32nd National Home Show, Le Marquis Concept, a pre-fabricated homes constructor, has launched its own innovative Facebook contest, allowing entry contestants to win some very nice prizes.
LinkedIn: a social network that holds up and excels
18 March | Posted by @Catherine Beaumier Lacroix Not only does the most professional network in the world (around 100 million members throughout over 200 countries) help people to boost their career and to profile potential candidates, LinkedIn also offers a wide range of services and tools that enable members to promote their profile, to find information and to label their contacts. Many new features that have just been launched on the LinkedIn platform will consolidate the company's position as a predominant social media. We all know that the battle is fierce in the Web 2.0 field!


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Archive for Wednesday, January 11, 2006
THS drops Mill Valley, still undefeated
A pesky Mill Valley team reluctantly went down in defeat Friday at Tonganoxie.
The Jaguars barrage of three-pointers -- six in the second half -- kept Mill Valley within striking distance of undefeated Tonganoxie.
The Chieftains, though, matched Mill Valley's perimeter shooting with solid ball movement that led to plenty of two-point baskets. Tonganoxie outlasted Mill Valley, 61-45, and remained perfect -- 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Kaw Valley League.
Tonganoxie had a comfortable 27-15 lead at the intermission, but Mill Valley held with THS in the second half.
"We had some mental lapses, but I thought we played well," THS coach Randy Kraft said.
Tonganoxie improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Kaw Valley League with the victory.
Ali Pistora was Tonganoxie's top scorer with 17, while Rachel Bogard and Elizabeth Baska each had 10 points.
Tonganoxie had another victory last week with a 60-43 win Jan. 3 at Lansing. The Chieftains handed the Lions their first league setback of the year as LHS fell to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the Kaw Valley League.
THS played Tuesday against Immaculata at home and will be home again Friday against Basehor-Linwood before starting the Tonganoxie Invitational on Monday.
With its undefeated record, Tonganoxie currently leads the Kaw Valley League standings.
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Garden prints
It´s garden prints season again.
Well, almost (cold and rainy at the moment) -
but a few are in the shop already...
1 Kommentar:
- Anonym hat gesagt…
This looks like fun to do - I am packing for travel and finding it hard to get all my art ger in.
Need small projects to work on.
- 8.6.12
Abonnieren Kommentare zum Post (Atom)


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Farmers and agribusiness owners will have an opportunity to discuss labor shortage issues and explore potential solutions during a meeting with state and federal officials at Jon Archer Agricultural Center in Mobile Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m.
Representatives from Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, Alabama Department of Industrial Relations, Alabama Southern Federal District Court, South Alabama Nursery Association, Guest Worker Specialists and the Alabama Department of Corrections are scheduled to present ideas for offsetting the state's shortage of available labor following Alabama's new immigration law.
There is no cost for the meeting, and all agribusiness owners and farmers are encouraged to attend.
The Jon Archer Ag Center is located at 1070 Schillinger Road N., Mobile, AL 36608.
For more information, contact Brett Hall, [email protected] or (334) 240-7101.


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|Monroe County Courthouse
|Went to tell hubby we were leaving and snapped this. I had the camera on the wrong setting and this is what happened - kinda cool!
|Me: "Get back here! It's dark and I can't see you!" I snapped the pic just so I could use the flash to locate him.
|Our town's Christmas tree. :/ They lopped the top off a couple of years ago... I don't know why.
|"Stick 'em up!"
|Kids playing in the stage at Loranger Square. I love the metalwork of the lotus leaves & flower on this!
The cookies and hot cocoa afterward were a hit, so at least we had that as a happy note to end on!
I'm really hoping that we'll have more fun next year...


text: Hampton Downs is just 60 km south of Auckland and 65 km north of Hamilton, right next to the motorway on State Highway 1. Auckland Airport is even closer and the main trunk railway is just 2 km away. Just turn off at Hampton Downs Offramp, you cant miss it! Centres such as Hamilton and Tauranga on the Bay of Plenty are also within easy reach.


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Joshua Nichols is an award-winning director and creative director with expertise in both on-air and print. Known for a multi-faceted approach with a background in branding, production, directing and design, he has a proven track record as an innovative problem-solver, collaborator and manager. His work has garnered BDA Gold, One Club Pencil, Art Directors Club awards, among others.
DVD Showreel available upon request.


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Riding the wake on a sunny summer camp afternoon in northern Ontario is the pleasure many of our campers experience with water-skiing and wake sports activities.
Getting up on skis for the first time or refining a surface 360 are two of the many skills our instructors can help campers achieve while participating in this program.
Campers can choose to work on any of the many disciplines we instruct including Two Ski, Slalom, Wakeboarding, Wakeskating, Wakesurfing, Knee Boarding and even Barefooting!
Water Skiing / Wake Sports is available as an activity option for campers of all ages, all 8 weeks of the summer.
OVERNIGHT WATER SKI PROGRAM: The Overnight Water Ski Program is an exclusive ski program which is offered throughout all weeks of the summer.
All Ages: 7-16 yrs of age.
Relevant Experience and Training, Standards First Aid and CPR


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The fallout from this week's deadly suicide bombing in Kabul has further splintered Afghanistan's relations with neighboring Pakistan and set back the U.S.-led military campaign to stabilize the region before international troops leave at the end of 2014.
The attack that killed 56 people and wounded more than 160 others outside a Shiite shrine highlighted a marked decline in security in the Afghan capital over the past year. Afghan forces, who have been in charge of security in Kabul for more than a year, have had successes in foiling plots and minimizing casualties, but insurgents increasingly slip through checkpoints and conduct complex assaults.
Ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan were already frayed when President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday blamed a Pakistan-based extremist group for the bombing at the shrine. Pakistan challenged Karzai to provide hard evidence.
The evidence, Karzai suggested, was that a man claiming to be from Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami, a Pakistan-based splinter group of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi that has carried out attacks against Shiite Muslims in Pakistan, called various media outlets Tuesday to claim responsibility for the Kabul bombing and a nearly simultaneous attack that killed four Shiites in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif.
"We are investigating this issue and we are going to talk to the Pakistani government about it," Karzai said, standing outside a Kabul hospital after visiting victims of the bombing.
Until now, the decade-long Afghan war has largely been spared sectarian violence, where civilians are targeted simply for their membership in a particular religious group. Tuesday's attack suggests that at least some militant groups may have shifted tactics, taking aim at ethnic minorities such as the Hazara who are largely Shiite and support the Afghan government and its Western partners.
But there was some doubt that a little-known splinter group could carry out the coordinated bombings in Afghanistan, where neither it nor the main Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has a history of conducting operations.
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Basit said Pakistan would encourage Kabul to share any evidence it has that the group was responsible.
Later, he sent a text message to The Associated Press, condemning the attack on the shrine.
"The government and the people of Pakistan are grieved and stand by the brotherly people of Afghanistan at this difficult time," he said.
Pakistani military spokesman Gen. Athar Abbas dismissed any suggestions that Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has links to the country's intelligence agencies or that the government was not doing everything it could to quash the group.
"Lashkar-e-Janghvi has declared war on the security forces in Pakistan," he told the AP. He said the group has been implicated in some of the worst attacks on Pakistani security forces. "They are being hunted down," he said.
Karzai began to sharpen his criticism of Pakistan several months ago after a suicide bomber, pretending to be a peace emissary from the Taliban, assassinated former President Burhanuddin Rabbani, who was leading Afghan efforts to broker a deal with the insurgency.
Afghan officials said the Sept. 20 assassination was planned on the southern outskirts of Quetta, the Pakistani city where key Taliban leaders are based. Afghan officials shared evidence with Pakistani officials, but Afghan-Pakistan cooperation on the investigation into Rabbani's murder so far has been tenuous.
American-Pakistan ties are deeply scarred too. To protest recent NATO airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani troops along the Afghan border, Islamabad boycotted this week's conference in Bonn, Germany, on the future of Afghanistan. Pakistan also closed down routes that NATO members use to deliver supplies to the 130,000-strong coalition force in landlocked Afghanistan.
The recent events have left the three main players in the decade-old conflict _ Afghanistan, Pakistan and the U.S. _ at odds at a time when the West is trying to secure Afghanistan's future _ and convince its people that their security forces can keep the peace when most foreign troops go home in three years.
Previous attacks in Kabul have been blamed on the Haqqani militant network, which is based in Afghanistan and is thought to have ties to the Taliban, al-Qaida and Pakistan's spy agency.
To the mourners burying the dead in Kabul and planting red flags in dusty cemeteries to mark the fresh graves, achieving stability in Afghanistan is more important than which militant group was responsible for the latest attacks.
Mohaqeq Zada, a member of the Shiite council in Kabul, said the bombing showed no one can count on the government for protection.
"There have been so many attacks, even against government officials, and still they can't stop these things," Zada said.
In London, Britain's Defense Secretary Philip Hammond told legislators that it was too early to say if Tuesday's attack _ the first major sectarian assault in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime a decade ago _ would derail plans to hand over security responsibilities to Afghan forces in an increasing number of regions.
But he acknowledged that recent incidents have raised concern.
"Clearly, the last two weeks have seen some significant setbacks," Hammond said. "Yesterday's attack in particular was a very unwelcome development _ effectively, on the face of it, opening a new front" to the war, Hammond said. "But I think it would be hugely premature to suggest that that will deflect the process of transition to Afghan-led security."
Associated Press writers Rahim Faiez in Kabul, Kathy Gannon in Islamabad, Pakistan, and David Stringer in London contributed to this report.


text: Faith Hill will join Sheryl Crow, Billy Joel and Elton John during tennis great Andre Agassi's eighth annual Grand Slam for Children. Tickets to the Oct. 4 event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas go on sale Saturday (May 17). Grammy-winning producer, arranger and composer David Foster will serve as musical director for the show, which will also feature comics Jamie Foxx, Dennis Miller and Robin Williams. The event will benefit programs assisting at-risk youth in the Las Vegas area. 05/14/03


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"Ready to serve my lord" Two cottages ready got two left. They turned out rather good for such a speedy production. Now my Peasants are pleased.
My archer stakes place on cavalry bases. Painted them in a mix of trees so they wont look boring. Also added a visor, shield and sword on one along with broken stakes. At least one frenchie might reach the stakes.


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Sales Ended
Event description
Patchwork and quilting is a lovely way to use up your scraps of fabrics and in the process make lovely things for your home. Come and work on your own patchwork and quilting projects in our large studio space with the expert guidance of Philippa.
Suitable for beginners and the more advanced sewer.
Tutor: Philippa Larkam
Light refreshments included
Please note that we have first floor studio and no lift.
By booking this course you are agreeing to our Terms and conditions. Full T&C's on our website.


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A nice four day holiday weekend is just around the corner and I am looking forward to just hanging out and relaxing. Arjan's sister is driving down from Colorado with her boyfriend to visit us for the thanksgiving weekend so we will have a full house.
What I am really looking forward to is a proper vacation which is long overdue. In December we are first off to Orlando, Florida where we will meet some of Arjan's family for some fun at Disney World. I know this will be a blast for Narayan who has never been to an amusement park like this. That reminds me, I need to do a little research and plan which parts of Disney World to go to. The place is so huge that you have to plan your strategy for what you want to do! If any of you are Disney World Regulars let me know your favorites.
At the end of the week I'll meet up with my parents who are flying down from New York. We'll spend a day or so with my Grand Parents who want to meet Charanjeet Kaur. Then we are off to a week of the Winter Solstice Camp in Lake Wales.
The Winter Solstice Camp has special significance for me and Arjan, because this is where we first met…and "fell in love". It's been SOOO many years since we have been to Winter Solstice so this year we decided to make it happen. Our meeting in the winter of 1996 was a pivotal point in my life because I was struggling with my identity as a Sikh and Arjan provided the missing piece in my life. It's like the line that Tom Cruise said in the movie Jerry Maguire….. "You complete me". Me and Arjan love to joke about corny lines like this.
Thinking about that time way back then reminds me of one of the letters that I got from Siri Singh Sahib Ji, just as I was starting up the website which was to become SikhNet.
November 18, 1995
"My dear son in divine Sat Nam. I am very grateful to you for keeping up and going through the hell of life. Life is a situation of test, trial and triumph. You will be tested in your life and you must be strong. There is no easy way, and no easy answer. You must face all of your doubts and excel in spite of them; this is the test of life. A test would not be a test if it did not take all of your grit to overcome it. Every man who has achieved greatness in his life has gone through the most difficult time, full of doubt and pain. However, one thing that you must remember is that these situations build your character and make you strong. There is nothing for you to do but to overcome yourself. I cannot dispel your doubts, only you can do this through your spiritual practice. Those you run away from doubt and fear without challenging it can never live in peace or have happiness. This is your test, my son. See it for what it is and get on with your life.
My deepest prayers and blessings are with you. May Guru Ram Das bless
you and guide you.
In the name of the cosumes which prevail through everyBODY and the Holy Nam which holds the world.
Humbly Yours, Yogi Bhajan"


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iWinSoft CD/DVD Label Maker for Mac 1.7.8
iWinSoft CD/DVD Label Maker for Mac is a fast, easy to use, intuitive CD and DVD labeler for Mac OS X lets you make great-looking Covers, jewel cases and labels for CDs and DVDs. with a great art gallery includes clip art images,background images and layouts you are able to create professional-looking labels with several clicks. Easily add images, backgrounds, photos, barcode and text to your documents, Numerous image effects, like opacity...


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'Current Events' started by BoyBach, Jan 21, 2009.
25 days, wow.
Frack how they did it, did someone get them their drinks?
Apparently, according to some reports, they collected rainwater to drink.
Wow, have to file that under pretty lucky.
I hope they gave them somethings to replenish the vitamins with the water because water alone when dehydrated is not good for the body.
Wow, that is an amazing story.
I've been watching this story and I call shenanigans. They don't appear to be in any state one would expect by being exposed to the elements in the ocean for 25 days. It's a little too unbelievable.
Even if they drank rainwater, where did they get food? The fish stored in the cooler would have rotted very quickly in searing heat. Plus, they ate chunks of raw fish for 25 days without getting any stomach problems? Seems sketchy.
Life of Pi anyone?
Need I say anything more?


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Friend's Email:
Subject: I have found a DVD that I think you would enjoy
|Mayday-Season 3 and 4
Actor: Jonathan Aris
Directors: Andy Webb, Jimmy Kaufman, John Larose, Karl Jason, Phil Comeau
NR 2012 19hr 15min
It?s everyone?s worst nightmare: a leisurely air, train or sea voyage gone horribly wrong. Why do these terrible mishaps occur? Human error? Sabotage? Act of God? Mayday! features a sustained investigation of some of the m... more »
Larger Image
|Actor: Jonathan Aris
Directors: Andy Webb, Jimmy Kaufman, John Larose, Karl Jason, Phil Comeau
Studio: Madacy (Music Distributor)
Format: DVD - Color,Widescreen
DVD Release Date: 05/15/2012
Release Year: 2012
Run Time: 19hr 15min
Screens: Color,Widescreen
Number of Discs: 10
SwapaDVD Credits: 10
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 1
Edition: Box set
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Languages: English
|Mayday Air Disasters
Directors: Greg Lanning, Bryn Higgins, Gary Lang, Bernard Vaillot
NR 2009 5hr 12min
|Miracle on the Hudson and Other Extraordinary Air Crash Events
NR 2009 2hr 9min
|NOVA The Deadliest Plane Crash
NR 2007 0hr 56min
|Crash The Mystery of Flight 1501
Director: n/a
UR 2008 1hr 30min


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As a Samsung Platinum Partner (the highest level of Reseller accreditation) we are experts in delivering the Samsung OfficeServ 7000 range of servers which have been designed to deliver advanced voice, data and wireless in a single, secure IP platform.
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I should feel very guilty. Every day I deliberately try to bring people with mental health problems onto Facebook, Twitter and online forums, where their social skills will wither and where they will be a target for scammers and stalking ne'er-do-wells.
Well, actually I don't feel guilty at all, but managing websites for a mental health charity can feel like existing across parallel universes. In Universe A, a worried society regards the internet – or more specifically social websites like Facebook and Twitter – as a sort of digital knotweed, a useless, suffocating, unstoppable blight.
In this dimension, social websites isolate and infantilise us by providing "constant reassurance that you are listened to, recognised, and important", as says neurologist Baroness Susan Greenfield. And they reveal far too much about people – private, exploitable things uncovered by misfortune or criminality, and unbearably banal deeds exposed all too deliberately by the "inadequate, pimpled and single" dullards that get Andrew Marr's goat.
But over in Universe B, it's considerably nicer. Here, where I work, Facebook helps people confront and cope with serious problems, Twitter creates nurturing friendships, and online forums give comfort to distressed people. I manage RethinkTalk, mental illness charity Rethink's online forum, and see the flipside of tabloid panic – social media as a thriving support network for people affected by mental health issues.
This and similar websites can be a social lifeline for many, and no matter what commentators like Janet Street Porter ('depression is the new trendy illness') say, mental illness is the last taboo in the shop.
For example, a survey of ours showed that nowadays most people would rather come out as gay than admit to having a mental health problem. We need to eliminate this shame and prejudice about mental illness – and social media is perfect for the job.
The internet's often-accursed anonymity can be the saviour of people who want to talk about mental health problems. Online, people 'come out' as mentally ill in safety – and sometimes in the presence of people who might unthinkingly categorize them as a nutter, psycho or schizo.
Time to Change, England's mental health anti-stigma campaign, found that after joining Facebook many more people become willing to tell their family and friends about their mental health problem. It also found that, as a result of joining the campaign's Facebook page, seven in ten feel more able to speak about their mental health with people they fear will discriminate.
The great thing is, this feeling of safety in virtual meeting places works both ways. Those who think of mental illnesses such as schizophrenia as something from a horror movie can have contact with people affected by it, and discover the less melodramatic truth. In other words we need to bring far more people together on social websites, not fewer.
Of course, it's not all making friends and breaking down barriers. Trolls do lurk, cyber-bullying takes victims. Many of the people I encounter online are positive about the role of social media (saying of RethinkTalk, "I need this, to know that I am not alone"). Yet they also mention the role that conspiracy websites can play in stoking delusional beliefs.
But, to bring back Baroness Greenfield's concerns about social media's mollycoddling "reassurance that you are listened to, recognised, and important" – yes, and why not?
That is a social nourishment that many people affected by mental illness lack. The assumption that Facebook and other social sites are just some trivial and dangerous indulgence of a spoiled society is itself a potentially harmful failure of the imagination.


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Farmer Glenns Farming Solutions
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- 0448 34# ###
- 0448 34# ###
Lynwood, Toorawandi RoadMap
Ulamambri NSW 2357Click to view map
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- Monday: 7:00 am to 8:30 pm
- Tuesday: 7:00 am to 8:30 pm
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About Us
Whatever you are looking for, whether crop planning, land use or farm, if it is a Farm & Agricultural Consultants product or service then Farmer Glenns Farming Solutions are the people to speak to. We service a wide area from our main premises at Ulamambri, NSW. Email us or call on phone to find out more about our Farm & Agricultural Consultants range of products and services.
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Beef and Lamb Consulting
"Absolutely fantastic service, was great meat, could not buy better!!! Best snags ever"
Nicole Portis on 26th Apr 2011


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PurpleThis swiss army style key holder will create the perfect pocket organizer and minimalist keyring. Includes loop piece to attach car keys.
- Unique 'S' design allows you to hold between 2- 8 keys- Aircraft Aluminum with Stainless Hardware- Compact size is smaller than a pack of gum- Universal, will fit almost any key found at your local hardware- Ultra strong and can withstand anything your life throws at it. - Eliminates any key jingle- Hides the jagged teeth while exposing the smooth back of the keys for easy accessMade in the USA
This product was added to our catalog on Wednesday 23 September, 2015.
Retail: $327.31 CDNPrice $255.30 CDN


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Renter's Choice Chicago is the fastest growing leasing agency in the suburbs. Unlike other real estate agencies, leasing is our top priority. We are very experienced in the rental markets of the Western and Southwestern Suburbs.
Renter's Choice is committed to helping our clients locate the perfect rental property and using our experience to guide them through the transaction. Search our free database of hundreds of apartments, condos, townhouses, and single family homes available for rent or contact one of our leasing agents to have a free list of rental properties emailed to you every week. Our service is absolutely free for tenants.
Renter's Choice is one of the few companies in the area that specializes in finding qualified tenants for landlords. By using the most advanced technology available and a professional team of leasing agents, we aggressively market our rental listings on dozens of real estate websites and reach thousands of potential tenants every month. We are so confident in our services that we will only charge a commission when we rent a property faster than you can. Whether you are a property management company with multiple units available or a private landlord trying to rent a second home, Renter's Choice can help you find the most qualified tenant available.
Contact Renter's Choice Chicago today to begin your search for a new home or to find out how to market your rental property on our website.
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Aishwarya Rai, the most successful Bolly Wood actress and The Miss World pageant 1994 is expecting her first child after four years of her marriage with another Bolly Wood star and son of the superstar of all times Amitabh bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan. Aishwarya Rai's father-in-law, Mr Senior Bachchan has confirmed the Indian actress is pregnant with her first child.
"I am going to become a grandfather!" People.com said Bachchan's father Amitabh announced via Twitter Friday. "Aishwarya is expecting! So happy and thrilled!"
This talented beauty was born on November 1, 1973 in Mangalore, Karnataka, India. Her father Krishnaraj was a marine biologist and mother Brindya is a housewife. Rai, 37, started her career in 1997 with Mani Ratnam's Tamil film Iruvar (1997). Later she has acted in over 40 films in Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali. Her English films are Bride and Prejudice in 2004, Mistress of Spices in 2005, Provoked in 2007, The Last Legion in 2007 and The Pink Panther 2 in 2009.
This "most beautiful woman in the world" married Abhishek Bachchan on 20 April 2007 according to traditional Hindu rites of the Bunt community, to which she belongs and took the name Aishwaria Rai Bachchan. We wormly welcome and hope to have a super child, a combination of three Bachchans.
Recently Will Smith has expressed that his first choice for his latest film "Hancock" was Aishwaria but then she was busy in Bollywood and missed the chance. However he admits that he likes the dazzling Indian beauty the most and he wants to do a project with her in near future …
|This "most beautiful woman in the world"


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Dark Hall Mansion reveals a piece over a year in the making, an officially licensed Beatles limited edition print, "Pepperland," by contemporary artist, Marq Spusta, on sale October 27th, 2015.
Dark Hall Mansion, working with Apple Corps Ltd and Bravado International, their North American licensing agent, will release Marq Spusta's amazing journey into the very heart of the Beatles' world. This gorgeous and meticulously illustrated piece has taken artist Marq Spusta over a year to complete on and off, and its tone radiates as much about beauty, art, and love as does the brilliance that is the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine."
DHM's officially licensed Beatles Marq Spusta "Pepperland" limited edition Standard print measures 36″ x 24," Marq's largest piece ever, is an 10-color screen print, hand numbered, with all editions artist-signed by Marq Spusta himself, and limited to a worldwide run of 455 pieces at $90. Marq's Gold Variant edition "Pepperland" is a 36″ x 24″ 10-color screen print on a golden paper stock personally chosen by Marq, hand numbered, and artist-signed, this edition limited to only 150 pieces worldwide at $125. The select Foil edition "Pepperland" measures 36″ x 24," is a 9-color screen print, on foil stock, also hand numbered and artist-signed, and limited to only 30 editions worldwide at $195.
Marq Spusta's Beatles "Pepperland" limited edition prints may also be viewed at Dark Hall Mansion's Facebook page
"Pepperland" 36″ x 24″ Standard edition of 455: $90
"Pepperland 36″ x 24" Variant edition of 150: $125
"Pepperland 36″ x 24" Select Foil edition of 30: $195
All editions are screen printed, hand numbered, and personally signed by artist Marq Spusta.
All editions go on sale next Tuesday, Oct 27th, 2015 at 9:30 AM PST on Dark Hall Mansion dedicated Store page
The Beatles limited edition print series is created by Dark Hall Mansion. 'The Beatles' is a registered trademark of Apple Corps Limited.


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Traffic works its way around the internet based on the routing table, which contains a list of networks and their associated netblocks.


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A documentary detailing the main points on the facts that we know at the time of the crime scene in the JonBenet Ramsey murder. Darnay Hoffman deposes John and Patsey Ramsey in the first ever footage of them directly answering questions about the case. Det. Steve Thomas recounts facts from his book as one of the first detectives on scene and who he believed was the killer. Detectives on scene were sure it was an open and shut case. But did money and power influence the case from the very beginning?
You decide as you see the facts presented and never before seen sworn testimony in the "unsolved" murder of JonBenet Ramsey.


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Jul 5, 2017
PMO Webinar Attendees: You Asked, Kent Crawford Answers!
"Methodology, methodology, methodology."
In our May webinar/panel discussion of The State of the PMO 2016, we had a number of questions submitted by participants that there was not enough time to answer. I caught up with Kent Crawford by phone to get his responses to some of the questions that centered around PMO implementation and processes.
Q: The best-in-class PMO's work on more projects. What are the metrics? What is the velocity of the projects? What are they doing differently to produce more, faster?
Crawford: Velocity is an agile term spun into the issue of measuring PMO success. I am hearing more and more terminology of this kind, as lean and agile thinking is picking up in PMOs. That's all good!
As for the metrics, the research data does not drill down into this question to that level of detail. What we can deduce from the data is that successful PMOs work on more projects by breaking them down into more manageable units. This has been a hallmark of project success noted not just in our research, but in the Standish Group studies for a number of years.
Of course, there are many factors in play when it comes to succeeding at managing multiple projects – and, if you look particularly at the "Best-in-Class" PMOs in the study, you see that they report quite a few characteristics that may be contributing to their ability to juggle many initiatives successfully: the vast majority of them manage their own project managers, for example; and they are also much more likely to engage outside experts to help manage projects and programs.
Q: Our organization is international and growing at a fast pace but there is no established PMO. My own assessment is that top level management might not be knowledgeable about the huge benefits that might be derived. Is there a hybrid PMO setup where you can share expertise but remain separate units?
Crawford: Find the business unit(s) that are most interested in improving how they manage projects first. Make sure you establish a methodology that will be useable across the entire enterprise so that later you can integrate it into other business units. Develop your system to satisfy that unit but design it to be transportable to others and serve the entire enterprise. At one company we have worked with, the IT PMO, for example, became a "de facto enterprise PMO." Although it was based in IT, other business units got wind of the success they were having and began asking for help and adopting certain processes. You can view the departmental or business unit PMO as a "pilot project" where you model the impact of project management. That is why it is key not to create your entire methodology around a specific function so that it can't be used by anyone else.
Q: I am at the beginning stages of setting up a PMO for an Oil & Gas Project Management group and I am struggling as to which hill to climb first. What is a recommended path when developing a PMO from scratch?
Crawford: I think we wrote a book about that! Methodology, methodology, methodology. Make individual projects successful first, then apply it to portfolios and start tracking value to the organization as a whole.
Further, you should endeavor to develop and implement methodology in two months. Otherwise it becomes an exercise in paper. So many PMOS fail because they take too long developing methodology. Plug and play—that is one of the benefits behind calling in outside experts who already have a methodology that they can quickly customize to your organization. If looking for outside help, make sure they are bringing a toolkit with them: they should have at least a 90% solution ready.
At another client site, we saw a negative example of this, when the company—a manufacturer in the automotive field — designed a product development methodology that they said it was for the enterprise, but since no one else in other departments recognized the terminology, it never went anywhere. The same for a global pharma company we worked with. They had 4 different methodologies … but the life cycles were so different that they were not usable across the enterprise. When the organization wants to grow, they find they all need to speak the same language.
Q: Can you speak to the issue of Project Management Center of Excellence versus a PMO?
Crawford: When it comes to the effectiveness of a Center of Excellence (COE) model PMO, placement is everything. We are facing this at one of our clients, a utility company. They have a COE; but it is tucked away in a silo three levels down the org chart. The COE can only recommend and suggest.It has no auditing or policing capability, and zero authority on adaptation. So in the other silos they are just making it up as they go along. Looking at resource optimization across multiple departments, there's inconsistency in the tools they are using. So, it becomes impossible to integrate and they are losing a lot of efficiency. You'll never get there on multiproject integration with multiple tools and approaches.
If the COE is placed high enough in the organization, it can work … but it also needs authority. But then … it's not exactly a COE! Don't get me wrong: creating approaches, processes and tools, making them available, educating, responding and supporting when called upon … this can be tremendously helpful. The problem is that this does got give the enterprise the consistency in approach that really solves problems.
A fully mature PMO should have the authority to evaluate project progress and change project leadership if necessary. CoEs are just a voice. Then the function leader decides when and how much to apply of it. Mentoring can be useful. But truthfully, most COEs are toothless.
Still, a lot of companies have begun that way. The best case scenario is that they realize after a while that they could be so much more effective if they gave their COE the authority to implement … thus becoming a more mainstream PMO.
Q: What´s your best advice to establish a world-class PMO in a company that has its focus on revenue over profit?
Crawford: I'm guessing that this participant works for a startup! In a company's first five to eight years, they need to create revenue stream. Establish your objectives and tie those to key portfolio objectives that drive the business. What projects in my portfolio have the highest potential for revenue growth? What tools will improve time to market? How do we get products out there that will grow revenue? If you are struggling with what drivers to determine your portfolio, go to the C level and ask how performance is being measured. Match your portfolio KPIs to the performance drivers that THEY are being evaluated on.
And be patient. Those things change. In one class I taught years ago, I asked a group of 50 people from all across the enterprise to rank their department's 10 key strategic priorities (time to mark, cost benefits, etc.). All 50 ranked cost savings as #1. Why? This was an insurance company, one year after Hurricane Katrina. They said, "We are in recovery mode. Everything is under cost containment." So things will happen that change business-driven KPIs … they do not remain static. It's important to keep a finger on the pulse. What is motivating the leadership? For now, for this questioner, revenue is the key. That will probably change in five years.
Q: What are the critical elements of the business case that best-in-class PMOs require?
Crawford: If you are asking about the business case for establishing a PMO, first of all, I'd make the case for an optimized portfolio that contributes to critical strategic objectives and KPIs of the organization. The second is that project delivery and performance will be improved, along with efficiency of multiproject resource optimization. And then active governance and ownership by the leadership to enable much more effective decision making on cancelling or modifying projects, or making changes to the team. Being able to track, ID, and evaluate benefits post-project.
But this question could be read another way. What are the critical elements for business cases? First, that every project HAS a business case. Business cases need to address critical organizational KPIs. Having good KPIs is important. A business case process must have sufficient rigor that each case expresses those KPIs in a measurable way.
Editor's note: Check our our PMO resources here.
- What He Said: Rules of Engagement, from the Mayo Clinic CRM PMO - The View from PMI Part 2
- The Long View from Far Away
- Pop Quiz: How Would You Invest $1000?
- A Sneak Preview of The Adaptive Organization
- Project Management Essentials Book Now Out In Fourth Edition
- Adaptive Process Benchmark Study Closing Extended to July 11
- New Survey Benchmarks Adaptive Processes, Organizational Results
- What's the Value of Management Consulting?
- Where Agility Lives: Your Strategy Execution Questions, Answered: Part 3
- Strategic Nuts and Bolts: Part 2 of "Your Strategy Execution Questions Answered"
- Your Questions About Strategy Execution Answered
- Strategy and Projects: Then and Now
- Webinar Alert: Best PM Practices for Strategy Execution
- Interesting Times in Project Management: An Interview with J. Kent Crawford
- Trends in Project Management: An Interview with Bruce Miller
- CEO Insights from the PMO Symposium
- PMO Symposium Conference: Beyond Competitive Advantage
- PMO Symposium Conference: Beyond Agile
- New Research Strongly Links PMO and PPM Processes to Strategic Execution
- Agile Thoughts: Self-Governance vs. PMO Governance?
- Expert Series 6: The Project Charter: Destination, Map and Key
- Strategic Homework!
- Expert Series 5: Project Manager Bandwidth
- New Research Study: How Do Project/Program Processes Impact Strategy Execution?
- A Question of Agility: Expert Answers
- Expert Series 4: The Relationship between Project Manager and Steering Team Members
- Expert Series 3: Common Problems of a PMO
- Best-in-Class PMOs Unveiled
- Expert Series 2: Change Management: Start at the Beginning
- We Still Value Expertise
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